Page 141

REPORTS OF AGENTS IN         WASHINGTON     TERRITORY.        141 
moonlight, and then lost it, but instead of abandoning the search they camped
where 
they lost the trail, and in the early morning succeeded in finding it again
and soon 
came upon the robbers, arrested them, and brought them back to the agency.
The 
criminals were turned over to the United States marshal and are now in jail
in Salt 
Lake City awaiting the action of the grand jury in September. I give the
details 
of this capture to show how persistent the police are in performing their
duty. In 
this connection I may say that this is the only crime known to have been
committed 
on this reservation during the past year. 
Whisky has been brought in several different times by Indians and on one
or two 
occasions brought to their camps by white men. The introduction of whisky
is a 
matter of serious annoyance to the agent. It is much easier for Indians to
obtain 
whisky now than it was before the country around the borders of the reservation
had 
been settled. I do not think whisky is sold to the Indians openly. One Indian
who 
had been fined by the chiefs for selling whisky to other Indians, said that
a white 
man, whom he-did not know, sold it to him in the dark. Nearly all the Indians
love 
whisky, and it would be a hard matter to make them turn informers. 
The sa,,itary condition of these Indians is very good. Nearly all of them
come to 
the agency physician when they are seriously sick. The influence of the medicine
men is gradually giving way to the services of a skillful physician. 
Referring to their moral condition, they love gambling and horse racing,
but they 
are honest and virtuous. Nearly half of them belong to the Mormon church;
not 
from any special piety of the Indians, but the Mormons have always endeavored
to 
curry favor with them. 
In conclusion, I think the prospects for steady advancement are brighter
than they 
ever were before. The Indians must for several years to come depend largely-upon
the Department for their support, but they are gradually learning the art
of self de- 
pendence. Colorow and his little band of followers who would not come to
this re- 
serve to live have expressed to me their intention of permanently settling
here with- 
out compulsion. The agent and the Indians are one in purpose, and the employ6
force is as good as I could wish. 
Respectfully submitted. 
ELISHA W. DALVIS, 
United States Indian Agent. 
The COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 
COLVILLE INDIAN AGENCY, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, 
Augu st 15, 1883 
SIR: I have the honor to submit my eleventh annual report of the affairs
of this 
agency and the condition of the Indians under my charge. 
NON-TREATY INDIANS. 
No treaty has ever been made with the Indians belonging to this agency. The
reservation west and north of the Columbia River was set aside for them without
their being consulted in the matter ; consequently the Indians who have always
lived 
upon the east side of the Columbia took but little interest in the reserve,
and but a 
small number, comparatively, have removed to it, each tribe continuing to
occupy 
their former locations, which, for the different tribes, are widely separated.
NO GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS FOR USE OF AGENCY. 
No provision ever having been made for the erection of agency buildings upon
the 
reservation, although the necessity for the same has frequently been urged
by me in 
my annual reports and in special letters to your office, the residence of
the agent was 
with the approval of your office located at a point most accessible and convenient
to 
the different tribes as at present located, viz: The Colvilles, numbering
670, at a 
distance from the agency of from 22 to 30 miles, on the east side of the
Columbia River, 
west of the agency; the Lakes, 333, at about the same distance, upon the
west side 
of the Columbia River; the Okanagans, some 330, about 150 of the tribe being
across 
the line in British Columbia, are located along Kettle River to Soozoos Lake,
135 
miles distant: the San Poels, 400, on the San Poel River, 100 miles (distant;
the 
Methows, 315, living upon the Methow River, are about 100 miles distant ;
the Spokans, 
6 5, Upper Band living upon the Little Spokan and adjacent prairies, 50 miles
dis- 
tant; the Middle Band in the vicinity of Spokan Falls, some 60 miles distant;
the 
Lower Band on the addition to the Colville Reserve set aside for the Spokan
In- 
dians, 35 miles distant; the Cmur d'Al~nes, 425, are on the Cmnur d'Ali~ne
Reserva- 
tion in Idaho Territory, 110 miles distant; the Calispels, 400, on the Calispel
Bay,