304 bushnell: the chitimacha Indians 



have been a favorite method of preparing the meal, the sour 

 taste being relished. This was sometimes eaten with a sirup. 

 Again, corn was allowed to ripen on the cob, and to become 

 quite dry, before being shelled. Later the grains were parched 

 by being mixed with hot ashes of a wood fire. The parched 

 grains were then pounded in a wooden mortar, passed through 

 a sieve, and eaten mixed with water. 



Turtles were relished, and likewise their eggs, but the flesh 

 was never smoked. Alligator eggs were eaten, but not the 

 flesh unless other food was scarce. Salt was not used by the 

 old people, and it is not cared for at the present time. 



Berries and wild fruits are eaten when ripe, but are never 

 dried. 



DRESS AND PERSONAL DECORATION 



The men, until quite recently, wore their hair long but did 

 not plait it. The manner of cutting and shaping it is not' re- 

 membered. 



Formerly the hands, neck, and cheeks, were tattooed, the 

 colors used being red and black. The former was derived from 

 the juice of the giant rag weed (Ambrosia trifida) ; the latter was 

 soot produced by burning yellow pine. 



Small shells were perforated and strung as necklaces. Other 

 shells were worked and pieces were fashioned into beads. 



ARTS AND INDUSTRIES 



Bowls, spoons, and paddles for stirring food were made of 

 wood. The Chitimacha word for bowl is Gah-maiV . Mor- 

 tars and pestles were made for use in preparing corn, and so 

 forth. 



A piece of hard stone is used with a steel to " strike fire," 

 decayed dry wood, or a bit of old hide, being used to ignite 

 with the spark. 



The ancient, and still practiced, method of dressing skins as 

 described by Abel Billiot is this : If possible, the skin as soon as 

 removed, is stretched in a frame, or fastened to a flat surface, and 

 in this position is allowed to dry. A frame is then constructed 



