The effect of the desiccation of ancient Cahuilla Lake upon the culture and distribution of some of the desert Indians of Southern California

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THE EFFECT OF THE DESSICATION OF ANCIENT CAHUILLA LAKE UPON THE CULTURE AND DISTRIBUTION OF SOME OF THE DESERT INDIANS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

A T h e s is P r e s e n te d t o t h e F a c u lt y o f th e C o lle g e o f L e t t e r s , A r t s , and S c ie n c e s The U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u th ern C a l i f o r n ia

In P a r t ia l F u lfillm e n t o f th e R eq u irem en ts f o r t h e D egree M aster o f A r ts i n S o c i a l S t u d ie s

by Desmond M ohler Sm ith F eb ru a ry 1942

UMI Number: EP71204

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This thesis, written by ...................

under the direction of A.JLs Faculty C o m m it t e e , a n d a p p r o v e d by a l l its m e m b e r s , has been presented to and accepted by the Council on Graduate S tu d y and Research in parti al fulfill­ m e n t o f th e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r th e d e g r e e of

MASTER OF ARTS

Secretary

n n t...

February, 1942...

F aculty C om m ittee

J

a

j

2 . Chairman

« 2 * w ..v ^ L

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I.

PAGE

THE PROBLEM AND ITS IMPORTANCE...................................... The P roblem

. • .................................

1

S ta te m e n t o f th e problem •

1

Im p ortan ce o f t h e s t u d y ................................. * . •

2

D e f i n i t i o n o f term s

2

O r g a n iz a tio n o f rem ain d er o f t h e s i s II. III.

. • • ♦ .

3

CAHUILLA L A K E ............................................................................

8

ETHNOGRAPHICAL REPORTS ON THE POST-CAHUILLA LAKE PEOPLES..............................................................................

IV .

V.

1

14

EARLY SPANISH REPORTS ON TEE POST-CAHUILLA LAKE PEOPLES............................................................................

39

E a r ly S p an ish R e p o r ts on t h e Lower C a lif o r n ia n s

39

R e p o r ts from t h e de Anza E x p e d it io n s 1 7 7 4 -7 6

53

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CAHUILLA LAKE.................................

70

Some im p o r ta n t C a h u illa Lake camp s i t e s

. . .

71

• • • . . • • • • • • • •

75

N o rth w est S u p e r s t it i o n Camps • • • « • • • «

77

C h o c o la te Drops Camp

77

" F ish Traps" Camp

• • . « • • • • • • • • •

78

E a s t G ra v el P i t Beach L in e Camps . . . « • •

79

N ila n d Camps

81

San S e b a s t ia n o r H a rp er’ s W ell Camps . . . .

81

Three B u tte s Camp

ill CHAPTER

PAGE M is c e lla n e o u s Camps

• • • • • • * « * • • «

82

Com parison o f E a s t and West Beach L in e Camps *

83

C a h u illa Lake A r t i f a c t s

84

* * • * • • • • • • •

A r t i f a c t s from c r e m a tio n s C rem ation No* I

* * • • • « • • •

..........................................................

84 86

C rem ation N o* 1 1 • * • • * * * « • • • • «

87

C rem ation No* I I I

* • • * • • • • • • • •

88

C rem ation No* I V * * * * * * * * * * * * *

88

C rem ation N o * V

89

• • * • • * • • • • • • •

S u r fa c e a r t i f a c t s fro m beach l i n e camps

• •

91

Woodwork • • • • • • • • • • * • • • • * ♦

91

Bone Work

• • • • • • * • • • • • * * « «

92

S h e l l Work • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

93

S ton e Work • • * • • • • • • • • • • * • •

94

B a sk e tr y • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

97

P o tte r y

93

* * • • • • * • • • • • * • • • •

M is c e lla n e o u s m a t e r ia l and d a ta from C a h u illa Lake and su r r o u n d in g t e r r i t o r y • * • • • •

105

Human f o o t p r i n t in r o ck

106

Old In d ia n t r a i l s

* * * * * * * * .

• • • • •

....................

• •

108

A r c h a e o lo g ic a l m a t e r ia l from a r e a s a d ja c e n t t o C a h u illa Lake • • * * • « • • • * • •

109

iv CHAPTER

PAGE

V I . SOME MYTHS AND TRADITIONS OF THE POST-CAHUILLA LAKE PEOPLE......................................................................................

115

C r e a tio n m yths

117

• • • ...............................................................

