The life of Brebeuf in the wilderness was like an unceasing hymn. Now he was instructing his youthful neophytes, who regarded him with a reverential love; now he was passing slowly through the village and the neighbouring forest, ringing a bell as the signal for older converts or inquirers to assemble for a religious conference; and so great was his influence on the minds of the sages and warriors of the forest, that he won, not only their listening ear, but inspired many of them with a profound friendship for him. Of this class was the great warrior Ahasistari, whose mind was of a singularly high character. It was thus that he acknowledged his faith in Jesus, whom, unconsciously, he had long worshipped: “Before you came,” said he, “into this country, when I have been in the greatest perils, and have alone escaped, I have said to myself, some powerful spirit has the guardianship of my days.” Ahasistari was baptized, and with a zeal kindred to that of his spiritual father and friend, exclaimed, addressing a number of other converts, “Let us strive to make the whole world embrace the faith in Jesus.” These missionary labours being crowned with success, a central station was fixed at St. Mary’s on the Matchedash, the river which connects the Toronto and Huron lakes, and “here three thousand Indian converts received in one year a frugal welcome.” These joyful tidings awoke an enthusiasm in France on its behalf; the king, the queen, the princesses, the very pope himself, vied in their evidence of favour. Young nobles, renouncing the pleasures of the world, joined the missionary corps and devoted their revenues to its service. Thus “was a Jesuit college and school for Indian children established at Quebec, about the time that the Puritan College of Cambridge was established in Massachusetts: thus did the niece of Cardinal Richelieu endow a public hospital open to all mankind, in which young nuns from the hospital of Dieppe were sent over: thus was an Ursuline convent for the education of girls founded by a young and wealthy widow of Alençon, who went with three nuns to Quebec for this purpose, and who, kissing the soil of their adopted country as they landed, were received by the governor and Indians shouting for joy of their welcome, whence they were escorted to the church with chanted _Te Deums_.