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Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
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Page: of 592
160 HUTCHINGS’ CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE,
ferent to changes of temperature. An
hour’s ride in the morning was sufficient
to drive away any feeling of stiffness.
While at the Reservation, we enjoyed
the warm hospitality of Col. Henley, who,
as far as his manifold occupations permitted, made our stay very agreeable.
He gave us a hearty welcome, and afterwards, in his turn, called at our camp to
participate in our convivialities.
Curiosity attracted many of the Indians
from their wigwams, and the groupings
of their dusky forms afforded a novel and
interesting back-ground to the tableau of
our camp.
The number of Indians on the Reservation is about 4,000, but, at the time of
our visit, it was considerably reduced.
It was their harvest season, and most of
the able-bodied men had received leave
of absence to collect seeds and to gather
their crops, while others had gone on
fishing expeditions. In this manner, by
allowing them, occasionally, to return to
their old mode of life, they feel less sensibly the subordination and restraint under which they necessarily live on the
Reservation, and they also, without perceiving it, contribute to lessen the burden of the administration.
The many camp-fires we passed in the
‘mountains bore evidence of the temporary
scattering of the Indians.
The Reservation was, therefore, not as
animated as it is usually, but there was
still evidence enough to show the improvements which the Indians have received. There is a striking contrast between their former rude and almost animal state and their present improved
condition. Instead of roaming about,
listlessly, in the woods, and eking out a
precarious life, they are now occupied in
agricultural pursuits—haye become acquainted with many of the usages and
objects of civilized life, and no longer depend for sustenance on the uncertain
results of the chase or on the scanty produce of the wild vegetation of the mountains.
The guide I had brought from the
mountains could not converse with the
Indians of the station; his native language was entirely different. As a free
and independent son of the wilderness,
he looked somewhat supercilioulsy at the
doings on the Reservation. I had promised him a shirt and a blanket, as a reward for his services, and he was only
waiting for them to return to his brother,
the bear-fighter, Ben, in Matompka Valley. Wis aged father now made his appearance, and he was soon put in good
humor by partaking of some of the good
things at our camp. Standing upon the
stump of a tree, he began talking to the
winds, and gave us a specimen of Indian
speech-making. He was asked to give
an Indian name to the several members
of our party ; complying, without hesitation, he began the distribution of names,
all expressive of some peculiarity of
dress, voice, appearance or manner, which
he caught with wonderful readiness.
Some of them were translated to us, and
they were appropriate and droll enough
to afford us amusement at the expense of
the recipients of this gratuitous baptism.
He was rewarded with a black dress
coat foxgifimself, and a pair of kid gloves
for his son, the bear-fighter, and perfectly satisfied with this compensation for
the trouble of two days’ march. An Indian will at no time shun fatigue, if it
enables him to partake of the game and
receive some of the cast-off clothes of the
white men.
A fine specimen of the Indian was old
Antonio, chief of one of the half-domesticated Bodega tribes. His four daughters
—very fair specimens of young squaws—
had all formed alliances with white men,
and the old chief appeared to be very
proud of their exalted fortunes, and to discern in perspective the perpetration of his
race in a long succession of half-breeds.
[Continued on page 177.]