USA > California > Santa Barbara County > History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 3
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SIR FRANCIS DRAKES' OPERATIONS.
Sir Francis Drake reached the Pacific Ocean in 1578, through the Straits of Magellan, thirty-six years after Cabrillo had named the Cape of Mendo- eino, and, not having heard of the former expedition, took possession of the whole country in the name of Queen Elizabeth. It has been claimed for him that he discovered the bay of San Francisco, but the lati- tude in which he located it (37° 59 5") proves it to have been some miles north at a place now called Drake's Bay, though the most of the old geographers give the present seaport as " The Bay of Sir Francis Drake." It remained for another exploring party to discover and name the great harbor of the world. It seems strange that the navigator. having, as he did, much intercourse with the natives, should have failed to have learned of the inland sea, which could have been seen from the mountains in sight of his anchorage. A century passed before the Golden Gate was plowed by the keels of commerce. The discovery was made while the fathers were establish- ing the missions which formed so important a part in the settlement of California.
*For the foregoing particulars of Cabrillo's expedition we are indebted to the kindness of Dr. L. N. Dimmick, of Santa Barbara.
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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
CHAPTER II. THE NATIVE RACES.
Native Races -- Remains of Indian Towns-Antiquities of Santa Barbara County-Dr. Dimmick's Account of the Indians- Contemporaries of the Mound-Builders-Ancient Skeletons -Smoking and Fishing Apparatus-Cassac's Explorations- Dos Pueblos-Later Discoveries-Painted Rocks-Painted Cave-From Cabrillo's Time to the Missionary Period.
AN account of the native races, as they were seen by Cabrillo and the other explorers, will be necessary to a proper understanding and appreciation of the herculean labors of the missionaries. In treating of this subject, it will be necessary to refer to many explorations made in late years by scientists, of the ancient villages, burial places, and utensils of the now almost extinct races, for the Indians whom the missionaries gathered into their folds seem to have been very different from those which Cabrillo and the other early explorers saw.
REMAINS OF INDIAN TOWNS.
The hundreds of mounds in various parts of Santa Barbara and Ventura Connties, on the islands as well as on the main-land, demonstrate the former density of the population. It is believed by many that a larger number of people inhabited this portion of the country than any of the same extent known. Some of these towns are miles in extent, almost deserving the names of cities. The frequency of these remains indicate a general occupation of the country rather than a concentration of population. Within the last year, the winds drifting the soil away from an ex- posed point on Santa Rosa Island, uncovered fifty or more skeletons of persons, which seem to have per- ished by one common catastrophe. One of the towns on Santa Rosa Island bears evidence of having been three miles in length by a half mile in breadth. Over fourteen tons of relics have been exhumed and forwarded to the Smithsonian Institute at Washing- ton. The most of these were of an entirely differ- ent character from the utensils and arms found in the Indian camps in the northern part of the State. Many able persons have explored these ancient town sites. One of the most active in the search was the Rev. Stephen Bowers, who mingled a goodly por- tion of science with his theology. The following account of one visit, taken from the Press of August 7, 1875, will show the interest taken in the matter, and also the success of the search :---
ANTIQUITIES OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
"Southern California is particularly rich in antiq- uities, and affords a fine field for the antiquarian and the archaeologist. Indeed, this entire coast, from Washington Territory to San Diego, abounds in the remains of former races. But Santa Barbara has proved to be the richest of all in antiquities. Some months since, the writer discovered a burial-place in an old rancheria at More's Landing, ncar Santa Bar- bara, which yielded several skeletons, a number of arrow-heads, shell ornaments, etc. This was on the
premises of Mr. Thomas Wallace More. Last month the writer conducted a division of the Wheeler United States Geographical and Geological Survey, under Doctors Yarrow and Rothrock, of the United States Army, to this spot, who further explored it with success. This led to the discovery of another ' bonanza' near by, on what is called the 'Island.' This is a tract of land belonging to Mr. Alexander More, containing about seventy acres, and at high tide, twice a month, is completely surrounded by water. It is made of decomposed slate, with a dip of about 30° west, and is post pliocene. This island is covered with marine shells, and other kitchen refuse, to the depth of from two to six feet. The overflowed land surrounding was once a day yielding vast quantities of edible mollusks, upon which the tribes on this and the adjacent elevations subsisted.
