Ferndale Union High School - Tomahawk Yearbook (Ferndale, CA)

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, The Hoopa Reservation ln the northeastern part of Humboldt County the Hoopa Reservation is situated. This portion of the county has been given to the Indians as a place to live in by the United States government. The Reservation itself consists of ten square miles of bottom and hill land through which the Trinity river flows, making it one of the most beautiful valleys on the Pacific Coast. At first it was formally taken by the United States in 1859 or 1860 as a reserve. A fort, called Gaston, was then established and a small company of soldiers, with a captain in charge, was stationed there. Besides the captain an agent was appointed, who had charge of the Indians and their affairs. At first there were many outbreaks among the Indians and they had many encounters with the soldiers, but after a time they began to' be convinced of the white man's power and so settled down peacefully. At this time the Indians of the Hoopa Tribe numbered about a thousand but as years passed along this number diminished either by the aid of whites or assisted by the Indians' greatest foe, whiskey. During 1888 and 1889 the United States had the valley surveyed into ranches. These were given to the heads of the Indian families with the understanding that they could not sell or will it out of the family. In this Way the land was peaceably divided and this condition prevails today in Hoopa valley. At first the government established many small schools throughout the Reservation, but after the garrison was removed in 1890, these were all united into one large school. This school is capable of accommodating three hundred students with a superintendent and assistants at its head. The In- dians are taught to read, write and are also given practicable knowledge of figures. Farming, milling, blacksinithing and many other branches of manual science are taught to those who desire it. By these means the Indians are given advantages to become civilized and to adapt themselves to the ways of the white man. The government also appointed a doctor and fitted out a drug store and in this manner the needs and wants of the Indians are administered to. The resources of the valley are so abundant that many of the young men have bank accounts and are quite rich. They have either gained their wealth by the rich placer mining there or by packing over the rough trails of the mountains. Take it all in all the Indians are happy and contented with their lot. The customs of the Indians are still practiced, for every two years they have their national White Deer Skin Dance. Indians come together from far and near and participate in this. The dance lasts from the ninth to the fifteenth of September and it signifies their thankfulness to the Great Spirit for their bountiful harvests. It is really a harvest dance. Another dance is that of the Wood- pecker Head and it signifies the death of winter and the approach of summer. This comes in the month of May of each year. They also have their sacred animals and birds, the bear and the crow being especially sacred. The tribe even claims to trace its descent from the bear, and they call the crow the founder of their hunting grounds. A pretty legend is told of this incident and it runs like this: When the world was covered with water there was a big chief in a canoe. He sailed and sailed always trying to find land, finally he let a crow Hy away, for in this canoe there were many different kinds of animals. After a time the crow returned with a pine nut in his beak. He gave this to the chief and then took hold of the boat and steered it to land. The place where the boat landed, the Hoopa Tribe believe to be Trinity summit, a mountain peak near Hoopa Valley. -E. M. S. '08. .: . . - ' VlW'772?f E' .. .,' -.ln 1 '.. , v., .. 1- fs ' hx. V MMNF Ln Cu ' . gpm lmjgf, ,th Lrlljig ' .-- ' ' - 'ff --ft ,. 7 ' J -,gr M 'L gnff-I1 f - 'V L-'4 7 Wk 7 ' ' ,f 'ef 1, ' fffky . . ,-fix! . f' 5 -4 as .,- .- 7 ff- 1 ...- :fp-iff , ,,,g.,w Ka V -exif f lu ww!

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fi il, FIM le I o , if W f A Legend ' N i It is said by the Indians that long ago when the world was one big hunting ground, there lived in the forest a little Indian maid with her father. Now every evening when this little maid went to rest, she could see shining through the branches of the redwoods a star, and night after night as she lay on her woodland bed looking up at the sky she would say, Ah! beautiful star, how 'I love you, but you, a son of the Great Chief could never' love a simple little Indian maiden like me, and then she would hide her face and weep and the giant trees would bend their heads and whisper softly, for it pained them to see their child in tears. N But the star, as he shone down through the trees, saw and heard and a great love filled his heart for the little Indian Girl and one night when all was still came down from heaven and stole her away with him. A great many moons came and went and the Indian maiden and her star husband lived happily together. But, alas! one day she became jealous of her husband and was cast from heaven by him. In vain she pleaded and begged to be allowed to return, but he shook his head and said: Nog a fallen star never returns to heaven. He then, taking pity on her, changed her into a flower and fastened her to the earth with a long slender chain, and today her story is told by the Indian chil- dren who gather her in the woods and call her the Shooting Starf'-Anne Monroe '11, 4

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Old Fort Humboldt One of the most interesting historical landmarks in Northern California is Fort Humboldt, situated about two miles south of Eureka. In 1852, upon the urgent request of the early settlers who had become alarmed over continued Indian depredations, two companies, B and F, United States infantry, were sent to Humboldt Bay to establish a post for the protection of the then sparsely settled region. The troops sailed from Benecia in January, 1853, in the little steamer Goliah reaching Humboldt harbor several days later. The channel at the entrance was a shifting one and thus great fear and anxiety were felt by the passen- gers as the crossed the bar. Wrecks were more frequent in those days than now, and the ghostly remains of vessels wrecked at the bar, their spars still visible, did not serve to allay their fears. Bucksport, where the fort was located, was then a rival of Eureka but was chosen in'preference to the latter, on account of its splendid site. The huge bluff, about a quarter of a mile back from the bay, seemed as though intended for a fortification. The forests on two sides furnished an abundance of timber, California redwood being most desirable. ' Tents were pitched and building began at once. The first house was built by having a frame filled in with hewn logs, thenfweather boards and plaster within. In a couple of months a dozen or more houses and public buildings were completed. Game of all kind was abundant, but beef could be obtained only at long intervals. A contract was made with the celebrated hunter, Seth Kinman, to furnish elk meat, a certain number of times each month, to the command. The Indians became friendly with the troops and visited t.he garrison almost daily. The presence of the troops gave security to the settlers and emigration increased from this time. Desertions were frequent soon after the arrival of the command upon the bay. The soldiers were tempted by the mines not far distant, and for some time they eluded capture. Fort Humboldt became a very popular post, and it is to be regretted that the government saw fit to abandon it. At one time our great general, U. S. Grant, was stationed there. A number of the officers who were stationed at the fort at the breaking out of the war, joined the Southern Confed- eracy. Captain Lovell was left in commend of the post in 1861. He remained loyal to his govern- ment and was transferred to the east where he did honorable service. The only means of transportation was a cart drawn by a mule, and oftentimes a soldier could be seen conveying the garrison ladies to Eureka that they might do their necessary shopping. Several of the old buildings, including the old guard house with its lookout, still remain, and Congressman James Knowland, representing the California Landmarks Committee, visited Eureka two years ago and urged the citizens to preserve the guard house, at least, but I believe nothing has been done, consequently it will be but a short time ere nothing of this historic spot remains.- C. A. M. '10,