THE MALAY RACE. 



103 



the Oregon tribes, except only that the strap instead of crossing the 

 forehead, passes over the top of the head. 



One evening, I witnessed a dance by the native boys, who had or- 

 namented the face and different parts of the body with streaks of white 

 clay, according to published representations. The strong contrast with 

 the complexion, produced at night a striking effect, which could not 

 have been successfully imitated by the lighter Mongolian. One of 

 the boys recently ' captured' from the wild tribes, had evidently never 

 learned to dance ; but he entered into the sport with some spirit, and 

 was making progress in the new accomplishment. Four or five boys 

 standing apart, constituted the orchestra ; and botli then and on a sub- 

 sequent occasion, the California music appeared to me of a superior 

 order to that heard among other American tribes. 



I also visited a neighbouring village, attended by one of the native 

 boys. The huts were hemispherical, consisting of a light framework 

 thatched witb rushes, and were apparently intended only for shelter 

 during the rains of the mild winter. The inhabitants had left them, 

 and were encamped in the open air, half a mile nearer the river, hav- 

 ing set up branches of trees for shade, and some enclosures of rush- 

 mats. The men, with their chief, were yet a little apart, occupied in 

 various methods of gambling away their earnings. The women were 

 engaged in domestic avocations ; and chiefly in the preparation of food. 

 Large stores of various minute seeds were lying in heaps; but the 

 principal resource, evidently consisted of acorns; and several women 

 were at work, removing the shells preparatory to drying. Other 

 women were pulverizing dried roots, perhaps of the Scirpus lacustris. 

 Some of the water-tight baskets, were full of porridge of different 

 kinds made of combinations of the above materials, and cooked by 

 being placed among hot stones. I tasted some of these messes ; but 

 the only thing that Europeans would have considered edible, was a 

 string of fish from the river, that arrived as I was taking leave. 



I was surprised at finding no canoes on these waters. It was said, 

 " that the natives had some formerly, which were composed of rushes, 

 and were used not only on the Bay, but (what requires confirmation) 

 to communicate with the islands along the coast to the soutliward." 

 And further, that they " much admire wooden canoes, when they 

 get hold of them." In the tide-water of the Sacramento, I sometimes 

 observed natives ferrying themselves over, standing upon a couple of 

 split logs. On the Upper Sacramento, these were dispensed with ; 

 and I began to think the people had lost the ampliibious character of 

 their race; but it appeared, that in the absence of clothing, and the 



