Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1860-03-30
FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Correspondence of the Star { Chronicle.
Names-Wtather, and the Times-Scou Valley
Mount Shas:a-the ieka Indians, and their Chief,
TOio-ProyisiOns-Mails AC.

Mount Shas:a-tbe teka Indians, and their Chief,
-PrOyisiOns-Malls, &c.
YREKA, Feb -, 1850.
Ik.d is said to be the ludian name for
Mount Shasta, and should be for this place,
but it has obtained the name of Ifeka.
The name of our county-Sis-ki,you-
means, little pony.
We have had the driest, warmest, pleas.
autest winter, ever known here by the res
ijents. 1t generally rains two-tbirds Of
the time during the season, but VIC have
yet had no rain to speak of, aud the miners
are getting discouraged. They have not
water to wash the DIRT they dig up, aud all
kinds of business suffer iu consequence
for if they can't get the gold, nobody can
have it TO quarrel about. l,usually SHOWS
on the mountains, while it rains in the
vallies; and then, all through the seven
or eight mouths composing the dry season,
the melting snow supplies the rills and
rivers, as well as the bitches which are pre-.
pared for mining purposes. Now, there
Is not as much snow on the mountains as
there was last May. Quartz mining does
not require as much water-they are great
mills, with "stampers" weighing $50
pounds each, working "churn- -dasher'
fashion aud crushing the rock.
Recently, We had a nice ride out in
Scott Valley, twenty miles from Yreka,
crossing one mountain six miles over, and
so steep that our vehicle had to be chaued
going down hill. | did not dare to ride,
aud could hardly walk, down. Give me a
mule on the mountains-'hey are SO sure
footed. Scott is a delightful valley, about
forty miles long and three TO five wide,
dotted over with ranches-here j hog
rancho, there cattle rancho, and yonder
grain rancho. The hills tower in majesty
one above another on every side, their
hills furnishing for cattle, all the winter,
a rich bunch grass, which commences
growing about the time the rain and snow
begin to fall Casually in November and
grows greener and greeuer all the winter
aud then dries, cures itself, and (al-
though apparently dead) is good all SUM-
mer too.
Throughout the Valley we had fine
~ IL
white with snow, and looks as though all
the sugar loayes In creation had been blen-
ded in one successful effor, to reach the
clouds-for the summit is often hid by the
curtains which foat around it. We are
twenty five miles from the base of this
majestic peak, which is reported at 400
feet in height. Every season, parties, il
search Of pleasure or wonder, ascend it,
10 avoid deep gorges of snow, it requires
ten miles of round about travel-six of
them on foot-clambering over ice, and
camping one night on the snow, when
they leave their mules-,o reach their des.
tination. A Band ascended one season
and played Hail Columbia. There are
springs at or near the summit, the vapor
from one Of which is said to be poisonous.
We called to see the remnants Of large
tribe Of IndiaDs-the Yekas-encamped
for the winter in this valley. Their wig
vans are built of rough boards and sticks,
patched with skins. 1t was warm, bright
day, and We found the young Indians
some of them half breeds-perched upon
the huts, like rattlcsnakes out summing.
Some were dressed in the cast-off clothing
Of the whites, and some were not The !
old Indians and their squaws had gone to
bury one of their braves, who died the
night before. We took good look into
their huts, which are SO low that We could
hardly stand upright, even in the center,
where they build large fires, and lie on the
ground around it. They have two en-
frances, with kind of ante-room between .
the second being SO low and small, that
one has to crawl through it-this, to guard
against intruders. We saw for food nuts,
mostly acorns-dried huckleberries-aBd
dried crickets-tbis last being considered
quite a delicacy. These cricke,s have
been serious pest for three years past:
last season they came like a devouring
army, nearly running the crops in the val
lies, for they eat every green thing which
comes in their way. The Indians, how
ever, dig holes in the ground, and drive
the crickets in, where they smother, then
Try, aud after being pounded and s,ewed
With berries are fit for use They kill
some game, such as deer, antelope and
,abbits, but are afraid of the bears (black,
and grizzly which are plenty
IN some of our mountains. Their bake
houses are holes dug in the ground, and
covered something like our ovens 1t is
aid their sick are put into these holes
Vhen heated, and after sweating them
,rofusely they then treat them to cold ;