USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
Associated with the C'uhnillas may be sometimes found the Serranos, and the Indians of San Juan Capistrano with the San Luisenes, I am not prepared to say that the two former are not the same people, to &ll intents and purposes, at this day. Mr. Reid has located the Serranos along the upper waters of the Santa Ana river, and between the Los Angeles county Indiana (whom be calls Gabrielinos) and the Cabin). lax. Some of the Serrano women are good seamstresses. The Indians of San Juan-the finest of the south in appearance, temper and intel- Ject- - are now nearly extinct, from intermarriage with the Spaniards and other more usual canses of Indian decay. Very few of the Gabriel- inos are to be met with here now. "A lew," says Mr. Reid, " are to be found nt San Fernando, San Gabriel, and Los Angeles. Those in ser- vice on ranchos are a mere handful You will find at present more ol' them in the county of Monterey than in this, including those plaets named above. Death has been busy among them for years past, and very few more are wanting to extinguish the lamp which God lighted. The Indians from the north-west coast killed great numbers years ago, on the islands." (San Clemente and Santa Catalina).
The three or four prominent nations that remain, as above described, have different languages, and a different physical appearance, in some respects. Ilow far the Cahuilla and San Luiseno tongues resemble each other, is a subject worthy of investigation; and Mr. Reid would no doubt have thrown inuch light upon it, if he had lived to carry out his inquiries. The Tularenos, Cahnillas and San Luisenos are universally understood to lave distinct original language+, but their common knowledge of the Spanish tongue forms their usual means of communication. The use of the last has tended to make them forget the original language. Individuals of the same nation, as a habit, talk with each other in Spanish, seemingly in preference to the native tongue; often, of course, it must be from necessity, in the poverty of the native tongue, or having forgotten it.
"The languages of San Luis Rey and San Juan Capistrano hear a strong analogy." I quote a manu-cript of Mr. Reid's, which I am kindly permitted to u-e. " When we erque to San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Yues and La Purissima, we hud not only a distinct language, but a strongly marked difference in their color and physical appearance, the southern Indians being red, while the others here mentioned are of a very dark huc, stronger set in their limbs, although less powerful, and very dimunitive in stature. Some of the young Indian girls about San Gabriel and San Fernando are of pleasing counteuauce, well-formed features, and in many cases of light complexion, which is not caused by admixture of bhd. Females to the north are of coarse features, and even blacker than the men. I have been acquainted with the lodges up and down the coast for years, and never recollect of seeing a fair-skinned female. without the blood had been mixed. This has arisen, no doubt, from their living principally on the sea-coast. Arriving as high as Mon- terey, we again find the Indians of the same color and appearance as those in Los Angeles and San Diego, but with another distinet language. In the San Gabriel language there is a total absence of '1'-it ubounds in Santa Ynes.
In Santa Barbara, Los Angeles anıl San Diego counties, there are nearly seven thousand Indians, including the Yumas and Mojaves. and a few petty tribes. Not half as many as the neophytes alune left by the mission -! Still, more than hall' of those we have are the survivors of the missions.
That they are corrupt, and becoming more so every day, no candid man can dispute. They do not always find better examqdes to imi- tate now than they saw in the past generation uf whites; for the latter have not improved in the social virtues as fast as the Indians have declined. What marvel that eighteen years neglect, misrule. oppression, slavery and jujustice, and every opportunity and tempt.
50
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & YVEST.
VIEW OF RESIDENCE OF W. H. WORKMAN.
VIEW OF VINEYARD, ORANGE ORCHARD & PARK OF W. H. WORKMAN, BOYLE HEIGHTS. LOS ANGELES, CAL.
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
ation to gratify their naturnl viees withal, should have given them a fatal tendency downward to the very lowest degradation?" +
+ *
*
* *
*
THE LABORERS AND SERVANTS.
The Indian laborers und servants are " domesticated ; " mix with us daily aml hourly ; and with all their faults, appear to be a nec- essary part of the domestic economy, They are almost the only huuse or farm servants we have, The Fan Lnisenn is the most sprightly, skillful, and handy; the Cahuilla plodding but strong, and very useful with instruction and watching,
When at work they will da without ardent spirits, but must have it on Saturday night and sunday. Very little of the money eurned during the week gues for meat and bread ; their chief want with it is for drink and cards, They are universal gamblers, and inveter. ately ad licted to the vice ; consequently their clothing continually changes hands, Yet, I have met with some who do not drink, and have an aspiration to decency. Some, ngnin, are idle and vagabonds; but I have rarely found them nuwilling to work when well paid.
