Discovery of the Yosemite, and the Indian War of 1851, Which Led to That Event — Background and Themes

Incidents leading to the Discovery of the Yosemite Valley--Major Savage and Savages--Whiskey, Wrangling and War--Skinned Alive--A brisk Fight--Repulse--Another Fight, and Conflagration 1

The Governor of California issues a Proclamation--Formation of the Mariposa Battalion--The Origin and Cause of the War--New Material Public Documents--A Discussion--Capt. Walker--The Peace Commissioners’ Parley and the Indians’ Pow-wow--The Mysterious Deep Valley--Forward, March! 29

March Down the South Fork--Capture of an Indian Village--Hungry Men--An able Surgeon--Snow Storms--Visit of Ten-ie-ya, Chief of the Yosemites--Commander’s Dilemma--Unique Manner of Extrication--Approaching the Valley--First View--Sensations Experienced--A Lofty Flight Brought Down 40

Naming the Valley--Signification and Origin of the Word--Its proper Pronunciation: Yo-sem-i-ty--Mr. Hutchings and Yo-Ham-i-te--His Restoration of Yo-sem-i-te 57

Date of Discovery--First White Visitors--Captain Joe Walker’s Statement--Ten-ie-ya’s Cunning--Indian Tradition--A Lying Guide--The Ancient Squaw--Destroying Indian Stores--Sweat-houses--The Mourner’s Toilet--Sentiment and Reality--Return to Head-quarters, 70

Out of Provisions--A Hurried Move--Mills where Indians take their Grists, and Pots in which they Boil their Food--Advance Movement of Captain Dill--A Hungry Squad--Enjoyment--Neglect of Duty--Escape of Indians--Following their Trail--A Sorrowful Captain--A Mystery made Clear--Duplicity of the Chow-chillas--Vow-chester’s Good-will Offering--Return of the Fugitives--Major Savage as Agent and Interpreter 92

Campaign against the Chow-chillas--The Favorite Hunting Ground--A Deer Hunt and a Bear _Chase_--An Accident and an Alarm--A Torch-light Pow-wow--Indians Discovered--Captain Boling’s Speech--Crossing of the San Joaquin--A Line of Battle, its Disappearance--Capture of Indian Village--Jose Rey’s Funeral-pyre--Following the Trail--A Dilemma--Sentiment and Applause--Returning to Camp--Narrow Escape of Captain Boling 105

A Camp Discussion--War or Police Clubs--Jack Regrets a Lost Opportunity--Boling’s Soothing Syrup--A Scribe Criticises and Apologises--Indian War Material and its Manufacture--The Fire-stick and its Sacred Uses--Arrival at Head-quarters 123

Starvation Subdues the Chow-chillas, and the Result is Peace--Captain Kuykendall’s Expeditions--An Attack--Rout and Pursuit--A Wise Conclusion--Freezing out Indians--A Wild Country--A Terrific View--Yosemite _versus_ King’s River--Submission of the Indians South of the San Joaquin--Second Expedition to Yosemite--Daring Scouts--Capture of Indians--Naming of “Three Brothers” 135

A General Scout--An Indian Trap--Flying Artillery--A Narrow Escape--A Tragic Scene--Fortunes of War--A Scout’s Description--Recovery from a Sudden Leap--Surrounded by Enemies 148

Camp Amusements--A Lost Arrow--Escape of a Prisoner--Escape of Another--Shooting of the Third--Indian Diplomacy--Taking His Own Medicine--Ten-ie-ya Captured--Grief over the Death of His Son--Appetite under Adverse Circumstances--Poetry Dispelled--Really a Dirty Indian 160

Bears and Other Game--Sickness of Captain Boling--Convalescence and Determination--A Guess at Heights--A Tired Doctor and a Used-up Captain--Surprising an Indian--Know-nothingness, or Native Americanism--A Clue and Discovery--A Short-cut to Camp, but an Unpopular Route 175

The Indian Names--Difficulty of their Interpretation--Circumstances Suggesting Names of Vernal, Nevada and Bridal Veil Falls--Mr. Richardson’s Descriptions of the Falls and Round Rainbow--Py-we-ack Misplaced, and “_Illiluette_” an Absurdity--An English Name Suggested for Too-lool-lo-we-ack, Pohono and Tote-ack-ah-nü-la--Indian Superstitions and Spiritual Views--A Free National Park Desirable--Off on the Trail 198

A Mountain Storm--Delay of Supplies--Clams and Ipecac--Arrival of Train--A Cute Indian--Indian Sagacity--A Dangerous Weapon--Capture of Indian Village--An Eloquent Chief--Woman’s Rights _versus_ Squaw’s Wrongs--A Disturbed Family--A Magnificent Sunrise--On a Slippery Slope--Sentiment and Poetry--Arrival at the Fresno 222

The Flora of the Region of the Yosemite--General Description of the Valley and its Principal Points of Interest, with their Heights 240

A Trip to Los Angeles--Interview with Colonel McKee--A Night at Colonel Fremont’s Camp--Management of Cattle by the Colonel’s Herdsmen--Back to Los Angeles--Specimen Bricks of the Angel City--An Addition to our Party--Mules _versus_ Bears--Don Vincente--A Silver Mine--Mosquitos--A Dry Bog--Return to Fresno--Muster out of Battalion--A Proposition 257

Captain Boling elected Sheriff--Appointment of Indian Agents--Ten-ie-ya allowed to Return to Yosemite--Murder of Visitors--Lieut. Moore’s Expedition and Punishment of Murderers--Gold Discoveries on Eastern Slope of Sierras--Report of Expedition, and First _Published_ Notice of Yosemite--Squatter Sovereignty--Assault upon King’s River Reservation--The supposed Leader, Harvey, Denounced by Major Savage--A Rencounter, and Death of Savage--Harvey Liberated by a Friendly Justice--An Astute Superintendent--A Mass Meeting--A Rival Aspirant--Indians and Indian Policy 272

Murder of Starkey--Death of Ten-ie-ya and Extinction of his Band--A few Surviving Murderers--An Attempt at Reformation--A Failure and Loss of a Mule--Murders of Robert D. Sevil and Robert Smith--Alarm of the People--A False Alarm 291

Engineering and History--Speculation and Discouragement--A New Deal--Wall Street--A Primitive Bridge--First Woman in the Yosemite--Lady Visitors from Mariposa and Lady Teachers from San Francisco--Measurements of Heights--First Houses and their Occupants--A Gay Party and a Glorious Feast 301

Golden Theories and Glaciers 319

Big Trees of California or Sequoia Gigantea--Their Discovery and Classification 333

Statistics--Roads and Accommodations--Chapel and Sunday School--Big Farms and Great Resources--A Variety of Products--Long Hoped for Results 343

The book here presented is the result of an attempt to correct existing errors relative to the Yosemite Valley. It was originally designed to compress the matter in this volume within the limits of a magazine article, but this was soon found to be impracticable; and, at the suggestion of Gen. C. H. Berry, of Winona, Minnesota, it was decided to “write a book.”

This, too, proved more difficult than at first appeared.