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Show INDIANS WEST 01' THE I10CKY MOUNTAINS. 7 fear that, it will be impossible to protect Ihe Indians in possession of so great tin exlent of territory. Ii certainly cannot be done without great expense in ihe Coverunieiil. There, is much game on this reservation, and these India us have no desire lo cultivate the soil. They have never been thoroughly whipped by the forces of (he United States, never having been engaged in any great war, so I hey do not feel Ihe full pow'er of 'the Government. They are very independent, and desire greatly to keep their country. Question. Are they annuity Indians? .Major POWELL. They arc. They can be stirred up very easily. There are a number of these tribes; some of them go down into New Mexico, others to the easl of the Porky Mountains. In the treaty of 18fi8, made with these Indians, il is provided that no lands shall thereafter be yielded by the Indians without the consent of at least, three-fourlh. s of the adult male Indians occupying or 'interested in the same, and in the. bargain made with Ihem this year it was necessary for this proportion to sign the agreement. In reading Ihe report of the transaction I notice that all those who were present, but one, signed the agreement. The number signing it, was, 1 think, 208. 1 have traveled among these Indians, more or less, for the last live years, and spent almost an entire year with Ihem at one time, but I was much belter acquainted with those at the north than those at the south. It was chielly the soul hern Indians who signed the bargain this summer with Mr. Prunot. Taking into consideration the number of Indians who signed this agreement as an indication of the Indians living below, and with my knowledge of those living to the north, I am satisfied that there is not moro than sixteen hundred or seventeen hundred of these Colorado Indians altogether. There is an agency on the reservation at White River lo the north, but where this is situated the country is at an altitude of about six thousand feet above the sea and hence the climate is too cold for successful farming. Atone lime I thought that the Indiausof Utah, whom 1 have heretofore mentioned as those who should go to the Uintah reservation, could be consolidated with these Indians of Colorado, as they speak the same language, are intermarried with them, and afliliate with them generally; but I doubt whether it. would be. wise to increase the number of Indians who are, iu such an independent condition that fears may be entertained of their making raids on the settlements. Mr. lngalls and myself have also taken into consideration the propriety of removing those. Indians of Colorado who belong to the northern portion of this reservation, that is, the Grand Giver, White Pivcr, and Denver Indians, to Uintah. It would in the seipicl be much better for them, as the valley of the Uintah is better adapted to agriculture, than tiny portion of the country now occupied by these Indians. To make them successful farmers they must be taken from the country they now occupy) but tho treaty of 1803 and the treaty of 1S0S, and the, bargain again made with them Ibis past year by Mr. P.ruiiot le-alliriniilg the conditions of thoso treaties, stand in the way of such a movement. These Indians do not desire lo move ami do not desire to cultivate the soil, so it is thought best to let them alone.at present. Still, I think that it will be practically impossible to protect them in their rights under 1 hat treaty to all that twelve or thirteen million acres of land, and even if they could be, so protected, I am inclined to think it would not be wisdom, for if while men do not enter that region of country they will have abundance, of gaum and can live by hunting, and as long as that condition of affairs exists they will never desire to cultivate the soil, and no substantial progress can bo ••-.•HA-.:-.'. '*• gSPyrow igpn-ati mraraNvooan. |