Cornelia. This was what I wished to know; it has relieved me from much anxiety; for I felt very unwilling to send any account to the children, which was not perfectly correct. I have one more question to propose. How many towns and inhabitants have the whole Osage tribe?

Mr. Pelham. In 1817, Gov. Clark stated that the Great Osages had three towns, containing in them all six thousand inhabitants; and the Little Osages two towns, in which were about two thousand souls. This num ber is constantly decreasing, on account of their wars, sickness, want of food, and the early death of many of their children; and is not now probably more than five thousand.

Cornelia. How is the principal Little Osage town situated?

Mr. Pelham. Upon the Neosho river, ninety miles above Union. I presume you know that there has been, and still continues to be much of jealousy and bad feeling between the two bands, and it was thought a very providential circumstance that originated a mission to the Little Osages so soon after one was sent to their brethren.

Cornelia. I thank you, Pa', for all this information.

She immediately communicated the substance of the above conversation to her cousins, and sent the letter to them in season for their next meeting.

LETTER V.

My dear Cousins,-In this letter I shall tell you about the second mission to the Osages.

The summer after the first mission left New York, Sans-Nerf the principal chief of the Missouri Osages, visited the city of Washington with his first counsellor and highest warrior, as a deputation to request government to establish schools in his nation, and to grant them the means of civilization. The wishes of the chief were communicated to the Rev. Dr. Worcester, at that time the Corresponding Secretary of the American Board of Foreign Missions, by Colonel McKenney, the superintendent of Indian trade.

After some deliberation it was thought best, if another mission was sent to the Osage people, that it should be done by the same society under whose patronage the first had been established. The Rev. Dr.

Milledoler, Secretary of the United Foreign Missionary Society, was requested to repair immediately to the seat of government and make the necessary arrangements with the Osage chiefs.

Soon after his arrival, Dr. Milledoler made an address to the chiefs, stating the good wishes which his Society cherished for him and his people, their object in sending out persons who would teach them religion and the arts of civilized life, &c. To which Sans-Nerf replied as follows:

"My Friend,-You see I am not white like you; I am red-but my heart is in the same place with your heart; my blood is the same color as your blood; my limbs are like your limbs ; I am an American.

"My Friend,-I have heard your talk. When I go to my village, do you think my people will tell me to hold my tongue, or will shut their ears, when I tell them what you say?

"My Friend,-I told my brother, the superintendent of Indian trade, that I did not come on here for my pleasure, nor to see the country. I came to do business. What I have come for is most done. I am pleas

ed, and when I tell my people what you say, they will be pleased.

"My Friend,-I repeat it-I am pleased with what you say, and wish you to come soon. Come to my village."

Several interviews took place after this, in one of which a sort of treaty or covenant was made between the chiefs and Dr. Milledoler in behalf of their nation, and the Society of which he was Secretary; the purport of which was, that the United Foreign Missionary Society should send out a mission to the Osages of the Missouri as early as possible, to instruct them in the knowledge of true religion-to teach their young men agriculture and the mechanic arts, and their young women the use of the wheel, and loom, together with knitting, sewing, and all kinds of household matters, as practised by white people,-besides establishing schools in which all their young people and children might learn to read, write and attend to the higher branches of education, if the chiefs desired it. They also agreed for the Osages, to receive the instructions of the missionaries, to treat them kindly, to aid them in building houses for themselves and the children who should live with them to learn to give them as much land as the

missionaries should wish to cultivate for their own use; but they were restricted from purchasing or occupying any land, not assigned for their particular use by the Indians themselves.

The chief farther stipulated that the missionaries should never be driven from their station by any of his people; that in case they did not like to retain them in the nation, they would either make the United Foreign Missionary Society acquainted with their wishes, or their great father the President of the United States.

After Dr. Milledoler returned to New York, and it was made public that arrangements were making for the outfit of a large mission family to the Osages of the Missouri, more than a hundred persons, both male and female, volunteered their services in this laborious and self-denying enterprize. Most gladly would they have broken away from the endearments of domestic life in the midst of polished and refined society, to brave the hardships and perils of the howling wilderness. But as the funds of the Society were not sufficient to send but a small part of those who willingly offered themselves to the work, the following persons were selected and went. The Rev. Mr. Dodge, of Vermont, was appointed superin