The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-08-20
Ross Fork. Idaho.

ago 1 NIOG0 you SIlOEt I6bl0E giving
an account of my trip here. In that
letter l promised to give your read
ers a description OF these Indians. Oh
this reservation we have two tribes
Bannocks and Shoshones, commonly
called ''Snakes." We have a popu
lation of $50, four hundred anc
seventy five of the former and OF )
of the latter. The Shoshones as a
general rule are an industrious
class, and are making efforts for
self-support, but the BaRnocks are
worthless, ever ready to go on the
"war path. This tribe is some
what like the Apaches of Arizona,
and in my opinion can never be
civilized.
For the information of some of
your readers, l will tell what these
people are doing in the way of far
ming. Last years report shows that
these men realized from sale of wheat
oats, potatoes and hay, the nice little
sum Of SIT ,654, cost of same to the
government $4,000. This year we
will be able to make more favor
able report as Congress cut off our
appropriation twenty-five per cent
and the sum that we expect to realize
from sale Of products, Will in all
probability, exceed last years by
one~third. If these two tribes we're
distinct III a few years the Shoshones
would be in a high state Of ciYIliza-
ton, and no longer burden to the
government, but it seems that those
having the power over these Indians
did all they could to hold them
back, in order to get their part OF
the appropriations These Indians
are mere children, so far as know
ledge is concerned.
We have schools here Tor their
benefit but it takes all the police
force to keep them there. You may
keep a Bannock in school until he
has passed the examination, then
turn him out, he will at once lay
aside his cloths and adopt the Indian
costume, Approach him for con-
versation and he is perfect dummy,
not one word can you get out of him
if your life really depended upon it.
You hear people speak of the
Indian as an appreclative people,
but such is not the case and Ispeak
from experience. The less you do
for them, the better they like you.
If you wish to be liked by them you
must offer them abuse. If an Indian
calls you liar, which is often the
case, knock him down and he will
get un, offer Jou his hand and say
"mehince" (my friend.J You will
never have any more trouble with
him and he will always speak of you
as big mcdici4e."
Several years ago the chef were
taken to Washington in order to
make a treaty with the Utah and
Northern X. r., and when they
returned they called a council meet
ing and the head chef told the
agent "me been east, me heap see
UNI big town, big house, me want
you tell Washington, me want house
all same his, no more me live in
wickmp," A bill was introduced
in this last Congress authorizing the
Secretary of Interior to appoint a
committee t. come here and make
a treaty with these Indians, to sell
275,Q00 acres of their land. To-day
this same chef asked me when big
man come you talk, me want wagon
all same Washington's to ride in. "
must tell your readers how mar
riage is conspmmateI with them.
When an Indian wishes to take a
certain sqRaw, he at once let's his
wishes be known to the mother and
she conveys them to the daughter,
then if she consents the old squaw
sets the price, which usually, is three
horses, some times five. 1t depends
altogether upon the age of the bride,
Young squaws are always III de-
mand, but the old ones have a poor
chance for a SECOND marriage, some
times you will see a worthless young
chuck married to an old squaw,
but he does so for her horses and
when he has disposed of them he
invariably comes up and says he
wants "voce .
According to the regulations Of
Indians Ia s, the Agent can Divorce
them, when he sees that they are not
suited, and any cmpIoye in the
Indian service can marry them
Your correspondent has never tried
his hand yet, and in all probability
will never. : me time ago a couple