USA > California > Napa County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 6
USA > California > Lake County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 6
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SOILS .- The soil of Napa County may be divided into five classes, viz : argillaceous, adobe, loam, lava and tule. The first named is the result of the decomposition of sandstones and shales, and fine examples of it may be seen on all those mountain sides in the eastern portion of the county where there are sandstone outcroppings or boulders. Ordinarily it is not very productive, but is good for grasses and cereals, as much silica is re- quired in the production of straw. Fruits and vegetables do not do so well here. It will be noticed that Berryessa and Chiles Valleys are pre- eminently adapted to the growing of grain, and it is owing to this quality of the soil. When loam and argillaceous soils are well mixed, a compound is formed which is well adapted to the growing of fruits, vegetables and cereals. Thus it will be observed that the former thrive best near the banks of streams; while cereals may grow as rank, if not ranker, here, yet the quality of flour will not be equal to that grown further back, and upon the purely sandy soil.
The soil that we find now upon the surface of the country is but the result of the decomposition of the underlying rocks. As we said above that argillaceous soil is found in sandstone sections, so we must look for the next variety, adobe, in limestone sections. We find adobe soil in Napa County on the west side of Putah Creek in Berryessa Valley, in spots all over Chiles and Pope Valleys, and near the foot of St. Helena, and in Brown's Valley. It is a stiff, cold and disagreeable soil, and one that. is not easily worked. In the winter, when it is wet, it is tenacious, and sticks to a plow-share so as to almost preclude its being worked; and in the sum- mer season it is full of widely yawning cracks which seem ready to engulf anything that may pass over it. Cereals thrive upon it, but it will be no-
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
ticed that the straw is always short, owing to the lack of silica in it as a straw-builder. It is common in the adobe sections to mix sand with it, to reduce it to a compound that will grow vegetables and flowers in gardens. The berry of the wheat is always very plump and full, owing to the fact that in the soil there is a large quantity of the phosphate of lime, which is a great berry-builder in grain. The flour will be always dark and heavy, and is not a favorite with the thrifty housewife, who prides herself upon white and spongy bread. It makes, however, rich food; and when ground into graham flour, is a great up-builder of bone and brain.
We now come to the consideration of the best of all soils to be found in the county, namely, loam. This is found in all the valleys of Napa County, especially in the broad and beautiful Napa Valley. It is composed of the sedimentary deposit which is washed down from the mountains and country above, and is thus composed of all the various kinds of soil that are to be found in the region over which the stream passes. It is hence well adapted to the growing of all kinds of vegetables, cereals and fruits. It is a rich alluvium, and is much sought after by the agriculturalist.
Tule soil is composed of decaying vegetation, roots, sediment, guano, detritus, and whatever else may have been borne down on the bosom of the stream. Much of this soil is to be found from Napa City southward, and along the margin of the bay. It is very rich and productive where the water can be kept off from it. Much of it in this county is so charged with salt from the overflow of the tides of the bay that it is not very pro- ductive. Where such is not the case, it produces vegetables in great profu- sion, and grows fruits and cereals quite well.
We now come to the consideration of the last characteristic soil of Napa County, that formed from lava. This is produced by the decomposition of lava and other volcanic products, and it may be seen on almost all of the mountain sides of the county. It is characterized by its strong shades of color, being mostly red or yellow, owing to the presence of the oxyds of iron in it. It is, however, sometimes white, as the result of decomposed volcanic ash, again it is bluish, and is very often quite spotted. There is also a greenish soil formed from decomposed serpentine. This volcanic soil is spoken of generally by the residents of the county as chemisal lands, and it is claimed that it is excellent for the production of vines. Large tracts of it are being planted into vineyards on Howell Mountain. Should these vineyards prove a success, there is a large amount of this class of land yet available in Napa County for the same purpose, and the future yield of the vine will be something wonderful to contemplate, when all these red chemi- sal hill and mountain sides become thrifty vineyards. Thus have we noticed all the soils of Napa County, and noted what is produced to the best advantage in all of them, but it is not to be understood that we have
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stated all that will grow in the soils. It is well, however, for people to know the nature of the soil they are cultivating, and to study what is the best adapted to it. Money will be made by it.
