The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-10-22
THE HIDDEN TRAIL.

We were deer-hunting on the
headwaters of the Santa Ana Creek,
rapid little stream taking i.s rise
in the Coast range, in Ventura coun-
| ty, California, and were camped at
point where the stream, breaking
through spur of the main ridge,
hurls itself in eddying rapids be.
tween towering walls and naked
sandstone. Below US the foothills
dropped away in the fertile mesas of
the Santa Ana Rancho, while aboye
the gorge, hemmed in by towering
mountains lay beautiful valley,
oval in shape and studded with
clumps of live oak and lunches OF
manzanita Close down to the
mouth of the pass, around whose
eastern side there ran narrow trail,
grew a solitary, towering sugar pine,
beneath the whispering branches of
which we had built our campfire,
while Ger horse cropped at will the
juicy bunch grass upon the fiat
above.
An old mountaineer who was one
OF the party, a man who had spent
the better part OF lifetime in hunt
ing and prospecting through the
mountains of California, and was
now as care free and as far from
striking it rich" as ir good old
days of '49, broke the deep silence
which had fallen upon our little
party in natures majestic presence,
"Did you know" he said, that
this fiat was the last stronghold of
the Santa Ynez Indians that held
out against the Spaniards ?"
OF course / looked at the speaker,
whose deep voice bad broken while
it had not marred my dreams.
Years of life in the sun and wind
had bronzed his face to a hue as
tawny as ever was that of any Mex
ican, while his unkempt, grizzled
beard and silver white hair bore un-
mistakable evidence, not only OF his
great age, but lack the comforts and
conveniences of more modern civili-
zation. But age had not dimmed
the brightness of an eye trained to
watch from some high ridge for the
bound of a deer across a distant
clearing, nor had the weight of years
broken the iron nerve of an arm
which still unerringly dealt out
death at 800 yards range.
No." ! replied at last. Tell US
about it
IL will give Yea the story" he re-
piled, 'as an old Indian squaw told
1t to me-"
"A great many years ago, before
even the franciscan missionaries
had thought of California as prob
able field for their labors, the Santa
Ynez Indians dominated all the
country hereabont, from Santa Bar
bara even to the vicinity of the San
Fernando valley. This glen at the
mead of Santa Ara creek was the
seat of their authority and the site
of their largest village and the most
impregnaOle stronghold. Here was
the residence of their great chief,
here was built their largest council
house, and here. e.when danger threat
ened, could be found ample accom-
modations for the whole tribe. Game
and berries were abundant in the
neighboring mountains, a boiling
sulphur spring was available for the
erection of a sweat house, the Santa
Ana swarmed with trout and hun
dred trusted warriors, stationed up
on the cliffs and at the head of the
trail leading up the stream, could
DEFY unnumbered foes. Ordinarily
only the chiefs and their immediate
families and their retainers resided
in this stronghold, the tribe being
scattered over Its broad domain in
divers villages advantageously locat.
ed, and only assembling at the CEN
trail point in times of danger or to
participate IN great tribal reiiglous
observances.
THE SECRET TRAIL.
"But there was another trail lead
ing into the glen. Winding up over
yon high cliff on the western side of
the gorge, it leads down into the fat
by long and circuitous route at its
upper or western end.
sThe Spaniards came into the
country and everything was chang
ed. Gradually the Santa Ynez In
dians were conquered and enslaved
or exterminated. One by one their
villages had been destroyed and
their burial mounds deeecfated to