If it be true that they cannot do half the work a white man can, 'tis equally true that custom at best never allows them more than half the wages of the latter, and, generally, much less than hall'; The common pay of Indian farm hands is from eight to ten dollars per month ; and one dollar per day the highest in the towns - but few pay so much. No white man here, whether American, Sonoranian, or Californian, will work for such wages, nor anything like it.
That better wages, merely, would make the Indian here a better man, is doubtful. With more money he would only pursue his evil tastes to greater cacess. When their weekly juegos (plays) were restrained by the magistrates, and only allowed at distant intervals, they were much better off; and then, too, Jignor shops were not so common. In some streets of this little city, almost every other house is a grog-shop for Indians, They have, indeed, become sadly deterio- rated within the past two years; and it may be long, very long, before a sound public opinion will speak like the potent voice of the mission Fathers.
But, let us remember, these same Indians built all the houses in the country, and planted ull the fields and vineyards. There is hardly any sort of ordinary work for which they do not show a good will.
Under the missions they were masons, carpenters, plasterers, snap- makers, tonner«, shoemakers, blacksmiths, millers, bakers, cooks, brick- makers, eariers and cart-makers, weavers and spinners, saddlers, shep- herds, agriculurists, hurticulturists, vincros vaqueros-in a word lilled all the laborious ocenpations known to civilized society. Their work mu-t have been rilely executed sometimes, it may well be supposed; and they have forgotten much they once knew. But they acquired the rudiments of a practical knowledge which has outhved their goud teachers, and contributed much to the little improvement thuis section of country has reached in eighteen yeurs.
They are inferior to the American only in Inddily strength, and might woon rauk with the best Californian aud Sonoranian in all the art» necessary to their physical comfort. They teach the Americans, even, bow to make au adobe (sun-dried brick ), mix the body (mud- mortar), put on the bree quiteh for roofing; - all these, recondite arts to the new beginner, yet very important to br knowu, when there are no other building materials. They understand the mysteries of irriga- tion, the planting season, and the harvest. Pour unfortunates! they seldom have farms of their own to till, or a dwelling to shelter them from rain !
Such is the laborer and servant, of no matter what uation. A spend- thrift, but willing to work, if paid ; never a beggar, save when old age or infirmnity has overtaken him ; humble, without servility : skilled Ila a great many useful things ; yet full of vices, I am afraidl, because he kas so few encouragements to virtue. He always adheres to the truth cost what it may; still, many are petty thieves.
The women have not forgotten their needle-work, is inny he noticed at any time ; they dress iu the common Spanish style of this country, and always make their own garments. Like the men, they are much addicted to intemperauce ; hearty, good-humored creatures, yet with a great aver-iou to regular work. I refer to those about the towns.
As a general thing, the women are quick to learn the various house- hold dutien. There are striking examples of Indian women, married to foreigners aud native Californians, exemplary wives nud mothers.
A HASTY GLANCE AT THE LAND PROPRIETORS.
At the close of the late Mexican war, some of the 'old mission Indians remained in possession of tracts of lamb, which they had held for a long time by occupaney and license of the Fathers, or under written grauts from the Mexican Government, Some have since >uld out for trivial considerations ; others have been elbowed · oll by white neighbors ; so that, in the settled and settling parts of the country, there are not wow fifty Indian Iund proprietors, They are awaiting the adjudication of the Commissioners of Land Titles. A league is the largest tract any of them clans ; in general, their truets do not exceed fifty or a hundred acres. Many of them are good citizens in all respects, except the right to vote and be witnesses in the State courts, where others than their own race are concerned. They are anxious to hold on to their little homesteads, and resist all off'ers to buy as stemlily as they can. llow long their limited shrewd- ness can match the over-reaching cupidlity that ever a-ails them, is difficult to say, They Jack thritt amt prudent management, and kre strongly inclining to dissolute habits; though they plant regularly froia year to year. Some have a small stock of horses, cows, and sheep.
