474 



INDIAN TRIBES OF 



to get them into good condition before the winter sets in, to enable 

 them to withstand its rigours. 



The number of Indians actually resident about the falls, is one 

 hundred and fifty ; but, during the height of the fishing season, there 

 are often nearly a thousand, consisting of all the Spokane tribe, who 

 are generally included under the name of the Flatheads. They 

 subsist for the most part on roots, fish, berries, and game. At the 

 opening of the spring, in March and April, or as soon as the snow 

 disappears, they begin to search for a root resembling the cammass, 

 which they call pox-pox. This lasts them till the beginning of May, 

 when it gives place to a bitter root, termed spatylon. This is a slender 

 and white root, not unlike vermicelli in appearance, and when boiled 

 it dissolves into a white jelly, like arrow-root. It has a bitter but not 

 disagreeable flavour, and is remarkable for growing in gravelly soils, 

 where nothing else will thrive. In June, the itzwa, or cammass, 

 comes in season, and is found in greater quantities than the others, 

 all over the country, particularly in the meadow-grounds. This root 

 was thought by many of us to have the taste of boiled chestnuts. 

 Before this fails, the salmon make their appearance, and during the 

 summer months the Indians enjoy a very plentiful supply of food. 

 While the men are employed fishing, the women are busy digging 

 the cammass, which may be termed the principal occupations of the 

 two sexes. They devote a portion of their time to the collection of 

 berries, a work which is principally the duty of the younger part of 

 the tribes. 



In September and October, the salmon still claim their attention : 

 although they are, after having deposited their roes, quite exhausted 

 and about to perish, yet these are dried for their winter consumption ; 

 and unless they had recourse to these, much want would ensue, 

 which is always the case if the salmon should be scarce. 



In October, they dig an inferior root, somewhat of the shape of a 

 parsnep, that is called by the Indians mesani : it has a peculiar 

 taste, and when baked is of a black colour. After this has disap- 

 peared, they depend upon their stores of dried food, and game, in- 

 cluding bears, deer, badgers, squirrels, and wild-fowl; which they 

 sometimes take in great quantities. These, however, fail them at 

 times, and it then generally happens that their salmon become ex- 

 hausted also, when they are obliged to have recourse to the moss, the 

 preparation of which has been before spoken of, and which can be 

 scarcely more than sufficient to sustain them until the spring again 



