bearer from the President of the United States, Mr. Lincoln. I spoke for two hours, and they listened with the greatest attention and the liveliest interest. The chief, Manchoute, "Soaring War Eagle," (he is six feet six inches in height) addressed me in reply, in fitting and well-chosen words, accompanied by a really remarkable oratorical bearing and gestures. This facility in speaking seems to be natural to the Indians of the plains. In his long harangue, he thanked me particularly " for my good will or benevolence toward them," and expressed the hope " that my counsels and advice would be strictly followed and ob
served." In closing, he added: " I renew to-day the desire that I have already expressed for some years past: we are poor wretches and ignorant; we wish to know the way in which the Great Spirit orders us to walk on earth. Oh! let the Black-robes come and reside among us, to put us, with our wives and children, in the path of truth, and we shall live happy! "
After the advice and the speeches, the Indian mothers came into the lodge with their babies, and placed themselves in a double and triple circle. What a consolation t Two hundred and four children were regenerated in the
holy waters of baptism. Everything passed off in the best
of order, though not altogether without noise. During the ceremonies, we were honored from time to time with a deafening chorus. All that was needed was for a young savage, seized with terror at the approach of the Black-robe, to exhibit the strength of his young lungs in piercing yells, to set all his comrades going in the same key. It was really
enough to split one's ears. The dogs on the outside added to the uproar by reinforcing the cries of the children with
their frightful howls and roars. But all in all, the xoth was
for me a beautiful and consoling day. The religious cere
monies occupied it all. Through the constant bending of my somewhat obese body, to give the baptism, I was scarcely able to move for several days afterward, met het geschot in den rug: with a " crick " in my back.