CHARACTER OF THE HALF-BREEDS, 



179 



the European and Canadian element on the one hand, 

 and the Indian on the other, appears to be desired by 

 many of the better class, who naturally look upon the 

 epithet "half-breed" as applied to a race of Christian men, 

 scarcely appropriate. There is a strong and growing 

 feeling among the few who have turned their attention 

 to such matters, that in the event of an organic change 

 occurring in the Government of the country, the "native" 

 or half-breed population should not be neglected, or 

 thrust on one side. 



The half-breeds of the north-west are a race endowed 

 with some remarkable qualities, which they derive in 

 great part from their Indian descent, but softened and im- 

 proved by the admixture of the European element. It 

 is, however, much to be regretted that, from the singular 

 necessities of their position, many of them are fast sub- 

 siding into the primitive Indian state ; naturally impro- 

 vident, and perhaps indolent, they prefer the wild life of 

 the prairies to the tamer duties of a settled home ; this is 

 the character of many, but it belongs more to those of 

 French descent than of Scotch or English origin. 



About the 15th of June they start for their summer 

 hunt of the buffalo. There are now two distinct bands 

 of buffalo hunters, one being those of Eed Eiver, the 

 other of the White Horse Plain, on the Assinniboine. 

 Formerly these bands were united, but, owing to a differ- 

 ence which sprung up between them, they now maintain 

 a separate organisation, and proceed to different hunting- 

 grounds. The Eed Eiver hunters go to the Coteau de 

 Missouri, and even as far as the Yellow Stone Eiver ; the 

 White Horse Plain settlers generally hunt west of the 

 Souris Eiver, and between the branches of the Saskat- 

 chewan, but also over the same grounds as their Eed 

 Eiver brethren. 



N 2 



