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Show REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. 137 pay ? I know the Indians lose all their cattle ; when they get the money, where does ? t go ? " When I ask about it they say they \ vill punish me. 1 thought the President did not send them for that. I got very poor and wanted to borrow the reservation team. You know what I have done. They refused me the use of the cattle. Then Billy said, " Let us get cattle of our own." We bought them with our money. We got two yoke of oxen. One of rny friends got me one yoke. 1 worked all summer and paid for the cattle. Our agent had all the benefit of the reservation. He drove us from our places, took the barn and all our hay, and we all lost our horses for w;; nt of feed. Captain Kelly was the agent. Mr. King sold our cattle, and he logged first. Captain Kelly logged ; he sold all the things we had bought with our own money. Mr. King was the only one who helped us; since that we have not had one to help us. " I do not know where the reservation is. I want to know, and I want you to mark out a place for me. Every agent tells us different things, and it has always been so. My place is changed by every one. We want to know how far the reservation extends ; we want you to tell us. JOHN, ( the interpreter.) Mr. King and Captain Kelly both had cattle of their own. They kept them with the reservation cattle, and drove them away and the reservation cattle with them. BIG JOHN, ( chief.) My heart is sorry all the time; it cries everyday. All the Indian country feels sad. When we heard what Governor Stevens said we were ignorant ; at the time we thought all he said was good for the Indians. Governor Stevens asked, " Where do you want H, reservation ? " and we selected this. He told us when we came on the reser-vation all would be well. Every new agent talked different from Governor Stevens, and each new one different from those before him. We all thought the white men were doing wrong to us, and seeing that, all went wrong. I felt sad. Now, that you have come, you talk as Governor Stevens did. I heard it, and the Indians felt glad when they heard it; they thought our money would come straight, and we hope we won't be cheated any more, because you give us the President's words. We are on the reservation, and wish to do as the President says. We heard the President would punish us. We think the President is good to the Indians. We want to know now where the reservation is. I want to know where my place is; I want to be like a white man ; I know God sees us, and knows what poor creatures we are. It is all the fault of the agei: ts. If the President had sent you before, we would have been like white men long ago. The agents do wiong to us and keep us Indians. If we had heard your words sooner, we would have been like white men, and I am glad to hear your words now. We want to know about the orchard, and the cattle,' and hay and timber; aud we hope the agent will do right, and that hereafter we can take what timber we want. Really ail Governor Stevens said was good. We do not know much about Mr. Eels; he has only been here a short time. I don't know how he will do; perhaps he will be as you said. Perhaps all I want I will get through Mr. Eels. 1 will feel much better because I have heard your words. You can have all our children; still I don't want them all, as the boys are in the school; their feet get cracked ; they are like the slaves we used to have. We want them to study every day, and don't want them to do wrong. If they study they will learn. DUKE WILLIAM. I am glad to see you. All our folks are very poor. Our planting grounds and logs and apples and hay are taken from us, and I felt sad, and I wanted to go and see the President. I know I will not live long. I asked the Indians to give me the money and I would go and see the President. I would have gone if you had not come here. Did the President send men here as agents to log aud get all the benefits ? That is what I wanted to go and ask the President. SPAR, ( the young chief.) You say you are from Washington. If you had come later you would have missed me. I don't know much: none of us do. We are ignorant. I am glad to see you. You come to make the Indians all good There are many bad whites who say this reservation is not ours; but I think the President does not think so. The whites like to look at our place. I think now I will be buried here. We want to find out the boundaries of our reservation. We are not content until we know where it is. The Duke of York has many people. Where will lie put them ? We want to know. DUKE OF YORK, ( a friend of the white man; saved majiy lives in the Indian war.) I don't think of anything but you. I am very glad to see you here to- day. You came here from Washington. I have come here to be a new man, different from what I have been. To- day I change and become a new man. I get the President's words to- day. I want the President to have these words and be glad. JKrom this time J think you have made me and my people good. There are no bad white men here. There are no bad white men to abuse us and give us whisky, so we will change. I want a good white man's house, like the school- house. I have left Port Townsend, my home, and ought to have a good house. I want to be. good. After my tribe sees we are taken good care of the rest of them will come. Even the lowest Iddiiin. s, wiun they hear me and my children are white men, will come. I believe in God and have a good heart. And I have a good heart to the white men. Half the white men are bad; they give the Indians whisky. I want a place where there are plenty oi clams. 1 want a place for all my tribe. General McKenney knows where I want my place. 1 want from Atkins Creek up. I know all Governor Stevens said. I put what I hear in my heart ; like a white muu. Governor Stevens made this reservation, for us. That |
