106 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



§ 16.— GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL ECONOMY. 



A. — Organization. 



Authorities in time of peace, claims, and, treatment of. — The * United 

 States Indian agent is almost supreme with them, and hence the chiefs 

 have but little real authority. The officers are a head chief, four sub- 

 chiefs, headmen, and a policeman. The honor of chieftainship is, however, 

 •CDnsiderable, so much so that the place is sought after. The chiefs, 

 sub-chiefs, and headmen have, however, considerable influence, and on 

 court-days, while the agent acts as judge, they act as jury, and they 

 also are supposed to have more influence with the agent than others. 

 They also settle some of the minor cases. 



Assemblies and public deliberations. — They generally assemble on the 

 sabbath for religious worship and sabbath-school, on court days for 

 court, at feasts and tamanamus, and when Government annuities are 

 distributed 5 also when any event of importance takes place. The 

 chiefs and headmen do most of the talking, but any one who wishes 

 has the privilege of speaking. 



Military organizations, icar chiefs. — The same persons who are chiefs 

 in time of peace are also chiefs in time ot war. They are the command- 

 ing officers of the army, which, in battle, is a very irregular one, each man 

 fighting as seems best to him. 



Authority of privileged classes. — The chiefs are honored, and have 

 some authority, but not much, especially when they disagree with the 

 Indian agent. The medicine-men are feared. 



The common people, what part of them have a voice in the assembly, — Any 

 one speaks who wishes to do so. 



B. — EEGULATIONS, LAWS, ETC. 



Concerning labor, trades, and castes. — There is no law about labor or the 

 trades. There is no caste. When one wishes to labor, he does so in 

 the way which suits him best. Logging has been their principal busi- 

 ness. A number work together, from six to fifteen, and when the boom 

 is sold and the amount deducted which their food cost, the rest is di- 

 vided among them according to their labor. Tliey have farms and 

 work on them, also work for white persons as they find employment. 

 ]!S'one have learned the trades to any extent. It has been difficult to 

 teach the older ones the trades, as, while they are able to earn but little , 

 they wish full pay. A few, however, have learned to handle tools quite 

 well. Many of the women wash and iron for the whites. 



Personal and communal possessions, debtors. — Their possessions are 

 personal wholly; hardly anything is held in common. Common custom 

 says debtors must pay, though seldom is property taken by force for 

 debt. 



Oaths and trials. — The United States Indian agent acts as judge some- 



