OCR Text |
Show census returns, as they migrate hither and thither; but when a tribe is paid annuities which are sufficient for substantial relief, as is the case with these In-dian-, they may he generally expected to be present at the annual census to be enrolled for payment. In the case of the Chipppwas, also, the last year has been a productive one for their farming, hunting and fishing, and sugar-making opera-tions, and thus they have been comfortable. With the exception of two occasions-one at Crow Wing, the other at Leech lake, where disturbances, which for a time threatened to be serious, were cansed by too muchwhiskey, furnished as usual by white people-the Indians have been peaceable and friendly. The most earnest efforts have been made by Agent Clark to stop'the whiskey traffic. and he has sncceeded by great efforts, and at great expense for the journey and subsistence of witnesses, in getting& number of parties indicted, who were to be tried in the United States court at St. Paul du~ingth e present month. - The great abundance 08 rabbits last winter proved to be of mnch use in fir-uishing food, and onefirmof trafiers purchased 14,000 skins of that animal. In the spring the Indians made large quantities of maple sugar, the agent m~ntiou-ing oue family living near Leech lake, which made 1,800 pounds of sugar. Cranberries are plenty, also, and for these, as well as for their sugar, they find ready sale at fair prices. To a considerable extent, also, many of these Iudi-ans, particularly about Leech lake, cultivate the soil, and their crops have been good. The Pembiua Indians are too far distant from the agency to have received much attention from the ag-e nt, and we have hut little information concernin-e them. The site for the new agency at Leech lake was selected in the spring, and measures, long delayed, were at once taken to proceed to the erection of the necessary buildings for the agency, and the accommodation of the various em-ploy6s, and of the schools, shops, &c., provided for in the treaty with theee Iu-dians, and this work has been proceeding with energy, so that some portion of the buildings. will be ready for occupation this winter. Contracts were made and forwarded for approval, providing for breaking and preparing lands for cul-tivationas per treaty, but the price seemed high, and, upon later eramination, it has been deemed advisable to delay this work to give an opportnnity for the Indians to make selections for themselves, which they will probably do from lands not re uiring so much labor in preparing them for crops. These 1nIians are well disposed and quite intelligent, arid great hopes are entertained of their progress in civilization when thearrangements contemplated by their treaties are consummated. With liberal annuities, a country teeming with game and fish, abundance of timber, plenty of good fanning lands, provi-sions for schools, and a people willing, for the most part, to make good use of these advantages, there is uo reason why these Ohippewas should ilot advance rapidly in obtaining means of comfortable subsistence, and in acquiring that knoml-edge whicli will fit the? for civilized life. Whiskey is still with tbem, as with others, the bane of their existence, but the persistent efforts made to prevent its use among them meet with some degree of success. The amoudt of individual property owned by these Indians is estimated at $85,000. They have cultivated 650 acres of land, with an aggregate product of 7,200 hnshels of corn, and 7,000 bushels of vegetables; besides which they have gathered 7,000 bushels of wild rice, made 200,000 ponndsof maple S U ~ R L : and sold furs to the amount of $55,000. CHIPPEWAS OF LAKE SUPERIOR. Agent Webb's annual report has not arrived, a fact probably to beacconnted for by his necessary absence on the duty of co~~veyinsugp plies of goods to, and selecting a reservation for, the Bois Forte hand of Chippewas, on the north side |