mercial importance, and each has a population of about 1,500 inhabitants. A considerable trade has been developed also at Forts Boise, Benton, Owen, Lemhi, Hall and Bonneville. Some of these forts contain garrisons, or rather a few soldiers to protect the emigrants against the depredations of the numerous bands of Indians that roam all over the immense territory. These statements in regard to new towns have reference only to 1861. That same year the production of gold was valued at $5,ooo,ooo; in 1862 it amounted to over $20,000,000.
St. Louis University, Oct. 5, 1864.
Very Reverend Father-General:"
I hope your Paternity will have received my long letter of the loth of August last. In it I gave you a little outline of my missionary work and my latest excursion among the Indians of the Upper Missouri. Immediately after my return to St. Louis the Reverend Father Provincial sent me to Washington to look after the Society's interests. The Government had withheld for eight months the payments due, by treaty, to the Indian schools among the Potowatomies and Osages, amounting to the sum Of $13,81O.6o. The urgencies of the war required all the public funds; but upon my request, backed by several of the cabinet ministers, I was able to obtain the sum of $10,197.06, with the assurance that the balance, $3,613.54, should be allowed the respective missions in the course of a month.
There was another affair that was disquieting us greatly - the universal conscription from which neither priests nor members of religious orders are exempt. Father Verdin and Brother Flanigan, in Kentucky, had already fallen under the lot and been drafted. I addressed myself to the Secretary of War, and by the Lord's favor, through the
22 From the French.