176 



EED RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 



master took up his abode, and began teaching from 

 twenty to twenty-five of the children." 



In 1821 the North-West and Hudson's Bay Companies 

 united, and from that time the condition and prospects of 

 the Eed Eiver settlements became more encouraging, and 

 their progress slow but sure. 



In 1823 the population of the colony was about 600, 

 twenty years afterwards it had increased to 5143, and 

 thus assumed an important, though not a prominent, 

 position among Christian communities, in the midst of 

 barbarous and savage races. 



POPULATION OF THE SETTLEMENTS. 



The census upon which the statements contained in the 

 following pages are founded was taken in the years 1843, 

 1849, and 1856, and the copies were kindly furnished me 

 by Mr. W. E. Smith, the clerk to the Council of Assinni- 

 boia. 



The total population at the settlements on Eed Eiver 

 and the Assinniboine amounted to 5143 in 1843 ; 5291 in 

 1849 ; and 6523 in 1856, showing an increase in the first 

 six years of only 148, and in the last seven years of 1232 

 souls. This great difference in the apparent rates of in- 

 crease is one which may be easily explained, by enume- 

 rating the offsets from Eed Eiver Settlement, which have 

 occurred since the period when the census was taken. 

 These consist of a number of families, embracing 120 

 persons, forming a settlement at Prairie Portage. St. 

 Joseph's at Turtle Mountain has absorbed a very consi- 

 derable number, exceeding 500 persons, and many fami- 

 lies have left the settlement to seek a home in other 

 localities. At the same time the population of Eed Eiver 

 has received very few accessions from distant countries ; 

 indeed, the foreign element, as it may be termed, shows 



