BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY


 Says Du Pratz concerning the taste of his Indian friends:
 Those [Indians] on the best terms with the French eat of our dishes only
 what has been plainly boiled or roasted, never soup or ragout. They are afraid
 of the ingredients we put into them. They eat no salads nor anything uncooked
 except fruits. Int the way of drinks they want only pure water, or brandy also
 very pure, but neither wine nor any other drink pleases them at all. It is
 necessary, however, to except the drink which they use at the war feast and
 never at any other time."
 The war drink here referred to is the famous black drink of the
 southern tribes made from Ile.r cassine. It was made very intoxi-
 cating, says Du Pratz, by being boiled away considerably.'
 To season their food, the Natchez and other Mississippi tribes used
 salt obtained usually from Caddoan people to the northwest, bands
 of whom were often met by the early explorers bringing sacks of it
 across to trade. Regarding the source of supply and the method of
 obtaining it, Du Pratz has the following to say:
 When one has mounted Black river about 30 leagues one finds on the left a
 stream of saline water, which comes from the west. Ascending this stream
 about 2 leagues one comes upon a lake of salt water, which is perhaps 2 leagues
 long by 1 wide. One league higher toward the north he comes upon another
 lake of salt water almost as long and as wide as the first.
 This water passes without doubt through some salt mines. It has the salt
 taste without having the bitterness of the water of the sea. The natives come
 from quite long distances to this place to hunt here during the winter and to
 make salt here. Before the French sold them kettles they made earthen pots
 on the spot for this operation. When they have enough of a load they return
 into their own country loaded with salt and dry meats.c
 The description given of the gathering of tribes to make salt and
hunt is natural enough, and probably true, but there appears to have
been some error in the information received by the author. Although
many streams and some lakes are named saline," this seems to have
been rather because there were salt licks in the neighborhood than be-
cause the waters so designated were themselves salt, nor is there any
stream or lakes corresponding to the description. Perhaps Du Pratz
misunderstood his Indian informants who were describing salt licks
farther west or north. A lake called Saline exists between Cata-
houla lake and Red river, and may be one of those mentioned by
Du Pratz.
 Regarding their times for eating, it is said:
 Although at certain times they have meat or fish in abundance, they eat only
when they have an appetite, without confining themselves to any hour of the
day. It is also unusual to find many of them eating together or at the same
time, unless it be at the feasts, where all eat from the same dish, except the
women, the young boys, and the children, each of whom eats from his own. The
little children eat with their mothers.i
 a Du Pratz. Hist. de La Louisiane, iII, 13. c Ibid., i, 307-308.
 b Ibid., II, 46. d Ibid., in, 12.


[BULL. 43