The Aboriginal Population of the North Coast of California

by Sherburne Friend Cook

"The Aboriginal Population of the North Coast of California" by Sherburne Friend Cook is a scientific publication written in the mid-20th century. The work thoroughly investigates the aboriginal population of Northwestern California, focusing on various ethnic groups such as the Yurok, Wiyot, and several others. Cook aims to reassess and augment previous demographic estimates for these Native American tribes, emphasizing the necessity to understand the size of the population before exploring the factors influencing its historical changes. The opening of the manuscript sets the stage for a detailed examination of the aboriginal population, describing its geographical scope from the Oregon border down to San Francisco Bay. Cook critiques earlier estimates of the indigenous population, asserting that many contemporary accounts have undervalued the numbers due to skepticism and methodological limitations associated with historical informants' memories. He outlines his approach to compiling data from various sources, establishing a groundwork for a more accurate estimation of the populations of specific tribes, beginning with the Yurok as a case study.