Here, too, they filled a bucket from the heart of a big Bisnaga
cactus as a basis for their drink. Among Katherine O'Donovan's
cooking utensils there was a box of delicious cactus candy made
from the preserved and sun-dried heart meat of this same fruit
which was to serve as their confection. On the way back they
stopped at the bridge and gathered cress for their salad. When
they returned to Katy she had five fine trout lying in the shade,
and with more experienced eyes and a more skillful hand Linda in
a few minutes doubled this number. Then they tore out the dam,
rinsed the screen and spread it over a rock to dry. While Donald
scaled the fish Linda put the greens to cook, prepared the salad
and set the table. Once, as he worked under her supervision,
Linda said to Donald: "Now about bread, kid--there's not going
to be any bread, because the Indians did not have it when they
lived the way we are living today. When you reach the place
where your left hand feels empty without a piece of bread in it,
just butter up another amole and try it. It will serve the same
purpose as bread, and be much better for the inner man."
"If you would let me skin these fish," said Donald, "I could do
it much faster and make a better job of it."
"But you shouldn't skin them; you want the skin to hold the meat
together when it begins to cook tender; and you should be able to
peel it off and discard it if it burns or gets smoky in the
cooking.
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