Cheyenne, by the way, is a real wonder in its way; it was barely six months old on the 6th of last April, and had already nearly 9,ooo inhabitants. At the present time this floating city has hardly more than 3,ooo. Bentonville, in the same region, is only one month old, and on the fourth day of its existence it had a population of over 4,ooo. Together with the generals, we made an excursion of forty miles, for observation and pleasure, to the summit of the Black Hills, [Sherman Pass] which the railroad crosses on the way to San Francisco. We were assured that this is the highest point attained by a railroad hitherto, being 8,ooo feet above sea-level. The Peace Commissioners then turned their faces toward Fort Laramie. According to the arrangement, I returned to Omaha, where I spent the Paschal period. I then took passage on the steamer Columbia for Fort Rice, a distance by water of 1,005 miles. The Missouri was at that time very low, and our progress slow in consequence; we had to get over and through many banks and bars of sand and clay. The greedy furnaces of our steamboat consumed fifteen to twenty cords of wood daily. When the boat stopped to cut or load a supply, I often had occasion to exercise the holy ministry among the inhabitants of the region who came down to the woodyard or wharf, marrying couples who were awaiting the presence of a priest to receive the nuptial benediction, and regenerating in the holy waters of baptism a great number of children and several adults. The captain and his first officer (father and son), the two pilots and others of the principal employees, were all good Catholics. I had my little chapel on board and I had every day the consolation of offering the holy sacrifice of the mass. The officers and the Catholic passengers took advantage of this to approach the holy table of the Lord from time to time, especially on the solemn feast days. After thirty-three days of constant struggle with the current, sandbars and snags, I thanked and bade farewell to the worthy captain and all my old and new acquaintances