Regarding the acorns, special care was given to the harvested crop and the process was simple. The acorns were put into fine, hand-woven net bags and tied with a rawhide rope to a tree close to the river bank whereupon the bags were placed in the stream. The running water would cause the acorn shell to swell and split open, thus releasing into the water most of the tannic acid which the acorns contained. After being left in the water for a week or so, they were taken out, the hulls removed and spread out to dry. Afterwards they were ground into a fine meal, sun-dried again, and then put away for winter use.
The porridge made of it jells like custard and, when well cooked, has the color of chocolate pie. It can be cut into squares and served with deer meat or eaten as a dessert with cream and sugar. Besides being very delicious and nourishing it is also a great flesh builder.
As a warning, let it be said, never to eat any acorns picked fresh from the tree, because of the tannic acid they contain; in that state they may cause severe constriction of the bowels and the glands of the throat.
Bleeding navel.
TYPHA LATIFOLIA and QUERCUS AGRIFOLIA
(Ind. Co-o-tem) (Ind. Qui-neel)
American Cat-tail is an aquatic grass inhabiting shallow, stagnant lakes and swamps and is very common on the Pacific coast of California. Tule is perhaps the name by which the plant is best known, although the other is also very common. This valuable grass has failed to find a place among the scientists of the world, as Tule is a purely Indian name, and is far from being identical with those so far being classified by botanical science. But Tule is medicinal and has healing properties which were made use of by the Indians to heal bleeding navels. Nothing could be better.
The blades of the grass were gathered and burned to the consistency of charcoal, then finely powdered and sprinkled on the bleeding parts.
When this couldn’t be obtained, the Indians further inland had recourse to the apples growing on the Scrub-Oak or Quercus agrifolia, and these were, of course, dried and powdered, and medicated with balsam oil. The salve proved to be very effective in healing the afflicted parts. In short, the results were first-class and saved the lives of many little Indian babies.