The Native Races (Vol. 1-5). Hubert Howe Bancroft

pp. 307–8; Gibbs, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iii., p. 106; Fremont's Explor. Ex., p. 242; Kelly's Excursion to Cal., vol. ii., pp. 34, 282; Choris, Voy. Pitt., part iii., p. 2; Drake's World Encomp., p. 121; Bartlett's Pers. Nar., vol. ii., p. 30, with cut; Vancouver's Voy., vol. ii., pp. 13, 15; Palou, Noticias, in Doc. Hist. Mex., serie iv., vol. vi., pp. 367, 390; Sutil y Mexicana, Viage, p. 165; La Pérouse, Voy., tom. ii., p. 295; Delano's Life on the Plains, p. 306; Gerstäcker's Journ., p. 218; Gilbert, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1856, p. 242; Patrick, in Id., p. 240; Jewett, in Id., p. 244; Bailey, in Id., 1858, p. 299; Lord's Nat., vol. i., p. 248; Langsdorff's Voy., vol. ii., p. 163; Wimmel, Californien, pp. 177, 179; Farnham's Life in Cal., p. 365; Beechey's Voy., vol. ii., p. 5; Baer, Stat. und Ethno., p. 72; Kostromitonow, in Id., p. 83; Domenech's Deserts, vol. i., p. 239; Mühlenpfordt, Mejico, tom. ii., p. 456; Johnston, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 223; Thornton's Ogn. and Cal., vol. ii., p. 91; Roquefeuil's Voy. Round the World, p. 29; Fages, in Nouvelles Annales des Voy., 1844, tom. ci., pp. 316, 343.

511. Wilkes, and the majority of writers, assert that the acorns are sweet and palatable in their natural state; Kostromitonow, however, says: 'Nachdem die Eicheln vom Baume gepflückt sind, werden sie in der Sonne gedörrt, darauf gereinigt und in Körben mittelst besonders dazu behauener Steine gestossen, dann wird im Sande oder sonst wo in lockerer Erde eine Grube gegraben, die Eicheln werden hineingeschüttet und mit Wasser übergossen, welches beständig von der Erde eingezogen wird. Dieses Ausspülen wiederholt man so lange bis die Eicheln alle ihre eigenthümliche Bitterkeit verloren haben.' Baer, Stat. und Ethno., p. 84. The acorn bread 'looks and tastes like coarse black clay, strongly resembling the soundings in Hampton roads, and being about as savory and digestible.' Revere's Tour, p. 121. Never having eaten 'coarse black clay,' I cannot say how it tastes, but according to all other authorities, this bread, were it not for the extreme filthiness of those who prepare it, would be by no means disagreeable food.

512. Pinole is an Aztec word, and is applied to any kind of grain or seeds, parched and ground, before being made into dough. 'Pinolli, la harina de mayz y chia, antes que la deslian.' Molina, Vocabulario. The Aztecs made pinole chiefly of maize or Indian corn.