WATERCOURSES .- The watercourses of Napa County are small as a rule, but quite numerous, as may naturally be expected in a mountainous country. We will begin with Napa River and its tributaries.
NAPA RIVER .- This stream rises at the head of Napa Valley and at the western foot of Mount St. Helena, and flows in a south-eastern direction in a very sinuous course, and empties into Napa Bay, an arm of the San Pablo Bay. It is navigable as far up as Napa City, at which point the rise and fall of the tide is very considerable, being perhaps five feet on an average. This river serves as an outlet for the drainage of all the western portion of the county, and as the water-shed is quite extended and precipitous, over- flows are not uncommon, and large amounts of water are discharged into it in a very short time during a heavy storm.
WHITE SULPHUR CREEK .- Beginning at the source of Napa River, and passing southward, the first tributary of importance we come to is the above- named stream. It rises in the mountains west of the town of St. Helena, and flows eastward through the southern limits of that town, and thence into the Napa River. It is of no importance, however, except for drainage.
CONN CREEK .- This stream rises in Chiles Valley, and flowing westerly through Conn Valley empties into Napa River. It is a small creek, but quite a body of water is discharged through it.
DRY CREEK .- The next stream to the south is Dry Creek, so named on account of its being almost dry during the summer season. It rises in the mountains west of Yountville, and flows south-easterly and its waters are discharged into Napa River.
SACO CREEK .- This is a small stream which rises in the mountains east of the Napa Soda Springs, and flowing south-westerly debouches into the Napa River.
NAPA CREEK .- This stream has its source in the mountains north-west of Napa City, and flows south-easterly, and unites with Napa River at Napa City. It carries a large body of water during the flood season, and it is from this stream that the city suffers the most during an overflow.
SOSCOL CREEK .- This stream has its source in the mountains east of Thompsons' place, and flowing westerly, it passes through their farm and discharges into the Napa River.
CARNEROS CREEK .- This is the last stream that empties into the Napa River. It rises in the range of mountains south-west or west of Napa City,
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
flows south-easterly, and empties as above stated. It is also an inconsider- able stream.
RECTOR CREEK .- Belonging to this system, but not emptying directly into Napa River, is the above named stream. It rises in the mountains north-east of Yountville, and flows in a westerly direction into Conn Creek.
PUTAH CREEK .- The drainage of Napa County is comprised in two general systems-the Napa River and the Putah Creek; and what the former is to the western portion of the county, the latter is to the eastern. Putah Creek, or " Rio de las Putas," as the Spaniards used to call it, has its source far away in the summits of Mounts Cobb and St. Helena, in Lake County. Thence, it flows easterly, until near the Napa County line, when it trends to the southward, flowing in a southerly direction, through Berry- essa Valley. It then bends its course easterly, and flows through the rugged pass known as Putah Cañon, to the plains of Solano County, and thence easterly to the Sacramento River. It is not navigable in any portion of it, but is a wild, fearful mountain stream in the winter season, assuming the proportions of a river.
ETICURA CREEK .- This is a small stream which has its source in the mountains west of Knoxville, and flowing south-westerly, empties into Putah Creek.
POPE CREEK .- This is a stream of quite goodly proportions, and has its source in the mountains at the head of Pope Valley. Thence it flows south- easterly through that valley, and thence through a pass in the mountains to Putah Creek.
OTHER STREAMS .- The above comprise all the watercourses of Napa County that are of any importance, except for drainage. They extend from the babbling brook in the mountains, to the considerable stream. Some of them are known by some local name but are not of enough importance to require a general name. Many of these are most beautiful streams, and are filled with schools of finny beauties, especially trout. Truly, the disciple of old Isaak Walton can find an elyseum here.