W iot— Good D e ity o f t h e L u isen o . . . . . . . K u k ita tc — God o f t h e S e r r a n o ......................................

117 118

Mukat— God o f th e C a h u illa s • • • • • • • • «

119

A b s tr a c t o f t h e M aricopa c r e a t i o n t a l e

119

The Mohave c r e a t io n t a l e

• « .

• • • • • • . . . . ......................................

The Kamia c r e a t i o n t a l e The S o u th e a s t Y avap ai t a l e

121 121

. . . . • * • • *

122

» • • • • • « • • • « • •

123

The Cupeno m ig r a tio n and a n n i h i l a t i o n . . . .

123

L u isen o m ig r a t io n t a l e

124

M ig r a tio n t r a d i t i o n s

S o u th ern D iegu en o m ig r a t io n

• •

124

M ig r a tio n o f Lower C a l i f o r n ia I n d ia n s • • • •

125

Kamia a c c o u n t o f m ig r a tio n o f t r i b e s

126

• • • •

Land o f th e d e a d ........................................................... D iegu en o b e l i e f . . . * • • Mohave b e l i e f

.................... . . . .

.....................................................

127 127 128

M aricopa b e l i e f Alova* a l a b e l i e f .......................................

128 • • • • • •

Cocopa b e l i e f ..........................................................................

129 129

V

CHAPTER VII.

PAGE

SUMMARY AND C O N C L U S I O N S ...................... Summary Conclusions

130 130

• • • • . . » * •

........

...

132

BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................

140

LIST OF TABLES TABLE I#

PAGE Comparative Chart of the General Culture of the Post-Cahuilla Lake Peoples

. , * ♦

IB

LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE

PAGE

1.

C a h u illa L ake, 9 0 0 -1 5 0 0 A .D .

........................................

9

2.

P o s t - C a h u illa Lake P e o p le s

3#

I n d ia n T r ib e s o f S o u th ern C a l i f o r n ia

4#

Yuma W in ter H o u s e ...................................... . . . . . . .

21

5*

R e c e n t Kamia 011a •

12

6.

C a h u illa Lake Camp S i t e s

7#

Arrowhead Types from Three B u tte s Camps . . ♦ . .

77

8*

Beach L in e V iew s

• • • • ............................................... ♦ •

80

9«

C rem ation S i t e s • • • • • ...................

15 • • • • • •

. . . . . . . . • • • • . . • • • • • •

16

76

. . . . . . .

85

10♦

A r t i f a c t s from C rem ation s • • • • • • • . . . . •

90

11.

Some S u r fa c e A r t i f a c t s from Beach L in e Camps

96

12.

P o t t e r y A r t i f a c t s from Beach L in e Camps . . . . .

13.

A r t i f a c t s and D ata from T e r r it o r y Su rrou n d in g C a h u illa Lake

. .

104

107

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND ITS IMPORTANCE To d a t e , no g e n e r a l stu d y h a s b e e n made o f t h e a r c h a e o l o g ic a l m a t e r ia l found a s s o c i a t e d w it h " f o s s i l " C a h u illa Lake— th e la k e t h a t on ce o c c u p ie d t h e b a s in o f t h e Im p e r ia l V a l l e y in S ou th ern C a lif o r n ia * H ow ever, members o f th e S m ith so n ia n I n s t i t u t e , Heye F o u n d a tio n , U n iv e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n ia and a fe w o t h e r le a r n e d o r g a n iz a t io n s have r e c o r d e d some o f t h e e th n o ­ g r a p h ic a l and e t h n o l o g i c a l m a t e r ia ls o f t h e I n d ia n s who now o r u n t i l r e c e n t l y l i v e d in t h i s a r e a or around i t s p e r ip h e r y *

In t h e s e a n t h r o p o lo g ic a l r e p o r t s , r e f e r e n c e s

a r e som etim es made t o an e a r l i e r p e o p le and m ig r a t io n s , but l i t t l e

o r no e f f o r t h a s been made to c o r r e l a t e th e

c u lt u r e o f t h e r e c e n t I n d ia n s w ith t h a t o f t h e I n d ia n s who l i v e d around t h e la k e d u r in g i t s e x i s t e n c e — w hich a c c o r d ­ in g t o g e o l o g i c a l e v id e n c e w as from a b o u t 900 to 1500 A*D#^. I*

THE PROBLEM

S ta te m e n t o f th e p rob lem *

I t i s t h e p u rp o se o f t h i s

p a p er t o (1 ) f i n d o u t w here th e I n d ia n s , who on ce l i v e d around t h e s h o r e s o f a n c ie n t C a h u illa L ake, m ig r a te d when

