Through . the Maahensie Basin. By Charles Mahe. (Bimpkin, Marshall, and
Co. 8s. net.)—The second title of this book describes it as "A Narrative of the Athabasca and Pease River Treaty Expedition of 1899." It may be as well to explain that the opening up of the regions described by the rush of Minors and prospectors necessitated a formal arrangement with the native population. These regarded the new condition of things with suspicion, and even hatred. Signs of this state of feeling were not smelting, and it was wisely determined by the Dominion Government to make such provision for the tribes as would prevent difficulties in the future. The Commissioners appointed for this purpose were the lion. David Laird, who had already success- fully conducted Indian negotiations ; the Hon. James Ross, who was in the Government of the Territory 1 and Mr. J. A. McKenna, also an expert in Indian affairs. Father Lacombe, who has Indian blood ill his veins and had then worked among them for nearly fifty years, was an adviser. There was also a Half-Breed Scrip Commission, which was to supplement the Treaty, and to this Mr. Nair, the writer of this volume, was one of the secretaries. They started from Edmonton, in Alberta, on May 29th, and reached Athabasca Landing on June let. They had to ascend the Atha- basca, a very laborious task, while to descend is "ridiculously easy." "A hunter, bound for the Landing, set out from our camp at a great rate astride of a couple of logs which he held together with his feet, and disappeared round the bend below in a twinkling." From the Athabasca the travellers turned into the Lesser Slave River, and so tracked the lake of the same name. This was done on Juno 19th. Here the meeting with the Indians was held and the Treaty agreed to. Negotiations were carried on elsewhere, and it is noted as an extraordinary fact that at Fort Chipewyan one of the stipulations of the Indians was that a railway ehould be introduced into their country ! Then came the special work of the Half-Breed Scrip Commission. The " scrip" means certificates for land. For these there was a surprisingly great demand. It is pleasant to read Mr. Mair's testimony to the honesty of the people in this and in other respects. The second half of the volume is given to some valuable " Notes on the Mammals and Birds of Northern Canada" by Roderick Mac- farlane, formerly Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company.
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