NO. 8 DRAWINGS BV GEORGE GIBBS BUSHNELL I5 



grass, and interspersed with groves of superb oaks of the most varied and 

 graceful forms, with the lake and its green margin of tule in front, and the 

 distance bounded everywhere by precipitous ranges, it combines features of 

 surpassing grandeur and loveliness. Plowers of great variety and elegance 

 abound, the woods are filled with game, and in the season innumerable flocks 

 of water-fowl enliven the shores. [PI. 13.] 



]Vedncsday, Aug. 20. — The council was again assembled, and the treaty 

 explained to them as engrossed ... As regards the suitableness of the reserva- 

 tion for its purpose, there can hardly be a doubt. The spot is isolated to a 

 degree unusual even on the Pacific ; abounds in all that is necessary for a large 

 number of people in their savage state, and is capable of being made in the 

 highest degree productive by cultivation. 



Saturday, Aug. 30. — This valley, called by the Indians Ba-tem-da-kai, we 

 supposed to be on the head of the south fork of Eel river, and so were informed 

 by our guide and other mountaineers ; but a belief exists, as we afterwards 

 found . . . that it is, on the contrary, the head of the river before spoken of 

 as entering the coast to the westward ... A few Indians visited us, and were 

 directed to call in the adjacent tribes. 



The entire party remained in canip the following day. 



Sunday, Aug. 31. — Quite a number of Indians were assembled and presents 

 distributed, but no treaty attempted ; for our Clear Lake interpreter, although 

 able to comprehend them, could not explain freely in turn. Their language, 

 however, is clearly of the same family as that of the tribes at the head of 

 Russian river, and those last encountered. The total number in the vicinity, as 

 near as could be ascertained, was about six hundred souls . . . They pluck their 

 beards, and some of them tattoo. Many had their hair cut short, but others 

 wore it turned up in a bunch in front, or occasionally on the back of the head 

 . . . The average height of these men was not over five feet four or five 

 inches . . . We saw no women . . . 



I took the opportunity of to-day's halt, to ascend the hills on the eastern 

 side of the valley. The view from this point was beautiful, the stream winding 

 in serpentine form along the margin of the plain, fringed with oaks and firs, 

 and the long slopes beyond diversified with forest and prairie. To the east 

 rose heavy ranges of mountains, between which and the yet more distant 

 Sacramento chain, a wide and deep gap indicated another valley, supposed to 

 be the source of the main fork of Eel river. 



The next day the trail led through a moinitainous section, "crossing 

 deep arroyas and then ascending a hroken ridge hetween the waters 

 of the south and middle forks [of Eel river]." Some Indians were 

 encountered who '"had rohes of deer skin, dressed with the hair on, 

 over their shoulders. They helonged to a wild mountain tribe, the 

 terror of the valley Indians ... Of their language and affinities, 

 nothing is known." 



September 5. — The trail crossed the river and passed a grove of 

 redwoods. During the day a few Indians were encountered, and 

 (P- I -'3) : 



twd or three of them were of larger stature than usual, and one was reall}' 

 a fiiic-iooking young fellow. They wore the deer-skin robe over the right 



