History of California | Page 5

the
kah-hoom mother weaves in her baskets. There are only three like us,
and they all have such strange clothes."
"Do not be afraid," said Gesnip. "I see uncle; he is one of the dark ones
like ourselves. The island people have yellow skins."
The time was the year 1540, and the people, the Californians of that
day. The men in the boat were mostly from the island of Santa Catalina,
and were fairer, with more regular features, than the inhabitants of the
mainland, who in southern California were a short, thick-set race, with
thick lips, dark brown skin, coarse black hair, and eyes small and
shining like jet-black beads. They were poorly clothed in winter; in
summer a loin cloth was often all that the men wore, while the children
went naked a large part of the year.
With wonderful skill the badly shaped boats were guided safely over
the breakers until their bows touched the sand. Then the men leaped out
and, half wading, half swimming, pulled them from the water and ran
them up on the beach.
The little girls drew near and stood quietly by, waiting to be spoken to.
Presently the leading man, who was short, dark, and handsomely
dressed in a suit of sealskin ornamented with abalone shell, turned to
them.
"Who are these little people?" he asked, in a kind voice.
"We are the children of Cuchuma and Macana," replied Gesnip,
working her toes in and out of the soft sand, too shy to look her uncle
in the face.
"Children of my sister, Sholoc is glad to see you," said the chief, laying

his hand gently on Cleeta's head. "Your mother, is she well?"
"She is well and looking for you these many moons," said Gesnip.
The men at once began unloading the boats. The children watched the
process with great interest, Abalone in their shells, a dainty prized then
as well as now, fish, yellowtail and bonito, filled to the brim the large
baskets which the men slung to their backs, carrying them by means of
a strap over the forehead. On their heads they placed ollas, or water jars,
of serpentine from quarries which may be seen in Santa Catalina to-day,
the marks of the tools of workmen of, that time still in the rocks.
There were also strings of bits of abalone shell which had been
punctured and then polished, and these Sholoc hung around his neck.
"Uncle," exclaimed Gesnip, touching one of these strings, "how much
money! You have grown rich at Santa Catalina. What will you buy?"
"Buy me a wife, perhaps," was the reply. "I will give two strings for a
good wife. Do you know any worth so much?"
"No," said the girl, stoutly. "I don't know any worth two whole strings
of abalone. You can get a good wife for much less."
The men, who had succeeded in loading the contents of the boats on
their heads and backs, now marched away, in single file, crossing the
heavy sand dunes slowly, then mounting the range of foothills beyond.
The children followed. Gesnip had her basket bound to her head by a
strap round her forehead; but, though her uncle had taken out part of
the contents, it was a heavy load for the child.
As they neared the top of the hill, Sholoc, who was ahead, lifted his
hand and motioned them to stop.
"Hush," he said softly, "elk." Swiftly the men slipped off their loads
and with bows in hand each one crept flat on his belly over the hill
crest. Gesnip and Cleeta peeped through the high grass. Below them
was a wide plain, dotted with clumps of bushes, and scattered over it

they could see a great herd of elk, whose broad, shining antlers waved
above the grass and bushes upon which they were feeding.
"Are those elk too?" asked Cleeta, presently, pointing toward the
foothills at their left.
"No," replied her sister, "I think those are antelope. I like to see them
run. How funny their tails shake. But watch the men; they are going to
shoot."
As she spoke, four of the hunters, who had crept well up toward the
game, rose to their feet, holding their bows horizontally, not
perpendicularly. These weapons, which were made of cedar wood,
were about four feet in length, painted at the ends black or dark blue,
the middle, which was almost two inches broad, being wrapped with
elk sinew. The strings also were of sinew. The quiver which each man
carried at his side was made from the skin of a wild cat or of a coyote.
A great hunter like Sholoc might make his quiver from the tails of lions
he had killed. Projecting from the quiver were the bright-feathered ends
of the