138 THE INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA. 
It is done on moonless nights and usually in parties of three 
to each canoe. One Indian guides the boat, a boy kneels in 
front with a blazing torch held near the surface of the water, 
while the one with the spear watches for the flash of the 
salmon as he darts toward the light. The spear is a loose 
point of bone with a hole through the centre, and one end 
fitted in a socket at the end of a light strong pole, and se- 
cured to the staff by a cord through the centre of the bone. 
When a fish is struck the bone is drawn out from its 
socket and left in the fish, making what sailors call a 
"toggle," the cord holding it in spite of its struggles. 
When the Indian is about to spear the salmon, you see him 
to advantage, and he gives his orders full of earnestness. 
*Hoddom ! Hoddom ! Pue-ne ! Pue-ne! Hon-de ! Hip-pe-ne ! 
Mip! Mip! Wedem-pou!" as the struggling fish is drawn 
to the canoe. These words translated are: There, there! 
. East, east! Lower! Higher! Hold, hold! The last word 
is an exclamation of surprise. 
No christian has stronger faith that his Father will provide 
for his wants, than these Indians had that the Great Spirit 
would send the salmon into their nets, or the grasshoppers to 
vary their bill of fare. Although grasshoppers are regarded 
with dread by the white settlers in some sections, the Indians 
go out to meet them rejoicing. They pile up the dry bunch 
grass for a centre and then forming a wide circle, and swing- 
ing branches of trees, they adajo driving the swarms of 
grasshoppers, until they take refuge under the pile of bunch 
grass. The grass at every point is set on fire simultane- 
ously; and burns like gunpowder. When the smoke has 
rolled away the roasted grasshoppers are picked up by the 
basket full. 
The division of fish and game was made generally by a 
chief, who counted out as many portions as there were fami- 
lies to eat. If no objection was made to the size of any por- 
tion, one of the number turned his back and called out, some 
name as each lot was pointed out by the chief, the Indians 
