148 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. ix. 



of the half-breeds to a great extent relinquished this mode of 

 subsistence ; while others, among whom those speaking French 

 are in the majority, continued to follow these animals, — selecting 

 wintering places far out on the plains, and returning to the 

 settlements only occasionally, with the products of the chase. 

 These hunting half breeds form — or formed a very short time 

 ago — a body partaking of the character of a tribe among the 

 Indians. They are generally accompanied by a priest, who, in 

 concert with some of the older men, frames rules for the guidance 

 of the camp, administers those which have already become fixed 

 by use in the community, and decides the camping places and 

 dates of movement of the camp, in conformity with public 

 opinion. In the far west these people seem generally to have 

 allied themselves with the Sioux against the Blackfeet, but gave 

 to their allies only so much material assistance as to ensure the 

 continuance of their useful friendship. In July, 1874, I came 

 upon the "Big Camp" of half-breeds near the Milk River. It 

 consisted of over two hundred tents of dressed skins, or canvas. 

 Every family possessed Red River carts at least in equal number 

 to that of its members. These, with the tents, are arranged in 

 a circular form, on camping, to make a correl or enclosed space 

 for the protection of the horses. It was stated that about 2,000 

 of these animals were owned by the half-breeds of the Camp. 

 The Indians, as a whole, are jealous of the half-breed hunters^ 

 understanding well that their business-like manner of pursuing 

 the bufi"alo for robes, not only drives these animals from their 

 feediog grounds, but aids largely in their extermination. The 

 late ordinance of the North-West Council, above referred to, will 

 probably, by the restrictions it imposes, break up this half breed 

 tribe and drive its members to other pursuits. It is certain that 

 the Metis, as a whole, will continue to approximate more com- 

 pletely to the whites both in appearance and manners. Physically 

 they are robust, and possess great power of endurance; though 

 not infrequently liable to pulmonary complaints. 



In British Columbia, where, in the absence of a trustworthy 

 census, the native races are roughly estimated at 30,000, Canada 

 has her latest, and, what appeared, for a time, likely to be her 

 most vexatious "Indian Problem." Races of the Tiune stock 

 inhabit, as we have already seen, the whole northern interior of 

 that country, extending, southward, to the Chilcotin River in 

 latitude 52^. Bordering these on the south, and occupying 



