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Archaeological and Ethnohistoric Investigations at CA-NEV-194, Near Rough and Ready (9 pages)
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Page: of 9
whites, of a brownish-black bushy heads, rather flat noses,
broad faces and low
foreheads.
They sit around each other and pick lice from one anothers heads and eat
them. Thus are performed their ablutions [Decker 1849-1871].
Five days after Decker made these observations, Luthér Schaeffer and some of his
friends in Grass valley decided to walk out of town on Mil eet until they reached
“Chief? Wemah's village. This village may be the historic period settlement at Grass
Valley identified by Kroeber as Teelgekon (1925:394, Plate 37). Schaeffer's diary records
the following impressions: J 0 20
Their encampment was located in a lovely valley through which ran a neverfailing stream. Their council house was in the center of the camp; around it
were the wigwams, constructed of bark, each having a hole in the center of
the roof, through which issued the smoke from the fire beneath,
The entrance to their palatial mansions was an aperture just large enough to
admit one person at a time in a stooping posture. On a large rock I noticed
several squaws—quite pretty and of fine figure, nearly nude, pounding
acorns, out of which they make soup and bread.
The ladies were courteous and affable, and were pleased with our visit, but
apparently surprised at receiving so much attention from us. When the
acorns are fully ripe, the squaws saunter forth, collect immense quantities,
place them in their storehouses, and when needed, pound them to a coarse
powder, which they prepare in a proper manner for the lazy chiefs.
The chiefs and braves never work, but spend their time in hunting and manpoe 3
ufacturing ornaments. Whenever the squaws g go out after roots and vegeta. * ’
b ey are always accompanied by a brave, as a “guard of honor” [Schaeffer t
1860:118-120].
From the Native American point of view, the settlement of Grass valley and
; Nevada City by whites proved a disaster which threatened the very survival of the Nisei nan population: tsy, a member of the Oustemahs Nisenan from Nevada City, recalled
her impressions of the California Gold Rush:
; A life of ease and peace was interrupted when I was a little girl by the arrival
of the white men. Each day the population increased and the Indians feared
the invaders and great consternation prevailed.. as gold excitement advanced, we were moved again and again, each time in haste. Indian children.. when taken to town would blacken their faces with dirt so the newcomers would not steal them.. When appeal was made for help it was met
with ridicule [Douglas 1960 n.p.].
The Foothill Nisenan had few defenses against the incursions of the immigrants.
Within a short period of time, traditional food sources were depleted and many Nisenan
were reduced to the point of starvation. In order to survive, Wemah, a leader of the
Foothill Nisenan in the Grass Valley-Nevada City area, told his people that they were
iystitied in stealing from the immigrants whenever an Opportunity presented itself
eterson 1977:17). Predictably, these actions led to a series of violent reprisals against —
A\ 48