hich,
nevertheless, boded ill for the hoped for disappearance of the plague
beneath the snows and cold of winter. With regard to the supply of
medicine sent by direction of the Board of Health in Manitoba to the
Saskatchewan, I have only to remark that I conveyed to Edmonton the
portion of the supply destined for that station. It was found, however,
that many of the bottles had been much injured by frost, and I cannot in
any way favourably notice either the composition or general selection of
these supplies.

Amongst the many sad traces of the epidemic existing in the Upper
Saskatchewan I know of none so touching as that which is to be found in
an assemblage of some twenty little orphan children gathered together
beneath the roof of the sisters of charity at the settlement of St.
Albert. These children are of all races, and even in some instances the
sole survivors of what was lately a numerous family. They are fed,
clothed, and taught at the expense of the Mission; and when we consider
that the war which is at present raging in France has dried up the
sources of charity from whence the Missions of the North-west derived
their chief support, and that the present winter is one of unusual
scarcity and distress along the North Saskatchewan, then it will be
perceived what a fitting object for the assistance of other communities
is now existing in this distant orphanage of the North.

I cannot close this notice of the epidemic without alluding to the danger
which will arise in the spring of introducing the infection into
Manitoba. As soon as the prairie route becomes practicable there will be
much traffic to and from the Saskatchewan--furs and robes will be
introduced into the settlement despite the law which prohibits their
importation. The present quarantine establishment at Rat Creek is
situated too near to the settlement to admit of a strict enforcement of
the sanitary regulations. It was only in the month of October last year
that a man coming direct from Carlton died at-this Rat Creek, while his
companions, who were also from the same place, and from whom he caught
the infection, passed on into the province. If I might suggest the course
which appears to me to be the most efficacious, I would say that a
constable stationed at Fort Ellice during the spring and summer months
who would examine freighters and others, giving them bills of health to
enable them to enter the province, would effectually meet the
requirements