20 GEOEGE M. DAWSON ON THE 



regularly visited in the early summer or autumn. These localities are generally situated 

 at some height above the principal valleys, on the plateaux or mountains, where camps are 

 formed during the season of harvest. One of the most noted localities for this and other 

 roots is that named Botanie, and this is the special resort of the N-tla-kfi-pe-mooh Indians. 

 This root, like most of the others, is cooked by baking in the ground. 



The root of the Balsamorhiza {B. sugittata) is also eaten, being previously roasted or 

 baked in the ground for a period of two or three days. Signs of the old roasting-places 

 are common on hillsides where the plant abounds. The root itself is rather woody, but 

 even when fresh has a not uu pleasant liquorice-like taste. It is named tsût-tsilk' by the 

 Shoo-wha-pa-mooh, sin-ll-kun by the N-tla-ka-pe-mooh. 



The cinquefoil {Potentilla anserina) affords an edible root, of which large quantities 

 are gathered in some places, in the autumn. Put-hll-i-hV, the name of Three-Lake valley, 

 is also that of this plant. 



Early in July the wild onion (Allium cernmtm), nearly ready to flower, is in condition 

 to be gathered, and some families, camping in favourable places for the purpose, engage 

 in this harvest. The women search the open woods and hillsides with crutch-like root- 

 digging sticks in hand, and as each bunch of roots is extracted deftly toss it over the 

 shoulder into a basket carried on the back. Returning to camp, the collections of the day 

 are roasted or steamed in the usual way. They are next dried, and finally made up very 

 neatly into bundles or chaplets and stored for future use. Thus treated the roots are 

 nearly black, and are said to be sweet-tasted. 



The root of Pencedanum eurycarpum and probably those of other species of the same 

 genus are articles of food, while Mr. J. M. Macoun informs me that in June he found the 

 Indians digging the roots of Hydrophyllum cupitatum at Botanie for the same purpose. 



Another root eaten by the Shviswaps is that of the little Claytonia or spring beauty 

 (C sessilifolia), which grows high on the mountains, and sprouts there along the retreat- 

 ing edge of the snow. The root of the dog-tooth violet {Eri/thronium giganleum), which 

 grows with the last mentioned, is also eaten. 



In some places on that part of the Columbia which is included in the territory of the 

 Shuswaps, the camass [Camassia esculentd) is abundant, and forms an important article of 

 diet. 



The following excellent description of the mode of cooking the camass in this dis- 

 trict is given by Mr. J. M. Macoun. It will serve equally to explain the process of cooking 

 roots of other kinds : — 



"The bulbs were collected by the Indians before the seed was fully matured, at which 

 time they consider them at their best. The party I speak of had between twenty and 

 twenty-five bushels of them at the lowest estimate. For two or three days before cooking- 

 was begun, the women of the party were engaged in cutting and carrying to camp 

 branches of the alder and maple (Almts rubra and Acer glabrum). Several bundles of the 

 broad leaves of Lyairhitim Kamtschalcense (skunk-cabbage), and two or three of Alectoria 

 j'ubata), the black hair-like lichen that grows in profusion on Larix occidentalis, had been 

 brought with them. 



"Everything being ready, the men of the party cut down a huge pine for no other 

 object, apparently, than to obtain its smaller branches, as no other portion of it was used. 



