A report summarizing the state of affairs for the Department of Indian Affairs in the Dominion of Canada for the year 1877. Vankoughnet makes several references to Pictou Landing, and to the Mi'kmaq more generally in Nova Scotia.
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"From Nova Scotia the Revds. Messrs. Macdonald and McGillivray, Indian Agents for the respective Counties of Pictou and Cape Breton, report a very gratifying and marked improvement in the industrial habits of the Indians of those localities; and the Rev. Mr. Chisholm, Indian Agent for Antigonish, reports that several additional houses have been built within the year by the Indians of his district, and that a growing desire is evinces by them to substitute houses for wigwams" (6). The school at Eskasoni Reserve, in Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, is reported by the Agent to be in a flourishing condition, and the children to be attending punctually. The only other school in Nova Scotia at present, is on the Reserve at Whycocomah.
It is proposed to establish schools during the ensuing year for the benefit of the Indians of Nova Scotia on the Reserve at Fisher's Grant, in the County of Pictou; on that of Middle River in the County of Victoria, and on the Bear River Reserve, in the County of Annapolis. On the last named Reserve a good school-house has been built, and a school was for some time in operation, but it was discontinued for some reasons unknown to the Department, and there has been no school kept there for several years, although the number of children of school age is quite large" (8).