adults, blessed forty marriages, and heard over 5oo confessions.
The great chief of the Kootenais, named Michael, recalls in the midst of his tribe the life and virtues of the ancient patriarchs. His life is that of a good and tender father, surrounded by a numerous family of docile and affectionate children. His camp numbers 400 souls. They are all baptized, and they walk in the footsteps of their worthy
chief. It is truly a delightful spectacle to find in the bosom of these isolated mountains of the Columbia river, a tribe of poor Indians living in the greatest purity of manners,
and leading a life of evangelic simplicity. They are almost deprived of the succors of religion, and receive the visit of a priest but once or twice in the course of a year.
The sleep of a missionary among the Indians is always deep. His entire day, and a great part of the night, is spent in instructing them and arranging the affairs of their conscience. When his work is done, his slumber is profound, and it is not surprising that he hears nothing that passes around him. I wish to add, at this, point, a little chapter on the subject of Indian dogs. "Experto credo Roberto."
Having had much experience in this matter myself, I give ready and implicit faith to the statement made to me by Father Menetrey, as to the conduct of the dogs of the Kootenais. It is the reverse side of his beautiful description of life among this tribe. All is not beauty and pleasure in this charming wilderness. It is well that travelers at a distance should be forewarned of what they may expect, that they may provide themselves for the occasion. If the traveler has only one tent, he must be careful before he retires to barricade the entrance well, and surround it with brush; he must stop every crack and cranny and carefully hang out of reach not only all his provisions, but anything made of leather, or that has once had connection with flesh, otherwise he will find on waking that himself and his cattle are deprived of provender. The Indian dogs are as bad