June 30, 1926

Volume V June 30, 1926 Number 6

A WILD-LIFE CREED.

A conservationist's creed as to wild life administration is given by Dr. Joseph Grinnell, professor of zoology and director of the California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at the University of California, in a recent issue of "Science." In brief, the creed follows : 1. I believe that the fullest use should be made of our country's wild life resources from the standpoint of human benefit—for beauty, education, scientific study, fur, etc. All these possible uses should be considered in the administration of wild life, not any of them exclusively of the others. 2. I believe that that portion of our wild life known as "game" belongs no more to the sportsman than to other classes of people who do not pursue it with shotgun and rifle. More and more the notebook, the field-glass and the camera are being employed in the pursuit of game as well as other animals. 3. I believe it is wrong to attempt the absolute extermination of any native vertebrate species whatsoever. At the same time it is perfectly proper to reduce or destroy any species in a given neighborhood where sound investigation shows it to be positively hurtful to the majority of interests. 4. I believe it is wrong to permit the general public to shoot crows or any other presumably injurious animals during the breeding season of our desirable species. 5. I believe in the collecting of specimens of birds and vertebrates generally, for educational and scientific purposes. A bird killed, but preserved as a study-specimen, is of service far longer than the bird that is shot just for sport or for food. 6. I believe that it is wrong and even dangerous to introduce (that is, turn loose in the wild) alien species of either game or non-game birds and mammals. There is sound reason for believing that such introduction, if " successful," jeopardizes the continued existence of the native species in our fauna, with which competition is bound to occur. 7. I believe that the very best known way to "conserve" animal life, in the interests of sportsman, scientist and nature-lover alike, is to preserve conditions as nearly as possible favorable to our own native species. This can be done by the establishment and maintenance of numerous wild-life refuges. 8. In the interests of game and wild life conservation generally. I believe in the wisdom of doing away with grazing by domestic stock, more especially sheep, on the greater part of our national forest territory. 9. I believe that the administration of our game and wild life resources should be kept as far as possible out of politics. The resources in question should be handled as a national asset, administered with the advice of scientifically trained experts.

Volume June 30, 1926 Number 6

SEVENTY FIVE YEARS IN THE FAMOUS VALLEY

By C. P. RUSSELL Park Naturalist Copyright by C P. Russell As early as 1806 a party of Gold Found in Mountains. Spaniards explored the lower course. With the rush of gold seekers to of the Merced river. Other parties the first scenes of mining activity may have followed this stream well in 1849 there came the natural extension of mining both north and south. In the winter of 1850 miners were busy in the mountains just west of Yosemite and it was during that winter that B. F. Johnson, better known as "Quartz Johnson," discovered the famous Johnson Walker expedition. So much has Lode of Colonel Fremont fame. recently been published on Joseph (Bunnell, page 315, first edition.) R. Walker and his famous expedition that it is only necessary to remind the reader that he followed course in 1833 that took him directly through what is now Yosemite National Park. Judging from his clerk's reference to "mile posts outside of towns to accommodate miners and native Indians. high precipices" and streams that precipitated themselves from one One such trader was J. D. Savage, lofty precipice to another," we may who maintained a store at the still suppose that this party was mouth of the south fork of the the first to look into Yosemite valley or Hetch Hetchy or both. Their Merced. Unfriendly Indians drove views were all from the "rim" him from this location in the above and it is certain that no descent was made to the valley floor. spring of 1850 and he removed his I think there are no other written accounts any parts of which store and mining camp to Mariposa Creek. He found it possible we may construe as referring to to exchange his goods for gold at Yosemite until the appearance of an enormous profit and extended Judge Marvin's account published his thriving business by establishing a second trading post on the in the "Alta California," April 23, Fresno river. He took to himself 1851. Marvin was quartermaster five Indian wives and apparently of the Mariposa battalion but did won the confidence and good will not enter with the organization of the tribes with which he was when the first expedition was associated, but the mountain Indians resented the white man's made. coming and were constantly on the

