196 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



The Mission established in 1843 at Eed Lake for the 

 Ojibways who hunt south of the boundary line, may be 

 instanced as offering a successful illustration of the force 

 of example and the benefit of instruction. The Indians 

 cultivate fields of Indian corn and potatoes. The houses 

 of the missionaries are good and comfortable, and their 

 farm is kept in as good order, and is as well cultivated as 

 any farm in the States. It is really what is intended to 

 be, a " model farm," and the happy results of their example 

 are seen all around them in the well-cultivated fields of 

 the Indians, and the excellent cabins of many of them.* 



The Indian settlement at Eed Eiver, already described 

 (Vol. I. p. 201), is another happy instance of the excellent 

 results attending zealous missionary labour and supervision. 



The Canadian Commissioners notice a curious feature 

 connected with the advance of civilization among the 

 aboriginal population, namely, the taste for agricultural 

 improvement by no means keeps pace with their progress 

 in point of mental cultivation. By giving them a direct 

 interest in the land itself, by securing a fixed location 

 to each family, it is predicted that their attention will 

 be turned to the improvement of it. Hitherto each tribe 

 or band settled within the limits of the province has held 

 the reserves apportioned to them in common, and are 

 by law exempt from taxes and assessments. 



The conclusions at which the Canadian Commissioners 

 have arrived, after a very patient and protracted investi- 

 gation of the condition of Indians in Canada, may be thus 

 briefly expressed f: — 



1. In all cases in Western Canada where a final loca- 

 tion of a band shall be determined upon, the head of each 



* Owen's Geological Report of Wisconsin, Iowa, &c, p. 327. 

 •j* Report of the Canadian Commissioners, Blue Book. 



