72 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 197 



and the population estimates derived from these expeditions are there- 

 fore of dubious merit/^ 



Under these circmnstances, it is not surprising that the reporting 

 agents could not arrive at consistent or reliable estimates of the Navaho 

 population before the Fort Sumner period. In addition to their mani- 

 fold regular duties, each official was charged with the responsibility 

 of submitting an annual report on the general condition of each of the 

 Indian tribes under his jurisdiction. In order to prepare these reports, 

 it is evident that the more vigorous or conscientious of these officials 

 did attempt to familiarize themselves with the land and the people 

 under their jurisdiction. However, except for the Eastern Pueblos, the 

 Indian tribes concerned could not even be surveyed, much less enumer- 

 ated, at this time. At best, the figures submitted by these officials can 

 only be regarded as indicating plausible upper and lower limits for 

 the po[)ulation of the Navaho. Within these limits, the actual popula- 

 tion of the Navaho at this time must remain a matter of conjecture. 



PERIOD 2. 1865-68 



The population data of the second period offers a sharp contrast with 

 that of the first period. The population reports now assume the na- 

 ture of tallies or head counts of a captive population, carried out 

 under circumstances which w^ould seem to insure accuracy. However, 

 the apparent transition from crude population estimates to accurate 

 enumerations is more apparent than real. It is true that the enumera- 

 tions carried out at Fort Sumner were accurate and their coverage 

 fairly complete. But any realistic estimate of the total Navaho popu- 

 lation at this time requires consideration of far less reliable estimates 

 of the number of Navahos who were never brought to Fort Sumner, 

 together with the number of Navahos who had previously been cap- 

 tured and enslaved by the settlers in the area. 



The first report for this period is that of Brig. Gen. J. H. Carleton, 

 who was in command of the military forces at Fort Sumner and else- 

 where in New Mexico. The report was dated April 24, 1864, about 

 1 month after the arrival of the first caravan of captive Navahos from 

 Fort Defiance. In this report, Carleton stated that about 6,000 Nava- 

 hos had already arrived at Fort Sumner, and estimated that not over 

 2,000 "Ricos" (wealthier Navahos) had not yet surrendered at this 

 time. These figures would seem to imply a total population of about 

 8,000.19 



18 The only known "hogan-to-hogan" survey ever conducted in Navaho country up to this 

 time was conducted about 70 years prior to the American conquest of the area. At that 

 time, Fathers Dominguiz and Escalante completed a mapping expedition of Navaho country, 

 reporting 700 families and 3,500 souls, located in five "cantons." As quoted in Van Valken- 

 burg and McPhee, 1938, p. 5. The reference may be to the Hopi pueblo villages. 



"As quoted in Young, 1957, p. 219. The first of these caravans, consisting of 2,400 

 Navahos, left Fort Defiance on Mar. 6, 1864. The 300-mile journey to Fort Sumner took 

 about 20 days. According to Underhill (1956, p. 124), two additional parties of Navahos, 



