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United States. Office of Indian Affairs / Annual report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, for the year 1884
([1884])
Reports of agents in California, pp. 9-18
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Page 9
REPORTS OF AGENTS IN CALIFORNIA. 9 vestigating the whole questiou, as to the extent and probable value of the coal de- posit, and should be prepared when he has concluded his investigation to give all needed information on a subject of which little has heretofore been known. I have on former occasions opposed the establishment of a school at this agency, on the ground that the Apaches should first be taught to labor. Having seen them well advanced on the road of physical industry, I cheerfully recomm-nd the organi- zation of a school for boys only, at the earliest practicable period, and will give to it my best efforts to insure success. During the year four pupils have returned from Hampton school and are now living on the reservation. Two of them, Tolma and Stagon, have enlisted as military scouts, and are serving in that capacity. Robert McIntosh and William Roberts are now employ6s at the agency as interpreters. All but William Roberts have purchased squaws and returned to the habits of their people. To be married to a squaw signi- fies an abandonment of the refinements of civilization, though some of its custobas may still be cherished; and in this regard these recent converts to Christianity, and graduates of an excellent institution of learning, are no exception. Boys taken from the tribe should remain at school until they have mastered the trades in which they are instructed, so as to be able to construct, complete, whatever they undertake. No Indian police force has been employed during the year, the service having been performed by military scouts. I have but now commenced the organization of an agency forc, and have full confidence in its efficiency to perform all the duties of police among the Indians in the vicinity of the agency, which includes all on the reservation, except those near Apache under military control. It is not improbable that conflict will occur between the agency and military scouts if the latter are per- mitted to remain in service at this place, as I have no power to control their move- ments; but I cannot conceive the possibility of a long continuance of a policy so injurious to the service as that now existing, which sustains two establishments for the performance of one duty. The health of the Indians has not been affected by any unusual conditions of sick- ness; the ordinary diseases common to hot climates, miasmatic bottom lands, impure water and unrestrained license in social life, have prevailed unaided in the work of extermination. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, . P.WILCOX, United States indian Agent, The COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. HOOPA VALLEY AGENCY, CALIFORNIA, August 1, 1884. SIR: In compliance with your instructions of July 1, 1884, I have the honor to sub- mit the following annual report of affairs at this agency: The Indians on the Hoopa Valley Reservation have been, during the past year, peaceful and well-behaved. Their relations with the white population have been satisfactory. No new or violent quarrels have broken out among themselves. The two homicidal quarrels, to which reference was made in my last annual report, have been satisfactorily and peacefully adjusted according to their Indian laws and usages. The influences of the medicine men are, I think, being to some extent diminished or counteracted. Every possible effort by every available means has been made to subserve that end. But whilst some improvement can in that respect be truthfully reported, much yet remains to be accomplished. The weaknesses, prejudices, and superstitions, by and upon which the Indian medicine men flourish, are of too long.% growth and are too deeply rooted to be easily or speedily eradicated. The morals of the adult Indians remain unchanged in their laxity. They are, how- ever, far enough advanced in the process of civilization to pay a decent respect to appearances. The whisky traffic still continues. I have not heard of many cases of intoxication among the Indians, but of course all drunkenness is studiously concealed from my observation. I hear of Indians having been drunk only when some deed of violence, which could not be concealed, has been threatened or committed in and through their drunkenness. A few Indians who were found drunk and quarrelsome were placed in the guard-house at Fort Gaston, and compelled to work under charge of a sentinel. This had a wholesome deterrent effect. It has at least caused drunken Indians to be more circumspect and less demonstrative. Whilst I have good moral grounds for sus- picion and belief as to where the whisky has been in most of these instances procured, I have and can obtain no such legal and overwhelming proof as is needed for the con- viction of the liquor dealers in the civil courts of the country. It is almost impracti- cable to secure the testimony of Indians as to where they bought or Iprocured whisky. Now
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