November 1953

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES VOLUME XXXII • NUMBER 11 NOVEMBER 1953

California mule deer in Ahwahnee Meadow, Half Dome in distance —Ralph Anderson

Courtesy California Historical Society

THE WILLIS GUIDE

Linen covers and Pages 4 and 5 Reproduced from the original in Yosemite Museum

THE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF

THE Yosemite NATURALIST division AND

THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION, INC.

John C. Preston, Superintendent D. E. McHenry, Park Naturalist D. H. Hubbard, Assoc. Park Naturalist N. B. Herkenham, Asst. Park Naturalist W. W. Bryant, Junior Park Naturalist

VOL. XXXII NOVEMBER 1953 NO. 11 THE IRA J. WILLIS GUIDE TO THE GOLD MINES*

Edited, with an Introduction, by Irene D. Paden Foreword by Carl P. Russell FOREWORD. In the fall of 1928, I, as park naturalist in Yosemite National Park, received a letter from Mrs. M. O. Walkington, London, England. Mrs. Walkington was a member of the English family from which came Emily Ann Edmunds, the wife of James Mason Hutchings, California publisher and pioneer hotel keeper in Yosemite Valley. Mrs. Walkington offered to make available to the Yosemite Museum a collection of documents, photos, Hutchings manuscripts, and small historic objects of Yosemite significance, which had once been the property of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Hutchings. I assured her that we wanted such things. In due course there arrived at the Yosemite Museum an assortment of stuff, delightful to the eye of the curator. Included in the lot was an incomplete set of Hutchings California Magazine, manuscripts in Hutchings' handwriting representing public lectures which he delivered in America in the 1870's, numerous imprints of the broadsides and letter sheets which Hutchings published in San Francisco, a variety of early-day photographs made in the Sierra, and newspaper clippings pertaining to Yosemite and to the Hutchings family. One obscure item was a well-worn, sweat-stained longhand manuscript of a few pages of rag paper, sewed in soiled linen covers. Inserted under the cover was a note stating, "November 6, 1928. This guide to the gold mines was under the cover of the late J. M. Hutchings Diary of his journey from Jacksonville to Sacramento in 1849. It is not referred to in the Diary but was apparently purchased by him at the time of his journey. It bears the name of the compiler, Ira J. Willis." [signed] "Charles Man." The unique character of this gold-seekers' guide was appreciated immediately by the Yosemite Museum staff, and it was carefully recorded and placed in fireproof storage. No publicity was given to it, however, because special inquiry addressed to Mrs. Walkington brought no further information. The park naturalist reserved a niche for it in his "recollections," and, when Mrs. Paden's In the Wake of the Prairie Schooner appeared, his interest in the old guide was re-awakened; the Willis item did not appear in her very thorough bibliography. We regard it to be most fitting that Mrs. Paden should now publish the old guide leaflet, and it is with further thanks to Mrs. Walkington that we consign the contents of the manuscript to Mrs. Paden's expert interpretation. The manuscript itself is still a prized possession of the Yosemite Museum, Catalog No. 5175. CARL P. RUSSELL, Superintendent, Yosemite National Park [Dr. Russell has been on leave from Yosemite since Nov. 1, 1952.] This article is reprinted from the California Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 3, September 1953. We are greatly indebted to the publishers, the California Historical Society, and to the author, Mrs. Irene Paden, for their kind permission to reproduce this fine historic account. Because of its length, it will appear in two installments in Yosemite Nature Notes.—Ed.

