PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE AGENCY, MAN.

MANITOBA,
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, AGENCY,
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, 22nd July, 1896.

The Honourable
The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs,
Ottawa.

SIR, - I have the Honour to submit for the information of the department my report with tabular statement showing the state of the Indians under my charge, with inventory of all Government property and the approximate value 4 the same for the year ended the 30th June, 1896.

This comprises five reserves is follow: -

ROSSEAU RIVER RESERVE PROPER.

This reserve is situate at the confluence of the Red and Rosseau Rivers. It has an area of some thirteen thousand five hundred and fifty-four acres. This reserve is well adapted for farming and stock-raising, as there is an abundance of hay and the Rosseau River runs through a portion of it, and the soil cannot be surpassed in any part of the North-west.

ROSSEAU RIVER RAPIDS RESERVE.

This reserve is situate on the Rosseau River eighteen miles from its mouth; it has an area of only eight hundred acres. This reserve is well adapted for farming, as it is high and dry. This is no hay on it and the soil is much lighter than at the mouth of the river, but grain does well on it as also potatoes and other roots.

Tribe. - These bands belong to the Chippewas and speak their language.

Vital Statistics. - They have a population of about two hundred still fifty-one: men, sixty-eight; women, seventy-seven, and one hundred and six children. There were thirteen birth, and seventeen deaths. There was an immigration of seven, and an emigration of two, making it an increase of one over last year, but reducing the band by four, the deaths exceeding the births by that number.

Health and Sanitary Condition. - The health of the Indians in general, was pretty good. The deaths were from natural causes. There were no infectious diseases among them.

Occupation. - Some fifteen of these Indians farm and the majority of them make a great deal out of digging snake root; they get from seventeen to twenty-five cents a pound for it. They had a very good crop of wheat and got a good price for it.

Buildings, Stock and Farming Implements. - Their stock looks very well. Only a few of these Indians have good buildings. Their farming implements are in pretty good condition, but they are not careful of them.

Education. - These bands have no schools and only a few of them attend the industrial school at St. Boniface. The parents are generally opposed to sending their children away from home. There are about thirty children of school age in these bands. There are no schools on the reserves and the parents are not interested in education, especially the band at the rapids.

Religion. - There are quite a number of the bands located at the mouth of the river who are members of the Roman Catholic Church. They are building a small church which they expect to have completed this fall. In general, they are not much interested in religion.