History of Mendocino County, California : comprising its geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber . superstitious awe, and nothingcould induce them to eat its flesh. The Diggers too had their sorcerers, male and female, who had great influenceover them. They pretended to foresee future events, and to exercise super-natural control over their bodies, and to cure diseases by curious incantationsand ceremonies. They likewise believed in a Cucusuy, or mischief-maker, whotook deUght in their annoyance, and to him and his agent they attributed muchof their sickness and other
History of Mendocino County, California : comprising its geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber . superstitious awe, and nothingcould induce them to eat its flesh. The Diggers too had their sorcerers, male and female, who had great influenceover them. They pretended to foresee future events, and to exercise super-natural control over their bodies, and to cure diseases by curious incantationsand ceremonies. They likewise believed in a Cucusuy, or mischief-maker, whotook deUght in their annoyance, and to him and his agent they attributed muchof their sickness and other misfortunes. It may not be out of place here torelate the following legend:— When the Spaniards were crossing the mountain called Bolgones, wherean Indian spirit was supposed to dwell, having a cave for his haunt, he wasdisturbed by the approach of the soldiers, and, emerging from the gloom,arrayed in aU his feathers and war-paint, and very Uttle else by May of costume,motioned to them to depart, threatening, by gesticulation, to weave a spellaround them; but the stm-dy warriors were not to be thus easily awed. They. .^.^- HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CALIFORNIA. 29 beckoned him to approach; this invitation, however, the wizard declined, whenone of the men secured him with a lasso to see if he were goblin damnd orordinar}- mortal. Even now he would not speak, but continued his mumblings,when an extra tug caused him to shout and pray to be released. On therelation of this adventui-e the Indians pointed to Bolgones, calling it themountain of the Cucusuy, which the Spaniards translated into Monte the name of the mountain which is the meridian of scientific explorationin California. Four times a year each tribe united in a great dance, having some religiouspui-pose and signification. One of these was held by night in Napa county in1841, about the time of the vernal equinox, and was terminated by a strangeinexplicable pantomime, accompanied with wild gestures and screams, th
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