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IYOZ.kl/arb'r/. I Z l Valley in 18Z2 and i8zz, speabs ok tbs region as "studded vdtb villages." ' Ikidiculous estimates vs re made bv some earl/ visitors, as, tor example, ivben Iedediab smitb estimated tire number ok Indians bstiveen R.ed LiuK arid tire moritir ok tire sacramento, in. 1820 or tbsreabouts, at over 8o,ooo. In 184Z anotirer observer estimated tirem at 50,000. It is un- questionabls tirat tire number ok inbabitants in tire rviroie Oreat Valiev area decreased verv largel/ in tire period detveen 1820 and 1840, as tire result ok recurring epidemics ok small pox and otlrer contagious diseases, ivbicb swept oil tlrs people bv lrnndreds, ik not b/ tlronsands. several observers speab ok finding entire villages almost entirely depopulated, and bundreds ok sbeletons l/ing about unburisd. kkbs onl/ available figures ok official estimates alter tbs acquisition ok Oalikornia bv tbe United states, as v/ell as tbs census returns since tben, are ver/ fluctuating and not reliable. In 1850 ^.dam ^obnston - estimated tbe Naidu in tbs sacramento Valls/ and lower loot-bills as between izoo and 1400; six /ears later, Henle/ estimated tbat tbsrs were over 7000 in tbe wbole area occupied b/ tbs stocb; in tbe census ok i860 tbe number ok "civilised Indians" in Naidu tsrritor/ was given as 510, and in 1870 as onl/ yZ; in 1880 tbe bgures )ump to 1484; in i8yo tbs population is given as 1202, and in ryvv as about 1100. lbs estimate ok Henle/ is certainl/ excessive, and tbs bgures krom tbe census ok i860 and 1870 are squall/ useless. It appears krom a personal rougb enumeration tbat tbe more recent census bgures are again excessive, and it is believed tbat tbe number ok kull-blood Naidu to-da/ is not mucb over 200 or 2Z0, at tbe outside. Vbat tbs original population tbrougbout tbe area was large seems krom all tbs testimon/—not onl/ ok earl/ settlers, but ok tbe Indians tbemselves—to be certain. Vbere were a large number ok villages occupied, and a large number ok old sites. Ok course, all were not occupied at tbe same time; and mucb ok tbe excess in local estimates seems to be due to baving ' History ok Amador Lounb^, p. 260. .. ok ide Loinrnissioner ok Indian ^.tlairs. zist Lons-, 2(1 Less., 8en. Lx. Loo., vol. I. Lb. I, p. 124. .. / ok bke Lo nrnissioner ok Indian Blairs. Z4bkOonr?., zd 8es8.. 8 n Lx. Loo., vol. II, p. 7o7.
