Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-02-18
THE INDIANS Or CALIFoR MA.
From Ts.e Washington e rp,soiic.

We read of the aboriginrs of this country, ~
every locality, with Il melancholy Interest, anu
in scl!.acrusing spirit. Although 1t Is not
true that the white man has always baen uiklnd
and n,erciless toward then, yet many have
been the wrongs they have received at his hands
and many the crimes he has added to the dark
catalogue of their .transg:css!Hns
We have just perused with interest the com
muuication of Il gentleman now IN taiii"Tu'a,
who wrote on the 10th Sept, last. Tie states
that since the III OF June preceding, he had
traversed more than eight hundred miles through
the great valley OF the Sacramento and along
the tributaries of that river which take th'if
rise in mountains of the Sierra Nevada. In
his route he visited ten distinct tribes of Indians,
besides meeting many wandering families or
small communities. iIcrcprcsemts us his great
est difficulty the procuring efficient Interpreters.
None of the many who proessed to know their
language, he asserts, understand more OF II
than enough to trade with them or to transact
the most ordinary business.
The men and children are represented to he
in general naked; and the females wear only
what they call "du ch," which is nothing more
than a garment Of grass or rnsllcs suspended
from belt around the waist. The writer conld
discover no distinction il their customs, habits
fife, or general language, which conld induce
him to think they were not originally one pro-
ple. Their customs and mannc: OF life are in
many respects Identical. Their hus or lodges
are constructed alike They do not scalp those
whom they kill, but throw the dead body int"
the water. they burn the dead Of their own
people, and manifest their grief for the loss of
kindred by covering themselves, hear, head,
face, arms, and body, to the waist, with tar or
pitch, which is permitted to remain until worn
off. They subsist on roots and grass-Sccds
from the earth, acorns aud pine seeds from the
trees, and fish from the streams. These arti-
cles of food are gatlerrd in great quantities,
and stored in magazines prepared for the pnr-
pose. They always have enough laid up for
two years subsistence, and thus guard against
the failure of crop in any year. The acorns
and nuts are ground into Il kind Of flour. This
rocks. Berries of various kinds are often
mixed with this flour before baking As
amongst all rude people, these people impose
this labor upon their females, their squaws, or,
rs they call them, "mo.hales."
They have definite idea ot their right to
the soil, and complain that the pale faces are
oyerrunning their country, and destroying their
means of subsistence that the immigrants arc
tramping down and destroying their grass, and
the miners running their fish DAMS For these
things they claim remuneration in money,
or they do not know its value--but in clothing
and food. Their demands are reasonable
Their wants are few, and should be gratified.
Such policy, the i!er remarks, would not
only prove economic / to our Government, and
more beneficial to tAc Indians than annuites
in money, but must prove the best means of
u" ins them Ds to stateof cvzaon i"ai anu Wbs1 Vpg
thogA have been well.treated, they have re-.
turned to their tribes with sentiments of the
highest regard for the Americans. Should it
not ever be our aim and policy to merit this