Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 edition. Excerpt: ... PLANTS USED BY THE INDIANS OF MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. INTRODUCTION. While in California during the summers of 1897 and 1898, and incidentally in the summer and winter of 1892, the writer had opportunity to make some inquiry into the native uses of plants in the Round Valley Indian Reservation, and in July, 1897, similar inquiries were made at Ukiah. Both of these places are in Mendocino County, which stretches as a band 60 miles broad for 84 miles along the coast, about midway between San Francisco and the northern border of the State. The floras of these two regions, although they are only 42 miles apart, differ considerably, and both vary a little from that of the redwood belt of the immediate coast line, about 40 miles distant. This third belt was not visited by the writer; but inasmuch as there are few, if any, Indian tribes in the county which are not represented in the reservations or at Ukiah, and since, moreover, many of these visit the coast occasionally, this report may betaken to be fairly representative for the county. At as late a date as 1849, Round Valley, which is near the northern end of the county and about 200 miles north of San Francisco, was unknown to white men, being then inhabited by a peculiar tribe of very uncommunicative and warlike people, the Yuki, and it was not until 1856 that white people began to settle there. The Yokia and Pomo Indians, who lived in the immediate vicinityof the now flourishing town of Ukiah, were well known at a much earlier date; but it has been since 1880 only that the California Northwestern Railway was extended to the town, which is still the terminus of the road. Connection with Round Valley, which by the compass is 42 miles north of Ukiah, is made by stage over a very...