See "Legend of the Tul-tok´-a-na."]

Being attacked in this unexpected manner, the Indian defended
himself to the best of his ability, using for the purpose the
dead limb of a tree which was near at hand, and, after a long and
furious struggle, in which he was badly wounded, he at length
succeeded in killing the bear.

His exploit was considered so remarkable by the rest of the tribe
that they called him Yo-sem´-i-te (meaning a full-grown grizzly
bear), in honor of his achievement, and this name was transmitted
to his children, and eventually to the whole tribe.


LEGEND OF THE TUL-TOK´-A-NA.

There were once two little boys living in the Valley of
Ah-wah´-nee, who went down to the river to swim. When they had
finished their bath they went on shore and lay down on a large
boulder to dry themselves in the sun. While lying there they fell
asleep, and slept so soundly that they never woke up again.
Through many moons and many snows they slept, and while they
slept the great rock [El Capitan] on which they lay was slowly
rising, little by little, until it soon lifted them up out of
sight, and their friends searched for them everywhere without
success. Thus they were carried up into the blue sky, until
they scraped their faces against the moon; and still they slept
on.

[Illustration: _Photograph by Fiske_.