Enter a name, company, place or keywords to search across this item. Then click "Search" (or hit Enter).
Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
Go to the Archive Home
Go to Thumbnail View of this Item
Go to Single Page View of this Item
Download the Page Image
Copy the Page Text to the Clipboard
Don't highlight the search terms on the Image
Show the Page Image
Show the Image Page Text
Reset View and Center Image
Zoom Out
Zoom In
Rotate Left
Rotate Right
Toggle Full Page View
Flip Image Horizontally
More Information About this Image
Get a Citation for Page or Image - Copy to the Clipboard
Go to the Previous Page (or Left Arrow key)
Go to the Next Page (or Right Arrow key)
Page: of 592
500 HUTCHINGS’ CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE.
All being ready, Ten-ie-ya took the
lead as guide, very much against his inclination ; and we commenced our march
to the then unknown and unnamed valley. Savage said he had been there, but
uot by the route that we were taking.
About half way to the valley, which
proved about fifteen miles from the rendezvous, on the south fork, seventy-two
Indians, women and children, were met
coming in as promised by Ten-ie-ya.
They gave as an excuse for their delay
the great depth of the snow, which in
places was over eight feet deep. Ten-ieya tried to convince Maj. Savage that
there were no more Indians in the valley,
but the whole command cried outas with
one voice, “let’s goon.” The Major was
willing to induige the men in their desire
to learn the truth of the exaggerated rereports the Indians had given of the country, and we movedon. Ten-ie-ya was allowed to return with his people to the
rendezvous, sending in his stead a young
Indian as guide. Upon the arrival of the
party in the valley, the young Indian
manifested a great deal of uneasiness ;
he said it would be impossible to cross the
river that night, and was not certain that
it could be crossed in the morning. It
was evident that he had some object in
view ; but the volunteers were obliged to
content themselves for the night, resolved
to be up and looking out for themselves
early in the morning, for a crossing, or
way over the rocks and through the jungie into which they had been led. Daylight appeared, and with it was found a
ford. And such a ford. It furnished in
copious abundance, water for more than
one plunge bath, and that too to some who
wereno admirers of hydropathy; or, judging from their appearance, had never realized any of its bounties.
In passing up the valley on the north
side, it was soon very evident, that some
of the wigwams had ‘been occupied the
night before; and hence the anxiety of
the young Indian, lest the occupants
should be surprised. The valley was
scoured in all directions, but not an Indian could be found. At. length, hid
among the rocks, the writer discovered
an old woman ; so old, that when Ten-ieya was interrogated in regard toher age,
he with a smile, said, that “‘when she
was a child, the mountains were hills.”
The old creature was provided with fire
and food, and allowed to remain.. It haying snowed during the night, and continued to snow in the morning, the Major
ordered the return of the command, lest
it should be hemmed in by snow. ‘This
was in March, ’51. Ten-ie-ya and others
of his tribe asserted most positively that
we were the first white men ever in the
valley. The writer asked Maj. Savage,
‘have you not been in the valley before?”
he answered, ‘‘no, never; I have been
mistaken, it was in a valley below this,
(since known as Cascade valley, ) two and
a half miles below the Yo-sem-i-te.”
On our return to the rendezvous where
the prisoners had been assembled, we started for the commissioners’ camp on the
Fresno. On our way in, about a hundred
more Indians gave themselves up to Capt.
Dill’s company. When within about fifteen miles of the Commissioners’ camp,
nine men only being left in charge, owing
to an absolute want of provisions, the Indians fled; frightened, as it afterward appeared, by the stories told them by the
Chowchillas. Only one of their number
was left; he had eaten venison with such
a relish at the camp fire of the whites
as to unfit him for active duties; and on
his awaking and finding himself alone
among the whites, he thought his doom
sealed. He was told that he had nothing
to fear, and soon became reconciled.
Upon the arrival, at the Commissioners’
camp, of Capt. Boling and his nine men,
Von-ches-ter,(!) a chief, was despatched to
find, and bring inthe frightened Indians.
In a few days he succeeded in bringing