verge of hostilities. In December, 1850, the Fresno river store was attacked and destroyed. Two of the men in charge were brutally murdered. Almost simultaneous with this outlawry Savage's Mariposa Creek station was set upon and the three white men in charge were killed. Savage's squaws were carried off by their own people. Similar outrages occurred soon after and the Mariposa Indian war was so started. The next day was spent in exploring the valley and their camp was moved to the Mouth of Indian Canyon. Only one ancient squaw, too feeble to escape, was found. Parties penetrated far up above Mirror Lake, ascended the Merced canyon beyond Nevada Falls, and explored both north and south of the river on the valley floor. When it was rumored that the Indians were concentrating for a more extensive operation it was not difficult to bring the white settlers to an agreement to organize for self protection. Without official authority a party under the leadership of Sheriff Burney and J. D. Savage started at once to check the marauders that were assembling in the foothills. Several skirmishes were had with the Indians, the most important of which was at a large Indian camp on the north fork of the San Joaquin. On the third day the punitive party drew from the valley. The Indians that had been gathered escaped from their guard while en route to the Indian commissioner's camp on the Fresno. Consequently, this first expedition accomplished nothing in the way of subduing the Yosemites.

A Second Expedition The Indian commissioners then in California made a concerted effort to treat with all existing tribes.

Chase Indians to Valley At this time Governor McDougal had been appealed to and by his authority 200 militiamen were called out. Savage was elected major of the new battalion and three companies under J. J. Kuykendall, John Boling and William Dill were organized and drilled near Savage's Mariposa camp. The movements of this organization have been so thoroughly described recently (KuyKendall, Early History of Yosemite, page 6) that I will not dwell at length on their discovery of Yosemite. Suffice it to say that in March, 1851, they set out for the mountain stronghold of the troublesome Indians and followed a route very nearly that which is now known as the Wawona road to Yosemite valley. On the south fork of the Merced at what we call Wawona, a camp was surprised and captured. Messengers sent ahead from this camp returned with the assurance that the Yosemite tribe would come in and give themselves up. Old Chief Tenaya of the Yosemites did come into camp, but after waiting three days for the others major Savage became impatient and set out with the battalion to enter the much-talked-of Yosemite retreat. When they had covered about half the distance to the valley seventy-two Indians were met plodding through the snow. Not convinced that this band constituted the entire tribe Savage sent them on to his camp on the south fork and he pushed on to the valley. On March 25, 1851, he went into camp near Bridal Veil falls. That night around the camp fire a suitable name for the remarkable valley was discussed and Dr. L. H. Bunnell, upon whom the surroundings and events made a deeper impression than upon any of the others urged that it be named after the natives who had been driven out. The whites had known the tribe as Yosemites and consequently that name was agreed upon.

In May, 1851, Major Savage sent Capt. John Boling and his company back to Yosemite to surprise the elusive inhabitants and to whip them well. Boling followed the same route taken previously and arrived in Yosemite on May 9. He made his first camp near the site of the present Sentinel Hotel. Chief Tenaya and a few of his followers were captured but the majority of the Yosemites eluded their pursuers. It was during this stay in Yosemite that the first letter from the valley was Boling's, addressed to Major Savage of his affairs, and the letter was published in the Alta California, November 12, 1851. Members of the invading party discovered the fresh trail of a small family of Indians traveling in the country. The party came upon them encamped on the shores of Tenaya Lake in a spot much of which is snow covered. They were completely surprised and surrendered without a struggle. This was the first expedition made into the Yosemite high country from the west and it was on this occasion that the name Lake Tenaya was applied by L. H. Bunnell. The old Indian chief, on being told of how his name was to be perpetuated, sullenly remonstrated that the lake already had a name; “By-we-ack”—Lake of the Shining Rocks (Bunnell, p. 237, 1st ed.). A few weeks ago I made a trip through the snow to Tenaya Lake and as I skied over the soft surface, I could not but wonder at what a spectacle Captain Boling's men must have made, “stripped to the drawers,” in which situation all hands ran at full speed at least four miles, some portion of the time over and through snow ten feet deep. (KuyKendall, p. 10). The Indians were this time successfully escorted to the Fresno reservation.

