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The western portion of the reservation, which I have seen, except the land bordering the white settlements to the north and south west, has been over rated, and it will be difficult to find enough suitable land to allot the Indians near where they are at present living, so that they may be self supporting in the future. The Nez Perce in this part of the reservation can hardly be called an agricultural people they live mainly by their stock, but their reservation has been pretty well occupied as a free grazing ground for white-men's cattle and the Indian stock has suffered in consequence.

It is proper that I report that there is considerable opposition to takeing land in severalty. Upon my journey toward Lewiston I heard the people talking of "the opening of the reservation", and they evidently were unacquainted with the Severalty Act. It was the received opinion that as soon as the Indians were allotted all the remainder of the reservation would be thrown open as public lands. Many men had settled on the border to have a good chance to enter when the time came. Cattlemen however preferred the present condition which afforded a free range. No one in Lewiston seemed to be acquainted with the provisions of the law governing allotments. The Indian