The Nepigon Band. This band is the most numerous of any within my agency, numbering about 500. They are industrious and cleanly in their habits the greater number of them work during the summer, portaging goods inland for the Hudson Bay Company; many have houses and gardens on Jackfish Island and along the Lake Nepigon shore; they raise good crops of potatoes and manage to have their seed in the spring; other families live in wigwams along the rivers and lakes, and they subsist on fish and animals they trap or shoot, principally rabbits and occasionally bear; in the winter they hunt and return in the spring with their furs, amounting in value to $13,000 or $14,000. Otter and beaver are their principal skins, for which they get a fair market price. Some members of the band have established themselves on the Gull River Reserve, and others promise to join them next year. On Jackfish Island they have a school house, which is not in operation; they have also a Roman Catholic church near the Nepigon Hudson Bay house. English Church Mission Reserve. The Indians upon this reserve are a portion of the Red Rock Band; they are located on Lake Nipigon, about ten miles from the mouth of the river; their reserve is on Grand Bay, the farms fronting the lake; their land is rich and prolific; their houses are well built and confortable, each having a good cellar; they have abundance of fine fish the year around, whitefish and trout; they have a good school and teacher. They rebuilt their church last winter; it is neatly built of square hewn logs; the lumber to finish it they whipsawed, and the workmanship is of the best kind; the shingled roof is painted. The Indians of this place engage during the summer with Nipigon fisherman tourists, and in the winter they hunt fur-bearing animals. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, The Honorable COUNTY OF RENFREW, GOLDEN LAKE AGENCY, The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa. SIR,-I have the honor to submit my report and tabular statement ended 30th of June last. The Golden Lake Band now numbers sixty-one. I am sory to have to state that the crops on the reserve were not good; the root crop was a failure. The land is not good for farming as it is both stoney and sandy; it is better adapted for raising rye, which does well; some of the band sowed it last fall, and had a fair return. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, E. BENNETT, Indian Agent. The Honorable COUNTY OF HASTINGS, TYENDINAGA AGENCY, The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa. SIR,-I have the honor to submit my annual report and tabular statement for the year ended 30th June, 1889. This band now numbers 1,069, being an increase of nineteen during the past year. There have been fourteen deaths, thirty-one births, and two persons were admitted into the band. The crops are good this season, and provisions are plentiful. The four schools on this reserve are in operation, and are progressing favorably. They are under the tuition of efficient teachers, selected by John Johnston, Esq., Public School Inspector. The Rev. G. A. Anderson is very attentive to the moral and spiritual wants of the Indians under his care. We have an efficient council, composed of five shrewd business men, who conduct the business of the band in a satisfactory manner. The interest money distributed during the last year amounted to $4,343.46, and the usual supply of blankets has been distributed among the aged and infirm Indians. I have the honor to be, Sir, SIR, I have the honor to submit my report and tabular statement for the year ended 30th June, 1889. The population is now one hundred and twenty-seven, an increase of two since last census, the result of three births and one death. The health of the band, with few exceptions, has been remarkably good, and, generally speaking, the band is very prosperous, earning a comfortable living; adding materially to their stock of worldly goods, and surrounding themselves with many comforts unknown to them in former days. The sobriety and morality of the band continues excellent. More attention is paid every year to neatness and cleanliness of premises and person. The crop harvested was abundant, and in excess of those of many former years. More attention is paid to gardening, and many are very successful in this respect. Live stock is kept in most excellent condition and is well wintered. The new organ purchased for the church at a cost of $100 was paid for during the year by a voluntary contribution in baskets which were sold in Toronto. The teacher who succeeded Mr. Mayes (Mr. Henry, an Indian) gave satisfaction, and it is likely he will be re-engaged. As is my custom, I provided seed grain this spring for nearly all, and a good deal was sown. The crop promises to be a good one and is now being harvested. By the kindness of the management of the Industrial Exhibition at Toronto I was allowed to take the Chief, Councillor McCue and Wm. Bigsail, and camp on the grounds last fall for a week. This was a great boon to the Indians, they having seen and learnt much, and carried home with them many new ideas. Councillor James Osheynot renders assistance in conducting religious service on the island, and the Methodist Mission Board recognizes his usefulness and rewards him handsomely. I consider the band, on the whole, has made wonderful progress, and is remarkably prosperous. I have the honor to be, Sir, SIR,-I have the honor to submit my annual report and tabular statement on Indian affairs for the year ended 30th June, 1889. This band now numbers 397 persons, being an increase of two since last year. There were several deaths during the year, but mostly of young children, and all from natural causes, as there was no epidemic or contagious disease existing on this reserve. The sanitary condition of the band is very favorable. There was very little want or suffering felt by those people. Many of them devoted their attention to taking out dead timber, for which they found a ready market, and received remuerative prices. The fishing reserve allotted by the Government is of great value to them, there being a plentiful supply of good marketable fish, which commanded high prices. Consequently, a number of them engaged in the business and realized considerable money. The crops were far below the average, especially hay, which was very scarce. This forced many to part with most of their stock. There have been considerable improvements made in the way of new buildings, &c., &c, and the purchase of many useful agricultural implements, such as ploughs, harrows and horse rakes, besides a number of waggons and buggies. The three schools are doing good work; the attendance of pupils is fairly good, many of them being pretty well advanced in the English language. It is a fact that is much to be deplored that a large number of the