A better crop and more commodious hut, perhaps a talde and clour or two, may distinguish them from the denizens of the mountain village. Everything else is quite after the Indian fashion. Still, with these, and the right to land, and honest conduct, they have made a broml step towards civilization. * * * * * *
To the missions they can never go again, with hope of finding a hrane. The successors of the Fathers are there, for a priest is stationed at all, except two, I believe. Any Sunday, a few Indin may still be seen near the altar, summoned by the chimes that onee pealed over a smiling multitude gathered for worship, or the harmless diversions wherein their happy hour- passed away. These are all, and they seem serious and reverent at the church. The rest hinger there in their struggling huts of hru-h or tule, trying to get a meagre subsistence ont of the small patches not yet taken up by the whites -- ill-clothed, in filth and wretchednew, withant food half the year, save what is stolen. If there be "savages " among these southern Indians, a luis- sinn is mowy the place to seek them, where riot and delaochery reign supreme. This is notorious to gond citizens who have settled around them, but the violence of the reckless und unprincipled bids deliance to restraint, at present. I am not certain that some of the Indians do not preserve a sort of vague belief that these immense buildings, tu our eye greatly dilapidated and fa-t going to ruin, yet, with their runde repairs, omple enough for their aremmodations, are ultimately to be restored to them. It is un exaggeration, to repeat that the Indians lurking about the missioos, with ao orrasional exception, are the worst in the country, morally speaking; and the sommer they are removed, the better for all concerned. Within the last two years, the Indios have had a very perceptible trndeney towards returning permancotly to a mountain life, in spite of its forbidding aspect.
They began by deserting the larger ranchus for the freer indulgences al the city and the gros-shop, at the missions, where they could baye their famous and Favorite juegos. The complaint has been universal ou this subject. Many have this berome habitual drinkers, who used to be content with their allowances upon the ranchos-for custom has always allowed them ardent spirits, from which lamentable practice not even the missions can be excepted. Yet the wonder is with some, how these Indiaus have beeme such drunkard -! The laws of Nature have had their course, as usual, and the Indian is paying the penalty exacted of all who violate them. Untittrd- many of them-bo hard work by drinking and their games, tthey have been known to die from the vinlent exertions required from some of these), ashamed or afraid to go back to their old amos tmastris), nucared for by strangers. in some way taught to di-like los Am virauns, and restive under all the neglect they suffer; having caught the idea that they are free (three years ago they were practically slaves), with none to teach them the true hojees autol duties of freemen, and himling, with the long experi- ment that American freedom does not profit them, sume such motives, I suppose, may drive them to enjoy the old and kindred ay-ociatio ,s of their tribe, where they are sure to meet a warm friendship and a hos- pitality, genernas in its extremest poverty. Hospitality I know to be one of their virtues.
1
On the other hand, as the young meu of the mountains grow up, the [ cravings of hunger, or a love of novelty, carry them to the towus in quest
of employment, or to gratify curiosity. They son fall into the bad ways of their "Christian" relations, aml return a little worse for the visit, If they have chanced, in their "roond>, " to have met with the Mar bal and jaler. or their Indian " deputies," (alcaldes in common perlance) they could have fared better anywhere else in the wile world; and well may they returu disgusted with their prospects in civilized life, if they are cupa- ble of thunking at all. The Indian has a quick sense of injustice; he can comprehend it when it is plain and very brutal. ile can never see why he is sold out to service for an indefinite period, for intemper- aar'r', while the white man goes unpunished for the same thing, uml the very richest, or best men, to his eye, are such as tempt hun to drink, and sometimes will pay him for hus faloor in no other way. I am speak - ing now frankly of abuses which actually exist not the fair remit of the state law, which is a pretty good one in regard to this point, but can- not be enforced, lor the simple reason that the Imliuns themselves are not allowed to be witnesses, as to branches of it, except for or against enel other.
THE MOUNTAIN VILLAGES.
The best of them, much as they have mixed with the whites, or may know of labor and property, yet love to visit or revisit the rancherias, Tradition preserves a remembrance of things they delight to tell af ; Christianity hn- beea far from extinguishing their ancient supersti- tions and customs, Let a "Christian " srt his mind njom sering his peroat & trelations at Temecula or San fiorgonio, no friendship, nor work undone, nur reasonable sur'n of money will keep him with you.