CLIMATOGRAPHY .- To write of the excellence of the climate of Napa County, would require the pen of a master. To say that it is lovely, salubrious, and to apply all the other adjectives expressing the optimism of it in the highest degree, would not portray it in overdrawn colors. Truly, this is the resort of the Goddess of Health. Here, with proper dietetic and hygienic habits, desease may become practically unknown. We will begin with the winter season and follow the year through, and try to portray to the reader what each season develops. The rains usually begin about the
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·month of November. The weather just previous has been quite cold, for California, and frost is no uncommon thing, especially in the valleys. But now a perceptible change occurs. The weather moderates quite consider- ably, and the frosty nights are not so common. When it rains here, it generally makes a business of it, and soon the dry and parched earth be- comes saturated. The vegetation begins to spring into newness of life, and the russet spots on the mountain sides are turned to green, and the entire face of the country assumes an emerald hue, presenting a prospect un- excelled anywhere. Then come days of sunshine and days of storm, days of beauty and days of dreariness, interspersed with each other, till the spring-time comes.
Finally, the days of sunshine begin to be in the majority, and the rains are broken up into showers, until the April days come all smiles and tears, like the face of a maiden when the first flush of her new-born love breaks suddenly upon her innocent soul. The vegetation and foliage grows daily denser, and now the whole face of the land is fresh and green. The joyous birds are again swarming the woods in flocks, filling the air with their sweet melodies. These are the days of mating and nest-building, and man can learn both a lesson of love and industry from the merry songsters of the woods. The flowers begin now to peep forth ; first the violet, then the buttercups and daisies, poppies, etc. The trees are also full of bloom, har- bingers of the fruitage that is to come later, and to bless and cheer the heart of man.
Spring-time wanes and early summer begins, and then comes the sweetest, loveliest days of the year. The world is now an emerald tapestry as far as the eye can reach. Mountain and vale, hill and dale, field and glade, fen and brake, meadow and fallow, all, all is of one and the same charming hue. Then comes to the sweet valleys of Napa County days of royal splendor, days when the unobstructed rays of an ascending sun fall in grand profusion upon a world of serenest beauty, days when the heart of man cannot help being exhilarated by the charming landscape, and the blood courses through his veins in the full and strong pulsations of re- newed health and vigor, and as he drinks in the pure air, redolent with the perfumes of many flowers, bracing and sparkling as champagne or the very elixir of life, he is brought to a full realization of the wonderful bounties he enjoys at the hands of a beneficent Providence, and is led to thank God that his lines have been cast in such pleasant places.
Later on and the summer proper is upon us. The grass begins to sere on the mountain sides, beginning always at the lower end of the valley, and the russet spots thus formed contrast beautifully with the green of the shrubs and trees around them, being a landscape painted by the veritable brush of nature, and no human limner can begin to touch the scene with
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
the sweet and delicate tracings of this master artist. The sun now shines down upon the world from a zenith almost above our heads, and across its flood of radiant light never a hand breadth's cloud passes. The days are now quite, though not often uncomfortably warm, but the nights are truly har- bingers of paradise itself. The trade winds now sweep up from the ocean, cool and refreshing, and bearing comfort to the fevered valleys upon their wings. Across the lower end of the valley they blow quite strongly, and are, sometimes, in a measure, disagreeable, but farther up their sharp chill has been exhausted, and they become gentle zephyrs, which must be en- joyed to be fully appreciated. The nights are cool and cheerful, and weary humanity lies down to sound and refreshing slumber, and awakes rested and happy, to go forth and witness charming sunrises, and to breathe de- licious and exhilarating air.
Last of all comes the autumn-the season of fruitage. It is the dying of the year, but the lines of the poet-
" The melancholy days have come The saddest of the year,"
Is not at all true in this section of the State of California, at least. The air that has been so light and pure for the past several months, begins to be filled with haze, and a light film seems to rest on all the mountain sides, which serves in a measure to hide them from view. The air is just as balmy and delicious as it has been during the spring and summer, and more so, indeed, if such a thing were possible. The trade winds come in fitful gusts, veering occasionally to the south-east, betokening the coming storms of winter. Field and orchard are now groaning under their burden of ripened grain and fruit, and the husbandman is reaping in plenteous measure the reward of his summer's toil, and basking in the sunny smiles of Fortune, he cannot but be happy. Farther south each day recedes the declining sun, and shorter and shorter grow the days, betokening that the winter solstice is fast approaching with its meed of storm and rain. And so the years go by in this Arcadia of the Pacific, gliding along in a merry round, made up of but little shadow and storm, but much of sunshine and joy. Thrice blest is he whose home is here; blest in health, blest in climate, and blest in the thrifty products of a rich and fertile soil. What muore but the love of wife and children to bless his home and heart, and the love of God in that heart to make him thankful to the Author of all our good, to make a man supremely blest, supremely happy, and supremely con- tent with his lot in life !