INTRODUCTION.—The document here reproduced was written in or near Salt Lake City between the summer of 1848, when the necessary data were obtained, and the summer of 1849, when it served to guide James Mason Hutchings to California. There were similar guides, presumably duplicates of all or portions of this one, sold as late as the summer of 1850, but, if any other copy still exists, the fact is not generally known to research workers in the field of western history. The guide was not published, and but few travelers mention buying the handwritten copies. It seems convenient to take up the matter under five headings: I. Who was Ira Willis (often spelled Willes)? II. How did he happen to write a guidebook? III. Why was such an unimpressive document salable? IV. How, without seeing a copy, have historians known that such a guide existed? V. Of what terrain or route does it treat? Ira J. Willis was one of the volunteers who made up the Mormon Battalion. With him went his brother, Sidney Willis. The two traveled to California with the battalion, thus making what is conceded to be the longest infantry march in recorded history. Our knowledge of the activities of the Willis brothers in California is obtained mainly from the journal of Henry W. Bigler, another battalion member who, with seven or eight other members, was with James W. Marshall when Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's sawmill in January 1848. Bigler communicated with certain other members of the battalion who were then working at Sutter's Fort, telling them not to spread the news except to those who could be trusted to keep the secret. As a result, several of these Mormon boys, including Sidney Willis, obtained permission from Sutter to have a few days of vacation and to look for gold at the sawmill. As they were returning, Sidney and a companion found gold near a small island in the American River, and they guided the battalion members, who had remained at the fort, back to the place. They were fairly successful in recovering gold dust and nuggets as might have been expected, for this became known in later months as the fabulously-rich Mormon Diggings. The island was called Mormon Island. Bigler, who had traveled from the sawmill to the fort at the same time as Sidney Willis, but by a different route, came to an arrangement with Sutter whereby the Mormon boys agreed to finish their contract to complete the mill but afterward might mine on shares with Marshall. This they hoped would provide funds to take home to Salt Lake City. On his way back from the fort to the sawmill, Bigler camped at Mormon Island. His embellished journal, rewritten in 1872 for Hubert Howe Bancroft, reads: We found 7 of the boys at work they had taken out that day two hundred & 50 dols. This was the spot where the few particles was found by the Messrs Willis & Hutson on the 2 of March while returning from the saw mill and thought it not much account.... The names of the men who were here at work was, Sidney Willis, Ira Willis, Wilford Hutson, Jesse B. Martin and Ephraim the other 2 I disremember but think they were Israel Evans and James Sly. It was about this time that one or both of the Willises had business that called them from their mining to the Fort and it strikes me they went to Yerba Buena, at all events they met with Sam Brannan and let him in to the secret. Mr. Brannan told them that he could secure the mine as church property and advised for all the battalion boys to go to work in the mine and pay one tenth to him and he would turn it over to the church as their tithing with the understanding at the some time that he was to come in with the Willises & Hutson having a share with them in their claim. This they done.

And then, as both Bigler and subimportant segment in the route besequent history inform us, Sam tween Salt Lake City and California Brannan not only let out the secret — and it is possible that he was but published it in his paper, the asked to jot down the mileage and California Star, and shouted it in the certain data. If so, the archives of streets. The gold rush was on. the Church of Latter Day Saints at Salt Lake City have no record of

