The Botanical Lore of the California Indians

Of all the books written concerning the Indians of North America I don’t know of one which treats of the Indians’ great knowledge of medicine the vast store which was theirs of plants and herbs which possessed curative and healing qualities many of them far superior even today to the medicine used by the white physician.There is a reason. In some instances the white man did not get the correct information from his Indian brother due to the latter’s inability to make himself understood—this was of course also true of the former. Again some information given was intentionally wrong due to the ill-feeling the Indian had for the white man. And again many of those healing plants were held in such veneration by the Indians that to impart their virtues to a white man was an unpardonable crime and the punishment meted out to the offender was of the severest form.I am an Indian proud of it and of my forefathers whose bitterness toward the white man was only too well justified. But time changes all things and bitterness and hatred never made for understanding nor happiness.In this spirit I wrote this book in the spirit of doing good. And in this I have the help and permission of my dear uncle Chief Pablo of the Mahuna tribe of Indians of Southern California who permitted me to describe certain plants whose curative properties have been kept a secret by the Indians for over one hundred years. This is the first time they are made known.The Indian living close to and with nature—the greatest teacher of all for those who have eyes to see—became nature’s most intelligent pupil. Gifted with the keenest observation and the ability to reason he searched the discovered plants which nature herself had provided for any ailment sickness or mishap which might befall him.I am sending this book out into the world not for fame but as a messenger of goodwill and peace. May it be received in this spirit and accomplish its mission.