The herald. [microfilm reel], February 24, 1895, Page 18, Image 18

About The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900

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18
HISTORY OF ANCIENT TRIBES
LA FIESTA
DE LOS ANGELES
The subjects to be presented in the
Fiesta Boats are so closely interwoven
with the early history of Southern Cali
fornia that an extended review of tho
origin, customs, relig on and manners of
the different Indian tribes will be of vast
import.ince to those who wili witness the
pageant.
It will excite a greater interest, when
the peculiar habits and religions cc emo
nies oi these ancient inhabitants are
known, and the artistic ami reilistio dls> \
play will be more fully app ■ ciated.
Last Sunday The Herald published a j
history of the Aztecs, Toltees. SSttnifl and ;
Incus and in the following columns some 1
of the other inei leuts and peoples to he
portrayed in the floats, wil' be described. I
The pet irj of the Aleutians wi.l be ex- ,
ceptiomdly interesting and laap ring, j
That ancient race is of American conti !
Dental origin, and when first discovered
Were engaged in active hostilities w th j
the Kaniagm its of the continent. Their
very name, which means People of the j
Fast, suggests heir v igin.
The number of Aleutians was origin- I
ally estimated at 10,000, but at present j
there are not more than fifteen hundred
left from the ancient tribe. They are di
vided into two classes, the Otkans and
Unalashkans. The former belong to the ;
Western part of Alaska, while the latter j
originally inhabited the eastern part of
the island.
The Aleuts are light and nearly the i
same color as the Innuit of the North- !
west. Their features are more intelligent
and pleasing, owing to the admixture of
Russian blood. Their stature is about the
same as that of most civ lized races, if
anything, above the middle height. Tlie I
women are shorter but better proportioned, I
nnd some are rather pretty in personal ap- •
pea ranee.
When the Aleuts were first discovered
their national dress was not what would '
be called stylish nowadays. It consisted j
of a long shirt, without a hood, but with
a straight collar and tight sleeves. They
wore no trousers, but this defect was rem
edied "by high boots that reached to above |
tlie knees. The shirt was made of the skins
of fur animals or of birds. In rainy
weather or when in his boat the native
wore a water-proof shirfc, highly embroid
ered and fringed' with feathers. The shirt ;
was made of the entrails of sea lions. His
hat was made of a very thin piece of
wood, bent and painted, and adorned witli
thin sheets or strips of bone. On top j
he had a bird, somewhat similar to the |
latest fashion in female headgear.
The women dressed more expensively
and elegantly. Sealskin sacques, so treas
ured by the modern woman, were matters
of little value to the Aleut belles. They
were always dressed in furs.
Their houses were dug in the earth,
lined with upright jioles of driftwood and !
roofed with planks covered with turf, i
They entered through boles in the top by :
means of ladders. Some dwellings had |
two and others live or six entrances of
this kind.
The idea of tenement houses seems to
have originated with this tribe, as the
houses were occupied by several hundred
persons, who were divided by partitions
of stakes, each space being appropriated
by a family. Notwithstanding the close i
association, no record has been made of '
any neighborly quarrels, and it seemed
that ill lived happily and in peace.
No tires were made in the houses, and !
rnu prr.n'.os in pBACF.-ot;rnpiED tx tiik manufacture of farthen pottery
they were lighted by oil damps made of
hollowed stones. But very little veutila
tiou was allowed, aud it became so warm
at times that the occupants were obliged
tfi divest themselves of their clothes in
order to be comfortable, Tbey slept un
der grass mats and the clothes they wore
during the day.
The coiffure of Che ladies was consti
tuted of bangs, that covered tbe forehead
to the eyebrows, wbiic the back hair was
lied in a knot. They practiced tattooing;
the men making three holes in the under
li]. and one in thecartilege of the nose.
Both sexes wore a short bone cylinder in
the nosa and in the chin they wore a
rounded or flat piece of bone or stone.
They pierced the ears and wore bone or
naments In them.
