OCR Text |
Show 42 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. received their presents, and were departing for their villages, a happier, more grateful, and decently behaved set of poor people I have never seen. TALK WITH COYOTERO APACHE CHIEFS, CAMP APACHE, ARIZONA TERRITORY. A few hours before the issue of clothing, the following interview with the Apache chiefs was held at Camp Apache, ( Fort Thomas,) Arizona Territory, September 7, 1871 : In the presence of Colonel John Green and the officers of the post, Commissioner Colyer opened the council with prayer, and, addressing the chiefs, said his words would be few ; Colonel Green would inform them what his orders were from the President. The colonel told them that he was instructed to feed all the Apaches who came in and remained peaceable upon the reservation, the boundaries of which were explained to them. Commissioner Colyer then said that the great council ( Congress) at its last session appropriated money to feed and clothe them so long as they remained at peace and upon the reservation ; if they went off the reservations they were liable to be killed. ES- CET- E- CELA shakes hands : " He asked God's blessing upon this meeting. It is getting late and he has but little to say. He has heard all that is said, and before God he believes that it is good. To- night he will sleep well. He won't have to tread sleep-less over the mountains, but has a plain road. Now they have grass, can hunt the turkey, and have what they need. Some of his people are absent, but he will get word to them as soon as possible ; for the purpose of getting them in he wants a pass." Commissioner COLYER said : " The colonel will give it to him." MIGUEL. " He has but little to say. He sees now that we have fixed things so that he won't have any stones to stumble against. He, like the commissioner, has but little to say, but what little he does say he means to live up to. His reputation is well known as a man of peace. He likes his home and quiet way of living. He has always been a farmer on the Carriso, and that valley has been father and mother to him. He sees that when the soldiers do wrong they have balls and chains to their feet, therefore he is afraid to do wrong, nor has he any desire to. In his youth he was wild, but since he was up to Santa F6 and talked with his governor, he has kept on the Carriso and worked his farm. He asked for Stevens and Cooley as his agents. He knows Cooley, and wants him to keep his young men from going out. Some of his people are sick, and he has corn to gather, so he wants to go home in the morning. He will come in to see the colonel whenever he can. Some time since he was told his father from Wash-ington would come, and now he has come. His beef and his corn will be weighed out to him; when can he reach up to it? He would like his beef issued on the hoof, so that he can get the hide and tallow. ( The colonel so promised.) He sees that peace has been actually restored. When his young men return from General Crook, he will see that they do not go soldiering any more. It is well one of his soldiers came back sick." The morning after the distribution of clothing, Miguel, Es- eet- e- cela, and Pedro, with several head- men, called at our quarters to bid us good- by. Miguel said he should pray to the Great Spirit to take care of the commissioner, and hereafter, if any soldier kicked him, ( Miguel,) he should send him word to tell the President. DEPARTURE FOR CAMP GRANT. We left Camp Apache at noon, September 8, 1871, for Camp Grant, Arizona, with an escort of ten mounted infantry, under Lieutenant Peter S. Bomus ; a pack- train to carry our provender, with some clothing for the Indians at Camp Grant, and such Indi-ans as we might meet by the way. We had two Indian young men, one from Miguel's and one from Es- cet- e- cela's band, to accompany us, to act as runners to communicate with any Apaches they might meet, and inform them of the peaceful intentions of the President, and of the establishment of reservations, with protection and food for all who wished to be at peace. Our route lay across the mountains to Black River, over to the head- waters of the San Carlos, down the San Carlos to the Gila River, across the Gila to Mount Trumbull, over that mountain to and down the Aravapa Valley to Camp Grant. Our march through this portion of the heart of the Apache country was very encouraging. Our Indian guides, improvising white flags and signaling their friends of our approach by lighting fires and making smokes, brought them out by scores. They met us on the trail, bearing white flags made of white buckskin, and came from the most inaccessible places and from where you would least expect them. At night our camp was sur-rounded with them, and the soldiers soon got so used to their presence that we all slept soundly though they frequently outnumbered us five to one. During the whole march, though we were thus surrounded, not an animal was disturbed nor an article stolen. We opened our packs and distributed clothing to all, old and young. I have visited seven- eighths of all the Indians now under our flag, including Alaska, and I have not Been a more intelligent, cheerful, and grateful tribe of Indians than the roving Apaches of Arizona and New Mexico. |