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Show 22 REPORT OF THE COhlMISSIONER OF IKDIAN AFFAIRS. in thenorttwest part of the Territory, and extending into Arizona, con-taining an area of 3,456,000 acres, to which the tribe removed last year, and that for the Gila Apaches, selected several years ago by agent Sleek, but never occupied. The Nauajoes, now in their old home, number betweeu eight and ten thousand, the former number being on the reservation, and about two thousand living with other tribes or roaming at large. Serious com-plaints haTe been made the past year against this tribe on account of depredations committed upon citizens, which induced Governor Mitchell to issue a proclamation declaring the whole people to be out-laws, an act not justified by the true state of the case, as the main body of the tribe we.re on their own lands or near thereto, peaceable and en-deavoring to fulfill their treaty obligations. Subsequently, that executive notice was modified by the successor of Governor Mitchell, so as to apply to Indians committing outrages. The Navajoes axe reported as doing well; some have planted outside the reservation, but will move into it after gathering their crops. Napuaohe U t e ~an d JicariZla Apaches, the former numbering four hundred and eighty-four and the latter seven hundred and eighty-eight, have no reservation, but are in charge of an agency at, Maxwell's Ranch, on the Cimarron, in the northeast part of theTerritory ; they are friendly, tractable, but produce nothing, and live by hunting, and the supplies furnished bv the government. It mas foherlfthought that it would be to the interest of these In-dians to procure for them as a permanent home the country they now occupy. Silrrr, ho\rrrcr, b~ r~v 6 1ttl. e;tt,v ~tipuliltiol~as ~ ~ . ~ ~ t ~ risv i ~ t i ~ 11n)ritledt in the 3fiiq11nvhrT Stes,ulo~~wgi th other L-rvs iu Oolor:c~lo,aud it )I:IS been thought that tltn Jicnrillns ccillld bc i~ldoe(*tdo luvnte wit11 them in Ooloradk or near the new reservation in that Territorv. it may not be cltsirnhle r i i ;~tS IIVII ;III : ~ r ~ ~ ; t a ~ rsmhotu~lcnl tl, r iml~sun~taakI IdI~ ; . 31;411,o~f tlleae Apnclles live west of the Jtio C:c~nde, nud do uot go to the Oimarron agency. unless it be to get muities, add ther freauentls apply to the AEiqu& agency for assiaance. - Wem6nuche and Capote Utes, embraced in the Abiquiu agency, west of the Rio Grande, number, the one seven hnndred, and the other three hundred. Both are peaceable tribes, living mainly by the chaae. They are friendly, and ha.ve rendered good service to the government, and, being on the dividing line between the Indians of the plains and those in the mountains, they a.E a protection to the whites. Attached to their present homes, they do not want to leave them, and deny they ever signed a treaty (referring to that made by G o ~ ~ r nHour n t, of Col-orado Territory, March 2, 1868) agreeing therein to go upon a reserva-tion in Colorado. Mescalero Apaches are reported to number five hundred and twenty-five, and roam over the soxtheast part of the Territory. Since their escape in 1865 from the Bosque Redondo reservation, they have doubt-less been guilty of a number of mnrders a.nd depredations. Betbre this they mere peaceable and friendly. Such is the mountainous character of tbeir country that it is difficult for troops to find them, as it is said in July last a scouting force of sixty-five men, under an oficer, passed through it, and only by accident was a party of seven of the Apaches discovered. It seems to be the general opinion that these Indians should ha)-e a reservation set apart for them near Fort Stanton in their own old home., upon which could also be placed other Apaches. The country contains an abundance of wood, water, and game, and is every say suitable. |