chieftains in their speeches at the council at Fort Rice, expressed the desire of my forming a missionary station in their midst. In particular they entreated me to that effect. I made no formal promise to them and have answered sim ply, " that I would do my best to bring it about." I learn from various sources that Two Bears, chief of the Yanktonnais, and several others have been anxiously expecting me. I arrived in St. Louis on the , 7th ult., leaving the cool climate of Belgium and stepping so suddenly into the fullest heat of our Missouri summer, that I have been rather suffering ever since. However, I have not abandoned the intention of visiting the Sioux tribes in the neighborhood of Forts Sully and Rice as soon as I shall be able and feel strong enough for the trip.
The situation of affairs in the upper country having somewhat changed in regard to missionary establishments, permit me to lay before you my plan, if admissible. Your views on the subject will be gratefully received. My visit to the upper country would be to select a place where a missionary station may be commenced early next spring and where manual-labor schools may in time be erected. In my visits last year I found all the half-breeds, who are mostly Catholics, very sanguine on the subject and several of the most prominent chiefs in the council at Fort Rice made the same request to the commissioners.
Honorable Sir, I have another important matter to lay before your consideration - a letter from the Reverend Father Dielo, which I just received from St. Mary's Mission, Kansas. I feel particular interest in said mission because it was the Potowatomies, now of St. Mary's, among whom I first commenced my missionary career. This mission has been in a flourishing condition for about thirty years. At various times the establishment has been visited by most distinguished and eminent men of the United States. Senators Doolittle, Foster and Ross, General Ewing and a host of others, have at various times honored it with their presence and pronounced the establishment "A