SOCIETY. 393 
eye or agreeable to the palate, and mixed through with leaves 
and dirt. For grinding the acorns a stone mortar is used. 
This mortar is sometimes nearly flat, with a hollow not more 
than two inches deep; and occasionally one will be seen fifteen 
inches deep, and not more than three inches thick in any part 
of it. The pestle is of stone, round, ten inches long and 
three thick. 
Horsechestnuts are usually made into a gruel or soup. 
After being ground in the mortar, they are mixed with water 
in a waterproof basket, into which redhot stones are thrown, 
and thus the soup is cooked. As the stones when taken from 
the fire have dirt and ashes adhering to them, the soup is not 
clean, and it often sets the teeth on edge. 
Grass-seeds are ground in the mortar and roasted or made 
into soup. 
Grasshoppers are roasted, and eaten without further prepara- 
tion, or mashed up with berries. 
Fish and meat are broiled on the coals. The intestines and 
blood are eaten as well as the muscle. 
Clover and grass are eaten raw. The Indians go out into 
the clover patches, pull up the clover with their hands, and eat 
stalks, leaves, and flowers. They consider clover a great 
blessing, and get fat on it. 
The Indians rarely have salt and never spices, and most of 
their food is such as a white man could not eat, unless reduced 
to near starvation. In eating they use no plates, cups, knives, 
or forks, nor do they use any utensils in preparing their food, 
save the mortar and waterproof basket. The pine-nuts, edible 
roots, and berries are eaten raw. Bugs, lizards, and snakes 
are all considered good for food. In those places where the 
tules grow, the roots of those rushes are eaten. Except one 
or two tules in the Colorado Desert, the wild Indians of Cali- 
fornia never tilled the soil. 
‘They use very few tools. The bow was the only weapon 
for killing quadrupeds. It is made of a reddish wood said to 
be the western yew, and on the back the bow is strengthened 
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