Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/83



FEDERAL INDIAN RELATIONS PACIFIC NORTHWEST 73

these conditions. The tribe is now reduced to three men and five women. The face and character of their country is very similar to that previously purchased along the river, (of the Konn iack's).

The two treaties made at Port Orford upon the Pacific embrace a valuable tract of Country, not only on account of the great value of its timber, but having two good harbors upon the Pacific, viz, at Port Orford and mouth of the Coquille river, in addition to the harbor at Coquille that river is navigable for large Steamboats seventy miles interior. The bottom lands along this stream are from ten to twenty miles in width, and I think in fertility of Soil are not sur- passed in the United States; the whole tract will be rapidly settled first, on account of its proximity to the gold-mines, again its inducements in an agricultural point, of view, and thirdly on account of the easy access to its almost interminable forests of Cedar. The total number of Indians living upon this tract is ascertained to be about five Hundred souls, have had very little intercourse with the whites, and live in an almost entirely denuded state ; they have no idea whatever of the value of money or many articles of use and value among other tribes; yet it is believed that they will in every particular, scrupulously adhere to the Contract which they have entered into with the Government.

The Coquille Indians, of whom so much has been said, con- nected with the murder of T'Vault's party have not yet been treated with ; their country lies adjacent on the north, beyond the river bearing their name.

I will now speak of the Clackamas treaty ; the last, and de- cidedly the most important one concluded among the thirteen bands or tribes of Indians. It embraces a country more thickly settled than any portion of Oregon. The flourishing town of Milwaukee on the Willamette river, is upon the pur- chase: and immediately on its southern border adjoining is Oregon City, the largest town in the Territory. Woodland