Madera Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Madera, CA)

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The Passing of Kona of Yohomiti. DONALD LEIDIG In the early seventies, when the Grahams rounded El Capitan after their long and tedious journey along the ridges of the Mereed, the beauty of the Yohomiti of the Indians fairly dazzled them. Their first task—since they were the first whites to invade this Indians’ Paradise—was to come to a friendly understanding with the Indian Tribes which inhabited Yosemite, the Diggers and the Piutes. The Piutes held sway over the upper end of the Valley which contained most of the berry-produe- ing territory and the Diggers occupied the lower acorn-producing end of — the —? valley. They made a sort of ‘bread, neuputi, from the ground acorns which with yen- ison formed the chief article of the Indian diet. and woe be unto the Piute caught trespassing in the Digger territory. The Grahams had no trouble in getting amica- bly acquainted with both tribes although there seemed to be some suspicion in regard to the whites. They had just completed their log cabin at the foot of Sentinel Rock and started life anew when the little valley was filled with the cries of the Diggers and Piutes in a bloody fray over the tres- passing of Piutes into Digger territory. A fight was on between the two tribes just across the Merced river from the Grahams. Mr. Graham decided to reconnoiter to see if there was any danger of the Indians turning upon his little home. Warning Mrs. Graham to be very care- ful about appearing in the open, he cautiously made his way across the river. Scarcely had he gone when Mrs. Graham was startled hy a bumping against the side of the cabin. Taking in her arms her new-born son, Charles. the first white boy born in Yosemite valley, she crept to the wall and peered through a crack. She gasped at the sight which greeted her eyes. Quickly she ran to the door and went out. There beside the cabin lay an Indian girl with an arrow in her breast, weak from the loss of blood. Mrs. Graham gathered the girl into her arms and carried her inside the house. Although made weak by the task, she tore out the arrow and dressed the wound as best she could. ‘ When Mr. Graham returned, he, having ac- quired some knowledge of the Piute dialect, was able to receive the story of the girl’s plight. She told him her name was Kona, the snow-bird, and that she had stolen away from her father’s wigwam to see the fight. While watching at what she thought was a safe distance, she had been shot by a stray arrow and had just managed to creep from the river bank to the Graham home. Mr. and Mrs. Graham decided that under the 5

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tended in welcome, and then fallen as the little head, said as he stood beside the soul fled. mounds, “After all, Peter was They buried him the next day beside the grave belonged.” of Jim, and the old Doctor, sadly shaking his The Myth of the Raisin. Bacchus one day sat musing Before the green grape vine, Inspecting the grapes he was using To make the sweet red wine. Long the fruits he regarded, Seriously and with care, But threw them from him—discarded To le in the sun’s bright glare. “T have left them too long on the bushes To use for the glorious wine; Their fair skin too deeply blushes: [ did not pick them in time.” Long on the leaves they rested Untouched by the hand of Rain, Till one day a nymph them tested. Found them pleasing and tested again. She flew to the wine-god, then eried she, “What new fruit is this I have found 2?” Bacchus glanced at her hands—then replied he. “Tis the grapes which I cast on the ground. So long have they lain midst the grasses, So long in the warmth and the light, Unnoticed by mortal that passes, Untouched by the dew in the night. That they have become dried and wrinkled Like a man who has lived too long, But upon them Apollo has sprinkled A charm to be told of in song. Hear, Nymph, the Raisin I name them, Made from the grape, sun-dried, And give them to Man, who will claim them And cherish their wealth with pride.” two little right—they

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circumstances there was nothing to do but to keep Kona until she was fully recovered. Under Mrs. Grahain’s gentle and untiring care Kona’s wound finally healed; but two months had slipped by before Kona completely regained her strength, and during this time there had grown up between the two women a strong bond of friendship. Mrs. Graham had striven valiantly to learn the Piute tongue while little Kona had striven equally hard to conquer the even more stubborn English. As a result the women were now able to understand one another fairly well. And so, when it came time for Kona’s departure, Mrs. Graham felt a pang of regret for the little snow-bird, for, contrary to the general rule, Kona had grown up to suit her name. Her dark hair crowning her olive-tinted skin was like the black hood of the snow-bird surmounting its little buff- colored body. Kona, after the manner of the stolid Indian, started to leave Mrs. Graham without a word, then turned and said, “Kona no forget. Some day Kona give back to you.” ‘Tears filled Mrs. Grraham’s eyes as she watched this little so-called savage slowly go her way to her tribe. In the summer following the episode of Kona, little Charles Graham became seriously ill. Days passed and the child grew steadily worse. Mr. Graham finally set out for the doctor at a little settlement called Hite’s Cove, which was about two days’ journey from Yosemite. On the third evening of his absence Mrs. Gra- ham, while anxiously caring for Charles, was startled by the hurried entrance of Kona, breath- less from her haste. threw a shawl about her, and picking up Charles, said in a low voice, “Come! Kona go. You no come—die. Come still like deer.” Mrs. Graham was inclined to hesitate but, hav- ing full confidence in Kona, she gathered her little family together, there were three small children older than Charles, and all soon disappeared in the gathering dusk. Kona led the way to a cave near the foot of Sentinel Rock and, when all were within, she told her tale to Mrs. Graham. The formerly friendly Piutes of the Yosemite had that afternoon been stirred into action by several renegade members of the tribe who were These men had been active in the Kona ran to Mrs. Graham, quickly horse thieves. San Joaquin valley and in one of their escapades had killed a rancher and his family near Merced. The troops of Fort Millerton were close on the trail of the Indians, but had that afternoon been eluded by their crafty quarry who entered the val- ley by a secret path up the Merced river canyon. These horse thieves had then incited their fel- low tribesmen against the Grahams as they feared the whites might betray the presence of the Indians to the troops. The Piutes had determined to mas- sacre the Grahams that night. Kona, being the daughter of one of the chiefs, had overheard these plans and true to her vow to Mrs. Graham had decided to violate the most sacred code of the Indians, fidelity to her own kin and tribe. Kona, having completed her story, led Mrs. Graham to the mouth of the cave and pointed to- ward the Graham home. The cabin was in flames and the rising evening wind bore to the ears of Mrs. Graham the unearthly cries of the Indians. Mrs. Graham shuddered at the thought of what might have been the fate of her children and her- self and sank to her knees in prayer and thanks- giving. Kona turned sorrowfully away and said, “You pray your Gods! Kona cannot do again. She break her promise to her Gods—now Kona pay.” Then in spite of Mrs. Graham’s entreaties, Kona walked out into the night and disappeared. Walking rapidly to the bank of the Merced she cast herself in and was born away. The U. 8. Troops traced their quarry into the valley the next day, and the commander, having been made familiar with the valley by an old trapper, split his company into two divisions. One of these entered the lower end of the valley, and the other rode around the rim of the valley to the outlet at the upper end. The Indians, warned of the approach of — the troops by their scouts, fled to the northern end. When they reached what is now known as Indian canyon, the troops closed in from both sides and massacred practically every man, woman, and child—a blow from which the Indians of the Yosemite have never recovered. Mrs. Graham and her children were found and brought out of the valley along the peaceful Mer- ced of Yosemite which once free from the eternal vigilance of El Capitan begins to babble the story of the supreme sacrifice of Kona of Yohomiti.