Tenaya Allowed to Return Tenaya and his band refused to readapt themselves to the conditions

under which they were forced to live and begged repeatedly to be permitted to return to the mountains and the acorn food of their ancestors. At last, on his solemn promise to behave, Tenaya was permitted to go back to Yosemite and members of his family were sent with him. In a short time his old followers quietly slipped away from the reservation and joined him. No attempt was made to bring them back. During the winter of 1851-1852 no complaints against the Yosemites were registered, but in May of 1852 a party of eight prospectors made their way into the valley and were at once set upon by Indians and two of the miners were killed. The commander of the regular army garrison at Fort Miller was notified and a detachment of regulars under Lieut. Tredwell Moore set out in June, 1853, and captured five Indians in Yosemite Valley. All of the captives possessed articles of clothing belonging to the murdered men, so they were summarily shot. Tenaya's scouts undoubtedly witnessed this prompt pronouncement of judgment, and the tribe fled with all speed to their Piute allies at Mono Lake.

Chased to Mono Lake The soldiers pursued the fleeing Indians and by way of Tenaya Lake and Bloody Canyon crossed the summit of the Sierras and descended to Mono Lake. They found no trace of the Yosemites and could elicit no information from the Piutes. The party explored the region north and south of Bloody Canyon and found promising mineral deposits. They returned to Soda Springs and then made their way back to Mariposa.

They came to California from the reservation. Tenaya brought the Indians to Yosemite by a very roundabout route through the pass at one head of the San Joaquin and so hoped to escape detection. However, the Monos at once detected the ruse, and a war party organized to wreak vengeance for such ingratitude surprised the Yosemites at a gluttonous feast and launched so vicious an attack that practically all of Tenaya's band was stoned to death before they could rally. Eight of the Yosemite braves escaped the slaughter and fled down the Merced canyon. The old men and women who escaped death were given their liberty, but the young women and children were made captive and taken to Mono Lake. This elimination of the troublesome Yosemites was made known to L. H. Bunnell (who has left us the story) by surviving members of the tribe. A number of parties of miners, emboldened by the news, visited the Valley in the fall of 1853. During 1854 apparently no white men entered the Valley.

Hutchings Enters Valley Previous to 1855 a number of accounts written by various members of the three punitive expeditions that had entered Yosemite had found their way into print in San Francisco papers. Thoughts of difficulties with hostile Indians who hindered in the search for gold predominated in the minds of these writers, and very little stress was placed upon the scenic wonders of the new-found valley. However, mention of a thousand-foot waterfall in one of these published letters caused one J. M. Hutchings, then publishing the California Magazine, to investigate the possibilities that Yosemite presented. Hutchings organized the first touring party in June, 1855, and with two of the original Yosemites as guides proceeded from Mariposa over the old Indian trail to the Valley. (Hutchings, "Heart of the Sierras," pages 79-80.) Thomas Ayres, the artist, was a member of this party and he made the first sketches ever made in Yosemite. They spent five days in the valley, and on their return published articles and pictures which were the first to attract popular attention to the valley. Several other parties followed that year, and Milton and Houston Mann, who had accompanied one of these sight-seeing expeditions, were so imbued with the possibilities of serving the hordes of visitors soon to come that they at once set to work to construct a horse toll trail from the South Fork of the Merced to the Valley. Galen Clark had also been a member of one of these 1855 expeditions. His far-sightedness, together with the necessity of a mountain home because of his ill health, prompted him to establish a camp on the South Fork where travelers could be accommodated. In Mariposa the soldiers had exhibited samples of their ore discoveries and Lee Vining and a party of companions were encouraged to visit the region to prospect. Lee Vining Canyon, through which the Tioga road passes, was named for him. By 1857 word reached miners west of the range that rich deposits had been found at Bodie Diggings, and a rush from the Tuolumne mines resulted. In 1859 the great wealth of Bodie was discovered and the Mono excitement was on in earnest. The history of this region of Yosemite is a remarkable story in itself, but I shall not deal with it further now, than to say that this Mono activity did have a very definite bearing on the history of Yosemite. It resulted in our famous transmountain and trans-Yosemite highway, the Tioga road, being built. Tenaya and his refugee band remained with the Mono Indians until late in the summer of 1853, when they again ventured into their old haunts in the Yosemite Valley. Shortly after they had reestablished themselves in their old home a party of young Yosemites made a raid on the camp of their former hosts and stole a drove of horses which the Monos had recently driven up from Southern California.

