The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft Part 53

[571] _Salmeron_, _Relaciones_, in _Doc. Hist. Mex._, serie iii., tom.

iv., p. 18.

[572] This hair turban or coil 'sirve de bolsa para guardar en la cabeza los abalorios y demas chucherias que se les da.' _Palou_, _Vida de Junipero Serra_, p. 215. The same custom seems to prevail among the Cibolos of New Mexico, as Marmier, in his additional chapter in the French edition of _Bryant's Cal._, p. 258, says: 'les hommes du peuple tressent leurs cheveux avec des cordons, et y placent le peu d'objets qu'ils possedent, notamment la corne qui renferme leur tabac a fumer.'

[573] On the subject of dress see also _Navarrete_, _Introd._, in _Sutil y Mexicana_, _Viage_, p. lxiv.; _Palou_, _Vida de Junipero Serra_, p.

79; _Domenech's Deserts_, vol. ii., p. 45; _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p. 240; _Farnham's Life in Cal._, p. 138; _Garces_, in _Doc. Mex. Hist._, serie ii., tom. i., p. 294; _Marmier_, _Notice_, in _Bryant_, _Voy. en Cal._, p. 229.

[574] On the Los Angeles Coast: 'La rancheria se compone de veinte casas hechas de zacate de forma esferica a modo de uno media naranja con su respiradero en lo alto por donde les entra la luz y tiene salida el humo.' _Crespi_, in _Doc. Hist. Mex._, serie iv., tom. vi., p. 314; _Hoffmann_, in _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. v., p. 149.

[575] 'Partieron de alli el 9, entraron en una ensenada es.p.a.ciosa, y siguiendo la costa vieron en ella un pueblo de Indios junto a la mar con casas grandes a manera de las de Nueva-Espana.' _Navarrete_, _Introd._, in _Sutil y Mexicana_, _Viage_, pp. xxix., x.x.xi., x.x.xvi. The accounts of Cabrillo's voyage are so confused that it is impossible to know the exact locality in which he saw the people he describes. On this point compare _Cabrillo_, _Relacion_, in _Col. Doc. Hist. Florida_, tom. i., p. 173; _Browne's Lower Cal._, pp. 18, 19; _Burney's Chron. Hist.

Discov._, vol. i., pp. 221-5; _Clavigero_, _Storia della Cal._, tom. i., pp. 154-5; _Humboldt_, _Essai Pol._, tom. i., p. 329; _Monta.n.u.s_, _Nieuwe Weereld_, pp. 210-11; _Salmeron_, _Relaciones_, in _Doc. Hist.

Mex._, serie iii., tom. iv., p. 18; _De Laet_, _Novus...o...b..s_, p. 306.

'Nur um die Meerenge von Santa Barbara fand man, 1769, die Bewohner ein wenig gesittigter. Sie bauten grosse Hauser von pyramidaler Form, in Dorfer vereint.' _Muhlenpfordt_, _Mejico_, tom. ii., pt. ii., pp. 454-5.

[576] _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p. 259; _Bancroft's Nat.

Races_, vol. iii., pp. 163-9.

[577] 'One of their most remarkable superst.i.tions is found in the fact of their not eating the flesh of large game. This arises from their belief that in the bodies of all large animals the souls of certain generations, long since past, have entered.... A term of reproach from a wild tribe to those more tamed is, "they eat venison."' _Schoolcraft's Arch._, vol. v., pp. 215-6; see also _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_.

[578] 'All their food was either cold or nearly so.... Salt was used very sparingly in their food, from an idea that it had a tendency to turn their hair gray.' _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_. 'I have seen many instances of their taking a rabbit, and sucking its blood with eagerness, previous to consuming the flesh in a crude state.' _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p. 239. 'Viven muy regalados con varias semillas, y con la pesca que hacen en sus balsas de tule ... y queriendoles dar cosa de comida, solian decir, que de aquello no, que lo que querian era ropa; y solo con cosa de este genero, eran los cambalaches que hacian de su pescado con los Soldados y Arrieros.'

_Palou_, _Vida de Junipero Serra_, p. 79. See also _Torquemada_, _Monarq. Ind._, tom. i., p. 712; _Farnham's Life in Cal._, p. 139; _Stanley_, in _Ind. Aff. Rept._, 1866, p. 102; _Id._, 1869, pp. 194-5; _Walker_, in _Id._, 1872, p. 67; _Bartlett's Pers. Nar._, vol. ii., p.

125; _Hoffmann_, in _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. v., p. 149; _Mollhausen_, _Reisen in die Felsengeb._, vol. i., pp. 82-3.

