The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1878-08-16
The Ralheur Agency.
Correspondence Of 3. T. chronicle.

Correspondence of g. F. Chronicle.
The Chronicle correspondent with th
troops pursuing the Bannacks writes thu
under date of July 81:
The Malheur Agency is the one gree
spot in this whole demoralized section tina
can lay any pretention to fertility and pict
uresqueness. 1t is round valley, sur
rounded on all sides by precipitous hills
Towering above all is Castle Rock, laud
mark for many league around. From
the different points of view 1t assume.
many forms, sometimes towering above
everything; again the imagination depicts g
Gothic castle, with battlements and turrets
complete; again it is tall spiral column,
seemingly iacllped to topple over. In real.
ity it is an oblong mass Of basaltic rock,
and Icing situated all alone on the SUNNI ;t
of the highest mountain in break of the
Blue Mouatains, with nothing to interrupt
the view, it cannot fail to be noticed in a
country otherwise destitute of prominent
scenery or landmarks.
THE AGENCY
Is at an elevation Of $500 feet. The soil is
very productive, although the grain has not
been attended to for nearly three mouths.
1t will compare favorably with that We
have noticed in other more favored loeali-
| ties. Our well-nigh starving troops sup
piled themselves from the potato fields
planted last spring by the Indians, and they
proved to be excellent, as did also tile peas,
turnips, etc. There is hardly question
but that our weary steeds also appreciated
the novelty of being turned into fat green
wheat field. The Malhcur river, with
plenty of water, runs through the farming
land. With proper management the Agen-
cy could De made self-supporting and the
late agent, Mr.. Reiphart, has time and
again showed up its advantages to the In
terror Department. When it was first
started up the sum of $4,000 was appro-
priated for its benefit. With this sum, the
agency buildings were erected, bitches and
canal dug for irrlgating purposes, and
everything seemed for awhile to prosper.
The appropriations were then reduced, and
only $40, 900 furnished to run the whole af-
fair. Out of this the employees had to be
paid. The Indians are
cHILDLIKE IN MANY RESPECTS,
And cannot understand why under one
agent SO much money was distributed and |
under another nothing but mere subsi-t |
ence bought for them. They naturally
thought the agent stole the remainder, and
this idea was fastened upon them by the
whites on the reserve boundary. An Indi-
an agent necessarily makes many enemies
among the whites. If he does his duty he
will not allow them to overrun the lands set
apart for the Indians. Therefore among
our frontier population nine out of ten are
mis- natural enemies. These particular Pi-
ltes were stirred into revolt as much by
emissaries from other tribes as
BY natural proclivity for rapine and mur-
Ter. Egan and Buffalo Horn together WIS.,
ted the Umatilla agency under a pass fur
lished by Gov. Brayman of Idaho. The
,ass was for two Indians sent by Buffalo
Horn to the agency after horses, and the
itizens were requested to treat them kind I
u fss *laos' Rod e.iss
Iote subscribed by the Umatilla agent, was
ound by Bernard after his fight on Silver ,
1reek. These chiefs are now with !
"THE GREAT MAJORITY ,
And Otis is from all accounts likely to fol-
ow the last two. saw them at the agency
welve days after the Bannacks st arted the .
nuss. They were nearly alone. Egan was
eading his little girl Mamie around, and we
IL gave her something. The chief was as
milling and good. looking as usual, and was
hat day carrying around bundle OF ar
ows, one of which he presented to your
who borrowed bow and
ried his skill at archery with it. AS race
;hese Indians are the most cruel and cum
ling on the continent. They appear to
are nothing for comfort. Even in winter
heir sole shelter is merely circular mat ;
.bout four feet in height. Under this they I
,ower, wrapped up in anything they can
rather. Their method of eating and cook
ng is filthy and disgusting. Anything is
ish that comes to their net. from lice and
,rickets to any root that grows. Our Nez
perces scouts are very anxious to get near
hem to retalate on the tribe the insult Of
Eered to their dead women after the Big
Hole fight. Here the Snakes "a name the
Piutes detest) dragged the bodies from
heir burial places and scalped everything
men. women and children.
i |