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Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
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Page: of 592
504 HUTCHINGS’ CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE.
original occupants; but as this was discovered by the writer long after he had
named the valley, and as it was the wish
of every volunteer with whom he conversed that the name Yo-sem-i-te be retained, he said very little about it. He
will only say, in conclusion, that the
principal facts are now before the public,
and that it is for them to decide whether
they will retain the name Yo-sem-i-te, or
have some other. L. H. Bonnert.
We, the undersigned, having been
members of the same company, and
through most of the scenes depicted by
Dr. Bunnell, have no hesitation in saying
that the article above is correct.
Jaures M. Roanz,
Gro. H. CrensHaw.
[We have cheerfully given place to the
above communication, that the public
may learn how and by whom this remarkable valley was first visited and
named; and although we have differed
with the writer, and others, concerning
the name given, as explained in several
articles that have appeared at different
times in the several newspapers of the
day, yet, as Mr. Bunnell was the first to
visit the valley, we most willingly accord
to him the right of giving it whatever
name he pleases. At the same time, we
will here enter the following reasons for
giving the preference to Yo-ham-i-te, the
name by which we haye been accustomed
to call it.
In the summer of 1855, we engaged
Thomas Ayres, a well-known artist of
San Francisco, (who unfortunately lost
his life not long since, by the wreck of
the schooner Laura Bevan,) to accompany
us on a sketching tour to the Big Trees
and the valley above alluded to.
When we arrived at Mariposa, we
found that the existence, even, of such a
valley was almost unknown among a
large majority of the people residing
there. We made many inquiries respecting it, and how to find our way there;
but, although one referred us to another,
who had been there after Indians in 1851,
and he again referred us to some one
else, we could not find a single person
who could direct us. In this dilemma
we met Capt. Boling, a gentleman referred to above, who, although desirous of
assisting us, confessed that it was so long
ago since he was there, that he could not
give us any satisfactory directions.—
* But,” said he, “if I were you, I would
go down to John Hunt’s store, on the
Fresno, and he will provide you with a
couple of good Indian guides, from the
yery tribe that occupied that valley.”
We adopted this plan, although it took
us twenty-five or thirty miles out of. our
way ; deeming such a step the most prudent under the circumstances. Up to
this time we had never heard or seen any
other name than Yo-sem-i-te.
Mr. Hunt very kindly acceded to our
request, and gave us two of the most intelligent and trust-worthy Indians that
he had, and the following day we set out
for the valley.
Towards night on the first day, we inquired of Kossum, one of our guides,
how far he thought it might possibly be
to the Yo-sem-i-te Valley, when he looked
at us earnestly, and said, ‘‘No, Yo-Semite; Yo-Hamite; sube, Yo-Ham-i-te.”
In this way were we corrected not less
than thirty-five or forty times on our way
thither, by these Indians. Arter our return to San Francisco, we made arrangements for publishing a large lithograph
of the great falls; but, before attaching
the name to the valley and falls for the
public eye, we wrote to Mr. Hunt, requesting him to go to the most intelligent
of those Indians, and from them ascertain the exact pronunciation of the name
given to that valley. After attending to
the request, he wrote usthat “the correct
pronunciation was Yo-Ham-t-te.” And,
while we most willingly acquiesce in the