76 



THE OOLOGIST 



few miles around the point on the 

 north shore of the youth Lake. 



Our trip that afternoon took us by 

 the most beautiful shore line on the 

 lake — a series of small bays with 

 beautiful sandy beeches, separated by 

 rocky points where the ice had placed 

 the rocks in bygone spring break-ups 

 in the fashion of a wall of masonry. 

 Here and there cliffs rose to bluffs 

 and mighty oaks and birch, ash and 

 bass-wood stood crowning their 

 heights, defying the elements. This 

 entire shore line of a space of about 

 tewnty miles is inhabitated by a band 

 of Indians, who dwell in permanent 

 homes after the manner of the white 

 man. Pasture fences inclosing cattle 

 and horses, garden plots of potatoes, 

 and Indian maize could be seen and 

 we were kept busy dodging the gull 

 nets set out from the shore line. Birch 

 bark canoes, sewed with deer sinew 

 and seamed with pitch from the fir 

 trees were moored all along where a 

 well beaten path gave evidence of a 

 home in the woods above. In the 

 midst of this Indian tribe, Uncle Sam 

 has placed a school, owned and oper- 

 ated by the Federal Government, for 

 the purpose of educating and training 

 his red children in the ways of living 

 and abiding by the laws of the white 

 man. This school was built many 

 years ago at the end of the rifle and 

 bayonet. It is know commonly as the 

 Cross Lake School. This a last tribe 

 of the war-like savage, disliked the in- 

 trusion of civilization in the midst of 

 his domain. But the passing years 

 have told the story and the force of 

 Uncle Sam's teaching and training was 

 to be seen on every hand. The school 

 consists of two main buildings besides 

 cottages for the employees barns for 

 the stock, sheds for the machinery, 

 coops for the chickens, a water tank 

 for fire protection and cultivated 

 fields for the farming pursuits. The 



boys and girls are taken from their 

 Indian homes and made to dwell in 

 dormitories and during the regular 

 nine months attended school as at a 

 boarding school. Besides the three 

 "Rs" they learn to sew, cook, farm, 

 raise stock, learn the carpenter, black- 

 smith and other various trades useful 

 to their future life. Basket ball, base 

 ball tennis and other games are 

 taught and military drill is part of the 

 program. Although far removed from 

 railroads and civilization, here amidst 

 the primeval forests stands this seat 

 of learning, training the wild red man 

 in the ways he should go. We spent 

 the balance of the day here, were in- 

 vited to sleep in the dormitory for 

 the school was not now in session, 

 and took dinner at the expense of 

 Uncle Sam and the hospitality of the 

 faculty. Back in the big timber we 

 saw families of Indians living in 

 teepees of tanned hides with the open 

 fire in the center and the children and 

 grown-ups lying in blankets around 

 the edges, cooking over the coals, liv- 

 ing the primitive life, papoose in a 

 sack laughing and cooing on the 

 mother's back, the old man with hair 

 in braids and an occasional feather 

 and moccasins on the feet. It was in- 

 teresting to us to behold that of which 

 we have all read. They love this life 

 and the summer vacation sees the 

 most of them enjoying it. 



To be continued) 



Albino 



I reported an Albino Quail, (Bob- 

 whiet) from East Strondsburg, Pa. 

 last fall. It was pure white all over 

 and not full grown. Haven't seen this 

 printed and think you have overlooked 

 it as it is worth recording. 



M. J. Hoffman, 

 Brooklyn, N. Y, 



