1886.] d\)± [Hoffman. 



or lower class Mexicans, know how corrupted the Spanish language has 

 become in the south-west portion of the United States. The Castilian 

 words caballo, horse, becomes kawa'yo ; cuchillo, knife, kutshi'yo, etc., 

 the 11 invariably becoming y. So also with numerous other words 

 and phrases, as mucho, much, becomes muncho [or mu'ntsho] ; muchos 

 many, munchos ; Adonde va Vd ? — Where are you going ? is abbreviated 

 into Unde va ? Upon the same basis of corruption and alteration, it is pos- 

 sible that the word Comanche may be an abbreviation for many horses, 

 from the greaser words Kawa'yos — caballos, and mu'nchos — muchos, i. e., 

 many horses. Another suggestion might be offered with regard to the 

 word, viz : ca (= casa), an antiquated Spanish word for house, or chief 

 branch of a family, and mancha, a spot, stain, soiled, dirty ; thus by 

 slight alteration and corruption gradually becoming ca-manches— soiled or 

 dirty houses or lodges. These suggestions are mere passing impressions, 

 and are given for what they may be worth. 



Kawi'a. 



The numerous bands of Indians formerly scattered over the marshy 

 country bordering on Tulare lake, the plains and western spurs of the 

 Sierra Nevada, and the tributaries of the head of San Joaquin river, Cal., 

 were known as the Tularenos, and later as the Tules. The most import- 

 ant band, being known as the Kawi'a, was located on "Kaweah " creek, 

 and this name was, later on, applied to the Tule Agency bands generally. 

 The various names comprising the sub-divisions of the tribe, given by 

 Powers, in Contrib. N. Am. Ethnol., iii, are chiefly geographic terms and 

 relate to some peculiarity of the region occupied, or to an abundance of 

 some particular kind of vegetation, food, etc. 



The term Yo'kut or Yo'kuts, previously employed to designate this tribe, 

 as well as a distinctive term for a linguistic family, appears to be erroneous 

 and inappropriate. To more clearly illustrate what may be stated below, 

 it is necessary to present the subdivisions of the Kawi'as linguistically. 

 The entire group of sub-tribes comes, at this date, under two heads, the 

 Kawi'a proper, or Tule Indians, and the Tin'llu or Tejon Indians, the 

 latter being divided, a portion of them living near Tule Agency, and the 

 remainder scattered along the various settlements as far southward as 

 Tahachapi pass. 



The Kawi'a are composed of the following bands or sub-divisions, viz : 

 Yawitshen'ni. The Tule Indians proper. 

 Wiktshom'ni. 



= We-chummies. Rep. Ind. Affairs for 1857, 1858. p. 399. 

 = Wichumnies. " " 1872. p. 381. 



Yo'ko. 

 Badwi'sha. 

 Buder'wium'i. 

 Bo n galaa'tshi. 

 Ya'wedmo'ni. 

 Tiq'Iiu. Tribal designation of Tejon Indians. 



