MF1323.1197 Reel 40_0425

[illegible] Report of J. Q. A. Stanley Special Agent to Supt Indian Affairs Nov 9th 1865 (Copy)

[written on right side of paper] 271

Los Angeles Cal November 9th 1865

Hon. Chas [Charles] Maltby Supt Indian Affairs

Sir

Immediately on receipt of the funds your forwarded for expenses I made preparations for starting on the proposed tour among the Indians and as it was necessary on account of the danger of traveling alone I hired a pair of horses and wagon and a gentleman who wished to take a trip in the mountains on account of his health accompanied me paying his own expenses.

I left here on the 23rd of October and proceeded directly to San Timoteo by way of San Bernardino and remained there two days to investigate and get all the facts as near as possible in the question as to the right of the Indians to the lands they claim and which are now held in possession by two Americans Capt Frink and Dr St Clare. The former claims to have purchased possession of one of the chiefs and Dr St Clare obtained possession about four years ago by representing to the Indians that he wished to build a school house in which he would teach the Indian Children. Consent was obtained to build a house for that purpose but no school was ever established.

[Illegible] after the house was completed he made an attempt to inclose a piece of land with a fence - the Indians resisted the incroachment

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and he [deserted?] for that time.

About three years ago the Small Pox prevailed quite extensively in this section of the state and reached the Indians at this [point?]. Twelve or fifteen died and amongst the head Chief Juan Antonio. The Indians terrified at a disease they knew nothing about and that proved so fatal nearly all fled to the mountains leaving only two or three families in possession of their lands.

St Clare took advantage of the panic of the Indians and proceeded to fence in a large portion of their grounds and when they returned threatened them with personal violence if they entered his inclosure. In order to make a show of little he brought a Justice of the Peace from San Bernardino and measured off what he pretended to claim which included all the land still occupied by the Indians. There are several settlers in the vicinity and all agree in saying that he has not a shadow of title to the place and that he is committing an act of injustice to the Indians. Frink's claim is adjoining and in reality he has no more right than the other.

These lands are lying in the road to La Paz (on the Colorado) and are between the Ranch of San Bernardino and the San Gorgonio pass. The Indians still remain in possession of about a hundred acres of land a portion which can be irrigated

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and about forty acres will produce wheat or barley without irrigation provided it is sown early say before the first of January.

A large portion of the Indians belonging to this Rancheria are in the mountains and have no place to sow or plant on and it appears very hard that persons who have all through our desperate struggle have been disloyal in word, thought, and deed should be permitted to appropriate the public lands already occupied by the Indians who have been more loyal than they.

I have no doubt a writ of ejectment could be sustained but legal action would be too late to enable the Indians to sow grain though it might be in time for planting next spring.

From San Timoteo I went by way of Temecula to the old Mission of San Antonio de Pala. This mission is situated about fifteen miles from the Mission of San Luis Rey in San Diego County and is at the head of the stream called the San Luis River but which is nearly dry. The buildings and improvements were quite extensive but like all the old missions they are fast going to decay.

Connected with mission are some two or three leagues of public lands with this valley and stream of water running through them. I think with a small appropriation from Government a Reservation

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could be put in operation that would support four or five hundred families and be with proper management nearly or perhaps quite self-supporting and it also has the advantage of being off from any traveled road.

I would respectfully suggest that in my opinion there is no other point on public lands where as many Indians could find homes.

In the vicinity of the mission there are five Rancherias with from twenty to forty families in each. They all cultivate small pieces of land and many of them have oxen or horses with which to plow and perform other necessary farm labor. They are quite industrious for Indians by require some one to direct them.

During the last two years the [illegible] has been very hard on them and they have been unable to save even seed or it they did hunger has compelled them to use it for food and they have been obliged to [settlers?] over the country to keep from starving.

The small amount of seed corn and Beans distributed to them last April has been of great service [illegible] the quality was so small (two quarts of corn and one of beans to each family) that it still leaves them very short. They are however laring in a good [stock?] of acorns which abound on the mountains in that vicinity.

I went to all the Rancherias and am satisfied they could and would

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