"The Government having resolved to hold a grand council of all the tribes of the upper Missouri, the Father Provincial (F. Elet), at the urgent request of D. D. Mitchell, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, sent Reverend Father Christian Hoeken and myself to join the expedition with a view of rendering any assistance in our power in furthering the views of the Government among the tribes with whom I had become acquainted. The opportunity, at the same time, was favorable to announce the consoling word of God to the poor benighted savages of these distant regions. On the 7th of June we left St. Louis on board the steamer St. Ange, bound for Fort Union near the mouth of the Yellowstone river."
June 10th cholera broke out on board and Father Hoeken died of it on the 19th, near the mouth of Little Sioux river, about half way between the modern Omaha and Sioux City - The boat stopped on its way among the several tribes to give Father De Smet an opportunity of consulting with them, and he made numerous horseback trips to their various camps - Arrived at Fort Union July 14th.
July 31st Father De Smet, accompanied by Major Culbertson and thirty-two Indian chiefs of the Assiniboin, Crow, Minnetaree and Aricara tribes, set out for the council ground on the Platte river near Fort Laramie - Crossed the high country west of the Yellowstone river to Fort Alexander on the left bank of this stream opposite the mouth of the Rosebud, where they arrived August 11th - Resumed their journey August 17th, crossed the Yellowstone and ascended the Rosebud to its source - Left the valley of the Rosebud August 22d and crossed over to the valley of the Tongue river - Left Tongue river next day and entered the watershed of Powder river in the valley of Piney Fork - Passed Lake De Smet (named on this occasion) on the 24th - Reached Powder river August 27th - Crossed the divide between the Powder and Platte rivers September 1st, and next day reached the Oregon and California road on the north bank of the Platte at the