The greatest ambition of the Aleut was
to be considered a great, hunter. Among
other distinctions und privileges of a suc
cessful hunter was that he could take as
many wives as he pleased, and he gener
ally and modestly appropriated only four.
They had no marriage ceremony, nnd
one o! the acta o( hospitality was to place
these Women at the disposal of the guests.
Sea otter and fur seal, the blubber of the
whale, wild parsnips, berries and sea
weed constituted their bill of fare. They
i did not bother themselves about cooking
' tlie meats or vegetables; but believed in
! the consumption of the raw material.
1 Uoth sexes bathed together in the sea,
: and their idea of raising children was
unique, to say the least. Castoria and
| paregoric medicines were unknown to the
1 Aleuts, and when their children cried.
they were carried, even in winter, to the
, seashore and held naked in the water
; until they became quiet.
During the month of December the tribe
! devoted themselves to dances and festivals,
at which naked men heat drums and the
[ women wore dresses, that could hardly be
j called decollette.
1 Curiously enough when they had their
religious dances, hundreds of nude
i women, wearing masks, danced in the
> moonlight, and at those festivities men
i were rigidly excluded and punished with
death if they intruded.
In tin* custom of buria Ithey had pecu
j liar ideas. The. poor were wrapped in
, their clothes or in mats and laid in clefts
:of the rock with a mark over the face.
' The wealthy were placed in a sort of boat
jor cradle, with their clothing and arms,
j The coffin was slung to a horizontal pole
t and left hanging in the open air.
j But the advent of the Russians has
! changed all their old habits and customs.
They now dress in clothing obtained from
| the Russians and they no longer live in
! their underground dens. They cultivate
: potatoes, but their food is still largely
the flesh of sea animals. They speak
| the Russian language and profess to be
Greek Catholics. They are farther ad
vanced than any other native American
tribe, but are far from being civilized.
They are greatly addicted to the use of
snuff and of liquor, especially the latter
when they can obtain it. Crime is almost
unknown among them and their devotion
to religion is very conspicuous.
When an insult is offered no fight or
dispute follows, but the one who has been
insulted tixes a nickname on the offender,
and that nickname rests with him as a
stigma.
Their business methods are of such a char
acter that such practice in home circles
would be rather expensive. They transact
all sales through a middleman, and who
ever desires to sell an article sends it to
an agent, who seeks a purchaser.
The Yuma Indians will attract no little
attention, dressed in their native costumes
and their faces painted as if ready to go
on the war-path. The history of these
Indians is no less interesting than that of
other ancient tribes. Their home is on
both sides of the Colorado River, near its
junction with Gila, and for that reason
they call themselves Sons of the River.
The Spaniards knew of the Yumas in
early times, and the tribe was visited in
1701 by Father Ruber, and by Scelmayr
in 1744 and 1748.
It was not until 1780, however, that
Spanif-h settlements were started among
them with two Franciscan missions. The
Spaniards immediately took possession of
the most fertile lands, and as the Yumas
did not appreciate these acts, they mas
sacred all tlie whites during the month of
July, 1781.
In the latter part of the last century
their number was estimated at 3000, and
but little was known of the religion and
customs until the territory came into
tlie limits of the United States, and they
were visited by Lieutenant Whipple of the
Army. At that time the Indians had be
come reconciled to the whites, but had
not forsaken their rude habits.
Tbey Inhabited excavated huts, with
roofs of boughs supported by posts, and
lived partly by hunting and fishing and
partly on maize, melons and pumpkins
raised by the women. The latter culti
vate the soil, while the men hunt and
Ash. Another occupation to which the
women were greatly devoted was the man
ufacture of water-tight baskets and rude
pottery, and as distillers they concocted a
kind of brandy from the mesquite.
