the great agricultural, geological, and mineralogical resources of the Choctaw and Chickasaw country, and the value of the soil of which they are owners. The surface of the country is elevated and diversified, presenting a continued alternation of hill, ravine, and prairie. The soil consists principally of the black, sandy loam, and of what is called the "mulatto," and is well adapted to the raising of cereals, the former, on river bottoms, particularly to the growth of cotton.

The timber consists of the pine, oak, ash, hickory, pecan, and Bois d'arc, or Osage orange. The seed of the latter has, within the last few years, been collected in considerable quantities and forwarded to the St. Louis market.

Lead is found in several portions of the country, that taken from the Poteau Mountains, near the Arkansas River, being a pure argentiferous galena. Copper has been discovered in large quantities on the Washita River, west of Fort Arbuckle. An extensive belt of coal reaches north and south from the Arkansas and Canadian Rivers to the Red.

While the boulder formation is characteristic of all the systems of rocks, sand and limestone are found in regular strata, plentifully sufficient for building purposes. Petroleum is in great abundance, and, combined with sulphur, it forms the yellowish oil that gives name to the "Oil Springs" of the Chickasaw nation, situated near the Washita River, not far from the Texas border, and which have gained a medicinal celebrity for the cure of rheumatism and kindred diseases, and are becoming well known among the Indians and throughout the State of Texas. Sulphur and chalybeate springs also abound. The principal fossils are a variety of ammonites.

The Choctaws and Chickasaws have reason to be proud of this land which they now occupy in lieu of their former homes east of the Mississippi, and the possession of which was secured to them by the United States Government as long as "water ran and grass grew." And it is earnestly to be hoped that any legislation in their behalf may be governed by wise, just, and humane considerations, and that the United States may render them paternal aid in elevating themselves, and prevent their being overwhelmed by that powerful tide of emigration which has for so many years been driving their red brethren westward, and is now dashing its waves against their country, and threatening them upon every side.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE T. OLMSTED,

Captain United States Army, United States Indian Agent. Hon. E. S. PARKER,

Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C.

No. 105.

BUFFALO HEAD, August 29, 1870.

SIR: I have the honor to present my second annual report in reference to the schools established in the Choctaw nation under my charge. Much has been done to elevate our school system during the past session, and to urge and persuade parents to send their children to school regular. Owing to the sparsely-settled neighborhoods, we have partially failed in carrying out our project as we desired, but in some neighborhoods we have very full schools. In some neighborhoods, where the people were anxious to have a school, I was compelled to refuse, for the want

of funds, to establish more schools, so we could educate every Indian child to be competent to defend its rights. The Indian children that are blessed with the advantages of a school, though laboring under many disadvantages, I must say have made commendable progess in their general studies, and a marked improvement in speaking and writing in the English language. In some neighborhoods very little English is used in the family circle, and it places our white teachers in a precarious situation, without an interpreter; yet I must give credit to our white teachers; though laboring under such great disadvantages, I confess I see by the progress and improvement made by the children, that they have labored hard to improve the Choctaw children placed under their charge. I find, by close observation, that it is almost impossible to procure anything like a regular every-day attendance on the part of the pupils in the winter season, because of a great many of the poorer class of children being almost destitute of warm clothes. The majority of children going to school know no other language than their native tongue, so in some neighborhoods I am compelled in some cases to give them native teachers who are not fully competent, not being far advanced in education. I am satisfied it is a great hinderance in their advancement. In many instances I can find no other to take charge of the school. Ow ing to great eagerness and desire of our people to have their children acquire an English education, I was compelled to increase the locations of our common schools; but, for the want of funds to carry on the schools through the regular term I had to lessen the term of session, to make our limited means hold out. We have also twenty-three young men and young women that are now in the different colleges and seminaries in the different States, to acquire the knowledge of books and the ways of civilization; but, for the want of means to continue them in their great and laudable undertaking, I will soon have the painful task to inform them they must return home. The nation and the parents of these youths are looking forward to the day when they shall return home, with a finished education and well accomplished in the arts of civilized life, bringing honor to the nation and fully meeting the hopes of their friends; but, alas, they will be disappointed in their expectation, and all these great misfortunes will fall heavily upon us for the want of funds to carry on our schools, if not remedied by the most generous and speedy action of the Government. It is painful to think our chil dren, who are so promising to be the shining stars of our country, must be called home, and must relapse from their present cheerful and pros perous condition to a state of nature. I am truly anxious to see those bright living stars accomplish their education, and return to their native country full of knowledge, to instruct their people, that they may be more convinced of the great necessity of acquiring a thorough education. Those of our people that are able send their children to school to the neighboring States and pay their own expenses. I think. upon the whole, schools in the nation are in a prosperous condition. through all its disadvantages. More can be accomplished if we only had the means to operate on. I will now, in addition, give you a detailed statement of our common schools established in the different neighbor hoods where we found a sufficient number of children to go to school. Over each school we appointed three trustees, who are styled local trus tees, whose duty is to see that parents send their children to school regular, and to report quarterly to the district trustee, and him to the superintendent of public schools, and he reports annually to the general council of the Choctaw nation. The nation is divided into three school districts, which is subdivided into 84 neighborhood schools, each one allowed one teacher.

