and calf, eleven dollars. All kinds of live stock, excepting teams, are cheap on the Missouri, and are still becoming cheaper. Cattle are raised in this country without much expense. Indian corn can be bought for fifty-cents a barrel, about five bushels. Pork, in the

hog, is advertised at seventy-five cents per hundred weight. Considering that this abundance is within a hundred miles of us, and that there is a wagon way from our Station to Fort Osage, seventy-eight miles of the distance, you need be under very little apprehension of our suffering in this unsettled region for want of food.

On our return, having been absent twenty-three days, we found our Mission family all dwelling in tents, and suffering much from the ague and fever. From that day to this, the sickness has

Since

not diminished. But one brother and two sisters have escaped the disease. Our five hired men have all been sick, and one of them now lies apparently at the point of death. The second day after my return from the Missouri, I was attacked violently with the fever. It raged for eight days, some of which were days of much suffering. the eighth day, I have been convalescent; but am still feeble. Both of my children have been sick, but are now recovering. This is an uncommonly sickly season throughout the whole of this country. The sickness is attributed to the many floods which have rapidly succeeded each other in the course of the summer. On the Missouri, very few of the inhabitants have escaped sickness. From one settlement of sixty families, situated on low ground, fifty seven families removed on account of the immense quantities of standing water in its vicinity. Another village of considerable note was entirely deserted, the inhabitants having fled to higher ground. Roads long travelled have been overflowed, and cornfields, in many instances, are still covered with water.

In consequence of sickness, we have proceeded very slowly in our improve

ments. We have removed most of our goods to the station, cut our winter's forage, erected a large store-house, and finished one of our dwelling-houses.

You have doubtless heard of my trials in the loss of my companion. It is true-she who once delighted my eyes, lessened my cares, soothed my sorrows, bore my burdens, and proved a staff in my right hand, is no more. She has gone, and left me with my little ones mourning. But the Lord hath done it; therefore, quiet thyself, O my soul !

Mr. Sprague to his Brother in
Brooklyn.

In a letter, dated the 20th of August, Mr. Sprague gives the following brief description of the site, which had been chosen for the Missionary establishment :

Were I to speak in suitable terms of our site, you would accuse me of exaggerating. Our buildings will be erected on the river's bank, but sufficiently remote to give us a spaciou - and handsome green in front. In the rear, we have a vast prairie, covered with grass from three to four feet in height, and yielding, in its uncultivated state, from one and a half to two tons of hay per acre. On either side of us, we have good timber in great plenty. We have, also, near at hand, an excellent spring of water, stone coal, lime stone, and clay of the first quality for making bricks. Our Mill-seat is about a mile below us, and directly opposite to the United States' trading house, which was commenced in July, and which is to be completed by the first of next month. We are within fifteen miles of the Great Osage Village.

In relation to the prospect of establishing a school for the Indian children, Mr. Sprague remarks:-

The Indians appear very friendly. They frequently visit us; and we feel the assurance, that some of their children will be sent to us, as soon as we are able to accommodate them. Mr. Williams the interpreter talks of giving us his little daughter, who can speak both the English and the Osage languages, and who, of course, would be of great help to us.

TUSCARORA MISSION. Rev. Mr. Crane to the Domestic

Secretary.

Fuscarora Village, Nov. 17, 1821. DEAR SIR-The accounts I gave you in May and June last, of the attention of the Indian youth, excited, as I expected they would, the hope that the information from this station would continue to be of the most encouraging nature. It was our heart's desire and prayer, that it might be so. But, my Dear Sir, we prosper, and our flock thrives, only when our dearest Lord is pleased to smile. We find that he is often pleased to bless us by trying our faith and fidelity, as well as by exciting our hopes, and encouraging our hearts. We know that all our success depends upon our living and labouring with simple dependence upon him; and we do hope, that all who feel interested in our labours, will have their eyes and their hopes fixed upon him, rather than upon us, his obscure and dependent instru

ments.

I observed in my last, that some of our youth were still serious; but that, during the summer, they had been placed in disadvantageous circumstances, and that the members of the Church were not so active and useful as they had been. Their concern for the salvation of souls had considerably declined, and this declension had produced an unfavourable effect upon others. But, since we have been living in the village, a most encouraging alteration & has taken place. Our Sabbath School, Conferences, and Prayer Meetings, have been regularly attended.

The Christian Indians have become more attentive to our Conferences, and their anxiety for the conversion of others, is evidently reviving; although they do not yet evince as much solicitude as is desirable. But, among our dear youth, a work has commenced, and appears to be progressing, which promises the most happy results. But a short time since, some of our most intelligent young men were addicted to the most degrading and ruinous vices; and others were distinguished for their levity and their almost inveterate stupidity about their future destiny. Now there are many, whose anxiety for the salvation of their souls is encouraging, and gives us reason to believe that the spirit of God is, at least, affording his word and their consciences some assistance. But, there are four young men, now the most intelligent, industrious, and promising, of any in the Tribe, who are under the most pungent conviction of their sins. In these, the sovereign, discriminating grace and power of God are displayed. It is not long since all of them were intemperate. It is but a short time since three of them were seen, by my. self, reeling with intoxication through the village. Now, they are evidently "inquiring the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward." Lately, they were full of envy, jealousy, and every pernicious passion; now, in all our meetings, we see enough to make us exclaim-How these dear youth love one another! The aged Cusick, who has been interpreter here for twenty years, called at my house a few days since, and, in the course of conversation, remarked-"I never saw such times in our nation before. All is peace! All are united!"