There are some shadows to the picture, however, else it would not be a true portrait of things as they exist in this world. Lights and shadows make up all the pictures in this life, and he who blends them most har-
NATHAN COOMBS.
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Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc.
moniously is he who best adapts himself to his environments, and derives the best and sweetest pleasures from his earthly living. Perhaps the darkest shadow in the picture is the fog, which at times envelopes the whole valley in a dense cloud, rendering the early morning hours damp and disagreeable, but it seldom continues through the day. These fogs of course are more common in the winter season than in the summer. Then there are trade winds, which are sometimes rather too sharp and chilly for comfort. That scourge of California, the north wind, sometimes comes howling down from his home in the upper regions, and gives the people of these delightful valleys a test of his withering strength, but, fortunately, these occasions are rare.
But all in all, the lights are far in the ascendency of the shadows, and at the end of the year, when a retrospect is had, the latter pass into such utter insignificance that they are lost sight of altogether. There are some remarkably healthful sections in Napa County. When the Branch Asylum was about to be located, a committee visited all sections of the State, and determined upon Napa Valley as presenting all the advantages of a health- ful climate ,and hence it was located here. Lately a State Commission has been casting about for a suitable place to establish a sanitarium for con- sumptives, and Atlas Peak is spoken of by them as being most favorably located for the purposes required, and it is quite probable that this institu- tion will be established at that place. Added to the excellent, healthful and charming climate of Napa County, is the fact that there are many health resorts, and the hundreds who annually flock to them attest the appreciation in which they are held by the suffering humanity of the State at large, and especially of San Francisco. We will close this notice by serving it all up in one word-desideratum.
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
INDIANS OF NAPA COUNTY.
The beautiful valleys and mountain recesses of Napa County afforded a grand home for the aboriginal tribes. Here they swarmed in great num- bers, went through the drama of life, birth, consorting and death with stolid indifference. How far back in the course of time this race extends, whence came their progenitors, no man knoweth. If, as some scientists state, the very first evidences of the human race appear on the Pacific Coast (at Angel's Camp, Tuolumne County), why should we doubt that they are not the descendants of this primitive race ? Wars, disease, natural phenomena and other causes may have conspired to destroy the original race from the face of the earth, or it may have remained for the pale-faced progeny of a kindred, yet far removed race, to do the final act in the great drama of their existence as a race. Be all this as it may, the great fact still remains, that when the Whites came to this coast they found it inhabited with a race of copper-colored people of peculiar physique and habits, differing very much indeed from their brothers of the East, the Algonquins. Napa Valley was no exception to the general rule, but was infested by a horde of these rude barbarians. To describe these people, their habits and customs, will be the province of this chapter.
H. H. Bancroft, in his excellent work, "Native Races of the Pacific Coast," states, giving Mr. Hittell as authority, that there were originally six different tribes living in Napa Valley, designating them as follows: Maya- comas, Calajomanas, Caymus, Napas, Ulucas, and Suscols. He also gives, on the authority of Mr. Taylor, the Guenocks and Tulkays, but does not give the location or tribal boundaries of any of these people. Mr. Menefee, in his " Sketch Book," gives Mr. George C. Yount, who arrived among the Indians of Napa Valley as early as 1831, as authority for there being six tribes of them here, designated as above, and he locates them as follows: The Mayacomas tribe dwelt near the Hot Springs, now Calistoga ; the Cal- ajomanas on the lands now known as the Bale Rancho, near St. Helena ; the Caymus on the Yount grant, near the present site of Yountville; the Napas occupied the Mexican grant of Entré Napa, that is, the lands between Napa River and Napa Creek ; the Ulucas on the east side of Napa River, and near Don Cayatano Jaurez's rancho; and the Suscols had ther habita- tions in the vicinity of Thompsons' place.
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Indians of Napa County.