2d. We have no high schools, academies, or seminaries now in operation. But in anticipation, by the order of our council, we have repaired a large and roomy frame building with additional buildings sufficient to accommodate 100 male students. We also have one large stone building with additional building, sufficient to accommodate 80 females. The two places are about 100 miles apart. We will commence our large school soon after the council, if there are school funds arranged for us. 3d and 4th. Eighty-four common schools, one teacher to each one, with an average of 21 pupils to each school, making a total number going to school in the nation 1,764 scholars.

6th. Teachers are paid $2 per month for each scholar in attendance, out of the treaty of January 20, 1825, and the treaty of 1837.

7th. The common school buildings are generally log cabins, made and put up by the people settled immediately around the location of the schools, generally made comfortable.

8th. About one-third of the number of teachers given above are white teachers, and the others are natives, educated in and out of the nation. The amount of money expended for our common schools from 1st of October, 1869, to the last of April, 1870, is $18,886. For the children in different schools in the States $8,300 for the year ending 1st February, 1871.

In the different denominations of Christians they keep a large number of Sunday schools, both in English and the Choctaw language, in which we have quite a large number of books translated, which schools are carried on free of expense to the nation.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

FORBIS LE FLORE, Superintendent Public Schools, Choctaw Nation.

Captain GEO. T. OLMSTED,

Choctaw and Chickasaw Agent.

No. 106.

CHICKASAW MANUAL LABOR ACADEMY,

Chickasaw Nation, August 8, 1870.

SIR: In compliance with the request of the honorable Commissioner of the Indian Bureau of Education, through the superintendent of Indian affairs, southern superintendency, (from your office,) for some statistical information relating to education in the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations, proposing several interrogatories, I, with pleasure, on behalf of the Chickasaw nation, submit the following answer:

To your second question I reply first, by stating that at present we have no high schools or academies in operation. Previous to the late war we had five in highly prosperous condition, educating about 350 scholars; by the war they were stopped, and have not since been renewed.

Question 1. We have eleven district or neighborhood schools in successful progress, which we think are doing well and giving general satisfaction.

Question 3. In those schools we employ fifteen teachers; eleven (or one for each school) are principal teachers, and four are assistants.

Questions 4 and 5. The number of pupils in the different schools vary from 15 to 60, counting by the average attendance, and are of different grades, from beginners to those of an advanced English education.

Question 6. The pay of the teacher is $3 per scholar for each scholar per month for actual attendance, the teachers furnishing books and stationery. They are paid entirely from national funds arising out of the annual interest on bonds held in trust by the United States Govern ment for the Chickasaw people; we have no aid from any other source. Question 7. For five of our schools we use the buildings of our former academies. They were formerly, when in use, very good, and cost the nation upward of $10,000, but the most of them are now very much out of repair, which we expect to refit soon. We have also erected several new log houses, and, with other good buildings used for present purpose, our schools are comfortably provided for.

Question 8. Of our teachers, five of them are natives-two males and three females; they were mostly educated by the nation in our former schools. They have a good English education, and, as teachers, have given general satisfaction. Of the other teachers, who are white, three are females, the rest males. Their quality or grade is mostly respecta ble, though, we regret to say, they are not all of that high order we would desire, and consider to be indispensable; where educated, we can not tell. Should the present system of schools be continued, we expect improvement in this department.

