The Geography and Dialects of the Miwok Indians - Yosemite Online
The Geography and Dialects of the Miwok Indians - Yosemite Online
The Geography and Dialects of the Miwok Indians - Yosemite Online
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1908] Barrett .—<strong>The</strong> <strong>Geography</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Dialects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Miwok</strong> <strong>Indians</strong> . 347<br />
but differed in opinion as to whe<strong>the</strong>r it belonged to <strong>the</strong> Plains or<br />
<strong>the</strong> Amador dialect. That this vicinity was held by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Miwok</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>re seems little doubt, though it can not be definitely stated to<br />
which <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two dialectic areas it belonged. In respect to <strong>the</strong><br />
eastern part <strong>of</strong> this nor<strong>the</strong>rn boundary, <strong>the</strong> bulk <strong>of</strong> <strong>Miwok</strong> information<br />
gave <strong>the</strong> south fork <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cosumnes as <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn limit<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Miwok</strong> territory. This information, however, does not agree<br />
with that obtained from <strong>the</strong> Maidu by Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Dixon, who<br />
places this portion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Maidu-<strong>Miwok</strong> boundary definitely at<br />
<strong>the</strong> middle fork instead <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> south fork . <strong>The</strong>refore, since Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
Dixon's information on this point appears to be quite<br />
positive, <strong>and</strong> since a considerable amount <strong>of</strong> similar information<br />
was obtained from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Miwok</strong> in <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> present investigation,<br />
it seems highly probable that <strong>the</strong> middle fork does mark<br />
<strong>the</strong> boundary in this region.<br />
From <strong>the</strong> point just west <strong>of</strong> Silver lake <strong>the</strong> boundary runs in<br />
a sou<strong>the</strong>rly direction through <strong>the</strong> mountains <strong>and</strong> across <strong>the</strong> head<br />
<strong>of</strong> Mokelumne river, where it takes a more westerly course <strong>and</strong><br />
runs to <strong>the</strong> vicinity <strong>of</strong> Big Trees, o<strong>the</strong>rwise known as <strong>the</strong> Calaveras<br />
big tree grove . Here it turns quite sharply to <strong>the</strong> south<br />
for a few miles <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>n to <strong>the</strong> east, going across <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
headwaters <strong>of</strong> Stanislaus river, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>nce up <strong>the</strong> range separating<br />
Aspen Creek from <strong>the</strong> middle fork <strong>of</strong> Stanislaus river, to <strong>the</strong><br />
crest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> high Sierras, which it <strong>the</strong>n follows, with its general<br />
sou<strong>the</strong>asterly trend, to a point at or near Mt . Lyell. Both <strong>Miwok</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Washo informants were questioned concerning <strong>the</strong> boundary<br />
between <strong>the</strong>ir territories <strong>and</strong> all agreed that <strong>the</strong> Washo owned<br />
<strong>the</strong> region for some distance down on <strong>the</strong> western slope <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Sierras, <strong>and</strong> that <strong>the</strong>y held a narrow strip <strong>of</strong> territory down to<br />
<strong>the</strong> vicinity <strong>of</strong> Big Trees . <strong>The</strong> Washo placed <strong>the</strong> line definitely<br />
about three miles west <strong>of</strong> Big Trees, while some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Miwok</strong><br />
placed it between Big Trees <strong>and</strong> Gardner's about three or four<br />
miles to <strong>the</strong> east. Nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>Miwok</strong> nor Washo inhabited <strong>the</strong> very<br />
high mountains during <strong>the</strong> colder season, but during <strong>the</strong> summer<br />
both camped <strong>the</strong>re <strong>and</strong> seem to have been on very friendly terms.<br />
It also appears that although <strong>the</strong> ownership <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> respective territory<br />
<strong>of</strong> each was fully recognized by <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>re were no<br />
exacting restrictions placed by ei<strong>the</strong>r upon <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r in <strong>the</strong>ir