The Indian tribes in Idaho are the Nez Perces, the Boise and Bruneau
Shoshones, and Bannocks, the Coeur d'Alenes, and Spokanes, with
several other small bands, numbering in the aggregate about 5,800 souls.
_Nez Perces._--The Nez Perces number 2,807, and have a reservation of
1,344,000 acres in the northern part of the Territory. By treaties of
1855 and 1863, they ceded to the United States a large body of land
lying within the limits of the then Territories of Oregon and
Washington, and accepted their present diminished reservation, with
certain annuities in consideration of the cession of the remainder. The
tribe has long been divided into factions known as the "treaty" party
and the "non-treaty" party, from disagreements arising out of the treaty
made with them in 1863. Though the ill feeling engendered has in a
measure subsided, the "non-treaty" Indians, to the number of a few
hundred, still stand apart and accept no favors from the government.
These, with few exceptions, reside outside the reservation, on Snake
River and its tributaries, and cause more or less trouble in a petty way
to the white settlers. The Nez Perces generally have for many years been
friendly to the whites, are quite extensively engaged in agriculture,
and may be considered well advanced in civilization. They show
considerable interest in the education of their children, and have two
schools in operation, with an attendance of 124 scholars.
_Shoshones and Bannocks._--These Indians, numbering 1,037, the former
516 and the latter 521, occupy a reservation in the south-eastern part
of the Territory, near Fort Hall, formerly a military post. This
reservation was set apart by treaty of 1868, and executive order of July
30, 1869, and contains 1,568,000 acres. The Shoshones on this
reservation have no treaty with the government. Both bands are generally
quiet and peaceable, and cause but little trouble; are not disposed to
engage in agriculture, and, with some assistance from the government,
depend upon hunting and fishing for subsistence. There is no school in
operation on the reservation.
_Coeur d'Alenes_, &c.--The Coeur d'Alenes, Spokanes, Kootenays, and
Pend d'Oreilles, numbering about 2,000, have no treaty with the United
States, but have a reservation of 256,000 acres set apart for their
occupancy by executive order of June 14, 1867, lying 30 or 40 miles
north of the Nez Perces reservation. They are peaceable, have no
annuities, receive no assistance from the government, and are wholly
self-sustaining. These Indians have never been collected upon a
reservation, nor brought under the immediate supervision of an agent. So
long as their country shall remain unoccupied, and not in demand for
settlement by the whites, it will scarcely be desirable to make a change
in their location; but the construction of the Northern Pacific
Railroad, which will probably pass through or near their range, may make
it expedient to concentrate them. At present they are largely under the
influence of Catholic missionaries of the Coeur d'Alene Mission.