more toward fence line above area of Big Meadow. The time it takes for Earth to form the floor of a Forest. Years. Hundreds of them. Years for the trees to grow, years for them to mature and fall. Years to decompose, be incorporated into the earth beneath. How many human beings have walked here? This is the land of Ishi. Maybe even this very Hill at some moment as he made his way.
as i sat there, thinking these things, i remembered. sometime in the 60's i read the book. Ishi, Last of his Tribe Theodora Kroeber 1964 Have thought sometimes since here. Julian's school…..Ishi Middle School
in the 1840's approximately 400 Yahi people existed in California. Total Yana people estimated at 1,500.
1849 the Gold Rush begins
Ishi is born in 1860
1865 the Massacre of Yani people begins. 74 killed.
1866 Three Knolls Massecre. 40 killed. Dry Camp Massacre. 33 killed.
1871 Kingsley Cave / Morgan Valley Massacre 30 killed.
1870 – 1911 Period of Concealment a remnant band of 5-20 individuals of Yahi hide in the Mill Creek area of California, what is now Lassen National Forest which consists of 7 counties, Tehama where Mill Creek is but includes Butte where this Hill is.
November 10, 1908 a surveying party surprises a band of 4. Ishi escapes and hides.
October 1910 T.T. Waterman leads an expedition to Mill Creek in attempt to find. No contact made but they find "incontrovertible evidence of their existence in the wild state".
August 29, 1911 after the death of his family and other remaining Yahi, Ishi was cornered by dogs outside the town of Oroville.
Maybe he sat. Like i do. Looking out. Looking down. deciding.
Lassen National Forest…. named after pioneer Peter Lassen who mined, ranched, and promoted the area to emigrant parties in the 1850's.
Chronology Nancy Rokafellar USCF
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