The only other favorable locality for them is that afforded by the valley of the Neosho, a wooded bottom land. This has the advantage of being nearer your source of supplies and lessening your cost of transportation somewhat, a desideratum, but is open to the very grave objection that the country is mostly owned and occupied by settlers, compelling you to bring these Indians on the settler's lands and daily contact with them.

Ten thousand Indians would stretch along the river bank for several miles in their encampments. No farmers would look with complacency or quietude upon such a crowd of destitute people brought around them and I apprehend serious difficulties would arise. Moreover every farmer has necessarily in this thinly wooded country to husband the little timber which the river bottom affords him. He is rightly choice of his young growth of timber and jealously guards it.

The Indians never regard these thinks and they would necessarily commit great damages, the cost of which I think would in the end greatly overbalance the little addition you will have to pay to get your supplies from the Neosho to the Verdigris.

Of course the Indians are now in want of every necessary of life. When last attacked by the rebel whites and Indians they were dispersed in every direction. In their flight they had barely time to snatch such few utensils and wearing apparel as were at hand. Much of this in their long journey by many on foot has necessarily been abandoned or worn out. A strong pair of pants, a pair of shoes, a flannel shirt a blanket would be a sufficient issue of clothing to each Indian.

Cheap unbleached sheeting could be worked up by the women into various garments for themselves and children and is much needed. The smaller children, for whom shoes could not be obtained, the women could easily make moccasins out of blankets for them, which would answer till they supplied themselves against with skins. Stockings might be sent down at first to supply the pressing wants of the most needy or for the women and children. Once supplied with shoes or moccasins they do not need them. Of cooking utensils they are totally destitute they are totally destitute. The ordinary soldier's camp-kettle and mess-pan, or whatever nearest approached it, would best answer the purpose. About one camp-kettle and three mess-pans would be ample for a family of six. Axes are very scarce with them. Two hundred ought to be sent immediately. Equally important with these requirements is shelter, protection against the inclemency of the weather, and which will present more difficulties as well as great cost than any other to fill.

Perhaps as speedy a method of supplying it would be to give them material for making shelter-tens-the same kind of stuff of which army tents are made. This would serve the best purpose if it can be obtained, through costly. It might be shipped in bolts and issued to them in length just sufficient to make a low shelter for a family. Afterwards they could by the addiction of beef hides which must be now fast accumulating, and other skins, complete a more commodious lodge.

In regard to their subsistence beef and corn-meal will probably be their chiefs articles of food; they are the principal staples in this section of country and therefore cheaper.

At present it would probably be found more convenient to contract for the delivery of beef weekly-a week's supply at a delivery-on the foot; the Indians will do the butchering. After grass is up sufficient to afford good feed this would not be so important

I think the flour mills at Burlington and Le Roy would be able to furnish all the corn-meal that will be required and from corn obtained in