Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-22
THE ABORIGINES.
About the Extinct Southern
California Indians.
Fragments of the History OF a
Lost Tribe.
JustO, a Survivor, Tells Some Curl
Gus Facts.
He Remembered the Bringing OF tho
Indians from the Islands to the
MainIand-How They Lived.
Their Customs.

[Dr. Lorenzo G.. Yates, in the Ameri
can Anthropologist for October, has the
following interesting paper OF the Indi
ans OF the Santa Barbara region j
During an interview had about three
years ago with one of the few represen
tatiyes of the Indians who formerly in
habited the region round about Sants
Barbara, California, the following notes
were made from statements Of Justo, g
Santa Barbara Indian, in answer te
questions in relation to their habits and
customs, which, in view OF the fact thai
the aborigines OF the region referred te
are almost, if not entirely, extinct, and
the opportunities for learning anything
in relation to them have passed away
never to be again offered, may be consid
cred worthy of record.
Through the kindness of friend
who, at cost of some considerable
trouble and outlay of money, had
brought together some OF the oldest and
most intelligent OF the few living repre-.
sentatives OF tribes which formerly oc.
cupied the islands and mainland ol
Santa Barbara county and adjacent
county, an excellent opportunity was
offered to learn something of the habits
and customs of an almost extinct peo-
Pile.
The following notes were jottsd down
from the answers to questions which
were slowly and carefully asked OF Justo
and which he answered after carefully
consulting with his Indian friends who
were present Representatives OF differ
ent tribes).
He stated that at the age OF about 10
years he accompanied the expedition
which brought the remains OF the In
dian tribes from the islands off the coast
| the missions OF Ssnta Barbara, La Puris-
| the mainland.
He had been told by his uncle that
when the Indians of Dos Pueblos (Sants
Barbara county, first saw Spaniard on
horseback, the Indians, who had been
assembled in the ''sweat-house" (To-
mas-carte, or Te-mas -cal), rushed out to
witness the Ito them) wonderful eight.
| The Spaniard in alarm threw his lance
among them and fatally wounded one OF
their number. In revenge for this the
Indians killed him with their arrows.
| When Justo was a small boy be had
witnessed some fighting at the Estero,
about a mile from the city of Santa Bar
bara, between the Indians OF Ell Rincon
! Ia point about fifteen miles distant and
those who lived where Santa Barbara is
located.
Their method was to open battle by
tossing up a lot of feathers. One In
dian would leave his companions, ad-
vance toward his enemies, and shoot a
number of arrows, which are generally
lodged by the opposite forces.
When the Indian got tired he retreat
ed or fell back, and another would ad-
vance.
The fight did not result in much loss
to the participants. In the instance
referred to the Santa Barbara Indians
lost one OF their number, the Rincon
party two.
He states that the arrows were some
times poisoned.
When declaration OF war was made
a messenger was dispatched by the
aggrieved party, who repaired to
the tribe with whom they desired to
open war, with a polite invitation to
meet at certain place and on stated
day.
On the day agreed upon the opposing
parties, painted and equipped for the
light, repaired to the proposed battle
ground and opened fire by throwing
handfuls of hne feathers into the air, &C.
companying the action by certain pc
culiar sounds and repetition of va, va
va, va, va, va, va, va, va, increasing the
rapidity of the enunciation until it cul-
minated in the exclamation Wau-Kap-
peel!
In these battles very few were killed
but the fighting was continued for some
time after the loss of a man by either
party.
When either side was satisfied they
built fire, which signifed that theil
opponents were valiant warriors, anC
that they were satisfied and wished tt
bury the hatchet for the present.
Dwellings-Their houses were made
by placing sticks of sycamore wood 80 al
to form q conical building, which was
covered with tules, leaving an opening
at the apex for the escape of smoke
The fire was placed in the center.
The ground in the interior wa!
smoothed off, and dirt thrown up around
the base at the outside to keep the wa
ter from running under.
On the islands, bones of whales wer,
used instead of sticks, at least in som,
instances, the writer having been pres
ent at the exploration OF their sites.
Sleeping-They drove forked sticks il
the ground, across which other stick
were placed, and on these mats of wovel
tule were spread, upon which the in
mates slept.
For covering, the Indians on tn
islands used blankets made of skins O
birds and sea offers, and also rabbi
skins; the last-named he estimated t.
be worth about 81. so each.
Eating-On short days they had tw
s, meals day.
J Squirrels were usually cooked. Bird
were killed by small, pointed arrows
Grasshoppers were not used as foo
here, but the Indians farther down th
coast made pinoles of them, which the
ate.
Chilla "a gelatinous seed) was ais
used "a food, from which great los
was made and cut into slices.
They knew nothing Of the use (
salt.
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