to grant them agricultural implements, seeds, plows and oxen to till the soil. I repeat it, if our Indians become enraged against the whites, it is because the whites have made them suffer for a long time.
At the close of the grand council the mothers, with their babies to the number of 174, were waiting for me for baptism.
I have sent several expresses into the interior of the country to announce to the hostile bands my intention of visiting them. I expect their reply within the next two months. I venture to hope for some result; I offer my poor prayers to the Lord for the good success of my pacific mis
sion, upon which depend my future movements. Meanwhile, I shall continue my visits among the redskins, in the
region of Forts Rice, Berthold and Union. My messengers are to wait for me at Fort Sully. To go and come from Sully to Union and return, the distance is 1,430 miles.
June 1st. Heavy rain all night, thick fog and cold weather. Toward noon the sun came through and soon it was stifling hot.
I spent the whole day with the principal chiefs in conversation concerning religion and the present critical and dangerous situation of the plains tribes, toward the American Government. After the example of the whites, the Indians have proclaimed a sort of martial law; the war chiefs have assumed sole command.
To-day I conferred baptism on thirty-three young children of the Bride band.
June 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th. These four days were principally employed in conferences with the Indians. The heat is
very great. The coming and going is without end. Little Soldier, second chief of the Yanktonnais, has joined the
camp; his tribe reckons more than 400 lodges or tepees. He listened attentively to the religious instructions that I gave him and to the messages with which I was intrusted by the
Government. Little Soldier in his turn talked to me about the friendly disposition of his tribe toward the whites, who