FOOD PRODUCTS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 421 
mouth, but it soon softens, is quite sweet, and is readily masticated. All 
three of us, doubtless, will ever remember with pleasure the relish which 
our hunger gave to this singular bread. At one house the nicest dried 
peaches, of their own production, well cooked, were set before us, into 
the juice of which the bread was dipped, at the same time serving as a 
spoon. At another house the roasted mescal, dissolved in water, was 
set before us, in which to dip our bread or guagave rolls, the ends of 
which we bit off from time to time, after saturating them, until satisfied, 
each declaring the food excellent. A favorite mode of preparing corn 
is to boil itin weak lime-water, to remove the husk bran. It is then 
ground into a soft pulp, and made into bread like the above, but is not. 
So palatable to the general taste. The corn, thus hulled, is often mixed 
with chopped meat, formed into cakes, and dried for future use. Often, 
when new corr is ground, it is mixed with pieces of meat, and red or 
green peppers, placed between soft corn husks, tied at the ends, and 
boiled. This dish is called by the Mexicans tomale, but is not accept- 
able to civilized palates. Corn meal is also made into attole or gruel, 
and, when mixed with sugar, or the flour of the mesquite, it is called 
pinole, and is much relished by all Indians. Water is sometimes added 
to it, forming a cooling, sweet, nutritious drink. To make this nicely, 
the corn must be carefully parched, then pulverized, and prepared as 
above. The raw meal is often made into a kind of bread, called tortillas 
by the Spanish. Some Indians prepare the roasting ears by stringing 
and drying them for winter. The Apaches, and many other Indians, 
toast their corn in baskets with much dexterity. This is effected by 
placing the grains and a few live coals or hot stones in the basket, and 
keeping up a brisk agitation, occasionally holding the open basket to 
the fire. The Indians are very fond of parched corn, and consume it in 
surprising quantities. Sometimes it is made into bread after being thus 
roasted. The Apaches cook their mush in rather flat wicker baskets, 
which are water-tight. They heat stones very hot, and, with wooden 
tongs, the ends of which are charred, take them up and drop them in 
the mush. As soon as tool, the stones are taken out, licked clean of 
the adhering mixture, and fresh ones take their places, and so on until 
the mush is cooked. The family then gathers around, and with the 
fingers scoop out the contents. The Navajoes have a national dish 
formed of pounded roasting ears, wrapped in the soft coru-husks, and 
baked in hot ashes. Corn bread, as made by some of the Indians, and 
baked in ashes, would fail to have an appetizing effect upon most people. 
The Navajoes are not very fastidious as to their food. 
An intoxicating drink is made of corn by the Apaches, called tiswein. 
The grain is first soaked for twenty-four hours; a hole is then dug in the 
ground, generally in a wigwam, and some dry grass laid on the bottom ; 
then the corn is laid in and covered with grass; warm water is sprinkled 
over four or five times daily; at night the family sleep on it to increase 
the warmth and cause sprouting, and in four or five days, it is ready 
for the next operation. It is then dried, pulverized, put into a kettle, 
and boiled five hours; when cooled, it is mixed with sugar and flour, 
and left to ferment for twelve hours, when it is ready to drink. If no 
sugar is at hand, the flour of the mesquite beaus is used, or the sirup 
from the fruit of the Cereus giganteus. This is a strong drink, and is 
made whenever corn can be procured. The Indians living principally 
upon the chase, in their wild state, cultivate less corn than those settled 
in villages. Small patches are planted jn the clearings in the woods, 
where the soil is easily worked, and there are no trees to cut down. Asa 
sample of the farming of the Pueblo Indians settled in villages, it may 
