1849-1850 Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

Excerpts concerning Utah Indians. Courtesy of the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections

ANNUAL REPORT 0s THE ' COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, WITH THE MESSAGE -OF THE PRESIDENT *I. TAE OPEWNG OF TkE FIRST SESSION OF THE TAIRTY-PlBBT CONGBESs. I I WASHINGTON: PRINTED BY QIDEOR I CO., 1860. FORTBRIDGER,ON FORK BLACK'S OF GREEN, OR COLORADORIVER, August 22,1!349. SIR: We arrived here yesterday. Messrs. Vasques and Bridger are the. proprietors, and have resided here and in these mountains for more than twenty-five years. They are engaged as traders, belonging to the American Fur Company. They are gentlemen of integrity and intelligence,and can> be fully relied on in relation to any statement they make in regard to the different tribes, claims, boundaries, and other information in relation to the Ulah and Sho-sho-nie tribes, and a small band of Pannacks, as they have,. during all their residence, been engaged in trade with them. Among the Sho-sho-nies there are only two bands, properly speaking.. The principal or better portion are called Sho-sho-nies, or Snakes,.who are rich enough to own horses; the others, the Sho-sho-coes, or Walkers, or- those who cannot or do not own horses. The principal chiefs of the Sho- sho-nies are Mom, abont forty-five years old, so called from a wound io- big face or cheek, from a ball,- that disfigures him; Wiskin, Cut-hair; Washikick, Gourd rattle, (with whom I have had an interview;) Oapichi,. Big Man of the Sho-sho-coes. Augestasipa is the most noted. Bolh bands number probably over one tlrousand lodges of four persons each; of the relative portion of each band no definite account can be given;. for, so soon as a Sho.eho-nie becomes too poor to, or does not, own a horse, he is at once called a Sho-sho-coe; but as soon as a Sho-sho-coe can,er does, own a horse, he is again n riding Indian, and therefore a Sho-sho-n~e. Their language, with the exception of some Putois differences, is said to be that of the Comanche tribe. Their claim of boundary is, to the east, from the Red Buttes, on the North Fork of the Platte, to its head in the Parkz De-cay-a-qne, or Buffalo Bull-pen, in the Rocky mountains; to the south, across the mountains, over to theyan-pa.pa, till it enters Green or Colorado river, and then across to the back bone or ridge of mountains called the Bear River mountains, running nearly due west towards the Salt Lake, so as to take in most of the Salt Lake, and thence on to the Sinks of Mary's or Humholdt's river; thence north to the fisheries, on the Snake river, in Oregon; and thence south, (their northern boundary,) to the Red Buttes, includinq the source of Green river-a territory probably three hundred miles. square, most of which has too high an elevation ever to be usefill for ctilti- vation of any sort. In most of these moi~ntaina and valleys it freezes every night in the year, and is, in summer, quite warm.at noon, and to half-past three o'clock, p. rn. Nothing whatever will grow, of grain or vegetables, but the most loxt~riont and nutritions grasses grow with the greatest loxuri- ance, and the valleys are the richest of meadows. The part of the Salt Lake volleys included in this boundary, the Cache valley, fifty by one hundred miles, and part of the valley near and beyond Fort Hall, down Snake river, can be cultivated, and with good results; :hut this forms a very small part of this country. How these people are to l~ve, or even exist; for any great length of time, Icannot by any means determine. Their support has heretofore been rnoslly game and certain roots, which in their native state are rank poison, called Tobacco root; bur when put in a hole in the ground, and a large fire burned over them, become wholesome diet. The Mormon sealement in the Salt Lake. valley has not only greatly diminished their formerly very great resource of obtaining fish out of the Utah lake and its sources, which to them was an irnporlant resource; hut their settlement, with the great emigration there, and to California, has al- ready nearly driven away all the game, and will unquestiooahly soon de- prive them almost entirely of the only chances they have for food. This will, in a few years, produce, a result not only disastrous to them, but must inevitably engage the sympathies of the nation. How this is to be avoided, is a question of much difficulty; but it is, nevertheless, the more imperative on the Government, not only to discuss, but to put in practice, some mode of relief for these unfortunate people-the outside barriers, or inclosing mountains; of whose whole country are not only covered, in constant sigh!, with perpetudl snow, but in whose lodges, every night in the year, ice is made over the water left in a basin of near seven-eighthsof an inch in thick- ness, except in three small places already named as exceptions; and two of these, the Salt Lake valley and the Snake river, are already taken from them by the whites, and there is but litile doubt the Cache valley will soon he so occupied. The Utnhs probably amount to from two to three thousand lodges, and are divided into many bands-as the Taos, three hundred lodges; Yuia-pa-pa Utahs, five hundred lodges; Ewinte, fifly lodges; Tenpenny Ubahs, fifty lodges, (this hand are about all who reside in the Salt Lake valley;) Parant Utahs, not estimated;Pah or (Pey) rnetes Utahs, qnd (he Sempiche Utahs; of these last hands numbers are not known. Their claim of boun- daries are all south of that of the Sho-sho-nies, embracing the waters of the Colorado, going most probably to the Gulf of California. 