the matter. It is even possible that In spite of the attraction of free not he but someone else gathered gold, the Mormon boys fulfilled their the data; however, the final corncontracts; they also remained steadpilation bore his name and was fast in their determination to return evidently put together by Willis. to Salt Lake City and their families The party had about seventeen as soon as the mountains were passwagons. They carried everything able. They wished, however, to find obtainable that their ingenuity suga better way than the one over gested might be helpful to the strugTruckee Summit and along the Truckgling colony on the Great Salt Lake, ee River. The misadventures of the from two cannon for its defense to Donner Party in 1846 had given that useful seed for its planting. In this route a had name. Henry Bigler way, California peas made their apwrote that they wished to "pioneer pearance in Utah, and "taos wheat" out a route across the Sierra Nevada from Pueblo. Their course lay along and if possible find a nearer way the divide between the Amerithan to go the truckey route and can and the Cosumnes rivers. * After shun Crossing the Truckey River 27 passing the comparatively short Cotimes as we were informed by Mr sumnes, they were hemmed between Brannan we should have to do if we the American and the Mokelumne. went that route and very deep and Willing men went ahead to choose rapid." As a result, the returning and open a road for the wagons. battalion members gathered for the Within a few days, three men of an journey at a place near what was advance party were killed by Indians later called Hangtown. They named and Tragedy Springs was named in their rendezvous Pleasant Valley their memory. Over what is now and from here they started on July called Kit Carson Pass they made 4, 1848. Eventually the company their way, along the backbone of numbered about forty-five men and the mountain south of the modern one woman, wife of a member. highway and nearly a thousand Among them, either with the main feet higher. Down the bouldercompany or overtaking it later, traychoked canyon of the West Carson eled Ira J. Willis. River they toiled, and won their way The notes taken on this journey into open country near what is now provided him with material for the Genoa in Carson Valley. little guidebook. His party was They then trekked down the main opening a new wagon road across Carson which Bigler called Pilot the Sierra Nevada Mountains — an River, fighting Indians and having 'Bigler calls the Cosumnes the Mocozamy. Moorman, in his notation for September 22, 1850, writes: "The Consumnes, commonly called the 'McCosma,' is a rapid little stream, here, about thirty feet wide, coursing its way to the South West, and loses itself in the Sacramento several miles below the city." The Journal of Madison Berryman Moorman, ed. by Irene D. Paden (San Francisco, Calif. I-list. Soc., 1948, Sp. Publ. 23), wherein may be found references to overland diaries, etc.

a man wounded. By this time it We was met by Capt. S. Hinsly a packWas well into August. They must ing company of 10 men. we got a way bill of our Road from here to Salt lake and have passed the site of Dayton, and, not go by Ft Hall and save about 8 or 10 on the twelfth, kept a northwesterly days travel, we learn from Mr Hinsly course for 25 miles; they struck the that it is not more than about 380 miles to the lake to take a certain cut off which Truckee River and found the "old we are sure to find with plenty of wood Road" -- the emigrant trail up the water and grass a route that he come but waggons have never went there before Truckee, opened by Caleb Green good waggon rout he got dewood and the Murphy-Stevensfeated in attempting to go Hastings cut off Townsend Party in 1844, and which, and turned back and found this new route of 70 miles saving about 150 or 200 mi. in the interim, had been used by most California-bound emigrants. This was glad news for men who Following this trail eastward led wanted above all things to reach them past the sink of the Humboldt their new home at Salt Lake City, (often called Mary's River) and along which had been founded by their the course of this stream. families the year before. The little company now had a Then, a day or two later, they met well-marked road ahead, punctuated a large wagon train under the guidance of Joseph C. Chiles, who attempted by encounters with west-bound emigrant parties, and with hungry Indians to give them directions to a dians who shot their animals in the still shorter route probably some hope that the carcasses would have variation of the one he, himself, had to be left within reach. Approximatetraveled in 1841, when, with the Bidly 215 miles east of the place where well-Bartleson Party, he had left the they had touched the Truckee River, Oregon Trail at the great bend of Bigler states that they met a cornBear River and had come southwest, puny of ten men with pack animals north of the Great Salt Lake — under the leadership of "Capt. S. through what is now Silver Zone Hinsly"—the same man well-known Pass in the Toana Range and Secret in the annals of California as SumPass through the Ruby Range. They uel J. Hensley. If we interpret Bigler 's were unable to find this cutoff after mileage correctly, the meeting took diligent search. The incident is of inplace twenty-odd miles west of terest, however, for, while discussing Gravelly Ford, in the valley between the problem of cutoffs, Chiles eviBattle Mountain and Dunphy; but dently told them of his intention to leeway must be allowed for error, find a road leading southwest to the both in Bigler's estimate and in the Carson River across the Humboldt guidebook itself. Sink. It seems probable that they Hensley had been in California had first told Chiles of the new since 1843; he had gone east to road they had opened with so much testify at the courtmartial of John labor across the Sierra Nevada and, C. Fremont and was returning to by way of the West Carson River, the Pacific coast. The day was Suninto Carson Valley. This is purest day, August 27, 1848. The battalion speculation, as such a conversation men did not travel on the Sabbath, apparently was not recorded; but and had met for prayer in the tent it seems the only explanation for the of one of the campany. Just as the directions in the Willis Guide conservice concluded, the westbound cerning the country between the packers were seen coming along sink of the Humboldt and the Sierra the trail. Bigler wrote : Nevada, which read as follows:

