The tribes residing and roaming within the limits of New Mexico are the
Navajoes; the Mescalero, Gila, and Jicarilla bands of Apaches; the
Muache, Capote, and Weeminuche bands of Utes; and the Pueblos.
_Navajoes._--The Navajoes now number 9,114, an increase of 880 over last
year's enumeration. Superintendent Pope considers this increase to be
mainly due to the return, during the year, of a number who had been
held in captivity by the Mexicans. They have a reservation of 3,328,000
acres in the north-western part of New Mexico and north-eastern part of
Arizona, set apart for them by treaty of 1868. These Indians are natives
of the section of the country where they are now located. Prior to 1864
no less than seven treaties had been made with these tribes, which were
successively broken on their part, and that, with but one exception,
before the Senate could take action on the question of their
ratification. In 1864 the Navajoes were made captives by the military,
and taken to the Bosque Redondo reservation, which had been set apart
for the Mescalero Apaches, where they were for a time held as prisoners
of war, and then turned over to this department. After the treaty of
1868 had been concluded, they were removed to their present location,
where they have, as a tribe, remained quiet and peaceable, many of them
being engaged in agriculture, and in raising sheep and goats. Of these
they have large flocks, numbering 130,000 head, which supply them not
only with subsistence, but also with material from which they
manufacture the celebrated, and for warmth and durability unequalled,
Navajo blanket. They also have a stock of 10,000 horses. These Indians
are industrious, attend faithfully to their crops, and even put in a
second crop when the first, as frequently happens, is destroyed by
drought or frost.
One school is in operation on the reservation, with an attendance of
forty scholars.
_Mescalero Apaches._--These Indians, numbering about 830, are at present
located--not, however, upon a defined reservation secured to them--near
Fort Stanton, in the eastern part of the Territory, and range generally
south of that point. Prior to 1864, they were located on the Bosque
Redondo reservation, where they were quiet and peaceable until the
Navajoes were removed to that place. Being unable to live in harmony
with the new-comers, they fled from the reservation, and until quite
recently have been more or less hostile. They are now living at peace
with the whites, and conducting themselves measurably well. They have no
schools, care nothing apparently about the education of their children,
and are not to any noticeable extent engaged in farming or in any
pursuit of an industrial character. These Indians have no treaty with
the United States; nor do they receive any annuities. They are,
however, subsisted in part by the government, and are supplied with a
limited quantity of clothing when necessary. In addition to the
Mescaleros proper, Agent Curtis reports as being embraced in his agency
other Indians, called by him Aguas Nuevos, 440; Lipans, 350 (probably
from Texas); and Southern Apaches, 310, whose proper home is no doubt
upon the Tularosa reservation. These Indians, the agent remarks, came
from the Comanche country to his agency at various dates during the past
year.
_Gila (sometimes called Southern) Apaches._--This tribe is composed of
two bands, the Mimbres and Mogollons, and number about 1,200. They are
warlike, and have for years been generally unfriendly to the government.
The citizens of Southern New Mexico, having long suffered from their
depredatory acts, loudly demanded that they be removed; and to comply
with the wish of the people, as well as to prevent serious difficulties
and possibly war, it was a year or two since decided to provide the
Indians with a reservation distant from their old home, and there
establish them. With a view to that end a considerable number of them
were collected early last year at Canada Alamosa. Subsequently, by
executive order dated Nov. 9, 1871, a reservation was set apart for them
with other roving bands of Apaches in the Tularosa Valley, to which
place four hundred and fifty of them are reported to have been removed
during the present year by United States troops. These Indians, although
removed against their will, were at first pleased with the change, but,
after a short experience of their new home, became dissatisfied; and no
small portion left the reservation to roam outside, disregarding the
system of passes established. They bitterly object to the location as
unhealthy, the climate being severe and the water bad. There is
undoubtedly much truth in these complaints. They ask to be taken back to
Canada Alamosa, their old home, promising there to be peaceable and
quiet. Of course nothing can be said of them favorable to the interests
of education and labor. Such of these Indians as remain on the
reservation are being fed by the government. They have no treaty with
the United States; nor do they receive annuities of any kind.
