The Lore and the Lure of the Yosemite Index
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The Lore and the Lure of the YosemiteThe Indians
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This short book about Yosemite Valley and its original inhabitants was written early in the 20th century. Of particular interest are the photographs, which are all in the public domain; while not as gorgeous as those taken in later years by Ansel Adams, they adequately convey the magnificent landscape.
This book has a few factual inaccuracies, but only because of the limits of contemporary knowledge. For instance, at the time of writing, Ribbon Falls was thought to be the highest waterfall in the world; today we know that Angel Falls in Venezuela has this distinction. Also, the small but signficant survival of Chinese Redwoods was likewise unknown at the time, so we can today qualify the statement that this tree only exists in California. However, for the most part this book is fairly accurate; in particular, the geological description is not obsolete.
The core of this book is a description of the beliefs and material culture of the Miwok of Yosemite, and the disgraceful history of their ejection from the valley. The historical and ethnographic information is fairly accurate; in contrast, the information on religion is the thinnest part of this book. Wilson writes of a 'Great Spirit'; as far as I know, this is not a part of Miwok beliefs. There is no concept of an overarching deity. Rather, Miwok mythology revolves around Coyote and the other animal-people inhabitants of the dreamtime.
Title Page
Contents
List Of Illustrations
Introductory Note
Chapter I. The Coming of the White Man to Yosemite
Chapter I. The Coming of the White Man to YosemiteChapter II. The Story of Yosemite
The Story of YosemiteThe Gateway
Bridal Veil Fall
El Capitan
Ribbon Fall
The Valley
Cathedral Rocks
Cathedral Spires
The Three Brothers
Sentinel Rock
Yosemite Fall
Glacier Point
Half Dome
North Dome and Basket Dome
Happy Isles
Mirror Lake
Clouds Rest
Chapter III. Sunset in the Yosemite
Chapter III. Sunset in the YosemiteChapter IV. Big Trees of the Mariposa Grove
Chapter IV. Big Trees of the Mariposa GroveIntroduction to Myths and Legends
Chapter V. Indian Myths and Legends
The Legend Of Tu-tok-a-naThe Legend Of Tu-tok-a-nu-la And Tis-sa-ack
The Legend of the Lost Arrow
The Legend Of Tis-sa-ack
The Legend Of Po-ho-no
The Legend Of Yo-sem-i-te
The Legend Of Pi-wy-ack
The Legend Of Loi-ya
Legend of the Origin of Thunder and Lightning
Legend of the Fish-Women (Mermaids)
Chapter VI. Creation
Chapter VI. CreationChapter VII. The Coming of the Indian to Yosemite
The Coming of the Indian to YosemiteAcorns
Grasshoppers
Clover Grasses, Grass Seeds, and Edible Roots
Berries and Nuts
Fish
Deer
Small Game, Mushrooms, Worms, and Beetles
Dwellings
Bedding
Sweat-Houses
Clothing
Baskets
Weapons
Chapter VIII. His Customs, Religious Beliefs, and Ceremonies
His Customs, Religious Beliefs, and CeremoniesDivision of Territory
Commerce
Communications
Annual Feasts
Dances
Hand Game
Medicine Men
Marriage
Widows
Children
Disposal of Their Dead
The Present Day Indian in Yosemite