some peacefully, others by burning their villages and
stores of food. The Yosemite or Grizzly Bear tribe, fancying themselves
secure in their deep mountain stronghold, were the most troublesome and
defiant of all, and it was while the Mariposa battalion, under command
of Major Savage, was trying to capture this warlike tribe and conduct
them to the Fresno reservation that their deep mountain home, the
Yosemite Valley, was discovered. From a camp on the south fork of the
Merced, Major Savage sent Indian runners to the bands who were supposed
to be hiding in the mountains, instructing them to tell the Indians that
if they would come in and make treaty with the Commissioners they would
be furnished with food and clothing and be protected, but if they did
not come in he would make war upon them and kill them all. None of the
Yosemite Indians responded to this general message, but when a special
messenger was sent to the chief he appeared the next day. He came
entirely alone and stood in dignified silence before one of the guards
until invited to enter the camp. He was recognized by one of the
friendly Indians as Tenaya, the old chief of the Grizzlies, and, after
he had been supplied with food, Major Savage, with the aid of Indian
interpreters, informed him of the wishes of the Commissioners. But the
old chief was very suspicious of Savage and feared that he was taking
this method of getting the tribe into his power for the purpose of
revenging his personal wrong. Savage told him if he would go to the
Commissioners and make peace with them as the other tribes had done
there would be no more war. Tenaya inquired what was the object of
taking all the Indians to the San Joaquin plain. "My people," said he,
"do not want anything from the Great Father you tell me about. The Great
Spirit is our father and he has always supplied us with all we need. We
do not want anything from white men. Our women are able to do our work.
Go, then. Let us remain in the mountains where we were born, where the
ashes of our fathers have been given to the wind. I have said enough."

To this the Major answered abruptly in Indian style: "If you and your
people have all you desire, why do you steal our horses and mules? Why
do you rob the miners' camps? Why do you murder the white men and
plunder and burn their houses?"

Tenaya was silent for some time. He evidently understood what the Major
had said, for he replied, "My young men have sometimes taken h