APPENDIX D cm 



celebrated captivity of himself and his family for a number of weeks by 

 the Fort Pitt Indians under Chief Big Bear in 1885. This will no 

 doubt be published and will supply an interesting and comprehensive 

 account of that portion of the North- West Eebellion, 



Another paper of importance was a collection of letters (1821-55) 

 found in Xew York State, of the late Sheriff Alexander Eoss, one of the 

 original landholders of Winnipeg and whose family names are to be 

 seen in a number of the names of Winnipeg streets to-day. A valuable 

 paper on the " Perching Birds/' of the neighbourhood of Winnipeg was 

 'also read before the Society. In this connection it may be said that a 

 Natural History Society has been started with much energy which will 

 develop more fully that side of the society's work. 



In the printed annual report of the Society for the year, the practice 

 is followed of giving short biographical sketches of members of the 

 Societ}^, or old settlers of note of the country, who have passed away. 

 One of the most noted of this year is that of a past president of the 

 Society, the late William Cowan, M.D., a distinguished Scottish phy- 

 sician, who some forty years ago came in the service of the company to 

 the posts on Hudson Bay. On being removed to the interior Dr. Cowan 

 was given the important position of Master of Fort Garry. He was 

 occupying this position in 1869, when Louis Eiel, with his Metis fol- 

 lowers seized Fort Garry. Dr. Cowan was a man of high character, of 

 excellent parts, and held the respect of all the people. He was one of a 

 sturdy band, of traders fast passing away — not we fear to have successors 

 of the same type. 



In the enormous growth of the city, the Society is keeping in view 

 the preservation of such memorials of the past as can be spared, and looks 

 forward to decorating the eight or ten parks scattered through the city 

 for which it is becoming famous, by busts or when possible, statues of 

 such men as Sieur de la Verendrye, Sir A. Mackenzie, Lord Selkirk, Sir 

 Geo. Simpson and others who have been famous in the history of the 

 North- West. The finances of the. Society it may be stated are in excel- 

 lent condition. 



XIV. — From the Boyal Astronomical Society of Toronto, through 

 K. F. Stupart. 



At the twelfth annual meeting of the Society, which was well 

 attended, the retiring President for the former year, G. E. Lumsden., 

 F.E.A.S., delivered an address entitled, " Astronomical Notes of the 

 past year in which he referred to observations of Nova Persei, the new 

 star that had been first observed by Dr. Anderson, of Edinburgh, to 

 blaze out in the constellation Persius in February, 1901. The star 



