Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-21
Special Corresponds
SANTA BARBARA. May II. 1911.

SANTA BARBARA, May II. 1911.
At the time OF the advent Of the Span
iards the coast of California was thickly
settled with Indians of a peaceful dispo-
sition and fixed abodes. Each family or
clan lived in separate rancheria-some-
times only few huts. sometimes as
many as a hundred. Each clan had a
separate name, which was also given to
the locality In which 1t lived. In what is
now Santa Barbara county there were
probably 1900 Indians. and. although
most of the names have been forgotten.
few still cling to the ranches in this
neighborhood. such as Tecolote Tinacuac,
Lompoc. Najalayegua and others equally
musical. 1t is gratifying to know that
even a few of them have been retained.
and 1t would be better IL more were used
for hotels. ranches and homes of the
people. For example, how much more
appropriate aboriginal names would be
for the big tourist hotels at Santa Bar
bara which are now called the Potter
and the Arlington?
Each tribe. family or clan had its head
man, and they were responsible to one
great chief. who had jul
Head of the rsdiction in both religious
Clan. anu secular anal. ,s, ln Na
nonali Alioliquit, Saliatuato are exam
pies. Yanonali was a chief Of excellent
qualities and exercised a powerful in
fiuence along the coast. He welcomed
the Spaniards and rendered them much
assistance, was converted to Christianity,
baptized with the name of Pedro and
spent the latter years of his life at San
ia Barbara Mission
The rancherias were frequently built on
sites now known as shell mounds, on &C.
count of the large accumulation Of Oys-
ter and clam shells found about them.
The houses were conical in shape, SINH
lar to the tepees of the Indians of the
plains. and were constructed by stacking
long poles. with their tops fastened to-
gether. and covering them with woven
reeds or skins, and often with a veneer OF
adobe. The cooking was done in the
open air, which was possible because OF
the mild climate and the infrequency OF
rain. The abundance of natural fruits.
berries and other vegetation, fish, oysters.
CLAIMS, Holsters. game and wild fowl
made life easy, and, with freedom from
warfare and natural refinement of ma
ture. the Indians along this part OF the
coast developed a higher type than was
observed among those Of the north and
farther south. According to the accounts
OF the early voyagers. they showed con-
siderable intellectual character and in
genuity In the arts and manufactures, al.
though they did not reach the civilization
which characterized the Incas of Peru
and the Aztecs of Mexico.
Both men and women were well formed
and had regular features. Their Skin
was dark brown: they wore their hail
long and some of the men wore boards OF
such length that they were tied in knots
beneath their chins. The women were
modest and amiable. with beautiful eyes
and adorned themselves with earrings
necklaces. bracelets and anklets of gold
ivory and shells. The children were
bright. playful and respectful to their
elders. Both sexes wore garments made
OF the skins of rabbits. deer, seal, wilt
fowls and often woven grass. They hat
boats large enough to carry twenty OF
thirty persons. which were chiseled from
the trunks of single trees and propelled
by oars. Their money consisted of per
forated shells and beads strung on thong:
OF leather. Their weapons were bows
arrows. spears and clubs: they hat
knives of flint, swords of hardened wool
and daggers made of bone. Their domestic
utensils were of pottery similar to those
Of the Aztecs and decorated with artistic
designs. They had baskets. woven ST
closely that they were waterproof, and
those intended for holding liquids were
coated within and without with bitumen
They had little household furniture. &
few rudely made benches and tables, anC
they slept upon skins.
They were constantly singing and dane
ing and feasting, and their ceremonies Of
marriage and burial were quite elaborate
They believed in the Immortality of the
soul, and the graves of their dead were
filled with arms, implements and utensil:
that the occupants would need in the Other
world. Separate cemeteries were uset
for the men and the women, and some OF
them can still be identified. In one neal
the village of Dos Pueblos II is estimated
that at least 5000 are resting. Some OF
the graves We're protected by fences
some were marked with slabs Of stone OIL
bones of whales. and skeletons have beer
earthen Jars which are so narrow at the
neck that they must have been nodded
after death.
Their religion. like that Of other aborig
inal races, was a sort Of demonology. ir
which the evil god:
Religion of were held response
A. Al.: BILE for all misfor
propitiated by the employment Of sor
cerers. or medicine men. who exercised
an unlimited influence over their confid
ing victims. They had their romances
their tragedies and comedies, but M
written language, although upon the
rocks at several places in the neighbor
hood OF Santa Barbara are painted repre-
sensations Of the sun, OF men and animal!
and other designs. 1t has never beer
determined whether these Photograph!
were intended to convey definite ideas OF
were random exhibitions of artistic taste
You will realize how easily these sim
Pile people could have been brought into
the church and organized by the patient
and tactful monks. The mission of Santa
Barbara, although one OF the latest es-
tablished on the coast. became one OF
the largest and most important. and al
the height Of its prosperity more thar
500 Indians lived around 1t. cultivatins
the fields and looking after the cattle
They lived In scattered huts In the valley
and on the slopes Of the foothills. and in
1903 there were more than 80 occupied
by them. Two Of their principal occu'
pations were the tanning of hides and
the weaving Of blankets from the wool OF
the sheep, which were sold at high prices
in Mexico, both the leather and the
blankets being of better quality than
could be procured elsewhere. Many OF
these blankets were shipped to Spain.
The padres encouraged their amuse-