Indian Affairs for the Year ending 31st December, 1881, printed by Order of Parliament,” Ottawa. These volumes are almost identical in the nature and substance of their contents. Indeed, the reader might turn from the one to the other in perusing their pages, and be unable, except from the names of places in the heading of letters and documents, to decide from which of them he was receiving information. As all the lands within our boundary-lines are called our “domain,” so those of the Dominion are called “crown lands.” Precisely the same system of reservations, — with agents, superintendents, schools, teachers, resident farmers, etc., — with reports from each of the condition and prospects of their respective charges, with similar qualifications, difficulties, hopes of improvements, special embarrassments, are found in each volume. Supplies, helps, facilities, and inducements for the adoption of civilized ways are noted on both sides of the border. “Improvident Indians” appear in both regions. Some of the Canada agents complain that their red wards kill and eat the cattle sent to them for breeding, and consume the seed given to them for planting. “Some of these poor creatures were discovered, after having planted the potato seed under the instructor's eye, to have returned, unearthed what they had sown, and eaten it” (p. xvii). Another agent writes, “I never was so sick of the work as I have been the last two days: do what you can for the Indian, he cannot be satisfied” (p. xxxi). Many of the agents write of the importunity of some of the Indians to have deeds on paper of personal, private land-ownership. They receive only in special cases “location tickets,” conditioned on fixtures and improvements. Glass for windows, locks and other finishings, are given by Government when decent houses are built. The complaint always is that the Indians are most troublesome when in proximity to white settlements. The largest congregated band of savages, partially civilized, in any one place, seems to be those who represent the old Six
