Summary

In the beginning of Chapter 3: “The Ending People,” many years have passed with the Yahi living in Wowunupo. The saldu have come with equipment to widen the trail through the canyon. Ever closer encircled by the enemy, Ishi, Tushi, Mother and Elder Uncle live in hiding. Mother gets a sickness that cause her ankles to swell and cause pain, and despite Tushi’s poultices, she is unable to walk.

At harvest time, Tushi and Ishi gather acorns at Badger Creek and dry raspberries and Manzanita berries in the sun. There, they overhear the sound of chopping wood and watch silently as the saldu are digging a ditch to run water from the creek. Ishi and Tushi know that moving from Wowunupo with Mother unable to walk is too dangerous. Another encounter with the saldu comes when Ishi is harpooning salmon in the creek...