quare miles. The density was thus 8.70 persons per square
mile. The corresponding value for the Clear Lake Pomo is 7.34. The area
of the Southern Pomo, including the five groups discussed here was 745
square miles. At the northern density of approximately 8 persons per
square mile the population would have been 5,960.

The two methods employed therefore yield essentially similar results
and make possible the estimate of 6,000 persons for the Southern Pomo.

According to Alexander Taylor (1860-63, Ser. I, folio page 5) Captain
J. B. R. Cooper, an American, went to Santa Rosa as early as 1827.
Apparently following his statements Taylor says "it was estimated" that
2,000 Indians lived in Sonoma Valley and 1,500 in Santa Rosa Valley. In
another place (Ser. I, folio page 3) Taylor states that "when Capt.
Cooper settled the Molino Rancho, in Santa Rosa Valley, in 1834, there
were living in his neighborhood as many as 2,000 Canimares." The latter
term refers of course to the southeastern portion of the Southern Pomo.

We should not accept these pioneer estimates of Indian population
without examination and qualification. Neither should we reject them,
equally uncritically, as automatically exaggerated and mendacious, and
hence worthless. It is quite likely that Cooper knew more about the
number of Indians on his ranch than any other white man, at the time or
since. It is relatively unlikely that Cooper had any motive for
propagating a completely false report. On the other hand, it is wholly
possible that Cooper may have been inaccurate or careless in his count.
Nevertheless the Cooper estimate is quite in conformity with our other
sources of population information.

It was stated previously that 402 baptisms are on record from three
rancherias in the Santa Rosa area. To these may be added 220 others
whose names are clearly Pomo in character, making a total of 622. At
the rate of three aboriginal inhabitants to one baptism in this region,
the territory concerned--and this is very close to Cooper's home--would
have contained 1,866 people. The mission data thus in general support
Cooper's figure.

Cooper says that in 1834 there were "in his neighborhood" 2,000
Canimares. Since the Molino ranch embraced the region north of
Sebastopol and west of Santa Rosa, his "neighborhood" may be considered
as including the Sebastopol and Santa Rosa groups of the Southern Pomo,
leaving the Healdsburg, Cloverdale, and Dry Creek groups beyond