ne materially during these particular twenty
years. Hence the ratio found by Waterman for the Yurok cannot be
applied directly to the Tolowa. Nevertheless it is reasonable to assume
that a count made among the Yurok in 1890 would have shown that not
more than half as many houses were being inhabited then as had been in
1850. If so, Drucker's total of 156 might be doubled, giving 312 and a
population of 2,372. Such an estimate may appear totally at variance
with the other known facts pertaining to the tribe but I am inclined to
adhere to it.

Further support for such a view comes from consideration of relative
population decline since 1850. On page 19 of the Handbook Kroeber cites
the federal census of 1910 as showing 668 persons for the Yurok and on
page 130 over 600 for the Hupa. He thinks that the Hupa were less
numerous than the Karok and the latter less numerous than the Yurok.
With respect to the Karok he says (p. 102): "It is also clear that the
proportional loss of the Karok in the past 65 years has been relatively
mild, possibly not exceeding one half." In another connection he
discusses at some length the reasons why the Hupa suffered less than
many other tribes--primarily because of their protected position and
the lack of mining in their area. Now the Wiyot in 1910 had 150 people
and the Tolowa 120. If their loss had been of the order of one half, as
Kroeber feels is the case with the Yurok, Karok, and Hupa, then the
population of the Wiyot in 1850 would have been in the vicinity of 300
and the Tolowa 240. Actually, in his original estimates Kroeber did set
the figures for these tribes not much higher: 800 for the Wiyot and 450
for the Tolowa. Kroeber thus defeats his own argument with respect to
the small decline and protected position of the Karok and Hupa. For the
position of the Wiyot and the Tolowa were the most exposed to white
influence of any of the Northwestern tribes. They were located on the
fertile, commercial, and well settled coast. Many types of evidence
point to their early and rapid disintegration and almost extinction.
They should have suffered the worst losses and did. Hence it is not as
far fetched as it might seem at first sight to ascribe to the Tolowa a
population in 1850 of nearly 2,400.

_TOLOWA ... 2,400_

THE ATHAPASCANS

THE CHILULA

With the Chilula we encounter the first of the small Athapascan tribes
of Northwestern California. Their villages have been stud