116 ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. Dec. & 
satisfied the cravings of appetite with all manner of vegetation not 
absolutely poisonous, and rendered edible many plants and roots of a 
known poisonous nature, by maceration in cold and hot water, and by 
baking and frying ; thus evaporating the deadly juices and nullifying the 
unpalatable characteristics. Vegetable matter reduced by such means is 
usually insipid, and the Indians often resorted to various expedients for 
seasoning. Salt was the principal and natural recourse. There were sev- 
several saline springs in the territory of the Sencas besides those east of 
Seneca lake mentioned by Luke Swetland. The Indians of the Genesee 
Valley often came to Irondequoit bay to make salt. There was a salt 
spring at the head of the bay on the west side, one in Dunbar hollow, and 
others east of the bay. The last one used by the Senecas was located 
in Webster, south of Forest Lawn. When the Senecas retired to reser- 
vations about 1796, an old chief from Moscow, in company with Jacob 
Walker the tory first-resident of Irondequoit, covered the Webster 
spring with stone, so effectually concealing it that it remains undis- 
covered to this day. 
As substitutes for salt the Indians used the white portion of hard 
wood ashes, the ashes of corn cobs and certain leaves, and occasionally 
the lye of wood ashes. Fish, animal fat, and oils produced from nuts 
were also employed to modify the unpleasant. qualities of root foods. 
The meats of nuts were often mashed into a sort of butter-grease 
for seasoning. Butternuts especially were reduced to a thin milk that 
was considered nourishing for infants and children. Other vegetable 
matter, such as acorns and dandelion roots, was roasted, pounded and 
sprinkled over the cooked roots. Squash rinds, corn meal and maple 
sugar were dainties. Horse-radish was boiled with meats as well as 
roots, and mints and cress proved acceptable relishes. 
Acids were supplied by wild fruits and berries when those could 
be obtained. A loaf of root bread well sprinkled with berries was not 
to be sneezed at. The sumach also provided an agreeable wholesome 
acid. It was called ote-k6-da, by the Senecas who were careful to select 
the red-berried sumach, as the white-berried species is poisonous It 
was a happy day when the hungry root-eater discovered a nest of black 
ants. The insects were called je-hus-to-qua. The Indians laid upon 
the nests pieces of freshly peeled bark upon which the ants gathered in 
large numbers and were at once secured. The sharp vinegar-like taste 
of the insects was a great incentive to appetite. 
The ka-no was, or cow-slip, the o-nah-sa, or mushroon, the o-nus- 
ta-sah, or sassafras, the green shoots of o-nd-to-wa-nes, or the burdock, 
the ya-ho, or mandrake, the jes-ta-ga-a-go-wa, or wintergreen, the 
