the Indians, which was especially noticeable in the Blackfeet, to allow their children to enter the institutions, has to a considerable extent diminished.

This modification, if not change, of sentiment, it is to be hoped is the precursor of an earnest interest in the intellectual advancement of their children being taken by Indian parents who were before indifferent, if not averse, to the same.

The following tabular statement will supply information in respect to the number of Indian children of an age to attend school in the various Indian agencies in the Dominion, the number enrolled as pupils at the various day, boarding and industrial schools, and the daily average attendance thereat :—

AGRICULTURE AND OTHER INDUSTRIES.

The Indians of the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, and the North-West Territories, experienced on the whole a successful season in 1888-89.

Their grain crops were of excellent quality, and as a rule abundant, and while, with the exception of British Columbia and Quebec, their root crops were not as heavy as usual, yet they gave a fair return.

In British Columbia crops of all descriptions were most abundant, excepting in some parts of the Kamloops Agency, where the grain was destroyed by grasshoppers and by drought, while in the Okanagan district, although the root crops. were heavy, grain did not yield as bountifully as usual.

The value to the Indians of this Province of their numerous other industries was largely in excess of that of the previous year.

The same remark may be made, though in a modified form, in regard to the Indians of Ontario and New Brunswick. But as respects those of the Provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, the District of Keewatin, and the North-West Territories, their profits from industries other than agriculture were not as large as were those of the year 1887, excepting at a few points.

In the new Provinces considerably more extensive areas were brought under cultivation during the year 1888-89, and the system of summer fallowing land seemed to be more generally practised than was formerly the case, and with beneficial results. The Indians are learning to appreciate the advantages to be gained from allowing land which has borne a succession of crops to rest for a season. They are also gradually coming to agree with their instructors that the best crops are not to be obtained by very thick sowing of grain. It is greatly to be regretted that the harvest of last season was so light on the reserves generally in Manitoba and in the North-West Territories.

ADHESION OF THE INDIANS OF MONTREAL OR GREEN LAKE TO

TREATY No. 6.

It was considered advisable in the public interests that an extinguishment should be obtained of the Indian title to that portion of the provisional District of Saskatchewan, estimated to contain 11,066 square miles, which lies between the northern boundary of the territory covered by Treaty No. 6 and the northern boundary of the aforesaid district, and which is bounded on the east and west by the limits of the timber and land district of Prince Albert.

The section of country above described was included in the said timber and land district, and complications were not unlikely to occur, owing to the Indians not having surrendered the same.

Your Exellency was therefore pleased by Order in Council of 29th November to appoint Lieutenant Colonel A. G. Irvine and Mr. Roger Goulet commissioners to conduct negotiations on behalf of the Government with the Indians interested in the portion of country referred to, with a view to obtaining their adhesion to Treaty No. 6, and in connection therewith a surrender from them of the land: above described.

The commissioners proceeded to the locality, and after a short conference with the Indians at Montreal Lake, the latter readily gave their adhesion to Treaty No. 6, thereby surrendering the tract of country above referred to, as well as their interest, if such they had, in any other lands.

The Indians treated with consist of two bands of Crees, numbering respectively 278 souls under Chief James Robert, and 98 souls with William Charles as their chief. They are designated the Montreal Lake and Lac la Rouge Bands.

Attached as a special appendix to this report, and lettered B, will be found a copy of the report of the commission, dated 6th April 1889, also copies of notes taken during the negotiations, and of an account of Stanley Mission written by the Venerable Archdeacon McKay, likewise copies of the treaty made with the Indians on the date before named, and of the Order of Your Excellency in Council, dated the 20th April, 1889, accepting of the same.

INDIANS AS POLICE.

With a view to the prevention of the introduction of intoxicating liquor, and to diminish as much as possible breaches of the law in other respects on Indian Reserves so situated that they are specially exposed to the aggressions of evildisposed white men, the Department obtained from its agents for those localities the names of reliable and intelligent Indians whom they could recommend for the positions of constables, and application was then made to the Department of Justice to appoint them to those positions under the Dominion Police Act.