[579] _Palou_, _Vida de Junipero Serra_, pp. 83-4.

[580] _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 306-9.

[581] The baskets, though water-proof, 'were used only for dry purposes.

The vessels in use for liquids were roughly made of rushes and plastered outside and in with bitumen or pitch, called by them _sanot_.' _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_; _Muhlenpfordt_, _Mejico_, vol. ii., pt. ii., pp.

454-5; and _Mollhausen_, _Reisen in die Felsengeb._, vol. i., p. 82.

[582] 'Leurs mortiers de pierre et divers autres ustensiles sont incrustes avec beaucoup d'art de morceaux de nacre de perle.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 319. 'Mortars and pestles were made of granite, about sixteen inches wide at the top, ten at the bottom, ten inches high and two thick.' Soapstone pots were 'about an inch in thickness, and procured from the Indians of Santa Catalina; the cover used was of the same material.' _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_. On the eastern slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains, blankets are made which will easily hold water. _Taylor_, in _San Francis...o...b..lletin_, 1862, also quoted in _Shuck's Cal. Sc.r.a.p Book_, p.

405. 'Todas sus obras son primorosas y bien acabadas.' _Crespi_, in _Doc. Hist. Mex._, serie iv., tom. vi., p. 315.

[583] _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., pp.

319-20.

[584] 'The planks were bent and joined by the heat of fire, and then paved with asphaltum, called by them chapapote.' _Taylor_, in _Cal.

Farmer_, _June 1, 1860_.

[585] At Santa Catalina Vizcaino saw 'vnas Canoguelas, que ellos vsan, de Tablas bien hechas, como Barquillos, con las Popas, y Proas levantadas, y mas altas, que el Cuerpo de la Barca, Canoa.'

_Torquemada_, _Monarq. Ind._, tom. i., p. 712; see also _Salmeron_, _Relaciones_, in _Doc. Hist. Mex._, serie iii., tom. iv., p. 18. On the coast of Los Angeles Father Crespi saw 'canoas hechas de buenas tablas de pino, bien ligadas y de una forma graciosa con dos proas.... Usan remos largos de dos palas y vogan con indecible lijeriza y velocidad.'

_Crespi_, in _Doc. Hist. Mex._, serie iv., tom. vi., p. 315. At San Diego Palou describes 'balsas de tule, en forma de Canoas, con lo que entran muy adentro del mar.' _Palou_, _Vida de Junipero Serra_, p. 79; _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p. 240; _Marmier_, _Notice_, in _Bryant_, _Voy. en Cal._, p. 228. Description of balsas, which differ in no respect from those used north.

[586] 'The worth of a rial was put on a string which pa.s.sed twice and a-half round the hand, i. e., from end of middle finger to wrist. Eight of these strings pa.s.sed for the value of a silver dollar.' _Cal.

Farmer_, _June 1, 1860_. 'Eight yards of these beads made about one dollar of our currency.' _Id._, _Jan. 18, 1861_.

[587] 'If a quarrel occurred between parties of distinct lodges (villages), each chief heard the witnesses produced by his own people; and then, a.s.sociated with the chief of the opposite side, they pa.s.sed sentence. In case they could not agree, an impartial chief was called in, who heard the statements made by both, and he alone decided. There was no appeal from his decision.' _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_.

[588] 'Pour tout ce qui concerne les affaires interieures, l'influence des devins est bien superieure a la leur.' _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom.

ii., p. 373. At San Diego 'Chaque village est soumis aux ordres absolus d'un chef.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p.

153; or see _Marmier_, _Notice_, in _Bryant_, _Voy. en Cal._, p. 226. 'I have found that the captains have very little authority.' _Stanley_, in _Ind. Aff. Rept._, 1869, p. 194.

[589] _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 262-9.

[590] Dr. Hoffman states that in the vicinity of San Diego 'their laws allow them to keep as many wives as they can support.' _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. vi., p. 150. f.a.ges, speaking of the Indians on the coast from San Diego to San Francisco, says: 'Ces Indiens n'ont qu'une seule femme a la fois, mais ils en changent aussi souvent que cela leur convient.' _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 153. Of those in the vicinity of San Luis Rey the same author says: 'Les chefs de ce district ont le privilege de prendre deux on trois femmes, de les repudier ou de les changer aussi souvent qu'ils le veulent; mais les autres habitants n'en ont qu'une seule et ne peuvent les repudier qu'en cas d'adultere.' _Id._, p. 173.

[591] 'Les veufs des deux s.e.xes, qui veulent se remarier, ne peuvent le faire qu'avec d'autres veufs.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 173; see also _Marmier_, _Notice_, in _Bryant_, _Voy.

en Cal._, p. 230.

