CALIFORNIA. 197 



other species, whose summer coat approaches the yellow bear of 

 Oregon. The skin of the young is here sometimes made into quivers, 

 and they are destitute of the horny claws of the grisly bear. The 

 skin of the latter animal is said sometimes to be as large as that of an 

 ox ; its food is the same as that of the Indians, and varies with the 

 seasons. Its strength is said to be prodigiously great, and it has 

 been known when lassoed to drag three horses ; and when baited in 

 the bull and bear fights practised in California, will check the charge 

 of a bull by putting out one of its paws. 



They will also ascend the oaks for the acorns, and break off 

 branches so large as almost to ruin the tree. It has been generally 

 supposed that they do not climb ; but all the hunters bear testimony 

 that they can do it, although slowly and clumsily. They are now 

 less numerous than formerly ; indeed, it is alleged that the lower 

 country, near the San Joachim, was once so infested with these 

 bears, that the Indians were obliged to keep to the high lands when 

 travelling. 



It does not at all times kill its enemies when it has them in its 

 power ; rarely attacks a man unless he comes upon him by surprise, 

 and is not considered a dangerous animal. 



Anecdotes are told of hunters who had fallen into the power of 

 grisly bears, which would cover them up with brush, grass, and 

 leaves, and put them down, without further molestation, so long as 

 they remained quiet ; if they attempted to rise again, the bear would 

 again put them down, cover them over as before, and finally leave 

 them unhurt. 



Three or four are visually seen feeding together. The cubs are 

 remarkably small in proportion to the full-grown animal. 



Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, Dr. Pickering, and Mr. Gei^er, 

 landed to procure an interview with the chief, who, with some others, 

 was prevailed upon to accompany them to their encampment. The 

 chief presented them with a tuft of white feathers, stuck on a stick 

 about one foot long, which was supposed to be a token of friendship. 

 These Indians were naked, and some of them had feathers in their 

 hair, arranged in different ways. One among them was seen pitted 

 with the small-pox, which was the only instance that had been 

 observed of the sort. Their fillets of feathers somewhat resembled 

 those worn by the chiefs at the Sandwich Islands; and feather cloaks 

 were seen at the village, resembling some we had seen to the north, 

 near the Straits of De Fuca. 



VOL. V. 50 