"From the two locations mentioned, the 'Wheeler party shipped fifty boxes of antiquities, amounting to some ten tons, which has about exhausted the place. In the first-mentioned place, the skeletons were lying with faces downward and heads to the west, while on the 'Island,' the heads were generally to the north, faces down, and knees drawn up against the breast. The skulls differed but little from existing aboriginal races on this coast, the facial angle denot- ing ordinary intelligence. The bones were large, and the processes on them denoted great physical devel- opment. The remains of but few animals were found, except seals, fish, and mollusks, and occasion- ally the bone of a dog. Large quantities of a small, black seed were found in some places, supposed to have been used in making a beverage. Numbers of pipes indicated the smoking propensities of the own- ers. They were made from steatite, some of them being a foot in length, having polished bone month- pieces.
"The principal antiquities found were ollas, finely carved from magnesium limestone, pipes, vases, cups, ladles, tortilla stones, from same material; beads and innumerable trinkets, manufactured from shells; mor- tars, pestles, and war-clubs from sandstones, etc. The mollusks upon which they subsisted were prin- cipally haliotis, chione succinta, pectens, tapes, crepedu- las, and oysters. The ollas were used for many cooking vessels, while many of the smaller vessels, and haliotis shells were, doubtless, used as drinking- cups. A few iron implements, wrapped in fur, were found; also an old Spanish axe ornamented with feathers, the impressions of which were visible in the rust.
"Among the ornaments were ear-pendants, brooches, beads, etc. Rude knives of flint were common, and occasionally one of obsidian. Bone drill-heads, per- forators, etc., were somewhat abundant. Instru- ments of flint, from three to six inches long, chipped into the shape of a three-cornered file, were found with the skeletons, which, I presume, were used for the double purpose of rasp and spear-head. The war clubs were made of sandstone and limestone, and were from twenty to twenty-six inches in length. They were usually about two and a half inches in diameter at the larger end, and gradually tapered to about one and a half inches at the smaller end, where an ornamental knob or band kept the hand from slipping. The spear and arrow-heads were very fine. The former were sometimes ten inches long, manufactured from whitish flint, and showing the highest workmanship. Some of the vessels had been broken while in use, and cemented with asphal- tum, holes being drilled on each side of the fracture, and thongs inserted. A small portion of a fish net
FOUNDED DEC. 4 4 1780.
PRESENT BUILDINGS COMPLETED 1822.
THE MISSION OF SANTA BARBARA AT PRESENT IN CHARGE OF REV. FATHER J.J. O'KEEFE , SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
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THE NATIVE RACES.
was found, which had ingeniously been made of threads manufactured of some kind of grass. In some instances haliotis shells and small stone vessels had been filled with paint. In other instances the paint had been made into balls and squares, and ornamented. Beads of shell and stone were used for embroidery, and for other ornamental purposes. The remains of old dug-outs or boats made of redwood were found. In all the ollas and graves were found pieces of redwood. showing a superstitious regard for that wood. Wampum, made of olivella shells, was common among the trinkets. Several speci- mens of a kind of flute made of bone, were found among the remains. 1
"The place had undoubtedly been inhabited for sev- eral hundred years, and was not abandoned mtil the present century, or until after the presence of the white race. In one instance I found be- side a skeleton a war-club of stone, a harpoon of copper, and a spear of iron. The iron was con- siderably decayed. Here was a representation of the three different ages of man, the stone, the bronze, and the iron. The skeletons, which were numerous, were buried from two to six feet below the surface."
Dr. L. N. Dimmick, to whom we are indebted for many valuable papers on this subject, furnishes the following account of the Indians of this vicinity :-
ACCOUNT OF THE NATIVE RACES-CONTEMPORARIES OF THE MOUND-BUILDERS.
"Of the inhabitants of this country, previous to its discovery by Cabrillo in 1542, nothing is known except as is developed by a minute examination of their rancherias and cemeteries. From these have been obtained niany tons of their household utensils, tools, weapons, ornaments, and various other articles that throw light upon their domestic economy, occupa- tions, character, and history. When this coast was discovered by Cabrillo, no other portion was found so densely populated as this vicinity. The early records of the missions give the names of over 150 clans or rancherias that were located in the limits of the ter- ritory, afterwards incorporated into the county of Santa Barbara. The supply of food seems to have been so abundant that there was no struggle for ex- istence, and the climate so even and delightful, that they showed their appreciation of these conditions by crowding it with a dense population, who, for a long period, enjoyed here a peaceful and indolent life. Excavations into the cemeteries show that many of the localities had been occupied continuously, prob- ably for ten centuries at least.
