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. 





-a 



I 



J 



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 122° 12' 17" W., 

 which, joined to the work of the land party, gives the exploration of 

 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 



