The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-19
The Indian, or cs,sorn,..

true mat the white man has always been UNI
kind and merciless toward them, vet many
have been the wrongs they have received at
his hands, and many the crimes he has added
to the dark catalogue Of their transgressions.
we have Just perused with interest the
communication OF gentleman now in Cali
lorna, who wrote on me 10Th of September
lasl: lie -..ates that, since the Sd of June pre-
|, ording, he had traversed more than eight hun
dred miles through the great valley of the Sac
ramento and along the tributaries of that river
which take their rise in mountains ofthe Sierra
Nevada. In his route he visited ten distinct
tribes of Indians, besides meeting many wan
dering families or small communities He
represents as his greatest difficulty the pro-
curing efficient interpreters. None of the
many who professed to know their language,
he asserts, understand more of it than enough
to trade with them OF 10 transact the most
ordinary business. ts6 .a,55
The men and children are represented to he
in general naked; and the females wear only
what they call 'sdu-eh," which is nothing more
than garment Of grass or rushes suspended
from belt around the waist The writer
could discover no distinction in their customs,
habits Of life, or general language, which could
induce him to think they were not originally
one people. Their customs and manner Of life
are in mauy respects identical Their huts
or lodges are constructed alike. They do not
scalp those whom they kill, but throw the
dead body into water They burn the dead of
their own people, and manifest their grief for
the loss of kindred by covering themselves,
hair, head, face, arms, and body, to the waist,
with tar OF pitch, which is permitted to remain
until worn off. They subsist on roots and
grass seeds from the earth, acorns and pine
seeds from the trees, and fish from the streams.
These articles of food are gathered in great
quantities, and stored in magazines prepared
for the purpose. They always have enough
guard against the failure of crop in any year.
The acorns and nuts are ground into kind of
-four. This is done in mortars or deep basins
drilled in the rocks. Berries of various kinds
are often mixed with this flour before baking
AS amongst all rude people, these people impose
as they call them, ''mo-hales."
They have definite idea of their right to
the soil, and complain that the pale faces are
'oyernnning their country, and destroying their
means of subsistence; that the immigrants are
trampling down and destroying their grass, and
the miners running their fish dams. For these
things they claim remuneration-not in money,
for they do not know its value-but in clothing
and food. Their demands arc reasonable Their
wants are few, and should be gratifed. Such
policy, the writer remarks, would not only
prove economical to our Government and more
beneficial to the Indians than annuities in mo
ney, but must prove the best means of winning
the wild mountain Indians and bringing them
to state of civilization. When these have
been well treated, they have returned to their
tribes with sentiments the highest regard for
the Americans. Should il not ever be our aim
and policy 10 merit this regard? There is,
however, class of men in that country
who shoot down these Indians wherever they
meet them. This is as hurtful to ourselves
as it is cruel TO the poor savage, for revenge
is their well-knuwn characteristic, and their
vengeance as often falls upon the innocent
as the guilty, their best friends often pay
ing the penalty Of the rash and reckless acts Of
others. BLOOD for blood" appears to be re-
ligious sentiment with them.
The Indians of the ' alley of the Sacramento
are not warlike people. They possess neither
war-clubs, nor scalping knives, nor tomahawks,
so universally used by the Indians east of the
Sierra Nevada. They are very fond of dress
and display, and are incident, docile, and tract
able, and many of them thievish, Of course; but
readily learn the more simple arts of agricul-
ture.
The construction of their huis and villages is
uniform. The earth is excavated about five
feet deep, and the apartment or lodge is covered
with dome-like top, several feet above the
surface Of the earth. In the centre of this roof
m aperture serves the double purpose Of admit
ting the light and letting the smoke escape
This is the only opening in the lodge, except
an entrance at the side barely large enough TO
admit human body. Through this they en-
ter. feet foremost, on their hands and knees
These dwellings are not uncomfortable, as the
thickness Of the earth over them prevents the
sun from penetrating them in the hot season
while in the colder weather they protect them
rom the winds.
The tribes visited by the writer in the great
Valley Of the Sacramento and the adjacent
are
The Hooks. They reside upon the celebrated
Hok Farm, near the residence Of Captain Sut-
Ter. They number from eighty to one hundred.
The Yabas These are located at the mouth
,f or rather the junction of the Yuba with Fea-
ther river, and number about one hundred and
eighty.
The O-Gp-pas. These are located on Fea-
Their river, about thirty-two miles above its
mouth. They number ninety or one hundred.
The Bogas. These are located short dis
lance above the o-lippas, on the opposite side
" the river. and number about seventy.
The Ho-GlR-pahs. These reside at the base
IF the mountains, near Feather river, and num-
Der about one hundred and fifty.
The Er,kins These reside on Butte Creek