"This is our little Alfred's natal day. He of course has received no birthday sugar or earthen toys, and his only gift of such a kind has been a very small bow and arrow, from an Indian man, who is a frequent visitor. The bow is about three-eighths of a yard long and quite neatly made, but Alfred uses it as he would any other little stick. I do not feel desirous that he should prize a bow or a gun as do these sons of the prairie. My prayer is that he may early become a lamb of the Good Shepherd's fold, that while he lives he may be kept from the fierce wolf and hungry lion, and at length be taken home to the green pastures and still waters above." "Feb. 9, 1839. "We mentioned in our last encouraging prospects here. The forenoon schools, which are for misses and children, have some days been crowded during the few past weeks, and a Sabbath-school recently opened has been so well attended as to encourage our hopes of blessed results. Last Lord's day we had a larger assembly than have ever before met for divine worship in this heathen land. More than eighty were present." As Mr. Gavan was a native Frenchman and a scholar, we expected much from his presence with us, during the winter, in the way of obtaining translations. He and Mr. Renville could communicate fully and freely through that language, and we believed he would be able to explain such words as were not well understood by the other. And so we commenced the translation of the Gospel of John from the French. But it soon became apparent that the perfection of knowledge, of which they both supposed themselves possessed, was a great bar to progress. And by the time we had reached the end of the seventh chapter, the relations of the two Frenchmen were such as to entirely stop our work. We were quite disappointed. But this event induced us the sooner to gird ourselves for the work of translating the Bible from the original tongues, and so was, in the end, a blessing. CHAPTER IV. 1838-1840.--"Eagle Help."--His Power as War Prophet.--Makes No-Flight Dance.--We Pray Against It.--Unsuccessful on the War-Path.--Their Revenge.--Jean Nicollet and J. C. Fremont.--Opposition to Schools.--Progress in Teaching.--Method of Counting.--"Lake That Speaks."--Our Trip to Fort Snelling.--Incidents of the Way.--The Changes There.--Our Return Journey.--Birch-Bark Canoe.--Mary's Story.--"Le Grand Canoe."--Baby Born on the Way.--Walking Ten Miles.--Advantages of Travel.--My Visit to the Missouri River.--"Fort Pierre."--Results.