224 USES OF PL.\NTS BY INDIANS [eth, ann. 33 



The Krtils of wuterriiel.iiis are like those of French melons. Their shape 

 In oviil uikI Hut, belli); as thick at the ends as towards the middle; their 

 lenirth Is about six lines, and their breadth four. Some are black and others 

 red ; hut the black are the best, and it is those yon ought to chuse for sowing. 

 If you would wish to have the best fruit; which you can not fail of if they are 

 not ijlunte.1 in strong ground where they would degenerate and become red. 



MELOX.S tiKOWX BY INDIANS OK VIIKUNIA ICCIXIHE THE COMING OF 

 WHITE MEN 



. . . but none of the Tolls of Husbandry were exercised by this happy 

 re<jple, except the bare planting a little Corn and Melons, . . . And indeed 

 ull that the T:n(ilish have lione since their going thither, has been only to 

 make some of these Native Pleasures more scarce. . . . hardly making Im- 

 proveiuents equivalent to that Damage.' 



MELONS FOUND HY I,A SALLE IN TEXAS IN lt>87 



This instrument [wooden hoe] serves them instead of a hoe, or spade, for 

 they have no iron tools. When the land has been thus tilled, or broken up, the 

 women sow and plant the Indian corn, beans, ponipioiis. watermelons and 

 other grain and garden ware, which is for their sustenance. [Account of the 

 Cenis, (Caddos), 1687.]' 



. . . we met a company of Indians, with axes, going to fetch barks of trees 

 to cover their cottages. They were surprised to see us, but having made signs 

 to them to draw near, they came, caressetl and presented us with some water- 

 melons they had . . . We halted in one of their cottages, . . . There we met 

 several women who had brought bread, gourds, beans and watermelons, a sort 

 of fruit jiroper to quench thirst, the i>ulp of it being no better than water.^ 



WA'IEl!.MEIiON.S AMONC. THE ILLINOIS 



We c(mtinue<l some time in Fort I^ouis [on the Mississippi among the Illinois) 

 without receiving any news. Our business was, after having heard mass, which 

 we had the good fortune to do every day, to divert ourselves the best way 

 we could. The Indian women daily brought in something fresh ; we wanted 

 not for watermelons, bread made of Indian corn, baked in the embers, and 

 other such things, and we rewarded them by little i)resents in return.* 



The natives of the country about (among the Poutouatannis [Pottawatomies] 

 which Is half way to Michilimaquinay ) till the hind and sow Indian corn, 

 melons and gourds," 



MEIXJNS AND OTHEIt CTLTIVATED PLANTS AMONO TRIBES OF WESTERN 

 I'RAIRIES 



The savage peoples who inhabit the prairies have life-long goo<i-fortune ; 

 animals and birds are found there in great numbers, with numberless rivers 

 abounding In fish. Those people are naturally very industrious, and devote 



'Bpverlpy, History of Virginia (1705), Book ii, p. 40. 



-Cox, Journeys of La Salic, vol. ii, p. 13'J. 



"Ibid., pp. 1!)0-191. 



♦Ibid., p. 222. 



•Ibid., p. 229. }: . 



