OCR Text |
Show being more generally followed than it is. In physique, and in the vir. tues of chastity, temperance, and industry, they are the equals of many white communities. . A permanent reservation should be set aside for the Indians of this agency, and, with proper assistance, they mould doubtless in a few years become entirely self-sustaining. In the chapter of this report containing specific recommendations for legislation to be had by Con-gress at its approa,chiug session, will be found the text of an agreement between these bands and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, by which the Indians relinquish all their claimson account of lands formerly held by them, and of which they were dispossessed without their consent, and the Government on its part confirms to them the tract now in fact occu-pied by them. Effect should be given to this agreement by Congress at as early date as practicable. The claims relinquished have been long before Congress, and may or may not have merit, a question not here considered; but it is equally for the interest of the Government and of the Indians that these bandsshould be put as early as practicable in the way of self-support, a result which will be greatly forwarded by con-firming to them a permanent home. But one school is in operation, with an attendance of 18 sehola,rs. These Indians have no ani~uities, but an annual appropriation of $50,000 has for several years been made for their bellefit. This money is expended for goods and a,grieultural implements, and for assistance and instruction in farming, he. I DAKOTA, MONTANA, WYOMING, AND IDAHO. The tribes residing in Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho are divided asfollows: in Dakota, about 28,000; Montana, 30,000 j Wyomin& 2,000; and Idaho, 5,000. The present temporary location of the Red Cloud agency has, however, drawn just within the limits of Wyoming a body of Indians ~ a r y i u gfr om 8,000 to 9,000, who are here, and usu. ally, reckoned as beloilging in Dakota. I DAKOTA. The Indians within the limits of Dakota Territory are the Sioux, the Poneas, and the Ariekarm, Gros Ventres, and Mandans. Siow.-Thew are,probably, including those a t the Red Cloud agency, at present temporanly located in Wyoming, about 28,000 Sioux under the care of Government at eight different a,geneies. The Yankton Sioux, numbering about2,000, are located in the extreme southern part of the Territory, on the east side of the Missouri, about fifty miles from the town of Yankton, upon a reservation of 400,000 acres, nearly all rolling prairie, set apart for them by treaty of 1858, out of the tract then ceded by them to the Ur~ited States. They have not been muoh inclined to work, and although there is good land within their reservation, they are poor, having still to be subsisted in a great measure by the Government. It is but due to say of the Ya~lktons, that, while other bands of Sioux have. been hostile to the Covern~l~ent and its citizens, they have uniformly been friendlj, even to the extent of assisting the Government against their own lrindred. They are now giving eousiderable attention to the education of their children, having sis sohools in operation, with an average attendance of 366 soholars. The change in this latter respect has resulte,d mainly from the henevo- ? lent efforts of the missionaries of the Episcopal Church, and of the American Board of Oommissioners for Foreign Missions. Under a |