Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05
The Pomos and Their Ka Yah and
Poh Money.
PROCESS OF POLISHING TEE SHELLS
Time and Labor Enter Into Their
Making and Value.
SOME PREHISTORIC SECRETS
From the Overland Monthly.

cally distinct, void of ambition, with It's
fierce joys and sorrows, the Digger-to use
the common but incorrect general term
for the Indians of central and southern
California-wcnds his humble way through
the byroads of civilization, stunning all
cause for cavil or avarice of his white
peighbor. Conspicuous in these charac-
teristcs are the Pomos of MendOcino
county, Cal. Much of what the warlike
eastern tribes have lost after vain though
fierce resistance the Pomos have retained
by pacific diplomacy. In their intercourse
with the white man peace and acquies-
cence have been their policy in every ques-
ton but one.
One single birth-right he yet jealousy
guards-his religious and financial GUS
toms. To the inutility of either to us he
probably now owes his existence The
Jesuit fathers established missions for his
spiritual welfare. and their ardent labors
have left only memories of a mysterious
Jarson and youthful days spent In druid
gerry. To this day the Pomo's faith in the
coyote as the creator of all things, as
Gillok, as the avenger of every fault, re-
mains unshaken
Tine Pacific coast north of San Fran
cisco Is noted for rough weather and q
cangcrcIs shore. broken in but few places
sufficiently to form harbors. The southern
side of that long pron!ontory which pro-
y,
its entrance, has for countless years been
the favorite. in fact about the only. fish
camp for Indians in all that region. They
come at regular intervals ranging the
beach in search of moilusks and other
marine life cast up by the breakers.
BimetnIIism in Shells.
The Porno can be termed bimetallist,
for. though metal is used in his coinage,
yet he eptly calls his white ka yah 'Injun
silver" and for gold he minis out cylinders
from handsome notified stone called poh.
ka yah twater bone) comes from the two
weli-knovn clam shells, Saxidormis gra-
ellis ard Cardium corois. They are first
broken in the hand with stone into rough
iy rounded disks, and later by means of
quartz implement having sharp edges
the angles are deity Clipped off
men he approves of the size and quality
of the little pile cleaning in front of him
like tiny biscuits of pearl, the old coiner
arises, and after much fumbling around
In the gloom of his shah brings forth his
ka win. or boring machine. The principle
OF TINS machine is familiar to certain class
es of artisans the world over, and dates
back to the earliest history of China 1t Is
an upright shaft alternately revolving right
and left as the torsion or relaxation of a
string attached to its top is felt Wood
and buckskin are the only materials in its
construction, except the boring point which
now Is the snarDened triangular end of a
small file.
In position seemingly uncomfortable and
under fervid sun the whirr whirr is kent
Up as long as daylight itself. The drill
Deing eonicsh he bores from each side. to
preserve an even caliber and completes
the operation by a few deft turns of a
reamer held In the fingers. As the shell
varies IN thickness. so. we find ka yah
varied IN diameter. ranging from the size
VI d iarse porcelain button down to a disk
so minute and fragile that IT is a marvel
Was perforated without fracture In
the COIN 'iian
The Polishing.
Mex comes the polishing. Pieces of rr,-
form size are strung on willow shoots or n
Wire about a foot long and some half doz-
en- OF these at 6 time are rolled side nv
sioe under the hands. back and forth. on
TOP OF sandstone slab, with water. ILL the
rough edges are secured or and the pieces
pecome round and polished. This is essen
9ahy mans work, requiring strength
uexterfty. judgment and endurance The
I'M ,.L, anu wafer p1 oduce a corroding fluid.
Which wrinkles and seams a coiner's hands
30 that they show their owners profession
at glance
me ka yah. now finished. is sorted into
o. Io, according 10 diameter and hidden
IN some secret recess The hinges of the
ciam shell are much thicker than fts hodv
anc furnish long cylinders much more val
poh leA' 10
"1njun gold.'' or poh. comes from a sion.
a species of magnesite found under the
alluvium bordering Clear lake. California
end occurs in Jumps oval from attrition.
anu ABOUT eight inches in length When
newly mined by the Indian its surface 4.
clumoly and degenerate. but fracture re-
veals a grain milky white and of a hard
ness sufficient to turn tool steel
Ihe mass must now be baked nit
ABOUT the size OF a wash basin Is ding in
ana over which a fire is kept burning tilJ
the ashes fill it. Then the stone is dropned
IN ana covered with ashes and the fire re-
Plenished IT takes about four hours to
COOK the kabey. after which IT is remov
ed while in certain red heat and plunged
INTO basket of boiling water A mild eY
th accompanies the plunge. rendering
tne stone into some dozen jagged fray-
naents. and ofttimes. when unskillfulIv
oone instant disintegration follows and
somebody gets hurt.
shaping POh.
As iron enters somewhat into this min
erals composition, a vivid red exhibits its
oxide after excessive heat and moisture
One can hardly believe it the same as the
white stone of few hours ago: for II "a
now as fragile as glass and notified
throughout with every shade from burn-
sienna 10 translucent porcelain Each
fragment Is surveyed with critical eyes to
be obtained from IT.
Next comes the most careful of all the
coiner's work. shaping the poh. which is
accomplished by chipping of minute par
ucies TIL the shape is approximated In
oygone days the piece was held in the hand
and gently struck with the edge of a quartz
hammer. but the Indian has discovered in
sheep shears a more expeditions tool A
SINGLE unskllful blow breaks and ruins the
poh. already. perhaps. having two weeks
labor upon il.
Before the grindstoi became known
slabs OF silicious stone found I'm the neigh
hfrhcod were used for securing the piece
down with water. The grindstone has
halved this work
A computation has been made of time
spent in actual labor upon certain piece
o. rough poh. and ii took nearly ten hours
OF skilled white labor. with the best of
modern tools diamond point excepted to
bring II into shape. To this must be added
two hours for lathe boring and polishing
thus consuming full day.
Boring the stun
Considering the fact that the Indians
were ignorant of the mechanical value of
precious stones 1.-THE sapphire was well
known. IL is a difficult matter to deter
mine just what they formerly used to bore
poh. Traditions mention three substances