20 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 8o 



CENTRAL MOUNTAIN REGION 



Under this designation we include all of Nevada and Utah, with 

 western Colorado and Wyoming beyond the main divide, southern 

 Idaho, southeast Oregon and southwest Montana, with small por- 

 tions of New Mexico and Arizona, being the central territory of the 

 Shoshonean tribes, together with the Washo and Jicarilla. 



The aboriginal period for this region may be considered to culmi- 

 nate in 1845. J^revious to this time there seems to be no record of 

 any epidemic or other destroying agency but by the opening of two 

 emigrant trails — to Oregon and California — within the next five 

 years, and the subsequent opening of the Southern Pacific railroad, 

 each crossing the territory from east to west, the seeds of disease 

 were scattered broadcast, murders and larger massacres became com- 

 mon, starvation resulted in consequence of eviction from old homes, 

 and a chronic and wasting warfare, involving most of the liands, 

 was inaugurated, lasting until 1868. In one notable fight, at Bear 

 River in 1863, the Indians engaged lost 308. The short Bannock 

 war in 1877-8 destroyed at least 200. In 1853 a smallpox epidemic, 

 possibly the same which ravaged the upper Columbia about the same 

 time, spread among the Shoshoni and Bannock, and is said to have 

 " more than decimated " the latter tribe. The official reports still 

 show a steady decline. On the whole, however, the Indians of this 

 region, have suffered less than those of any other large section of the 

 United States, the rough and desert character of the country having 

 served as a protection from disturbance. 



1845 1907 



Bannock i ,000 530 



Shoshoni and Sheepeater 4,500 2,265 



Ute (including Gosiute and Pahvant) 4,500 2,068 



Paiute (including Paviotso and " Snake " Oregon) 7,5oo 5,605 



Washo 1,000 300 



Jicarilla 800 776 



19,300 11,544 



NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA 



In this group we include the tribes of these two States, with the 

 exception of the border tribes, Yuma, Paiute, Jicarilla and Mescalero, 

 credited to adjoining sections. The Cocopa are omitted as extra- 