ROUTE OF THE MARIPOSA BATTALION DISCOVERY OF YOSEMITE FIRST EXPEDITION - MARIPOSA INDIAN WAR KEY TO MAP

Data compiled by C. P. Russell.

This camp was located at the beginning of the Mann brothers' trail and later became known as Clark's Station. We call it Wawona now. Mann brothers finished their trail in 1856, and L. H. Bunnell and G. W. Coulter that year built the "Coulterville Free Trail" from Bull Creek through Hazel Green, Tamarack Flat, and thence to the Valley.

Early Dwellings Erected One of the mountaineers who aided in the construction of the "Upper Hotel," or "Hutchings House," in 1859, was James C. Lamon. That same year he located a pre-emption claim at the upper end of the valley, built the first log cabin and planted a fine orchard. This orchard still flourishes and marks the site of the activities of this first permanent settler in Yosemite. For fifteen years Mr. Lamon endeared himself to his Yosemite neighbors. His death occurred in 1875. A. Harris then occupied his premises and established the first public campground in Yosemite. The first habitation to be constructed by white men in Yosemite was a rough shack put up in 1855 by a party of surveyors of which L. H. Bunnell was a member. A company had been organized to bring water from the foot of the valley into the "dry diggings" of the Mariposa estate. It was supposed that a claim in the valley would doubly secure the water privileges. (Country Gentleman, Oct. 9, 1856.) In 1864 Senator Conness of California secured the passage by Congress of the act by which Yosemite Valley was granted to the state of California. Governor Low of California then proclaimed eight interested citizens as a board of commissioners to manage the valley, and Galen Clark was made guardian. In 1866 the State Legislature enacted a law providing for the administration of the grant and made a small appropriation for the first two years. From that time inhabitants of the Yosemite grant found themselves subject to regulation by the commissioners. The first permanent structure was built in 1856 by Walworth & Hite. It was known as the "Lower Hotel" and occupied the site later occupied by Black's Hotel. (Bunnell, Chap. 19. Whitney, 1871, p. 19. Hutchings, "Heart of Sierra," p. 101.) F. Leidig, in 1869, was ejected In the spring of 1857 Beardsley from the "Lower Hotel" by A. G. and Hite put up a canvas covered Black, from whom he had leased house on the site of the present the property. Leidig secured permission from the commissioners to "Cedar Cottage." The next year this was replaced by a wooden build a hotel of his own, and so in structure, the planks for which 1869-70 Leidig's Hotel came into were whip-sawed by hand. In 1859 existence. It was located near the C. L. Weed took the first photograph in Yosemite, and this building was his first subject. The ancient hotel still stands and is known foot of the present Glacier Point Short Trail, not 400 yards below the as "Cedar Cottage." It was to this rival "Lower Hotel." If we may hostelry that J. M. Hutchings came judge from the notes of contemporary writers, Mrs. Leidig excelled in 1864 in the role of proprietor. The mirth and discomfiture en- all others in kitchen management. (Investigation of Yosemite Commissioners; Assembly Hearings, p. 164, gendered among Hutchings' guests 208-210.) by the cheese-cloth partitions between bedrooms prompted him to After this happening Mr. and build a sawmill near the foot of Mrs. Black, in 1869, undertook the Yosemite Falls and so produce suf- operation of the "Lower Hotel" ficient lumber to "hard finish" his business and initiated their regime hostelry. It was in this mill that by removing the old hotel and constructing on its site a new one to John Muir found employment for a time. The hotel was embellished be known as "Black's Hotel." with lean-tos and porches and an Both "Black's" and "Leidig's" addition constructed at the rear in were destroyed by the commissioners in 1888. which was included the trunk of a growing cedar tree. Hutchings Of the many comments on hosts himself built a great fireplace in and hostelries that one may find this sitting room and proceeded to in the score of books written on make the novel gathering place fa- Yosemite during the '70's, none mous as the "Big Tree Room." commands such voluminous and favorable notice as does J. C. Smith (Hutchings' Guide to Yosemite, p. 56.) and his famous "Cosmopolitan" A winter spent in the frigid bath house and saloon. This favorite resort was built in 1870 and Valley convinced the Hutchings has served constantly to the present date. The building is now occupied by the general offices of the family that their "Big Tree Room" was not a pleasant winter habitation. pied by the general offices of the Like the inhabitants of the new Yosemite village, they built anew and moved into the warm

sunshine of the north side of the Yosemite Park and Curry Company. valley. With their own hands the (G. Greenwood, "New Life in New family constructed a snug cabin Lands," 1873, p. 322-324. J. E. among the giant black oaks near Lester, "Atlantic to the Pacific," the foot of Yosemite Falls and 1873, p. 190-191. C. M. Churchill, there spent the remainder of their "Over the Purple Hills," p. 141-144.