Horses and dogs were the favored ani
mals of the Yumas, and they never cared
for other members of the animal king
dom. As a means of exchange, as well
as ornamentation, they wore round bits
of shell pierced as beads. In their hair
dressing they followed the habit of other
Indian tribes in cutting their hair at the
eyebrows and wearing it very long be
hind. The wearing apparel for the men
LOS ANGELES HERALD: SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 24, 1895.
consisted of breeches made of cloth, while
the women were considered in style with
an apron covering the lower part of the
body, and made of bark, painted in every
conceivable tint.
Being intelligent nnd faithful an 1
true to the Americans tbey refused to join
other tribes in war against the whites
until 1858, When under Antonio Gann
they started on the war-path, but were de
feated by (leucral Ileintzelman.
The Yumas have had considerable
trouble with the neighboring tribes, es
pecially the Maricopa*. Pi mas and I'apa
gos. In l*2-< they wero nearly annihilated
by their enemies and tbe remnant of the
nation sought safety with the Mohaves,
with whom they remained until 1H4.",,
when they returned to their own hunting
ground. The spirit of enmity toward
their old enemies asserted itself soon
again and in a few years they renewed the
war with the Haricopas. They met their
THE DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC.-VASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA ON THE SUMMIT OF A MOUNTAIN. SEES THE GREAT SLOPE.
Waterloo in 1857, when they and their I
allies were defeated at Maricopa Wells and
out of 100 Yuma braves only six survived.
Finally Congress passed an act in 1805.
setting apart some land as a reser
vation for the Mohaves, Cocopas, Huala
pais, Yumas and Chemehueves. They do
not admire the life on the reservation and
live around doing menial labor. Their
number has now been reduced to a little
over 900.
Perhaps the tierccst and most trouble
some Indians the I'nited States have had
to deal with are tlie Apaches. Their dep
redations and ravages have not only cost
hundreds of human lives, but have com
pelled many military expeditions to sub
due them.
The Apaches belong to a nomadic na
tion of the great Athabascan family,
roaming over portions of Texas, New
Mexico and Arizona and parts of the He
public of Mexico.
The N'avajoes, the most northerly baud
of the Apache tribe, inhabit the table
lands and mountains of a district on the
San Juan and Little Colorado. They are
by far the most cvilized tribe, cultivating
the soil and manufactulng excellent
blankets, the knowledge of which they
have undoubtedly acquired through in
tercourse with the Mexicans. Their
blankets have a market value of from $80
to $160 a piece.
It was not until after many serious con
flicts with tho United States troops and
tlie Mexican army that the Navajocs
were finally subdued in 1803, When to the
number of 7000 they were held prisoners
for several years and . were removed to a
place on Pecos River.
In this place, however, they were con
stantly exposed to attacks from the Com
anches and other tribes, and in 1808
General Sherman concluded a treaty un
der which they were removed to Fort
Wingate, and in the next year they were
asigned to a reservation consising of 0120
square miles near their old site.
Here they have become industrious,
cultivating 'the soil and raising horses,
sheep and goats. A Presbyterian mis
sion and school were established among
them, but the results have not been sat
isfactory.
The Apaches proper have repelled all at
tempts Hi civilize and convert them and
have continued their onslaught on set
tlers in particular and on whites whenever
and wherever they could find them. No
mission was ever established among them
as their habits were so vicious and their
instincts so brutal and merciless that tbey
would not respect a religious misionary
any more than one from the White
House.
For fifty years tbe Apaches were led to
war by MangUS Colorado, who gave the
United* States no end of trouble with
his continuous raids and attacks, until
1803, when be was captured and was killed
in an attempt to escape. During the year
1871 the sum of $125,000 was appropriated
for their supportt and an effort was made
by the Government* t gather them on res
ervations. This experiment has proved a
sueees la a few instances. The plan, how
ever, met with considerable opposition I
from settlers who lived in the vicinity of I
the reservation* and as a result of that J
dissatisfaction nmre than one hundred
Apaohei were killed in L871, while they
ware practically held prisoners by United
States troops at Camp ({rant, Arizona,
ktabeeqaenuy their great chief, Cochise,
p.iid a visit to the "Great Father" at
Washington anil pledged tin? submission
of his tribe. The acts of murder and nlun
der of their chief Geronituo are of too I
recent date Mfcl are too well know.rj.to re
quire a review here.
