The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1895-06-04
DRINK FROM CACTUS
Tigwin, the Favo1ite OF the
Apache Indians.
The Grand Annual Carousc OF the Ari.
zona Tribes at which the Rcdmen
"tilI Up" aud tiave a Great
Time.


The giant cactus, or Sahuarah. is
peculiar TO Arizona. II is weird, un-
eouth specimen Of vegctation and is
as its name implies, a piant-the most
ovcrgrown member of a numerous and
prolific family Contrary ia the gen
eral rule with unique productions in
both the animal and vegetable king
doms, ther, Is no immcd' te danger of
this curious plant becoming extinct
for there are portions of Arizona where
its lofty iluted columns. standing in
open order. dot the landscape as far as
the eye can see, covering the dcsolate
plains and foothills like an immense
army of slSirinishers.
To the native Indian. says the Kansas
City Journal the Sahuarah pronounced
sah-wEh-rahl is a valuable and useful
plant. standing in much the same rela-
tiou 20 him as the cocoanut palm TO the
South Sea islanders. II supplies him
shelter, food drink and uany other
necessaries. II is almost animal-lil5e
in it, construction, having "a frame
work or skeleton clothed with soft
fleshy matter which in its turn. is pro-
tected by tough epidcrn;s This skin
being watcrtight, preserves moisture
in the interior which would otherwise
quickly cvaporate under the ravs of
the torrid sun. leaving it TO dry up and
die. So important is the service of this
skin TO the life of the plant that it is
itself protected from abrasion by for
nidable array of briStling thorns.
which guard the surface at every
point 1t is thus that even in the midst
of the most barren and thirsty deserts.
where there Is sometimes no rainfall
for months, the Sahuarah is able to
preserve for its own use sufficient va-
ter To live upon.
The heart of the plant, which CON
sists of a soft white pith is surrounded
with a genuine skeleton, formed of
long. slender strips Of soft though
tough and atringy wood, standing in u
circle and reaching from end to end of
the shaft, each strip parallel To- the
others and all joined together at inter
walls by cross tbcrs These make eN-
ecllent ready made ii,hpoles and the
Indians also use them for making their
hutS, or "wickiups and frequently
construct the entire building with
them. The fruit is abau, the size and
ehapc Of a rather small hcu egg. and is
attached without stem directly to the
blunt end If the shaft and the various
limbs Whom ripe. the green hull,
which aas by this time assumed scar
Yet hue, splits open i'm four lohes, like
the calyN Of q tulip. disclosing to view
ua upright. pulpy mass. with the con-
stcncy of q fig, and, like the latter,
illcd vith iunumcrab.r black seeds.
This is delicious when eaten fresh. aud
alao Whom dried and prepared by the
squaWe as preserve resembling Zig
ppstc.
But ne fruit Is Chiefly valued 10y the
Gushv natives for its use in the manu-
iacturc Of the Indian intoNicant. tiz-
| win, which Is made hy fermentation.
| and 10y means of which every year at
the ripenjnE each tribe INDUCES in a
/ grand annual carou.c. II is during
/ these 'tilyiu drunlls." as they are
! called by thc whites. that most of the
raids and outragcs have occurred in
/ past years. As soon as the fruit ripens
the squawo, taking the children with
7 them, sally forth 10 the harvest. tramp
! ing miles over mountain and plain, and
/ gather il into large. pcculiar-shaped
/ baskets, which they carry balanced on
| .hcir head
I When, after numerous journeys back
! and forth. a sufficient quantity has
/ hccu rathrrcd. thc juice is pressed out
/ hN tr1.rs t1e fruit i'm wide shallow
/ baskets, 'nl collected into large earth
/ en- jars 9ild+, where % m3dicum of
! water s. added The, are then stored
T in % dur. room of oven temperature,
/ where 20 small fire !. l,cpt constantly
/ wrn.u4 uu,ii white frcth appearing
ou the surface indieatca that fermenta.
/ tiOn has colniugn need. II has then at
tainod the requisite Intoxicating
/ power, and the welcome news is
passed from mouth 20 mouth and from
/ village TO village. while everyone
haateus b. the "tizUin camp" and
proceeds without further ceremony ia
iutoXicate himself a. cvpcditiously as
can be accomplished. Meanwhile the
squaws and children who are never
allowed 90 Join in the rovelry, manage
to get their fun ont OF the affair a,
spectators They climb on top Of tn,
low roofs OF the "wiclIiups. anc
there, pcrchcd securely ont Of harm
way, they view with shouts Of laughter
or howls of woe, rs the case may bc
the drunken orgies Of their lords
In truth, IL Is an interesting sight
but should bee viewed by white meI
only under the protection Of q strong
military escort for the Apache Is but Z
devil at best. and when filed with ''hr,
water" the father of evil himself r
polite and benevolent gentleman il
comparison. Staggering about viii
uplifted knives, or rushing madly q
and fro on horse back, Gi'yharging thei
firearms, and giving vent 10 their feel
ings in blood-curdlme yells, they con
tinue the celebration night and dal
until the supply Of tizwin is exhausted