The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-04

Typox Nation; the same on whom he inflicted
80 signal a chastisenent In the beginning OF the
present war.
Their language, to stranger, appears harsh and
cultural; but, TO person accustomed To hear u,
musical and soft. IL Is full of imagery, as Is that
oil almost every savage tribe, and the nameS be-
slowed on the different members of the tribes are
very expressive. OF tho pleasing ones may men
| ton ssthe Humming Bird,o "the Swift OF Foot"
''the Eagles Feather,' "the Lady Of the Hills;
while would advise your readers toavold tete a
| tete with "ihe worst among the bad" or "the
snake that bites from behind" For COMMAND, or
BOLD ExoLAMATIoR, their language is particularly
fitted; the imperative ending in X and Il, which
gives sharpness peculiar to itself Each tribe
has distinct idiom; common tongue, however,
prevails from the San Joaquin TO the Costumes,
where il begins 10 merge into another which pre-
walls through the northern country.
They a superstitious race, believing in
witches, spells, charms, &c The witches act as
doctors, and have knowledge OF herbs and sim
plies. They bleed by means OF sharp stone, and
IN every rancheria many will be seen scariiied,
particularly across the chest. On Elbow creek,
where one OF party OF which l was member
shot himself in the hand, the witch of the tribe
called by the old chief and told TO cut HIMSELF in
order TO cure the wound. With cunning look at
US he said il of use, his spells would not
affect white man The belief is common TO all
the tribes that the witches cannot be hit by arrow
ball; in the battle Of Sken's mountains, Savage
(who is n great witch among the southern tribes)
exposed himself continually; and at every dis
tney inquired III ne were
wounded. To which Il must cay ne returned a
very emphatic answer.
The arms used by the Indians the bow and
arrow; they also adopts at throwing stones,
and can do considerable execution with them. The
bow Is well known to almost every one in the coun
try. Al is about three feet long, made of swamp
dogwood, (Which is remarkably tough and backed
with sinew to render its power greater. The
row Is headed with stone or glass; and the head Is
so put that, if the attempt to draw the arrow
out is made, it remains behind. great misap-
prehcnsion exists among the whites about the power
OF the bow and arrow. An Indian with one can
kill certainly at fifty yards and it would be rather
dangerous to stand before at seventy. Many
OF them now armed with riiies and six shooters
and is usually the Wa mountaineers, they
| are excellent shots. They unwilling however
to to close quarters, ana 1t difficult get
nearer to them i'm fight than two hundred yards
In action they have number of chiefs who are
selected from the bravest of the tribe, and one
''great war CHIEF who holds his rank always, and
who standing On some eninence out OF the reach of
arrow or ball directs the fight. They shout and
howl in most extraordinary manner during the
action, and fairly make the hills re-bellow The
braves paint themselves before going into action.
They make their treaties In very solemn manner,
interchanging presents, and concluding with a
grand feast and dance. They frequently form
alliances offensive and defensive, and in all such
cases stand well by each other. In the summer of
'49 the Suxante Sucashante tribe on the Fresno
sent deputation far into the great valley on the
other side of the Sierra 10 solicit the assistance of
tribe residing there. in an expedition against the
Monas, a powerful race residing near the head OF
Kings river. The allies over, and both par
ties attacked and defeated the Monas, with oonsd
cradle slaughter, seized large booty, which they
divided, and then separated. II might be men
toned incidentally here that the delegation declared
that they had discovered gold on the other side of
the Sierra.
II is rather singular that, residing in q country
watered by such large streams the Stanisaus,
Tuolumne, MERGED, San joaquin, and Kings riv-
CIR, the Indians should possess better mode of
transporting themselves by water than fragile tule
floats. Such is, however, the case, even on the
Tuaire lakes; magnificent sheets of water as they
are, they have other kind of boat than this mis-
cradle raft. Near the borders of the lakes they
may be floating about long concern of
the kind, with small hut in the middle, busily
engaged in fishing, but they attempt to go
any distance on them.
| In conclusion, will only add that they are total
ly destitute of any antiquarian remains, of any
monuments by which their history could be traced.
The only thing Of the kind existing far as, after
most diligent search, could find or learn, is the
Painted Rock the head of the Coarse Gold ulch,
This is nothing more than large block of granite
| embedded in the hill, on the fiat face of which are
painted in black and white variety of animals,
birds, trees, men, &C. The Indians say that it con-
tains every thing which exists in the hills and in
truth it exhibits the forms of vast variety of ami
mails sketched with considerable skill. That il is
the work OF an Indian, or of number of them, there
can be no doubt, but when il was DONE or by whom,
none of them can tell.
These remarks, as you will easily perceive, have
been thrown together without any attempt at order
or style. Many interesting facts have been proba-
bly, overlooked and omitted, for all of which must
plead the pressure of business, and beg yourself and
| your readers to excuse them.
| With much respect, yours truly
|
| In the report on public hygea, made to the Anne