The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02
BIG GAME PLENTIFUL,
Bear, Moose and Caribou Numerous at
the Upper Ottawa's Sources.

Bear, Moose and Caribou Numerous at
the Upper Ottawa's Sources.
An Indian missionary, Rev. Father
Laniel of the Oblat order, has recently
returned to civilization from the long
est trip yet made by any Of his order
to minister to the aboriginal inhabit-
ants of the wild and little known coun-
try watered by the sources of the up
per Ottawa river. From the outer con-
fines of civilization at Mattawa the
missionary Travelled no less than 800
miles through this rough north coun
/ try, the greater part of his journey be-
ing made in a birch bark canoe. He
/ passed by the headwaters of the
Gatineau, the Desert, the Coulonge,
the DamOine and Lake Keepewa, visit
ing also the Indians of the posts of
Barriere, Grand Lake Victoria and
Grassy lake. At Barriere the mission
ary found $50 Indians congregated to
trade with the factor of the Hudson
Bay Company. Their method of bart
ering with the company is quite ingeni-
Gus. For the first day or two after
their appearance at the post they say
nothing of their hunt and make no
offer to sell anything to the factor.
Finally their discretion is overcome by
their want of tobacco or -four or
trinkets, and they cautiously advance
with few skins, which they dispose
of for the means Of supplying their
immediate wants. To all inquiries
they reply that the hunt has been
poor one, and that they have secured
but few trophies Of their chase
Gradually more and more peltries are
produced, and soon the entire seasons
| hunt is disposed of, immediate use be-
ing made of the goods obtained in ex-
change, with no regard for future
necessities. Nominally, these Indians
are Christians, but practically they
live in the grossest immortality. Father
Lanlel In his last trip persuaded five
couple to pass through the ceremony
of matrimony, and other missionaries
testify to the difficulty which they ex-
perience in preventing polygamy and
in inducing some of the leading men
of the tribe to put aside their superflu-
Gus wives. These Indians are exceed
ingly superstitious, and the killing of
bear is the occasion of a remarkable
festival among them. The bears head
is placed upon pole with piece of
tobacco in the mouth. While some
contend that this is simply to show
other Indians that bears have been
found there, or to keep the skull be-
yond the reach of dogs, others say that
it is to honor the animal and propiti-
ate the spirit of it's kind. At times
many bears skulls may be seen upon
the same pole. Occasionally the skulls
of beavers are treated thus. But this
season beavers have been exceedingly
rare, and but few have been killed, and
now the animal is to be protected by
law until 1900.
Apart from the skulls, the bones OF
animals killed in the chase are buried
in the ground, thrown into deep water
or consumed with fire. The painted
skin of bear cub forms an essential
part of the outfit of the conjurers or
medicine men. One of the Indians met
by Father Laniel killed five bears in
one month. These animals are now re-
ported to be very plentiful. The moose,
the red deer and the caribou are plen-
tiful in the country hunted over by
these Indians, who are consequently
more fortunate than those whose hunt
ing grounds are in the interior of Lab
rador Immense fish are taken in the
Grand Lake Victoria and other waters
oyeE which these Indians paddle their
birch bark canoes, including sturgeon
weighing up 10 fly pounds pounds each. Pike
and lake trout are caught up t0~forty
mounds each.-NaW York Sun.