Of the two tribes mentioned above, as noted by Mr. Taylor, the Guen- ocks had their home in the valley of that name in Lake County, and the location of the Tulkays is unknown to the writer. It will be observed that no mention is made in the above lists of any tribes who dwelt in Pope, Chiles or Berryessa Valleys. These valleys were filled with Indians, how- ever, no less than six very large rancherias being in Berryessa Valley alone. We regret that we are unable to place on record the names of these people, but all knowledge of them seems to have passed away.
We will now take a cursory glance at these people as they were in their primitive state. Truly they were a primitive people when the white set- tlers first began coming to the valley. What a race of people that hardy old pioneer, George C. Yount, must have found in possession of this fair valley when he first entered it ! These people did not differ essentially fromn the other tribes in this section of the State, presenting very similar physical characteristics, habits and customs to those of the central portion of the State. They were of medium stature, broad shouldered, strong, lazy, filthy, and vagabondish generally. Nature had provided with a lavish hand for her children in this favored valley, and all they had to do was to reach forth their hands, pluck and eat. No vain ambitions lured them on in the great race of life. No baubles of riches enticed them into hardships of labor, either mental or physical. Theirs only to exist and die. Whence or why they came upon the stage of action, it was not theirs to inquire; and " whither are we drifting?" was a question over which they stopped not to puzzle their dull brains. And who shall say that they were not as happy in their listless life as are we of the higher type who wrestle with the in- evitable almost from our infancy to our dotage ? From an ethical stand- point, and viewing the matter through the lenses of our education, of course we would say that their lives were worse than wasted ; and when they van- ished before the overwhelming tide of civilization, the world was rid of so much garbage. But it is the old story of the man and the lion repeated : seeing a picture of a man, the man remarked to the lion that "there stood the lord of creation." The lion asked who painted the picture, to which the man replied, " a man did." "Ah !" said the lion, "it makes all the dif- ference in the world who paints the picture of the lord of creation. I should have painted a lion." And so it is in this case. Indian ethics are not our ideas of duty to self or man; and it is not improbable that they lived up to the light they had on that subject quite as near as do their suc- cessors.
These people lived in wickeups, which were very small huts made of the boughs of trees, or in thatched lodges, which were huts of a larger pat- tern, and constructed of poles stuck into the ground in a circular shape, and the tops all bent to a common center and fastened, and the sides were cov-
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
ered with thatched wild swamp grass. The climate was so mild that little or no fire was required beyond the purposes of cooking, and this latter art was not a very general custom among them. Raw flesh was as good, if not better to them, than the cooked article. In the matter of clothing they were very indifferent, the males generally roaming about perfectly nude, while the women wore a small protection about the waist, made of the fibres of bark, or grass, or tule stalks.
Of their language, but little is left. Here and there a word has fastened itself upon some ranch or town, and will be handed down through at least a few generations. Thus we have Napa, Tulucay, Caymus, Soscol and a few others. Their language was a deep gutteral, resembling in many respects that now spoken by the Chinese, though we will not venture the assertion that there is any relation existing between the two tongues. As their general habits, customs, legends, etc., were so nearly like those so fully described in the body of this work, in the history of Lake County, we will refer the reader to that chapter for a further consideration of the matter.
It was stated by Mr. Yount, that there were in Napa and Lake Counties some ten or twelve thousand when he arrived in the country, and of this number, from one-third to one-half were in Napa County. A short half cen- tury has sufficed to see them become so entirely extinct that the sight of an Indian has become a great rarity. And what has done this ? Disease was the prime cause, for it is stated that the cholera took them off by thousands in 1833; and it is said that they died so fast that the living were unable to care for the dead. Whole tribes became extinct, it being reported by a traveler on the Sacramento River, that all of one tribe died within a few days except one little girl. Then came war and its kindred calamities as another great decimator of their ranks. Contact with civilization had much to do with it also. Soon after the Whites came among them, prostitution became general, and the women quit bearing children, and the tribes gradually died off, and no young ones grew up to take the places of the old ones. Truly, it seemed a matter of destiny, for it was impossible for the two races to exist in contingency. Mr. Cronise states that the Mission system had much to do with the degradation and final extinction of the Aborigines, but as there never was a Mission in this valley, nor were the Indians of this section ever subject to a Mission, except, possibly, in a very general way, this charge will not hold good here, and the Indians seemed to have dis- appeared here about as soon as anywhere else.
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