Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-23
Written for the REcoRD-ySAs.l
LEGEND OF THE PAMBL0S.

a
have ceased to wonder why they never
heard of it before. But old Joe has re-
turned to his old haunts, and corrobor-
ates it all, and l am thankful, of course,
because some of my friends have INDUCED
in many faceious winks and smiles, and
whispered among themselves: Hes
chip off7n the old block. Can't he lie
though"
1 have waited patiently for the relic
hunter who would carry the old anvil Joe
used in 1852 up the mountain, but he has
not arrived, and am sorry to say it -eposes
where he left it thirty years ago, on the
banks of the Yuba. There it will remain,
/ suppose, till l send a boy for it. But
since the biographical was written
have not been idle. l have plundered the
forests of whispering pines" Nevada
county, for old and musty legends, and
have found one which l think is original
If there is one thing Californians should
regretfully remember, it is the scarcity of
old legends in this State. One cannot even
find first-class ruin with ivy growing over
it, and blear-eyed owls roosting in it, and
the ghostly shadows fitting about its
The nearest approach to a ruin | have
seen is an old pioneers chimney near Ne
vada City, and it was not genuine success
as ruin, either. Poison oak bushes had
done their best to give it an ancient look
but there were no owls, no ghostly shadows,
and no stories to make it thing of beauty.
found three or four broken clay pipes and
half dozen black bottle-necks near it, but
no musty bones. | did intend to illuminate
il as they illuminate the Heidelberg Castle
on the Rhine, but | had no green fire and
gave it up. Ny best intentions are always
spoiled, somehow. Methinks Il always say
methinks when / can't is so original and
sensible)-methinks the press of California
should call for regiment of old legends to
show the world that Yosemite and the Big
Trees are not all the wonderful things we
possess.
Bun L am getting away from my new
legend. | claim it as my own personal
property because / discovered it, and | do
not wish to see some other paper tack it up
ON the escutcheon of some other county as
its own. Before launch into the recital
of this legend, | will tell how l discov-
cred it.
There were three of us. An old inhab-
liant had died, and we were digging his
grave. The old inhabitant was an Indian,
the last but one of his tribe The remain
der of the tribe stood by while we dug, and
smoked our tobacco for us, and made many
sad remarks, such as Toppy heep gone"
Toppy heep likeum whisky" etc. We
were digging the grave near an old Indian
burying-ground, and unconsciously dug
into a previous resident. The first bone
turned up was the skull skull that soon
crumbled into dust, but while it lasted it
filled us with surprise and wonder. 1t was
the largest skull ever saw. 1t was by ac-
tual measurement ten inches in diameter,
and very rough. When the old Indian saw
it he stopped smoking and raised his hands
" It's Aloga's head he said. "Aloga big
Ingun. Me little boy when Aloga die long
time ago. Aloga big Injun p'
gave the old fellow a new plug of to-
bacco, and he told me about Aloga. And
now am ready to 90 on with my legend
only substituting choice English for the
natives pigeon" call it
TIE WONDERFUL LEGEND OF THE PAMBLos
Once, long before the first pioneers had
set foot in the forests of the Sierras, there
lived dwarf among the Pamblos. He was
so small that his own brothers and sisters
ignored him, and his own father and
mother scowled at him. When all the
other noble young men went out on a
great hunt for jackass rabbits and other
precious game, he was left at home, grind
ing scorns and sitting dried grasshoppers
with the mehales. No dusky maiden
smiled upon him; the piccaninnies pulled
his nose and insulted him. One day his
brother asked him not to share his mess of
pottage, and Aloga cried out against such
treatment. Then the whole tribe rose up
like one man and smote him till he was
sore and gave him his time and told him
to go; .,.,
blows you from the hills. You cannot
hunt, for the rabbits would eat you. You
cannot fight either. Bah You are nothing.
Gitr
Stung to desperation, Aloga retorted I"
will go. But | will not be forgotten. Some
where | will find mehale, and will raise
a son against you as tall as the trees, as
strong as bear, and mighty hunter. He
will lead tribe against your people, and
you will perish by his hand!'
Then Aloga left and travelled for many
moons, till he came to great mountain in
the midst of great plain. On this noun
tain dwelt the Great Spirit of the Pamblos
For many days AlOga tasted upon the
mountain top, and his prayers were an
swered. Clouds gathered around him, the
thunders rolled, lightning flashed, and the
Great Spirit stood before him.
Aloga, what would you have?" asked
the Great Spirit.
Then Aloga told his story, and asked that
he might raise son against the Pamblos as
strong as bear, as tall as the trees, and a
mighty hunter.
Is that all ?" said the Great Spirit at
shall be so. Travel toward the setting sun
When you reach the great mountains you
will meet a mehale. Go with her to her
tribe, and she will be your wife"
Then the thunder rolled again, and the
Great Spirit left him. Aloga tramped away
with an empty stomach and glad heart
and sought the great mountains
For many years the Pamblos hunted and
tished along the Iuba and forgot Aloga
and his prophecy. But misfortune came
to them-the acorn crop failed, they could
kill no rabbits, and the fish would not be
caught Then the old chief called his peo-
pie together, and spoke from the top of the
great teepee.
Haydaydee WASH Many, many
moons have passed since we drove Aloga
from us. He is evidently dead, and his
spirit is angry with US. He has shaken
the acorns from the trees, he turns aside
our arrows. His spirit is with us in our
teepees, and it is angry. We must make
peace with him. Winter is at hand, and
we must draw a flush or lose the pot
W dSSi. / nave SpOkeI Let ali the uOBS
be killed and prepare for a big soup.
Wassi l have spoken again % 1t was
done at once. 1t was the last resort of
starving tribe.
Again they went forth to hunt. The sun
shone, the jay sang, and they killed much
game. But they deyoured it at once, and
laid nothing up for a rainy day. They did
not go to the ant and get wisdom. Winter
came. The snow fell, the wind blew, and
there was nothing to eat in Their kitcte !.
One by one the old men laid Gown, sang
their death songs, smote themselves on the
stomach and died hard. Then the children
had the measles, and there was no catnip
or horehound tea in,ihe great teepees. Again
the old chief call his people together.
Again they danced in the great teepee but
their strength and their power was gone.
Many more died. And when spring came
only twenty people remained to call them
selves Panlblos. Then these people hunted
and fshed again, and lived Alogas
brothers and sisters were saved; also his
father and blind aunt. And one day as
his brother was pursuing game in the
woods woodpecker lit upon his shoulder.
Stop" it said. Climb to the top of
yon high mountain and direct thy gaze to
the wide expanse beyond % Then it few
away.
Aloga's brother knew If was IN evil