Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/78

68 C. F. COAN without exception, I have found them anxious to get employment at common labour and willing too, to work at prices, much below that demanded by the whites. The Indians make all the rails used in fencing, and at this time do the greater part of the labour in farming. They also do all the boating upon the rivers: In consideration therefore of their usefulness as labourers in the settlements, it was believed to be far better for the Country that they should not be removed from the settled portion of Oregon if it were possible to do so. As alluded to in the Act of Congress of June 5th 1850, Let me here remark that the Treaty Commissioners, appointed under this act, used their best exertions to persuade all, or either of the bands in the Valley of the Willamette; to remove east of the Mountains; but without success.

The poor Indians are fully aware of the rapidity with which, as a people, they are wasting away, on this account they could not be persuaded to fix a time, beyond ten years to receive all of their money and pay for their lands, saying that they should not live beyond that period. They are fully sensible of the power of the government, admit that they can be killed and exterminated, but say that they cannot be driven far from the homes and graves of their Fathers. They further told me that if compensation for their lands was much longer withheld, the whites would have the lands for nothing.

Believing as I do, that the food used by these Indians (being almost entirely fish) tends much towards shortening their lives, I cannot but admit that there is great probability that only a few years will pass e're they will all lie side by side with their Fathers and Braves,—the tribe or tribes extinct. When an Indian is sick, his only food is Salmon, which he must eat, or nothing, and I have observed that few—very few, ever recover from Sickness. Owing to their wretched food in Such Cases, I was induced to include in their annuities, Flour and Bread: and to protect them from storms & inclement weather I stipulated Clothing sufficient for every adult, male and