Canada, it will render this book more complete to present the
reader, with information as to three treaties which preceded those
of the Dominion, viz., the treaty made by the Earl of Selkirk in
the year 1817, those popularly known as the Robinson Treaties, made
by the late Hon. William B. Robinson, of the City of Toronto, with
the Indians of the shores and islands of Lakes Superior and Huron
in the year 1850, and that made by the Hon. William Macdougall, for
the surrender of the Indian title, to the great Manitoulin Island,
both acting for and on behalf of the Government of the late
Province of Canada.

Ere however entering upon an explanation of these two first-mentioned
treaties, I submit a few brief observations.

The Indians inhabiting the region covered by the treaties in
question, extending in Canadian territory from Lake Superior to the
foot of the Rocky Mountains, are composed of distinct tribes having
different languages.

The Ojibbewas, Chippawas, or Saulteaux as they now call themselves,
are found in numbers in the District of Kee-wa-tin and the Province
of Manitoba. In the North-West Territories they are not numerous
except within the limits of Treaty number Four. These Indians
migrated from the older Provinces of Quebec and Ontario many years
ago.

The Crees, inhabit the North-West Territories and are divided into
Plain, Wood and Swampy Crees, according to the region of the
country they dwell in. The Swampy Crees reside in Manitoba and
Kee-wa-tin.