The Apaches are the most adept with
their long, iron-pointed arrows, that are |
always poisoned when used in warfare. ;
They are mounted on small poines, that j
are capable of great endurance. One of [
the most marked features of the j
Apaciu-s are their small feet, that are en
doted in hitch moccasins of buckskin, i
while their clothes are made of deerskin. !
In the latter respect they have changed |
their customs and have surierseded the
teerskin hy breech-cloth with the usual ;
ornamentations of high-colored blankets j
and Straw hats. The women wear B short
petticoat with their hair loose, while those
tvhosfi husbands have been killed in bat- j
tie have shortcut hair as a sign of mourn- j
ing * . . ,
The manner in which the mothers I
carry their babies in a standing position j
in ■ basket is well known. They have j
been photographed and illustrated until
the sight is one with which everybody is I
acquainted. j
It has often been told that the Apaches
were in the habit of scalping their ene* |
rnieSi but such is not the tact. In their
religion they seem to favor the belief in i
one (iod, with a certain crude aspiration |
about the spirit of Montezuma. Tbey
have a superstitious reverence for the
eagle and owl,and for all birds that are
perfectly white. They equally respect
the bear, but have a repugnance for the
hog. Scattered here and there over New
Mexico and Arizona arc found small
towns or villages of semi-civilized In
dians, denominated Pueblo Indians, who
have to a small degree acquired the lan
guage and many of the cutsoms of the
Mexican population. The tribe was first
discovered by the Spaniards in the early
part of the sixteenth century in tbe terri
tory thart is now known as New Mexico,
where they lived in permanent villages,
called pueblos. Between the years 1528
and 15-10 they were visited byAlvaro Nunez,
Friar Marco de Niza and Coronado, but
in 1586 they were subdued by the Span
iards, who occupied the country. At
that time, even, tbey were greatly ad
vanced above other tribes, raising grain,
vegetables ami cotton, which they spun
ami wove, and manufactured pottery.
In some respects their habits are simi
lar to those of the Toltecs and Aztecs.
For instance their houses are immense
structures, several stories high, and in
one of their communities the entire popu-
Union, amounting to tiom 400 to 700 souls
were domiciled in one building. Such a
structure generally occupied an entire
square, the lower story of which was
without openings, and an entrance was
gained by ladders. One family occupied
one apartment until the former increased
to such an extent that additional acconio
dations were necessary, when another
room was built alKive.and communication
had by way of a ladder. This mode of
living continued until the latter part
of the sixteenth century.
Ever since that time' until the present
Spanish Government, schools were main
tained, and religious instruction given by
Vrauciseian Catholic missionaries among
them Tbey were then protected from
hostile tribes aud oppression and supplied
with cattle and herds, hut under Mexican
rule {bey were deprived of this support
and have since declined* Their citizen
ship became a mutter of dt>ubt since New
Mexico became a part of the United
States, but in 1857 Chief Justice Slough
deckled 1 that- the. Pueblo Indians were,
under tie' treaty, eitsiensof this country.
They retain their own government, each
village having an elected Governor, and a
court consisting of three old men, but
executions for witchcraft has led to in
terference bj the territorial authorities.
In a circle of sixty miles from Santa Fe
there are to lie found the ruins of over
forty deserted towns, and similar ruins in
oth.'r localities show that the Pueblos
were once a powerful, industrious and in
telligent people.
In nearly all the villages there are Ro
i i Catholic chapels, which are seldom
used, as notwithstanding the efforts made
by that church, the Pueblos still adhered
to their native beliefs and ancient rites.
They believe the Montezuma, their
prophet, priest and king was bom in
Teguayo in IH4O. All the Pueblos per
formed rites and ceremonies in secret,
connected with the looked for return of
Montezuma.
i Of all the events and scenes that the
j floats will represent, none will be more
I imposing and none will be received with
f more emotion than that of the missions.
