DOCAS GOES TO THE RED HILL
ONE day Massea said, “Docas, we have used the last of our red earth. We must go to the red hill and get some more.” They wanted the red earth to paint their bodies.
Next morning they started very early, while it was still cold. They went to the creek near by and took some mud from the bank. This they smeared all over their bodies to keep them warm. After they were covered with mud the cold wind did not strike the bare skin, so they were warmer.
Then they walked south across the valley toward what we now call the New Almaden Mine. Docas was old enough and strong enough to walk almost as far as his father.
A little after noon they came to the hill where the red earth was. They filled some baskets with it and sat down to rest. They soon saw five more Indians coming with empty baskets.
When they came nearer Massea spoke to them, and asked them from what place they came. They said they lived over on the coast on the southern part of the big bay. They told Massea that they had gone to live at what was called the Carmel Mission. Massea had never heard of a mission before, so he asked them to tell him what it was.
One of the strange Indians said, “Some white men came and settled near our rancheria.”
Docas had been sitting by his father’s side all this time, listening. When he heard this, he said to Massea, “Oh, father, perhaps it is some of the white men who came past our rancheria when I was a little boy.”
Massea said, “Perhaps.”
Then he asked the strange Indian if they were the white men who had come across the mountains about eight summers ago.