THE TALLAC TRAIL TO TAHOE.
THE TALLAC TRAIL TO TAHOE.
Toluca, near Los Ángeles, is probably derived fromTolujaa, orTilijaes, a tribe among the original ones at San Juan Capistrano in 1731, although there is also a place named Toluca in Mexico.
Tomales.See page236.
Topo Creek(gopher creek).
Toro(bull). See pages85and163.
Toros(bulls).
Tortuga(turtle, tortoise).
Trabuco(blunderbuss, a sort of wide-mouthed gun), but it may not be used in that sense in this case. See page85. Trabuco Canyon is in Orange County.
Trampa del Oso(bear trap).
Trampas(traps, snares), perhaps named in reference to traps which were in common use among the Indians to catch game, as well as their human enemies. In Contra Costa County.
Tranquillón Mountainis in Santa Bárbara County.Tranquillónis a mixture of two kinds of grain, such as wheat and rye, called in English “mastlin,” or “maslin.”
Tres Ojos de Agua(three springs of water).
Tres Pinos.See page163.
Trigo(wheat), is 128 miles from Stockton.
Trinity County.See page257.
Trinidad Bayand town. See page257.
Triunfo(triumph), is in Los Ángeles County.
Trópico(tropical), near Los Ángeles.
Truckee.See page305.
Tulare(place of rushes). See page281.
Tularcitos(little rushes, little Tulare ranch).
Tulucay Rancho, near Napa State Hospital, is derived from the Indian wordtuluka(red).
Tunitasis a place near San Francisco on the Ocean Shore Road. The tunita is a beach plant sometimes called the “beach apple.”Tunais the Spanish name for the common cactus known as “prickly pear.”
Tuolumne.See page315.
Tustín(a surname), a place in Orange County, near Santa Ana. Fernando Tustín was one of the early settlers, and came to California in 1845.
Ukiah.See page262.
Usal, in Mendocino County. This is an Indian word, derived fromyosal, oryusal, the name of a tribe of Pomos, living on the coast from Usal northward.
Las Uvas(the grapes). See page163.
Vacaville.See page289.
Valencia Peak, near San Luís Obispo. Valencia is a surname.
Valle(valley).
Vallecito(little valley) is the name of places in Calaveras and San Diego Counties. See page334.
Los Vallecitos de San Marcos(the little valleys of St. Mark).
Vallejo(a surname). See pages236and341.
Valle Mar(sea valley), on the Ocean Shore, near San Francisco. Improper construction. It should beValle del Mar(valley of the sea).
Valle de San Felipe(valley of St. Philip).
Dos Valles(two valleys).
Valle de San José(valley of St. Joseph).
Valle Verde(green valley). See page85.
Valle Vista(valley view). See page85. Improper construction. It should beVista del Valle(view of the valley).
Vega, an open plain, or tract of level land. Vega is also a surname.
Las Vegas(the meadows). Fremont refers to thevegasof the Southern Central Valley in these terms: “We encamped in the midst of another very large basin, at a camping ground calledLasVegas, a term which the Spaniards use to signify fertile or marshy plains, in contradistinction tollanos, which they apply to dry and sterile plains.”
Vega del Río del Pájaro(plain of the river of the bird).
Venado(deer), is in Colusa County.
Ventura(fortune). See page113.
Verano(summer), is west of Napa.
Verde(green), twelve miles from San Luís Obispo.
Verdugo(a surname in this case). See page85.
Los Vergeles(flower gardens, beautiful orchards).
Vicente Point(Point Vincent). See page85.
Viento(wind), is in San Bernardino County.
Las Vírgenes(the virgins). See page341.
Vista(view), in San Diego County.
Bella Vista(beautiful view).
Buena Vista(good view).
Chula Vista(charming view). See page42.
Vista Grande(large view), is in San Matéo County.
Monte Vista(mountain view). Improper construction. It should beVista del Monte(view of the mountain).
Río Vista(river view). See page289. Improper construction. It should beVista del Río(view of the river).
Vizcaíno Cape, named for the celebrated Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno, who touched at various points on the California coast in the year 1602.
Volcán(volcano).
Wahtoqueis an Indian word meaning “pine nut,” the name of a place near Fresno.
Wawona, an Indian word of disputed meaning. See page334.
Weitchpec, near Hoopa valley, Humboldt County. “The Weitspekan family consisted of the Yurok tribe alone, inhabiting the lower Klamath River and adjacent coast. The name is adapted from Weitspekw, the name of a spring in the village. At the site of the present post-office of Weitchpec was one of the most populous Yurok villages, and one of only two or three at which both the Deerskin dance and the Jumping dance were held.”—(A. L. Kroeber inHandbook of American Indians.)
Las Yeguas(the mares), referring to a pasture where mares were kept.
Yerba Buena(good herb). See page205.
Yokohl, in Tulare County. This was the name of a Yokuts tribe formerly living on the Kaweah River, Tulare County.
Yolo.See page268.
Yorba(a surname). This was the name of one of Captain Fages’ original Catalán volunteers. Yorba is near Los Ángeles.
Yosemite(grizzly bear). See page321.
Yreka.See page258.
Yuba.See page266.
Yucaipe, in San Bernardino County, is an Indian place name.
Zamora, probably named for the province of the same name in the ancient kingdom of León, in Spain. There is an old proverb about this place which says: “No se ganó Zamora en una hora” (Zamora was not taken in an hour), the same idea as expressed in “Rome was not built in a day.”
Zapatero Creek(shoemaker creek).
Las Calabazasmeans “the squashes” or “the gourds,” particularly with reference to the wild gourds that grow in that locality.—(Mr. Charles F. Lummis.)
El Chorro(the gushing stream), is the name of a creek near San Luís Obispo, and was so named from a waterfall on its course.
Garvanzais a corrupt word, possibly corrupted fromgarbanzo(chick-pea). The town name is a modern one, not given by Spaniards but by tenderfeet, and there is no known reason for its application.—(Mr. Charles F. Lummis.)
Leónturns out not to be of Spanish origin.
In a recent publication on a California subject the definition ofPalo Altois given as “high hill,” and ofPalo Verdeas “green hill,” both of which are, of course, incorrect. Anyone who will take the trouble to consult an ordinary Spanish dictionary will find thatpalomeans “stick.” As stated elsewhere in this book, the Spaniards used this word in the sense of “tree,” andPalo Altoconsequently means “high tree,” as is fully setforth under the heading of this name in these pages. The meaning ofPalo Verdeis, of course, “green tree.”
Pecho(breast) Rock is so named from the shape of the rock.
Prado(meadow) is a modern name applied without much regard for its fitness.—(Mr. Charles F. Lummis.)
Riverashould be spelled with a “b” instead of a “v.” It means “banks of a stream,” and the name is given for this reason.—(Mr. Charles F. Lummis.)
Serena(serene) is incomplete in this form, as Spaniards do not use an adjective standing alone as a place name. It may have been originallyLa Ensenada Serena(the serene bay) in reference to the charming little cove situated there.
Triunfo(triumph) is a modern real estate name, and has no historical significance that can be discovered.—(Mr. Charles F. Lummis.)