In the wilder mountain villages they lend pretty much the same course of life their tathers did eighty years ago, when the Spanish suldiers first trampled their gru's fields and flower beds. Oa the const. however, the supply of food must have been more plentiful, as the sea ntbrded on many varieties of fish ; but since, they have learned to cul- tivate wheat. Their present country may be described as a series of low mountain ridges, a few peaks covered with snow in winter, having numerous valleys, generally small but very fertile, which little streams irrigate, that do not run far before they hoe themselves in the sind. In the valleys they have their villages. Sometimes all their water is from isolated springs that do not rus, or from hole- dag in the sand. A grent portion of such a country produces no vegetation at all. Other parts give their favorite mezquite bean and acoro, the pine unt, tann (fruit of cactus), magary, or cal, berries aml serds of grass and herbs, a lof which, with moderate culture of wheat, coro, melons, and pump- king and varinns small animals, form their stapte find. The Cahnilla4 are not find of bear meat, aml have no deer to hunt ; the Degums and San Luisnos have no hear but hunt the deer and antelope, the former abonuding apon their bills and vales, They mannfacture very useful blankets, a kind of urn to hobl water and keep it cool in who(- mer tcalled off(,) a sweat cloth for the sunlille from the maguey libre, called n rven, etc.
Such is the country, and such the actual resources of these four natomus, in their wibler state. Yet, in this dreary wilderness, Gud ) gave them land enough for their comfortable subs stence, But, of that presently. In bad sea-nas, as things now staud, they are often hull starved They are prodigal too, by nature and by rustom. At their annual least, which always takes place soun after harvest, I have seen them dancing around a large lire, in honor of a deceased relation, and riul the ceremony hy throwing into the flames their entire stuck of provisions and clothing. I have reanu to believe that their impru- denee and waut of forethought frequently Irad to death hy starvation, especially in cases of sickurss.
Juan Antonin frequently calls home bis followers ; mol nt any time, sach is the subordination anmug them, all, except the old aml sick, would permanently leave the settlements, upon a smiomons from their respective chiefs. I should, at-o, include the land proprietors in the except.oo, and some others who may bave u peculiar devotion to cer- tain families. And the same. I believe, may be said safely of the chiefs ol' villages belonging to other nations.
The present chiefs, in general, understand their affairs very well, and appear to be keenly alive to the good of their people They often come to the towns-to this city, at any rate -- and inflict some punish- ment in particular cases, the merity of which are left to be " hest koown to themselves." They exercise a sort of patriarchal supervision over the domesticated as well as the wilder classes of the uation. I do not wish to convey the idea that they have any regular government, or
03
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
system of law, or national grades of punishments, much less than they molulge in very refined distinctions as lo guilt. Murder and witch- craft (when it results fatally) are punished with dleatt. Aml it i- probable, ir the local authorities here should usk it, as a favor, the chiefs would whoot, hung, or burn alive (for this they do sometimes) any muitorious horse thief or enttle-tealer. The popular jofluence ought to be very strong on the other baml. if we may eredhit the exinse given by Antonio Garra for bis attack on Wurder's house in 1851; namely, that " he did not want to make the attack then, but his people forced him to go, and he followedl." The people have been known to punish by a prompt exercise of authority; aml 'tis certain, that con- siderable respect is ulways paid to them.
The chiefs of the CuluiHlas, Four Luisenos and Dieguims have shown a commendable spirit in restraining their people from cattle-stealing in Los Angeles and Sau Diegu connties, Thefts of this kind are not as common as might be expected from their necessities, and the apporti- vities they wonkt have for concealment. The crime is common, in- dred ; but it is notprinus to every cattle owner that these Indians have in it little " net or part " compared with a certain class of the settled population. Yrt it does occur, occasionally, among the Indians, with all their imli-position to provoke a war with the whites; und will occur, so long as the present equivocal and unjust relations continue to exist Between them, and this kind of property ranges over an area of one thousand square miles, unguarded und with an utter impossibility of being guarded. The temptation is too great for a hungry Indian.
There remains but little to wohl to the story Mr. Wilson has here sa ably told. Gradually these people have passed away, until, as a tribe, they are no more, and but few imliviluals- if any-of pure blood, are now in existence. So much for our modern civilization, as applied to the aborigines.
CHAPTER XXIX.