F. Gordon Cumming, "Granite Crags," p. 130. J. H. Beadle, "Undeveloped West," 1873, p. 288. J. W. Boddam-Whetham, "Western Wanderings," 1874, p. 138-139. W. G. Marshall, "Through America." 1881, p. 376-377.)

The popularity of Yosemite with tourists ever increased, and enterprising individuals recognized the possibilities of catering to the crowds who annually sought thrills amid the grandeur of Yosemite's cliffs. Another pioneer in Yosemite's hotel business was Mr. Snow of "La Casa Nevada" renown. In 1869-70 Snow built a trail up the canyon of the Merced and constructed a resort on the flat between Vernal and Nevada Falls. The register of this unique hotel is among the most prized possessions of the Yosemite Museum. Fire destroyed the "La Casa Nevada" and only a great pile of broken liquor bottles marks the site. At first few trails were built other than those absolutely essential to travel into the valley and to resorts. Glacier Point was from the beginning a sought for vantage point, but from the valley it was accessible only to those nimble tourists capable of scrambling up the ledge and through the steep chimney below the point. In 1871 there came to Yosemite one who was destined to do much toward making points on Yosemite's rim accessible. This man was John Conway and several of the most used trails in the park serve as monuments to his energy and ability. His first task was to build the trail and stairways from Snow's to Little Yosemite. That finished,

he undertook the same year the construction of the "Four Mile Trail" to Glacier Point. This work was done for McCauley, who had taken over Proctor's Glacier Point stopping place and built the Glacier Point Mountain House. The "Four Mile Trail" was completed. In 1873 Conway built the Eagle Peak Trail and operated it as a toll trail until it was purchased by the state. By 1873 12,000 tourists had ridden into the valley via Mariposa, Coulterville or Big Oak Flat. Provisions, supplies, John Smith's bath tubs and billiard tables had all been packed in on the backs of mules. Roads had been built closer and closer to the Yosemite Grant, and in 1874 both the Coulterville road and the Big Oak Flat road were completed to the valley floor. There was great rejoicing when the first stages rolled down the grades to the valley floor and all the countryside greeted the day, June 17, 1874, as heralding a great new era in Yosemite history. In 1875 the Wawona road was built to the valley and great rejoicing among the cities favored by this new service followed. To the Yosemite enthusiasts of fifty years ago the arrival of horse-drawn vehicles appeared to be the acme of service and accommodation. To a generation served with speedy and comfortable motor cars the new water-grade highway up the canyon of the Merced is accepted as the last word in Yosemite accessibility. It is inconceivable that another fifty years of progress will produce as great a step in bringing our famed valley close to the doors of all California.

WATER OUZEL NEST

In past years nothing has proved more attractive feature of the nature guide service than the trips to a water ouzel's nest located on Tenaya creek. Groups of as high as eighty people have followed a nature guide to the site and, seated upon the bank of the stream, have watched the parent ouzels feed their young. Were the bird not so well known because of Muir's writings it would still enthuse the vacationists because of its interesting habits. Two years ago the young ouzels were found dead in the nest and last year nature students had to forego their usual pleasure, for the nest was not rebuilt in its accustomed place. This year a nest was discovered but a quarter of a mile from Camp Curry under Clark's bridge. Feeding operations were watched by hundreds, and the young, which have now left the nest, are occasionally to be seen along the river banks near the bridge. One of the common questions asked the nature guide is: "Where can I find a water ouzel?" Although a pair usually nests at Happy Isles, at the foot of Lower Yosemite Falls and at the foot of Bridal Veil Falls, yet it is not always easy to direct an interested person to a place where ouzels may be seen with certainty. A nesting site always affords an opportunity to observe this unique bird at close range and with certainty, and those following the nature guides during the early part of the summer have had thrilling times with nesting water ouzels— H. C. Bryant.

