It had been my intention to have gone up the Missouri to Nebraska, and the ancient hunting grounds of the Pawnees, but there were certain difficulties which made that plan impracticable, so I decided to proceed northwards, and then to cross the prairies of Minnesota, and Iowa towards the valley of the river Platte. I was fortunate in having as a companion on board the steamer, an American judge, who, before being appointed to the post he then held, had been for many years acting as Indian agent to the Sacs and Foxes, and was well acquainted with the habits of the tribes, who were at that time dwelling upon the territories bordering on the banks of the river. Judge Williams had great sympathy for the condition of the tribes with whom he lived, and he endeavoured to ascertain if it were possible to establish a higher state of civilisation amongst them. He thought that the younger members of the Sacs and Foxes might be educated in such a manner, that with due attention to the nature of the Indian temperament, they could be made capable of taking a sensible part in the conduct of affairs, and become fitted to fulfil the duties or occupations of useful and peaceful citizens. The authorities with whom he consulted, agreed with him as to the utility of the scheme suggested. Suitable school buildings were placed upon the reservation, and good teachers were selected. For a time the work progressed favourably; the boys were in the first place well grounded in the English language, and then their attention was directed to mathematics. After several years of study, the senior class of boys had become so far advanced, as to be able to draw geometrical figures and understand elementary algebra. The teachers were hopeful, and it was thought probable, that some of the pupils might ultimately make such progress as to enable them to be prepared for Yale University. All the zeal and energies of the masters, were however proved to have been useless. One morning the whole of the senior class appeared at school, dressed and painted for war. They had thrown off their ordinary clothes, had put on mocassins and leggings, twisted their hair in accordance with savage customs and had stuck feathers in it. The principal asked them what was meant by this extraordinary conduct. “We have come to say,” they replied, “that we now leave you; we are no longer boys: we are Indians.” They then, without saying another word, abruptly left the school and never returned to it.