ANCIENT SKELETONS.
"With the skeletons, that, from the measure of decay, seem to have been buried from 100 to 300 years, were found a few modern beads and other articles of European manufacture, mingled with stone; wood, bone, and shell implements. Still deeper beneath these graves were found remains more decayed, with only the stone and shell utensils. Layers were found of deeper and deeper interments, in which the human remains crumbled into dust on being exposed to the air. Notwithstanding the dry character of the soil would favor their longer preser- vation, these skeletons exhibited an antiquity equally great with the remains of the mound-builders in the Mississippi Valley. The skulls resemble those of the more intelligent of the native races. The bones in- dicated a muscular race, of medium stature, some-
what taller than the more inland tribes. The sites of their villages are covered with the remains of mollusks, fish, and seals, showing that from these animals they obtained the larger portion of their food. The rarity of warlike implements indicates that they were a peaceful race. Their care for the dead proves that they were not destitute of natural affection, and the fact that they buried with their departed friends all the implements and other articles of value belonging to them, testifies that they be- lieved in a future state of existence, where these arti- «les might be of value to them. The bodies were usually buried with the face downward, and the knees drawn up under the body.
STRANGE RELICS.
" With many of the skeletons of females were found balls of red ochre. Sometimes this was carefully pre- served in abalone shells or in small stone cups. Brace- lets and necklaces of bone and shells. together with strings of shell beads and shell ear-rings, had been buried with them. The most common domestic utensil was the stone mortar and pestle, which were of all sizes, from those holding three or four gallons down to those holding a pint. In these they doubt- less pounded their acorns and other seeds, which they seasoned with grasshoppers when they were plentiful enough. They had tortilla stones cut out of soapstone, or steatite, that were fireproof, on which they baked their acorn cakes. They also carved from this same kind of stone neat cooking utensils. They are globular with rather narrow apertures, often encircled by raised rims, and will hold from half a gallon to four gallons. Cups, bowls, and ladles were earved from serpentine and highly polished. Rude knives and awls were made from flint and bone. Abalone shells were used for drinking purposes and for plates. Needles were made of bone.
.
SMOKING AND FISHING APPARATUS.
"Highly polished serpentine pipes, with hollow bone mouth-pieces, cemented in place with asphaltum, in- dicate that they liked to enjoy their ease when smoking, as the straight elongated pipe was only adapted to be used with comfort when the smoker was in a recumbent position. They made fish-hooks of both bone and shell. Arrow and spear-heads were of flint, as also were the serapers with which they dressed and prepared the seal skins for their cloth- ing. Remains of nets and the abundance of sinkers found on the islands near the best fishing-grounds, show they were experts in this mode of catching fish. These sinkers were generally discoidal stones, with the opening in the center beveled. It is prob- able that they had secondary uses for these stone rings, and that they were used in playing games. One variety of these discoidal stones is club-headed in form, and is supposed to have been used on sticks of wood for convenience in digging the ground for roots. Whistles and flutes of hollow bones of birds show that they were not entirely destitute of musical taste. Their shell money was generally small, round pieces of flat shells, perforated in the center, or else small shells like the olivellas, truncated at the apex to permit them to be strung together. Beautiful models of boats were carved in serpentine. As the northern tribes on the Sacramento River and around the bay of San Francisco knew nothing about boats, having only balsas, which were small rafts of tules or rushes, the possession of these small models, which they evidently prized highly, and the boats which they possessed in abundance when Cabrillo first visited
18
HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
them, and which he describes as constructed with bent planks, cemented with bitumen, the largest of them capable of carrying twenty persons in safety across the channel between the main-land and the outlying islands, proves them to have been a much more intelligent race than any of the more northern tribes. But as soon as the eye of the white man rested upon them they began to melt away. A little . more than 300 years later and the native race was almost extinct. This fair domain, once their exclu- sive possession, is now in the occupancy of another race, who wander over the deserted homes that are all the record this vanished race left of their history " of their inner life, their aspirations, hopes, and fears in the unrecorded past."
