Squash slices drying
Are on squash spits and on stage built to resemble the top of an old time corn stage.
When a pair of drying rods was quite filled with these loaded spits, they made what we called one i´tsạki—one walking stick, or one staff. We counted the quantity of squash we dried as so many staves.
We never laid the loaded spits on the floor of the stage, as the weight of the load caused the drying squash slices to warp, thus making them hard to handle.
In Case of Rain
If a sudden rain came up the day we began drying squash, we felt no concern, for the slices having just been cut, were still green and would not be harmed.
But if rain threatened the second day, or thereafter, we women ran up on the stage and drew the loaded spits toward the middle of the drying rods; and over them we spread hides, upon which we laid poles, or unused drying rods to weight the hides against the wind. Sometimes we even lashed the poles down with thongs.
If the drying squash got wet after the first day, the slices swelled up, and the fruit spoiled.