The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-02
At THE UPPER oTTAWA's SOURCES.
mig Game and Cauny but Immoral Hndian.
as Described BY . Missionary.

ss Described BY . Missionary.
QUEBEC, Canada. Oct. IAN Indian mission.
airy, the Rev. Father Laniel Of the Oblat Order.
has returned lately to civilization from the long
est trip yet made by any OF his order to minister
to the aboriginal inhabitants Of the wild and
little known country watered by the sources OF
the upper Ottawa River. From tho outer con-
fines OF civilization at Msttawa the missionary
travelled no less than 800 miles through this
rough north country. the greater part Of his
journey being made In a birch bark canoe.
He passed by the beadwaters OF the Gait
neau, the Desert. tho Coulonge. the Da-
moine. and Lake Keepewa, visiting also the
Indians of the posts of B~arriere, Grand Lake
Victoria, and Grassy Lake. At Barriere the
missionary found $50 Indians conEresated to
trnde with the factor OF the Hudson Bay Com
pany. Their method of bartering with the com
pany is quite ingenious. For the first day or
two after their appearance at the post they say
nothing of their hunt and make no offer to soil
anything to the factor. Finally their discretion
is overcome by their want of tobacco or flour or
trinkets. and, they CAUTIOUSLY ADVANCE with q
OF supp ying their immediate wants. To all in
quiriee they reply that the hunt has been a poor
Gradually more and moro peltries arc pro-
posed OF. Immediate use being made Of tho goods
obtained in EXCHANGE, with no regard for future
nece6 ties. NOmlnAlly. tn6Se INDIANS arc CnrlS-
tian. but practically they live in the Rrossest
immortality. Father Larirl In his last trip per-
suaded five couples to pass through. the core
testify to the difficulty which they experience in
the leading men OF tho tribe to put aside their
superfuous wives. These Indians arc still or
ceedingly superstitious and tho killing of a
bear is the occasion of q remarkable festival
among them. The bears head 10 placed unon Q
pole with q piece of tobacco In the mouth. While
some contend that this 10 simply to show other
Indians that bears have been found there. or to
keep the skull beyond the reach of dogs: others
say that it is to honor the animal and propitiate
the spirit of its kind. At times many bears
skulls may be seen upon the same pole. Occa-
sionRlly the skulls of beavers are treated thus.
But this season beavers have been exceedingly
rare. and but few have been killed, and now tho
animal is to he protected by law until 1900.
Apart from the skulls. tho bones of animals
killed In the chase are buried In the ground,
thrown into deep water or consumed with nre.
The painted skin OF q bear cub forms an essen.
tial part of the outfit of tho conjurers or medi-
cine men. One OF the Indians met.by Father
Laniel killed Ave bears in ono month. Those
animals are now reported to DO very
caribou arc plentiful in the country
quently much moro fortunate than those whose
hunting grounds are in tho interior of Labrador.
Immense fish are taken in the Grand Lake Vic
toria and other waters over which these Indians
paddle their birch bark canoes. including
sturgeon weighing up TO fifty pounds each.
Pike and lake trout are caught up to forty
mounds each.