The best water here [at the Sink] is in a slough When they had reluctantly given that passes through a bend & a narrow up hope, they turned north through Bluff. Here also you may find a new track on your left that Childs Thousand Springs Valley and along intended to make last fall which may be Goose Creek, until they came alnearer & a less distance to do without grass & water. most to Flatiron Mountain and turned By the Battalion route from the Sink right, up a little creek, to Granite to the hot Springs, no grass, poor water 20. pass. Here they camped in the Thence to Truckle River, good camp. 25. The road forks here, mountains, and here it was that You will take the left hand road their advance pilots returned to tell to Salmon Trout river,' good camp, 25. them that they had found the turn- (Childs road if made comes in at this or the next camping place [)] off into Hensley 's newly-made cutChiles was successful in establish off just eight miles ahead. ing his projected shortcut across The cutoff, marked definitely by the desert of the sink of Humboldt the two Steeple Rocks at the south River. It was an accomplished fact portal of the City of the Rocks, was long before the little guidebooks easy to find and permitted travelers were sold, but Ira Willis and his to turn southeast toward Salt Lake comrades could not be certain, so City, instead of continuing north it was listed as a possibility. east toward Fort Hall. The new This information, which seems to route carried a large per cent of belong much farther west at the the gold-rush hordes and, in three sink of Humboldt River, is inserted more years, was practically to wipe out travel on the dangerous Hashere, because it was at this point in tings ' Cutoff south of Great SaltLake. their journey that the battalion men must have received the instructions. The people in Salt Lake City right Buying some bacon and buffalo fully felt that the new and favormeat from Chiles' wagon train, the able road, traveled by the battalion two companies parted, and Willis boys in returning to their families, with his comrades moved on to the was a great contribution. Apparently Ira Willis was either given or ashead of Humboldt River, where they sumed the task of assembling their lost a day or two in abortive at data in the form of a travel guide, tempts to find the shorter road to straight and to the point, without the Great Salt Lake described by what might have been considered Chiles. The days were not wasted, superfluous comments on the plants however, as they thoroughly ex (other than the general term, "grass") plored Bishop's Creek Canyon, which or wild animals the traveler might was to prove a shorter and more find. popular route to Fort Hall than the old road through what is now Wells, (To be concluded in December issue, with full Nevada. transcript of original Willis Guide) *Salmon Trout River, in this instance, refers to the Carson River, although some travelers applied the name to the Truckee.

