| OCR Text |
Show 28 REPORT OF TIIE CO>lMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. vation with a view to allotments of land in severalty to all who will work them. Fort Berthold or Upper MGsouri agency has in charge the Arickarees, Assinaboins, Gros Ventres,. and Maudans, residing iu the northeast corner of Dakota, numbenng 6,000, who receive annuities from the government under treaty stipulations, not, however, sufficient to me,et their wants. Their present condition is reported to be unfavorable, as surrounded by warlike tribes, their endeavors to cultivate the soil are attended with difficulties which greatly discourage them. Could they but have arms to defend themselves against the hostile Indians, enough, they say, would be raised by their toil to support tliem com-fortably. Oomplaints are made by t,hem of whites cutting timber upon their lands, which, if not stopped, may lead to trouble. Crow Creelc Agacy, on the Missouri River, formerly the resewation set apart for the Winnebagoes, and including the Sioux reserve adjoin-ing, embraces a portion of the n ~ n eb auds of Sioux lately under the su-pervision of Major General Haruey. They are known as the Lower Yanctonais, numbering 480, and Lower Brules, 1,290. They are peace-able and desirous of adopting the manners and habits of the whites. No bands of the great Sioux family are more deserving of generous treat-ment by the goverument than the Yanctonais. Wlhetstone Creek Agency, on the west bank of the Missouri, has in charge the Brule and Ogallalla hands of Sioux, with about 1,000 se-ceders from other Sioux bands and the Cheyenne tribe, among whom some whites have mtermarried. As there is only small game to be found wit,hin the district to which the Sioux tribes are confined, and they are not permitted to hunt the buffalo on the Platte and Bepnbli-can fork of the Smoky Hill, tAe Ogdlallas and Brulw are in a suflering condition, and unless more annuity goods and provisions are given them i t is feazed ~uilnyw ill perish. Those in the vicinity of the agency cultivate in common about four hundred acres, but being of different bands, they desire an allotment of land upon which to labor separately. A school is desired at this agencs, and suitable buildings for the agent and government employ6s, if it is to be a permanent location. Cheyenne River Agency, located also ou the Missouri near the mouth of the Cheye~ine,e mbraces the Minoeco~ijou,S ans Arc, Two Kettles bands of Sioux, with part of the Brule, Blackfeet, Ogallalla, Yanctonais, Yaokton, and Oncpapa hands, most of whom are wild and opposed to laboring for a support. Excepting the unruly conduct and the commis. sion of minor depredations on the part of some while waiting for their annuity goods, no serious difficulty has occurred. Of all the lands at thisagency, the Two Kettle band appears to be inclined to abandon a roving life, and establish themselves in the pursuit of agriculture, and it is recommended by their agent that they be placed on a separate rre servation, ?way from the lawless, from whose depredations their farm-ing operations have suffered; as also should be the case with the Mi-neconjou and Sans Arc bands, there seeming to be considerable jealousy existing between them. @and River Agency, at the confluence of that river with the Missouri, includes the Upper Yanctonais, Blackfeet, Oncpapa, Cutheads, and some of the TWO Kettle$ Sans Arc, Ogallalla, and Brule bands of Sioux. Those in the immehate neighborhood of the aeencv are re~or tedto be in a favorable condition, ;nil have expressedv a desire to'have lands dotted to them so that they may labor on them apart from the others. The agent has broken about eight hundred acres for their benefit. |
