When time to retire, the Indian would put at least a couple of seeds of the Salvia columbriae under the eyelids, and, with eyes shut tight to keep the seed from dropping out, he would fall asleep. As they swelled, they would move about with every movement of the eyeball and emit a gelatinous substance which gathered up every particle of sand or any other substance present, and, when removed, left the eye clear and free of any possible inflammation. This is a good example of the care the Indian gave his eyes and accounts for his good and strong vision.
An inhabitant of the arid lands, it grows prolifically in places where in earlier days the Indians made their homes, and very often the ancient dwellings which our people used will be found covered with large beds of Salvia columbriae, with their beautiful blossoms of purple and lavender.
These colors were to the Indians a mournful reminder of their departed ones, in their lifelong struggle and search for food, so mightily important to sustain life. Regarding the use of the Columbriae for this purpose, the method used was very simple.
It was cut and bundled by the male members of the family, brought in and heaped up on a large cleared space of ground, formed into a circle and then trodden down as hard as a cement floor. This was done with water and the bare feet and threshing with long sticks. By thus beating the heap of Columbriae, they released the seeds which were then winnowed by being blown before a wind current made with the aid of two baskets. After this, they were carried to the grinding stones to be ground into a fine meal which made excellent porridge—a very popular dish among Indians.
Foods, medicine, tanning and dyes.
QUERCUS VIRGINIANA
(Ind. Qui-neel)
American Live Oak. This evergreen tree of the western mountain ranges is the most imposing of all the species of the oak family. It grows to an immense size and attains a great height. Some of these giants of the forest cover and shade an area large enough to afford protection to as many as three hundred adult persons.
A great deal has been written in song and poetry in praise of the stately oak but the Indians found out by experience that the acorns it bore were far more nutritious than poetry, and before long the noble tree was adopted as a regular member of the tribes—a bountiful provider of food.
Even so, the oak was by them much honored in war and love songs, for the many good things it furnished them besides food. The fallen leaves made warm mattress-bedding while the bark played a part in medicine and also in the tanning and dyeing of buckskin in various fast colors by blending with the bark of other oaks and roots. Let it be understood that these dyes thus produced were of a firm, non-fading nature and also excellent preservers of buckskin.
The colors produced were very beautiful and ranged from pure white to yellow, red, light and dark brown, light pink, gray and black.