30 



of deer sinews, and cord which they used for their nets, bird traps, 

 and bhmkets; this cord was spun from the inner fibre of a species 

 of millv-weed. Their cookins; utensils were made from the roots of a 

 coarse grass. Tliesc roots grew near the surface of the ground, and 

 in sandy soil can be pulled up in long pieces. The pulpy outside skin 

 is removed and the inside is a woody libre, extremely tough when 

 green, and durable when made into articles for daily use. The Indian 

 women split these roots into thin strips and keep them in water when 

 they are making baskets and take out one at a time, as needed. The 

 water basket is lirst started from a centre at the bottom, and is added 

 to stitch by stitch, without a skeleton frame to iudicat the intended 

 size. A loose strip of grass root is added constantly as a new layer 

 to the last rim, and this is sewed on with another strip of the same 

 fibre to the finished \Vork beneath, a l)one awl being used to bore 

 holes through the basket portion. Tlie water baskets were durable 

 and would hold hot water.* Water was made to boil in them by 

 dropping in stones heated pi'eviously. The women skilfully used two 

 sticks in handling hot stones or coals as we would tongs. 



In bread making the women poundi^d the a(;orns between two 

 stones, a hollowed one serving for a mortar, until it was reduced to a 

 powder as fine as our corn meal. Th(\v removed some of the bitter- 

 ness of the meal bj' scra])ing hollows in the sand and leaching it, by 

 causing water to percolate slowly through it. To prepare it for cook- 

 ing the dough was wrapped in green leaves and these balls were cov- 

 ered with hot stones. It comes out dark colored and not appetizing, 

 but it is nutritious and was eaten with gratitude by Fremont's men in 

 184:4. Fish and meat were sometimes cooked in this way. A salmon 

 rolled in graix; leaves and surrounded with hot stones, the whole cov- 

 ered with dry eartli or ashes over night and taken out hot for break- 

 fast, does not need a hunter's appetite for its appreciation. 



Marriage among tlie California Indians was similar to that of other 

 tribes in other parts of the country. Presents of sullicient value wei'e 

 given by the men to the girl's parents, and the bride might be given 

 away without her knowledge or consent. They were naturally cheer- 

 ful and attachetl to eacli otlier, and although polygamy was permitted. 

 I knew only one cliief who had two wives. These seemed to agree, 

 altjiough Wakelo said of his family tliat it had "too much tongue." 



In earlier d:iys dancing among them was confined to ceremonies of 

 difi'ercnt kinds. In some of these the women joined, forming them- 

 selves into a circle; but. as only one step was used in a solemn way, 

 accompanied by a half turning of the body, a stranger might be in 

 doubt wlietlicr it was rejoicing or mourning. AVithin tliis circle the 

 men danced with great activity, leaping across a fiie burning in the 

 centre, and yelling and singing wliilst the women continued their 

 solemn dancing, singing a low monotonous chant. 



The Indians were inveterate gami)lers and parties from one tribe 

 would visit another for several days at a time and play day and night. 

 The game, was a sort of an "odd and even," as played by white chil- 

 dren, the parties guessing as to the number and position of the sticks 

 used in tlie game. The playing was accompanied by singing and 

 beads were principally used for stakes. 



In the treatment of diseases the Indians succeeded in a certain class 

 of them, but failed altogether in others. The pain from a sprain or 



*A sliallow basket of then- work, which htis been ia the Mui^euni for several 

 years, now holds cold water as perfectly as when it was made. 