That Department having consented, commissions were issued by it to the Indians recommended. It is thought that beneficial effects will attend the measure taken, not only in the repression of the vice of intemperance amongst the Indians, but by bringing to justice parties guilty of selling intoxicants to them, or of violating in other respects the provisions of the laws regulating Indian affairs.

The presence on an Indian reserve of an officer of the law cannot but have a good moral effect on an Indian band generally, and by one of the members of the

band filling that position the detection of crime will, it is considered, be rendered more certain, and proof of guilt will be more easily obtained than it could be were a white man to hold the office; besides, the expense is very much lessened by employing Indians as police.

The Indian constables receive badges of office to wear on the arm, of which they are very proud.

It may be stated in connection with this subject that Indians of the North-West Territories have done and are doing good service as scouts attached to the Mounted Police Force.

LIQUOR TRAFFIC

The repression of the sale to or barter of ardent spirits with the Indians, and of the use by them of the same, forms an important part of the duties of an Indian Agent, but the performance in an effective manner of that duty is unfortunately seriously impeded by the indifference too often shown by magistrates and other officers of the law, at points where breaches of the same occur, and owing to the disposition of many persons, frequently on personal or political grounds, to shield or favor the guilty party at the expense of the Indian.

Until the provisions of the law for the punishment of persons who give, sell, or barter intoxicants to Indians are made much more severe, and the chances of escape for the guilty party are lessened, the existing difficulties in the way of entirely suppressing the traffic will continue. The effect upon Indians generally of the immoderate use of ardent spirits is to render them frenzied-they completely lose their self-control. Two instances of this kind, attended with most lamentable consequences occurred not very long since. One was that of an Indian who had been drinking with another: they started in an open boat for their home on the Upper Ottawa River, and while en route one killed the other, and when he recovered from his debauch he had no recollection of having done so. The other case occurred on Manitoulin Island, in Lake Huron: an Indian woman was employed at a hotel, and having obtained possession of a bottle of whiskey, she shared it with two or three other Indians; a drunken brawl ensued, which resulted in the woman being killed by her companions and her body being mutilated in the most horrible manner. The use of liquor by an Indian appears to arouse in him his savage nature afresh, and to lead him to the commission of the most fiendish crimes.

The facilities with which some of our Indians residing on reserves near the boundry between Canada and the United States can obtain intoxicants has occasioned no little anxiety. It appears that the laws of the latter country, while pro hibiting under heavy penalties the sale or gift of ardent spirits to Indians resident therein, do not apply to Indians of a foreign country. Inasmuch as the prohibitory liquor clauses of the Indian Act in force in this country apply to Indians generally, whether resident in Canada or elsewhere, Your Excellency was pleased, when the matter was brought to your attention, to address a despatch to Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, requesting that application might be made to the Government of the United States, and its Parliament be moved to assimilate the law of that country to the law of Canada in the above respect. It is to be hoped that there will be a ready compliance at an early date with this reasonable request.

The condition of Indian matters generally in each Province and District is described in the following statement :·

ONTARIO.

The Mohawk Band of the County of Hastings succeeded, in the season of 1888, in raising abundant crops on the fertile tract on the Bay of Quinté which they occupy. That season's harvest was largely in excess of that of the previous year, and the yield of the past season was also above the average. These Indians depend exclusively on agriculture for a subsistence.

The population of the band has increased, there being 15 of an excess over that of 1888, making the number 1,069.

The educational interests of the young are intrusted to four schools on the reserve. They are regularly examined by the Public School Inspector, and his reports indicate efficiency in the teachers and progress in the pupils. The Church of England has a missionary stationed on the reserve.

The Mississagaus of the County of Northumberland were rewarded for their efforts to secure a livelihood. The crops, especially those on the reserve at Rice and Mud Lakes, were bountiful, and success attended their fishing and hunting enterprises.

