176 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



in small log huts, ill lighted, unventilated, half filled with smoke and 

 crowded together. Dirty and careless in their habits, it is not long 

 before the hut becomes filthy and the ground around saturated. 

 Remember that the huts are clumped together and the unhealthy 

 state of the present Indian habitation on a Government Reserve is 

 apparent. The agents and employees of the Indian department do 

 what they ai-e able to encourage the Indians to build larger houses 

 and keep more cleanly habits, but as far as I know with little success. 

 Disease marks them for her own ; if of a contagious or infectious 

 nature it runs its course ; for the last two or three years measles 

 have prevailed amongst the Northern Indians, and with a deadly 

 result. Preventible diseases are most terrible. A mongst the Southern 

 tribes of the Territories especially it is the excei)tion to see a healthy 

 well developed Indian child. The Northern tribes have not suffei-ed 

 to the same extent but still have not escaped. What appears to me to 

 be another cause for the physical degeneration of the Indian is the 

 want of exercise. When the Indian was compelled to earn his own 

 living by the hunt he was compelled to live in the open air and 

 to take sufficient exercise to develop himself physically. Now the 

 Treaty Indian, relying on a paternal Government for rations, spends 

 his time lazily about the Reserve exerting himself unwillingly and 

 gorging himself with unwholesome food which is lavishly provided 

 on some of the Reserves. 



If I might suggest, it would be perhaps well to have the present 

 state of the Indians authentically recorded. The change from 

 barbarism to civilization is interesting and the gradual development 

 will illustrate one of the Social laws. It is not always well to trust 

 to official reports and government i^ecords to record the true facts of 

 the Indians' state. They seldom deal with what will be of historical 

 value nor do they always give imvarnished and plain statements. 



As an offshoot of the Indians I would call your attention to the 

 half breeds both English Scotch and French. Their origin and histoiy 

 are but little known, their habits and customs in the past unregistered. 

 Having been in contact with the French half-breeds for the past three 

 years I have become possessed of some very interesting facts concerning 

 them. Equally with the Indian their future is problematical. I 

 therefoi-e think that your Institute might investigate the offshoot of 