What a nathetic story could be told of
the devotion and deprivation of those
j who bid farewell to the world to devote
1 themselves for life to the establishment
j of the Church of Christ.
Southern California has a large number
| of missions, some in ruins, but mostly
rebuilt.
| On the Kith day of July, 1769. the mis
■ sion of San Diego de Alcala was founded.
1 The men am! officers assembled oh that
\ day at the site selected for a military
I post or presidio, and with gratitude for
; their deliverance from the perils of their
j travels in Lower California, erected an
' altar where they celebrated mass. Bells
I were swung over a tree, the water was
j blessed, the cross raised and the royal
1 standard thrown to the breeze. Their
[ actions were watched by groups of sav-
I ages, armed witli spears, clubs, and ar
; rows, who were soon to learn the religion
1 of Christ.
On the 5th of November, 1775, Father
.Taume, who had devoted much time in
mtsionary work among Indians, was mas
! sacred by them with several of the sol
i diers. the church was destroyed, but
J in 1H04 a new church was erected, where
i the bodies of Padre .laume and his col
■ leagues were re-interred in the sanctuary,
i In 1813 a more substantial church was
built and the remains of this structure are
I pointed out to visitors even today.
ISan Gabriel mission was established in
September, 1771 , by Padre Somera and
Canibon with an accompanying guard of
twenty men. At the sight of the Span
i iards "a large band of natives gathe'red,
| headed by two chiefs, who commenced
] warlike demonstrations. One of the padres
i thereupon drew from his breast a paint
ing of the Madonna and held it aloft to
[ their view. Instantly they fell on their
knees, the cross was raised and mass
I was celebrated and the mission was form
j ally established. Some of the padres de
voted their artistic tastes to carving in
AN ALEUTIAN SCENE—THEIR FAVORITE PASTIME IN FIGHTING HUGE POLAR BEARfv
| wood,horn and leather and instructed the
j natives in the art. Many specimens of
their workmanship still remain about the
mission. The country around the mis
sion was splendidly adapted to agricul
ture and grazing, and more cattle were
raised in San Gabriel than at any other
mission.
In 1943, under decree of Governor Mi
cheltorcna, San Gabriel, with eleven sister
i missons, was given to the friars, who
i were empowered to preside over them as
| guardians of the Indians and custodians
J of mission possessions.
I In 1840, by order of Governor Pio Pico,
j the mission and nearly all of its Indians
were sold to William P. Reed at'd William
Workman in satisfaction ff - "*«•— The
padres disputed the Governn-'s power to
dispose of tlie porperty, aim after much
litigation the possessions reverted to the
church.
Within the very shadow of the chapel
General Kearney defeated the Mexicans.
Founded on the Ist of November, 1776,
the mission of San Juan Capistrano came
into existence soon alter the birth of the
American republic Its erection of stone
and mortar was commenced in 17y7 and
completed in 1806. After a previous
attempt to establish the mission upon a
site known as "Inanil Savit Bajirit,"
it was abandoned, owiivi to the massacre
of the padres at San Diego. The first
missionaries were I'adres Amurrio and
Pablo de Mugartertegtii, but the most
noted minister of San Juan was Padre
Jose Ma Zalvidea, who placed her at the
head of the other missions.
On the morning of December 38, 1812,
while mass was being celebrated a terrible
earthquake destroyed the building. The
tower of the church came thundering
through the roof upon the frightened wor
shipers. Thirty-nine of the latter were
buried in the ruins, and the church was
never reconstructed. The ruins still stand
to tell the catastrophe, and In the church
yard near by lie the bodies of the padres
who died in the services of tho church
and civilization.
In 1844 tbe mission was sold to James
I McKinley and John Foster for $710, but
twenty years later the church regained
possession after much litigation.
On March 20th, 1782, Padre Scrra and
Cambon together with seventy soldiers
and their families, arrived at a villag,
called Asuncion, on the Santa Barbara
channel, and at once established the
mission San Huena Ventura, and to their
surprise, the Indians received them with
friendship, bringing them berries and
seeds.