members of this band are very much given to intemperate habits, which is one of the greatest evils I have to contend with. However, it is with a certain degree of satisfaction that after costly litigation I have secured two convictions against some of the guilty parties, and I trust it will produce a wholesome effect, by stopping the sale of intoxicants to Indians. It is to be regretted that some of those who traffic in the liquor business do not observe the law and thereby diminish the greatest evil that can befall the Indians. The crops, so far this season, are looking well, and there is a prospect of a bountiful harvest; this, along with what they can realize out of other resources, will, I trust, enable them to live very comfortably during the coming winter. I have the honor to be, Sir, SIR, I have the honor to submit my report and tabular statement of the Chippewa Indians of the Saugeen Reserve for the year ended 30th June, 1889. The band now numbers 363, being an increase of three since last year-there having been eleven births and eight deaths. There are three schools in operation on this reserve, and under the instruction of good and efficient teachers they are progressing favorably. The agricultural interest has received an impetus by the locating of the land to individual Indians, many of whom commenced clearing up their land early in the spring and put in their crops in good time. The energy displayed in this regard is unprecedented on this reserve. The fishing interest improved within the last year. A new industry has sprung up here, viz., the gathering of "gentian root," which causes an increase to their income, bringing two dollars and twenty-five cents per pound in cash. However I am of opinion that those who stay at home and attend 'to their farms will realize more profit in the end. The hay crop is better this season than it has been for many years affording an ample supply for the stock where ordinary care is practised. All other crops are looking fairly well, so that it may be said that if the same amount of industry is practised in the future that has prevailed in the present season, this band will soon be in a prosperous condition. I am pleased to be able to report that there is a great improvement in the condition of the Indians regarding the use of strong drink. With reference to their sanitary condition there has been considerable malaria or typhoid fever amongst them, and it has not entirely abated yet. I cannot close my report without refering to the late Chief John Kadahgegwon, who departed this life at Saugeen Village in the eighty-third year of his age, honored and respected by all who knew him. He was born on this reserve, and held the position of Chief for seventy-four years, having received it at the age of nine years. He had two large silver medals presented to him by the British Crown in token of his loyalty and service to the mother country. In fact, he was in every respect a noble specimen of a man. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, ALDERVILLE AGENCY, JAS. ALLEN, The Honorable ROSENEATH, ONT., 13th August, 1889. The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa. SIR, I enclose herewith tabular statement for the year ended 30th June last, which I have endeavored to make as accurate as possible. The day school here is taught by the resident missionary, Rev. John Lawrence, and is making very good progress, the average attendance being a fraction over 31: 46 names are on the school roll. One of the pupils of this school, Miss Kate Franklin, obtained the prize for the County of Northumberland in the Dominion competition. Mr. John Dougall, of Montreal, the promotor of the competition, in a note to the teacher says that the essays sent from the school are both very superior and of the greatest credit to the school. The Sunday school is also largely attended, there being some Sundays over 50 scholars present. The attendance at church is also very good. There is a new imitation pipe organ in the church and a very efficient organist. On the whole, the morality of the band is, I think, improving. There have been no convictions lately for the sale of liquor to Indians. I think public morals are improving, and on the whole I am under the impression that idleness is not largely indulged in; the sanitary conditon of the band is most excellent, owing, I think, to cleanliness in and around their houses and to the situation of the reserve, it being generally dry and free from stagnant pools. The population has increased by four during the last year there having been had eleven births and seven deaths. The Indians on the whole are progressing slowly, they have six new house in course of construction, making nineteen good, frame two good block houses and three good frame barns during these last six years, besides paying neary nine thousand dollars of old debts during that time., SIR, I have the honor to submit the following report and tabular statement, showing the state of the Indians under my charge for the year ended the 30th June 1889. Rice Lake. The Indians have had a very successful year. Those who farm have excellent crops, so abundant that it ought to encourage them to pursue farming to a much greater extent. been Those who devote part of their time to fishing, hunting and trapping have also very fortunate. There has been no distress during the year and very little sickness, The school, under the management of Miss Frank Cragg has been fairly-well attended, and the children have made some progress. The church, the prayer meetings and the Sundayschool have been attended with considerable regularity. Mud Lake. The Mud Lake Band of Indians shows considerable improvement as compared with former years. This is to be attributed to the fact that they are becoming more self-reliant; they are assisted to procure seed, canoes, &c., to enable them to pursue their various avocations, and they have no excuse for spending their time in idleness, yet assistance is only given on the principle that we "help a man to help himself." The Indians are giving their attention more to farming, and almost every available spot is under crop of some kind, and promises a good return for their labor. Much improvement has been made in and around the mission building, with a view to placing an example before them. Some improvement has been made in the appearance of their homes and also in the cleanliness of their persons, a poorly dressed Indian is rather an exception now. Nearly all of them attend church once, and often twice every Sunday. Sunday school is held every Sunday at 2 p. m., and prayer meeting every Tuesday evening. A. E. Kennedy, Esq., the New England Company's Agent, has charge of the school, and the children have made considerable progress. The Indians have had very little sickness, and the year has been a satisfactory one to them. |