30 



oi' deer sinews, and cord which they used for their nets, bird traps, 

 u nd blankets; this cord was spun fro:n the inner fibre of a species 

 of milk-weed. Their cooking utensils were made from the roots of a 

 coarse grass. These roots grew near the surface of the ground, and 

 in sandy soil can be pulled up in lojg pieces. The pulpy outside skin 

 is removed and the inside is a woody fibre, extremely tough when 

 green, and durable when made into articles for daily use. The Indian 

 women split these roots into thin strips and keep them in water when 

 they are making baskets and take out one at a time, as needed. The 

 water basket is first started from a centre at the bottom, and is added 

 to stitch by stitch, without a skeleton frame to indicate the intended 

 size. A loose strip of grass root is added constantly as a new layer 

 to the last rim, and this is sewed on with another strip of the same 

 fibre to the finished work beneath, a bone awl being used to bore 

 holes through the basket portion. The water baskets were durable 

 and would hold hot water.* Water was made to boil in them by 

 dropping in stones heated previously. The women skilfully used two 

 sticks in handling hot stones or coals as we would tongs. 



In bread making the women pounded the acorns between two 

 stones, a hollowed one serving for a mortar, until it was reduced to a 

 powder as fine as our corn meal. They removed some of the bitter- 

 ness of the meal by scraping hollows in the sand and leaching it, by 

 causing water to percolate slowly through it. To prepare it for cook- 

 ing the dough was wrapped in green leaves and these balls were cov- 

 ered with hot stones. It comes out dark colored and not appetizing, 

 but it is nutritious and was eaten with gratitude by Fremont's men in 

 1844. Fish and meat were sometimes cooked in this way. A salmon 

 rolled in grape leaves and surrounded vith hot stones, the whole cov- 

 ered with dry earth or ashes over night and taken out hot for break- 

 fast, does not need a hunter's appetite for its appreciation. 



Marriage among the California Indians was similar to that of other 

 tribes in other parts of the country. Presents of sufficient value were 

 given by the men to the girl's parents, and the bride might be given 

 away without her knowledge or consent. They were naturally cheer- 

 ful and attached to each other, and although polygamy was permitted, 

 I knew only one chief who had two wives. These seemed to agree, 

 although Waketo said of his family that it had "too much tongue." 



In earlier days dancing among them was confined to ceremonies of 

 different kinds. In some of these the women joined, forming them- 

 selves into a circle ; but as only one step was used in a solemn way, 

 accompanied by a half turning of the body, a stranger might be in 

 doubt whether it was rejoicing or mourning. Within this circle the 

 men danced witli great activity, leaping across a fire burning in the 

 centre, and yelling au4i*siugiug whilst the women continued their 

 solemn dancing, singing a low monotonous chant. 



The Indians were inveterate gamblers and parties from one tribe 

 would visit another for several days at a time and play day and night. 

 The game was a sort of an '-odd and even," as played by white chil- 

 dren, the parties guessing as to the number and position of the sticks 

 used in the game. The playing was accompanied by singing and 

 beads were principally used for stakes. 



In the treatment of diseases the Indians succeeded in a certain class 

 of them, but failed altogether in others. The pain from a sprain or 



*A shallow basket of their work, which has been in the Museum for several 

 years, now holds cold water as perfectly as when it was made. 