Under the circumstances in which we have been placed, our schools, we think, have resulted as beneficially as could have been expected. Many of our children know nothing of the English language, and, of course, cannot learn as rapidly as white children, and, for some time, can learn but little from books, so that we cannot judge of them on com parison with others under different circumstances, and can only say, that, all considered, they have done well, and time will be required to develop the full utility of our system.

In addition to the pay of teachers, our system allows to all pupils liv ing over two and a half miles from the school-house, $7 per month for board, which increases the aggregate of the expenses very much. For our district or neighborhood schools for the year just past, closing June 30, the expenses amount to upward of $35,000.

In addition to the above system of district schools, we have, by an act of the legislature and suitable appropriation, sent 60 of our youths, onehalf of each sex, to school in the different States, selecting for them the best schools. They are distributed in the States of Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, and Ohio, our object being to secure for them the very best education, both scientifically, socially, and morally, and it affords me great pleasure that, both in conduct and improvement, they have met our highest expectations. This we have both from report of those who have them in charge and from my own personal inspection. This applies equally to both sexes. They were selected from among the most advanced scholars of our former schools. The act was for the term of three years, and the appropriation for each year $21,000, or $350 for each scholar. Two years of the time have now expired, and could we have it extended for two years longer, we could confidently count on a class of educated youth competent to furnish their people with a full corps of qualified teachers, and also to fill other important positions in the country.

Hoping the above items may meet the requirements, I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

G. D. JAMES, Superintendent of Schools for the Chickasaw Nation.

Captain GEORGE T. OLMSTEAD, U. S. A.,

Indian Agent, Boggy Depot, Chickasaw Nation.

No. 107.

CREEK AGENCY, INDIAN TERRITORY,

September 1, 1870. SIR: In obedience to the requirements of the Indian Department I have the honor to forward this my annual report of the condition of Indian affairs in this nation.

The condition of the Indians has been very much improved since my last report, and I am pleased to say that a great desire still exists for still greater improvements. This tribe has been for years among the first in industry, and the past year has added greatly to their wealth and condition on that account.

I have been unable to get the correct amount of grain and vegetables raised; but, from my own observation and from reports received from some of the leading men of the nation, I am satisfied that there are more acres of ground cultivated by the nation this year than were ever known before; besides the old farms that were in existence last year new ones have sprung up, and the old farms considerably enlarged; in fact, the watchword seems to be "advancement," and men who have heretofore considered labor a disgrace have taken hold of the plow and the hoe with a zeal worthy of their white brethren. Besides being cultivators of the soil, they are, almost to a man, excellent stock-growers, and from present appearances I am led to believe that a few years will see the prairies in the nation covered with all kinds of stock, as they were before the war.

These people are progressive, and all the assistance they require from the United States now is in the way of schools; there is an unusual amount of interest taken in this matter by the nation, particularly by those who have been entirely opposed to education heretofore, and now their sole aim is to have their children educated.

I inclose herewith the report of the superintendent of schools of this nation, in which the system of these schools is elaborately set forth. In this report it will be seen how badly they are in need of assistance from the Government in order that their children, with the advantages an education will give them, will be able, if called upon, to cope with their white brethren.

Besides the schools mentioned by the superintendent, there is one mission in operation, which has a daily attendance of about eighty scholars. This is called the Tallahassee Mission, and is under the control of the Presbyterian Board, superintended by Mr. L. Worcester, a very able and worthy man. Mr. Worcester and his assistants are doing much good, and to-day finds some of its scholars the leading men of the nation. Shortly after the close of the war this mission was occupied by United States troops, by which occupation considerable damage was done to the buildings. Taking this into consideration, I would most respectfully recommend an appropriation of about $5,000 to repair said damage, and hope the matter may be urged by the Department. The Asbury Mission (destroyed by fire July 1869) is being rebuilt, and by spring I am in hopes the building will be ready for occupation. The burning of this mission has been a great loss to the nation, not only in money, but in keeping eighty scholars out of school for nearly two years, a loss that can never be repaid. To show the amount of interest taken in the matter of education in this nation, I will state that they have, out of their scanty means, given $10,000 for its reconstruction. Now, when a tribe is making such efforts, will not the United States Government be doing a great good, not only to these Indians but to the prin