NYYM_scrapbook_205

recieve from the Government by way of annuities They are poor and making very little advance- ment in civilization, they have no school nor missionary. Some of them live in poor log cabins, others in wigwams; most of them keep cattle, horses and hogs: nearly all of them drink whiskey and spend much of thier time in idleness and dis- sipation. They spend thier annuities soon after recieving them for whiskey and articles of no real value to them. The manners, dress and general appearance of these Indians do not materially differ from those small tribes located near them; they wear the blanket as the principal article of dress, and hunt some on thier own lands and in the adjoin- ing State of Missouri: but do not go on the long hunt to the west. Our next visit was to the Wabash Band, located about twelve miles from the gun Smith's. There are about six hundred of this Tribe, comprizing about one third of the nation, and are principally settled in one neighborhood. They are completely under the control of the Catholics, and have three Jesuit Priests among them, who are educating forty or fifty Indian children-- thier school is divided into two departments, one for boys and the other for girls. The one for girls is said to be doing some good; the oth- er is in a languishing state. This band are building comfortable log hou- ses, and cultivating the land; keeping some cattle, horses hogs &;c, but thier location is said to be un- healthy, and they are addicted to all the vices, and immoral practices common to the Indians; and are fast wasting away--thier numbers have greatly diminished within the last few years. The Prairie band is interspersed amongst the other two bands, and live much after the same manner. The whiskey sellers and other traders practice the same impositions upon these Indians that they do upon all the other Tribes within thier reach. Osage Nation of Indians. Understanding that these Indians were out on their fall hunt, and that we should not have an opportunity of seeing many of them; and thier principal village being distant about forty miles from the Pottawatomies, we did not visit them; but had an opportunity of seeing a few of the Tribe, and from good authority gath- ered the following account respecting them. This Tribe is located about one hundred miles south of the Shawnee Nation, bordering on the State of Missouri. They once were very numerous, but at this time number only about Five Thou- sand, and are fast diminishing in consequence of thier roving and intemperate habits. They are more like the wild Indians of the Rocky Mountains, than any other Tribe on the frontier. They are great hunters of Buffalo, and furs, and the fur traders depend more upon them for Buffalo Robes and furs, than upon any other Tribe of the south western frontier. This circum- stance operates as one of the principal causes of thier small advancement in civilization. Much labour has been bestowed within Twenty years, by the Presbyterian Missionaries from New York and Boston, to improve their condition; but it was attended with little success; owing (as it is said) to the prejudice of the Indians against the Missionary, from the influence of the fur traders. This influence remains to the present day; and there appears to be no prospect of im- provement among them, while this state of things exists. The traders discourage them from following ag- ricultural pursuits, telling them they do not want to buy corn or cattle; but buffalo skins and furs-- thus prompting them to keep up the chace. They also advise them not to have Schools or any religious instruction amongst them; hence there are no schools or missionaries among them at this time. We were informed by apparent good authority that the Indian Agents, combine with