fifty years, a great many thousands of people have visited the
Yosemite Valley with their own camping outfits, and, during the
day, and often all night, are absent on distant trips of
observation, with no one left in charge of camp, yet there has
never to my knowledge been an instance of anything being stolen
or molested by Indians. There are, however, some dishonest
Indians, who will steal from their own people, and some times,
when a long distance from their own camp, they may steal from the
whites. A few, if they can get whisky, through the aid of some
white person, will become drunk and fight among themselves, and
occasionally one of them may be killed; but, as a rule, they are
peaceful and orderly, and hold sacred the promise made to the
Indian Commissioners by the old tribal chiefs, when released from
confinement on the reservations, that they would forever keep the
peace, and never again make war against the white people.




Chapter Four.

SOURCES OF FOOD SUPPLY.


The food supply of the Sierra Indians was extensive and abundant,
consisting of the flesh of deer, antelope, elk and mustang
horses, together with fish, water-fowls, birds, acorns, berries,
pine nuts, esculent herbage and the tuberous roots of certain
plants, all of which were easily obtained, even with their simple
and limited means of securing them. Mushrooms, fungi,