Cassac, a learned Frenchman, explored this region some years since, and expressed a decided opinion that the Indians were of the same races that settled Mexico. This opinion was based on the character of the implements found in their burial-places. The boring tools of siliceous stone found on the coast, pestles and mortars made of sandstone, amulets and small vases made of schist, or staurotide and steatite, in which the wealthy kept their shell jewelry, all indicated a higher race than the Shoshones which occupied the northern part of the State. Some prog- ress had been made in agriculture, as was proved by the use of a stone implement with a wooden handle, which was used to cultivate or pulverize the ground. The pipes made of steatite, he thought, were used in religious ceremonies, not for smoking tobacco but to offer incense to their deities. A plant was used for this purpose called the " California Stafiata." He also thought the same pipes were used to make a dry blister or moxa in some forms of disease. The Indian remains at Tulare Lake and on the Cuyamas River, he thinks, were of the same origin. The boundaries of the territory of this race, he thinks, were San Fer- nando on the east, Soledad towards the north, and the Arroyo Grande, in San Luis Obispo County, on the coast. They spoke a different language from the In- dians of San Luis Obispo. There were different dia- lects among themselves, showing a long and perma- nent residence in their separate localities. Each of the islands had a dialect. Mons. Cassac assured the people that they had in their midst antiquities which had begun to interest the whole world.
DOS PUEBLOS.
Within the memory of persons now living, there were two Indian villages at the Dos Pueblos. The people of these two towns, though separated only by an insignificant stream, spoke different languages, and were of an entirely different character, one people being short, thick, and swarthy, the other tall, slender, and of light complexion. One village was peopled by congeners of the Shoshones, the other by the Aztec race. Which was the older, which the aggressor, whether a long series of wars had taught each to respect the rights and territories of the other, is unknown. The depth of the kitchen refuse and the presence of shells of an extinct variety of mol-
lusks at a depth of several feet, fixes the residence of the Indians here nearly as far back as the Christian era, and contemporary with the mound-builders.
LATER DISCOVERIES.
Since the examinations of the Indian villages by Cassac, Yarrow, Bowers, and others, many things have been discovered which increase our interest in the matter. Three different places are known, north of the Santa Barbara Mountains, where paved circu- lar courts exist, which evidently were used for relig- ious or other public purposes. These are usually fifty feet or more in diameter, but one on the Sisquoc, fifty miles from its junction with the Santa Maria, is nearly two hundred feet in diameter, and so elaborate in its character as to point it out as a place of much importance in former times. It is composed of an outer circle of stones set a few inches above the ground. Inside of this circle is a paved court, with alleys or walks made with similarly elevated stones leading towards the center of the circle.
The center seems to have been set with several pieces of timber, possibly flag-staffs. Cabrillo saw something of this kind on the islands. It will be recollected that the North American tribes of In- dians had a habit of dancing or leaping around a post, on which were hung trophies of battle. This ancient temple is situated on an elevation between two creeks or ravines, which empty into the Sisquoc nearly together, and commands an extensive view up and down the river. The country around seems to have been thickly settled.
LA PIEDRA PINTADA (PAINTED ROCKS).
About eighty miles from Santa Barbara, near the boundary line of the county, on a level piece of land near the foot of the mountains, is one of the most singular and important relics of the pre-historical races, perhaps, that exists in California. It appears to have been a stone wigwam forty or fifty yards in diameter, built on a stone floor of so compact a char- acter as to much resemble a natural stone. The cen- ter of the place, as in the paved court before referred to, is of earth, as if to receive posts or timbers. The roof has fallen in, and the place is much dilapidated; all of the walls remaining are covered with paintings of halos, circles, with radiations from the center, like spokes, and in some instances, squares. Every avail- able space is occupied with figures of some sort. A variety of colors is used, though blue seems to predominate. A cross, five feet in length, in white paint, on the highest portion of the remaining walls, seems to have been a work of some of the fathers at a recent date.
On the Cuyamas River arc found some rocks of a lightish gray sandstone, also painted with figures dif- fering from the others. One of these is a representa- tion of the sun. Another figure represents a man with extended arms, as if reaching for something. The Spanish population named it El Sol. All of these works evidently belong to another race than the
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PERMANENT OCCUPATION OF CALIFORNIA.
swarthy Indian, that occupied California at the com- ing of the white man.
PAINTED CAVE.
