ANTHROPOMETRY OF THE CHIPEWYAN AND CREE INDIANS 
OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF LAKE ATHABASKA 
INTRODUCTION 
This is the second report on the physical characteristics of the North 
American Indians in Canada prepared by the author, who is Professor of 
Anatomy in the University of Manitoba, on behalf of the National Museum 
of Canada. The first report, for which material was collected in 1927, 
dealt with the Saulteaux and Cree Indians at Island lake, Gods lake, and 
Oxford House, northeastern Manitoba. The field work on which the 
present report is based was undertaken during the summer of 1928. The 
bands of Indians that were investigated have “reserves” (i.e., territory 
which by treaty is recognized as the private property of the Indians) at 
Fond-du-lac and Chipewyan, which lie respectively at the east and west 
ends of lake Athabaska, and at McMurray, Fitzgerald, and Fort Smith, 
which are situated on the banks of Athabaska and Slave rivers. Three of 
these reserves, namely Chipewyan, McMurray, and Fitzgerald, are within 
the province of Alberta; Fond-du-lac is in Saskatchewan, and Fort Smith 
is in the North West Territories. 
The Indians assemble on their reserves only for very brief periods 
during the year; notably do they endeavour to be, as it were, at home 
during the few days when the agent of the Department of Indian Affairs 
is due to pay his annual official visit, which occasion is referred to as 
“treaty” or “paying treaty.” At other times they are scattered over 
several hundreds of miles of territory, engaged, according to the season 
of the year, in fishing, trapping, or hunting. In consequence, oppor- 
tunities of getting into close touch with any one band are practically 
limited to a week or two during the summer months. A few days after 
the agent has paid his visit to a reserve the Indians disperse; and, in the 
case of Fond-du-lac, the several traders also close their stores and depart, 
with the result that this reserve is all but deserted. 
The journey to Fond-du-lac is not difficult. It may be made in 
relative comfort, but the opportunities of making it are few. A train 
leaves Edmonton once a week for Waterways (and McMurray) which is 
both the end of the railway and the beginning of the waterway. River 
boats with stern paddle-wheels sail weekly down Athabaska and Slave 
rivers during the few summer months the waters are not frozen. After 
calling at Chipewyan they follow the river, whose volume is swollen by 
the overflow from lake Athabaska, which lies to the east, and a few miles 
farther on by the entrance of Peace river which joins it from the west, 
and arrive at Fitzgerald. As 20 miles of rapids interrupt further navi- 
gation, a portage, which may be made by motor car, leads from Fitzgerald, 
which lies above the rapids, to Fort Smith, which lies below them. From 
Fort Smith to the Arctic ocean, a distance by water of 1,400 odd miles, 
the river again becomes navigable and another river-boat has time each 
season to make the return voyage twice. During treaty time two or 
