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Show REPORT OF THE OO~88IONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 179 almost entirely disappeared and fish are fewer every year. Moreover, it was the custom of the band to remain in Wallowa only during the summer months and to return into the valleys of Imnaha and Snake rivers about the end of October, remaining there all winter. In the Nespelim Valley, Washington, where Joseph arid his band have been located for seventeen years, the climate is much milder in winter thauin the Walldwa Valley. The lands are equal to the aver-age lauds in the mountains of Oregon, and superior to the greater por-tion lying outside of the more fertile valleys. In fact, it is quite equal to the Wallowa Valley, except that the area of the bottom land is not so extensive. The Nespelim Valley also equals, if it is not better than the Wallowa Valley for both hunting and fishing. The Nespelim and Little Napelim rivers are both good trout streams. The Sau Poi1 River, about 30 miles east of Joseph's settlement, and entirely within the south half of the Colville Reservation, is said to he one of 'the best salmon fishing streams in eastern Washington. There are immense quantities of "huckleberries" in the mountains, from which the Iudi-ans derive quite a revenue. The soil is a rich loam, the surface ia well sodded, and liative gksses are luxuriant. The Nespelim River has excellent valley lands on both sides for some 15 miles in length, and averaging about 1 mile in width. The Little Nespelim, a few miles east of the main river and running nearly parallel with it, is similar, except tbat the stream and valley are smaller. Both of these rivers have their sources in the moun-tains and are swift-running, never-failing streams of excellent water, su5cient to irrigate the lands of their respective valleys. The val-leys alone afford ample tillable land for twice the number of Indians now located upon that portion of the Colville Reservation. Excellent pine timber is plentiful on the uplands and along the foothills of the adjacent mountains. The Indians can obtain all the lumber they need free of cost if they will but fell the trees and get the logs to the Gov-ernment mill. The main Nespelim River furnishes a good water power which runs a flour mill and a sawmill, both in good condition and capable of doing first-class work. They are used exclusively for grinding into flour the wheat raised by the Indians, and sawing for their use the logs brought by them to the mill. Chief Joseph has a large tract of excellent land inclosed with a good fence and situated on the west bank of the main Nespelim River. A portion .of it is very good meadow land and there is also some timber and all the land is tillable. On'this tract he has a small house in fairly good condition, but a poor barn. He is not living here but upon another tract near by, upon which he has built another house, situated about one-quarter of 8 mile south of the subagency. The fields occu-pied by his band are nearly all fenced and include both meadow and I pasture. |