California State Military
DepartmentCalifornia State Military
DepartmentA temporary camp established on 13 May 1851 for the purpose of signing a treaty (shown below) with several Native American tribes in the area of what is today King's Canyon National Park.
A treaty of peace and friendship made and entered into at Camp
Belt, on King's river, in the State of California, on the thirteenth
day of May, eightteen hundred and fifty-one, between George W.
Barbour, one of the commissioners appointed by the President of
the United States to make treaties with the various Indian tribes
in the State of California, and having full authority to do so,
of the first part, and the chiefs, captains, and head men of the
following tribes of Indians, to wit: the Ta-ches, Cah-wai, Yo-kol,
Ta-lum-ne, Wic-chum-ne, Hol-cu-ma, To-e-neche, Tu-huc-mach, In-im-peach,
Choi-nuck, We-mil-ches, and Mo-ton-toes, of the second part.
ARTICLE 1.
The said tribes of Indians jointly and severally acknowledge themselves
to be under the exclusive jurisdiction, control, and management
of the government of the United States, and undertake and promise
on their part to live on terms of peace and friendship with the
government of the United States and the citizens thereof, with
each other, and with all Indian tribes.
ART. 2.
It is agreed between the contracting parties that for any wrong
or injury done by individuals of either party to the person or
property of those of the other, no personal or individual retaliation
shall be attempted, but in all such cases the party aggrieved
shall apply to the proper civil authorities for a redress of such
wrong or injury; and to enable the civil authorities more effectively
to suppress crime and punish guilty offenders, the said Indian
tribes jointly and severally promise to aid and assist in bringing
to justice any person or persons that may be found at any time
among them, and who shall be charged with the commission of any
crime or misdemeanor.
ART. 3.
It is agreed between the parties that a district of country between
the Cah-wai river, or the first of the four creeks, and the Chou-chille
river, to be laid off as follows, to wit: beginning at the point
in the Cah-wai river where the southwestern line of the lands
set apart for the Indians at the treaty made and concluded at
Camp Barbour on the San Joaquan river, leaves said river for the
Chou-chille river; running thence down the middle of the Cah-wai
river to the Tulare or Tache lake; thence along the same in the
direction of and to the mouth of King's river; thence up said
river to a point six miles below where the said southwestern line
of the lands set apart for the Indians at the treaty made at Camp
Barbour on the San Joaquin river as aforesaid, crosses said King's
river; thence a line to the Chou-chille river to be run parallel
to the aforesaid line crossing the San Joaquin and Fresno rivers,
and intersecting the Chou-chille at the distance of six miles
from said southwestern line; thence up the Chou-chille to said
line and with it to the beginning on the Cah-wai river, shall
be set apart and forever held for the sole use and occupancy of
said tribes of Indians; in consideration of which, and the further
consideration of permitting said tribes to hunt wild game and
gather wild fruit, nuts, &c., in the hills and mountains between
the Cah-wai and Chou-chille rivers, the said tribes hereby forever
quit claim to the government of the United States to any and all
lands to which they or either of them may ever have had any claim
or title.
ART. 4.
In further consideration of the premises, and for the purpose
of aiding in the subsistence of said tribes of Indians during
the years eighteen hundred and fifty-one and two, it is agreed
by the party of the first part to furnish said tribes jointly
(to be distributed in proper proportions among them), with six
hundred head of beef-cattle, to average five hundred pounds each,
and five hundred sacks of flour, to average one hundred pounds
each, for each year.
ART. 5.
It is further agreed, that as soon after the ratification of this
treaty by the President and Senate of the United States as may
be practicable and convenient, the said tribes shall be furished
jointly and free of charge with the following articles, to wit:
fifty brood mares and two stallions, sixty cows and five bulls,
twenty-four ploughs, twelve sets of harness complete, twenty-four
work mules or horses,
twenty-four yoke of California oxen, two hundred axes, two hundred hoes, one hundred spades or shovels, one hundred picks, all the necessary seeds for sowing and planting for one year, three thousand pounds of iron and six hundred pounds of steel, two thousand blankets, two flannel shirts and two pairs of coarse pants for each man and boy over fifteen years of age, three thousand yards of lindsey cloth and the same quantity of cotton cloth, and the same of coarse calico for clothing for the women and children, fifty pounds of thread, five thousand needles, five hundred thimbles, and twelve dozen pairs of scissors, and one dozen good grindstones.
ART. 6.
The United States agree further to furnish a man skilled in the
business of farming, to instruct said tribes and such others as
may be placed under him, in the business of farming, one blacksmith,
and one skilled in working in wood, (wagon maker or rough carpenter,)
one superior and such assistant school teachers as may be necessary,
all to live among and work for, and teach said tribes and such
others as they may be required to work for and teach; said farmer,
blacksmith, worker in wood, and teachers to be supplied to said
tribes and continued only so long as the President of the United
States shall deem advisable; a school-house, and all other buildings
necessary for the persons mentioned in this article to be furnished
by the government, and for that purpose the government of the
United States hereby retains and reserves to herself in the lands
herein set apart for the Indians, not only the right to erect
said buildings, but also the right to erect any military post
or posts, houses for agents, officers, and others in the service
or employment of the government, and the right of way over any
portion of said territory.
This treaty to be binding on the contracting parties when ratified and confirmed by the President and Senate of the United States of America.
In testimony whereof, the contracting parties have hereto signed their names and affixed their seals this thirteenth day of May, anno Domini eighteen hundred and fifty-one.
G. W. BARBOUR. [SEAL.]
Taches:
QUINTIN, his x mark, chief. [SEAL.]
JOSE ANTONIO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
SU-LIO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
ELARION, his x mark. [SEAL.]
GREGORIOR, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Notontors:
MANUEL, his x mark, chief. [SEAL.]
SANTIAGO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
INOCENTE, his x mark. [SEAL.]
ESTANISLAN, his x mark. [SEAL.]
JOSE QUINTIN, his x mark. [SEAL.]
JUAN, his x mark. [SEAL.]
We-mil-ches:
JULIANO, his x mark, chief. [SEAL.]
JOSE MARTIN, his x mark. [SEAL.]
PEDRO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
JOSE ANTONIO NICOLAS, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Choi-nues:
VALENTINE, his x mark. [SEAL.]
JOSE, his mark. [SEAL.]
EBON, his x mark. [SEAL.]
FRANCISCO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
SATRONINE, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Intimpeaches:
ANTONIO, his x mark, chief. [SEAL.]
SISTO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Tu-huc-maches:
SYLVISTER, his x mark, chief. [SEAL.]
CERVANTES, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Tor-neches:
CASTRO, his x mark, chief [SEAL.]
JOSE ANTONIO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Holcumas:
HAMUCH, his x mark, chief. [SEAL.]
TOMAS, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Wic-chum-nes:
EAHAL, his x mark. [SEAL.]
MANUEL, his x mark. [SEAL.]
IGNACIO, his x mark.[SEAL.]
CHILO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
To-lum-nes:
TO-HIL-NA, his x mark. [SEAL.]
JOAQUIN, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Cah-wais:
FRANCISCO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
BAUTISTA, his x mark [SEAL.]
RAFAEL, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Yo-kols:
ECHA, his x mark. [SEAL.]
JUAN TAMATO, his x mark. [SEAL.]
JOSE MARIA, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Signed and sealed in duplicate, after being read and explained, in the presence of—
H. S. BURTON, Interpreter.
N. H. MCLEAN, Secretary.
W. S. KING, Assistant surgeon, U. S. Army.
T. MOORE, Second lieutenant 2d Infantry.
H. G. J. GIBSON, Second lieutenant 3d Artillery.