280 THE NOZI, ETC. 
dered them so light that an Indian could carry them on his head. Then 
he would dress himself in the skin and go to meet the herd, or rather thrust 
his head out from the bushes, taking care not to expose himself too much, 
and imitate the peculiar habit which a buck has of constantly groping about 
with his head, lifting it wp and down, nibbling a little here and a little there. 
At a proper time he would shoot an arrow into one of them, and the stupid 
things would stare and step softly about, in their peering and inquisitive 
way, until a number of them were knocked over. Fifth, their unconquer- 
able and undying determination to fight it out to the bitter end is nota Cal- 
ifornia Indian trait. Sixth, their aboriginal habit of singeing or cropping off 
their hair within an inch of their heads contrasts strongly with the long 
locks of the Californians. 
Several years ago this tribe committed a massacre near Chico, and 
Sandy Young, a renowned hunter of that country, with a companion, cap- 
tured two squaws, a mother and a daughter, who promised to guide them 
to the camp of the murderers. They set out at nightfall in the dead of 
winter. It was sleeting, raining, and blowing that night as if ‘the de’il had 
business on his hands”. But they passed rapidly on without halt or hesi- 
tation, for the squaws led the way boldly. From nightfall until long after 
midnight they held on their dreary trail, stumbling and floundering occa- 
sionally, but speaking scarcely a word; nor was there a moment’s cessation 
in the execrable, bitter sleet and rain. At length they came to a creek 
which was swollen and booming. In the pitchy darkness it was manifestly 
impassable. They sounded it in various places, and could find no crossing. 
While the hunters were groping hither and thither, and shouting to each 
other above the raging of the torrent, the squaws disappeared. No halloo- 
ing could elicit a response from them. 'The two men considered themselves 
betrayed, and prepared for treachery. Suddenly there came floating out 
on the storm and the roaring a thin young squeal. The party had been 
re-enforced by one. ‘The hunters then grasped the situation, and, laughing, 
set about collecting some dry stuff and making a fire. They were benumbed 
and half-frozen themselves, and supposed of course the women would come 
in as soon as they observed the fire. But no, they wanted no fire, or, if they 
did, their aboriginal modesty would not allow them to resort to it under these 
