The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-05-08

not been lavish with her good things
to eat in this country. No fruit of any
kind blossoms and ripens in this parch-
ed land. To stranger there is not
single edible plant. But the savage
adds to his government supply enough
from natures stores TO live on and live
well. The "thistle that mods to the
wind" while yet tender, is much
sought after by them. Stripped of
leaves and outside covering, it is a ten
der article and pleasant to the taste.
One partaken of,and the partaker looks
for another. He slghs for the thistle
patches of his boyhood home.-that
he used to sigh over when the old gent
sent him out with the hoe. Several
varieties of plants for greens in the
spring are added to their table. A
small acorn gathered from the scrub
oaks of the mountains, is the peanut
of the Apache. A small nut like a
small walnut is found somewhere, and
the nut is mashed up fine and added
to soup to give it body and flavor.
The pod and small seed of the mesquit
are stored away for the same purpose.
The muscal is the bread, the meat
and the sugar of these people. 1t GER
tainly is a wonderful plant.
1t grows along the foot
of the mountains in great
quantity. 1t is gathered and cast into
pit of burning Goals; after three days
it is taken out and looks like a scorch-
ed cabbage head, and is ready for use.
1t comes off in large flakes and has a
rich reddish color. In taste it is sweet
and not unlike aliases" candy, but
readily dissolved in the mouth. The
old people banker after it and the
children cry for it. In its season, the
winter, the principal business seems
to be chewing Muscal, and the fibers
after chewing lie around as thickly as
tobacco cuds around lawyers office.
To preserve it, it is mashed up into
large flakes and dried. When dried it
has the appearance of saddle blanket
that had been used for years without
washing. 1t is soaked in water end
mashed into soup or crowded into the
mouth to be moistened by chewing.
The amount they can put into. the
mouth is very surprising to a man
who is not native. He who, has not
eaten Muscal has lived in vain. not
only take all they give me but ask for
it when it is not forthcoming.
Added to the above the wild game,
deer, elk and antelope and we have
about what the country naturally af-
fords. There are few things he will
not eat. He is a Jew when it comes to
pork and fish.
Civilization has changed the FASH
ion some little of his dress. Out of
buckskin he makes very serviceable
boot. Very much like our boots, but
the toe turns up like u Chinaman's
shoe. From his waist floats i'm front
and behind his girdle. He holds to
this article even when all his dress is
like white mans. For pants, white
pair of drawers serve the purpose and
a calico shirt of a red color worn on the
outside. The red turban that holds his
black hair in place and over his Shout
ders bright blanket which he wears
with all the grace possible. He rre-
sents picturesque appearance with
his buckskin boots reaching to his
knees and tied with gay band.
Above the boot an inch or so of highly
colored stocking shows. Then comes
the white drawers, the graceful gir-
die cloth hanging nearly to his knees,
before and behind, the colored shirt,
his neck and wrists ornamented with
beaas and shells; black hair hanging
down his face and neck and held in
place by the turban, and the blanket
sets off his form. The womens' dress
consists of calico skirt, waist, plenty |
of beads and buckskin boots. Their |
houses are of the simplest form. A few
hours work on the part of the women
and the house is built. She first takes |
a hoe and scrapes Il hollow i'll the
ground; then long willow brush is set
in the ground around it and their tops |
woven together. This framework has
very much the appearance of the
framework of giant basket turned |
upside down. Over this is spread any
thing from COW hide to flour sack.
The question asked when l first saw
one, was, "What do they do when it
rains ?" The answer was, 'They
weather it through" Inever realized
before what "weathering it through"
meant. They are great people to be
changing their camp. They get tired
of one place, or 1T may get filthy and
full of vermn. And these woes are as
good as boil A couple of hours are
all that is needed fot a village to be ON
the move. The horses, mules or dom
keys are brought to the door and the
packing begins. The women do all
the work, and in addition to leading |
the pack animals, she carries pack
load suspended in basket from her
forehead. The master mounts his |
horse and rides eoeiIv alonp rrhi. was /