86 Inasmuch 



in which he brought the eldest boy in his arms and 

 placed him in the canoe on the morning of my 

 departure.&quot; In this way originated in Western 

 Canada the Boarding System for Indian children. 

 John West Mr. West described his first acquaintance with 



Riv^oct Red the Indians of the Red River. &quot;Many Indian 

 ith, 1820 families came frequently to the Fort, and as is 

 common, I believe, to all the aborigines, were of 

 a copper colour complexion, with black coarse 

 hair. Whenever they dressed for any particular 

 occasion, they annointed themselves all over 

 with charcoal and grease, and painted their eye 

 brows, lips and forehead, or cheeks, with vermil- 

 lion. Some had their noses perforated through 

 the cartilage, in which was fixed part of a goose- 

 quill, or a piece of tin, worn as an ornament, 

 while others strutted with the skin of a raven 

 ingeniously folded as a head-dress, to present 

 the beak over the forehead, and the tail spreading 

 over the back of the neck. Their clothing con 

 sisted principally of a blanket, a buffalo skin and 

 leggins, with a cap, which hung down their back 

 and was fastened to a belt round the waist. 

 Scoutaywaubo, or fire-water, (rum) was their 

 principal request; to obtain which they appeared 

 ready to barter anything, or everything they 

 possessed. The children ran about almost naked, 

 and were treated by their parents with all the in 

 stinctive fondness of animals. They know of no 

 restraint, and as they grow up into life, they are 

 left at full liberty to be absolute masters of their 

 own actions. 



