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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISBIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAJRS. 47 of a reservation to white settlement, are beneficial to the Indians who remain in close contact with the irtooming tide of population. Among the great disadvantages under which they have lived hitherto have been their isolation, provincialism, and antagonism tocivilization. They have looked upon the pale faces as their enemies, with whom they uould have no dealings which would be of mutual advantage; bnt the breaking up of the reservations and the coming of the white men with all their better modes of life uecessitate a cloker acquaintance with each other and a knowledge of the general superiority of the white man's civilization. Multitudes of Indians are now beginning to under-stend this, readily accept the sitnation, and henefit by the change. COMMISSIO1JS. SHOSHONE COMMISSION. Instructions prepared ahd submitted to the Department July 14, Ig91, for the guidance of this Commission were approved and returned to this office the following day. The Commission was directed to meet at the Shoshone Agency, Wyo., August 2,1891, and from reports received it is believed that their negotiations for the snrrender of a portion of the ShoshoneXeservation will be snccessful. PYRAMID LAKE COMMISSION. July, 27,1891, instructions for the gnidhce of the Pyramid Lake Commission were submitted to the Department, and were approved by th6 same August 26,1891, and on August 28 the Comtuission was directed to meet at the town of Wadsworth, Nev. The work of this Oommissiorl is importaut and somewhat complicated, for the reason thac tbe town of Wadsworth is located within the bound- ' aries of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, that many whites have settled therein along the bottoms of the Truckee River, and that about one-fourth of the Indian population of the reservation have settled in and aronnd the town. MISSION INDIAN COXMISSION. Under the act of January 12, 1891, for the relief of the Mission In-dians in the State of California (26 Stats., 712), the Secretary of the Interior appointed C: 0. Painter, A. K. Smilex, and Joseph B. Moore commissioners to arrange a just and satisfactory settlement of these Indians on reservations' to be selected by them. Instructions were issued Jannary 31,1891, by this office, and approved by the Department February 4,1891. The Oommissioll met and prosecuted their labors togetherfor a short time ; hut for the last 2 or 3 months Messrs. Smiley and Moore have 'been absent on leave, and dudng their absence Xr. Painter has been |
