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Show REPORTS OF AGENTS 1N COLORADO. have that privilege. If the Department would furnish an organ I am satisfied this could be made a success; besides it would add very mmuoh to the interest of the Sun- ---a,eh -.h-nn.l a..n.A rnvn~l%-R~.~n ~hb~n~th- ~s erv ices. I wish to call stteution to this que3ion. ~~~~~ ~ and will make a special request in another comuunicarion. The missionarywark in behalfof these Indisus st the sgenoyf?r tholaat 6fteeu years has been almostexalusively done by agents and emplny6u; autslda of the agency and smong the Mexiceos for n. greater period, they Lave been drilled in the Romau Catho-lic faibh. They all profcss this form of Christiaoity, aud though many of them are drunkell and dissolute, are highly incensed if they me not recognized as good Chiat- ~ans. Some of them are unquestionably improving, but a. large majority are so sd-dieted to drink that missionary work meets with poor encouragement and very meager results. INDIAN INDUSTRY. The most of t.hese Indiaus have, during the past gear, worked with commendablble zesl and energy. Oving to t,he excessive drought their wheat and barley yielded leas than formerly. Their gardens land corn iudiosta careful attention and oultivatian. Some of them are thoughtful and make caloulatious for tho future equal to many whites. The women out and make their ownolothing; quilt as well &a their white neighbors. The only thing that is discouraging is their appet,ite for strong drink.' SANITARY. There has been doring the paat twelve months uo very severe type of sickness. Six Indians have died, and two have been killed. The natukal deaths were sither ex-tremely aged or very young; the two killed were young men under the influence of liquor, and at the hands of Mexicans. There have been aeven births, one more than the natural deaths. Very little attention is now paid to the medicine-men. CIVILIZATION. To an unprejudiced mind hut one conclusion oan be reached; tho yonnger ludinns are muoh mare genteel in their deportment than the older ones are. While all are respectful, there is a marked superioritg in general appearance and mntalligenoe with the present gelreration over the past. All ot thoae Indians havo long since adopted cit,izena7d reas, and are scrupulous in their costume to the extent of their meaua. In-alienable homes and exemption from the blighting influence of rum and these In-dians, to all intents and purposes, would he reoognized as meriting the sppellstion, oivliised. I am, sir, vary rcspectfullg, your ohediont servant, C. G. BELKNAP, United Slates Indian Agent. The COMMISSIONEORF INDIAN AFFNR8. 80uTEERN UTE AGENCY, COLOR AD,^, Seplen~ber 2, 1882. SIR: In obedience toinstructions received from the honorable Commissioner, I have the honor to submit mj firat snnosl report of affairs at this agency: The Souther" Utes are looated on their reservation in the southwest part of Colo-rado. The reservation is a strip of country 15 by 120 miles, and borders on New Mexico and Utah. I t is a rough mountainous country, suitable only for grazing- pur-poses, it bein r well watered by the Piedra, Rio Los Pioos, Florida Aningas, La Pli~ta, Mancas, and holares Rivera. There is not to exorrd 20,000 sorssdf agricultural land on t.he reservation, sud that could be brought under cl~ltisation only by irrigating, and tbst at a very great expense. The Southern Utes uuntber about one thonsaud, and I think are the pure& type of the American Indian that now exists, there not being a otixed blood in the whole tribe. TheUtaIndiensare not inclined to agricultural porauits, as i8shon.n by not one of them having made any attempt st farming. In fact they do no work whatever. They consider it beneath the di nity of an Indian to labor. They are naturally in-olinad to paatoral pursuits, to w%ieh this reservation ia well adapted, and I think if the same effort was made on the part of the governmeut to induce them to raise cat-tie and sheep that there is to get them to till the soil the advancement t@wmds clvili- |