SANITARY. There has been no epidemic among these Indians for several years, and their health generally seems to improve. Nearly one per cent. of those living are centenarians. Their principal chief-Cabazon-who died about two years since, lived to be certainly over 120 years of age, but was reported as having attained 140 years. RESERVATIONS. The Mission Indians have twenty-one reserves. On one of these there are no Indians, and on some others not one Indian on an average to 1,000 acres. The total of all the reserves is about 200,000 acres. It cannot be stated more definitely, on account of the exceptions in the numerous executive orders making such reserves. Besides several of their larger villages are on Mexican grants now patented to whites, and containing no exceptions in favor of the Indians. The Government employed special counsel to defend the Indians in such cases. In one of these suit was commenced about one year since. It has not yet been brought to trial. In some of the others not commenced the bar of the statute of limitations will no doubt be set up, if necessary, as one defense for the Indians. SURVEYING. The survey of certain reserves has been progressing for several months, and will perhaps require two weeks longer to complete them. This work has accomplished much good already in settling boundary lines in dispute between whites and Indians. A few of these Indians occupy public lands outside of the reserves. Every opportunity has been taken to inform them generally of their rights under the act of 1884 to obtain title under the general homestead law, and of the necessity of doing so in some cases to protect their rights by obtaining such title, yet but one such application has been made since the act of 1884 was enacted. As a result of this indifference, in two instances white persons have filed applications for lands in the possession of Indians, and unless the Indians should be represented in the United States Land Office on the hearing, the white claimants will likely succeed in obtaining patents. All such cases have been referred to the special counsel before referred to. The Indians never apply to the Land Office to get title, and seldom apply to the agent or to counsel, unless their improvements (which are usually very small) are disturbed. As it is impossible for an agent to be informed of all such cases over a territory requiring many hundreds of miles of travel and attend to general office business, it is apparent that what is most needed to secure title for Indians in severalty in this agency is a locating agent. But something could be done hereafter in that respect with the aid of the new employé, the "additional farmer" recently appointed, whose time should be spent on and near the reservations where the Indians live. This office is 30 miles from the nearest and about 120 miles from the farthest of the Mission Indian reserves. AGRICULTURE. About 10 tons of seed wheat and nearly 20 tons of seed barley were issued to the Mission Indians last January. With but few exceptions all of them who were engaged in agriculture were supplied, and they all promised to plant the seed so issued. Most of it was planted accordingly. Some of it I am informed was consumed by the Indians and some of it was fed to their stock on the more distant reserves. The seed that was planted produced fair average crops, and has had the effect of stimulating those who planted the seed to plant more this year. This experiment (the first I believe in this agency of the kind) worked well. It was not deemed best, however, to request a similar authority for the next crop, as the Indians should have seed enough now of their own, nor does it seem necessary. These Indians were also supplied during the year with a larger amount of agricultural implements than they have ever received before in one year, which also had a good effect. And, as they are now reasonably well supplied with such implements, no further supplies in that respect were requested. The Government has done very well for the Mission Indians in the last year. No estimate was made for annual supplies for this year. The only supplies needed are for subsistence for the old, infirm, and destitute. These do not cost over about $60, per quarter, and should be estimated only quarterly, as necessity requires. SCHOOL-HOUSES. Five frame school-houses for day-schools were built during the year; two of them in place of two old ones which were built of adobe. These had been built about three years since, but fell into ruins during the heavy rains of February, 1884. The Government now has six school-houses and rents two, making a total of eight. The ninth school-house, authorized, remains to be built at Santa Ysabel. Except for a day-school at Santa Ysabel, any additional expense in building for educational purposes should be applied first hereafter to Indian training-schools, of which there is not one for any of the "Mission Indians." They need to be taught farming, gardening, and mechanical trades, and generally such useful occupations as will enable them to provide for themselves. And the girls should be taught such useful occupations as is suited to their sex and capacity, and, above all, both sexes need to be taught the necessity and value of industry in the pursuits of civilization. INDUSTRY. There has been good demand for Indian labor during the