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General Land Office-Continued.

Report of Surveyor-General of Utah, 299; Report of Surveyor-General of Nevada, 311; Report of Surveyor-General of Arizona, 321; Report of Surveyor-General of Washington Territory, 332; Report of Surveyor-General of Oregon, 342; Report of Surveyor-General of California, 354. Report of Commissioner of Indian Affairs...........

Law for Indians, 398; Education and Civilization, 399; Indian Labor, 400; Food for Indians, 400; Removals to Indian Territory, 401; Trade with Indians, 404; Nez Percé War, 405; Sioux War, 410; Sioux Commission, 413; Removals of various Tribes, 414 ; Klamath Indian Reservation, 419; Special Commissions, 421; Alaska Indians, 422; Reports of Superintendents and Agents, 427; Colorado River Agency, Arizona, 427 ; Pima Agency, Arizona, 427; San Carlos Agency, Arizona, 430; Hoopa Valley Agency, California, 431; Mission Indians Agency, California, 431; Round Valley Agency, California, 435; Tule River Agency, California, 437; Los Pinos Agency, Colorado, 439; Southern Ute Agency, Colorado, 441; White River Agency, Colorado, 442 ; Dakota Superintendency, 444; Cheyenne River Agency, Dakota, 447; Crow Creek Agency, Dakota, 450; Devil's Lake Agency, Dakota, 451; Flandreau Special Agency, Dakota, 454; Fort Berthold Agency, Dakota, 455; Lower Brulé Agency, Dakota, 457; Red Cloud Agency, Nebraska, 458; Sisseton Agency, Dakota, 459; Spotted Tail Agency, Nebraska, 461; Standing Rock Agency, Dakota, 467; Nez Percé Agency, Idaho, 476; Cheyenne and Arapahoe Agency, Indian Territory, 477; Kiowa and Comanche Agency, Indian Territory, 483; Osage Agency, Indian Territory, 486; Pawnee Agency, Indian Territory, 491; Ponca Agency, Indian Territory, 492; Quapaw Agency, Indian Territory, 498; Sac and Fox Agency, Indian Territory, 501; Union Agency, Indian Territory, 503; Wichita Agency, Indian Territory, 508; Sac and Fox Agency, Iowa, 509; Report Central Superintendent, Lawrence, Kansas, 511; Kansas Agency, 515; Mackinaw Agency, Michigan, 517; Leech Lake Agency, Minnesota, 520; Red Lake Agency, Minnesota, 523; Chippewa Agency, Minnesota, 525; Black feet Agency, Montana, 527; Crow Agency, Montana, 528; Flathead Agency, Montana, 530; Fort Peck Agency, Montana, 533; Great Nemaha Agency, Nebraska, 537; Omaha Agency, Nebraska, 539; Otoe Agency, Nebraska, 541; Santee Agency, Nebraska, 543; Winnebago Agency, Nebraska, 545; Nevada Agency, 546; Abiquiu Agency, New Mexico, 549; Mescalero Apache Agency, New Mexico, 550; Navajo Agency, Arizona, 554; Pueblo Agency, New Mexico, 557; Southern Apache Agency, New Mexico, 558; New York Agency, New York, 558; Grande Ronde Agency, Oregon, 565; Klamath Agency, Oregon, 567 ; Malheur Agency, Oregon, 568; Siletz Agency, Oregon, 573; Umatilla Agency, Oregon, 574; Warm Springs Agency, Oregon, 575; Uintah Valley Agency, Utah, 577; Colville Agency, Washington Territory, 582; Neah Bay Reservation, Washington Territory, 583; Puyallup, Nisqually, &c., Reservation, Washington Territory, 585; Quinaielt Agency, Washington Territory, 590; S'Kokomish Agency, Washington Territory, 592; Tulalip Agency, Washington Territory, 593; Yakama Agency, Washington Territory, 596; Oneida, Stockbridge, and Menomonee Agency, Washington Territory, 598; Red Cliff Agency, Wisconsin, 600; Shoshone and Bannock Agency, Wyoming Territory, 603; Report of Commission to Nez Percé, &c., 607; Indian Legislation by Forty-fourth Congress, 614; Acts of Congress affecting Indians, 614; Schedule Indian Trust Lands, Kansas and Nebraska, 630; Unoccupied Miami Lands, Kansas, 631; Executive Orders relative to Reservations, 632; Schedule of Indian Reservations, 642; Liabilities of United States to Indians, 652; Trust Fund and Trust Lands, 663;

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397

Report of Commissioner of Indian Affairs-Continued.

Appropriations for fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, 677; Investments, 681; Statistics of Population, Education, &c., 684; Table of Agricultural Improvements, &c., 702; Indian Agencies assigned to various Denominations, 714; Location of Indian Agencies, 715. Report of Sitting Bull Indian Commission Report of Commissioner of Pensions.....

