Smith's Canadian gazetteer - ElectricCanadian.com

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and at some seasons not one. The nunihi-r at the Manitowawning school had
cot exceeded forty-five, but it had never fallen bi-low twelve.
On the 15th November, there were resident at Wttjueinakong, ninety-four
families, and at Manitowawning forty-four familie.s, making togetiier 1.38
families, which on an average of four members to a family, would form a
population of 55'2. The number settled, or wandering in other parts of the
island, and living in wigwams, or temporary bark hut.s was estimated at 150
Ht least, making a total population of 702.
The following is the present size and extent of the two settlements; each
occupies about 200 acres of land. The several houses are surrounded with
gardens, and the farms are for the most part at a distance. This arrangement
was resorted to, with a view of preserving their crops from the cattle, without
the trouble of making enclosures; but it has not answered the intention, as the
cattle roam much farther than was expected, and it has been found necessary
to commence fencing.
The Wequemakong village, which has been longest established, contains in
all seventy-eight buildings, viz., seventy-three Indian houses, one for the missionary,
and another for the schoolmaster, a church, a school-house, and a sawmill.
The Manitowawning village contains fifty-five buildings, viz., thirty -seven
Indian houses, six of the same description occupied by the mechanics and
labourers, four larger houses, occupied by the superintendent, missionary, surgeon,
and schoolmaster, three shops (blacksmiths', carpenters', and coopers'),
an excellent frame store, of sixty by thirty feet, and two stories in height, one
Jog barn, a school-lionse, a saw-mill (built by contract in 18.39), and a sawyer's
house, and a eliurch has since been erected. Besides these there are, in both
Tillages, a number of outhouses for cattle, small storehouses, &c.
All the buildings are of wood; those of the latter village have been erected
either by the resident artisans in the employment of tlie government, or by
contract. Those at Wequemakong having been chiefly built by the Indians
themselves, with the assistance of nails and glass, axes, &c. afforded by the
government, are neither so heat nor substantial as the others.
Soon after the commencement of the settlement of the Manitoulin, doubt.s
were entertained as to the climate and fertility of tiie island, and its fitness for
tJie residence of the Indians, which increased the reluctance of the Indians
settled in the more southern portions of the province, to resort to the island, and
has continued to prove an obstacle to the increase of the settlement. These
objections having been represented to the Secretary of State, his Lordship suggested
that an enquiry should be made on the spot by Major Bonnycastle, of
the Royal Engineers. The result has not come under the notice of the commissioners,
but the reports of the r^'sident Agent leave no reason to doubt that
the island is in every May suited for habitation. The climate is very hoalthy;
tlie temperature is moderate; the winter sets in about the beginning of November;
the cold is not unusually severe; the snow seldom lies more than two feet
deep, and the spring opens about the middle of April. The formation of the
islands is limestone. The soil is generally a mixture of clay and sand, with
limestone pebbles. Some parts of the island are stony, but there is abundanc«
of land favourable for cultivation. The cedar swamps on the high land, of
which perhaps one-third of the island consists, though at present wet in the fall
and spring, appear to be laud of the finest ipiaiity, being of a deep black loam,
and free from stone. When these are (opened and exposed to the sun, they will
K'come dry, and fit for any kind of cultivation. The timber of the uplands is
o4' the usual kinds of hard wood met with in other parts of the province, viz.,
maple, basswood, elm, red and white oak. pine, &e. &.c. Both the soil and
climate are favoiu'able to cultivation, abundant crops of all kinds of grain raised
by the Indians in other parts of the province, have been annually produced.
Cattle thrive well; during the winter they are allowed to roam about and lind