300 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



and white threads in stripes and geometric figures of endless variety 

 (Fig. oo). A very i)retty coarse wallet is produced by using vertical 

 rushes for the foundations and twining bands of two or three rows at 

 intervals of a few inches. 



The coiled and whipped structure is employed by many tribes through- 

 out California (Figs. 36, 37, from Eel River tribe). In most of them the 

 double coil is used; that is, two rods or osiers are carried around, or 

 an osier overlaid with a strip of bark or yucca (See Tinne Indian 

 baskets, page 294.) The sewing is over both and down under only the 

 upper one of the coil just beneath. Some of the baskets of this area are 

 of the greatest beauty, both in form, texture, and in ornamentation. 



The principal shapes are the inverted truncated cone, the ginger jar, 

 and the shallow dish or tray. From willow twigs and pine roots they 

 weave large, round mats for holding acorn tlour; various sized, flatfish, 

 squash-shaped baskets, water tight; deep conical ones of about a 

 bushel capacity to be carried on their backs; skull caps, which are also 

 drinking cups, worn by the squaws. They ornament the baskets by 

 weaving in black rootlets or bark in squares, diamonds, and zigzags. 

 (Powers: Cont. N. A. Ethnology, III, p. 47.) 



On Tule River long stalks of Sporobolns are used for warps. For 

 thread pine root is used for white, willow bark for the brown, and some 

 unknown bark for the black. The needle is a "sharpened thigh-bone of 

 a hawk. (Id., p. 377.) 



The Modok women formerly made a baby -basket of willow-work, in 

 shape resembling a tailor's slipper or an old-fashioned watch- holder, 

 and having various devices to shade the face. The warp is of straight 

 rods, the woof consists of bands of twined work, just enough to hold the 

 warp together, most of the space being left open. Some of the Northern 

 California tribes make a baby-basket similar in shape to the Sioux and 

 Cheyenne beaded cradle-boards. 



The Californian Indians from TuM Lake to the Gulf of California 

 use the greatest care in securing uniformity and fineness to the founda- 

 tion and the stitch. Their skill will compare favorably with that 

 of the Siamese, who do very similar work. The needle is the long 

 bone of a bird or mammal, the joint remaining for a handle and the 

 point being forward of the central hard jiortion of the bone. The 

 female basket-weaver pierces a hole in the fabric at the proi)er point, 

 draws the thn^ad of grass or woody fibre through the aperture, "biting 

 the end to sharpen her thread if necessary, and presses the stitches 

 home with the bone needle. 



The ornamentation is in color, i)attern, and accessories. The natu- 

 ral color of the material is the basis of the basket. A very dark- 

 brown and a very light brown colored straw is worked into chevrons 

 and zigzag lines in endless variety. A strip of reed or grass is some- 

 times carried around on the outside, concealed by two, three, or more 

 stitches, then overlapping the same number, forming a checkered 



