they were justly entitled to protection by the Government and
compensation for the spoliations and grievances they had
suffered.

These protests doubtless had some influence in delaying hostile
measures, and in the inauguration of efforts to induce the
Indians to come in and treat with the Commissioners, envoys being
sent out to assure them of fair treatment and personal safety.
Many of the Indians accepted these offers, and, as the different
tribes surrendered, they were taken to the two reservations which
the Commissioners had established for them on the Fresno River,
the principal one being a few miles above the place where the
town of Madera is now located.

As before stated, these Indians were not a warlike people. Their
only weapons were their bows and arrows, and these they soon
found nearly useless in defending themselves at long range
against soldiers armed with rifles. Moreover, their stock of
provisions was so limited that they either had to surrender or
starve.


DISCOVERY OF YOSEMITE VALLEY.

The Yosemites and one or two other bands of Indians had refused
to surrender, and had retreated to their mountain strongholds,
where they proposed to make a last determined resistance. Active
preparations were accordingly made by the State authorities to
follow them, and either capture or exterminate all the tribes
involved. For this purpose a body of State volunteers, known as