OLD CAMPING-GROUNDS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA. 283 
the real boundary between them and the Maidu was on the plains, midway 
between Bear River and the Yuba. 
There is little to be said respecting the etymology of these geographi- 
cal names. “ Konkau” is from ‘ Ké-yoang-kau”, which is composed of 
ké-yo, ‘a plain”, and kau, “the earth” or ‘“‘a place”. There are three 
creeks called by these Indians Chi-lam-shu (Chico Creek), Kim’-shu, and 
Nim’-shu ; the second of these is from ké-wim sé-u (little water), and the last 
from nem sé-u (big water). The word sé-w, which appears in all these three 
names, is rendered by the Indians ‘ river” (‘‘ water” being mé-mih) ; but I 
am inclined to believe it originally signified “ water”. 
Althougl the California Indians perhaps lived as peacefully together 
as any tribes on the continent, they were careful so to place their camps or 
villages as to prevent surprise. Necessity compels them to live near a 
stream or a spring; so in the mountains they generally select a sheltered, 
open cove, where an enemy could not easily approach within bow-shot with- 
out being discovered, and where there is a knoll in the cove to afford good 
drainage. But there are frequently what might be called hill-stations, or 
out-posts, commanding a still wider prospect, though often some distance 
from water, in which either the warriors alone or the whole village took up 
their residence when war was raging. These are generally on bold prom- 
ontories overlooking the stream, but there are indications that they con- 
tained substantial lodges, and even the dance-hovse, or council-house, 
wherein the warriors would assemble for deliberation, and perhaps for 
safety. 
The Paiuti always made their camps on hill-tops, compelling the squaws 
to bring up water in willow jugs; and Kit Carson used to say that the rea- 
son so many emigrants were killed in early days was because they would 
camp by the stream, where the Indians were able to pounce down upon 
them. Some account for these hill-stations in California on the ground 
that when the miners made their irruption into the country and followed 
up all the streams, the Indians who were timid or hostile moved back into - 
the hills, where they sometimes lived several years before they finally 
became reconciled; but the true explanation is that above given. 
The old camping-grounds are always marked by a layer of rich, black 
