The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-10-15

foLe as this typical Indian village So
eminent an authority as President Eli
lot of Harvard university is quoted as
having said, during his visit in Soutn-
elm California, two winters ago, that
the most profitable day he had spent
III months was that on which he Wis
lied the Indian village at Saboba.
The name of the village which, in
the mouths of the Indians, who are it's
Sole inhabitants, takes on a far more
musical sound than it's appearance in
cold type would appear to make posi-
"le is familiar enough to all readers
ot Helen Hunt Jackson's romance,
ramona" some Of whose most thrill
ing though apocryphal scenes are To-
Gated there The greater number of
those readers doubtless have set down
the village of Saboba as being as
much the fiction Of the imagination as
the remainder Of the tale which gives
1T fame, and they may be surprised to
learn that such a place actually ex-
lists. Exist it does, nevertheless, and
in one of the loveliest valleys Of the
Golden State.
Thousands of people come and 60 to
San Jacinto, the thriving town of
Incdern build, tour miles or so distant,
without knowing that close at hand is
-tlis ancient Indian rancheria, and the
''oldest inhabitant'' receives with an
expression of surprise any inquiry con-
corning the place. He cannot, for the
life of him, see why anybody should
care to concern himself with the abid-
Ing place Of a lot Of Indians. Some
there are. however, in the town who
take the liveliest and friendliest inter-
csts in the remnant of the tribe of
Mission Indians who cling so tena-
'ciously TO the spot where their fore
fathers dwelt from time immemorial.
"A gentleman CHANGED to have a few
spare hours at his disposal on the oc-
casiOn Of a recent visit to this locality,
some time ago, and the subject of
Ramona" having been preached, it
was suggested that visit to Saboba
and a possible call on Sonora Ramona
herself, who is a resident of that
'neighborhood, might afford an agreea-
BILE experience.
TT was lovely morning in midwin-
ter in the semi-tropics. The hills that
surround the valley like an amphithe-
alter were green with the growth of
wild grasses, the plain was carpeted
with flowers of varied hue, which
filed the air with their fragrance. The
atmosphere was fresh with the breeze
snowy SUBMITS lowered 1000 and
5000 feet high in the near distance.
Orange groves, olive orchards, and
fields of alfalfa stretched across the
valley from mountain base to foot
hills. From San Jacinto the road runs
up the valley for a short distance, and
soon enters the thickets Of gnatemote
that line the bed Of the San Jacinto
river. With Watchful eye for quick
sands, the stream is crossed, then a
belt Of willow jungle is traversed, the
road being only a single track, almost
.overgrown with brush, and when this
is passed a belt of cleared land is
reached, and we are on the outskirts
of SabOba.
There are some little vineyards and
orchards, the vines and trees Of which
appear to have been planted in hap
hazard fashion, without regard to
straight lines, Or, mayhap, it is be
cause the bulk Of them have died that
the survivors look as if they had been
struck into the ground in the footsteps
of some one who had been logging the
footsteps of a jack rabbit across the
field. There are couple of Indians
blowing in their little fields. That is
to say. they are supposed to be doing
so. But the horses stand with heads
down, apparently asleep, while in the
shade Of the poisoning peach trees
sit the two toilers lazily rolling and
smoking cigarettes. They have done
perhaps, a dozen burrows this after
noon, and this is doubtless the fourth
or fifth time they have halted to have
neighborly smoke and a monosyll
able chat. The scene is thoroughly
i topical of the Indian character. It Is
difficult enough to keep one Of the
tribe at work under the watchful eye
of a white observer, but when he il
his own master and servant at The
same time he becomes most gloriouslJ
careless Of the passage Of time ani
needless of the condition Of the WORK
to be performed. II he accomplish ii
a week what white man does in .