Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs - 1881

Page 82

the tuo i;,ttar, only liii in as nere~3try or desire nlng require. Snlr ant1 d r i d salmnu are arili pur up. bur in dlw.ni*hiogq motiries,aa rhoauppl~ia br~sggraclnnllyr odumd in tlou river*. '1'11116 n e ~ 3 ~.i t e. ~vl n- pcl.t hu Iotl nu to reaort to ci\,i,iza~wl etbuds iu order to sustain life. MORILL AND RELIGIOUS WOXI<. This is by far t,lre most important factor in the civilisstion and elevatiou of the Indian. Bible truths and Bible teaehioga carry with them a power that none can galnsay nor reeist. The "Thus saith the Lord," is mare oauvinciog and irresistible to the Indian mind than all arguments of men. Indiana are olase observers and goad judge8 of hnman nature, and they too easily disoover the inconsistencies of white men as between their words and ways. The teachings of the Bible they can sea are just fitted to guide erring human beings. The moat civilized among the Iudiaos are those whu are the most oonsistent Christians. Go into their homes and you will find refine-ment, and works of art adorning their walls, well-kept houses, and olean snrround~nga. Thus, though no missionary has beeo bare during the gear, oar regular Sabbath serv-ices have supplied spiritual life to nor little church of 61 members, end kept the field from ruuniog to taresand weeds, and a harvest growin for some missionary hnnda to gather in. All the 6tIcorss of the past, all the hope of tRbe future, lies in the teachings of Christian truth and examples of Christisn morality. Christian teachings in early days kept these Indians to always be the friends of the whites, while all around them <'ere sworn enemies, iwbruing their hmde in the white men's blood. The results of the past are atanding testimonials to tho truth of mg words, and t,his subject a fit ending of mg annual report. Respectfully snbmitted, JOHN SMITH, U9,itrd States Itdinn Agent. The C0nMrsslosl;n OF ISDIAANV F.~IRS. UINTAXV ALLEYA GENCYU, TAU,A u p s t 18,1881. Sm: Iu xorordaooe with department iostruotions I have the houor to submit the follov.~ing as my eleventh annnal report of atFairs pertaining to the agency and Iudia~s uoder my obarge, and to transmit the aceompaoying statistics relative thereto. The past year has been one of mang encooragemeuts to all connected wirh this par-tiau or the Indian service. The steady progress of these Indians in all matters pertain-ing to their civilizat,ion has been evident and even marked. Their farming operat,ions have not been more extensive than iu former years, but more interest has beeo shown in oariug for their crops; they have been more energetic in their work,,and have taken more pride in their farms, end this advsncement I am pleased to say 1s mainly due to t,he disposition of the Iodisns themselves, sithongh both my,employda and myself eu-deavor fnithfully to direct them io matters pertaining to them Interests. During the last winter n. careful oensuswas made of the Uiotah Utes, ahawing a. total population of 474 Indians. This is a oonsiderable increase over the population recorded for several Soars previous, probably due to the fact that a nnmber of faniilles from other portions of the Territory have settled here claiming the privileges of the reserve, and from coutinnal residence have been recognized as belonging to and hare hesu io-olnded in the onumrretion of the tribe. This number will he probably reduoed when the lines are d r a ~ nan d proper distinctions made between the members of the Uintah and White River tribes. FARMING OPEPATIOXB. With so smalla band of Indians the aggregate resalts of their labors i6 not sufficiently large to attt.aot partioular attention, but we feel satisfied that a careful examination of the atatisticel report herewith ss well as an inspection of their farming operations will show as decided an individual effort as can be fouod among any tribe of the same degree of rsdvauoement in civilized pursuits. They have something o v e ~25 0 aores of land fenced and under oultivatian. Most of this is planted with cereals; but almost every fsmilg har amail patahes of ground for garden vegetables and potstoea. Uotii after t,he barvestiug is done and grain ail threshed it will be irupaasihleto pivedefinite figure^. but nlg firmer rst,imates the yield this year as followa: Wheat, 2,OUO hnshels; oats, 400 btlshels; and potatoes, 500 buabels. The Indiana make no pretensions strais-ing own except for eunlmer use, seldom er never itllowil~g i t to alature, unless it be a snri~iip ortion preserved pri~tcipailyf or seed. In speakiug of gardeu vegetables i t i s pluassut fur lna to recall the fact that this par momeof our early vegetables ware for-msheti "8 by Iudiaua. How different is this indepeudeoce from the ounditioll in which I found thrsa ludiaua sotne gram since, when they were entirely dependent for their subsistence on their sucoess in hunting, or the scanty allowance furnished by the gov-ernment.