1 E* C* J a e g e r , C a l i f o r n ia D e s e r t s , p p . 1 2 1 -1 2 2 .

th e la k e d r ie d up ab o u t 1500 A .D .; and , (2 ) t o t r y t o d e t e r m ine t h e c u lt u r e c h a n g e s, i f a n y , ca u sed by t h i s f o r c e d m ig r a t io n o f p e o p le . Im p ortan ce o f th e s t u d y . p a p er i s t h r e e f o l d :

The im p ortan ce o f t h i s

( 1 ) I t w i l l r e c o r d t h e h i t h e r t o un­

w r i t t e n a r c h a e o lo g y o f a fo n n e r S ou th ern C a l i f o r n ia In d ia n c u lt u r e a r e a , w hose a p p a re n t c e n t e r w as a la r g e f r e s h w a te r l a k e , some 125 m i le s lo n g , l o c a t e d i n th e b o tto m o f th e d e p r e s s e d C olorad o D e s e r t B a sin --n o w th e Im p e r ia l V a l l e y . (2 ) I t w i l l d e s c r ib e more f u l l y th e In d ia n c u l t u r e se q u e n c e i n Sou thern C a l i f o r n ia from th e p r e -S p a n is h t o th e p o s t S p a n ish p e r io d .

( 3 ) I t w i l l g i v e some b a s i s p erh a p s f o r

l a t e r w r i t e r s t o o r g a n iz e more a c c u r a t e l y th e r e l a t e d e t h n ic grou p s now s c a t t e r e d around t h i s one tim e c u lt u r e c e n t e r in r a d i a t in g d i r e c t i o n s — o v e r th e r e s t o f S ou th ern C a l i f o r n i a , e a s t e r n A r iz o n a , n o r th w e s te r n M ex ico , and Lower C a lifo r n ia . II.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

C a h u illa Lake P e o p le , P o s t - C a h u illa Lake P e o p le . To d i s t i n g u i s h betw een th e p e o p le who l i v e d around C a h u illa Lake d u r in g i t s

e x i s t e n c e and t h o s e who l i v e d in th e r e g io n

a f t e r th e d e s s i c a t i o n o f t h e la k e , th e form er p e o p le w i l l be d e s ig n a t e d a s C a h u illa Lake P e o p le ; and t h e l a t t e r , i n

3 g e n e r a l r e f e r e n c e s , a s P o s t - C a h u illa Lake P eo p le*

The

P o s t - C a h u illa Lake P e o p le , o r th o s e found in and around C a h u illa B a sin by th e e a r l y S p a n ia r d s , a re d iv id e d i n t o 2 many t r i b e s * K r o e b e r 's t r i b a l d i v i s i o n s w i l l be f o llo w e d when any s p e c i f i c t r i b e i s m en tion ed * III.

ORGANIZATION OF REMAINDER OF THESIS

S tu d y in g t h e c u lt u r e o f a d e c e a s e d p e o p le i s d i f f i ­ c u l t and c h a n c e s f o r e r r o r a re g r e a t i f one b a s e s h i s i n f e r e n c e s s o l e l y on a r c h a e o l o g ic a l e v id e n c e *

H ow ever, i f

one can f in d " r e c e n t" d e s c e n d a n ts o f an e a r l i e r p e o p le h i s c h a n c e s a re g r e a t e r f o r p r e s e n t in g a more n e a r ly a c c u r a te p i c t u r e o f t h e a n c ie n t c u l t u r e .

F o r , he can th e n compare

many o f t h e i r m a t e r ia l c u lt u r e t r a i t s and d edu ce some o f t h e i r n o n -m a te r ia l c u lt u r e t r a i t s and c o m p lex e s— i f th e r e i s enough s i m i l a r i t y b etw een th e c u l t u r e s and n o t to o much tim e h a s e la p s e d — f o r co m p lex e s and t r a i t s o f a n o n -m a te r ia l n a tu r e are v e r y slo w to ch a n g e, compared t o t h o s e o f a m a t e r ia l n a t u r e .

