of procuring boats and ascertaining the location of the Indian camps. the detachment marched six miles along the beach, and reached Umpqua River, near the old fort. Crossed over in boats and swam the animals over, the river being one mile anda quarter wide. Encamped at Winchester Bay. This country being all settled, had to put the animals over to pasturage. Distance, eitht miles and a quarter.

April 28, followed the beach for twenty miles and arrived late in the evening at Coos Bay. encamped in the brush on the north side and immediatelysent a detachment of six men in a boat across the bay to an Indian camp, where twelve Indians were captured; distance, twenty miles. April 29, formed camp for a few days, and there being no grass land vacant, had to put the animals to pasturage. From this date to May 4 sent out parties by day and by night all through the surrounding country to every Indian camp I could obtain information of. We the reservation and some others who have been absent from it two years and over. We could have taken a great many more had the white settlers not interfered, but they sided with the Indians, giving them information of our movements, and assistaing to evade our pursuit and hide in the hills, where it is impossible to follow them with such a small force as I had at my disposal. A party of seventeen Indians who had left the reservation last summer, and who had been encamped near Empire City, on learning of our arrival returned immediately to the reservation, preferring coming back of their own accord to being brought back under escort. May 4, started back with the Indians captured by the same road we had come, and made the same marches, there being no other camping-grounds on the trail but those above mentioned. Were much detained by Indians giving out on the road. Arrived at the Alsea Sub-Agency May 10, and turned all Indians taken over to Sub-Agent Harvey. I arrived with my detachment back to this post yesterday evening, having been absent twenty-one days and traveled a distance of 262 miles. I have to bring to your notice the good conduct and zeal displayed by every man of the detachment under my command. They were always ready and willing to turn out for scouting parties at all times of the day of night with great cheerful ness. I would especially bring to your notice Corporal Bensell and Private Plunkett, of Company D, Fourth Infantry California Volunteers, who were constantly and always at work and assisted materially in the success of the expedition. I would respectfully call your attention to the fact that the white settlers at Umpquaa aand Coos Bay always took the part of the Indians, assistsing them to hide or escape to the hills, where pursuit waas impossible. I would respectfully suggest that the only plan of preventing the Indians from returning and remaining in that part of the State would be to make it a penal offense for any white to harbor or aid a runaway Indian, and to authorize the military to arrest without civil process any parties committing such an offense.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LOUIS HERZER,

Second Lieutenant, first Washington Territory Infantry, Commanding

Lieutenant J. W. HOPKINS,

First Oregon Cavalry, Actg. Asst. Adjt. General,

Hdqrs. District of Oregon, Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter.