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Updated: June 2, 2025
No straw stacks were they, however, but houses, the only kind of homes known in southern California at that time. "It was the Indian settlement where Gesnip, Cleeta, and Payuchi lived, and of which their father, Cuchuma, was chief. The jacals, or wigwams, were made of long willow boughs, driven into the ground closely in a circle, the ends bent over and tied together with deer sinews.
Instead of the usual breakfast of acorn meal mush, the children had a plentiful meal of fish which their mother had saved from the feast of the night before. "I didn't think any one could catch so many fish as uncle brought last night," said Cleeta, as she helped herself to a piece of yellowtail. "Yes, they do, though," said Payuchi. "Last night, after supper, uncle told the men some fine stories.
Payuchi, who tumbled to sleep as soon as his head touched his sleeping mat, was wakened by some one pulling his rabbit-skin coat, which he wore nights as well as days. "Payuchi," said a voice, "wake up." "I have not been asleep," answered the boy, stoutly, as he rubbed his eyes to get them open. "What do you want, Nopal?" for he saw his brother speaking to him.
"Payuchi," said Gesnip, eagerly, "carry my basket for me and I will tell you some good news." "No," replied Payuchi, shaking his head, "it is a girl's place to carry the basket." "Just this little way, and it is such good news" urged Gesnip. "It will, make your heart glad." "Very well, then, tell it quickly," said the boy, changing the basket of mussels to his own broad back.
Taking a handful of grasshoppers, Macana put them into the hollow in the larger stone, and with the smaller stone rubbed them to a coarse powder. This powder she put into a small basket which Gesnip brought her. "I am glad we caught the grasshoppers. They taste better than acorn meal mush," said Payuchi. "How many grasshoppers there are in the fall," said Gesnip, "and so many rabbits, too."
As was the custom with the Indians, the men were served first. Payuchi watched anxiously as his father and the other men took large helpings from the baskets. "Do you think there will be enough for us to have any?" he asked Gesnip. "I am so hungry and they are eating so much. If I were a man, I should remember about the women and children."
"Because the rain failed for three seasons. After a time there was no grass, no acorns, the rabbits and deer died or wandered away, the streams dried up so there were no fish, the ground became so dry that there were no more grubs or worms of any kind, no grasshoppers. There was nothing to eat but roots. Nearly all our tribe died, and many other people, too." "How did you live?" asked Payuchi.
"No; you wouldn't if you were a man; men never do," answered Gesnip. "But you need not worry, there is plenty. Mother said there would be some left for breakfast." "Wait for that till I get through," said Payuchi, laughing.
I have been waiting to finish it until I could get some brains, but it has been a long time since any one has brought in big game," said Macana. "Yes," answered Sholoc, "you shall have them. Payuchi, hand me my elk-horn ax so that I can split open the head, and you can take the brains to the jacal." Soon not a piece of meat, a bit of skin, tendon, or bone, was left.
Payuchi brought some wild grapevine with which he tied the tule into two bundles, fastening the larger upon his sister's back; for with his people the women and girls were the burden bearers, and a grown Indian would not do any work that his wife could possibly do for him. After they had traveled a little way on the homeward path, Gesnip stopped. "Don't go so fast, Payuchi," she begged.
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