The Aboriginal Population of the San Joaquin Valley, CaliforniaCook, Sherburne Friend
History
The Aboriginal Population of the San Joaquin Valley, California
Cook, Sherburne Friend
Indians of North America -- California -- San Joaquin Valley; San Joaquin Valley (Calif.) -- Population
The Martinez description is apparently somewhat at variance with that
of his predecessor. Martinez saw, cites distances for, and mentions by
name three rancherias: Telame, Lihuauhilame, and Gelecto. They were
located within a radius of one league of each other and must correspond
to the three seen by Moraga. Gelecto was in ruins, with only the
cemetery still in evidence. Hence Gelecto may very well have been the
big, deserted rancheria of Moraga. Martinez gives no population data
for Telame but says there were 300 heads of families in Lihuauhilame,
which was, therefore, without much doubt the largest of the three.
According to Moraga's figures, Telame I was the largest. Hence the
concordance seems to be that Telame, Lihuauhilame, and Gelecto of
Martinez correspond respectively to Telame II, Telame I and the "big"
rancheria of Moraga. As pointed out previously, the total inhabitants
to be deduced from 300 heads of families, under the conditions existing
in 1816 was 1,200. This is twice the estimate of Moraga.
An important point arises here with respect to Moraga's estimates. At
Bubal, it will be remembered, Martin found evidence of 1,300 people in
1804 whereas Moraga reported only 400 in 1806. At Lihuauhilame Martinez
found according to the statement of the village chief 1,200, although
Moraga had reported ten years previously only 600. Furthermore Cabot,
at Bubal eight years after Moraga, found 700 persons. For these two
important villages therefore Moraga differs flatly with three other
competent authorities by a factor of two or three. Similar instances
may be found elsewhere in which Moraga's population figures are far
too low. It seems difficult to escape the conclusion, consequently,
that Moraga (or Muñoz) consistently underestimated the native
population. The reason is not immediately apparent, although several
possible suggestions may be offered. Moraga personally had little
interest in such matters. Although he himself did not write the account
of the expedition to the Tulares in 1806, he did write that of his
expedition to the Sacramento Valley in 1808. The latter diary shows
very clearly, through the extreme paucity of its population data, that
Moraga either made no direct counts or estimates, or considered them
too unimportant to mention in his manuscript. For the 1806 trip the
estimates were all supplied, obviously, by Muñoz. There is no reason to
impugn either the judgment or veracity of this missionary. However, if
one examines his account, it becomes evident that Muñoz based his
figures either (1) on statements of gentiles or (2) on the number of
natives seen by him. The former source might or might not be accurate.
The latter was almost certain to yield too low values because the
Moraga expedition was notoriously hostile to the natives and at nearly
every village approached the inhabitants fled if they could possibly do
so. Muñoz therefore consistently saw only the residue, a fraction of
the actual number.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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