Agriculture
School
Wage Labour
Resources

Annual Report from Roderick McDonald, Indian Agent for Pictou County.

1885-10-24
1885-10-24

Rev. Roderick McDonald (Indian Agent)

Annual Report

PICTOU, N.S., 24th October, 1885 The Right Honorable The Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa. SIR, - I have the honor to transmit the following report for the year ended 30th, June, 1885. The remarks about the condition of the Indians can vary but little from those of the year preceding. There has been no school taught on the reserve since last fall. The teacher who has taught for some time past has resigned her position for another calling, and no one, as yet, can be found to take her place. The progress of the children at school was very slow on account of irregular attendance. Little more interest than in other years is manifested in farming, and keeping their fields well fenced. As they keep no cattle there is a great drawback in the want of manure to enrich the soil. The crop consists principally of potatoes and wheat, and with these they are fairly successful. They attend to their other avocations, such as fishing, coopering, & c., very industriously; but although they earn a good deal of money,they have no facility in economizing. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, RODERICK McDONALD, Agent, District No. 8.

eng

Annual Report of the Department of Indian Affairs for the Year Ended 31st December 1885 (Ottawa: Dominion of Canada, 1886), 96.