back, little by little, by gentleness especially, and by recalling to them the great truths of religion concerning the end of man. Why have we not here two dozen zealous missionaries? Will Europe refuse them to us?
Fort Berthold, June 24, 1864. (i,gl6 miles from St. Louis.)
On the 25th of May the boat stopped a moment at the Yankton Agency, to allow me to visit a poor sick woman and to confer the sacrament of baptism on two children. The same day it stopped at Fort Randall, where six children received the same benefit.
On the following day, while the boat was taking on its supply of wood for the day, I made my way into the forest. A rather roomy path brought me to a little but not far from the river. The solitary inmate recognized me at the first glance and saluted me in the most affectionate manner. He was surprised but glad at the fortunate meeting. He called his Indian wife and they presented their children to me for baptism.
May 31st, the boat halted at Fort Sully, the old Fort Pierre, to discharge part of its cargo. This stop gave me several hours; I improved this time to take a little exercise, of which I had need after my long detention on the boat; I utilized it also for the good of souls. The half-breeds invited me to come to the principal cabin, and directly there came the mothers to have ten of their children regenerated in the holy waters of baptism.
The news of my arrival went out at once to two camps of Sioux Indians, the Kettles and the Yanktonnais; they observe a kind of neutrality, and hold more or less aloof from the hostile bands. The chiefs came to pray me to enter among them, saying `.` that the mothers had come out with their little ones, to put them under the special pro-