The Treaties of Canada with the Indians of Manitoba and the North-West Territories Part 15

5th. That a number of the Norway House Indians came from Moose Lake and the c.u.mberland region, and possessed rights there which have been included in the boundaries.

6th. Unless the boundaries had been properly defined, in conformity with known geographical points, a portion of the country lying between the territories formerly ceded and those comprised in Treaty Number Five, would have been left with the Indian t.i.tle unextinguished.

For these reasons, the Commissioners defined the boundaries as they are laid down in the treaty, and it will remain with the Government to send a Commissioner to the Pas to obtain the adhesion of the Indians there to the treaty next summer, or not as they shall decide, though the Commissioners strongly urge that step to be taken as a necessity.

I forward the original of the treaty to you by the Hon. Mr.

Christie, and in order to the better understanding of the treaty area, I enclose a very valuable map copied from one made for me at my request on board of the Colville, by Roderick Ross, Esq., who accompanied me from Norway House to the Stone Fort, and to whom I was indebted for much valuable a.s.sistance and co-operation, as we were in fact to the Company's officers generally. This map is prepared from actual observation, and locates many places not indicated on any existing map, and covering as it does an area of over 100,000 square miles, which, exclusive of the great waters, has been included in the treaty, possesses much value.

I enclose herewith duplicates of the pay sheets, a statement of the cash expenditure, shewing the balance on hand of the credit which was given me for the purposes of the treaty, and statements of the distribution of the provisions and of the clothing, and medals, as given to the chiefs and head men. These statements will shew that every arrangement was made to secure the utmost economy in effecting the treaty, and yet to give satisfaction to the Indians concerned.

I mention here that the Indians were uniformly informed that no back payments of the present would be made to those who did not attend the meetings with the Commissioners, but that next year those not present would receive payment with the others, if they presented themselves.

I have to express my sense of the services rendered to the Government by my a.s.sociate the Hon. James McKay, and the Hon.

Thomas Howard, who acted as Secretary and Pay Master to the Commissioners as well as of the many kind services we received from Captain Hackland, and the other officers of the Colville, from the Wesleyan Missionaries, and from the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company.

I take this opportunity of suggesting that the supervision of Treaty Number Five, and the carrying out of the treaty obligations with the Indians of the St. Peter's Band, and of those of Fort Alexander and the River Roseau and Broken Head, which fall into Lake Winnipeg, should be entrusted to a local agent, stationed at the Stone Fort or in the vicinity of St. Peter's, and who would thence supervise the whole District.

In conclusion, I have only to express the hope that the action of the Commissioners, which in every respect was governed by a desire to promote the public interest, will receive the approval of the Privy Council, and be regarded by them as the satisfactory discharge of an onerous and responsible duty.

I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, ALEXANDER MORRIS, Lieut.-Gov. N. W. T.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, FORT GARRY 17th November, 1876.

TO THE HONORABLE THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR.

Sir,--I recommended in my despatch of the 7th June, that measures should be adopted to secure the adhesion of the Indians, who had not been met with when Treaty Number Five was concluded, and was requested by you to entrust the duty to Mr. Graham, of the Indian Department here, or to the Hon. Thomas Howard, Mr. Graham was unable to leave the office. I therefore entrusted the matter to Mr.

Howard and J. Lestock Reid, D.L.S. I gave these gentleman written instructions, a copy of which will be found appended to the report of Mr. Howard, in which I directed them to meet the Island Indians and those of Berens River together, and then to separate, Mr. Reid proceeding to Norway House and Mr. Howard to the Grand Rapids of the Saskatchewan and the Pas, this course being necessary to enable the work to be accomplished during the season. I have pleasure in informing you that these gentlemen discharged their mission most successfully and satisfactorily, as will be seen from the following reports, which I enclose, viz:--

A. Joint report of Messrs. Howard and Reid as to the Island Indians of Lake Winnipeg and those of Berens River.

B. Report of Mr. Howard as to the band at the Grand Rapids, and as to his negotiations with the Indians at the Pas.

C. Report of Mr. Reid with regard to the Norway House Indians.

D. Report of Mr. Howard, submitting the accounts of the expenditure incurred in carrying out my instructions.

1. It will appear from these reports that the Commissioners obtained the a.s.sent of the scattered bands among the islands and sh.o.r.es of Lake Winnipeg, and had them united in a band with one Chief and his Councillors.

