Agriculture
School
Education
Survey
Boundaries

Annual Report from Indian Agent McDonald. McDonald reported that a full survey of the reserve at Boat Harbour had been conducted that year, and gave a short discussion of the Mi'kmaq who lived on Indian Island. Also highlighted the previous year's potato crop.

1900-09-26
1900-09-26

Rev. Roderick McDonald (Indian Agent) (Author)
Clifford Sifton (Superintendent General Indian Affairs) (Recipient)

Annual Report

MICMACS OF PICTOU COUNTY, EUREKA, September 26, 1900. The Honourable The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa. SIR, - I have the honour to submit my annual report of Indian affairs in this county for the year ended June 30, 1900. Reserve. - A survey of the whole reserve at Fisher's Grant has been made in accordance with instructions from the department, and the total area is one hundred and sixty-four acres. With the exception of about thirty-five acres, the reserve is mostly under wood; it takes a great deal of labour to cultivate it. The soil is naturally good, and under proper treatment yields well. Crops. - The potato crop last year was excellent. Many of the Indians had as much as twenty bushels over what they required for their winter use and spring seed. The other crops have been fairly good. The Indians are becoming every year more industrious, and more interested in the support of their families, and are not depending as much upon alms from white people as formerly. MICMACS OF QUEEN'S AND LUNENBURG COUNTIES, N.S. Vital Statistics. - There were nine deaths and eleven births during the year, which gives an increase of two to the population of the reserve. Education. - The school at Fisher's Grant is showing good results. The improvement in the manner and appearance of the children is quite evident. INDIAN ISLAND RESERVE. The reserve at Indian Island, Merigomish, has during the summer a population of about forty persons; but in the beginning of winter they remove to Pine Tree, where they are allowed by the owners of the land to build shanties. An island is not a convenient place to live on during the early part of the winter and spring. The state of the ice is dangerous, and it is not, therefore, easy to reach the mainland in case of necessity. This is the reason that they remove to the mainland in the fall. Several families of Fisher's Grant Reserve own lots of land on this island. The soil is very good, and under proper cultivation would yield profitably. I have, & c., RODERICK McDONALD, Indian Agent.

eng

Dominion of Canada, Annual Report of the Department of Indian Affairs for the year ended 30th June 1900 (Ottawa: S.E. Dawson Printer to the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, 1901), 72.