186 CALIFORNIA. 



small stick, like that so much in use among the Feejees. Most of them 

 had some slight marks of tattooing on their breast, somewhat similar 

 to that of the Chinooks. Several of them had their ears bored, and 

 wore in the opening round pieces of wood or bone, some of which were 

 carved. 



Their rancheria, or village, consisted of no more than five or six 

 huts, built around a larger one, which appeared somewhat like the 

 " tamascals" — sweating-houses. All their houses were formed in the 

 following manner: a round pit is dug, three or four feet deep and from 

 ten to twenty feet in diameter; over this a framework of sticks is 

 raised, woven together, upon which is laid dried grass and reeds ; the 

 whole is then covered with earth. They have one small opening, into 

 which it is necessary to creep on all-fours ; another is left on the top, 

 which is extended upwards with bundles of grass, to serve as a 

 chimney; in some of the houses there was a kind of hanging-shelf, 

 apparently for the purpose of drying fish. The tamascal differed in no 

 respect from the others, except in its size, and appeared sufficiently 

 large to contain half the inhabitants of the rancheria; but, unlike the 

 rest, it had several instead of one opening ; all of these had coverings, 

 which are intended for the purpose of retaining the heat as long as 

 possible. The Indians are particularly fond of these baths, and make 

 constant use of them. The roofs of their houses are strong enough to 

 bear the weight of several persons, and the Indians are 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 mussels' shells 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 appearance 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 generally 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 



