THE FRENCH HALF-BREEDS OF THE NORTHWEST. 319 



the miserable shifts of the sensuous savage. In Michigan and Wiscon- 

 sin, many hold positions of trust and responsibility, requiring education 

 and integrity, while the majority live in towns and villages, occupied in 

 the same pursuits as their white neighbors. Probably one-half of those 

 living at Detroit, Green Bay, Mackinac, La Pointe, and Red River are 

 permanent settlers and honored tax-paying citizens. About one-fourth 

 or one-fifth of the Northwest half-breeds, mostly hired men, hunters, 

 and trappers, although hovering about the settlements, have no fixed 

 home, and lead a semi-nomadic life. A smaller proportion, in the re- 

 mote Western States, on the Saskatchewan and other points in the 

 British Possessions, have not yet severed their tribal relations, and live 

 like Indians. In Upper Michigan and on Lake Superior, the greater 

 number rely principally on farming and fishing for a livelihood. Only 

 few give to agriculture their exclusive attention and depend altogether 

 on the produce of their farms. There are none who subsist exclusively 

 by hunting and trapping, though a number are thus occupied for a part 

 of the year. 



Metis carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, &c, are not uncommon. 

 Many work in the saw-mills during the summer and go out lumbering 

 in winter. A certain proportion are boatmen on the lakes. 



In Manitoba they occupy a due proportion of the government offices. 

 Until very recently they had a large majority of members in the provin- 

 cial parliament. Farming, stock-raising, and fishing are their prin- 

 cipal means of support. Formerly many went buffalo hunting on the 

 plateau of the Missouri during the season, but this resource has been 

 exhausted.* 



On the Assinaboine, Saskatchewan, and the lakes north of the latter 

 river, the half-breeds perform all the menial duties at the posts of the 

 Hudson Bay Company, where they also act as guides and interpreters. 

 They are hardy and sagacious voyageurs, either with ox-cart, dog-sleigh, 

 or canoe. They hunt and trap, and often make a dash at the buffalo. 

 At the Catholic missions of St. Anne and St. Albert many are tilling 

 the soil, and begin to reap the fruits of patient industry. 



Their women are expert in bead-work and very skillful in the orna- 

 mentation of furs and buckskin. The colonies on Milk River, Wood 

 Mountains, Frenchmen's Creek, and Maria's River are nearly altogether 

 dependent upon the buffalo. They cure, robes with great skill and make 



* These, annual hunts were on a large scale, as may he seen from the following illus- 

 tration, condensed from the "History of the Red River," by Alexander Ross: "In 

 June, 1840, 1,03 ) half-breeds, including a few < lanadians and Indians, rendezvoused at 

 Pembina with 1,210 carts and 542 dogs. After organizing into a, sort of military com- 

 mand, with ten captains and one president, they journeyed 250 miles before striking 

 the buffalo. In the evening of the first day's hunt no less than 1,375 tongues were 

 brought into camp. In the m6Ue one rider broke his shoulder-blade, another lost 

 three fingers by the, bursting of his gnu, and the third received a spent hall on the 

 knee. Scarcely one-third of the animals killed were turned to account. The party 

 returned with about UOO pounds of meat per cart." 



