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Show ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, TRANSMITTED WITH THE MES8AGE OF THE PRESIDENT AT TEE OPENING OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS, 1850. WITH AN APPENDIX. 126 INDIAN AFBAIRS IN OREGON. ments. At that time there were no troops in the country, excepting some eight men under Lient. G. W. Hawkins, of the rifles. I at once concluded tovisit thQSound, and assist in putting the settlers in the best possible condition to resist an attack-there being only ten families in that section of the country. I accordingly proceeded, in company with Lieut. Hawkins and five men, taking with me muskets and ammunition, to place in the hands of the settlers. Fortunately, the day after my arrival at the Sound, I received an express from Major Hathaway, notifying me of his arrival at Fort Vancouver, with two companies of the 1st artillery, and of his readiness to move, if his services were required. I hastened to inform the Indians, through Dr. Solmie, who has charge of the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort st Nesqually, of the arrival of our forces, for the purpose of preventing further outrage, until the troops could move in that direction. A copy of my letter to Solmie is here given. t' Nzw MARKET,M~~ 17, 1849. WILLIAMF. OLMIE,EsQ.,Nesqually. SIR:I have just learned by express that two companies of artillery have arrived at Vancouver, by the United States Steamer Massachusetts. It was my intention to visit you at the fort; but owing to this fact, I have deemed it necessary to return without delay. I have, therefore, to make the particular request of you, not to furnish the Indians with ammu- nition, and to ask of you the favor to cause the hostile tribes, who have committed the outrage, to he informed that any repetition of the like conduct will he visited promptly with their complete destruction: that our force, which will be immediately increased, is at this time amply suf- ficient for an immediate expeditionQgainst them, and that the moment I am informed that any injury has been committed by them upon our people, they will be visited by sudden and severe chastisement. By making this communication to them, you will greatly oblige Your obedlent servant, (Signed) JOSEPH LANE. 7. When I wrote to Dr. qolrnle, it was my intention, in the event that Major Hathaway should dstablish a post near Nesqually, to visit the Souud,haveauunderstandingwiththe major, get hisco-operation, and make a demand upon the chief of the above-mentioned tribes for the guilty per- sons, to be tried and punished for the murder of an American citizen, according to law. But soon after my return, about the middle of June, I received instructions, bearing date "War Department, O5ce of Indian Affairs, August 31st, 1848;" also information of the appointment of J. Quinn Thornton, George C. Preston, and Robert Newell, of Oregon, sub- agents, to be employed and reside in that territory, and requiring the performance of certain duties therein specified. It was intended that these instructions should reach me at Saint Louis, on my way out, but failed BO to do, and were afterwards sent to Cali- fornia by Lieut. Beale, which accounts for their delay in reaching me. Before these instructions came to hand, I had seen most of the tribes and bauds bordering the settlements, collected such information as I sup- INDIAX TRIBES IN OREGON. posed would be useful, and made such small presents (per accounts and vouchers) as in my judgment were necessary to conciliate their good mill. , -... I promptly handed to Thornton and Newel1 their appointments ; they executed their bonds, and took the oath required,:as will be seen by their bonds, vhich have been forwarded. Mr. Preston was then, and is now absent from the territory, and it is supposed will not return. I therefore, of necessity, divided the territory into two sub-agency districts, and assignell J. Quinn Thornton to that part of the Territory of Oregonlying north cf the Columbia river, and Newelt to the south of the Columbia: and on the 28th day of June, the above-named sub-agents nere furnished with their instructions touching the points embodied in said communica- tion. As I am anxious in this report to give a true and reliable statement of facts, just as they are, that the government may be placed in possession of a true history of our Indian affairs in Oregon, and as both the sub- agents have submitted lengthy reports, it will not, I hope, be considered improper for me to mention, first, that Mr. Newell is an old mountaineer, having spent ten years in the mountains (from 1829 to 1839),where he followed trapping, by which means he acquired a good knowledge of the tribes and their country. From 1839 to the present time he has resided within the district to which he is assigned to duty, and has become well acquainted with the Indians in the valley of the Willammette; speaks tolerably well the tongue of several of the tribes, and from his knowledge of the Indians and their country, without visiting them or travelling over the country, has made out and submitted his report, from which I make such abstracts as, in my opinion, are of sufficient importance to entitle them to your consideration. The Sl~oshoneeor Snake h~diaizs inhabit a section of country west of the Rocky ZIouutains; from the summit of these mountains north, along Winrl Iliver JIountnins to Henry's Fork, down Henry's Fork to the mouth of Levis or Snake riuer, down the same to about forty miles below Fort Hall, thence southerly to the Great Salt Lake, thence easterly to the summit, by may of the hesd waters of Bear river. These Indians are divided into small bands, and are to be found scattered in the mount- ains, and arc called Diggers. They are not hostile, and are poor and miserable. Small bands of this tribe are scattered from the head naters of Snake river to the Grand Round-a distance of four or five hundred miles. It is almost impossible to ascertain their exact number. The main band numbers about seven hundred; the total number of the entire tribe is about two thousand. They subsist principally upon fish, roots, grass seed, kc. They hare a few horses; are indifferently armed ; are well- disposed toeard the whites, and kill but little game. But little of their land is susceptible of cultivation, with the exception of tbnt portion now occupied by the BIormons. The Ponashta Indians occupy a large district of country south of Snake river, from forty miles below Fort Hall to the Grand Round, south in the direction of Salt Lake, and west toward the California Ivlountains. This tribe is divided into small bauds, and are so intermsr- ried with the Shoshonees that it is almost impossible to discriminate betneen them. The Powashtas predominate, however. They are n |
