The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

the Yosemite Valley ever takes
the trouble TO ask the meaning
of its Indian name or ever even
thinks of much less inquiries into the
fanciful legends that played such an
important part in the lives Of the red
men ard in the early history of the
country.
IN the first place the valley was not
called Yosemite but Ah-wah-nee.
which means deep grassy valley" and.
the Ah-Wah-nee-chees were a large and
powerful tribe. but on account OF a
dreadful black sickness and war the
band WAS about destroyed and the few
that were left fed from the stricken
country in great haste.
80 il happened that for many years
the great valley was uninha bited and
the game was at liberty TO travel the
.ength and breadth Of the land un-
rnclested- But finally Teneiya. who
claimed TO be a descendant Of the great
chief Ah-wah-nee, gathered some Of
his fathers tribe about him and
claimed the valley as the birthplace
ot his people II followed, as a matter
Of course, that he became the founder
u the new tribe and straightway the
valley was christened Yosemite"
which signifies a full grown bear, and
his people adopted the name because
those who bestowed il were afraid Of
The grizzlies, and also feared his band
Then, unlike many OF the warlike
tribes, they divided the territory be-
tween them and settled down to lead
peaceful life When trouble Of any
description arose, instead of fighting. as
any Of the other tribes west Of the
Sierra Nevadas would, the chiefs ar
ranged council at which all the head
men Of the tribes were represented, and
the matter was settled by arbitration
rather than by brute strength
All was serene when the first parties
OF prospecting miners invaded their
lands, and the Indians welcomed them
with their characteristic hospitality and
were much interested in the gold min
ing that they saw carried on about
them. It took them but a very short
while TO learn the value Of the gold
dust, and some Of them straightway
engaged in mining and bartered their
oiggin's" for trinkets, such as beads
and gayly colored blankets, at an i'm
mense profit to the traders, and the
feeling that prevailed for a time was
one Of peace and good will.
In a remarkably short time. however
reports Of the rich gold mines spread
and miners by the thousands came and
took possession Of the whole country.
paying no regard to the natural rights
or wishes Of the Indians.
Then some Of the chiefs made the
proposition that if the miners would
give them some of the gold which they
found in their part of the country they
might stay and work. This offer was
not listened to by the miners, and 2
large majority of the invaders treated
the Indians as though they had no
rights whatever to be respected. 1t
so chanced in some instances where
the Indians had 1ound and were quiet
~ working gold mine they were for
cibly driven away by white miners.
who promptly took possession Of their
claims and worked them.
Moreover. the Indians saw that their
main sources Of food supply were ran
idly being destroyed. The oak trees
which produced the acorn-one of
their staple articles Of food-were be-
ing cut down and burned by the
miners and others in clearing up the
land for cultivation, and the deer and
the other food game were being rap
idly killed of or driven away from the
locality.
But this wasn't all In the "early
days" before California was admitted
as q free State into the Union, IL was
reported, and was probably true, that
some Of the immigrants from the
slave-hOlding States took the Indians
and made slaves of them in working
their claims. It was no uncommon
event for the sanctity Of their homes
and families to be invaded by some Of
the "baser sort" and young women
taken. willing or not. fer servants
and wives.
In retaliation, and as some compen-
sation for these many grievous out
RACES upon their natural. inalienable
rights Of domain and property, and
their native customs. the Indians stole
horses and mules from the white set