FOOD PRODUCTS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 417 
six inches in diameter, and bears two crops of fruit per year. The fruit 
is the size and shape of an egg, and is thickly covered with long, 
black spines. As it ripens it becomes tinged with red, the spines fall 
off, the fruit splits open, and exposes a rich red, juicy pulp, with smail 
black seeds. This is a decidedly better fruit than that of the Cereus gi- 
ganteus, but it is used in every respect for the same domestic purposes. 
The Papajo Indians, in transporting earthen vessels filled with sirup 
or jreserves made of this fruit to market, cover their jars with a thick 
coating of mud, which renders them less liable to break in handling, 
and at the same time keeps the contents cool, and prevents evaporation, 
the crockery used being very porous. The fruit is eaten in enormous 
quantities, and, being very nutritious, the consumers quickly acquire an 
extraordinary increase of bulk. Jn making wine or sirup the seeds are 
easily separated from the pulp by the use of water. They are carefully 
collected, dried, parched, and pulverized, after which process they are 
digestible and nutritious. 
The persimmon, (Diospyros Virginiana.)—This fruit grows abundantly 
in the Indian Territory and in Arkansas. The Indians consume large 
quantities of it when ripe. It is prepared for future use after the man- 
ner of making apple-butter. 
Eehinocactus Wislizeni, (Fig. 2, Plate 6.)—This singular species of cac- 
tus fs commonly called by the Spaniards biznacha, and being twenty 
inches or more ip diameter, a section of the stem is often employed as a 
cooking vessel. The seeds are small and black, but when parched and 
pulverized, make good gruel and even bread. The pulp of the fruit is 
rather sour, and not much eaten. Travelers in passing through the 
cactus wastes often resort to this plant to quench their thirst, its inte- 
rior containing a soft white watery substance, of slightly acid taste, 
which is rather pleasant when chewed. It is a common sight to see on 
each side of the road these plants with a large perforation made by the 
thirsty traveler. An Indian, when traveling and wishing to make a 
meal, selects a large plant, three feet or more long and two in diameter, 
cuts it down and hollows it out so as to form a trough; into this he 
throws the soft portions of the pulpy substance which surrounds the 
central woody axis, and adds meat, roots, seeds, meal, fruits, or 
any edible thing on hand; water is added, aud the whole mixed 
together; stones are then highly heated and dropped into the mixture, 
and, as they cool, are taken out, licked clean, reheated, and returned to 
the cooking vessel, until the mixture is thoroughly boiled. This is a 
favorite dish with the Yabapais and Apaches of Arizona. The Papajo 
Indians pare off the rind and thorns of large plants of this species of 
cactus, letting it remain several days to bleed, when the pulp is pared 
down .to the woody axis, cut up into suitable pieces, and boiled in 
sirup of the Cereus giganteus or Cereus Thurbert. Tf a kind ef sugar 
which is made by the Mexicans is attainable, it is employed instead of 
the sirup, thus forming a good preserve. These pieces, when taken 
out of the liquid and dried, are as good as candied citron, which they 
much resemble in taste and substance. 
Mulberry, (Morus rubra.)—This tree grows abundantly in Northern 
Missouri and along the rivers of Kansas, the fruit being large, sweet, 
and of a black color. The Indiaus will travel many miles in search of 
it. It is found also in the Indian Territory. ; 
Prickly pear, (Opuntia Engelmanni, O. vulgaris, O. Camanchica, 
O. Rafinesquii, O. occidentalis, Fig. 5, Plate 6.)\—The fruit of these 
species of cactus is much eaten by all the Indians of New Mexico, 
oo California, and Utah, under the common Spanish name of twnas, 
27 A 
