, 1863-09-12
Letter from Fort Hall.
FoRr HALL, 1. T., Aug %, 1868.

iORA AlAi@A-J l. 4 mug ~ 1OCCs
EDS. WASHINGTON STATESMAN We'll,
we are at Fort Hall at last We arrived
here on the 18th inst. and have found things
as quiet as could be expected under the cir
cumstahccs. AT present. there are some
thing near five hunnred Indians encamped
in this vicinity, ostensbly for the purpose
of making treaty. Twenty miles from
here there is another band encamped await
ing the coming of General Connor, who is
at preseut in Salt Lake City, and is expect
ed here soon.
A great portion of the Snake Indians
belong to Idaho Territory, and | do not
understand how Gen. Connor is to effect
treaty with this portion of the Snake tribe,
especially as they come within the jurisdic-
tion of different Department from the one
in which Connor is now acting; and in fact,
if understand the matter, His Excelency
Gov. Wallace is Indian Superintendent ex-
officio of his territory. Such being the case
then, in order to effect a permanent treaty
with the Indians, Gov. Wallace's presence
is absolutely necessary. Now if all the
Snake Indians belonging to Idaho Terrific
ry have to be collected together, independ
ent of those belonging TO Utah, and we be
required to await the coming of Gov. Wal
lace, there will be no treaty this year, and
perhaps not next. For the Gov is some-
thing like Uncle Sans Pay Masters, who
bide their own time.
The Indians all seem favorably disposed
towards the whites and say that they are
tired of war, and that it is impossible for
them to combat successfully with the white
man. They say that hundreds of their
warriors have been killed, that the whites
have driven them from their hunting
grounds, that they are hunted upon all
sides by both miners and soldiers, and that
they have no place to go without meeting
with an enemy. And now they want to
make treaty and live on good terms with
the whites, and they promise to refrain
from all numbering and stealing, and give
up the outlaws that are among them along
with all stolen property and also to restore
some white children that are among them
the Van Norman children l believe.
For my part, 1 have no faith whatever
in these Indians. Some may blame Col
Maury for not pitching into them as soon as
we came upon them; but it has ever been
the policy of the Government to treat with
hostile tribes whenever they demanded it,
and these Indians came to us as soon as we
arrived at Snake river making protesta-
tons of peace and friendship, 'and Col.
Maury's instructions were of such nature
that it would be a direct violation of or
ders to molest them as long as they re-
mained peaceably disposed. If the boys
had chance there would be fine slaughter
of Snakes, and that too in a short time
As it is, presume we will have to return
to Fort Walla Walla without killing an In
dian Well we have had pleasant time
any way, and will be content to wait and
see the end of things blame no one for
not molesting the Indians. l say make
a treaty with them and then make them
adhere to it.
Capt Crawford's escort passed here on
the goth inst. accompanied by about eighty
cmigrant wagons-the last of this years
emigration. They camped with us one day
and night, and the ''soger boys' had dance
with the gals Yes, bonafde dance by
torch light, right among the sage brush and
grass Just think of it Ball away out
here on Snake river. How romantic isn't
it?-and what pleasant dreams the writer
enjoyed the balance of the night, after the
ball. He dreampt of sly glances and cap
tivating smiles that were occasionally be.
slowed upon him by some fair damsel.-
After all Tom Moore was right when he
said that there was no happiness without
women.
ascertained that great number of
these emigrants were bound for Puget
Sound, (the Clam country and some Of
them upon finding out that had visited
that country we're very anxious to know
something about the quality Of the CLANS,
and were we'll satisfied when told that the
opportunities for Clam Bakes were splen-
did in that country. If some of these
poor emigrants are not sadly fooled in that
country then l am greatly mistaken. Let
them go, they will soon be migrating east
ward again by the time they live one winter
on clans.
Salt Lake City seems to be doing quite
a trade with the Beaver Head mines. l
have noticed number of wagons loaded
with merchandise, vegetables, etc, en- route
for that locality Your traders will have
to look out, or Brigham and his followers
will get head of them in this trade
There is also an express running from
Beaver Head to Salt Lake. The Express
matter is carried in an ambulance which
also conveys passengers to and from the
miues to intermediate points along the
road to Salt Lake The news from these
mines is of the most encouraging charac-
ter, and every one with whom have con-