SOUTHEBN CALIFOENIANS. 3 



becomes apparent, and of the thousands of free and indolent savages 

 who formerly inhabited the beautiful garden-land of our Pacific coast, 

 how few and how degraded are those now left in the vicinity of their old 

 homes. 



California has, unquestionably, been the meeting ground of many 

 distinct tribes and nations of the wide-spread Mongoloid stock. In no 

 other way does it seem possible to account for the remarkable commingling 

 of customs, arts, and languages From such a mixture, and the over-popu- 

 lation of the most desirable portions of the country, would naturally result 

 the formation of the hundreds of petty tribes that existed in both Upper 

 and Lower California when first known to the Spaniards. Especially in 

 Upper California has this diversity of tribes been noticed by all who have 

 written from personal experience. Father Boscana, who lived at the 

 Mission of San Juan Capistrano for about thirty years, and wrote his 

 account of the Indians during the first quarter of the present century, 

 thought that the California Indians, in general, corresponded to the descrip- 

 tion of the Chichimecas* of Mexico as given by Torquemada, but qualifies 

 this and points out some distinctions in the following words: 



"The diversities of language, and other peculiarities, render it extremely difficult 

 to ascertain to a certainty if all the inhabitants of Alta California descended from the 

 Chichimecas. Those between Monterey and the extreme northern boundary of the 

 Mexican domain shave their heads close; while those to the south between Santa 

 Barbara and towards St. Lucas wear their hair long, and take great pride in cultivat- 

 ing its length as a mark of beauty. Those between Santa Barbara and Monterey 

 differ considerably from these, as regards their habits; being much more industrious, 

 and appear an entirely distinct race. They formed, from shells, a kind of money, 

 which passed current among them, and they constructed out of logs very swift and 

 excellent canoes for fishing. Their dead they interred in places appropriated to that 

 purpose. The diversity of language is so great, in California, that almost every 15 or 

 20 leagues you find a distinct dialect ; so different, that in no way does one resemble 

 the other. * * * the natives of San Diego cannot understand a word of the lan- 

 guage used at this mission, and, in like manner, those in the neighborhood of St. 

 Barbara, and farther north. If it should be suggested that people thus separated 

 coidd have corrupted the original language in all its phraseology, and manner of 

 pronunciation, I would reply, that such might be the case; but still, there would be 

 some connection or similarity, so that they could understand each other." t 



* This name cannot be considered as a tribal designation. It corresponds more closely to the term 

 "savage tribes of Mexico" in contrast with the more advanced nations of the period of Spanish con- 

 quest. 



t Pages 239 and 240, Robinson's translation. 