_Jicarilla Apaches._--These Indians, numbering about 850, have for
several years been located with the Muache Utes, about 650 in number, at
the Cimarron agency, upon what is called "Maxwell's Grant," in
North-eastern New Mexico. They have no treaty relations with the
government; nor have they any reservation set apart for them. Efforts
were made some years ago to have them, with the Utes referred to, remove
to the large Ute reservation in Colorado, but without success. The
Cimarron agency, however, has lately been discontinued; and these
Apaches will, if it can be effected without actual conflict, be removed
to the Mescalero agency at Fort Stanton. Four hundred Jicarilla Apaches
are also reported as being at the Tierra Amarilla agency.
_Muache, Weeminuche, and Capote Utes._--These bands--the Muache band,
numbering about 650, heretofore at the Cimarron agency, and the other
two bands, numbering 870, at the Abiquiu agency--are all parties to the
treaty made with the several bands of Utes in 1868. It has been desired
to have these Indians remove to their proper reservation in Colorado;
but all efforts to this end have thus far proved futile. The
discontinuance of the Cimarron agency may have the effect to cause the
Muaches to remove either to that reservation or to the Abiquiu agency,
now located at Tierra Amarilla, in the north-western part of the
Territory. These three bands have generally been peaceable, and
friendly to the whites. Recently, however, some of them have shown a
disposition to be troublesome; but no serious difficulty is apprehended.
None of them appear disposed to work for a subsistence, preferring to
live by the chase and on the bounty of the government; nor do they show
any inclination or desire to have their children educated, and taught
the habits and customs of civilized life. Declining to remove to and
locate permanently upon the reservation set apart for the Utes in
Colorado, they receive no annuities, and participate in none of the
benefits provided in the treaties of 1863 and 1868 with the several
bands of Ute Indians referred to under the head of "Colorado."
_Pueblos._--The Pueblos, so named because they live in villages, number
7,683. They have 439,664 acres of land confirmed to them by act of
Congress of Dec. 22, 1858, the same consisting of approved claims under
old Spanish grants. They have no treaty with the United States, and
receive but little aid from the government. During the past two years
efforts have been made, and are still being continued, to secure the
establishment of schools in all the villages of the Pueblos, for the
instruction of their children in the English language. Five such schools
are now being conducted for their benefit.
The history of the Pueblos is an interesting one. They are the remains
of a once powerful people, and in habits and modes of life are still
clearly distinguished from all other aborigines of the continent. The
Spanish invaders found them living generally in towns and cities. They
are so described by Spanish historians as far back as 1540. They early
revolted, though without success, against Spanish rule; and in the
struggle many of their towns were burned, and much loss of life and
property occasioned. It would seem, however, that, in addition to the
villagers, there were others at that time living dispersed, whose
reduction to Pueblos was determined upon and made the subject of a
decree by Charles V. of Spain, in 1546, in order chiefly, as declared,
to their being instructed in the Catholic faith. Under the Spanish
government, schools were established at the villages; the Christian
religion was introduced, and impressed upon the people, and the rights
of property thoroughly protected. By all these means a high degree of
civilization was secured, which was maintained until after the
establishment of Mexican independence; when, from want of government
care and support, decay followed; and the Pueblos measurably
deteriorated, down to the time when the authority of the United States
was extended over that country: still they are a remarkable people,
noted for their sobriety, industry, and docility. They have few wants,
and are simple in their habits, and moral in their lives. They are,
indeed, scarcely to be considered Indians in the sense traditionally
attached to that word, and, but for their residence upon reservations
patented to these bands in confirmation of ancient Spanish grants, and
their continued tribal organization, might be regarded as a part of the
ordinary population of the country. There are now nineteen villages of
these Indians in New Mexico. Each village has a distinct and organized
government, with its governor and other officers, all of whom are
elected annually by the people, except the _cacique_, a sort of high
priest, who holds his office during life. Though nominally Catholics in
religion, it is thought that their real beliefs are those of their
ancestors in the days of Montezuma.