Amendment of Statutes, 733; Reorganization, 734; Pension Agencies, 735 ; Number of Claims received, &c., 739; Number of Claims allowed, &c., 742; Rates per Month, &c., of Army and Navy Invalids, 743; Number of Widows. Minors, &c., 845; Claims filed and allowed since 1862, 745; Pensioners on roll at end of fiscal years since 1861, 746; Operations of Special Service division for fiscal year ended June 30, 1877, 747; Location of Pension Agencies, &c., 748; Number of Pensioners examined September, 1877, 751; Number of Vouchers received and paid daily during September, 1877, 752. Report of Geological and Geographical Survey of Territories

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720

755

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Report of the Geographical and Geological Survey of the Rocky Mountain Region .......... Field season of 1876, 789; Office-work of 1876-77, 794; Field season of 1877, 798.

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REPORT

OF

THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Washington, November 1, 1877.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following summary of the operations of this department during the past year, together with such suggestions as seem to me worthy of consideration:

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

The report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, which I herewith present, contains an elaborate statement of the transactions of the branch of the public service under his supervision, as well as valuable suggestions concerning the policy to be pursued.

THE SIOUX.

The year opened with a Sioux war, which resulted in the surrender of numerous and important hostile bands, while some of them under the leadership of Sitting Bull sought refuge on British territory. The Ogallalla and Brulé Sioux have recently been removed from the Spotted Tail and Red Cloud agencies in Nebraska, and are at present on their way to the vicinity of the Missouri River, in accordance with the provisions made by Congress to that end, and with what was believed to be an agreement with the Sioux themselves, well understood on both sides. The Sioux, however, were reluctant to carry out that understanding, and it was considered unsafe to attempt the movement while the Nez Percé war was going on and the apparent successes of Chief Joseph might have encouraged a spirit of resistance among the more warlike tribes. Thus the removal was delayed, and it was deemed prudent to permit a delegation of Sioux chiefs to visit Washington for the purpose of laying their grievances and wishes before the President in person. The result of the council held here was in so far satisfactory, as the Sioux chiefs, after having rejoined their tribes, used their influence, apparently with success, in silencing all opposition to the removal. The wish expressed by the chiefs to be located on White River, in Dakota, will be complied with as soon as the season permits it, and liberal provision should be made to aid them in engaging in agricultural pursuits and the promotion of a higher order of civilization among them. The removal was undertaken

after consultation with General Crook, who in a high degree possesses the confidence and affection of these Indians, and it is to be hoped the difficulties of so long a march in an unfavorable season will be successfully overcome.

SITTING BULL.

The presence of the Sioux chief, Sitting Bull, with a large number of followers, on British soil in the immediate vicinity of our northern frontier, threatened to become a constant source of disquietude on the bor der, and was, therefore, a matter of grave concern both to this government and that of the Dominion of Canada. Early in August last a member of the Canadian Government visited Washington, and at his suggestion, and upon consultation with him, two commissioners, General A. H. Terry, U. S. A., and A. G. Lawrence, esq., were sent to the encampment of Sitting Bull, with the following instructions, dated September 6, 1877:

The President desires you to proceed at your earliest convenience to Fort Benton, and thence to a point on our northern frontier from which the present encampment of the Sioux chief, Sitting Bull, on British territory, is most easily accessible. At the frontier you will be met by a detachment of mounted Canadian police, detailed by the Government of the Dominion of Canada for your protection.

It is the object of your mission, undertaken at the suggestion of the Government of the Dominion, to ascertain what danger there may be of hostile incursions on the part of Sitting Bull and the bands under his command upon the territory of the United States, and, if possible, to effect such arrangements, not unacceptable to the Government of the Dominion, as may be best calculated to avert that danger. To this end you will put yourself in communication with Sitting Bull in such manner as under existing circumstances may seem to you most judicious. In doing so, you will keep the following facts in view: In the month of February last Sitting Bull and his bands engaged in armed hostilities against the United States, and, pursued by our military forces, crossed the boundary-line of the British Possessions for the purpose of escaping from that pursuit. At that time the fugitive Indians appeared to be well armed, but their ammunition was so nearly exhausted that they were no longer able to continue the struggle. Under such circumstances they took refuge on British soil, where the troops of the United States could not follow them without violating the territory of a friendly power. It is reported, and there is good reason for believing, that these hostile Indians have availed themselves of the protection and security thus enjoyed to replenish their stock of ammunition, and thus to enable themselves to resume their hostilities against the United States as soon as they may find it convenient to do so. According to all recognized principles of international law, every government is bound to protect the territory of a neighboring friendly state against acts of armed nostility on the part of refugees who, for their protection from pursuit, have crossed the frontier. While the Government of Great Britain will be most mindful of this obligation, the President recognizes the difficulties which, in dealing with a savage population, may attend its fulfillment, and he is therefore willing to do all in his power to prevent any interruptions of the relations of good neighborhood and to avert a disturbance of the peace of the border, even to the extent of entering into communication with an Indian chief who occupies the position of a fugitive enemy and criminal. You are therefore instructed, in the name of the President, to inform Sitting Bull and the other chiefs of the bands of Indians recently escaped into the British Possessions, that they will be permitted peaceably to return to the United States and occupy such reservations as may be assigned to them, and that they will be treated in as friendly a spirit as were other hostile Indians who, after having been engaged with

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