A SUMMING UP. (1850-1880.)
The Slavery Question-An Old Police Report-A Curious Document-Habits of Life-Amusements-The " Carreta "-Prosperous Times-The County in 1853-Sketch by A. Waite-Isal, a Mixed Population-1855, Habits of the Natives-Religions Devotions-Celebration of a Holy Day-"Cor- pus Christi "-The Sunday Law-Bull-light at San Gabriel-At Los Angeles- Chicken-Catching - Horse-Racing-A Thre .. League Race-A Falling off-Later Races-Current Events from 1850 to 1880.
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
FROM 1849 to 1835 were stormy times for public officers. The country was in a state of transition, and it was yet an apen question between the slavery and anti-slavery parties- which would succeel. True, slavery was unknown to Mexican law, aml the anti-slavery clause in the Constitution had just heen signed with the rest; but California had not yet been formally admitted to the sisterhood of States, and a thousand things might happen to prevent that admission. Already a movement was on foot to divide the country, the southern portion to remain as a Territory, with, of course, slavery as one of its institutions. The bitterness of slave-holders (and there were many here from the Southern States) was increased by the knowledge that one year's labor of a slave in the mines would more than equal a life-time of labor on the plantation.
Thus, carly in 1850, a Dr. Earl and a Colonel Thorn brought. to Los Angeles from the Southern States a large number of slaves, whom they proposed to work in the mines. Two of these assertedl their freedom on arrival, upon which one was beaten and the other shot at, but both ran away Que J. H. Punly was at the time acting as a police officer aml marshal. and in discharge of his Anty made complaint against the parties who assaulted the negrocs. The result was that Purdy was given forty-eight hours within which to leave the town, and the authorities being powerless to protect him, he was obliged to go. The following extracts from the docket of the late Abel Stearns, Esq. (then first alcakle of Los Angeles), are clipped from the columns of the Erening Express, being furnished to thai paper by Stephen C. Foster, Esq .:---
POLICE REPORT.
Tapia examined. recommitted.
On the night of the 24th inst., an assault and battery was committed, by persons unknown, upon the hodies of Allen Sandford and one other per-on, whose name is unknown.
Witnesses Dr. T. Earl and Elward Booth.
On the same night. a breach of the peace was committed by the firing of pistols at one Stephen Cribbs, by persons unknown to the police.
Witnesses, Dr. T. Earl. Dr. Clark. E.q., Blodgett, Ross and Alex. Bell. On the night of the 25th inst., an assault and battery was committed on the body of Allen Landford, by some person uuknown to lhe under- signed. J. H. PURDY.
February 25, 1850.
POLICE REPORTS.
Indian woman discharged. fined.
Captain A. Bell, Dr. Clark, 31. Martin Ross and Captain Il .. threat- ened personal violence to J. H. Purdy if he do not leave the city within forty-eight hours. Witnesses: Col. S. Whiting and L. Granger. Charles Matthews entered the counting-room of the Hon. Abel Stearns, with pistol in hand, and threatened personal violence. Wit- newsex: J. B. Barkley, Muses Searl, and Clark.
Said Matthews then proceeded to the Court room and scattered the papers over the Hoor. threatening personal violence to all who should appuse him; and then assaulted J. H. Purdy in the door of the Court nom, drew a pistol, and fired on bim. Witnesses: Jesus Guirado and Juan Rieva.
Two persons unknown to the undersigned rescued harles Matthews from the enstoly of J. II. Purdy, while he, Purdy, was endeavoring to bring Matthews into the Court House. J. H. PURDY. March 5, 1850.
The remainder of the slaves were taken up to the inines finally, Imt the white miners stampeled them; they all ran away, and their owners did not get even the cost of bringing them here.
The following report of this matter was made by the Prefect, Mr. Foster, to the Governor of the State :-
PREFECT'S OFFICE, LOS ANGELES, March 12, 1850.
SIR: It being one of the duties incumbent on my office to communi- eate from time to time the state of my district to the Supreme Govern- ment, I avail myself of the departure of the mail for the month to write you.
Our city bas been harassed for the last four months by various dis. orders, some of a very serious character, and seriously compromising the lives and property of peaceable citizens. These difficulties have principally originated among the American gamblers, with whom we are infested; and from the small American permanent population, as
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.