F or ex a m p le, d u r in g t h e l a s t 1$0 y e a r s

b u r i a l cu stom s h ave undergone v e r y l i t t l e

change in th e

U n ite d S t a t e s , b u t w eapons o f war have un dergon e v e r y r a d i c a l change in t h a t s h o r t tim e*

2 A. L . K ro eb er, Handbook o f I n d ia n s o f C a l i f o r n i a * See su p p lem en ta ry map, P la t e I , in back o f book*

4 But g e t t i n g back t o t h e p rob lem , i t seem s a p t t o a p p ly t h i s c o m p a ra tiv e c u lt u r e t e c h n iq u e , f o r t h e i n t e r v a l o f tim e b etw een t h e d e s s i c a t i o n o f th e la k e and th e a r r i v a l o f th e f i r s t S p a n ia r d s was n o t lo n g , and o f f hand t h e r e seem s t o be a c l o s e rese m b la n ce b etw een th e c u lt u r e o f th e la k e p e r io d and t h a t r e c o r d e d by t h e S p a n ish some 200 y e a r s la te r * The f i r s t E uropeans la n d ed on th e p e n in s u la o f B aja C a l i f o r n i a i n 1 5 3 3 , f o r t y one y e a r s a f t e r th e h i s t o r i c v o y a g e o f Columbus^*

T h is f i r s t la n d in g w as f o llo w e d by , 4 s u c c e s s i v e g r o u p s— m i s s i o n a r i e s in 1697 , f o llo w e d by

fo r tu n e h u n t e r s , and l a t e r c o l o n i s t s *

F o r t u n a t e ly s e v e r a l

o f t h e e a r l y p a d re s made v e r y c a r e f u l o b s e r v a t io n s o f th e n a t i v e p o p u la tio n i n B aja C a l i f o r n i a and r e c o r d e d w hat t h e y saw in le n g t h y r e p o r t s , w h ich a r e s t i l l a v a i l a b l e — th e e a r l i e s t e t h n o l o g i c a l r e p o r t s on th e C a l i f o r n ia In d ia n s* H ow ever, W hite Men d id n o t c r o s s t h e dry C a h u illa Lake B a sin u n t i l 1 7 7 4 , when an e x p e d it io n under th e l e a d e r ­ s h ip o f C a p ta in Juan B a u t is t a de A nza, J r * , made th e f i r s t 5 o v e r la n d t r i p from M exico t o c o a s t a l C a l i f o r n i a « M ention

3 A* W* N o r th , Camp and Camino in Lower C a l i f o r n i a * pp* 7 1 - 7 2 . 4 I b i d .* p . 15* 5 A. J* D e n is , S p a n ish A lt a C a l i f o r n i a * p . 1 8 6 .

5 should be made that Father Kino earlier made two hasty trips t o t h e G u lf o f C a l i f o r n i a , th e f i r s t i n 169# and th e seco n d in 1701.

From what he c o u ld s e e w ith h i s t e l e s c o p e and

from t a l e s h e g a th e r e d from t h e I n d ia n s , he was c o n v in c e d t h a t C a l i f o r n i a w as n o t an i s l a n d a s fo r m e r ly supposed*

6

De A nza’ s p e r s o n a l d ia r y and t h o s e o f two f r i a r s — F ray F r a n c is c o G arces and F ray Juan D ia z , who accom panied him on t h i s f i r s t e x p e d i t io n — a r e th e f i r s t com p reh en sive r e c o r d s about t h e P o s t - C a h u illa Lake I n d ia n s , whom th e y found i n and around t h i s th en d e s e r t r e g i o n .

T hese r e p o r t s

w ere g r e a t l y augm ented by F a th e r P edro F o n t’ s m e tic u lo u s d ia r y o f t h e secon d Anza e x p e d it io n i n 1 7 7 5 -7 6 , o f w hich he was a member. As t o t h e o r i g i n o f th e C a h u illa Lake P e o p le , we can o n ly i n f e r f o r t h e r e i s no d i r e c t e v id e n c e *

H owever,

know ing t h e m eaning o f f r e s h w a te r to d e s e r t I n d ia n s , i t seem s l i k e l y t h a t I n d ia n s f lo c k e d to t h i s v e r i t a b l e "Garden o f Eden" from m i le s around when i t was c r e a t e d .

They

p r o b a b ly came from th e Mohave D e s e r t , Lower C a l i f o r n i a , th e Lower C olorado and G ila R iv e r c o u n t r i e s , and th e C o a s ta l M ountain s to t h e West*

Of c o u r s e , any p e o p le

l i v i n g i n th e f l o o r o f th e b a s in p r io r t o t h e fo r m a tio n o f

6 M ig u el V e n e g a s, A N a tu r a l and C i v i l H is t o r y o f C a l i f o r n i a . V o l. I , p p . 2