32 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Fell., 



< )f Cruciferae furnishing edible seeds the most important seems to 

 have been the hedge mustard {Sisymbrium, canescens), poi'-ya or 

 po'-nak, the seeds of which were gathered and used in the ordinary 

 way, but were also, it is said, after being ground up to have been mixed 

 with snow in the winter time and in this form eaten as a sort of refresh- 

 ment. In the borage family the species of Lithospermum, tso'-ni-baip, 

 more especially, furnished a portion of seeds. Seeds of the mints 

 Drachocephalum parviflorum and Lophanthus urticifolius, both known 

 under the name ba'-gwa-nup or toi'-ya-ba-qwa-nup, were also regularly 

 gathered. Especially nutritious and important were the seeds beaten 

 from the heads of a number of species of the Composite. Among 

 various others may be mentioned the arrowroot (Balsa morhiza 

 saqittata), previously spoken of as furnishing edible leaves, the related 

 Balsamorhiza hookeri, mo'-a-kump, Wyethia amplexicaulis, pi'-a-ken- 

 dsip, Gymnolomia multiflora, mu'-ta-kai, and the sunflower (Helianthus). 

 The familiar arrow-grass (Triglochin maritimum), pa'-na-wi, and the 

 cat-tail (Typha latifolia), to' -imp, are also to be included here. The 

 ripe spikes of the latter were gathered and the bristles were burned 

 off, by which process the seeds were freed and were at the same time 

 roasted. 



The seeds of all these and of other plants were collected in approxi- 

 mately the same way. They were first gathered in large baskets 

 commonly about two and a half feet wide by three feet deep and desig- 

 nated by the name na'-pi-o-sa or sometimes as wu'-tsi-a-nump. These 

 baskets were closely woven and were made tight by means of the gum 

 or pitch of the pine by which the meshes were thoroughly filled, as in 

 the case of water-jugs. The ripe spikes or heads of grasses and the 

 seed containing portions of other plants were knocked or swept into 

 this basket (ta! '-ni-kum-ma-iou' '-ti-qa) by means of a second smaller 

 basket about the size of a three- or four-quart milk pan and known as 

 the da'-mq". Often this da'-mq u was provided with a handle pro- 

 jecting from one side like the handle of a dipper and along the side 

 opposite the attachment of this handle with a flat piece of wood 

 sharpened to an edge like the blade of a knife, its use being to strike 

 against and cut off the fruiting portions of the plants. The large 

 basket might be held in convenient position beneath the taller plants 

 with the left hand, while in the right the smaller one, or da'-niq u , was 

 used to sweep the tops of the plants ; but more frequently the na'-pi- 

 o-sa was carried beneath the left arm or swung upon the back. When 

 in the latter position a quick sweep of the da'-niq u was made from right 

 to left across the plants and then up over the left shoulder so as to 

 carry the loosened material into the receptacle. 