The education of their children appears to be more a matter of interest with them then was formerly the case, and progress on the part of the former in their studies is the result. Indeed, the school on the reserve at Alnwick can boast of one of its pupils having carried off the prize for the County of Northumberland, in a competition with the best pupils from white schools, and other work from the same institution was highly commended.

The Methodist Church of Canada and the New England Company have the responsibility of the spiritual oversight of the three bands, and interest in religious matters is quite manifest on the reserves.

The sanitary condition of these Indians is satisfactory, and improvement in the style and appearance of their houses, and cleanliness in their domestic surroundings and personal habits are observable.

The three bands have an aggregate population of 480 souls, being an increase of one since the previous census was taken.

The Chippewas and the cognate band of Mississaguas of the County of Ontario have suffered a decrease of eight in their number. An unusual degree of sickness prevailed on the reserve at Rama, with fatal results in fourteen cases; and the reserve occupied by the Mississaguas at Scugog is unfavorably situated for health, being subject to miasmatic influences. The population of the two bands, according to the last census, was 279. Commendable progress in agriculture appears to have been made on the Scugog Reserve.

The fisheries of these Indians yielded them large returns in 1888-89 from the sale of the products; they had besides an abundance of fish for home consumption. The school on the Rama Reserve continues to maintain its good reputation. The Algonquin Band of the County of Renfrew number 91, as against 98 in

1888.

Their crops were not a success last season, but those of 1888 were better. They have added to the number of their houses and barns, and increased the extent of their cultivated land.

The school is making fair progress.

The Chippewa Band of Georgina and Snake Islands, in Lake Simcoe, are making satisfactory advance. The possession by individuals of their land in severalty under location ticket has had the desired effect of imparting a fresh impetus to their industry, and as a consequence they are rapidly becoming a wealthy Indian community. The desire to improve their holdings and ambition to emulate one another in the production of good crops, erection of comfortable dwellings and commodious outbuildings is the natural result of the sense of proprietary rights which the possession of a title to their holdings engenders.

The crops harvested in 1888 were considerably in excess of those of 1887, and last season's yield was also excellent.

The general health of the band was good.

The moral tone was all that could be desired.

They have a well conducted school for the education of their children, which is regularly inspected by the Public School Inspector of the County of York.

The population of the band is 127, being two in excess of their number in 1887-88. The Methodist Church of Canada has the spiritual oversight of these Indians.

The Chippewas, Munceys, Ottawas, Oneidas and Delawares, whose reserves are situated in the Counties of Middlesex, Lambton and Kent, and on Walpole Island, at the mouth of the River St. Clair, enjoyed, as a rule, during the year 1888-89 excellent health.

The crops were abundant, and there was manifest progress made in agriculture. The societies established for the promotion of that industry on several of the reserves are in a flourishing condition; their shows are well supported, and the exhibits displayed thereat in 1888 were creditable. Some of the Indian farmers do not, however, confine their competition to the reserve exhibition, but emulate successfully their white friends at fairs held in proximity to the reserves.

Fourteen schools on the seven reserves are using their best endeavors to secure to the young education and enlightenment. Each of the institutions is subjected to periodical examinations by the Public School Inspector for the county in which it is situated.

A new school has been recently opened on Walpole Island; as it was found, as stated in my Report for 1888, that some of the children of that reserve reside at too remote a distance from the schools already in operation to attend at either of them. Besides the children who attend the day schools on the above reserves, a number of the Indian children belonging to the county are receiving education of a higher order, as well as industrial training at the Mount Elgin Institution, on the Carradoc Resesrve, and at the Shingwauk and Wawanosh Homes, at Sault Ste. Marie.

Several of the religious denominations conduct Mission work among the above

bands.

Notwithstanding the fair sanitary condition of the five bands referred to, a decrease in their number has occurred through the removal of several families of