The Van Buren press., 1859-09-30

QlOQ. ne COuStUut WIEuS lIOul tuc ucScrL
drive the lsrv@ in large quantities upon the
shore of the Lake. where they are easily
collected by the squaws. Beside Owens
for as the Indians call it Wokokee) rive'
there are some four small brooks emptying
their waters into the Lake.
For some distance along the river after
leaving the Lake, but little desirable lana
is found, thst supplied with water.by little
rivulets flowing from the mountains.
Twenty seven miles from the head of the
Lake is Pine Creek. with large body Of
meadow land, and the first timber we en-
countered growing in the valley, save a few
small cottonwo oods. Beautiful streams of
clear. cold water come gushing fresh from
the SHOWS of the Sierra, at intervals Of
from one to ten miles, irrigating beautiful
and fertile portions Of the valley, for the
following sixty-two miles from, Pine Greek
principal among which are Clsrk's and
Dragon Forks, either OF which supply
nearly aa much water at this season of ths
year e. does Kern River.
Large tracts Of land are here irrigated by
the natives to secure the growth Of grass
seeds and grass nuts-a small tuberous
root of fine taste and nutritious qualities,
which grows here in great abundance. Tho
bitches for irrigation are in some cases car
ried for miles, displaying as much accuracy
and Judgment as II laid out by an engineer
and distributing the water with great regu-
larity over their grounds, and this, too.
without the aid oil single agricultural i'm
plement. They are totally ignorant of ag-
riculture, and depend entirely on the natu
raj resources Of the county for food and
clothing.
One Of the greatest AQUEOUS curiosities of
the trip was single spring to which was
given the name OF "mammoth," from which
runs a stream of water, with fair current
fifteen or twenty feet wide and about two
and half feet deep.
Although from some distance below the
Lake we encountered the temporary abode
Of the Indians, yet in no instance were the
troops enabled to get sight Of single one.
they having fled before their approach, as
we afterwards learned, having been told
that they would be killed, until VIC reac he'd
Pine Greek, when the interpreter found q
poor woman attempting to escape with her
crippled child. She having been assured
that the people would not injure her, soon
became the means of reassuring the Indi-
ans, after which there was but little difficult
ty in communicating with them.
They informed Capt. David
son that some four or five Indians, in
years past, were in the habit of stealing
horses for the purpose of eating them, but
esteeming it wrong, they some five years
since punished some of the party with
death, and the rest had died from natural
causes since when none had been stolen
by their people. They told us where we
could find the bones of the animals thus
destroyed, and most certainly the appear
, ance corrobOrated their statement for there
were no bones of more recent date than four
or five years. judging from their appear
ance.
The Wokopee, or Owens river Indians
appear to be both morally and physically
superior to any of their races in California,
for in point of probity and honesty GER
tainly have never met their equal, and as to
their physical, sanitary condition, saw none
sick or infrm save the child already allud-
!. ed to-although they will number 1900 or
1900 souls.
To illustrate their idea Of truthfulness
An Indian boy. who was anxious to return
with Captain D.. after descending the river
fifty or sixty miles, encountered his elder
brother, and being unwell, and perhaps
little home sick, asked his advice in regard
to turning back. q Have you promised to
go? % said he. "Yes." +" g We'll. then.
do not ask me if you have promised to
go you shall CO."
Whilst talking to their head men who
had assembled for that purpose, Capt. Da-
wilson informed them that SO long as they
were peaceful and honest, the government
would protect them in the enjoyment of
their rights. Their reply was that such
had always been their conduct, and should
ever be-that they had depended on their
own unaided resourees-that they had at
all times treated the whites in q friendly
} manner. He further informed them, tha.
should they become dishonest and resort to
murder and robbery, they would be punish
ed with the sword. The old captain or
head man turned to the interpreter and said
: Tell him that we fear it not that what
have said, Ihove said. I haze lain my
heart at his feet, leshi,n look att.
II Unsophisticated and uncontaminated BY
free intercourse with whites of vicious In
dians, lack of chastity is said to be .
thing almost unheard of among them Tho
limited opportunities for observation, GER
.. tainly favored the opinion that such was the
fact.
The Mohave Indians.
An Express had arrived at Los Angeles
s from Fort Mohave. A private letter says
that the Indian ra acherias in the vicinity Of
tho post have been destroyed, that the Indi-
ans have been driven down the river, and
are now collected at suitable lurking places.
: awaiting tie result of messengers who have
. gone OF to raise the neighboring tribes. The
9 Pah Utes are in league with the Mohaves
' the Yumas have declined. also the Cocopas
I but fears arc entertained that at the great
: gathering Of Irdians now collected at the
t San Luis Rey, attempts may be made to
1 tamper with the friendly Indians and enlis,
f them in the cause Of the disaffected tribes
a Proper steps, however, have been taken to
g couuteract any such action.
Numbers Of Indians are occasionally OBJ
served lurking in the vicinity of the post.
l evidently hostile in their Intentions.
,f To RoB DEATH OF ITS TERRoRs.-Ge
sea-sick. 1t beats rum and virtue all hol
low.