A miner, who had spent some ten years in California, came to the Black Hills about 1875, when gold was discovered. He wore on his watch-chain, as a fob, two Indian teeth. In a Deadwood dance hall he informed some convivial companions, that on one occasion he took a California Indian by the hair and struck him in the mouth with his six-shooter, knocking out several teeth. Two of these he had a jeweler drill and wire to his watch-chain, as souvenirs. An old trapper, who happened to be present, suggested that the miner procure one or two Sioux teeth, as they might be different from “Digger teeth”, and would add to his collection. Out in the foothills in the course of a few days, the miner met a Sioux Indian, seized him and undertook to treat him as he had the poor California native. Instead of teeth, as a souvenir he received a knife-thrust between the ribs and was lucky to escape with his life.
While interest in the California Indians seemed to lag, Charles F. Lummis, Esq., a citizen of the State, and editor of a prominent western publication, The Land of Sunshine, began a campaign in the early 90’s on behalf of the various tribes and bands, most of whom had been evicted from their ancient homes. I present a brief bibliography of Mr. Lummis’ articles at the conclusion of this chapter, as they sum up in a masterly fashion the wrongs of the Indian, and the efforts of good citizens to right them. In all my reading, I have seen no stronger, more direct and interesting appeals than these made by Mr. Lummis in his journal (now published under the title, Out West.)
The National Indian Association through its Northern California Branch became active; there was formed the California Indian Association of which C. E. Kelsey, Esq., a prominent California attorney, was elected Secretary. This organization cooperated with the others and the Board of Indian Commissioners and should be credited with the salvation of the remaining few thousand California aborigines from pauperism.
Mr. Kelsey cooperated with Mr. Lummis and really represented the people of California. At last Congress was forced to act, the Indian Office instituted reforms (which it should have inaugurated more than twenty years ago) and satisfactory results were obtained.
Mr. Kelsey at my request kindly prepared for me a summary of the California Indians and the work of rescue as projected by friends, and carried to perfection through his intelligent and unselfish labors. He has also written me a long letter and I take the liberty of appending in the form of footnotes a number of extracts from his letter, in addition to the article.
Mr. Kelsey’s Brief History of the California Indians
The aboriginal population of California was large, possibly equal to that of all the rest of the United States. Powers, in his “Indians of California,” 1877, a work which has been liberally quoted by about everyone who has since written of the California Indians, estimates the number at 750,000. Barbour and Wozencraft, who traveled over the State in 1851 as members of the California Indian Commission, estimated the native population to be between 200,000 and 300,000. C. Hart Merriam[[60]] estimates the numbers at the beginning of the nineteenth century at 260,000. Dr. Kroeber estimates the number at not less than 150,000. The figures of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for 1913 shows a little less than 20,000, being slightly larger than the U. S. census for 1910. This decrease is certainly extraordinary, being nearly 90% of the most conservative estimate of former population, and nearly all taking place within the memories of persons now living. The causes are variously given as war, famine, whiskey, disease, etc., and all doubtless played their parts in the decrease. Dr. Merriam states the causes as follows:
LINGUISTIC STOCKS IN CALIFORNIA
From Handbook of American Indians.
“The principal cause of the appallingly great and rapid decrease in the Indians of California is not the number directly slain by the Whites, or the number directly killed by whiskey or disease, but a much more subtle and dreadful thing: it is the gradual but progressive and resistless confiscation of their lands and homes, in consequence of which they are forced to seek refuge in remote and barren localities, often far from water, usually with an impoverished supply of food, and not infrequently, in places where the winter climate is too severe for their enfeebled constitutions. Victims of the aggressive selfishness of the Whites, outcasts in the land of their fathers, outraged in their most sacred institutions, weakened in body, broken in spirit, and fully conscious of the hopelessness of their condition, must we wonder that the wail for the dead is often heard in their camps?”