THE SO-CALLED CALIFORNIA '^ BIGGER Sy 



203 



valley yielded a heavy growth of wild grains, and the oaks here 

 as elsewhere in California gave their contribution of acorns. It 

 is of historical interest to note that the younger of the rancherias 

 are those farthest from the main rivers, for the reason that, as the 

 white population came in, the Indians retreated to the foothills. 

 These Indians decreased and disappeared rapidly after the white 

 people began to crowd them out of their possessions. 



A period of fifty years has seen these villages completely de- 

 populated and almost every trace of them destroyed. Towns and 

 grain fields cover the spots where they once stood. 



We can not imagine or realize what the taking away of their 

 free life meant to the Indians. It was the one act of ours which 

 they could understand, and it is 

 no wonder that a feeling of sus- 

 picion and hostility arose among 

 them which has only been over- 

 come within the last few years. 

 Because of this suspicion it must 

 have been impossible a few years 

 ago to obtain correct informa- 

 tion bearing on their old life ; 

 but the feeling, if not forgotten, 

 is at least fast fading from their 

 minds, and many Indians can be 

 found who will talk freely and 

 sensibly of the days before the 

 white man came among them. 

 These tribes were but little in- 

 clined to war. At the time of 

 the outbreak with the Modoc 

 Indians, they exposed their fear 

 by crowding about the white 

 people, saying, " That kind bad 

 Indian/' " Me no that kind," etc. 



Although they did commit many desperate and awful deeds, these 

 were done secretly, never openly and daringly ; they were the 

 easiest tribe in the State to bring into submission. 



The average " Digger " was of medium height and weight; a 

 few were short and heavy set, but none were tall and thin. They 

 had low foreheads, flat noses, large ears and mouths, and high 

 cheek bones. Many of them had almost black complexions, while 

 others seemed to be sallow or copper- colored. A few had very 

 thin mustaches, or a few hairs here and there on the chin which 

 might have been called a beard ; the majority, however, were 

 smooth faced. Both the men and the iiiahakis, as the women 

 were called, had very heavy hair ; old age did not thin it or turn 



Full-blooded Yotng Indian kkom Feather 

 KivEB, ABOiT Twenty-seven Years Old. 



