The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-04
The Indian TRIBES Am CALIFORNIA;.


who has resided for number of months in
California, for the following description OF some
of the Indian tribes Of that State, first pub
lished in the San Francisco Standard-a paper
which was suspended in consequence Of the
great fire Of the 4th of May last:
The subioined letter, from friend who has re-
sided consider able time in the mountains among
the Indians, aud whose tastes led him naturally to
study their character and habits, we take much
pleasure in laying before our readers They may
reyon the facts stated in it as being correct as we
know that in his associations with others who have
resided lifetime among the sayagcs, he has taken
particular TO correct his own impressions by
their experience. In the present posture Of our
affairs with these wild men il cannot fail to be in
tcresting:
Editor Of the Daily True Standard:
DEAR Sra: At your request transmit 10 you
some lew particulars relative 70 the manners and
character Of the California Indians or OF that por-
ton OF them who inhRbit the country south OF the
Stanislaus river, with whom tho recent difficulties
have occurred MY information has been derived
from residence of considerable length OF time
among them, and from particular intimacy with
persons who have spent years In their hills
The number of Indians, though greatly reduced
by war, by the miners rifle, by the small pox,
(Which disease has swept them OIL terribly three
times since 1850 10 still considerable. Savage,
subject calculated that, between Tuoumne and
Kings river, 5000 braves could be brought to-
gether. This would make the total somewhere IN
the neghborhood of $4,000 TO $4,000 souls. From
Kings To Kern's river, including the country
arouiSSEour Creeks, there probably as many
uaorc; that the total number Of Indians from the
Tuoluinne 10 Kern's River Pass, would be about
90 OO0 This seems n large estimate, but II covers
large tract of country, and think will be borne
cut by the experience OF every person who has ira
yelled much in che Indian country. From the low
hills which fern the first barrier TO the traveller
the plains, to the limits of the which caps the
highest peaks os the Sierra, the whole country is
cut zap by innumerable trails, which conousively
show that the population Is considerable; and the
farther into the hills you go the thicker do they
become. In travelling through the mining regions
but few Indians can be seen, buta soonas you begin
to enter their Proper country, and travel toward
the south and east, the evidences of their presence
become more aud more uninstakable, until, when
you enter the Kings river and Four Greeks coun-
cry, you can hardly travel five miles without
ing into a rancheria swarning with men, womens
children, and dogs.
The men, or ''bucks." as they usually called,
generally about five feet eight in height rather
slight in build, but muscular; their feet are large
and ill shaped, but their hands such as the
s'bucks'' in New York would envy. The women
somewhat smaller, and are often excessively
fat they not handsome, nor good look
ing, as general thing; their foreheads being
very low, their noses broad and their mouths
large. In appearance the men have rather the ad-
vantage. Occasionally, however, in wandering
through the hills, you will come across squaw
who can justly he called beautiful and you may
depend che knows it as well as yourself. The wo-
men wear their hair, which ID thick aud coarse,
. sHoRr-burning il of TO their ears, and in a line
across the forehead the men permit theirs to grow,
and wear 1T tied at the crown OF the head, and ire
quentIy ornamentcd with beads and other trim
kets. Both sexes are fond of fnery, but prefer the
useful to the ornamental in every They like
beads we'll enough, but blankets better.
Their rancherias consist of number of huts,
generally built In line and composed of willow
or dogwood branches, bent over, and united on the
top On these in the rainy season they place grass,
smaller branches, and earth, SO as to render them
completely waterproof. They are always ofcourse
in the immediate neghborhood of water, although,
in cases. they find il difficult matter to unite
convenience and security. Many of them which
situated far back in the Sierra, and are inhab
tied by the wild tribes, placed in such positions
that dozen men could defend them against thou
sands. Thc rancherias are of course always built
by the squaws and are never used after having
been once deserted
The California Indians have generally been set
down as filling almost the lowest scale in the hui
man family. They are, it is true, in some respects,
any thing but brilliant, but they not SO bad
ehey have been made out. They HAVE NO IDEA
AT ALL OF EITHER Con FUTURE STATE.
Many metaphyscians have asserted that such
thing is unknown in the history of the human
race But that it ia the FACT am convinced; not
only from my own experience but from that of
many OF my friends, who have directed their at
tention particularly to points of this kind. Among
gentleman OF singular talent and ability, whose
observations and experience among the Indian
tribes in this country would be extremely interest
ing if published, as hope they soon will be. The
contact with the Indians who have been educated
at the missions has imbued some of the others with
vague ideas on the subject, but the regular "bron-
cho' Indian seems totally Ignorant OF every thing
OF the kind. was present some time since at the
burial of woman who belonged to the Cowilla
tribe, which, it must be remarked, has had con-
tact for some time with various mission tribes, and
as under Savage's control; STILL the old priest Of
the tribe, in answer to my inquiries, stated posi-
lively that there was no future state and he seemed
TO have no idea Of experimenting power. /
thought detected kind of belief in power of
evil, but certainly none in a Beneficent Deity.
The woman died at midnight and Immediately
single voice commenced a lamentation in a low
mournful cadence. swelling at times to shr
scream This continued till daylight, when
chorus OF some twenty female voices broke in, and
Kept up the strain for some hours. In the mean
time the funeral pyre was being erected by the
men; the logs being cut of uniform length of
about four feet, and trimmed very neatly Az
ter it had been built TO height of about five
feet, by laying the logs crosswise on each other
the whole tribe assembled and seated themselves
an circle around the pyre. The priest then
arose and spoke for some time to them, and was
listened to with great attention and respect
During his speech nc pointed in many directions
around him, and gesiculated in pleasing
ner-suiflclcnuy animated to be interesting and
mot extravngant enough to mar the solemnity of
the occasion. He told them that sthcir sister had
departed-that they would never see her THERE or
THERE, (pointing to different placcs,) that che
would never be seen gathering accrns again; ne
yer again bringing wood, never again nursing
her children" nc then drew number of lines
IN the sand of different lengths. 'Such," said he,
care men, We are but IA marks in the sand
Presently death comes like the wind and sweeps
out nfst one and then atlother, until oil gone,
and when wiped out '.ce arc wiped FOREVER He
repeated his cxhor cations to them afterwards in
divisions ana Particularly to the parents and hus-
band oi the girl. The pyre was then fired and
after the h.Jdy had been completely consumed, a
portion Of the ashes was gathered and placed in a
oaske', to be carried from lodge to lodge, until de-
pofded in the grand receptacle Of the tribe.
Peculiar ceremonies also observed at their
marriages; and any violation of the nuptial couch
Id punished with death. man is allow ed to have
as many wives as he pleases, and in fact a man's
wealth is frequently indicated by the number Of
bis better halves. This is natural; for as the wife
as but slave, the greater the number possessed,
The richer the possessor. When a woman is per.