The tribes residing in Oregon are the Umatillas, Cayuses, Walla-Wallas,
Wascoes, Molels, Chasta Scotans, Coosas, Alseas, Klamath, Modocs, and
Wal-pah-pee Snakes, besides numerous other small bands. They are all
native to the country. On account of the great number of small tribes
and bands in this State,--the number of tribes and bands parties to the
same treaty being in some cases as high as ten or fifteen,--these
Indians will be treated of, and the remarks concerning them will be
made, under the heads of the agencies at which they are respectively
located.
_Umatilla Agency._--The tribes located at this agency are the Umatillas,
Cayuses, and a portion of the Walla-Wallas, and number 837. They have a
reservation of 512,000 acres, situated in the north-eastern part of the
State, set apart for them by treaty of June 9, 1855. This reservation is
very fertile, and, as usual in such cases, has attracted the cupidity of
the whites. A proposition was made last year, under the authority of
Congress, to have the Indians take land in severalty, or sell and remove
to some other reservation. The Indians, however, in the exercise of
their treaty rights, refused to accede to this proposition. These
Indians are successfully engaged in agricultural operations, are nearly
self-supporting, and may be considered, comparatively speaking,
wealthy. It is gratifying to state that the introduction of whiskey by
whites upon this reservation, and its sale to the Indians, has, during
the last year, received a decided check through the vigilance of Agent
Cornoyer in causing the arrest and trial of four citizens for a
violation of the law in this respect. All the parties charged were
convicted, and are now in prison. This is especially worthy of note,
from the fact that it is always exceedingly difficult to obtain
convictions for such dealing with Indians in any section of the country.
There is one school in operation on the reservation, with an attendance
of twenty-seven scholars.
_Warm-Spring Agency._--The Indians at this agency, known as the
"Confederated Tribes and Bands of Indians in Middle Oregon," comprise
seven bands of the Walla-Walla and Wasco tribes, numbering six hundred
and twenty-six. They have a reservation of 1,024,000 acres, located in
the central part of the State, set apart for them by the treaty of June
25, 1855. Though there is but little really good land in this
reservation, many of the Indians, by reason of their industry, have
succeeded measurably in their farming operations, and may be considered
as self-sustaining. In morals they have greatly improved; so that
polygamy, the buying and selling of wives, gambling, and drunkenness
have ceased to be common among them, as in the past. There are some,
however, who are disposed to wander off the reservation, and lead a
vagabond life. But little advancement has been made in education among
these Indians. One school is in operation at the agency, with an
attendance of fifty-one scholars.
_Grand-Ronde Agency._--The Indians at this agency comprise the Molalla,
Clackama, Calapooia, Molel, Umpqua, Rogue River, and other bands,
seventeen in all, with a total population of eight hundred and seventy.
The reservation upon which these bands are located is in the
north-western part of the State. It contains 69,120 acres, and was set
apart for their occupation by treaty of Jan. 22, 1855, with the
Molallas, Clackamas, &c., and by executive order of June 30, 1857. Some
portions of this reservation are well adapted to grain-raising, though
much of it is rough and heavily timbered. An allotment of land in
severalty has been directed to be made, much to the gratification and
encouragement of the tribes. These Indians are inclined to industry,
and show commendable zeal in cultivating their farms, growing crops
which compare favorably with those of their white neighbors. Their
customs and habits of life also exhibit a marked improvement. One school
is in operation, with an attendance of fifty scholars.
_Siletz Agency._--The Indians at this agency are the Chasta Scotons, and
fragments of fourteen other bands, called, generally, Coast-tribes,
numbering altogether about 2,500. These Indians, including those at the
Alsea sub-agency, have a reservation of 1,100,800 acres set apart for
them by treaty of Aug. 11, 1855; which treaty, however, has never been
ratified, although the reservation is occupied by the Indians. They were
for a long time much averse to labor for a support; but recently they
have shown more disposition to follow agriculture, although
traditionally accustomed to rely chiefly upon fish for food. Many
already have their farms well fenced and stocked, with good, comfortable
dwellings and out-houses erected thereon. There is no reason why they
should not, in time, become a thoroughly prosperous people. The failure
to make allotments of land in severalty, for which surveys were
commenced in 1871, has been a source of much uneasiness to the Indians,
and has tended to weaken their confidence in the good intentions of the
government. One school is in operation on the reservation, with an
attendance of twenty scholars. None of the tribes or bands at this
agency have any treaty relations with the United States, unless it may
be a few members of the Rogue-River band, referred to under the head of
the Grand-Ronde agency.
