188 
CALIFORNIA. 
Ringgold deeming that this was the termination of his exploration, 
motioned to them to desist. This fish-weir was constructed with a great 
deal of art: stakes, pointing down the stream, had been driven into its 
bed, having three openings, which led into square pens above; over 
each of the entrances into the pens was a platform, on which the 
natives stand to take the fish; on these also there were heaps of ashes, 
indicating that the natives make use of fire to attract the fish. The 
annexed wood-cut is a representation of the weir. 
The river was examined for two or three miles above, and found to 
be filled with rapids, and innumerable difficulties caused by snags and 
sand-bars. Here Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold ascertained his 
position to be in latitude 39 ° 13 ' 39 ' N., longitude 121 ° 48 ' 38 " W., 
which, joined to the work of the land party, gives the exploration oi 
the whole extent of the Sacramento river, from its source to the sea, 
a distance of two hundred miles. The first fork, or the junction of 
Pitt’s with that of Destruction river or creek, is in latitude 40 ° 47 ' N., 
longitude 122 ° 34 ' W. 
The Indians of this tribe, the Kinkla, were disposed to be much 
more friendly than those met with during the two preceding days. 
The party had some intercourse with them, and many of the women 
were seen, some of whom wore the peculiar Polynesian dress, called 
the maro, which in this case was made of strings from the Californian 
flax, which is common in this part of the country. Where this cannot 
be procured, they use the tula. This garment hangs in considerable 
thickness both before and behind, but is open at the sides. 
Of these Indians it is reported that no one has more than one wife. 
Their village was similar to that already described. The women 
were not very prepossessing in their appearance, although the younger 
ones had pleasing faces and fine forms; but the men were large and 
stout, and would be termed finely formed. The women were em¬ 
ployed in drying grass-seed and acorns in the sun, of which the latter 
seemed to be the principal part of their food. These Indians had 
small fishing-nets, somewhat resembling in size and shape a lady’s 
reticule. These they made use of when diving for mussels, and in a 
