REPORT    OF AGENT     IN  IOWA.                   109 
are using wagons for this purpose, owning now fifteen wagons, which are kept
for 
their own use and purchased with their own money. In years past they had
been in 
the habit of letting their ponies run at large upon their lands and the commons,
but 
the demands of civilization with which they are surrounded have compelled
them to 
build fences, which they have done year by year, completing some one hundred
and 
'ten rods this year, so that, in fact their entire reservation is now practically
under 
fence, making a grand and commodious pasture for their stock, which is composed

exclusively of ponies or horses. In their culinary department they have also
made 
some progress, adopting, as well as their limited facilities will permit,
some of the 
customs of their white sisters. They make very good bread and biscuits, fair
pies 
and cakes, and most elegant soups; have a cloth laid, and dishes on their
table (which 
is generally the ground). 
In their relations with the whites they observe the Christian Sabbath, never
com- 
ing to town on that day, making visits or traveling around the country. 
In habits they are a quiet, peaceful, even-tempered people, naturally averse
to 
work and inclined to idleness; but the present year they have done fairly
well at 
work. As a rule, however, they seem at their best visiting the neighboring
towns 
begging, or in some shady nook about their homes smoking, chatting, and playing

cards. They lack thrift, industry, and a spirit of progress. They have a
well-de- 
fined religion. While not what might be strictly called orthodox, it is wide
apart 
from paganism. They believe in the living God, and seriously and devotedly
worship 
Him, regarding Him as the giver of all their good things, and the sure avenger
of 
their wrongs. Their religion partakes largely of the Jewish character. Feasts
are 
held and prayers offered before their crops are planted, and another series
of prayers 
and thanksgiving when their crops are gathered. Blessings and invocations
are said 
when a child is born, and beautiful prayers are offered at the grave for
the safe trans- 
mission of the spirit of the dead to heaven. Holy or consecrated tobacco
is burned on 
certain occasions as incense, and they have something that profane eyes are
never 
allowed to see, called "Me-sham," corresponding to the Jewish ark
of the covenant. 
The missionary work is under the charge of Presbyterian Women's Board of
Foreign 
Missions. They have established' rooms in Tama City, some two miles from
the 
agency, which are open day times for the Indians to visit. These rooms are
made at- 
tractive with books, pictures, and an organ, together with a sewing-machine,
which 
the missionary uses to help and show the women how to sew. Last Christmas
they 
had a Christmas tree for the Indian children, whereon about fifty dollars'
worth of pres- 
ents were distributed. The missionary also makes a visit of twice each week
to the 
agency, where she does what she can to interest them in Christian work and
thought. 
This is a good field for work, and it is to be hoped that much good work
can be done. 
The industrial and day school has during the year done fairly well. Miss
Alice B. 
B usby, the teacher, has done splendidly for the chances that she has had,
doing all 
t hat was iu her power to interest the children also the fathers and mothers.
She on 
last Christmas got them up a sumptuous dinner at her own expense, and quite
a 
number of presents. In my opinion she deserves much credit for her work here.
The 
Indians seem to have a deep-seated prejudice against education of any form,
and per- 
sistently oppose the interests of the school, and it takes much persuasion
of both 
agent and teacher to get them to let their children attend. Another difficulty
in our 
attendance is, that our Indians live on both sides of the river, and in tiaes
of high 
water and bad weather it is very inconvenient for those living on the opposite
side 
to attend. But in the main it is safe to say that during the year our school
has made 
considerable progress; quite a number have learned to read and made some
proficiency 
in mathematics, and acquired some knowledge of geography, and in drawing
some of 
our pupils really excel. It is to be hoped with the new attractions added
and to be 
added as indicated by you, our school will be a success. 
The sanitary condition of our Indians is not what it should be; scrofulous
and 
blood diseases prevail to some extent, two of our Indians dying the last
year of can- 
cer. It is my belief that their condition is owing largely to frequent intermarriages

among relatives, exposure to cold, malaria arising from the bottom lands,
uncleanli- 
ness of habit, and the need of a good white physician to advise them and
to admin- 
ister to their wants. 
Their crops the present year will fall short from those of the last year,
while they 
were about the same in acreage as last year. The shortage is due solely to
the heavy 
rains and overflow of the river on the lands. The crops on the higher lands
are look- 
ing splendid and promise a bountiful yield. I estimate that the corn crop
this year 
will be 2,000 bushels, but with a late fall and good weather it may largely
exceed 
this. I estimate their products as follows: Potatoes, 500 bushels; turnips,
50 bushels; 
of onions, 10 'bushels; of beans, 200 bushels; of melons, pumpkins, &6.,
100 wagon 
loads. 
In regard to their present financial condition, they are in a very pinched
state. 
Owing to the delay growing out of the apportionment of their annuities with
the 
other branch of the tribe they have been without a payment for some time.
They