OCR Text |
Show ises, a1waj.s broken, which, so natural to the Indians when faith is broken, Fauses them to look mith suspicion on all Government agents. The Pi-Ute Indians are scattered over a large extent of country in Southeastern Nevada and Southwestern Utah, numbering some 4,000, scattered in small bands, and located according to the extent of land and water for farmii~g. I left Pioclle, Nevada, September 10, with a wagon-loacl of goods for the Indians and riding-animals, to visit the various bands, extending some two hundred miles southeast in Nevada and Southwestern Utah. On the Meadow-valley Wash, and a small stream called the Muddy, they have some tell to fifteen s n~a lfla rms, and considering that the1 have no farmine-imnlements. but in most cases nlant with a ~imnlset ick, their ambition 7s mkt prais&v~rthy. They rake good corn, b&ns,inel-ons. sauashes. num~kins&, c. These Indians are worthy of a11 praise, h-e-i-h-n >nod wbrkeri. and with eucouraaement and the necessarf farm- - - ing-tools, would raiie good crops. I hav% supplied them with a small amoont of spades, shovels, and hoes. nurchased at Saint Georee. Their remoteness from anv niarkct of sup$es makes itmost embaryassing, as they can raise nothing without irrigation, and in many cases they are con~pelledt o ditch for nlilcs. Some six years ago the ralley of the Muddy was settled by the Mor-mons sent from Utah commercially to connect with the Colorado. They established here, and t.heir prodnct was abundant. Last spring, because this regio~! was proven to be within the jurisdiotiou of Nerada, they broke up and left, only one family remaining out of about one hundred andtwenty-fivefamilies. Some two or three families have since comein- Gentiles-to maturc and utilize the crops left growing by the Mormons. The claims of these settlcrs were attached by the sherill' of Lincolu County, Hevada., for delinqneut taxes, and bonght in by the connty. This is a large splendidvalley, well watered by the Xoddy, an? I would most earnestly recommend the evtablishli~ent of a reservation consistent with ecnn(,my n ~ ~gtolo ,l j o d y ~ ~ e r ~ t . 'J'he 3lormons at rhis pl;~ccL ; I ~1 1el.etotbrrf rd nntl ~ ~ P caI rtI 0 1 ~ I I C I n d i ~ ~ ~'Ia'h.e ir remoral.:~r~l~iltl. III~I.C..S,II.S ~ I P I I ~ ~ IlI~Zn. slettt llr Iudiall~ in fact nothing to subsiit upon, and, unfess prov%led for, must either steal. or starfe. The character of the Pi-Utes is not ~ a r l i k o: rather cowa~d-l.sb , ut nil-fcring and r~e;~vl~rrous. Tbe snl.ro~~r~dcioro~ngt ry Ilci~if ;+I! nnwitigntcd ~lracrc: I I I ~ : icldi~~p uuthinc. 1 thcrei i r~th ink rl~iqI LP ~,rnnevl> laee !in 3 r~s r i~i~r i~ov!l~te,r e the 1nh;ans from that country coulh bk loEated. The discovery of gold and silver mines in Arizona has cnysed consid-erable travel through the Indian country froruNevada and Utah, which fact makes it necessary to use every precaution to prcvelbt trouble; the Indians claiming that the white mall should pay them for grass and water, in traveling through their country, &c. ; hence my endeavor for a good understanding between the Indians aud whites, ag the Pi-Ute nation extends to the Oolorado on the south, and Beaver, m Utah, on the north. I distributed a small sopply of blankets, pant5, shirts,nerdles, thread, wheat, flour, and bacon ; also shovels, spades, and hoes, to the various bands, accord~ngto where said bands could be found, to such Indians most in want. a ma"i oritv" of them .b ein-n destitute. Of horses ihes have scarcely 'my.' The Indians were much ~leaseda, s heretofore they received nothing, nor any protection from a@ Government agent. |