tection of the Great Spirit," that is to say, to receive baptism. They had gotten together and were squatting in a ring in the middle of the camp, in the open air. I gave them an instruction on the importance and necessity of baptism, and the principal dogmas of religion. They all appeared very attentive.
An Indian assemblage, come to listen to the word of God or to be present at any religious act, always behaves in the most respectful manner, which is really edifying to see. Watching them under these circumstances, one would imagine himself among Christians, rather than among unhappy pagans. Before the instruction, the chiefs keep saying to the priest, " Black-robe, give us strong words, because our hearts are so hard; we are ignorant as the ani mals on our plains; we need to hear thee. Speak; we are listening."
On the present occasion I distributed 164 images, bearing the names of the patron saints of the children baptized. I gave with each image a medal of the holy Virgin, to be borne about the neck as a token of their baptism. They keep these devotional objects with the greatest care.
The chief of the Yanktons, called Man Who Strikes the Ree, begged me most earnestly to obtain them an establishment for the instruction of their children. I promised that I would represent their distress and their good desires to the head chiefs of the Black-robes, that is, to the bishop and my superiors; I told them to hope, and to prepare themselves for this great favor by a good life, which would bring the blessings of the Great Spirit upon them. I then told them all about the Government's intentions in regard to them and the mournful consequences of war, and exhorted them to continue to keep the peace.
June 3d, as we went along, I espied sixteen lodges of Yanktonnais, grouped on a hill. They made us a signal to approach; we went to see them, and they invited us to a council, to deliberate upon the affairs of their country. They seemed irresolute, but hungry for news. We told