having obtained the vaccine matter from a Salteaux Indian who had
been vaccinated at the Mission of Prince Albert, presided over by Rev.
Mr. Nesbit, sometime during the spring. In this matter of vaccination a
very important difference appears to have existed between the Upper and
Lower Saskatchewan. At the settlement of St. Albert, near Edmonton, the
opinion prevails that vaccination was of little or no avail to check-the
spread of the disease, while, on the contrary, residents on the lower
portion of the Saskatchewan assert that they cannot trace a single case
in which death had ensued after vaccination had been properly performed.
I attribute this difference of opinion on the benefits resulting from
vaccination to the fact that the vaccine matter used at St. Albert and
Edimonton was of a spurious description, having been brought from Fort
Benton, on the Missouri River, by traders during the early summer, and
that also it was used when the disease had reached its height, while, on
the other hand, the vaccination carried on from Mr. Nesbit's Mission
appears to have been commenced early in the spring, and also to have been
of a genuine description.

At the Mission of St. Albert, called also "Big Lake," the disease
assumed a most malignant form; the infection appears to have been
introduced into the settlement from two different sources almost at the
same period. The summer hunting-party met the Blackfeet on the plains and
visited the Indian camp (then infected with small-pox) for the purpose of
making peace and trading. A few days later the disease appeared among
them and swept off half their number in a very short space of time. To
such a degree of helplessness were they reduced that when the prairie
fires broke out in the neighbourhood of their camp they were unable to do
any thing towards arresting its progress or saving their property. The
fire swept through the camp, destroying a number of horses, carts, and
tents, and the unfortunate people returned to their homes at Big Lake
carrying the disease with them. About the same time some of the Crees
also reached the settlement, and the infection thus communicated from
both quarters spread with amazing rapidity. Out of a total population
numbering about 900 souls, 600 caught the disease, and up to the date of
my departure from Edmonton (22nd December) 311 deaths had occurred. Nor
is this enormous percentage of deaths very much to be wondered at when we
consider the circu