History of California

s fleet of foot, but the incoming breakers from the bosom of the great Pacific ran faster still; and the little Indian girl was

ed; that was a big wave. What made you go

, I wish I could go back and get them," said t

besides, I have more mussels already than you and I can well carry. The boys have

the basket a

as she tried with all her strength to lift it by the carry strap

g since we have had any. The wind and the waves have been too high for us to gather a

I see what you mean, but boat

y have at Santa Catalina, the island where uncle lives. It has been a long time since he

eet of canoes which were making for the shor

he sunlight struck full on the boats "Yes, yes, I am sure of it, for on

Cleeta, dancing from one foot to the other; "and she said

id Gesnip, "big shining

blue ones with hard little seams

seagoing craft. In each were several men. One sat in the stern and steered, the others knelt in pairs, each man helping propel th

ike the people I have seen. Their faces are the color of the kah-hoom mother weaves

cle; he is one of the dark ones like ourse

features, than the inhabitants of the mainland, who in southern California were a short, thick-set race, with thick lips, dark brown skin, coarse black hair, and eyes small and

kers until their bows touched the sand. Then the men leaped out and, half wa

o. Presently the leading man, who was short, dark, and handsomely dress

le people?" he aske

lied Gesnip, working her toes in and out of the

you," said the chief, laying his hand gently

ing for you these man

llowtail and bonito, filled to the brim the large baskets which the men slung to their backs, carrying them by means of a strap over the forehead. On their heads they

shell which had been punctured and then pol

hese strings, "how much money! You have grow

y. "I will give two strings for a good

ow any worth two whole strings of abalone

g the heavy sand dunes slowly, then mounting the range of foothills beyond. The children followed. Gesnip had her basket bound to h

l, Sholoc, who was ahead, lifted

hill crest. Gesnip and Cleeta peeped through the high grass. Below them was a wide plain, dotted with clumps of bushes, and scattered

eta, presently, pointing towar

ope. I like to see them run. How funny their tails

nds black or dark blue, the middle, which was almost two inches broad, being wrapped with elk sinew. The strings also were of sinew. The quiver which each man carried at his side was made from the skin of a wild cat or of a coyote. A great hu

ee elk leaped into the air. One tumbled over in a somersault which broke one of its antlers, and then lay dead, shot through the heart by Sholoc. Another took a few leaps, but a second ar

d elk?" asked Clee

d Gesnip, pointin

it," said the child

" said the sister. "See, one of the men is following it, and

nip. "So much food. Our stomachs will

ame basket to Chinigchinich so h

esnip, with her load, and Cleeta, whose bare br

ith uncle." Just then a whoop sounded behind them, and a boy of thirteen, dress

, "carry my basket for me and I

ng his head, "it is a girl's

s such good news" urged Gesnip.

" said the boy, changing the baske

he top of the grade now. Upon hearing the good news the lad darted away at a great pace, his sisters following as fast as they could.

alders, sycamores, and willows. At the foot of the trail, near the water, was a cluster of what looked like low, round str

jacals, or wigwams, were made of long willow boughs, driven into the ground closely in a circle, the ends bent over and ti

which could be heard far in the still evening air. Instantly out of the

eta, as she saw the big blaze in the m

d partly sliding, they followed the men of the party, who, notwi

mber of men started off on the run to bring in the big game. As the visitors entered camp, Macana, a kind-faced woman, better dre

come, brothe

Sholoc. That was all the greeting, although the two loved e

irl shivering as she crouched over the fire, "Cleeta, you need not be cold any longer; your

ed her mother

empty in some of the mussels. Now lift them up and down in the water to wash out

skets, and removing their entrails with bone knives, wrapped them in many

g these off with a bunch of tules, she lifted them by means of a green stick having a loop in the end which fitted round the stones, flinging them one by one into the basket in which were the mussels and water. Immediately the water, heated by the stones, began to boil, and when the soup

some first?" asked Payuchi

Sholoc and the men when the fis

I worked hard before the water came up. But,

ad taken a mouthful that burned him. "Yes, we got some clams, more than I could carry; but Nopal was running races wi

ta, "may we stay up

n must go to bed, but I will save some f

der, "but I am warm in my rabbit-skin dress. We all have warm dresses now. Please te

hawk and coyote made

e mother, "only you

th. Man, when he would go abroad, fell against man, against trees, against wild animals, even against Lollah, the bear, who would,

nd determined to remedy the evil. The coyote first gathered a great heap of dried tules, rolled them together into a ball, and gave them to the hawk, with some pieces of flint. The hawk, taking them in his talons, flew strai

urried him so that some damp stems were mixed in. The hawk flew with this ball into the sky and set it afire but

Payuchi. "I am glad I did not

yote danced with th

igh-nui-veve, veve, veve, shumeh, veve, veve, veve, shumeh, Pah-high-nui-veve," and so on, repeating these words over and over until Cleeta and Nakin were sound asleep. Th

e jacal, "they have brought in the el

ee about it. I want one of the skins to

the burden had to be distributed among a number of carriers. Macana found Sholoc busy portioning out parts o

as loaded down with some of the best cuts of the meat to take to her father's jacal. Cuchuma himself bega

iece of the antler and you can grind it down and make yourself a hunting knife. It is t