"PLACE NAMES OF THE HIGH SIERRA"

By C. P. Russell THE SIERRA CLUB has published Francis P. Farquhar's record of the origin and significance of the place names of the High Sierra in book form. The edition consists of 1,000 copies, of which 200 are printed on all rag paper and bound in cloth. The region included in the volume is bounded on the north by the divide separating the Tuolumne from the Stanislaus watershed, and on the south by the vicinity of Olancha Peak. As good reading for the Sierra Nevada enthusiast the book is a gem. As a reference for students of history it is a veritable Mother Lode. Mr. Farquhar has obtained a great deal of his information directly from persons having a first hand knowledge. References to publications are specific and furnish a comprehensive bibliography. Quotations from publications have been generously used and add the interest of the work. As an example: Ahwahnee "Village on Black Oak Flat, extending from side of Galen Clarke grave easterly to Yo-watch-ke (at mouth of Indian canyon). As in the case of most of the villages, the village name was applied also to a definite tract of land belonging to it. This being the largest tract of open level ground in the valley, the name Ah-wan-ne came to be applied by outside Indians to the whole valley." (C. Hart Merriam; Indian Village and camp sites in Yosemite Valley, S. C. B., 1917 xii, 2, p. 205. See also Kroeber: "California Place Names of Indian Origin, 1916, p. 34.) The author is one of the directors of the Sierra Club, the present editor of the Sierra Club Bulletin, a member of the American Alpine Club, and of the California Historical Society, and a certified public accountant by profession. He has been exhaustive in his search for data and one interested in any phase of study in the Sierra Nevada can ill afford to be without the book. In his introduction Mr. Farquhar says, "This record of the origin and significance of the place names of the High Sierra was begun in 1919 as the result of numerous inquiries passed around camp fires on trips in the mountains. What at first seemed like a simple task grew into quite a formidable undertaking, largely due to the variety of the sources of information. After a while, however, there seemed to be a sufficient volume of data to make it worth while to publish it and it was presented in three installments in the Sierra Club Bulletins of 1923, 1924 and 1925. With the publication of this material, corrections and additions began to come in and new sources of information opened up. The volume of material has more than doubled, and it has seemed worth while to issue it in the more permanent form of a book." "Supplementary to the place names there are presented a few biographies of persons who have played important parts in the history of the High Sierra, but for whom no places have been named. This list could, of course, be expanded indefinitely, but has been confined to a few representative individuals, concerning whom data could be obtained." The book sells for $2 in paper and $5 bound in cloth. As previously stated but 1000 copies were printed. The Sierra Club is offering the book for sale without profit. Lovers of the High Sierra will act at once if they wish to avoid disappointment.

THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION ITS PURPOSES

1. To gather and disseminate information on the wild-life of the Sierras. 2. To develop and enlarge the Yosemite Museum (in cooperation with the National Park Service) and to establish subsidiary units, such as the Glacier Point lookout and branches of similar nature. 3. To promote the educational work of the Yosemite Nature Guide Service. 4. To publish (in co-operation with the U. S. National Park Service) "Yosemite Nature Notes". 5. To study living conditions, past and present, of the Indians of the Yosemite region. 6. To maintain in Yosemite Valley a library of historical, scientific, and popular interest. 7. To further scientific investigation along lines of greatest popular interest and to publish, from time to time, bulletins of non-technical nature. 8. To strictly limit the activities of the association to purposes which shall be scientific and educational, in order that the organization shall not be operated for profit.

FROM THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OUT-DOOR RECREATION

-....-Called by PRESIDENT COOLIDGE

"THAT THE CONFERENCE ENDORSE NATURE STUDY IN SCHOOLS AND THE EXTENSION OF THE NATURE STUDY IDEA TO EVERY AMERICAN SCHOOL AND FAMILY; THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MUSEUMS OF NATURAL HISTORY IN NATIONAL PARKS WILL INCREASE THE EDUCATIONAL RECREATIONAL VALUE OF THE

PARKS".—Resolution of the Conference.