24 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 8o 



but is based upon a study of probabilities. The Indian and Eskimo 

 population of Newfoundland and the eastern Labrador coast is not 

 noted in the Canadian report. The original population for the whole 

 section was probably about 54,000, which has been reduced about 

 one-half. 



The' period of first disturbance for Eastern Canada may be con- 

 sidered to begin shortly after 1600, although an active fishing business 

 began along the coast nearly a century earlier. The first great destruc- 

 tion in this region was accomplished by the Iroquois, who, having pro- 

 cured guns before their neighbors, proceeded to exterminate or drive 

 out all the surrounding tribes, and between 1648 and 1675 successively 

 destroyed or reduced to refugee remnants the Hurons, Tionontati, 

 Neutrals, Erie, Algonkin, Montagnais and Conestoga. several of which 

 tribes at the start outnumbered their destroyers, but lacked firearms. 

 Next in destructive importance comes smallpox, of which the prin- 

 cipal early visitations were in 1636-9 among the Hurons, Neutrals, Al- 

 gonkin, etc., and again in 1670 among the Algonkin and Montagnais, 

 when it was said that it destroyed almost all of those who remained 

 after the Iroquois wars. Later local smallpox epidemics were in 

 1702-3 in Quebec and in 1799 among the Ottawa of lower Michigan, 

 killing about one-half of those at their main settlement of Arbre 

 Croche. Liquor and general dissipation have also been responsible for 

 a part of the decrease, though not to the same extent as in some other 

 sections. The Eskimo tribes have probably remained about stationary, 

 while the Micmac and Malecite show a credible increase, chiefly, how- 

 ever, of the mixed-blood element. The Algonkin of Canada have in- 

 creased rapidly also in recent years, and with the Ottawa of the United 

 States have probably more than made up their earlier losses. The 

 small Beothuk tribe was practically exterminated by the Micmac early 



in the last century. 



1600 1906 



Eskimo — a. Labrador coast, Newfoundland 1,800 1,500 ( ?) 



/). Ungava district, Canada proper 1,800 1,250 ( ? ) 



Monsoni, etc. (Ungava, Keewatin, Ont., Que.) S,ooo 4,800 (?) 



Montagnais and Nascapee bands (Quebec, Ungava).... 5,500 5,400 (?) 



Beothuk 500 (?) Extinct 



Micmac 3,500 4,500 (?) 



Malecite 800 900 



Algonkin and Ottawa bands (incl. Ottawa in U. S.).... 6,000 7,000 (?) 



Huron confederates f io,oool 



. r confederated remnant known as Huron inJ \- 840 



' \ Can. and Wyandot in U. .S [ 8,oooJ 



Neutral Nation 10,000 Extinct 



Missisauga 1,300 810 



54.200 27,000 



