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["Don Bowen" <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

> I can see this line of thought tying in with Don's stone tools - I have
> spoken earlier on the list to someone (?) regarding the tribes who
> traversed the Mojave River all the way to Utah - Vanyume.

The natives of the Californias were an interesting people.  It is estimated
that at the time of first contact over 10% of the total population of North
America was in the area now called California.

Survival in the deserts was hard at best but they did thrive.  Crops were
grown along the rivers after spring floods.  Rabbits and small game were
abundant.  Coastal natives had a much greater resource base and developed
into many more separate and distinct tribes that thrived for maybe 20,000
years until western religion and diseases destroyed the culture.

There were extensive trade routes between the various groups.  My cousin has
done a little research and I have a map of the trade routes.  I went looking
for one near Wrightwood in the mountains NE of Los Angles but time and heavy
machinery has erased all traces.

Don Bowen  KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html