HIGH-COUNTRY PLAYMATE

By Robert W. Hillerby, Yosemite Field School, 1953 During my first visit to Tuolumne their sight and hearing. When Meadows I was surprised as I danger approaches too close, the walked through the quiet, sunlit, squirrel needs only a short dash to open land to find my presence acbe safe inside its burrow. However, knowledged by numerous small it does not stay long inside, but soon squirrels. At first I supposed that the pokes its head out again, to just beshrill whistle which sounded as I aplow the level of the eyes, to see once proached came from a bird; but then more what is happening. I noticed a small erect squirrel, balThis mammal was first collected anced on hind feet and holding its in 1885 by Lyman Belding, an early forelegs close to the body in a posiresident of Stockton and a naturalist tion of inquisitiveness (its portrait is of considerable attainment. It was on our back cover). I stood motionsubsequently classified and named less so as not to frighten it, but soon Citellus beldingi. Its general coloration my own curiosity got the better of is light yellowish brown, paler on me and I crept slowly closer. But the undersurface of the body, and not too close, for no sooner did I start there is a broad area of bright -redto move than the animal turned and dish brown down the middle of the darted into a nearby burrow, and I back. The length of the body is about was left wishing I had not moved so 7 inches, with the tail being about near. This was my first acquaintance a third as long. Older adults show with the Belding ground squirrel. greater size, especially of the head, Nicknamed the "picket pin" beand males are a trifle larger than cause of its habit of sitting erect on females. As it scampers on its short its haunches to spot the approach of legs across flat land where there is danger, this small mammal when not much grass, the animal has a seen at a distance across the meadrather heavy run with little up-andow looks much like a picket driven down movement, and the tail is kept into the ground to tether a horse. Acdown. When negotiating high grass tually the Belding is a timid rodent it does not part the stalks and plunge and does not wander far from its through, but rather jumps high over burrow; but it has a vast curiosity, the grass, thereby obtaining good and if this remains unsatisfied the glimpses of possible enemies in the animal will rise more and more until surrounding area. it is standing bolt upright on the soles The "picket pin" is a resident of of its hind feet. Its call of warning the grassy valleys of the high mounis a quick succession of five or six tains; in Yosemite it is seen principalshort piercing whistles, weakening ly in Tuolumne Meadows and simislightly toward the last. This seems Iar high country. It inhabits the open to caution other squirrels who imlevels and digs its burrows in the mediately stop, stand, and look in meadows near sources of food. The the direction of the intruder. At times Belding is only rarely found in like these, Beldings are observed to timber or brushlands. It is strictly be twitching their noses, and it is terrestrial and does not climb. Somethought that the sense of smell aids times individuals are seen to clam-

her over small rocks for a look plants for foods, and depend less on around, but there is very little activity the larger seeds, nuts, and roots than on boulders. Above timberline where the California ground squirrel which there may be limited patches of lives at much lower elevations. Forgrass around little glacial lakes, aging through the meadows, they a small population is often supported. feed on the stems and seeds of wild The Belding burrows beneath rocks grasses and are especially fond of or logs, and frequently appropriates the fruits of mustards. Frequently the tunnels of pocket gophers. Their grasshoppers are eaten and perhaps mounds are seldom conspicuous, other insects as well. When feeding, even though, as found in the investithe Belding sits in a hunched posigation of one burrow system, enough tion with its body supported by the dirt must have been excavated to hind legs, and pulls the food to its fill two 5-gallon cans. The absence mouth with the forefeet. There is no of dirt in the burrow or about the evidence of storing much food, since entrance is possibly due to heavy caches are seldom found in the tunrains or melting snow which would nels. Observations of above-ground wash it away. The average width activities have not indicated storage, of the entrance is 2 inches. In the inand the cheek pouches of the anivestigation referred to, the burrow mal are rather small. One individual was dug generally to a depth of was seen to store hay, but later exabout 13 inches, the animal being amination showed that none of the limited by the increasing amount of material was used for food. moisture in the soil at lower levels. Young "picket pins" are born The total length of tunnel was 54 feet. about the beginning of July, usually Belding ground squirrels seem to in litters numbering up to six. One prefer the low-growing herbaceous brood per year is produced. They Anderson Tilden Lake—"picket pin" country

