The tribes in California are the Ukie, Pitt River, Wylackie, Concon,
Redwood, Humboldt, Hoonsolton, Miscott, Siah, Tule, Tejon, Coahuila,
King's River, and various other bands and tribes, including the "Mission
Indians," all being native to the country.
_Round-Valley Agency._--The Indians belonging to this agency are the
Ukies, Concons, Pitt Rivers, Wylackies, and Redwoods, numbering in all
1,700. The number has been increased during the past year by bringing in
1,040 Indians collected in Little Lake and other valleys. A reservation
containing 31,683 acres has been set apart per act of April 8, 1864, and
executive order of March 30, 1870, in the western and northern part of
the State, for these Indians, and for such others as may be induced to
locate thereon. The lands in the reservation are very fertile; and the
climate admits of a widely varied growth of crops. More produce being
raised than is necessary for the subsistence of the Indians, the
proceeds derived from the sale of the surplus are used in purchasing
stock and work-animals, and for the further improvement of the
reservation. Several of the Indians are engaged in cultivating gardens,
while others work as many as twenty-five or thirty acres on their own
account.
The Indians on this reservation are uniformly quiet and peaceable,
notwithstanding that they are much disturbed by the white trespassers.
Suits, by direction of the department, were commenced against such
trespassers, but without definite results as yet; the Attorney-General
having directed the United States District Attorney to suspend
proceedings. Of this reservation the Indian Department has in actual
possession and under fence only about 4,000 acres; the remainder being
in the possession of settlers, all clamorous for breaking up the
reservation and driving the Indians out.
The Indians at this reservation have shown no especial disposition to
have their children educated; and no steps were taken to that end until
in the summer of 1871, when a school was commenced. There is now one
school in operation, with an attendance of 110 scholars. These Indians
have no treaties with the government; and such assistance as is rendered
them in the shape of clothing, &c., is from the money appropriated for
the general incidental expenses of the Indian service in the State.
_Hoopa-Valley Agency._--The Indians belonging to this agency are the
Humboldts, Hoonsoltons, Miscotts, Siahs, and several other bands,
numbering seven hundred and twenty-five.
A reservation was set apart per act of April 8, 1864, for these and such
other Indians in the northern part of the State as might be induced to
settle thereon. This reservation is situated in the north-western part
of the State, on both sides of the Trinity River, and contains 38,400
acres. As a rule, sufficient is raised on the reservation to supply the
wants of the Indians. These Indians are quiet and peaceable, and are not
disposed to labor on the reservation in common, but will work
industriously when allowed to do so on their own individual account. One
school is in operation on the reservation, with an attendance of
seventy-four scholars. Having no treaty relations with the United
States, and, consequently, no regular annuities appropriated for their
benefit, the general incidental fund of the State is used so far as may
be necessary, and so far as the amount appropriated will admit, to
furnish assistance in the shape of clothing, agricultural implements,
seeds, &c. Besides these, their agent has a general supervisory control
of certain Klamath Indians, who live adjacent to the reservation and
along the banks of the Klamath River. These formerly belonged to a
reservation bearing their name, which was, years ago, abandoned in
consequence of the total destruction by flood of agency buildings and
improvements. They now support themselves chiefly by hunting and
fishing, and by cultivating small patches in grain and vegetables.
_Tide-River Farm, or Agency._--The Indians located at this point are the
Tules and Manaches, numbering three hundred and seventy-four. These
Indians are gradually improving, are quite proficient in all kinds of
farm-work, and show a good disposition to cultivate the soil on their
own account. There is one school in operation at the Tule River farm,
with an attendance of thirty-seven scholars. About sixty miles from the
agency reside several hundred King's-River Indians, who are in a
wretched and destitute condition. They desire to be attached to the
agency, and have in the past received occasional supplies of food from
it.
_Indians not on Reservations._--In addition to the Indians located at
the three agencies named, there are probably not less than 20,000,
including the Mission Indians (so called), the Coahuilas, Owen's River,
and others, in the southern part of the State; and those on the Klamath,
Trinity, Scott, and Salmon Rivers, in the northern part. The Mission
Indians, having been for the past century under the Catholic missions
established on the California coast, are tolerably well advanced in
agriculture, and compare favorably with the most highly civilized tribes
of the East. The Coahuilas and others inhabiting the south-eastern and
eastern portions of the State, and those in the north, support
themselves by working for white settlers, or by hunting, fishing,
begging, and stealing, except, it may be, a few of the northern Indians,
who go occasionally to the reservations and the military posts in that
section for assistance in the way of food.
There are also about 4,000 Owen's-River and Manache Indians east of the
Sierras, whom the settlers would gladly see removed to a reservation,
and brought under the care of an agent. The department has under
consideration the propriety of establishing a new reservation, upon
which shall be concentrated these and numerous other Indians, in which
event the Tule-River agency could advantageously be discontinued.
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| Transcriber's Note |
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| Some inconsistent spelling in the |
| original document has been retained. |
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| Typographical errors corrected in the text: |
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