CCI! ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



of Collingwood, who recognized the necessity and importance of collect- 

 ing in a central place, historical articles and historical data pertaining 

 to the county of Simcoe and in particular to the town of Collingwood. 



The Institute was organized in April, 1904, and during the com- 

 paratively few years it has been in existence has made good progress and 

 accomplished considerable work in the five departments which it in- 

 cludes, namely, of history, botany, zoolog}^, geolog}^, and civic improve- 

 ment. 



In connection with the Institute a museum was organized and, as 

 the last annual report (JApril, 1909) shows, this has already reached a 

 point that cannot but merit the approval of those interested in this par- 

 ticular branch of Canadian historical work. 



In 1905, the Institute had the privilege of having as guests the On- 

 tario Historical Society, a unique event in the history of the town of 

 Collingwood, it being the first time that the land of the Petun branch of 

 the Huron Indians had been visited by a body of historical students. As 

 full particulars of the meeting are given in the annual report of the 

 Ontario Historical Society, it is unnecessary to repeat them here. 



During the year eight meetings, seven regular, and one regular ex- 

 ecutive, were held. Several committee meetings were also convened. The 

 attendance at the regular meetings was larger than at those of the year 

 previous, the average being upwards of forty, while on one occasion about 

 one hundred and twenty-five were present. 



At a number of the meetings interesting reports were presented from 

 the Exploration Committee; on one occasion Eev. D. V. Lucas, of St. 

 Catharines, gave an interesting talk on " The aborigines," dealing chiefly 

 with the art and stone carving of the Indians of Queen Charlotte Island ; 

 at another Mr. David Williams read a paper entitled " Early Navigation 

 on the Upper Lakes, more particularly that of Collingwood." Mr. 'P. L. 

 T,rout, who had spent many years in Alaska, contributed a paper, " The 

 Lessons from the Trees," and Mr. E. Stewart, D.L.S., formerly super- 

 intendent of Forestry of the Dominion of Canada, gave an illustrated 

 address on a trip to and through Canada's Northland, by way of the 

 Northern lakes and the Mackenzie Eiver. 



During the year the special Exploration Committee, led by our pre- 

 sident, Mr. John Lawrence, Mr. M. Caviller and Mr. James Morris, has 

 proved most energetic. Beginning in May last they continued their field 

 work throughout the summer, exploring thoroughly the district lying on 

 the eastern slope of the Blue Mountains between the villages of Craig- 

 leith on the north and Banda to the south. The object of the explora- 

 tions was to obtain, if possible, more reliable information respecting the 

 history of the Petun Indians, the first known occupants of the territory. 



