WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES> North American Government Income Trust
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> Class C
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> Semi-Annual
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> Nov-30-2000
<PERIOD-START> Nov-30-1999
<PERIOD-END> May-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 2,422,295,759
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 2,364,877,548
<RECEIVABLES> 158,622,284
<ASSETS-OTHER> 276,206
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,523,776,608
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 317,612,067
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 250,000,000
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 20,069,222
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 587,682,289
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 265,201
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 2,224,449,335
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 34,030,556
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 35,400,690
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 31,540,241
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (200,041,460)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (57,038,516)
<NET-ASSETS> 1,936,094,319
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 124,863,613
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 25,348,807
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 99,514,806
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (82,637,443)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 93,545,638
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 110,423,001
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 13,649,897
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 3,151,627
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (5,357,837)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 836,076
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (64,465,041)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 22,511,086
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 117,404,017
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 7,231,608
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 8,386,962
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 25,348,807
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,975,110,092
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 7.31
<PER-SHARE-NII> .36
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .04
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> .40
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> .00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 7.31
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 2.85
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 250,000,000
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0.94
</TABLE>
