THE DIGGER INDIANS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4571, 13 November 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE DIGGER INDIANS.

The wigwams of the Digger Indians are built throughout of red-wood bark, and are round in shape, which can be better explained by saying that they are in shape of a bowl turned upside down, with a smaller one, placed also upside down, on the top. There are no windows, and, aside from the aperture for entrance, which is about two feet square, and a small opening at the topi to allow the smoko to escape, there is no opening to this conicalshaped enclosure. To enter one of the huts, it becomes necessary to get down and crawl in. Once Inside a strange sight greets the eye. The majority of both sexes go perfectly naked, and, being scrupulously particular, each one does his or her own cooking. They sleep in a circle in hollow places in the ground, with feet to the centre. Their cooking apparatus, which consists of good-sized rocks, hollowed out, is in convenient reach, and the Digger need not rise to prepare his breakfast. Tin’s food consists of bread made from acorns, which are first buried, then roasted, then pulverised, and lastly mixed up with water and baked. This bread is said to be very nourishing. Their mode of preparing squirrels, hares, &c., is to take them just as when killed, pound them to a jelly, and roast them. Another article of food very common with them is known as the “ fish-worm." The Digger is an inveterate gambler, and his principal game is very simple, consisting of holding both hands behind him, in one of which is a stick, while another bets he can tell in which hand he holds it. It is stated that they scorn cheating, and after beta aro made never change the stick from one hand to the other. Their money consists of little round shells, with a hole in the centre, which one of their number is selected to manufacture. No counterfeiting is ever attempted. Each shell represents about half a cent American money, and is taken by their tribe as greedily as gold.