Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/117

 RECOLLECTIONS OF AN INDIAN AGENT. 109 doubt, the good men who negotiated the treaty with these Indians meant well and intended to be exact and practical in stipulating that so many thousand dollars should be given to them in annuities, but they could not have hit upon a plan, if indeed they can be accused of having a plan, which would be more productive of discontent than the one adopted. That $20,000 was to be given to the three tribes in annuities sounded big to the ignorant red people ; and especially was it a moving inducement to sign the treaty, after being told that six mules would be required to pack the silver dollars to be expended for them in clothing, bedding, and other necessaries. Although proper explanation was made to them in advance^ many times during the issue, the proceedings were arrested by the necessity of explaining why one man was not given a coat, pants, or shoes while others no better or more needy had them. As has been seen, there was not enough of each to go around and the deficiency was approximately supplied by giving to each man or woman the same value reckoned in dollars, viz : $19.56 ; to each child under 10, about $5 ; to each one over 10, about $10. This was the best that could be done and was tolerated by them, though with some grumbling. At such rates as the United States Government supplies its soldiers, the allotment as above stated would have supplied every man, woman and child with a good suit of clothes, and a pair of three-point blankets to each man and woman. Eeally, the worst part of the annuity business was the uncer- tainty as to what kinds of goods would be furnished, and at what time, if at all. The Indian, like the white man, is a provident animal and lays up supplies, in the temperate zone, for the winter, or for such time as spontaneous nature is barren of fruit. He knows when the stream will not yield him fish, when the soil does not furnish edible roots, when the bushes carry no berries, and the season of the year when game is not to be taken, and fills those vacancies from the bountiful periods which seldom fail, but lo ! the poor agency Indian never knows what or when to expect from the promises of his guardian.