PARRY SOUND SUPERINTENDENCY.
increase of two compared with last year. The cause of the three deaths was consumption. Of these two are specially to be deplored, as they were the best educated girls in the superintendency.

Health and Sanitary Condition. - The health of the Indians of this band has been good. The deaths, above referred to, occurred in two families in which several relatives had previously died of the same disease.

Occupation. - These Indians have abundant means of earning a living. In addition to their farms, which might be better cultivated, they depend to some extent on basket-making and the manufacture of Indian work. The men during summer act as guides to tourists and others, and during winter and spring they work in the lumber woods and on the timber drives.

Buildings, Stock, & c. - These, I regret to say, are of an interior character. Progress, however, is the order of the day, and a mower, owned by a Cape Croker Indian resident on this reserve, made its appearance on the island this summer.

Education. - I regret that the educational affairs of this band are not all that could be desired. There are two schools on the reserve, each taught by a white female teacher, holding a third-class certificate, and though there are twenty-two children of school age in the band, independent of the children of Indians who reside on the reserve but do not belong to the band, the average daily attendance at both schools does not amount to half the above number. The regrettable cause of this is the lack of interest taken by the parents in the education of their children. The progress of the pupils who attend school regularly is good; the course of studies taught is that authorized by the department, and the equipment of both schools, as well as the discipline and order, are all that could be desired, but all are to a great extent rendered ineffective by the smallness of the attendance.

Religion. - Religious denominations are represented by the Indians of this band in the following proportions: thirty-eight Methodists, twenty-three Roman Catholics and twenty-one pagans. The Methodists are ministered to by a resident missionary in a most comfortable and convenient church; and the Roman Catholics receive the occasional services of one of their clergy in the Skene school-house, their own church being, only in course of erection. The interest taken by these two classes of Indians in religious matters is all that could be reasonably expected, and, fortunately, they live together in thorough harmony.

Characteristics and Progress. - Without saying that the members of this band are as industrious, energetic and enterprising as could be desired, they compare favourably with many white settlers in this district. That they are sufficiently industrious, frugal and decorous is evidenced by the fact that no aid or relief has been asked for on behalf of any one of the band during the past year, nor has there been any conviction or even information tending to conviction for infraction of any of the laws of the land during the same period.

Temperance and Morality. - During the year not a single instance of intemperance in the use of intoxicating liquors has come under my notice, nor am I aware of the existence of any other form of immorality.

General Remarks. - My report on this band may be summed up by my saying that, except in the lack of interest taken in education, they are as comfortable, happy, contented, prosperous and progressive as could be expected or desired.

SHAWANAGA RESERVE.

Location. - This reserve is situated four miles inland from the eastern shore of Shawanaga Bay, on the east side of the Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, and twenty-three miles north of the town of Parry Sound.

Area. - It contains an area of fourteen square miles.

Resources. - Amongst the resources of this reserve is farming, the soil being light, dry and sandy, and rendered less productive by a neglect of proper fencing. These