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Esselen Indian Tribal History
Esselen, A tribe of Californian Indians,
constituting the Esselenian family, most of the members of which
on the founding of Carmelo mission, near Monterey, in 1770, were
brought under civilizing influences, resulting, as was the case
with the Indians at all the Californian missions, their rapid
decrease (see California Mission Indian Missions). A portion of
the tribe seems to have been taken, to the mission at Soledad,
for Arroyo de la Cuesta (MS., B. A. E.) in 1821 says of an
Esselen vocabulary obtained by himself, "Huelel language of
Soledad; it is from the Esselenes, who are already few." The
original territory of the Esselen lay along the coast south of
Monterey, though its exact limits are diversely given. Henshaw
(Esselen MS., B. A. E.) states that they lived on the coast
south of Monterey, in the mountains. The Rumsen Indians of the
present day at Carmel and Monterey state ( Kroeber, MS., Univ.
Cal.) that the Esselen originally lived at Agua Caliente (Tassajara
springs), which is near the head of Carmel river, in a line
between Sur and Soledad. Powell's map (7th Rep. B. A. E.) makes
the Esselen territory comprise Sur river, the head of Carmel
river, and the country about as far south as Santa Lucia peak,
which is probably approximately correct. In any case the Esselen
territory was confined to a limited was bordered only by Salinan
and Costanoan tribes. La Perouse's statement that it extended
more than 20 leagues east of Monterey is incorrect. Almost
nothing is known of the mode of life and practices of the
Esselen, but they were certainly similar to those of the
neighboring tribes. What little is known in regard to the
Esselen language shows it to have been simple and regular and of
a type similar to most of the languages of central California,
but, notwithstanding a few words In common with Costanoan, of
entirely unrelated vocabulary and therefore a distinct stock.
Taylor gives a list of Esselen villages connected with
San Carlos mission, namely: Chitchat, Coyyo, Fyules, Gilimis,
Jappayon, Nennegtn, Noptac, Santa Clara, Sapponet, Saccorondo,
Tebityilat, Triwta, Tushguesta, Xumis, Yampas, and Yauostar. He
mentions also Xaseunl, 10 leagues from Carmelo, in the sierra,
and Pahepes near Xaseunl, among the Esselen. He gives still
other names, such as Excellemaks and Eslanagan; but none of the
settlements named by him have been been proved to he Esselen and
not Costanoan.
Esselenian Family. A small linguistic in he stock in w.
California, first positively established by Henshaw (Am.
Anthrop., iii, 45, 1890). At the time of the Spanish settlement,
this family which has become extinct, consisted of a single
group, the Esselen.
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Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Index of Tribes or Nations
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