[579] Palou, Vida de Junípero Serra, pp. 83-4.
[580] Boscana, in Robinson's Life in Cal., pp. 306-9.
[581] The baskets, though water-proof, 'were used only for dry purposes. The vessels in use for liquids were roughly made of rushes and plastered outside and in with bitumen or pitch, called by them sanot.' Reid, in Los Angeles Star; Mühlenpfordt, Mejico, vol. ii., pt. ii., pp. 454-5; and Möllhausen, Reisen in die Felsengeb., vol. i., p. 82.
[582] 'Leurs mortiers de pierre et divers autres ustensiles sont incrustés avec beaucoup d'art de morceaux de nacre de perle.' Fages, in Nouvelles Annales des Voy., 1844, tom. ci., p. 319. 'Mortars and pestles were made of granite, about sixteen inches wide at the top, ten at the bottom, ten inches high and two thick.' Soapstone pots were 'about an inch in thickness, and procured from the Indians of Santa Catalina; the cover used was of the same material.' Reid, in Los Angeles Star. On the eastern slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains, blankets are made which will easily hold water. Taylor, in San Francisco Bulletin, 1862, also quoted in Shuck's Cal. Scrap Book, p. 405. 'Todas sus obras son primorosas y bien acabadas.' Crespi, in Doc. Hist. Mex., serie iv., tom. vi., p. 315.
[583] Fages, in Nouvelles Annales des Voy., 1844, tom. ci., pp. 319-20.
[584] 'The planks were bent and joined by the heat of fire, and then paved with asphaltum, called by them chapapote.' Taylor, in Cal. Farmer, June 1, 1860.
[585] At Santa Catalina Vizcaino saw 'vnas Canoguelas, que ellos vsan, de Tablas bien hechas, como Barquillos, con las Popas, y Proas levantadas, y mas altas, que el Cuerpo de la Barca, ò Canoa.' Torquemada, Monarq. Ind., tom. i., p. 712; see also Salmeron, Relaciones, in Doc. Hist. Mex., serie iii., tom. iv., p. 18. On the coast of Los Angeles Father Crespi saw 'canoas hechas de buenas tablas de pino, bien ligadas y de una forma graciosa con dos proas.... Usan remos largos de dos palas y vogan con indecible lijeriza y velocidad.' Crespi, in Doc. Hist. Mex., serie iv., tom. vi., p. 315. At San Diego Palou describes 'balsas de tule, en forma de Canoas, con lo que entran muy adentro del mar.' Palou, Vida de Junípero Serra, p. 79; Boscana, in Robinson's Life in Cal., p. 240; Marmier, Notice, in Bryant, Voy. en Cal., p. 228. Description of balsas, which differ in no respect from those used north.
[586] 'The worth of a rial was put on a string which passed twice and a-half round the hand, i. e., from end of middle finger to wrist. Eight of these strings passed for the value of a silver dollar.' Cal. Farmer, June 1, 1860. 'Eight yards of these beads made about one dollar of our currency.' Id., Jan. 18, 1861.
[587] 'If a quarrel occurred between parties of distinct lodges (villages), each chief heard the witnesses produced by his own people; and then, associated with the chief of the opposite side, they passed sentence. In case they could not agree, an impartial chief was called in, who heard the statements made by both, and he alone decided. There was no appeal from his decision.' Reid, in Los Angeles Star.
[588] 'Pour tout ce qui concerne les affaires intérieures, l'influence des devins est bien supérieure à la leur.' Mofras, Explor., tom. ii., p. 373. At San Diego 'Chaque village est soumis aux ordres absolus d'un chef.' Fages, in Nouvelles Annales des Voy., 1844, tom. ci., p. 153; or see Marmier, Notice, in Bryant, Voy. en Cal., p. 226. 'I have found that the captains have very little authority.' Stanley, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1869, p. 194.