Near the summit of the Santa Barbara Mountains, and not far from the San Marcus Road, is one similar in character, though other things than circles are introduced, some of the paintings representing non- descript dragons and snakes, monsters in fact. Every available inch of space is covered with paintings of some kind. The cave is about sixteen feet in depth by twelve in width, and is in a perpendicular rock some fifty feet or more in height, the mouth being several feet above the base of the rock, is a soft, friable sandstone, which is breaking away from exposure to rains and weather. The face of the rock gives indications of once having been also covered with paintings. Five different colors are recognized in the decorations, if they may be called such. They must have been the work of many months of industry. Other rocks in the vicinity are painted, but in a less pretentious manner. There is no doubt but these figures are the work of people living some hundred years since. Their design and use may possibly be deciphered by Mexican antiquarians.
FROM CABRILLO'S TIME TO THE MISSIONARY PERIOD.
Some extraordinary fatality must have overtaken the Indians during the century which elapsed be- tween the discovery of the coast and islands by Cabrillo, and the coming of the missionaries, for no such numbers as Cabrillo mentions were found by Father Junipero Serra. There are traditions of a terrible destruction of the island Indians by the hunters of the otter from Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The gentle Aztec was no match in a strug- gle for life with the fierce Shoshone of the interior. Even the Spanish, with their fire-arms and supe- rior knowledge, often found their match when the Mokelkos and Cosumnes swooped down upon their herds of cattle and horses. What chance then bad the comparatively peaceful Aztec ? There are many indications of a catastrophe among the island In- dians. Numerous skeletons have been unearthed, which showed fractures of the skull. During a re- cent high wind fifty or more skeletons were uncov- ered, all having the appearance of perishing by vio- lence. Those who study the type of the few remain- ing Indians will have no difficulty in distinguishing the mild, dignified, and intellectual face of the Aztec from the swarthy, low-browed, square-built Shoshone, who retreated into the mountains at the coming of the white man, and kept up a predatory warfare until the coming of the gold-hunters made a change of base necessary. The character of the Indians found at the coming of the missionaries will be fully treated in connection with their Christianization by the Fathers.
CHAPTER III.
PERMANENT OCCUPATION OF CALIFORNIA.
The Exiles of Loreto-Father Tierra's Methods of Conversion- Death of Father Tierra-Arrest of the Jesuits-Midnight Parting-Permanent Occupation of California-Missions in Charge of Francisco Friars-Character of Father Junipero- Exploring Expeditious-Origin of the Name of the Bay- Mission Dolores-Death of Father Junipero.
IT was the custom of the Spanish Government to send out a certain number of Christian missionaries with each expedition, whether for discovery or con- quest. When the conquerors took possession of a new territory, in the name of the King of Spain, the accompanying Fathers also claimed it for the spirit .- ual empire of the Holy Church, and in this manner California became, at onee, the possession of both church and State, by right of discovery and con- quest.
As before stated, California was discovered in 1534, by an expedition which Cortez had caused to be fitted out in the inland seas of Tehuantepec. From that time, during a period of 150 years, some twenty maritime expeditions sailed successfully from the shores of New Spain to the coast of California with the object of perfecting its conquest; but none of them obtain ed any satisfactory result, beyond an imperfect knowledge of the geographical situation of the country. The barren aspect of the coast, and the nakedness and poverty of the savages, who lived in grottoes, caves, and holes in the ground, clearly indicated that they had scarcely advanced beyond the primitive condition of man, and discouraged the adventurers who were in search of another country like Mexico, abounding in natural wealth and the appliances of a rude civilization. After the expendi- ture of immense sums of both publie and private wealth, the permanent settlement of California was despaired of. The Spanish Government would ad- vance no more money, private enterprise was turned in another direction, and it was decided to give over the so far fruitless experiment to the fathers of the church. Many attempts had been made to Christian- ize the natives of the Pacific Coast. Cortez is said to have had several ecclesiasties in his train, though there is no account of their having attempted to con- vert the natives, or even of landing them. The first. recor ded attempt was made about the beginning of the year 1596 by four Francisean friars, who came with Viscaino's expedition. During their stay of two months at La Paz, they visited many of the Indians, who thought them children of the sun, and treated them very kindly. Three Carmelite friars also came with Viscaiño's third expedition in 1602, two Jesuit missionaries in 1648, two Franciscans in 1688, and three Jesuits in 1683, the latter with the expedition of Admiral Otondo. The celebrated Father Kuhno was one who came with the latter expedition. Once, when attempting to explain the doctrines of the res- urrection to the savages, he was at loss for a word to
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