146 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. Vol. IX.] 



west Council are very strictly enforced, and possibly even in spite 

 of this check, the buffalo must become pratically extinct within 

 a very few years. In view of these facts, measures cannot too 

 soon be taken to render the plain tribes self supporting, on some 

 other basis than that afforded by the chase of the buffalo. Their 

 wandering habits unsuit them for agricultural pursuits ; but 

 some of them already possess considerable numbers of horses, 

 and, by encouraging them in stock-raising, and especially in the 

 introduction among them of cattle, from which, under proper 

 regulations, they might derive a great part of their food, a 

 solution of the problem might be found. This, at least, is the 

 only easy transition from their present condition as hunters to a 

 more civilized state ; and if this can not be made to succeed, 

 they will for the most part, and at no distant date, be thrown as 

 paupers on the State. 



The Indians of Manitoba and the North-west Territory, in the 

 Report of the Minister of the Interior for 1877, are stated to 

 number about 27,308 ; to which must be added about 1,500 

 Sioux, refugees from the south, implicated in the Minnesota mas- 

 sacre of 1862 ; also, for the Athabasca District and Rupert's 

 Land, 6,768 (probably an under-estimate) ; and now, it would 

 appear Sitting Bull and his compatriots, who, though Sioux, do 

 not represent any particular tribe of that nation, but the dis- 

 affected and outlawed members from many bands. Since the 

 acquisition of this territory by the Dominion, seven treaties have 

 been concluded with the Indians, by which, collectively, nearly 

 all the land likely to be given for permanent settlement has been 

 ceded. The last of these was that with the Blackfeet, covering 

 an area of some 35,000 square miles in the south-western corner 

 of the territory, inhabited now by about 5,000 Indians ; this 

 nation having been reduced by about one-half during the last 

 twelve or fifteen years by bad whisky, murders, and small-pox. 



The general principles on which these treaties have been 

 framed are : — The entire surrender of the territory, a reserve 

 being provided for the Indians, and it being understood that 

 they may continue to hunt and fish as before, without restriction 

 as long as the lands are unoccupied ; the establishment and 

 maintenance of schools ; the payment of an annuity of a few 

 dollars to members of the tribe, a census being taken in the first 

 instance; the yearly distribution of ammunition, twine for nets, 

 etc., to a stated amount; and the presentation of agricultural 



