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Show XLIV REPORT OF THE COM~l[SSIOSEK OF IXDIAN AFFAIRS. themselves and also among the neighboring white settlers, who hare advised their removal primarily with the objejeot of obtaining possessioil of their lands, has been the most formidable obstacle to their improve-ment. An inspector mas sent to the agency in April last, who made a thorough iuvestigation of its affairs. Some of the Indians, about 100 in number, impressed with t;be belief that he would favor their rentoval, ran away, and are now at the Sac and Pox Reservation in the Indian Territory. About 30 others, at different times, had preceded this party. All have been notitied that their annuities will be issued to them only at their regular agency. Only seven Indian families occupy dwellings. They farm tracts of from 10 to 100 acres, and the whole amount of 1;tnd under the careof individnal Indians, the present year, will not exceed 400 aores, from vhioh they have raised 800 bushels of wheat, and a fair amount of other products. The agency farm, cultivated to a great esteut by Indian labor, has yielded this year 2,261 bushels of wheat, 249 bnshels of oat8s, and a large amount of rye, vegetables, 6.c. The changes in the local ~anagemento f the tribe, mhicb have been made on the recommendat,ion of the inspector, have been prodnctive of good results, and it is believed that when the Indians fully understand that they are to occupy their reservation as a permanent home, they will make more rapid improvement. The a g ~ nrte ports that their boarding-school during the past yearhas been poorly patronized, owing, no doubt, to causes already referred to j yet their capacity for development is said to be good, as some of their children, talcen froin the rncle wigwam to the school, hwe learned to read and speak English in the short s$ce of six months. The moral conditioll of the tribe is in rery many respects in advance of many otl~er tribes. There are no srluaw-men among them, and the agent states that in virtue and chastity they stand without compar-ison; that there is not a, known aase of illegitimacy, and that "pro-fane language is nerer hcard, unless among those who have learned t,he white men's way." XESCALERO AGENCY. The lies~iltso f the efforts made during the past year to promote the interests and civilization of the Indians of this agency are not of a very gratifying charmter. In the last annual report of this office a brief statement mas made in regard to the arrival of Victoria and a portion of his band upon the Nesoalero Reservation, the desire expressed by him to remain there perma~ientl~a,n d the causes which rery soon thereafter induced him suddenly to leave. Ue had p~rsuadedso me of the Mescaleros to join him, and within a few days. after his departnre was marauding and murdering citizens a '~undred miles distant from thc reservation. Some of his people, for, two or three months daring the latter part of last willtar and in earl:, spring, were in the mountaiils less |
