THE DECREASE OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 29 
bined and long continued operations of the latter are at once impossible to them 
and altogether disconcerting. Statistics show that they have been fearfully 
reduced by this means. Their diminution in battle and indirectly by consequent 
famine and exposure has been enormous. ‘The habitual secretiveness of the 
Indian renders it extremely difficult to carefully estimate these losses; but the 
lapse of time displays their magnitude only too distinctly. It must be borne in 
mind, moreover, that the losses of declared hostilities, great as they are, consti- 
tute but a small part or the actual losses inflicted upon them by the whites. The 
quiet taking-off of an Indian here and there by the irresponsible frontiersman has. 
in the aggregate reached an almost incredible figure.* 
To such a degree has this unreported decimation of Indians prevailed that 
universally they are now become extremely reluctant to place themselves in 
immediate, constant contact with the whites, even under the most solemn assur- 
ance of amity and protection. 
The crowding of the Indians in the advancing occupancy of their domain. 
by the whites has been another important cause of decrease to them. The 
restriction of their wanted limits rendered their former active life a self-support 
by the chase impracticable, while as yet no adequate encouragement or assistance 
in the adoption of new modes of life, made necessary by their changed circum- 
stances, was afforded. Hence was engendered a life of idleness, mendicancy 
and dissoluteness—a most fertile source of decay. Almost constantly during 
the past one hundred years our frontier has been beset with a pale of degraded, 
diseased and perishing red men of this description. Pressed back by the 
encroachments of civilization from their original homes, and not able successfully 
to maintain their new ground against wary assaults from its former occupant they 
are surely (and not slowly) borne onward toward extermination. Disregarded by 
the whites and despised by the adjacent wild tribes they have realized but too 
clearly that there was no place for them, and with perhaps fitful remonstrances. 
have submitted hopelessly and aimlessly to the inevitable. Experience seems to 
indicate that when once the Indian has reached this state there is scarcely any 
help—his doom is set as he is consciously and almost willingly hastening toward 
it. The census of such tribes, as annually taken, is sufficient witness to their 
decline. A single illustration of this assertion, afforded within the last half dozen 
years, may be cited. One of the most robust and spirited tribes of the West has 
decreased 40 per cent. since 1874, in consequence mainly (if not entirely), of the 
limited and almost helpless conditions of life that have been forced upon them 
by the government. 
*To learn what is the prevalent an‘mus of the borderer toward the Indian one has but to refer to the dis- 
_ cussions of the vexed /nxdian question constantly appearing in the journals of the frontier States. The general’ 
tone of feeling there evinced is decidedly inimical tothem. Witness the following from the California corres- 
pondenee of the New Vork 7rzbune, September, 1859: ‘‘ The federal government committed a great mistake 
_ ten years ago in not ordering a large military force to this State, with orders to hunt and shoot down all the 
_ Indians from the Colorado to the Klamath. This would have been the cheapest method of managing the 
Indian affairs of California ; and perhaps the most humane The fact is that every wild Indian in the 
_ State must die It is supposed that ten years ago there were 60,000 Indians in the State; to-day there- 
are not 10,000.” Compare Harpers Monthly, vol. 23, pp. 312-18. Unfortunately the press of the older States. 
_ too often lends its sanction (perhaps unintentionally) to teaching of this character. 