_Alsea Sub-agency._--The Indians at this sub-agency are the Alseas,
Coosas, Sinselans, and a band of Umpquas, numbering in all three
hundred, located within the limits of the reservation referred to under
the head of the Siletz agency. The remarks made about the Indians at the
Siletz agency will generally apply to the Indians of this sub-agency.
The Coosas, Sinselans, and Umpquas are making considerable advancement
in agriculture, and, had they advantages of instruction, would rapidly
acquire a proficiency in the simpler mechanical branches of industry.
The Alseas are not so tractable, and exhibit but little desire for
improvement. All the assistance they receive from the government is
supplied out of the limited amount appropriated for the general
incidental expenses of the service in Oregon.
_Klamath Agency._--The Indians belonging to this agency are the Klamaths
and Modocs, and the Yahooskin and Wal-pah-pee bands of Snakes, numbering
altogether about 4,000, of whom only 1,018 are reported at the agency.
They have a reservation containing 768,000 acres, set apart for them by
the treaty of Oct. 14, 1864, and by executive order of March 14, 1871,
situated in the extreme southern portion of the State. This reservation
is not well adapted to agriculture. The climate is cold and uncertain;
and the crops are consequently liable to be destroyed by frosts. It is,
however, a good grazing country. Although this reservation is,
comparatively speaking, a new one, the Indians located upon it are
making commendable progress, both in farming operations and in
lumbering. A part of the Modocs, who belong by treaty to this agency,
and who were at one time located upon the reservation, have, on account
of their troubles with the Klamaths,--due principally to the overbearing
disposition of the latter,--left the agency, and refuse to return to it.
They desire to locate upon a small reservation by themselves. Under the
circumstances, they should be permitted to do this, or else be allowed
to select a tract on the Malheur reservation. There is no school at
present in operation for these Indians.
_Malheur Reservation._--This reservation, set apart by executive order
of Sept. 12, 1872, is situated in the south-eastern part of the State.
Upon this it is the intention of the department eventually to locate all
the roving and straggling bands in Eastern and South-eastern Oregon,
which can be induced to settle there. As no funds are at the disposal of
the department with which to make the necessary improvements, and to
provide temporary subsistence for Indians removed, the work has not yet
been fairly commenced. The Indians who should be collected upon this
reservation are now a constant source of annoyance to the white
settlers. They hang about the settlements and military posts, begging
and stealing; and, unless some prompt measures be taken to bring them
under the care and control of an agent of the government, serious
trouble may result at any time. Congress should make the necessary
appropriation during the coming session to maintain an agent for these
Indians, to erect the agency buildings, and to provide subsistence for
such as may be collected and may remain upon the reservation.
_Indians not upon Reservations._--There are a number of Indians,
probably not less than 3,000, "renegades," and others of roving habits,
who have no treaty relations with the government, and are not in charge
of any agent. The tribal names of some of these are the Clatsops,
Nestucals, Tillamooks, Nehalims, Snakes, and Nez Perces. The
"renegades," such in fact and so called, roam on the Columbia River, and
are of considerable annoyance to the agents at Warm Springs and
Umatilla: others, the Snakes, two hundred in number, are upon the edge
of the Grand-Ronde reservation. These live by hunting and fishing, and
profess to desire to have lands allotted to them, and a school provided
for their children. The Nez Perces, belonging in Idaho, to the estimated
number of two hundred, are found in Wallowa Valley, in the eastern part
of the State. They claim that they were not parties to the treaty with
the Nez Perce tribe years ago; that the valley in which they live has
always belonged to them; and they strenuously oppose its settlement by
the whites.