SOUTHERN OREGON. 259 



inserted with a few beads ; the face was usually painted, the upper 

 part of the cheek in the form of a triangle, with a blue-black sub- 

 stance, mixed with some shiny particles that resembled pulverized 

 mica. 



The Indians were darker as to colour than the northern tribes, and 

 their general appearance resembled that of the South Sea islanders. 

 Their food consists principally of fish and acorns ; of the latter they 

 make a kind of black cake by shelling the acorns, drying them in 

 the sun, and then grinding them through stones to a meal, which 

 they mix with a little water and arbutus-berries, which gives it a 

 flavour ; it is then formed into cakes about two inches thick, when it 

 is wrapped in leaves and baked ; it is quite black and eats like cheese : 

 these acorns are quite palatable in the raw state. The seeds of the 

 different genus of pine are also eaten, particularly one that is pecu- 

 liar to California. The arbutus-berry is in great plenty, and is also 

 ground into meal ; they have also many grapes. The game had also 

 become very abundant, in consequence of the quantities of food, which 

 attracts them as well as the Indians, and many antelopes and deer 

 were observed. Large flocks of California partridges and geese were 

 also seen : among the birds was a new species of magpie. 



None of the Indians but men visited the camp, the women being 

 left at their rancheria. Our party went to visit it ; it was about 

 half a mile below the camp, and consisted of some rude huts, built of 

 poles, and divided by coarse mats into a number of small apartments. 

 The whole was surrounded by a brush fence, which served for a 

 stockade. 



The huts were small in size and devoid of comfort or cleanliness. 

 It was remarked that the women were much inferior to the men in 

 personal appearance, looking careworn and wrinkled, probably from 

 hard work ; for on them seems to depend the preparation of all their 

 winter's supply of food, at which they seemed to be constantly en- 

 gaged ; while the men are to be seen lounging about, or engaged in 

 games of hazard. They are, however, during the season, engaged in 

 taking salmon, either in weirs, or by spearing : the former method 

 has been described already ; for the latter they use a long forked spear 

 or fish-gig, which has a sharp deer's horn to confine the two prongs, 

 and is attached to the spear by a small lanyard, which in entering 

 the fish slips off, and retains its hold. 



At the rancheria, several dances were performed ; and it was ob- 

 served that many of the women were tattooed on their arms and body. 



