ON THE NORTH-WESTERN TRIBES OF THE DOMINION OF CANADA. 699 
Maria’s River, in Montana, there stood fully one hundred lodges, and not 
one contained less than ten bodies. His estimate of dead Sarcees was 
1,500.’ This tribe, now numbering less than 500 souls, have their 
Reserve near Calgary. They are reputed to be less cleanly and moral 
than the proper Blackfeet tribes. In this respect their habits and cha- 
racter correspond with those of other Athabascan tribes. 
During the past five years, as is well known, a great change has taken 
place in the condition of the north-western tribes through the exter- 
mination of the buffalo. The transcontinental railways have brought 
into the interior great numbers of hunters, armed with the most de- 
structive weapons, who have engaged in a constant and reckless slaughter 
of these animals, until it is now doubtful if any are left alive. The 
Blackfeet have been the greatest sufferers from this cause. The buffalo 
were their main dependence. The animals, which roamed the plains 
during the summer, were accustomed to resort to the sheltered and 
wooded valleys of the Blackfoot country during the winter; and thus the 
tribes were assured of a supply of food at all seasons. The skins 
furnished their clothing, their tents, and their couches. Suddenly, 
almost without warning, they found themselves stripped of nearly every 
necessary of life. The change was one of the greatest that could well 
befall a community. If the inhabitants of an English parish were 
suddenly transported to the centre of Australia, and set down there, 
utterly destitute, to make a living by some unknown methods of tropical 
agriculture, they would hardly be more helpless and bewildered than 
these unfortunate Indians found themselves. The Governments both 
of the United States and of Canada came to the rescue; but in the 
former country the urgency of the case was not at first fully understood, 
and much suffering ensued. The agent on the Blackfoot Reservation in 
Montana (Major Allen) states in his official report that when he entered 
upon his duties in April 1884 he found the Indians in a deplorable 
condition. The supplies of food which had been sent for them had 
proved insufficient, and before these could be renewed many died from 
actual starvation. Some stripped the bark from the saplings which grew 
along their creeks, and ate the inner portion to stifle the sense of hunger. 
On the Canadian side, fortunately, the emergency was better understood. 
Colonel McLeod, an able and vigilant officer, was in charge of the 
Mounted Police at that time, and through his forethought the necessary 
preparations were made. In 1879 and 1880 the buffalo disappeared from 
that region. Arrangements were at once made for settling the Indians 
on Reserves, and for supplying them with food and clothing, and teaching 
them to erect wooden houses and cultivate their lands. Daily rations of 
meat and flour were served out to them. Ploughs, cattle, and horses 
were furnished to them. Farm instructors were placed among them. 
The Indians displayed a remarkable readiness to adapt themselves to the 
new conditions. According to the reports of all the agents they have 
evinced a quickness to learn and a persevering industry which place 
them decidedly in advance of the other Indian tribes of that region. In 
1882 more than 500,000 lbs. of potatoes were raised by the three Blackfoot 
tribes, besides considerable quantities of oats, barley, and turnips. The 
Piegans had sold 1,000 dollars’ worth of potatoes, and had a large supply 
on hand. ‘The manner in which the Indians have worked,’ writes the 
agent, ‘is really astonishing, as is the interest they have taken, and are 
taking, in farming.’ Axes and other tools were distributed among them, 
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