Panama; distance, 4,500 miles. I crossed the Isthmus of Panama, forty-seven miles; at Aspinwall I took ship for New York, 2,000 miles, and from New York came to St. Louis, I,2oo miles. Upon arriving in St. Louis I found your good, dear letters of the 29th of July and 23d of November. I am very grateful to you for them. My health is not good, but that is generally the case after each long journey that I make. The cessation of fatigues uses me up more or less and it takes me some little time to get back into my ordinary equilibrium. I will write you more fully later. Upon my arrival in New York I forwarded a box to Gustave van K.'s address. It contains two beautiful buffalo robes of extraordinary fineness, like silk; one painted deer skin, some moccasins or Indian shoes (my dear Alice is to choose the prettiest pair for herself), seashells from Acapulco and Panama, and some photographs of Pierre Jean. I wrote Gustave to divide them with Charles and Paul. In the same box are three copies of Western Missions and Missionaries and six of New Indian Sketches, recently printed in New York. Please have a copy of each work sent to M. le Chanoine de la Croix and to Reverend Father Terwecoren at Brussels.
In all probability I shall return to the mountains some time in April next. I ardently hope to hear from you soon and often.
Believe me, etc.
St. Louis University, February 26, 1864.
°Dear FRANCIS
I wrote you on the 24th of December, immediately after my return to St. Louis, in reply to yours good letters of July and November. I was very much indbposed at that time and my letter was necessarily short by reason of my indis
From the French.