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Show 16 REPORT OF THE I COLORADO. Oonsiderable excitement has existed at various times during the past year on account of apprehended outbreaks on the part of the Indians of this Territory caused mainly by reports of depredations committed by them in various parts of the superintendency, but upon pursuit of the marauders by the military it was ascertained, in every instance, that the depredations were committed by small hands of roving Indians, for which no tribe, as such, could he justly held ac-countable. I t appears from the report of Governor Evans, who is ex officio superintend-ent of Indian affairs for the Territov, that most of the Indians within its limits are divided into small hands, who lead a nomadic or wandering life in quest of the means of subsistence, and that although the tribes are numerous, and if closely united would he exceedingly formidable, there is not that unity of action and purpose as between the different hands composing a tribe that is elsewhere observed among Indians. This peculiarity is especially true of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes. I t was, don%tless, in a great measure, owing to this that numbers of the hands were not included in the negotiations attending the treaty concluded with them at Fort Wise, whence arises the claim they so persistehtly urge that thcir right to roam at will throughout a country at least a thousand miles in extent has never been relinquished. An attempt was made, during the past season, to convene a general council of the disaffected bands with a view to obtaining their assent to the treaty, but, notwithstanding the most persevering efforts on the part of Governor Evans and the various agents, it failed, the various hands upon one pretext or another failing to attend the connciL Measnres have now been taken to accomplish the same object, by securing the assent, from time to time, of the several bands, and it is hoped that in this manner we may be able finally to induce all to concentrate upon the reservation, and become subject to the provisions of the treaty. The Cheyennes and Arapahoes, who are partiea to the treaty of 1861, are located upon the reservation bearing their name, and are nnder charge of Agent Colley. Their surveys have been completed; preparations are also made for the irrigation of their lands, and the construction of other improvements re-quired by their treaty, and we have reason to believe that the reservation will soon be in successful operation. In addition to the Indians of this reservation, there are also under charge of Agent Colley several hundred Caddoes, who are refuges driven from the Indian Territory on account of their loyalty, and for whom a location has been selected on the Arkansas river, near the crossing of the Santa FB route, and arrangements are being made to enable them to engage in agricultural pursuits. The good character of these Indians, and the propess they have made in the knowledge of industrial pursuits, are such that their ex-ample cannot fail to prove bencficial to the Indians in their vicinity. The Kiowas and Comanches are likewise under charge of Agent Colley. They reside in the southeastern portion of the Territory, and for many years |
