CALIFORNIA. 199 



usually seen sitting on the top of them. Previous to our gentlemen 

 reaching the rancheria, their women had all decamped, excepting one 

 old one, who, on perceiving the party close to her, dropped her load, 

 and in excessive fear darted off like a wild animal. Around the huts 

 were scattered vast quantities of the shells of unios and acorns, which 

 would therefore seem to be the principal articles of food. Near the 

 huts, large branches of trees had been stuck up for shade. Some 

 water-tight baskets and bulrush mats were their only fabrics. They 

 do not appear to pay any attention to cultivation, and the only appear- 

 ance of it was in a species of Cucurbita (mock orange,) planted near 

 their village ; but what use they made of this was not learned. 



This rancheria is said to contain between two and three hundred 

 warriors, who are a fair specimen of the tribes of the country, and 

 are the most troublesome to the trappers, with whom they gene- 

 rally have a fight once a year. On one occasion, the Hudson Bay 

 Company left their cattle in their charge, and when the delivery 

 was demanded they refused to give them up ; war was accordingly 

 made on them, and after they had lost forty of their warriors, they 

 consented to return the cattle and make peace. These Indians do 

 not use the tomahawk, nor practise scalping. They go unclothed, 

 even in winter, although the climate is occasionally quite cold in this 

 northern part of the valley. 



On the morning when the party were breaking up camp to embark, 

 an Indian boldly seized the bowie-knife-pistol of Dr. Pickering, and 

 made at once for the woods. He had chosen his time well, for no 

 arms were at hand. Several of the men pursued him, but by his 

 alertness he eluded all pursuit ; and having gained the bushes, 

 escaped with his prize. 



This act, committed in open daylight, and at the risk of life, 

 shows how strong is their propensity to steal. All the other Indians 

 present soon understood the difficulty, and at once took their de- 

 parture. The chief was not present ; those who were concerned in 

 the theft had not been before seen, and it was conjectured belonged 

 to one of the rancherias higher up the river. A short distance above 

 the place where this occurred, they met the chief, to whom the theft 

 was made known, and who promised to restore the stolen article. 



At noon they passed the Prairie Butes, which are a collection of 

 isolated hills, rising from the level plain, as if out of the sea. As 

 they were visited by the party that passed through from Oregon, I 

 shall give a particular account of them in the narrative of that 



