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Show LXXXII REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. States soldiers, under Lieutenant Bur~!ett, with Interpreter Curtis, sev-eral chiefs and headmen, and one hundred and fifty superbly armed and mounted Utes, started from the agenoy, reached Colorow at mid-night, found him well inside of reservation lines, camped with him there: and waited for a second attack, which was expected the next morning. This attack, for which the militia and cowboys were preparing, was happily averted by a conference held under a flag of trnce between Lieutenant Bnrnett and Major Leslie, in which the former informed the militia of the re-enforcements which Colorow had received, and the cer-tainty that if another attack was made on reservation ground the Indians would fight it out to the bitter end and to the probable loss of his entire party. Major Leslie then agreed not to cross the line of re-serve until legally authorized to do so. With remarkable ~e l~r e s t r a inthte whole company of Indians ao-cepted this assurance, and with their small military escort quietly returned to their agency, arriving there August 28. There they have sinee remained, trusting to promises given that by peaceable means their property should be restored. On the same day Agent Byrnes was ordered to meet General Crook and Governor Adams at &feeker, and while there he explained that all Ute Indians were quietly on their reserves, had no intention of fighting, and wanted their property. So far as is now known, only 125 horses have yet been returned to the Indiaus. Agent Bgrnes is preparing an inventory of the losses sustaioed by them, which a l r e ad~fo ot up over 600 horses, 37 head of cattle, and nearly 2,600 sheep and goats, besides 5,000 pounds of dried meat and a large amount of camp prop&ty-the accumulation of years. Among the heavy losers is Chipeta, to whom Onray left qnite a large property in the way of herds and flocks. As soon as a complete inventory is re-ceived, showing the losses of individual claimants, it will he hade the subject of a special report to the Department, vith such recommenda-tion as the case deserves. FISE%lES ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER, WA$HINGTON TEBRITOBY. Referring to the remarks in my last auuud report upon the above subject, I would state that a special agent of this office, G. W. Gordon, esq., has been sent to the Dalles of the Columbia, with a view to mak-ing a thorough study of the situation. and, if possible, devising some plan whereby the Indians may be securedin the permanent use of some portionof their fisheries. That they have suffered a great injustice in being deprived of a share in the food supply which natnre has so abun-dantly provided there, and upon which they have depended from time mmemorid, no one can truthfully deny, and it is to be hoped that some measures may be adopted whereby their former privileges at the fish-eries may be reatored to bhem perjietnallv. |