Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/251

 RECOLLECTIONS OF AN INDIAN AGENT. 243 thus changing the previous method of subdivision. The Siletz Indians, however, were at that time opposed to any system of allotment and secretly destroyed the land-marks of the survey, pulling up corner posts, cutting down or burning bearing trees and leveling mounds, so that a new survey was required and the allotment was not made until the Indians were favorably disposed, some twenty years after- wards. I was often amused during the survey to see Palmer, then an old man, roll up his trouser legs above the knees and wade to the depth of his waistband, and he seemed to be equally amused as the water rose above his calculations, an unexpected denoument which brought from him one of those hearty and contagious laughs mixed with a quotation from, Burns, ''The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley." Palmer was a very pleasant companion, whether in agree- ment or disagreement as to opinion, and I feel to write that he was truthful, honest, benevolent, resolute and sagacious, and these qualities so predominated and shone in his face that no further recommendations by words were necessary to gain and hold the confidence of those who came in contact with him. Indians are sharp-eyed observers and seldom miss a true estimate of character as shown by physiognomy and manner of expression. They are also adroit enough to keep their real opinions to themselves, concerning the powers that be, but after such reason for silence is past, we can learn who stood highest in their estimation and upon whose prom- ises they mostly relied. They were Governor Isaac I. Stevens and Joel Palmer. Tlhose good men no doubt thought that it is cheaper to feed than to fight Indians, but such an opinion did not interfere with the humane desire to afford them a fair opportunity to come up in the scale of civilization. They did not look upon the agency sytem as a ruse to defraud the government and cheat the Indian out of this, his only chance of holding an earthly heritage for his race. Eastern philanthropists were of the opinion that Superin- tendent A. B. Meacham was the sole representative of applied