Part 53 (2/2)

[587] 'If a quarrel occurred between parties of distinct lodges (villages), each chief heard the witnesses produced by his own people; and then, a.s.sociated with the chief of the opposite side, they pa.s.sed sentence. In case they could not agree, an impartial chief was called in, who heard the statements made by both, and he alone decided. There was no appeal from his decision.' _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_.

[588] 'Pour tout ce qui concerne les affaires interieures, l'influence des devins est bien superieure a la leur.' _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom.

ii., p. 373. At San Diego 'Chaque village est soumis aux ordres absolus d'un chef.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p.

153; or see _Marmier_, _Notice_, in _Bryant_, _Voy. en Cal._, p. 226. 'I have found that the captains have very little authority.' _Stanley_, in _Ind. Aff. Rept._, 1869, p. 194.

[589] _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 262-9.

[590] Dr. Hoffman states that in the vicinity of San Diego 'their laws allow them to keep as many wives as they can support.' _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. vi., p. 150. f.a.ges, speaking of the Indians on the coast from San Diego to San Francisco, says: 'Ces Indiens n'ont qu'une seule femme a la fois, mais ils en changent aussi souvent que cela leur convient.' _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 153. Of those in the vicinity of San Luis Rey the same author says: 'Les chefs de ce district ont le privilege de prendre deux on trois femmes, de les repudier ou de les changer aussi souvent qu'ils le veulent; mais les autres habitants n'en ont qu'une seule et ne peuvent les repudier qu'en cas d'adultere.' _Id._, p. 173.

[591] 'Les veufs des deux s.e.xes, qui veulent se remarier, ne peuvent le faire qu'avec d'autres veufs.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 173; see also _Marmier_, _Notice_, in _Bryant_, _Voy.

en Cal._, p. 230.

[592] 'The perverse child, invariably, was destroyed, and the parents of such remained dishonored.' _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p.

270. 'Ils ne pensent pas a donner d'autre education a leurs enfants qu'a enseigner aux fils exactement ce que faisait leur pere; quant aux filles, elles ont le droit de choisir l'occupation qui leur convient le mieux.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1814, tom. ci., p.

153.

[593] The intoxicating liquor was 'made from a plant called _Pibat_, which was reduced to a powder, and mixed with other intoxicating ingredients.' _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p. 271.

[594] _Schoolcraft's Arch._, vol. v., p. 215. For other descriptions of ceremony observed at age of p.u.b.erty, see: _Hoffman_, in _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. vi., pp. 150-1; _McKinstry_, in _San Francisco Herald_, _June, 1853_.

[595] 'Pero en la Mision de S. Antonio se pudo algo averiguar, pues avisando a los Padres, que en una de las casas de los Neofitos se habian metido dos Gentiles, el uno con el traje natural de ellos, y el otro con el trage de muger, expresandolo con el nombre de Joya (que dicen llamarlos asi en su lengua nativa) fue luego el P. Misionero con el Cabo y un Soldado a la casa a ver lo que buscaban, y los hallaron en el acto de pecado nefando. Castigaronlos, aunque no con la pena merecida, y afearonles el hecho tan enorme; y respondio el Gentil, que aquella Joya era su muger.... Solo en el tramo de la Ca.n.a.l de Santa Barbara, se hallan muchos Joyas, pues raro es el Pueblo donde no se vean dos o tres.' _Palou_, _Vida de Junipero Serra_, p. 222. 'Asi en esta rancheria como en otros de la ca.n.a.l, hemos visto algunos gentiles con traje de muger con sus naguitas de gamusa, y muy engruesadas y limpias; no hemos podido entender lo que significa, ni a que fin.' _Crespi_, in _Doc.

Hist. Mex._, serie iv., tom. vi., p. 325. See also _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 283-4; _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., p.

371; _Torquemada_, _Monarq. Ind._, tom. ii., pp. 427; _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 173.

[596] 'In some tribes the men and the women unite in the dance; in others the men alone trip to the music of the women, whose songs are by no means unpleasant to the ear.' _McKinstry_, in _S. Francisco Herald_, _June 1853_. 'In their religious ceremonial dances they differ much.

While, in some tribes, all unite to celebrate them, in others, men alone are allowed to dance, while the women a.s.sist in singing.' _Schoolcraft's Arch._, vol. v., p. 214-15.

[597] 'La danse est executee par deux couples au son d'une espece de flute, les autres restent simples spectateurs et se contentent d'augmenter le bruit en frappant des roseaux secs.' _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., p. 176; _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 289-95; _Schoolcraft's Arch._, vol. v., pp. 214-15; _McKinstry_, in _S. Francisco Herald_, _June 1853_; _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_; _Crespi_, in _Doc. Hist. Mex._, serie iv., tom.

vi., p. 322.

[598] _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., p. 380. 'When the new year begun, no thought was given to the past; and on this account, even amongst the most intelligent, they could not tell the number of years which had transpired, when desirous of giving an idea of any remote event.'

_Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, p. 303.

[599] 'For Gonorrhoea they used a strong decoction of an herb that grows very plentifully here, and is called by the Spanish ”chancel agua,” and wild pigeon manure, rolled up into pills. The decoction is a very bitter astringent, and may cure some sores, but that it fails in many, I have undeniable proof. In syphilis they use the actual cautery, a living coal of fire applied to the chancer, and a decoction of an herb, said to be something like sarsaparilla, called rosia.' _Hoffman_, in _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. v., p. 152-3.

[600] I am indebted for the only information of value relating to the medical usages of the southern California tribes, to _Boscana's MS._, literally translated by Robinson in his _Life in Cal._, pp. 310-14, and also given in substance in _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., pp. 378-9, and to Reid's papers on the Indians of Los Angeles County, in the _Los Angeles Star_, also quoted in _Cal. Farmer_, _Jan. 11, 1861._

[601] See _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., pp. 377-8, and plate, p. 248, and Hoffmann, in _San Francisco Medical Press_, vol. v., p. 152.

[602] 'The same custom is now in use, but not only applied to deaths, but to their disappointments and adversities in life, thus making public demonstration of their sorrow.' _Boscana_, in _Robinson's Life in Cal._, pp. 314-15.

[603] _California Farmer_, _May 22, 1863_.

[604] _Reid_, in _Los Angeles Star_.

[605] The lat.i.tude of which he fixes at 34 33'.

[606] _f.a.ges_, in _Nouvelles Annales des Voy._, 1844, tom. ci., pp.

173-4. Quoted almost literally by _Marmier_, _Notice_, in _Bryant_, _Voy. en Cal._, p. 230.

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