222 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA 



saddle-bow ; while nut-baskets and water-jars pro 

 ject from each side, and the long beating-poles 

 make angles in every direction. Arriving at some 

 well-known central point where grass and water 

 are found, the squaws with baskets, the men with 

 poles ascend the ridges to the laden trees, followed 

 by the children. Then the beating begins right 

 merrily, the burs fly in every direction, rolling down 

 the slopes, lodging here and there against rocks and 

 sage-bushes, chased and gathered by the women 

 and children with fine natural gladness. Smoke- 

 columns speedily mark the joyful scene of their 

 labors as the roasting-fires are kindled, and, at 

 night, assembled in gay circles garrulous as jays, 

 they begin the first nut feast of the season. 



The nuts are about half an inch long and a 

 quarter of an inch in diameter, pointed at the top, 

 round at the base, light brown in general color, 

 and, like many other pine seeds, handsomely dotted 

 with purple, like birds' eggs. The shells are thin 

 and may be crushed between the thumb and finger. 

 The kernels are white, becoming brown by roasting, 

 and are sweet to every palate, being eaten by birds, 

 squirrels, dogs, horses, and men. Perhaps less than 

 one bushel in a thousand of the whole crop is ever 

 gathered. Still, besides supplying their own wants, 

 in times of plenty the Indians bring large quan 

 tities to market ; then they are eaten around nearly 

 every fireside in the State, and are even fed to 

 horses occasionally instead of barley. 



Of other trees growing on the Sierra, but form 

 ing a very small part of the general forest, we may 

 briefly notice the following : 



