NOTES ON THE ACHOMAWI AND ATSUGEWI INDIANS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA1

The area occupied by the Achomawi and Atsugewi Indians, who form a portion of the Shastan stock, lies mainly in Shasta, Lassen, and Modoc counties in the northeastern part of California. The Achomawi territory was pretty closely restricted to the valley of Pit river and, as nearly as can be learned at present, may be described as follows: Beginning at a point above the mouth of Montgomery creek on Pit river, they occupied or claimed all the valley of that river up to its head, together with the valleys of Fall river and of Beaver and Ash creeks. Burney and Goose valleys were also claimed by them, but in the case of the former, the Atsugewi insist that they and not the Achomawi occupied it. Permanent settlements were made only in the immediate vicinity of the streams, although the Achomawi hunted as far west as the head of the McCloud and Mt Shasta, north to Medicine lake and south as far as Lassen Butte. Unlike the Achomawi, the Atsugewi did not occupy a continuous area, but were divided into two separate groups. One of these, and the larger, was settled on Hat creek, from its head down to about one mile below the present town of Cassel, and in Burney valley; the other in Dixie valley some twelve or fifteen miles to the east. The Atsugewi seem to have had a clear idea of unity among themselves, and to have formed a distinct group apart from the Achomawi, with whom, however, they were usually on good terms. The area outlined lies along the southern edge of the barren and forbidding Lava Beds which extend for so many miles along the