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Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 187 in the night by the whole band, but defeated the Indians wit11 great loss. Shortly after this last expedition, a delegation of il!Iescaleros presented then~selves to Agent Steck, at Fort Thorn, and sned for peace; but not feeling himself authorized to treat with them, he entered into an armistice until I could be consnlted upon the subject ; and on the 10th of June I arrived at Fort Thorn, and concluded a treaty of peace with this band, which has heretofore been enclosed to you. During the last spring and summer several very successful expedi-tions were made against the Mohuache Utahs and Jicarilla Apaches, under the command of Colonels Fountleroy of the United States army, and St. Vaiain of the New Mexican volunteers, which caused these Indians great loss and suffering. Hence, early in August, a delegation on the part of these two bands presented themselves to me and sned for peace also, and I appointed to meet both bands on the Chama river above Abiqniu, on the 10th instant; this meeting mas held at the time and place designated, and resulted in treaties of peace with both bands, which treaties will be forwarded to you by the mail which carries this report ; and I can now have the pleasure of inform-ing you that peace has once more been restored to this territory. During the past summer I have also negotiated treaties with tllo Mimbres Apaches, the Navajoes, and the Capote Utahs ; all of xvhich have been enclosed to you, and each treaty contains a stipulation re-quiring the Indians to cultivate the land assigned to them. When I met the Mescaleros, at Fort Thorn, for the purpose of ne-gotiating a treaty of peace with them, I found these Indians in the most destitute condition imaginable. I relieved their immediate wants, and directed Agent Steck to issue to them a limited amount of provisions, from time to time, as they might apply for relief and their necessities seem to require it. I found the Jicarillas to be in the same destitute condition, and also relieved their most pressing wants, giving to Agent Labadi similar instructions to those given to Agent Steck relative to the Mescaleros. The Mimbres Apaches are improving their condition. They have commenced planting corn, this season, on a limited scale ; and Agent Steck informs me that they seem pleased with their new avocation, and express a great desire to increase their fields next spring. He also informs me that they have fair prospects for good crops. I have confident hope that, with judicious management, these Indians will be in a flourishing condition before the expiration of many yearn. The Navajoes may be said to be in a highly flourishing condition. They have remained at home for several years, committing but few depredations, and such as have been committed by the bad men of the tribe are not justified by any considerable number of their people. As an evidence of this, I would refer to the fact of a Xarajoe having killed a soldier during the last winter at Fort Defiance, and these Indians having arrested the murderer when Agent Dodge demanded him, and their having hanged him in the presence of their agent and all the officers stationed at that post. These Indians have been culti-vating the soil, to a limited extent, for several years, and this season have about five thousand acres of corn under cultivation, together |