2. That the Indians of the Grand Rapids of the Berens River accepted the treaty, being received as part of the band of Jacob Berens, and that the latter band wish their reserves to be allotted them and some hay lands a.s.signed.

3. That the Norway House Indians contemplate removal to Fisher's River, on Lake Winnipeg.

4. That the Indians of Grand Rapids have removed, as they agreed to do last year from the point where they had settled on the Saskatchewan, and which had been set apart as the site of a town.

5. That the Indians of the Pas, c.u.mberland, and Moose Lake gave their adhesion to the treaty and, subject to the approval of the Privy Council, have agreed upon the localities for their reserves.

6. That the bands at the Grand Rapids, the Pas, and c.u.mberland are in a sufficiently advanced position to be allowed the grant for their schools.

I forward herewith the balance sheet of Mr. Howard for the receipts and disburs.e.m.e.nts connected with the completion of the treaty and the payments, as also the various vouchers in support thereof. I placed the charge of the financial arrangements in the hands of Mr.

Howard, on whom also fell the longest period of service in the work entrusted to the Commissioners.

I also forward by parcel post, registered, the original of the a.s.sents to the treaty of the various bands.

To prevent complications and misunderstandings, it would be desirable that many of the reserves should be surveyed without delay, and, from Mr. Reid's connection with the treaty, and his fitness for the work, I think that he would be a suitable person to be employed in the duty.

I would remark in conclusion, that I requested Mr. Provencher to obtain the a.s.sent to the treaty of the band at the mouth of the Black River, and that be informs me that he obtained their adhesion and has so reported to you. The having obtained the a.s.sent of the whole of the Indians within the region treated for so far, is a most satisfactory feature of the year's operations.

I have, &c., ALEXANDER MORRIS, Lieut.-Governor.

A.

WINNIPEG, October 10th, 1876.

TO THE HON. ALEXANDER MORRIS, Lieutenant-Governor, Fort Garry.

Sir,--Under instructions received from you, dated 14th July last, we were directed to proceed to the Dog Head Point and Berens River, on Lake Winnipeg, and there obtain the adhesion of certain Indians to the treaty that was made and concluded at Norway House last year, and we have now the honor to report....

With a fair wind and fine weather we reached the Narrows on Monday afternoon, the 24th, at half-past four. Mr. Howard called at the Hudson's Bay Company's post to see about the provisions stored there, where he found Thickfoot and the Jack-Fish Head Indians encamped, about twenty-five families in all, and learned from them that they were desirous to meet and speak to us where they were, and not across the Narrows at the Dog Head; but as the place of meeting was distinctly fixed, Mr. Howard informed them that they would have to move their camps.

Mr. Reid having, in the meantime, gone to the Dog Head Point, was received with a salute from the Indians there encamped, viz.: the Blood Vein River, Big Island and Sandy Bar bands, and, almost simultaneously with Mr. Howard's arrival there, the Indians belonging to Thickfoot and the Jack-Fish Head arrived also.

We hardly had time to make our camp before being waited upon by a representative from all the bands except Thickfoot's, and they desired to know when we would be prepared to have a conference; and, having told them that the following day, the 25th, was the day appointed, and that we would meet them at eleven o'clock in the morning, we gave them some provisions and they withdrew. Thickfoot subsequently called upon us and stated that he was prepared at any time to meet us and sign the treaty, that he had learned that it was our intention to make only one Chief for all the Indians gathered there; that he had felt when the paper was placed in his hands last year by the Governor, that he was making him the Chief; that he had notified all the Indians that were there as he had agreed, and that they had threatened him with violence for saying he was to be Chief, and that he was afraid now to join them in any way, and that he and his band wished to be spoken to by themselves.

Upon hearing this, we informed him that he need not be afraid of violence, that the paper the Governor gave him merely stated that he was a princ.i.p.al Indian, and we would certainly recognize him as such, and if the Indians desired him to be their Chief it would be a great pleasure to us.

The following morning the Indians sent word by a representative from each band, except Thickfoot's, that they desired another day to meet in council before having a conference; but, feeling they had sufficient time already, yet not wis.h.i.+ng to hurry them too much, we extended the hour of meeting to four o'clock on the same day, which satisfied them, and when they promised to be ready.

About three o'clock, we were informed that the Indians had gathered, so we at once proceeded to meet them. The place we had chosen for the conference was on a granite plateau, and at one end our crews had erected a covering with boughs; a more suitable spot for the meeting could not be found.