grow rapidly, being one-third fully found out of hibernation in the Tuolgrown when they first appear above umne Meadows region as early as ground at the age of 2 weeks. As April 26 before the snow had gone, they first emerge, scampering around and others have been seen as late the mouth of the burrow, the mother as September and October after the watches over them closely. At the first snow had fallen. slightest irregularity or indication of Small rodents often furnish temptdanger she gives the warning whistle, ing meals for other animals, and the in this case a lower pitched double Belding has its enemies among the note or bark, and the young quickly larger high-mountain carnivores. disappear down the burrow. On one Weasels, martens, badgers, and coyoccasion a litter of six was watched otes have been observed running playing in the vicinity of the hole, down and attacking it, and these when the mother sounded her alarm predators surely take their toll of the and much difficulty was encountered little "picket pin," thereby rendering as they all tried to crowd at once its shrill whistle and erect, watchful into the 2-inch entrance. posture very important to survival. Of all the species of ground squirUpon close inspection of the fur of rels, Beldings appear to be the harthis squirrel, numerous small, black, diest in their ability to endure the long, hairless areas are often noted. They cold winters characteristic of the high are due either to parasites or to fightmountains in which they live. Their ing. When fighting with other memhabit of hibernation tides them over bers of the species over a tidbit of the extremes. Very little is known food, Beldings usually play a blufabout the duration of the winter ing game, chasing each other vigsleep, though it probably is dependorously until one gives up. If really ent on factors such as altitude, angry they grab and bite, hanging weather, age, and food supply. Some on with their teeth while rolling over observers have indicated a long hiand over, and when one finally bites bernation, perhaps 8 months; others through the fur the other quits and believe it to be shorter, the abunruns off as fast as possible. After dance of green food all summer ensuch actions, wet and well-chewed abling the Beldings to stay active places may be found on the body. later than other species of the lower They do not seem to fight with chipaltitudes. Most ground squirrels bemunks over food and are seldom come excessively fat during the late seen chasing these small animals. summer and early fall months. As Native to the high Sierra, burrowthe cold weather ensues and snow ing beneath the beautiful mountain covers the ground, they use undermeadows, the Belding ground squirground burrows for their sound rel or "picket pin" as he is affectionwinter dormancy that resembles ately called is an interesting playdeath itself. Body temperatures mate for the mountain hiker. With which approach the coldness of the his whistling call of recognition and surrounding ground have been rehis very human curiosity he weds corded, in some cases at the freezcomes one to the high country in ing point. "Picket pins " have been true old-fashioned mountaineer style.

A LITTER FOUND IN LITTER

By Richard R. Wason, Ranger Naturalist Several visitors to the Mariposa 2 or 3 minutes during which the log Grove of giant sequoias were somewas elevated, the mouse and her what startled recently to see an awkward cargo of hitchhikers made otherwise sane-looking ranger natseveral forays outward from the uralist lifting fallen logs and peering meager shelter, apparently trying to under same with more than a casual gather up the missing pair of offinterest. Speculation on the nature of spring. On the last of these trips, one this phenomenon ranged from terof the two was picked up, kittenlike, mite hunting to a rather unsubtle sugin its mother 's mouth and was cargestion that the naturalist was bereft ried a short distance. At that moof his senses. As a matter of fact, a ment a passing automobile ("Looking photogenic salamander was his for termites, Ranger?") frightened her quarry, which seeking, however, so that this sixth passenger was was to go unrequited. dropped, and the mother et al made But, as is so often the case in natfor a cavity beneath another nearby ural explorations, a reward other log, dropping a third little squeaker than the one sought was forthcoming. on the way. As two beady eyes surAs a log near the fallen Massachuveyed the scene from their subtersetts tree was lifted, there was a ranean retreat, I reassembled the great scurrying about, flashes of trio of temporary orphans—three brown, white, and steel gray, and blind mice who could barely crawl, considerable high-pitched squeakmuch less run. Placing them in the ing. A mother white-footed mouse nest, I noticed that it was built of bits and her seven nurslings had been of shredded paper (at last, something rudely disturbed. With much haste good can be said for human litter!). the mother mouse made her way to Soon after, mother mouse and the the end of the log that still rested rest of her brood returned to the nest. on the ground, desperately seeking The entire episode was almost as cover, with five of the youngsters exciting to the watcher as it must hanging on for dear life! In the have been to those being watched.