be held on our return from Fort Berthold. I will tell you of this later.
June 24th. The steamboat pursues its course. We saw the first herd of buffalo. A large number of passengers leaped ashore to go in pursuit of the animals. A single
buffalo was killed. One of the hunters, still green in this kind of hunting, got lost; and in spite of all searches and firing of cannon, could not be found.
June 28th. We reached Buford, near old Fort Union, at the mouth of the Yellowstone. This place is situated 255
miles from Fort Berthold and 2,240 from St. Louis. Fort Buford contains five companies of soldiers. I am dividing my time between writing and making myself useful to the soldiers and to the thirty lodges of Assiniboins. I have baptized a soldier and forty-seven Indian children, and given the nuptial benediction to three couples.
July 7th. Arrival of the Assiniboin chiefs and grand council. All declare themselves friendly to the whites and promise not to yield to the solicitations of the hostiles. We are waiting for the arrival of the Crow and Santee chiefs, to announce and explain to them the wishes of the Government. After that, I shall go down the river to Fort Rice or Fort Sully, and set out into the interior to visit the hostile bands, if the thing is practicable. The number of baptisms up to date is 857.
Pray for me and present my respects to all the brethren.
University of St. Louis, September, 1867.®
At the Yankton agency, near Fort Randall, (1,285 miles from St. Louis) I met the camp of the Yanktons (a Sioux tribe) who are about 2,500 in number. They are at peace with the whites, practice agriculture successfully and are cultivating with care some I,2oo acres. The chiefs, with
6 Extracts from letter in French to Charles De Coster, Belgium, September, 1867. ''