In 1790, the primitive chapel was
seconded by a splendid stone structure,
where Padre Scoran, assisted by five other
disciples of St. Francis, dedicated the
chapel.
From the planting of the cross until
the Government took control in 1837,
the books showed that San Buena
Ventura had brought 3876 Indians into
the church, and it stands today as a his
toric monument.
Almost instantaneous with the estab
lisment of the San Buena Ventura the
presidio of Santa Barbara was founded.
On December 4, 1786, the latter institu
tion was formally established,with Padres
Antonio Paterona and Christobal Oramas
in charge. This church however suffered
considerable from earthquakes and a new
structure was erected and dedicated in
1820, with marble columns, altar tables
in Roman style and an image of Santa
Barbara in cut stone, painted in oil.
The Indians were taught weaving and
dyeing, in which they showed great adept
ness, and their carpentering and masonry
are yet objects of admiration. The dis
ciples of St. Francis still preside as cus
todians of Santa Barbara mission, and
beside the church lie the graves of her an
cient fathers.
On September 8, 1797, president Lasuen
assisted by Padre Dumetz, performed
the usual ceremonies, dedicating the Mis
sion San Fernando Rey, according to in
structions from the Viceroy of Mexico.
In 1806 a new church supplanted tbe old
structure and was dedicated to Fernando
111, King of Spain. This mission was in
a flourishing condition and had valuable
vineyards.
In 1846 the mission was sold to Eulogio
Celis, by order of Governor Pio Pico, for
114,000.
The mission has a historical value, as
within its walls tlie Mexican war closed
and the paper of capitulation to General
Fremont was signed.
Raymond Hearts Party
Dr. and Mrs. Raymond gave a very
pleasant progressive hearts party to a
few of their friends, Friday evening, Feb
ruary 22, at their home, 2511 South Main
street. Red hearts were the principal
decorations, arranged to represent the dif
ferent cards. Flowers and pepper boughs
were also tastefully distributed about the
rooms.
Scores were counted, and after a very
spirited contest, Mrs. McKay won the
first prize for ladies: Mr. Kinsey and Mr.
Mays tied on the first prize for gentlemen,
Mr. Kinsey won on the cut. Mr. and
M rs. Price received the consolation prizes.
After refreshments were served, Mrs.
Mays favored the guests with some fine
piano solos and Dr. E. W. Raymond ren
dered a comic song in his usual pleasing
manner.
Those present were Mr. and Mrs. P. A.
Wagner, Mr. and Mrs. Price, Mr. and
Mrs. Mays, Mr. and Mrs. Kinsey, Mrs.
Sullivan, Mrs. McKay, Dr. and Mrs.
Treusdall, Dr. E. W. Raymond, Dr. L. A.!
M. E. Raymond, Miss Rcva Raymond,
Will Raymond and Gilbert Kinsey.
Hotel Abbey Entertainment.
The guests of Hotel Abbey have been
indulging in a number of social entertain
ments. A week ago Thursday a progres-;
sive hearts party was given for which
eleven tables were arranged. Miss Minnie
Sullivan won first prize, Mr. W. Nord
holt that for the gentlemen; Miss Ella
Sena and Mr. O'Biyan received the con
solation prizes.
Last Tuesday evening Mrs. Irish enter
tained several of the guests with a euchre
party for which six tables were arranged.
Last Thursday evening the young men
gave a social hop which was attended by
about forty couples. The spacious din
ing room was tastefvlly decorated and
dancing was enjoyed until a late hour.
Dainty refreshments were served.
Poisoned by Eating Parsnips
Nevada, Mo., Feb. 23.— Five members
of A. L. Slaback's family and a family by
the name of Plumb were poisoned here
by eating wild parsnips. All who ate the
parsnips were taken violently sick. Doc
tors were calle -, and the result of tke
poisoning cannot be foreshadowed.