I N T R O D U C T I O N The human mind has in a11 ages sought a reason able explanation for natural phenomena. The modern mind demands scientific demonstration, but primitive mind was perforce obliged to deduce a fanciful explanation based upon the supernatural, which was at least satisfying to his religious instinct. Such tales were handed down from generation to generation. Some of them, like the ones herein re lated, were not readiIy confided to the white tres passers on their territory, and hence have to this time remained unpublished. The following stories are founded on legends of the Soboba Indians of Southern California, with the exception of the one entitled The Echo which re fers to the tribe whose hunting grounds were in the region of the hferced River. The legend entitled The BIue Lizard is the Indian explanation of the curious fact that the Blue Lizard is found, only in the region of the San Jacinto mountains at an elevation exceeding I800 feet above sea level. The legend entitled The Rumbling of Tauquitz is the Indian explanation for the mysterious noises, coming from the depths of the mountain, which are occasionally heard. It may be interesting to mention that the rumblings of Tauquitz have been studied on the spot for months at a time by Government and University savants, but they have been unable to agree upon an expIanation. In the legend entitled The Lights of Elsinore is found the Indian explanation for the will-o-the-wisps that sometimes appear over the marshy ground at the lower end of the lake, and also for the small white flower which they believe grows only in that locality. In other legends the animals ate endowed with human attributes and supernatura1 wisdom.They possess the especial confidentce of the Great Spirit, and under certain circumstances hdd converse with the Medicine Rian. To this day, educated as the In dian has become, when a question of great importance is before the coulzcil and its decision is preplexing, a lconclusion will not be made until the Medicine Man has gone into the wilds at night and consulted the Coyote, the Puma or other wild animal. When the Medicine Man has received a communication from the Great Spirit, through the intermediary of a wild creature, no Indian will dare oppose his mere human judgment against such an authoritative revelation. If in the translation we have lost the sonorous measure of the original as related by the Indian him self, we have at least endeavored to folIow his poetic imagery, and to preserve, through the medium of printed pages, a few of the beautiful Iegends of a vanishing people. C O N T E N T S The Lights of Elsinore .......................... 17 The Stepping Stones ................. ... ...... 35 The Echo ..................................... 4 7 Arrowhead Hot Springs ......................... G3 The Blue Lizard of San Jacinto ................ .. 71 The Rumblings of Tarquitz ................