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Show SONOMA'S SEVEN MOONS. Igeal Eiplalaiaf II ow lb fertile Vallfj !( rlrel U Stmt. There have been many exnlnnat'ons o IT u red in times post us to why the name of Sonoma was given to this vnlley by the nutive trilio of Indians who, upon the advent of the while man over one hundred years ago. poopleu ibis section of the country by thousands. thou-sands. Of course we all know that Sonoma valley in aborigine mean "Valley of the Moon," says tho Sonoma Tribune, but just why that name was bestowed upon it is another question, and one, too, which we believe has never bo;sn satisfactorily imsworel. Recently, in talking loan aged Indian who had resided on tho old Nick Car-rlyau Car-rlyau ranch for many years, and who was an old man whoa General Gen-eral Vallejo settled in Sonoma fifty years ago und must now bo something over one hundred years of age, he stated the reason the valley was called Sonoma was because it had "heep muchee moon" (translated (trans-lated into good English, many moons). Further inquiry developed tho fact that between the town of Sonoma and tho Bella Vista vlnoyards, a distance of our or five miles, the moon when it is full can be seen by tho traveler to rise seven times in succession over the mountains in the east owing to their poejliar formation. This phenomenon has boon witnessed by many old residents resi-dents in tho early evening at tho rising of tho full moon. This, no doubt, has been observed by the Indians, and honce the name "Valloy of the Moon." |