'Fhis is a much more fortul~ate iocation, and large portions of it are rich and fertile lands, and with a gooil climate. Their language is essentially Comanclle, and althougll not technically, yet it is supposed to be subatanrially the. same as that of the Sho-sho-nies; for, although on first meeting they do not fully understand each other, yet I am informed four or five days' associatio~l en- ables lbem to converse freely together. Some of these people are already engaged in the cultivation of the soil, and large tracts of the country afford ample rewards to those who thus expend the sweat of their brow. Portions of these bands have always been at war with the ~Mexicans, constantly making inroads into New Nexico and California to steal horses. Portions of them are at present at variance with the Sho-sho.nies; and, indeed, the manners and customs of the Yan-pa-pas, under an assoeiation on the part of the whites with them, are dangerous; for, shoold one be found amongst them when a sudden death, from either accident or common sickness, takes place amongst them, the relations of the dead man are at liberty, and are lure to exercise it, of killing any stranger who may happen to be amongst them. Thus, until this custom is abandoned, no safe intercourse can be carried on with them. Their country being more south, and out of the rauge of white settlements or emigrants, the game is not likely to be as scarce for many years to come as it is in the Sho-sho-nie country even now, for already it has nearly all left heir boundaries, except a small corner in the northeast corner of their claim; and, as they are at war with the Ucahs, near whose lines it is, they are afraid to go there to hu:~ Supposing the Government will beqrepared next sunliner to take some decisive step towards a iegular system of intercourse with them, and with a view of enabling the Government, as effectually as possible, to guard against r- 68 rlte unfortunate rerul$ of the causes'isoperation for their entire starvution, a few only of which I have mentioned, (Tor want of time,) I have concluded so to arrange matters before I.leave, t.l~aiboth these nations will be able to send large delegations, if not most of ihe principal bands of theii tribes, to a greqt council to be held hero next summer, being not only by far the most oonvenient plam fot s11ch ti cot~ncil, but is dso wbere the principal agency ought to be established; tind here, also, ought.to be established ltle leading milkmy post of these ~noantains, for which, hereafter, Ishallgivemy views more at large. I have s~rggested the matter of the great cou~icil to Washikick, the on!$ principal chief Ihare seer), and he highly approves of the plan. I have dlready made st~ch arrangements, ~hrough the assistance of Major Vasqties, , MI. Bridger not being at home,) that all of both tribes will be notified of my design to hold such a council; and as soon as Ishall have yonrpleasure . . on the sub,ject, which I hope mill be at an early day after Iget to SanFran- cisco, in November, I will then fix a time which will best suit the views of the l)epnrtment, (if it shall meet with your approbation, as I hope it will,] and wi!l then cause them to be notified of the day, which must of necessity not be later than August, and not earlier than July, as any other months wollld 1101 be convenient for them to attend. The Sbo-sho-nies are reputed an honest and sobqr people, decidedly friendly to the whites; and) ifproper agents are kept anlongst ihem,they will be easily managed, if a fa?i.support can be provided for them. Some of the objects which 1 have supposed might be gained by such council, you will easily perceive from what 'Ihave said above, and many others, of perhaps equal importance, may also be-ac- cm~~plislied. It is of great importance that these Utabs should be laid under obligations to cease their accustomed depredations on the whites and their property; and it is of gleater importance to adopt some mode or other to qve the Snakes from utter destitution, which in a year or two must inevitably .takeplace, if things remain as [hey now are. Iwrite this in great haste; and the shortness of my stay here nlast be my excuse for not writing more, but I have touched on all the subjects most inlporlant at thepresent mornent. When I get to Salt Lake, I shall have more time, and will go more into detail. Till when, I remain your obe- dicnt servant, JOHN WILSON. Hm.T.EWING, Semtarpoj ~e~ortrnkrrt Interior. -'NLl.1. MlNBSOW+ SWBERINTEWDENCY, BT. TXUL'S,October ISth, 1M9. SIR: In accordance with thejegiilations of the lndian department, [sub- snit my first annual report, as ex qfio superintendeut of Indian affairs in this Terntory . TIle Ilidians are nll included in the following distinct nations: The Da- kotas, orSioux, the Chippeways, and the Winnebagoes; each speaking a ditrerent language, and marked by customs and manners pecuIiar to them- Ilves. The two first named are the most nunierous and powerful; they ?: