"When I first visited the Ponkas, nearly two years since, they interested me deeply, being well nigh in a starving condition, because they were too peaceable to awaken the fears of the nation, and the Government had not then adopted this principle of equity which is now very generally received: "When a civilized people deprive the uncivilized possessors of the soil, of their food and clothing, bountifully provided for them by their Creator, the civilized people are bound to subsist and clothe the uncivilized until they can be made self-supporting." The hunting-grounds of the Ponkas had been circumscribed, and their game destroyed or driven beyond their reach; whilst raising Indian corn in a rude w^ay was the only means of subsistence known to them, and on this article of diet alone no human being can healthfully subsist.

At my first visit their crops had failed from excessive drought, and they were tantalized by seeing great herds of cattle, intended to feed the wild hostile Sioux, pass through their Reservation, even eating their grass. Steamboat loads of pork and flour, coffee, sugar and tobacco, with an abundance of clothing, passed by them up the Missouri for the same destination. The Sioux thus fed and clothed were in the constant habit of making raids on the Ponkas, stealing their horses, destroying their crops, and killing their people when found away from their village.

"When I asked if they would like to take the first and most important step toward civilization, by having their land surveyed and allotted to them in separate farms, they said: "This is impossible until we can be protected in accordance with a stipulation in our treaty." That stipulation is to this day virtually a dead letter, for the murder of peaceful Indians on such Reservations is not dealt with as it would be if the same Indians attacked a settlement of whites. It is high time that this treaty stipulation should be observed, and I feel confident that you will give your powerful aid in bringing this about.

All the experienced army officers with whom I have conversed think the civilization of the Indian is impossible, unless, when he puts himself under the care of the Government and stays on the Reservation, he is well fed, and as fully protected as his white neighbor. These raids on the Ponkas continue to this time. Two months since a raiding party from one of the wild camps connected with the upper Bride Sioux came through Nebraska, and made a descent on the Ponkas. They killed and scalped, and otherwise mutilated one of the Ponkas, who had ventured a mile or two from the village in search of his horse. The whole tribe then rallied and pursued them, but they could not bring them within range of their bows and arrows, and other imperfect implements of defence. In their grief, some of them sent an appeal to be allowed to join the Omahas, of Nebraska, as they speak the same language and have a common descent. All, however, united in an urgent request that Mrs. Stanforth, the mother of our Missionary, and, as the Indians say, their mother, would in person take to me their appeal for arms, to enable them the more effectively to resist these attacks. They sent by her not only the scalping-knife with which their brother was mutilated, but also one of the balls and a copper cartridge-shell, to show that the attacking party had breech-loading guns, of long range and accurate aim. During your absence, I visited Washington, and after conference with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, I obtained an order for arms from the Secretary of War, at the request of the acting Secretary of the Interior. Through the courtesy of Lieut.-Col. Otis, of Fort Randall, the Ponkas have about half the requisite number of guns. On the 14th of June, before the arms had been received, another war party of the Sioux made a descent upon the Reservation. This party had been seen by Major Sweitzer, of Nebraska, and full particulars given to Gen. Ord, at Omaha, the Commander of the Division of the Platte. He reported sixty-seven Ogallalla and Upper Brule warriors, well mounted, and many of them armed with breechloading guns. Both of these expeditions foraged upon and were fed by the people of Nebraska, who were told that it was only an expedition against Indians, and not whites. This second attack was made just as the steamboat Peninah made a landing, and drew the attention of the people to the river front. Fortunately the Sioux were discovered just as they slid from their horses to crawl through the long grass. The alarm was given, and Lieut. Smith, with his party of twenty-four unmounted soldiers, did what he could for the defence of the Reservation.

The war spirit of the Ponkas was instantly roused, and their charge was so impetuous, that even with miserable weapons they drove the well armed Sioux and Ogallalla at all points, pursuing them for more than twenty miles, until they took cover in a dense wood. The Ponkas wounded some two or three of the Sioux, as they were afterwards seen on travoys (horse litters). Under such circumstances, you can well understand how cordially we were welcomed by this starving and persecuted people, some 75 of whom, out of a population of 733, are suffering from scrofulous diseases resulting mainly, as the physicians testify, from insufficient and improper diet. The announcement that under the appropriation bill which took effect on the first of the month, you had it in your power to feed them, was cheering indeed, for they believe me implicitly. Yet, like Jacob of old, their spirits will not fully revive until they see the wagons laden with good things. The Ponkas have improved more than could have been expected under the circumstances. They cultivate the soil and even use the largest plows, breaking the prairie sod as accurately as any white have ever seen. I agreed with them and their Agent, to dispense with the services of the white farmer, and to divide his salary among three young Indian men who will be apprenticed to the blacksmith, the carpenter, and the mechanic who acts as engineer, and runs the grist and saw mill. The Ponkas have not yet had the opportunity of learning these trades^ for they have been too poor to pay apprentices, as is found necessary elsewhere to insure regularity, industry and perseverance. "Where this system of paying apprentices has been fully tried, it has resulted in producing good Indian mechanics.

In the Council the Ponkas spoke most highly of our Missionary and of his mother, whom they call their mother, and to whom they look as to a ministering angel. They touchingly alluded to her tears at the death of their comrade, and when trying to relieve their sick and suffering. I did not wonder at this, when I saw a lady of refinement cleansing and anointing a most loathsome scrofulous patient, and then providing nourishing food for her and for others, who needed .sustenance more than medical care. Our missionary is trying to reduce their barbarous language to writing, having already formed more than 5,000 words, 3,000 of them being verbs; many, however, have but a single tense. The schools composed of adults and children arc prosperous, and as the Christian religion came to this people in its most lovely garb, their superstitious prejudices are gradually melting away. We were not at the Ponka Reservation on Sunday, but we witnessed a service of deep interest. A beautiful Church is in process of construction, and we appropriately inaugurated its services by a baptism solemnized on a temporary floor laid over the joist. Ten men, three women, and fifteen children were baptized, and two women who had been privately baptized in infancy, made a public acknowledgment of their Church membership. One of these men was so strongly prejudiced against Christians, that at first he would neither speak to nor look at the Missionary. Loving acts, insensibly to himself, were impressing his mind and heart, until he was constrained openly^ to confess Christ. He now seems firm in his purpose, and from his intelligence and earnestness he will, beyond doubt, strongly influence his fellows for good.

Although the Ponkas were glad to hear that a sympathizing Secretary of the Interior and Commissioner of Indian Affairs are now authorized to feed them just as they had long fed their murderous enemies, and although they were greatly relieved when guns were loaned to them for defence, and were much pleased at the target-practice necessary to familiarize them with the moveable sight graduated for long ranges, yet there seemed to be hanging over them an unaccountable sadness which we could not understand.