IN CALIFORNIA 187 



is closely related to the oriental millet (Panicum 

 miliaceum) , which has been cultivated over seas from 

 time immemorial for its edible seeds, and is men- 

 tioned in the Old Testament (Ezekiel iv, 9). It is 

 interesting to find that the California Indians 

 should have discovered the usefulness of this rarer 

 American grass, distinguishing it from many that 

 are dietetically worthless, and turned the seeds to 

 account just as the ancient Hebrews and Egyptians 

 used to do, and as the Arabs do to-day, with its more 

 famous Old World cousin. 



Mescal de Comer 



While the thistle-sage is found principally in the 

 south, the true chia is met with throughout the 

 length of the State, even in the deserts. The desert 

 Indians, be it known, had a very extensive menu. 

 Paradoxical as it may seem, "the Land of Lost Bor- 

 ders ' ' is a good nursing mother to her children, and 

 a desert Indian of the old school was a hard subject 

 to starve. Besides chia, the seeds of several other 

 plants those of at least two sorts of sage brush for 

 instance went into pinole, and the fruits of several 

 cactuses, the prickles brushed off, were consumed 

 sometimes raw, sometimes cooked. But the great 

 treat of the year came indeed still comes when 

 the buds of the mescal are putting up. By this 