year and at remunerative wages. Many of the young men availed themselves of such demand. Many of them are among the best laborers in this country. Others have refused remunerative work at the same wages that were paid to white men. Yet upon the whole there is an improvement, although too many of them have been misled to believe that they are not bound to the same conditions of necessity which govern all other classes under similar conditions. In many other respects there are no better people than the Mission Indians. CIVILIZATION. The Mission Indians were in a condition of civilization at the date of our treaty with Mexico in 1848, and their condition has been much improved since. They are not and never were since that date "agency" or "reservation" Indians in the sense in which those terms are understood in most of the agencies. No agent has ever had control of their actions or movements as in case of agency Indians elsewhere. These Indians have always made their own contracts for their labor and for the sale of their own products, which are respected in the courts, the agent advising them only when necessary, so that they would not be defrauded. FURNISHING LIQUORS TO INDIANS. The offense of furnishing liquor to Indians is still repeated, and of course will be, while the traffic in intoxicating liquors as a beverage shall continue. Yet there are but few Indian drunkards, compared with an equal population of whites, with this difference, however, that one Indian drank makes more noise than ten white men in the same condition. But Indian drunkenness is steadily, though slowly, decreasing, and if an Indian police force can be organized here at the low compensation allowed by law there will likely be more prosecutions hereafter and less drunkenness. CITIZENSHIP. The Mission Indians generally are not recognized by our State authorities as citizens; yet they were citizens of Mexico when the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was made in 1848, and by the terms of that treaty are now citizens of our country, for the laws of Mexico made no distinction among races as to citizenship. Those laws, however, made a distinction between "wild Indians" and those living, as were the Mission Indians, in a condition of civilization. As I have learned, they did not then exercise the rights of citizenship under the Mexican Government, but they had those rights, and certainly the failure to exercise them did not take them away. This question has not been tested in the courts. When a test case shall be made, as it should be, and without unnecessary delay, their citizenship will perhaps not be longer denied. When it shall be recognized by this State, there will be neither law nor reason for an agency for the Mission Indians. It will then be the duty of the boards of supervisors of the counties where the Indians live to provide for the infirm and destitute among them as of all other citizens alike, and the supervisors will better know their needs, in the counties where these Indians live, than an agent possibly can. Their children will be entitled to a just portion of the State and county school funds, and they will have all the rights and duties of citizenship. My resignation, tendered on the 22d ultimo, having been formally accepted on the 8th instant, and as this will be my last annual report, it seems proper to state that during the past two years, and especially in the last year, the Mission Indians have received more aid from the Government than in any like period of the past. The day schools were increased from five to eight, with the ninth day school authorized, and the average attendance has been nearly doubled. The Indians received an unusually liberal allowance of agricultural implements, also seven additional wagons, and a good supply of seed-grain. All the employés performed their duties faithfully, except one, and in that case a change was made. The employés now in the service have had the benefit of the experience of years. From a state of great dissatisfaction, a few years since, between the whites and Indians, and with officials, general harmony prevails; and during the seven years' existence of this agency these Indians have made so much advance in education, industry, and civilization generally that it seems now safe to recognize them as citizens, with all the rights, although only the rights, of other citizens in like circumstances. Very respectfully, The COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. J. G. MCCALLUM, United States Indian Agent. ROUND VALLEY AGENCY, Covelo, Cal., August 19, 1885. