Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-12-14
LARGELY.VEGETARIAN
WAS THE FOOD OFTHE AsORIG-
lNAL RACES.

| USe0 as FO0o-Spr0utS OF Wild Raspberry
and Salmon Bsrrv-CarIaque. Dandelion and
Wapatoe. Supplemented Fish and Game.
In the "Pioneer "reminiscences OF
Puget SOUND" by Ezra Meeker, there
is an interesting account of the food
supplies of the aboriginal Sagauche
and how obtained. Many people imag-
inc that the noble red men in the once
primeval solitudes where flow the
Puyallup and the Stillaguamish, sub.
sisted alone on fish and the precarious
trophies of the chase; but it appears
from Mr.. Meeker's account that our
predecessors in these regions had
abundant good things to live upon.
A Mr.. Dougherty. who is quoted, says:
"Yes, remember considerable about
the early conditions of the Indians
and their supply of food, for l have
often enjoyed their hospitality and
partaken of the various forms of what
may be termed their land food, as dis.
tinguished from fish. This was varied
and abundant. have seen trainloads
of dried camas and sunflower roofs
carried by their ponies, and sometimes
by the squaws on their backs. The
Indians called the sunflower root
Kalss.' 1t has now become almost
extinct. Kalse is q small root, about
the size of an ordinary carrot, and has
yellow flower resembling the sun.
flower. The Indians would dig it with
a crooked staff OF ironwood by twisting
the stick among the roots and using it
as lever to pull them up. When a
quantity was thus obtained the tops
would be nipped off. Then the bark
would be beaten of, and the roots
would be arranged in baking place.
with sallal berry twigs, leaves and
hemlock boughs. The roots would be
covered with sallal and the whole cov-
cred with earth. A fire would be
made over the ground, and the roast
ing would occupy three or four days,
depending upon the size OF the pile.
Then the Goals and ashes would be
removed, and the steaming hot roots
exposed to view. The roots are deli
cious in taste, though can not com.
pare them to anything now in use.
They also made liquor from the
roots by soaking, which was very ex-
hilarating and Strengthening. The
Indians gathered another food from
the prairies called 'lacamss,' or cam.
as 1t is small root about the size
OF the end OF your thumb, and has o
stalk that shows early in the spring.
When full grown q blue flower ap.
pears. 1t is very nutritious. It was
generally prepared in large quantities,
and could be kept until the following
year. 1t would be an addition to our
garden products and beneficial IS a
health diet. The Indians who used it
were generally very healthy. There is
another article of food that I know
the Indian name of, but not the white
mans. The Indian name is 'squelebs.'
1t grows in low, marshy places, and in
creeks that run cold, clear wator. 1t
has the appearance OF the wild par.
snip. and probably is species Of it.
It grows in joints. 1t is very deli
cious to the taste in it's season, and is
eaten raw. Il is the finest nervine
that ever used, Then come kinni.
kinnick' berries, or the Indian tobacco.
The Indians wonld take kinnikinnick'
leaves, roast them until brown and
then mix with tobacco, which makes
q fine smoking mixture. and the odor
is fragrant and very acceptable. 1t
has an influence on the smoker like
opium or ether. Some Indians when
using it would keel over in a trance.
It is highly priced by them. The ber-
ries that grow on the 'kinnikinnick,'
when ripe, are used as food by the In
dians by mixing them with dried SAL
mon eggs, and have the property Of
strengthening to an abnormal degree.
They also used the young sprouts of the
wild raspberry and salmon berry,
which were useful in cooling the sys
tenn and very acceptable to the palate.
There was another food product that
the Indians called 'charlaque.' 1t
throws out a broad, dark green leaf
on one side Of the stem, and on the
end OF the stem there is q bell-shaped
flower OF . brownish cast on the out
side, and on the inside the color is
orange, mottled with brown specks.
It produces q fat root about the size
OF an ordinary walnut. and is good
either raw or roasted. 1t grows in
shady places and near oak bushes. Its
root is white. There is also species
of dandelion which has q delicate tast-
ing root, which is eaten either raw or
roasted. 1t is something similar to
the wild parsnip, and the root is also
white. When the root is broken it ex-
udes q milk which is an excellent cure
for warts. Another food plant is the
'wapatoe.' 1t grows in swamp places
and sends its roots into the water. II
grows luxuriantly in such places, and