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UTAH SUPERINTENDENCY. npon them the friendly disposition of ihe government towards them, and, if possible, quiet thew hostile feelings towards the whites, and thereby prevent a recurrence of those scenes which have heretofore been so fatal to the emigration and so destructive to life and property. The Indians in this section oftheTerritory, although they appear to be in a wild and savagestate, and have had but little intercourse with the whites, seem to have a very correct idea of the power and importance of our government. They were much pleased with the idea that the &&BiCga ptainTof the whites, as they term the President, knew them, and was friendly disposed tow-ards them. They received the presents I gave them in a manner peculiar to them; exhibiting the strongest evi-dence of their gratitude and respect I think it important that go\-ernment should establish posts on this route: one on the Hurnboldt, at or near the mouth of the south fork, some twenty miles below where the road first strikes the river. It is about three hundred miles from this place, and about four hundred and fifty fiom the Mormon station in Carson v.dey, where there should he another post established. These posts, with a few soldiers, would not only protect the route, but greatl>- aid the department in establishing friendly relations with the Indians; which will be no easy matter under the existing state of things. There are white men who are more desperate, and who commit more depredations, it is thought, than the Indians, and who keep the Indians in a constant state of excitement. It will require extreme measures to keep them in order; but when once ibe country is rid of them, I do not doubt but that the Indians will be easily managed. As the valley of the Humboldt does not furnish facilities for farming operations, it can never become a settled country. Besides the total absence of timber throughout its whole course, from the time the road first strikes it to rhr sink, the soil is generally of that character which would render it unproductive. Add to this, that in tbe spring sea;on the river overflows it3 banks, and much of the most valuable land is so cut up with sloughs that it would be impossible to cultivate it, with the least hope of success, to any extent, as the water does not leave nor the ground dry before late in June. On Carson river there is some timber where the road strikes it afier crossing the desert, and for a few miles up. The bottoms, fbr about iifty miles up the river, are similar to those on the Humboldt, not well calculated for farming operations; but when you approach to within thirty or forty miles of the head of the valley, the land becomes better, the mountains approach nearer to the river, and you find them covered to their base with the best kind of pine timber, well calculated for building purposes. Here would be the proper place for an agency, as the soil is good, with plenty of h e grass and water. It would also be convenient for ope-rations with the Indians. I haveheretofore recommended that atreaty should be held with the Indians inthis Territory. I earnestly repeat' the recommendation; for, until some measure is adopted by which the Indians, as well as the whites, may know their respective rights and privileges, it is vain to expect that the Indian affairs of this Territory can be placed on an amicable footing-such as mill be satisfactory to both parties. If something is not done to effect this object, in the course of a few years the Indians will be compelled to give up their |