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith my first annual report of the condition of affairs at this agency, as directed per your circular letter of July 1. On assuming charge of this agency the 1st day of last September, I found the entire property, including buildings, fences, agricultural implements, &c., in a shamefully dilapidated, tumbled-down condition, and with the very limited force of employés at command it has been utterly impossible to do anything in the way of repairs to buildings, their entire time being consumed in attending to the agricultural interests of the reservation, building and repairing fences, and keeping the working-tools in "usable" condition. POPULATION. According to the census just completed there are 600 Indians residing on the reservation at this time, while there are fully as many more belonging to this reservation scattered throughout the surrounding mountains, north, south, east, and west, small parties of whom are continually visiting their friends here, and who ought to be included in this census roll; but not having either the force or funds, I am unable to enumerate them. AGRICULTURE. As has been previously reported, our lands are so largely occupied by trespassers, we have but comparatively little for agricultural purposes, yet many are furnished with sufficient land for gardens, and are required to raise their own vegetables, &c., and some have fields of wheat, barley, oats, corn, &c. The great bulk of grain, however, is raised on the reservation farm, where all able-bodied Indians are required to work when not otherwise employed, for which services they draw their rations of beef, flour, &c. PRODUCTIONS. The estimated productions for the year are as follows: For general supply, 1,500 bushels of wheat, 1,800 bushels of barley, 300 bushels of oats, and 450 tons of hay. By the Indians for themselves, 300 bushels of wheat, 350 bushels of barley, 300 bushels of oats, and 100 tons of hay. Five lots of hops are being cultivated by the Indians, the product of which is estimated at 15,000 pounds of dry hops, while the reservation field will probably produce about 25,000 pounds. The Indians have also raised about 100 bushels of potatoes, 100 bushels of beans, 2,000 melons, and 2,000 pumpkins. The orchards are producing nothing this year, in consequence of late heavy frosts. The grain crops in the valley are less than a third this year, an account of on unprecedented drought, far exceeding anything in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, in consequenc of which it will be necessary for the Department to purchase about 100,000 pounds of flour for this agency, and which must be purchased immediately in order that it may be freighted in here before the rainy season begins, as it is impossible to get anything in here subsequent to that time. STOCK. There are 68 horses and mares, of which many are unserviceable on account of age and hard service. We are badly in need of a good jack, mules being the only "horse" capable of standing off" an "Injun's" hard knocks. Of cattle we have 425, mostly cows and young stock, 8 yoke of oxen, used at the saw-mill and on the ranch; 342 hogs, old and young. The increase has been 8 horse and mule colts, 50 calves, and 150 pigs. If the Department would only rid this reservation of the unscrupulous trespassers we could raise sufficient stock to not only supply all our own wants, but could sell a large quantity every year. It is hoped this matter will receive some attention by the Department this coming winter. MILLS. The grist-mill has ground 156,756 pounds of grain for the agency and 171,539 pounds for citizens. The saw-mill cut 874,492 feet of lumber last fall. None has been cut this year, owing to the fact that we were obliged to bring the engine down to the gristmill, the water-supply having failed in consequence of this unusually dry season. APPRENTICES. Indian apprentices have worked at the various trades-carpentering, blacksmithing, milling, herding, &c.—and have made some little progress. EDUCATIONAL. During the last fiscal year two day schools have been kept in operation with an average attendance of about 60 scholars. The want of a boarding-school is seriously felt here. It is simply impossible to protect the young and half-grown girls from the insults of the young "bucks" while they are allowed to live in the camps. MISSIONARY. No missionary has been sent to this agency for several years past. I have applied to several church organizations for a missionary, but up to this time none has been sent. It seems to me the Department ought to provide each agency with a missionary minister. A regular Sabbath school has been maintained during the year with a very large attendance. CIVILIZATION. The Indians of this reservation have all adopted the white man's dress, and are what would be called civilized Indians, nearly all speaking the English language sufficiently well for all practical purposes, and would be good, sober, industrious, tractable people were it not for the low class of whites and "rum-sellers" who infest the borders of this reservation. It seems impossible to convict any of these "rumsellers," as the Indians will not testify against them, and it is entirely out of the question to get a white man to do so. Very respectfully, The COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. SIR: I have the honor here with to submit my tenth annual report for this agency. Although there are 600 or 700 Indians within the bounds of the four adjoining counties, I report only 135 who are actually living on this reservation and cultivating small farms or patches of ground for a livelihood. The census, as called for by section 9, act of Congress approved July 4, 1884, is as follows: Number of males above 18 years of age, 43; number of females above 14 years of age, 46; number of school children between the ages of 6 and 16, 18; number of school-houses, 1; number of schools in operation (7 months), 1; average attendance, 11. Name of teacher, M. J. Belknap; salary, $420. There are nearly 50,000 acres within the bounds of this reservation, yet 250 acres embrace about all the