for our sakes, over a space Of 400 miles, which separated us from the main camp.
Such were they who now greeted us. Let them tell their own story.
They had prayed daily to obtain for me a happy journey and a speedy return. Their brethren continued in the same good disposition; almost all, even children and old men, knew by heart the prayers which I had taught them the preceding year. Twice on every week day, and three times on each Sunday, the assembled tribe recited prayers in common. Whenever they moved their camp, they carried with them, as an ark of safety, the box of church ornaments left in their custody. Five or six children, whom I had baptized, had gone to heaven during my absence; the very morrow of my departure, a young warrior whom I had baptized the day previous, died in consequence of a wound received from the Blackfeet about three months before.Another, who had accompanied me as far as the Fort of the Crows, and was as yet but a catechumen, died of sickness in returning to the tribe, but in such happy dispositions that his mother was perfectly consoled for his loss by the conviction that his soul was in heaven. A girl, about twelve years of age, seeing herself on the point of dying, had solicited baptism with such earnestness that she was baptized by Peter the Iroquois, and received the name of Mary.After having sung a canticle in a stronger voice than usual, she died, saying: " Oh, how beautiful! I see 1ffary, my
mother." So many favors from heaven were calculated to instigate the malice of hell. The enemies of salvation had accordingly attempted to sow the cockle among the good grain, by suggesting to the chiefs of the tribe that my conduct would be like that of so many others, who, " once gone, had never returned." But the head chief had invariably replied: " You wrong our Father; he is not double-tongued, like so many others. He has said : ` I will return,' and he will return, I am sure." The interpreter added that it was this conviction which had impelled the venerable old man,