DRINKS, NARCOTICS, AND MEDICINES 73 



great many years. It is easier to imagine that the knowledge of agri- 

 culture with the seed of corn, squash, and bean came to them long ago 

 across the desert, than that they learned of these things only in this cen- 

 tury from the Spaniards. Westward of the Coast Range, however, where 

 artificial irrigation is necessary, cultivation of the soil may not have 

 preceded the missions, although Mr. Taylor years ago made interest- 

 ing mention of finding on the Sesepe river, near Piru, " remains of 

 ancient acequias or irrigating canals, made exactly after the plans of 

 those of the Gila, covering a space of some four hundred acres," and 

 which he suggests is " the only thing of the kind to be met with in 

 California." ' 



In concluding this paragraph I cannot forbear calling attention to 

 the fact that change of diet is not an unmixed good. Doubtless 

 it is an inevitable change, but it has wrought havoc in the health of 

 many families. The transition from a plain atole to a mess of hot 

 food, fried in grease, is more than an Indian's constitution can abide, 

 I believe the heavy mortality among children, the decay of teeth and 

 skin eruptions that are appearing, are due in large part to the aban- 

 donment of native foods for those of civilized life. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



DRINKS, NARCOTICS, AND MEDICINES. 



52. The preparation of cool and refreshing drinks from the fruit 

 of the prosopis and the aromatic sumac has been noticed above. The 

 flower of the "ochotilla," or Fouquiera spinosa, is used also to pre- 

 pare a sweet beverage by soaking the splendid scarlet blossoms in 

 water. 



Of these three beverages the mesquite drink is most commonly 

 used, indeed, during the hot summer months it is drunk continually. 

 A wide clay basin, containing a mass of half-crushed pods of the 

 algaroba is kept filled with water, and everybody helps himself to a 

 good draught as thirst impels. The screwbean, however, as stated 

 previously, makes the better beverage. 



Besides these cooling summer drinks the Coahuillas have a tea 

 plant that is very much prized. This is the Ephedra Nevadensis, Wats, 

 called tu-tut. This ephedra grows along the mountains facing the 



i California Farmer, Vol. XVI, No. 15. 



