CONVERSATION WITH PIGEWIS. 103 



who was of our party, cc that many, very many in 

 my country wished the Indians to be taught 

 white man's knowledge of the Great Spirit, and 

 as a proof of their love to them, my countrymen 

 had told me to provide for the clothing, main- 

 tenance^ and education of many of their 

 children ; and had sent out the young person 

 whom he then saw to teach the little girls who 

 might be sent to the school for instruction." 

 Though not easily persuaded that you act from 

 benevolent motives ; he said it ivas good ! and 

 promised to tell all his tribe what I said about 

 the children, and that I should have two of his 

 boys to instruct in the Spring, but added, that 

 6 the Indians like to have time to consider about 

 these matters.' We smoked the calumet, and 

 after pausing a short time, he shrewdly asked 

 me what I would do with the children after 

 they were taught what I wished them to know. 

 I told him they might return to their parents if 

 they wished it, but my hope was that they 

 would see the advantage of making gardens, 

 and cultivating the soil, so as not to be exposed 

 to hunger and starvation, as the Indians gene- 

 rally were, who had to wander and hunt for 

 their provisions. The little girls, I observed, 

 would be taught to knit, and make articles of 

 clothing to wear, like those which white people 



