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losses, not only of their grass, but their crops. Added to this, I may say the custom is general, not to be too particular as to the branding of calves when the calf belongs to an Indian. It is freely admitted by white men that it is done, altho. no man will say, "I do it." The Indians have seen their calves branded with a white man's mark, suckling the Indian branded cow. The Nez Perce are a very religious people and are regular attendants of their churches on Sunday. This fact is known and Sunday is the day cattle are gathered up. So while the Indian attends his worship, the white man is busy gathering the cows and calves. My [[Chim?]], an educated Indian, has never yet been able to secure the increase of his mares. The colts are regularly stolen & branded, until he must abandon trying to raise stock until he can be sure of protection & fence with wire. These facts have been carried over and over to Agents, but the Agents have either been in league with cattlemen, or indifferent. Nothing has been done to right the Indians.

In allotting the Indians I am seeking to persuade families to take their grazing land together. This will often give a group of relatives a good [[insert]] significant [[/insert]] range. These