After inquiring if they had all gathered, and, being a.s.sured that they had, we began to explain the object of our mission, but immediately saw that the bands were determined to be considered distinct and wished to be treated with separately, when we informed them that only one Chief would be allowed, and that before we could proceed any further we would require them all to meet together in council and there select one Chief and three Councillors, and be prepared to present them to us on the following day. This evidently gave great satisfaction to the Island Band, of which Ka-tuk-e-pin-ais was head man, but they all withdrew; before doing so, agreeing to be ready the next day at noon to meet us.

Before the hour appointed for the meeting the next day, another delegation came over and informed us that the Indians were not yet prepared, that they could not come to any decision as to who should be Chief, and again asked to have the hour of meeting extended to three o'clock, which we did upon the understanding that if they were not then prepared we would return and report the facts to you.

Shortly after, we noticed Thickfoot and his Indians sitting near our tents, and evidently taking no part in the selection of a Chief, so we called him over and found him still disinclined to join the other Indians. He stated that they would not have him as Chief, and that he would therefore remain away. We then explained that he could be head man of his band by being elected a Councillor to whoever would be appointed Chief, and at last prevailing upon him to go with his Indians to the Council tent, we requested the Rev. Mr. Cochrane to proceed to the Indian encampment and state to them that from each band other than the one from which the chief was chosen, a Councillor would have to be taken. By this means we saw our way to satisfy all the bands, and Mr. Cochrane having notified the Indians accordingly, we felt confident the choice of a chief would soon be made; but in this we were disappointed, as a messenger shortly after arrived and said no choice could be made, as Ka-tuk-e-pin-ais would do nothing unless he was chosen Chief. On hearing this Mr. Cochrane decided to visit the Indians in Council, and, having done so, proposed to them that they should elect a Chief by ballot, and having got them all to agree to this proposition, they proceeded to the election. Several ballots had to be taken, and at last resulted in favor of the chief Indian of the Blood Vein River band, Sa-ha-cha-way-a.s.s, and the Councillors elected were the head men from the Big Island, Doghead and Jack-Fish Head bands.

At three o'clock p.m., we were notified that the Indians had again gathered, when we proceeded to the place of meeting, and were presented to the Chief and two of his Councillors. Ka-tuk-e-pin-ais, the third Councillor, coming forward, said his band did not want him to act as Councillor; that he had seen the Governor the other day, and had been told by him that he would be the Chief of the Island Indians.

Whereupon we informed him that no such promise had been made by you, and that we could only recognize the choice of the majority. He then desired to withdraw from the negotiations, and wait until he saw you, before signing the treaty; but as we had learned that out of the twenty-two families that were in his band, all, with one or two exceptions, had received the annuity since 1870, with the St. Peter's Band, we made them sit by themselves, and then explained that by receiving the annuity as a large number of them had done, they had really agreed to the treaty and that we were there only to deal with those of the band that had at no time received money from the Queen.

Ka-tuk-e-pin-ais then said that there were very few of his Indians that had not received money from the Queen, but that he never had; that he was quite prepared to sign the treaty now, only some of his people did not want him to do so, unless we agreed to give them the Big Island for a reserve. This we at once refused, and at the same time told them that unless he and all his band agreed to the terms we offered them without further delay, they might return to their homes. Hearing this, they all withdrew, but soon returned, when Ka-tuk-e-pin-ais said one or two of his people did not want him to sign any treaty, but most of them did, and that he was going to do so.

He then took his seat along with the Chiefs and other Councillors, and we proceeded to explain the terms of the treaty. When we came to the clause referring to the reserves, each band was anxious that the places where they are in the habit of living should be granted them as reserves, and the locations of the same mentioned in the treaty; but as our instructions were positive on this point, we refused but a.s.sured them that the names of the places they asked for, we would certainly forward with our report to you, and we stated that with the exception of the location asked for by the Sandy Bar Indians, we felt sure the Government would grant their request, and give them their reserves where they desired. The following were the localities mentioned:--

DOG HEAD BAND.--The point opposite the Dog Head.

BLOOD VEIN RIVER BAND.--At mouth of Blood Vein River.

BIG ISLAND BAND.--At mouth of Badthroat River.

JACK-FISH HEAD BAND.--The north side of Jack Head Point, at the Lobstick, and the SANDY BAR BAND.--White Mud River, west side of Lake Winnipeg.