Viewing page 400 of 485

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[preprint]] 414 [[/preprint]]

Nez Perce
June 22      1

Hon. Comis Ind. Affs.
Sir:

Permit me to present the following case touching the allotment of James Moses upon a portion of Lot 1. Sec. 22. T. 36. N. R. 4 W. and to request instructions concerning the same.

To fully present this case it is necessary to give a history of the tract claimed by him, and also to tell something of the cause of the man James Moses.  The map sent with my letter of [[even?]] date concerning "the boom" will show the land here spoken of.

When Mr H. H. Spalding came here in 1836 he found at the mouth of the Lapwai Creek, a large village of Nez Perce Indians.  At that time and for many years later, the Nez Perce lived in villages created on bottoms along the Snake, Salmon and Clearwater rivers.  The large village at Lapwai and the nearness of other villages on the Clearwater