TUNAS. 305 



plant that in hot climates grows in great profusion on soil 

 formed of decomposed lava, attaining, when so situated, great 

 size and then bearing " pears " as large as common figs, which 

 fruit the so-called pears indeed greatly resemble not only in 

 general appearance and shape, but by being, like them, full 

 of seeds. 



The tuna is covered with barbed prickles, hence it cannot 

 with impunity be rashly handled ; varies in colour when ripe 

 according to the variety of the plant, being purple, bright 

 yellow, crimson, and other shades ; and is then not only 

 juicy and sweet, but has a most agreeable and refreshing 

 sub-acid flavour. 



The Indians, to preserve the tunas for winter use, first roll 

 them backwards and forwards in buckskins to deprive them 

 of their barbed prickles ; then beat them into a pulp with 

 stones, flatten the pulp into cakes about half-an-inch thick, 

 and dry them on the rocks in the sun. In a few days the 

 cakes become quite hard, and are covered with a coating of 

 natural fruit sugar, candied all over them, and are a good, 

 nourishing, portable preserve, which will keep in eatable con- 

 dition for a twelvemonth. 



Having ascertained the whereabouts of the objects of our 

 search, the next thing was to determine how an interview 

 with the chief could be best attained. 



Every party, to have a fair chance of success, must have a 

 leader or head. In nothing is this truth more apparent than 

 in mountaineering and Indian fighting ; accordingly our 

 party had one, whom I will distinguish as X., and after a 

 council of war he determined upon the next move. 



The ground before us we knew thoroughly, every foot 



