and was put ashore at Fort Rice,' in the midst of a great number of Indians, who were waiting for me and overwhelmed me with frienship. They had come thither to be present at the great Peace Council. I reached Fort Rice on the morning of May 24th, the Feast of the Holy Virgin, "Auxilium Christianorum," a most propitious day to obtain from heaven favors for the poor Indian tribes, " seated for so many ages in the shadow of death." For a great number of years they have been asking urgently for Catholic missionaries, Black-gowns, as they call them. This is the only region of the United States destitute of any spiritual aid. Will it some day be furnished with pastors, to lead these stray sheep, so favorably disposed, to the true fold of the Lord?
Upon arriving at Rice, I had first to pass through a numerous file of Indians, ranged along the shore. In all their fantastic accoutrements, they made a truly picturesque and, for the kind, admirable spectacle; their heads were adorned with feathers and silk ribbons, in which red and blue predominated, and their faces were daubed with the most varied colors. I received a good grip from each one, according to their etiquette and usage; I noticed that those who knew me squeezed my hand much harder than the others. My little baggage was then taken to the lodging that had been prepared for me beforehand, and all the great chiefs of the different tribes were waiting for me there to hear the important news of the Government's intentions toward them.
You will readily perceive that I had my hands full at Rice. The first four days after my arrival were employed in the instruction of the Indians and in conferring the holy sacrament of baptism upon all their little children, to the number of six or seven hundred. The 29th, 3oth and 31st Of May
8 A military post, located on the right bank of the Missouri river, six miles above the mouth of the Cannonball river. It was established in 1864.