513. 'Nos trageron su regalo de tamales grandes de mas de á tercia con su correspondiente grueso, amasados de semillas silvestres muy prietas que parecen brea; los probé y no tienen mal gusto y son muy mantecosos.' Palou, Noticias, in Doc. Hist. Mex., serie iv., tom. vii., p. 68. Among the presents given to Drake by the Indians was 'a roote which they call Petáh, whereof they make a kind of meale, and either bake it into bread or eate it raw; broyled fishes, like a pilchard; the seede and downe aforenamed, with such like.' Drake's World Encomp., p. 126. Catch salmon in baskets. 'They neither sow nor reap, but burn their meadows from time to time to increase their fertility.' Chamisso, in Kotzebue's Voy., vol. iii., p. 48. 'Les rats, les insectes, les serpentes, tout sans exception leur sert de nourriture. … Ils sont trop maladroits et trop paresseux pour chasser.' Choris, Voy. Pitt., part iii., p. 2. 'Entre ellas tienen una especie de semilla negra, y de su harina hacen unos tamales, á modo de bolas, de tamaño de una naranja, que son muy sabrosos, que parecen de almendra tostada muy mantecosa.' Palou, Vida de Junípero Serra, p. 216; Sutil y Mexicana, Viage, p. 164; Kotzebue's New Voy., vol. ii., p. 116. 'Their fastidiousness does not prompt them to take the entrails out' of fishes and birds. Delano's Life on the Plains, p. 305. 'Live upon various plants in their several seasons, besides grapes, and even use the Artemesia.' Wilkes' Nar., in U. S. Ex. Ex., vol. v., pp. 202, 259. 'Ils trouvent aussi autour d'eux une quantité d'aloès dont ils font un fréquent usage. … Ils utilisent éncore la racine d'une espèce de roseau. … Ils mangent aussi une fleur sucrée qui ressemble à celle de l'églantier d'Espagne, et qui croît dans les endroits marécageux.' Marmier, Notice, in Bryant, Voy. en Cal., pp. 232–3, 237. Were cannibals and their sorcerers still eat human flesh. Mofras, Explor., tom. ii., pp. 362, 366–9. The Meewocs 'eat all creatures that swim in the waters, all that fly through the air, and all that creep, crawl, or walk upon the earth, with, perhaps a dozen exceptions.' Powers, in Overland Monthly, vol. x., p. 324. 'Ils se nourrissent également d'une espèce de gâteaux fabriqués avec du gland, et qu'ils roulent dans le sable avant de le livrer à la cuisson; de là vient qu'ils sont, jeunes encore, les dents usées jusqu'à la racine, et ce n'est pas, comme le dit Malte-Brun, parce qu'ils ont l'habitude de les limer.' Auger, Voy. en Cal., p. 163. 'While I was standing there a couple of pretty young girls came from the woods, with flat baskets full of flower-seed, emitting a peculiar fragrance, which they also prepared for eating. They put some live coals among the seed, and swinging it and throwing it together, to shake the coals and the seed well, and bring them in continual and close contact without burning the latter, they roasted it completely, and the mixture smelled so beautiful and refreshing that I tasted a good handful of it, and found it most excellent.' Gerstaecker's Journ., p. 211. See farther: Humboldt, Pol., tom. i., pp. 324–5; Holinski, La Californie, p. 174; Gibbs, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iii., pp. 106–7, 113; Wimmel, Californien, pp. 179, 181; Kelly's Excursion to Cal., vol. ii., p. 113; Taylor's El Dorado, vol. i., p. 241; King's Rept., in Taylor's El Dorado, vol. ii., p. 210; Langsdorff's Voy., vol. ii., p. 163; Lord's Nat., vol. i., p. 248; Vancouver's Voy., vol. ii., p. 36; Pickering's Races, in U. S. Ex. Ex., vol. ix., p. 103; Petit-Thouars, Voy., tom. ii., pp. 136–7; Fremont's Explor. Ex., pp. 242, 244; Johnson's Cal. and Ogn., p. 142; Hale's Ethnog., in U. S. Ex. Ex., vol. vi., p. 222; Placerville Index, Aug., 1859; Henley, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1854, p. 303; Patrick, McDermott, Gilbert, Benitz, Jannson, Von Schmidt, McAdam, Bowlby, and Jewett, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1856, pp. 18, 41–4; La Pérouse, Voy., tom. ii., p. 282; Helper's Land of Gold, pp. 269–70; Hutchings' Cal. Mag., vol. iii., pp. 441–2; Macfie's Vanc. Isl., pp. 450–1; Thornton's Ogn. and Cal., pp. 91–2, 152, 316; Yate's Sketch of the Sacramento Valley in 1842, MS.; D'Orbigny, Voy., p. 457; McDaniels' Early Days of Cal. MS.; Domenech's Deserts, vol. i., pp. 339, 346; Mühlenpfordt, Mejico, tom. ii., pt. ii., pp. 455–6; Knight's Pioneer Life, MS.

514. When the Indian finds a tree stocked by the carpenter bird he 'kindles a fire at its base and keeps it up till the tree falls, when he helps himself to the acorns.' Helper's Land of Gold, p. 269.

515. Beechey's Voy., vol. ii., p. 75.

516. 'When a sturgeon is caught, the spinal marrow, which is considered a delicacy, is drawn out whole, through a cut made in the back, and devoured raw.' Bartlett's Pers. Nar., vol. ii., pp. 32–3.

517. Browne, in Harper's Mag., vol. xxiii., p. 315.

518. 'They cook the flesh of this animal in holes dug in the ground and curbed up with stone like wells. Over this they build large fires, heat them thoroughly, clean out the coals and ashes, fill them with whale flesh, cover the opening with sticks, leaves, grass and earth, and thus bake their repast.' Farnham's Life in Cal., p. 366–7. 'Ils font rôtir cette chair dans des trous creusés en terre.' Marmier, Notice, in Bryant, Voy. en Cal., p. 237.