202 CALIFORNIA. 



belongs to the report on philology, I must refer the reader to Mr. 

 Hale's book on that subject for further information. 



According to the best authorities, these Indians, so far from being 

 cannibals, will not eat any kind of animals that eat man. They 

 carry burdens in the same manner as the northern tribes, with a 

 strap round the forehead. They live upon various plants, in their 

 several seasons, besides grapes, and even use the Artemisia. A species 

 of tobacco is found on the sandy beaches, which the Indians prepare 

 and smoke. 



The vegetation throughout the whole course of the Sacramento 

 showed evident traces of salt, and in some places the prairies seemed 

 to be incrusted with it. 



At the place where the survey ended, the river was two hundred 

 feet wide, its banks being twenty feet above the river; but it was 

 evident that its perpendicular rise exceeded this, as there was every 

 appearance of its overflowing them ; and, according to the testimony 

 of the Indians, the whole country was annually inundated. 



Their bows and arrows were carefully made, and the latter were 

 kept in quivers made of fox-skins, young bears, &c. In each of these 

 they had about forty arrows, pointed with flint and neatly made. 



On the afternoon of the 31st of August, the party turned to go down 

 the stream, and with the aid of the current made rapid progress. 

 Towards sunset they entered the small stream called Bute, on whose 

 banks they encamped. Here they were much disturbed, both with 

 bears and musquitoes. 



On the 1st of September, they made an early start, and about noon 

 reached the village where the theft of Dr. Pickering's pistol had been 

 committed. 



It was with some difficulty that the Indians were persuaded to 

 approach ; but a fine-looking sav.age, more bold than the rest, at last 

 ventured to do so, and gave the information that the Indian who had 

 committed the theft, resided at the village up stream. 



The weapon therefore not being forthcoming, Lieutenant-Comman- 

 dant Ringgold determined to seize this man as a hostage for the return 

 of the article. He was accordingly secured, his arms pinioned behind 

 him, and led down to the boat, when two men were ordered to tie his 

 legs; while they were in the act of doing this, he extricated himself, 

 and jumped overboard. The guns were at once levelled, and half a 

 dozen triggers ready to be pulled ; but Lieutenant-Commandant Ring- 



