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Show REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. 115 entious men, a condition which has rarely been found to have existed heretofore, are in every case an admitted failure. The children are, for the most part, too irregular in their attendance to be materially benefited, and in the few instances where a greater degree of regularity is secured, they lose during the interval with their parents what they acquire in school- hours ; cleanliness, proper clothing, and reasonable freedom from disease are rendered well- nigh impossible. The day- schools have generally served as a mere pretense, under which friends of agents have received salaries: and, so far as the Indians are concerned, the money has been thrown away. It is hoped that, under the new system of appointments, a more conscientious administration of the agencies will prevail, and that the Government will comply with its treaty stipulations by erecting proper buildings, and establishing schools in which children of both sexes may be taught habits of industry while being educated in the common English branches. The Indians of North America have nearly as many different languages as there are tribes. Those on the Pacific north of the California line generally speak Chinook, in addi-tion to their own tongue. Chinook is a jargon, consisting of not more than three or four hundred words, drawn from the French, English, Spanish, Indian, and the fancy of the inventor. It was contrived by the Hudson's Bay Company for the convenience of trade. It is easily acquired by the whites, and has been a chief cause in preventing the Indians from learning to speak English. Its use by agents and employes should be objected to, and Tinder no circumstances should it be tolerated in the schools. The Indians have made less advancement in the use of our language than in any other particular. The fault is with those who have had charge of them. One of the best English talkers I saw among them had learned it during a two years' confinement in the penitentiary, where only English was spoken to him. Their deficiency in this particular causes the Indians of Puget Sound and Western Oregon to seem less fitted for the privileges of citizenship and the ballot than they really are. Nevertheless, it is believed they are generally as well fitted for it as are the Mexicans in certain quarters, and many of the negroes in others. Except at the Yakama agency, under Mr. Wilbur, and in one case of a harness- maker at the Warm Springs reservation, I do not find that the Indians have been encouraged to learn mechanical employments. Wherever there are blacksmiths, wagon- makers, millers, or other skilled laborers employed, they should be required to take one or more Indian apprentices. At one agency visited the refusal of this privilege was one ground of the complaints of the Indians against all the agents they have heretofore had. Difficulties in regard to the boundaries of the reservation in Washington Territory con-stantly arise. There should be an appropriation made for authoritative surveys, and, at the game time, for the subdivision and allotment of the farms, which they so much desire. It is much to be regretted that no part of the last year's appropriation for surveys was designated for this purpose. GRANDE RONDE, OREGON. After returning to Portland, I arrived at the Grande Ronde reservation, forty- five miles southeast of Salem, on the 13th. The reservation extends to the coast, some forty miles, and, with the exception of the valley in which the Indians are located, is unusually mountainous, rocky, and barren, but abounding in game. This valley is at the east side of the reservation, on the head- waters of the Yam Hill River, and is an indentation or basin in the Coast range of mountains five by eight miles iu extent. It contains about 2,000 acres of arable land, more than half of which is under cultivation by the Indians. In 1855 and 1856 a costly and bloody war was being carried on by the Oregon Indians. After their submission a treaty was made by Governor Palmer, by which the Rogue River Indians agreed to go upon a reservation. They were soon after brought to Grande Ronde, and a military post established by General William B. Hazen. At that time the Indians are described as subsisting themselves upon lish, game, roots, berries, grasshoppers, & c., dress-ing in skins, paint, aud blankets, many of them almost naked, and all knowing only the habits of savage life. All on the reservation now live in houses, wear civilized costume, and have adopted many of the habits of the whites. They plant about 800 acres of wheat and oats, from 50 to 100 bushels of potatoes, besides peas, onions, cabbage, and grass. In addition to this work upon their own farrrs, they furnish a large amount of acceptable labor to the white farmers in Willamette Valley, for uhich they receive the same wages as whites. They are anxious to learn mechanical employments, and complain that some of them have not been taught in the agency shops. As to their capability, I saw them running an eight-horse threshing- machine, all the work, attendance, and superintendence being done without any whiteor Imlf- breed aid. As to their " willingness" and ability to " work," I saw them just completing a mill- race about 300 yards long, in some places 8 feet deep, in hard soil, as their voluntary contribution to the new saw- mill. The roads through their valley are much better, and have had more work done upon them, than those through the white settlements on the way to it. One of them made his speech at the council in the English language, and others were capable of doing so. They seem to have a high appreciation of the value of education for their children, and plead earnestly for an industrial boarding- school. They should have it, if only in some degree to make amends for past abuse. The principal men among them have for years been solicitous to have their farms allotted to them in severally, and this MI |