arable land within its limits. This amount has been in cultivation for a number of years, and furnishes but a meager subsistence for these Indians. Still if they were temperate and frugal they could, with the facilities for remunerative labor in the adjoining settlements, make a fair living. AGRICULTURE. The agricultural interests have not been satisfactory. In fact, this part of California is not very inviting to the farmer unless good land and irrigating facilities are combined. Our grain land is not very good, and but little of it can be flooded with water. Hence in a dry season like the past crops must necessarily be light. The yield will be about as follows: 150 bushels wheat, 150 bushels corn, 100 bushels potatoes, 20 bushels onions, 40 bushels beans, other vegetables 20 bushels, and 30 tons hay. Besides these there will be perhaps 1,000 each of pumpkins and melons. EDUCATION. A day-school during the last fiscal year was in operation seven months. The average daily attendance during that time was a fraction over 11. The largest attendance was during the months of November and January, averaging 15. No part of the service in connection with this agency has been so difficult as the educational. I had hoped, by engaging the services of Mrs. M. J. Belknap, an experienced and successful teacher from the East, to make the agency school here a success. No pains were spared, either by the teacher or agent, to beget an interest and enthuse the children with the idea of advantages to them in a common-school education. A few evinced a good degree of interest, and made commendable advancement. It was impossible, however, to secure a regular creditable attendance, and so the school, on the 31st of March last, was closed. It is simply impossible to conduct either a day or boarding school at this agency without the power to enforce attendance. So many of the children are diseased, and the number of pupils so small, that enough healthy ones cannot be selected and placed in a boarding-school to warrant the expense. And as the Indians are living some of them over five miles from the school-house, and nearly all of the parents are indifferent if not averse to the question of education, a day-school has proved a failure. I would therefore recommend the selection of a half dozen healthy bright children of this agency, and of placing them in the trainingschool at Middletown, of this State, and discontinue all further efforts to conduct a school on this reservation. MISSIONARY. No missionary work has ever been done for the Indians, only by their agents and employés, except an occasional visit of a Catholic priest. They have, however, been under Catholic influence ever since coming in contact with Mexican population. As a result they have all imbibed that form of Christianity. Moral advancement and rectitude of character with them is on a very low plane. I can see but little change for the better in that regard during the last ten years. INDIAN INDUSTRY. In industry they have made commendable advancement. Their little farms give evidence of a good deal of thrift and enterprise. Quite a number have peaches, grapes, and figs sufficient for family use and some to sell. The stock which was issued to them two years ago has not been of so much advantage as I anticipated. A few have taken care of and increased their cattle, but the majority have secretly disposed of them. The most of the younger men now have wagons and teams of their own, and are more interested in their care than ever before. Four wagons have been issued to them by the Government during the past year, and they have purchased four for themselves. Harness and plows have also been issued to them, so that they are pretty well supplied with facilities to procure their own living. If I should remain agent another year I would make no requisition for either blankets or provisions. They can support themselves if they are temperate, with a little assistance in the way of farming implements, and in two or three years at the furthest should have no more assistance whatever. SANITARY. The sanitary condition of these Indians has not been quite so good the year past as the one previous. Their drinking habits, connected with more or less venereal taint, make sad havoc at times with them. Sometimes for a year or two they seem comparatively free from disease, and then it will appear among them like an epidemic. The past has been one of those peculiar seasons. It is difficult to induce them to take medicine sufficiently long to eliminate the virus from the system. Feeling comparatively well, with no acute symptoms, they refuse longer to take the proper remedies, leaving the virus at work until its cumulative effects undermine the health and render cure hopeless. Two men who died recently might have been cured had they made known their condition; but, ashamed of the character of the disease that was preying upon them, kept their trouble to themselves until it was impossible for any earthly help to save them. Both were a mass of putrescence more horrid and disgusting than subjects of confluent small-pox. CIVILIZATION. There has never been but one obstacle in the way of civilizing these Indians. However high in the scale of civilization drunken whites may appear, an Indian imbruted by rum is little less than a devil incarnate. If the guilty only were the victims of ite |