The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-22
DESERT BILL or FARE.
Sources From Which the Indian Supplies
His Larder.
From tho Los Angeles Times.

In the Indian country Of the West grim
specter stands with bony fingers ever stretch-
ing out toward the inhabitants OF the region.
This grisly phantom is the form OF hunger.
which, with his companion, thirst. holds
dominion over the land. The country Is
vast and roomy. but ono wonders what can
be found therein to sustain life.
About some OF the Indian villages are TO
be seen small patches OF maize or few tiny
melon patches but these cultivated areas
are of little account as compared with the
number OF persons to be fed. These. too.
are e1cep tions, rather than the rule, major
ity OF the towns having no such cultivated
fields
In various parts OF the arid region. which
shelters 80 great a portion OF our barbarian
population, is found tree remarkable for
certain properties. The botanical name OF
this plant is Prosopis juhhord. 1t is popularity
known as the algarooa or honey mesquite.
This tree thrves with little moisture. grows
with thick. bushy top. to height OF twenty
to forty feet. affords shelter from the wind
and sun. and best OF all In the sight OF the
hungry natives. 1t yields abundant crops
OF fruit known as mesquite beans. The
slim green pods hang In clusters from the
tips OF the boughs, often bending the branches
nearly to breaking so abundant do they
grow. The pods, which are six or seven
inches long. are PUPPY. juicy. fairly palataole
and nourlshlng.
These beans arc gathered. dried and stored
In the peculiar granaries OF the Indians
hugo baskets holding several bushels each
and are pulverized when wanted for food
in wooden or stone mortars, and the meal
thus formed Is soaked In water and eaten
without further preparation. or 1t is baked
into q sort OF unleavened bread. 1t is the
principal and favorite food Of several tribes.
The screw bean is another food product.
less plentiful. but even more highly priced.
because OF Its eugsry qualities. This fruit
is often eaten as plucked from the tree. 1t
ripens the latter part OF June or in July.
little later than the mesquite bean.
In some of the mountain sections the
Prurus AndsrsonH or chamlsh Is found In
abundance The pits Of this fruit are pounded
In mortars. and the meal is then eaten. There
are many varieties Of the cactus fruit which
is utilized for food. tho fruit OF the Opunt,a
tuna. or prickly pear. being a notable ex-
ample
The dead loco weed, the pest OF the cattle
men. is n favorte with tho Indians for the
yellow pods OF the plant. when pulverized.
serve spice to render some OF the other
wise insipid dishes palatab,e
The roots OF the cancer root are roasted
over live GOALS. ard. when young. sucoulent
and nourishing. are prime favortes with
tho red eplcureans.
Flowers OF the yucca and agave are boiled.
dried and preserved. to be eaten as occasion
requires. The young shoots or crowns OF
these plants ar" also roasted and eaten.
seeds Of the Artenisia tridertdta. or WORM
wold. and the Atriplex ieutuorms are pull
veriled and eaten.
The apple or berry OF the A-ctosta phylos
oiduca. or manzauita Is another food OBJ
tanned by the mountain jewellers. This IL
eaten as pluCksd. and is also dried and pre-
served for future use. Pine nuts form
very important item OF food with many OF
the tribes IN the wooded section of the country,
and acorns furnish other tribes with a large
part OF their living
There are other herbs which are utilized
by the Indians as food. In deed. there are
few plants which are not capable OF being
rendered edible in some manner. There are.
however, other things besides pla n,s which
are made to satisfy the pangs OF hunger. In
the animal kingdom are a number OF varieties
Of creatures. not classed in the game list of
the white man. which minister TO the APP
petites and needs OF the red man.
There are in the Southwest particularly
in California bodies OF bitter. poisonous
waters known as boracio lakes. owens
Lake. twenty miles long, is Of this class 1t
IL a verItable Dead Sea- and. like the sea of
that name and Its counterpart. the Great
Salt Lake of Utah. its heavy. brackish waters
do not support fish or marine life.
At certain seasons OF the year the waters
Of these boracic lakes abound in a white grub
known to the Indians OF that region as "koo-
chabee" These grubs are the larvp OF a
two winged fly. the Ephvdrd Californian. So
plentiful are these grubs in their season they
line the shores of the lake to a depth of several
inches, where the waves cast them up from
their watery incubator. The Indians. at this
season Of the year. camp upon the shores of
the lake. gather this peculiar harvest and
dry it in the sun. Later the grubs are ground
in stone mortars into fine powder. and from
this insect meal they bake bread which is
highly priced.
There are a number Of other insects. lizards.
reptiles and the like which are used az food
by different tribes The chuckawalla.
lizard somewhat resembling the gila monster.
Ia a common article OF food with Lower Cali
fornia Indians. and with some OF the tribes
north of the line II may not be the most
inviting of foods-some Of the insect and
reptilian foods are far from palata blebut
the Indian is not inclined to quarrel with
anything which stops the gnawing beneath
his belt, and ne evidently believes that not
that which goeth into the mouth dehleth
the man"
DIFFERENT KINDS OF MULES.