[592] 'The perverse child, invariably, was destroyed, and the parents of such remained dishonored.' _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p.

270. 'Ils ne pensent pas a donner d'autre education a leurs enfants qu'a enseigner aux fils exactement ce que faisait leur pere; quant aux filles, elles ont le droit de choisir l'occupation qui leur convient le mieux.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1814, tom. ci., p.

153.

[593] The intoxicating liquor was 'made from a plant called _Pibat_, which was reduced to a powder, and mixed with other intoxicating ingredients.' _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p. 271.

[594] _Schoolcraft's Arch._, vol. v., p. 215. For other descriptions of ceremony observed at age of p.u.b.erty, see: _Hoffman_, in _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. vi., pp. 150-1; _McKinstry_, in _San Francisco Herald_, _June, 1853_.

[595] 'Pero en la Mision de S. Antonio se pudo algo averiguar, pues avisando a los Padres, que en una de las casas de los Neofitos se habian metido dos Gentiles, el uno con el traje natural de ellos, y el otro con el trage de muger, expresandolo con el nombre de Joya (que dicen llamarlos asi en su lengua nativa) fue luego el P. Misionero con el Cabo y un Soldado a la casa a ver lo que buscaban, y los hallaron en el acto de pecado nefando. Castigaronlos, aunque no con la pena merecida, y afearonles el hecho tan enorme; y respondio el Gentil, que aquella Joya era su muger.... Solo en el tramo de la Ca.n.a.l de Santa Barbara, se hallan muchos Joyas, pues raro es el Pueblo donde no se vean dos o tres.' _Palou_, _Vida de Junipero Serra_, p. 222. 'Asi en esta rancheria como en otros de la ca.n.a.l, hemos visto algunos gentiles con traje de muger con sus naguitas de gamusa, y muy engruesadas y limpias; no hemos podido entender lo que significa, ni a que fin.' _Crespi_, in _Doc.

Hist. Mex._, serie iv., tom. vi., p. 325. See also _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 283-4; _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., p.

371; _Torquemada_, _Monarq. Ind._, tom. ii., pp. 427; _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 173.

[596] 'In some tribes the men and the women unite in the dance; in others the men alone trip to the music of the women, whose songs are by no means unpleasant to the ear.' _McKinstry_, in _S. Francisco Herald_, _June 1853_. 'In their religious ceremonial dances they differ much.

While, in some tribes, all unite to celebrate them, in others, men alone are allowed to dance, while the women a.s.sist in singing.' _Schoolcraft's Arch._, vol. v., p. 214-15.

[597] 'La danse est executee par deux couples au son d'une espece de flute, les autres restent simples spectateurs et se contentent d'augmenter le bruit en frappant des roseaux secs.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 176; _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 289-95; _Schoolcraft's Arch._, vol. v., pp. 214-15; _McKinstry_, in _S. Francisco Herald_, _June 1853_; _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_; _Crespi_, in _Doc. Hist. Mex._, serie iv., tom.

vi., p. 322.

[598] _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., p. 380. 'When the new year begun, no thought was given to the past; and on this account, even amongst the most intelligent, they could not tell the number of years which had transpired, when desirous of giving an idea of any remote event.'

_Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p. 303.

[599] 'For Gonorrhoea they used a strong decoction of an herb that grows very plentifully here, and is called by the Spanish "chancel agua," and wild pigeon manure, rolled up into pills. The decoction is a very bitter astringent, and may cure some sores, but that it fails in many, I have undeniable proof. In syphilis they use the actual cautery, a living coal of fire applied to the chancer, and a decoction of an herb, said to be something like sarsaparilla, called rosia.' _Hoffman_, in _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. v., p. 152-3.

[600] I am indebted for the only information of value relating to the medical usages of the southern California tribes, to _Boscana's MS._, literally translated by Robinson in his _Life in Cal._, pp. 310-14, and also given in substance in _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., pp. 378-9, and to Reid's papers on the Indians of Los Angeles County, in the _Los Angeles Star_, also quoted in _Cal. Farmer_, _Jan. 11, 1861._

[601] See _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., pp. 377-8, and plate, p. 248, and Hoffmann, in _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. v., p. 152.

[602] 'The same custom is now in use, but not only applied to deaths, but to their disappointments and adversities in life, thus making public demonstration of their sorrow.' _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 314-15.

[603] _California Farmer_, _May 22, 1863_.

[604] _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_.

[605] The lat.i.tude of which he fixes at 34 33'.

[606] _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., pp.

173-4. Quoted almost literally by _Marmier_, _Notice_, in _Bryant_, _Voy. en Cal._, p. 230.