CLANDEBOYE AGENCY, MAN.

Stock. - The Fisher River, Black River, and Jack Head Bands are slowly but surely increasing the numbers of their stock, while other bands do not exert themselves the least in that direction. The cattle at the above-mentioned reserves were well taken care of during the past winter and looking very fine in the spring.

Characteristics. - The Indians in this agency are in general submissive to the law and peaceable.

I have, & c.,
A. MACKAY,
Indian Agent.
MANITOBA,
CLANDEBOYE AGENCY,
SELKIRK, 30th August, 1896.

The Honourable
The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs,
Ottawa.

SIR, - I have the honour to submit for your information the following report and tabular statement, showing the state of the Indians under my charge, for the year ended June, 30th, 1896.

ST. PETER'S RESERVE.

Location, Area and Resources. - The Peter's Indian Reserve is situated on the banks of the Red River, beginning some eight miles south of the southerly end of Lake Winnipeg, and about eight miles square, comprising about thirty-four thousand acres of what might be called fairly good land for general farming; some nine thousand acres of this is under wood, some fifteen thousand is swamp and bush, which is of little use except for pasture the remainder of the reserve is good farming and hay land, the bush land is all good farming land. Where there is prairie it is much cut up with hay or swamp land, so that it is difficult to find more than ten acres of good farming land in one piece; but on the whole it is it splendid piece of property and eminently suited to an Indian population. The Red River, Devil's Creek, Muckle's and Wavy Creeks, which flow through it are alive with all kinds of fish; wild-fowl are plentiful, thousands of muskrats are caught annually. Any one who wishes to farm can have all the land he wants; if he wants to keep cattle or horses, they have one of the finest grazing and sections in the province.

Tribe. - The St. Peter's Band is composed of Swampy-Crees and Ojibways, about evenly divided,

Vital Statistics. - There are in this band two hundred and eighty men and three hundred and two women and five hundred and sixty-eight children. During the year were forty-nine births and fifty-three deaths - thirty-seven children and sixteen adults. The latter died principally from consumption and old age; most of the children died from whooping cough. Thus there were four more deaths than births. There was an increase of thirteen in the population compared with the last payment, that number of Indians having returned to the reserve.

Health and Sanitary Condition. - The health of the Indians of this band has been above the average. Last fall whooping cough caused a number of deaths among the children. Every member of the band has been vaccinated, except some of the very young children, by Dr. Orton. All refuse matter around the houses has been burnt; a great many of the houses are as clean and tidy as any in the province.