? I have been waiting to finish it until I could get some brains, but it

bone, was left. All was put to use by these people of the forest. And now the feast was ready. The women had roasted many pieces of elk's meat over the coals. The fish had been taken from under the hot ashe

ved first. Payuchi watched anxiously as his father a

ked Gesnip. "I am so hungry and they are eating so much. If I

swered Gesnip. "But you need not worry, there is plent

one time, the tired women each gathered her children together and took them to her own jacal, leaving the men sitting around the camp fire. Payuchi, who

said a voic

as he rubbed his eyes to get them open. "What do you

ow that the men will make an offering to Chinigchinich. I am going t

, and Payuchi gazed up at it, blinking,

if they find us out

us out, stupid one," repli

us? He does not like to have children in t

u shall give him your mountain quail head; th

e very well to part with that quail head

s crouched in the shade of a willow bus

said Payuchi, "and every one has something in

nigchinich," answered Nopal. "I thought he was going to keep i

ering for?" asked

ow." In single file the men walked swiftly awa

t ahead of them. Nopal laid his hand on his brother to stop him. Peeping through a scrub-oak bush, they looked down into a little glade arched over with great live oaks. In the middle of the

chattering with fear. "It is Chinigchinich

ied tules covered with feathers and fish bladders. I saw it one day in his jacal, and it is as tall as I am. That jacal beside him

Cuchuma gave a bone knife which he greatly valued, and a handsome new bow. Sholoc gave a speckled green stone olla from Santa Catalina and a small string of

the body was dressed smooth of hair and adorned with hanging shells and tufts of birds' feathers. A bundle of arrows protruded from the open mouth, giving it a fierce appearance. While Nihie held it up, the men circled round once again, this time more rapidly, and as they passed the medicine man, each ga

e will be back soon to get

r gifts, or Chinigchinich w

boys cast their offerings on the pile in front of the hut and ran away, taki

think of that. Run, Payuchi, run faster." But they were in time after all, and we

and unwrapped it, rubbing the little body over with its morning bath of grease until the firm skin shone as if varnished. When it had nursed and was comfortabl

he children had a plentiful meal of fish which their

sh as uncle brought last night," said Cleeta,

supper, uncle told the men some fine stories. I think he

he bottom of the river and then weave willow boughs in and out until there is a wall of posts and boughs clear across the stream. Then the big red fish come up from the great water into the river. They come, uncle said, so many n

hat. What else did he t

acorns and roots. On the shore they have their feasting ground where they go to eat and dance and tell big stories, and; sometimes to make an offering. So many people go there, uncle said

d you hear?"

replied her brother. "I should like

hed her breakfast, "when am I to beg

ome." So saying, the mother strapped the baby on her back and, accompanied by the younger children, went ou

breath their scantily clothed bodies, but for hours they worked picking up t

snip, "let us go down to

t I like the tule canoes, because I can use my feet for paddles." When they reached the river, which was really a lagoon or arm of the sea, the children stopped to watch t

es, but neither one will be so

anoes if they burn it

to separate it into two parts? Then they will burn each log into the shape of a

the green bark on t

And then there are wider pieces to protect it at the ends. See how t

burn so fast?

with pitch. Can't you smell

r is going to burn down our house and build a new one for winter, and I must make a tule

ayuchi, stepping into the wa

p, "I don't like to g

long rough stems one by one

id Payuchi, after they had b

ld grapevine with which he tied the tule into two bundles, fastening the larger upon his sister's back; for with his people

a little way on the home

e begged. "This bundle is so la

le I watch the game," answered her brother. Gesnip struggled on, bending under the weight and size of her awkward burden until, with

stooped low and rolled a hoop along the ground, whic

n all the players pointed their fingers at him and grunted in scorn. Again Nopal rolled the hoop, and

n, for their mother would be home and want them. When they returned

great deal?" asked the chil

ied their mother. "You will

hering acorns, now squatted near the fire and began

al and brought two stones, one a heavy bowlder with a hollow in its top, which had be

hoppers, Macana put them into the hollow in the larger stone, and with the smaller stone rubb

oppers. They taste better than

are in the fall," said Gesnip

time at the rabbit d

erwards, nearly as good a

said Cleeta, squatting down beside

hi. "You have seen the rabbits running to hide in a bunch of grass and

winter, though. We saw on

ith the wind blowing from the ocean, and all the men who could shoot best wit

s there,"

wly at first, and when it came too near the jacals on one side or the woods on the other, we would beat it out with the branches, but soon it ran before the wind into the cactus and bunch grass. The rabb

aid the little girl, smoothing her g

burn long?"

he wash into the live oaks; then we boys should

mother call

grasshopper meal. And, Gesnip, go to the jac

I bring?"

he big coil of yellow kah-hoom and the little one of black tsu

t the coil

l need no r

mbnail, then spatted it together until it seemed no longer a cord, but a solid piece of wood. Thus she made the base of her basket; then, threading her needle, which was but a horny cactus stem set in a head of hardened pitch, she stitched in and out over the upper and under the lower layer, drawing her thread firmly each

match, with white and black pebbles. After a time Gesnip, looking up from he

you weaving a rat

and guard you, children, and Cuchuma from the bite of the rattlesn

's mother had made a black diamond basket,

ts [October] you wove him the hunting basket with the pattern of deer's antlers, trimmed with quail feathe

er nodded; and as she wound and pressed closely the moist chippa, and the cactus nee

asket, with stars woven in each side, and straight lightning down the middle in front. Sunbeams shining on a far-away

y was wrapped in a soft purple clo

so he could not move leg or arm, but would g

heir work; then Gesnip asked, "Is it true, mother, that when you were a l

ied Macana, sadly,

was one of his dreams. Why were

dered away, the streams dried up so there were no fish, the ground became so dry that there were no more grubs or worms

u live?" as

l, she took me by the hand and tumbled Sholoc who was smaller than little Nakin, into her great seed basket and took us off to the mountains until times should grow better; but the rains did n

dren loo

seasons can ever come

r was very bad and there is little rain yet this year. Tha

ep me from being hungry," said gentle Cl

t let so many people die, just because they needed a

ernly. "He will hear and punish you.