Colonial Expeditions to the Interior of California Central Valley, 1800-1820

by Sherburne Friend Cook

23rd day. We set out at about seven o’clock in the morning and traveled some three leagues to the northwest, ignoring the turns, where we came upon a village, which according to count could contain 900 persons, although they were segregated in three villages, each at some distance from the other.[46] We saw only one of them, where about 150 persons presented themselves, of both sexes and all ages. They showed us their landing place, and the houses made it clear that twice as many people lived there. They had heard [about our arrival] the previous night and the majority fled. We gave them a few little presents and they responded in a like manner. It is an excellent place to fish for salmon.

We started out again about two o’clock in the afternoon and went about five leagues and at the halfway point we found a village which had no more than two persons. They said that the rest of the people had fled because they had heard that we were coming that way. They had taken up the houses, which are of straw, and all their personal belongings. The currents of the river downstream strike sharply against this village. The land is a little higher, the oaks can be seen from the opposite shore, and there is already dry land along the river we are following. So say the Indians. Farther down we came onto another village which had been completely removed at the same time. We even caught them going ashore, whereupon they threw away their possessions, abandoned their boats, and hid in the tule swamps. No matter how hard we tried we could not succeed in finding more than four persons and two dogs. They said they had done this on account of the fear which they had for us. Here again is land under water. On this day the Father from San José baptized some sick people and infants who had some connection with the neophytes of San José Mission. During the afternoon we cruised to the northwest, with some turns to the north. The river divides into two channels, but soon they join again forming an island.[47]

24th day. The previous night we slept in the tule swamp and the water reached our blankets at the turn of the tide. The whole area is this way for several leagues. The water rose about one and one-half varas. We observed that the people who had run away from the rancheria, as I have said, yelled a great deal, obviously to collect together all the inhabitants who had hidden by letting them know that we had already moved on.

We set out about six o’clock in the morning, following the direction of the river, which runs to the northwest, although it turns occasionally north and south. We traveled about seven leagues and came upon several openings which entered and left here and there, but all of little consequence. They all connect with the river which we are following. In the afternoon we started at one o’clock. The river widens wherever it shoals, and in some places becomes almost a bay, because the land is very low. After going three leagues from this afternoon’s starting point we came upon the entrance which we took on the 18th on the up-trip and the one of which I spoke on the 22nd. Here the waters of the river again unite.[48] This entrance remains on the left hand going downstream. There are a few small trees, like brush, and on the opposite bank also a few other small trees. If people come up this way again, they should leave this entrance to their right hand and go directly up the river because this [route] is much better and shorter. We went on down the river. At half a league we took another channel on the right [going downstream] which is an arm of the Río de San Francisco [Sacramento] and which connects here with the San Juan Capistrano [San Joaquin]. This can be navigated only by pilots familiar with the terrain, such as performed the task for us. It seems small at first, but later widens considerably, and from here on travels northward. At the end of a league we encountered two other entrances, one of which leads north and the other east. That to the east we did not explore, for, according to the statements of the Indians, who said that it came to an end soon, it appeared to me to be one of the [branches of] the Río San Juan Capistrano which we saw this morning, and which breaks off to the right. I was not certain of this but it seemed likely, according to the direction and the opinion of the Indians. We took the branch to the north, as I said, and in a little while we stopped on a height in the midst of a thicket full of trees of considerable thickness, but which is nevertheless an island, as we saw in the following days. To the other side of this high ground everything is under water. The Indians today did not cease returning to see what course we were taking, but we could not catch them because everywhere they hide in the swamps.

25th day. We set out at seven o’clock in the morning. We cruised to the north, with a few turns to the east. I have already said that this is a branch of the Río de San Francisco. It is necessary to traverse it by day because it has several tree trunks crosswise in the channel, but it has depth and width. At about three leagues we suddenly ran onto three heathen Indians. At first they fled precipitately, but soon they halted, because one had just been on a visit to Mission San José with the two other heathen and two neophytes of the same mission, San José. These we sent to the village so that we should not come upon it unexpectedly. The third [heathen] we took with us in the boat. At about two leagues we descried the village, which was in two sections, one on each side of the river.[49] As soon as [the inhabitants] saw us there began a great uproar, in spite of which they told us by signs where the river was deepest. The two guides whom we carried with us managed to make them be quiet, and performed good services in this respect. We went ashore and only the priests and two soldiers stayed in the boat. The Indians went ahead with their chatter and finally they [the natives] calmed down. The village, as I have said already, is divided between the two banks of the river, which is perhaps 30 to 40 varas wide. Those on the left hand, which is to the west,[50] were of evil disposition. However much those on the right bank tried, they could not induce more than half of the men [on the left bank] to cross to the other side. Finally they were half pacified, although it always seemed as if they were in a bad mood. They were given a few little presents, and they gave acorn mush to the neophytes. About 200 men presented themselves, for other villages had joined them. Already they had told us that they, the Tauquimenes, were going to fight.

There was a large population but only a few old women allowed themselves to be seen. The young women, boys, and girls had hidden, either in the brush or in the houses themselves. Soon after we had arrived there sixteen young men appeared, making a disturbance, as they are accustomed to do. One of the chiefs ran to meet them, as well as an elderly woman, and took their bows away from them. We ate with them, although it was rather uncomfortable because they never did quiet down entirely. They said they were behaving in this manner because they had been told that we had killed all the people at the village of the Coyboses, which is near Pescadero on one of the branches of the Río de San Juan Capistrano [San Joaquin]. Furthermore, I am sure that [the population] of several villages had come together in this restricted locality, because some of the Indians said they had come to gather acorns and there are extensive woods [here]. At last peace was established and we took our departure, although before we left we told them that if they wanted to fight, let them take up their arms. But they said no.

After traveling about a mile we entered the river, which here divides into two branches. It is a fine river and carries plenty of water; indeed the stream which we had been following contained no more than one-third as much. The river extends to the north, but from here we went down the branch to the west.[51] The heathen now came out to accompany us and show us the way. This division of the stream is 28 to 30 leagues east of the mission of San Francisco.

Having gone down the river one league we came upon another village which had fourteen houses, and in this village there were already some of the men who had been in the previous one. They showed us the landing place and behaved in a very friendly fashion, but nevertheless we saw no more than two or three women of great age. So we went along, seeing other little hamlets of two or three houses, and it became evident that all [the inhabitants] had assembled in the large village previously mentioned.

In all this day we traveled about twelve leagues and the number of people may have reached some 1,200 souls. However there may have been more, for the first [village] could have contained about 2,000, according to the size of the houses here, which are 28 to 30 varas in circumference with a post in the center. Also it was said that a considerable number of people were higher up [the river] gathering acorns.

All that we have passed today is part of an island. Each branch [of the river] is covered with trees on both banks, of various kinds and very large. There are many walnut trees and wild grapes but the latter have stems so thick that those who have seen grapes in favorable countries say they have never seen such thick trunks. The land on both sides rises considerably. It is excellent for anything which one might wish to sow, in those areas not covered with underbrush.[52]