A PILGRIMAGE OF THE TRIBES. 209 
hard that two of them yielded up the ghost and went to the Happy Western 
Land. 
By that subtle system of telegraphy which exists among them, all the 
surrounding tribes heard of the great revival of antique customs at Clear 
Lake; they heard of the singing and the dancing, of the fish and the eating 
thereof. About that time the Lone Pine earthquake occurred, and some ot 
their prophets dreamed dreams and beheld visions of another which was to 
follow and destroy all the whites. By fleeing to Clear Lake the Indians 
would escape the dies ire. More than that, in all waters except those of 
the lake there was a comparative scarcity. Hundreds of Indians round- 
about flocked to the lake to have a good time, a good mess of fish, and by 
the sight of a multitude of their race refresh the memory of better days. 
The coming earthquake was a vague matter, and disturbed them little; the 
fishing and the dancing were rare good things. 
In all directions they came, but especially from Russian River. Half- 
way over the mountains from Cloverdale isa station called Ellis’s Ranch, 
which they passed in almost continual procession. One stalwart Wappo 
slung a rawhide band across his forehead and down over his shoulders, like 
a swing, wherein his old and decrepit father sat and rode, clasping his sen 
around the neck. Another bore two aged squaws this way, carrying first 
one to a resting-place, then returning for the other. In painful contrast to 
these instances of filial devotion, the Wappos of Knight’s Valley abandoned 
a squaw thought to be 120 years old, in the valley, and she would have 
perished but for the compassion of Americans. 
Toiling over the mountains on this pious pilgrimage they would arrive, 
faint and weary at this half-way house. Ragged and insolent young louts 
jingling their huge bell-spurs on their naked heels, two of them, perhaps, 
great, strapping fellows, bestriding the least mite of a mustang, and riding 
like Jehu up hill and down dale, would approach the gate and impudently 
demand food and tobacco. In beautiful contrast to this was the conduct 
of a squaw, who with her little one had no victual for the journey. 
Seeing the good matron of the station approach with a pan of milk, she 
ran and fell down on her knees before her, looked up into her face, and 
clasped her hands before her in silent thankfulness. 
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