At present, the exercises in the Tribe are as follows:-On the Sabbath, the ordinary preaching and the Sabbath School During the week, a meeting of the youth for the purpose of disclosing the state of their minds to each other, conversing on religious subjects,

:

and praying together; a meeting of the youth and all who wish to attend, designed to be a Conference, in which I give instruction, and interrogate them individually; a Conference of the members of the Church; and a Singing School.

Such is the state of this dear people now. As I stated above, many are serious. But we must suppose that some are induced to reflect upon their state through the example of others, and we are apprehensive that their excitement may subside without any happy termination. Yet, we hope to have reason to send you gratifying intelligence from this station for many months to come. wish you to expect much; but not from us, nor our fidelity; but from the Lord Jesus, and from your prayers for us and our interesting people.

SENECA MISSION.

We

Rev. Mr. Harris to the Domestic Secretary.

Seneca Mission House,

Nov. 24, 1821.

DEAR SIR-You have probably understood before this, that we arrived at our place of destination, on the 29th of the last month. We have indeed, Sir, the greatest reason for gratitude to our Covenant God, for his merciful Providence to us during a journey so long, and generally so fatiguing. We found the Mission family all in good health, excepting Mrs. Young, who had lately been so severely attacked with the bilious fever, that the family had very serious apprehensions as to the result. They were anxiously awaiting our arrival, and humbly trusting that their minister had been sent in answer to prayer.

The house which the Society had given orders to erect, I found already begun. Brother Young has exerted himself to the utmost, to have it completed for our accommodation; and a gracious Providence has wonderfully furthered our plans. If the same gra

cious Providence continue to bestow his favours, the desire of the Board, of having their Missionary accommodated with a house this winter, will be realized. It is, however, a matter of regret, that the orders for the building had not been given a month or two earlier. The season has now so far advanced, that the roads have become very bad, and suitable workmen very scarce. The building, consequently, goes on with a comparatively slow step, and the amount of expenses is considerably augmented. The house, however, will most probably be completed for our entrance in about two weeks from this date. At present, we are accommodated in Brother Young's house, although much crowded.

You have, enclosed, the Journal of the Mission, from the time of our arrival to the 17th instant. You will find in it some account of the manner in which we were received and welcomed by the Chiefs of the Tribe.

JOURNAL OF THE SENECA MISSION, From the 4th to the 17th of November.

Sabbath, November 4.-We met with the natives to day, for the first time, for the purpose of public worship, since our arrival. The place of meeting, at present, is the council house. The congregation was very attentive during service, to the subject treated of: much more so, than could have been expected from persons so ignorant, and so unaccustomed to discipline. We were a little incommoded, during service, by the occasional laughter of one of the natives, and the more so, as it proceeded from one whose opportunities of improvement seemed to warrant the expectation of a different line of conduct. This person has been at school at different places, and has acquired some information. He talks English fluently. His ideas of elevating the character and improving the condition of his countrymen, appear to be at variance with the

plan of this establishment, in as much as he supposes that his nation, especially the rising generation, can never be properly instructed, unless they are sent from home. His advice, therefore, is in coincidence with those who would wish his people to remove from their present place of residence, and embody themselves somewhere in the Wilderness, and there send their children back for the sake of improvement. He is not, therefore, opposed to the Gospel professedly-only to the plan pursued by the Board.

Monday, November 5.-Met with the natives at four o'clock, for the purpose of attending to the monthly concert of prayer. None of the Mission family attended but myself. Thirteen persons assembled, and attentively listened to what was said in respect to what was doing in the World, for the welfare of immortal souls. I can truly say, it was refreshing to my soul to meet with these ignorant people, and by prayer and supplication commend them to that God who can pity the poor and the destitute. For certainly if there were ever a pitiable people, this is that people.

Thursday, November 8.-Met in council this day with the Chiefs of the tribe at Mr. Young's house. The Chiefs pretty generally attended. When I entered the chamber where they were sitting, all appeared grave and attentive. Little Johnson was speaking. He ap peared grave, manly, and eloquent After considerable conference among themselves; they remarked, that they were assembled in consequence of some information before derived from me: that the Good Society at New-York had sent them a talk, to which they supposed no answer was required; and that they were now ready to attend to the counsel which might be given to them by the Society. I then asked whether it would be agreeable to them if we should ask a blessing of the Great Spirit upon our meeting. They answered that it would. After prayer the first talk from the Board was read,

consisting of a letter of introduction for their Missionary and his wife to the Chiefs. This was succeeded by another, addressed to the Chiefs, in answer to the one sent to the Board requesting a teacher for their brethren at Tonewanta. After these papers had been read and explained, Pollard rose and said,—that they owed ten thousand thanks to their minister for so patiently explaining the good talk, and to the Good Society for sending it but that a Messenger was present from Tonewanta, and that if I would retire for a few minutes, until they had cleared the way, as they expressed it, and fully heard the news which had now reached them, they would then be prepared to return an

answer.

:

After entering the chamber the second time-Pollard again rose and said, that we owed great thanks to the Great Spirit that we had been spared in health and safety to see each other's face, and that they owed much to the Society for their good talk and thousand thanks to their minister for so satisfactorily explaining it to them. He said, that though the Society had not sent a minister as soon as they at first promised, yet that they rejoiced to learn, that, as soon as he could be prepared, he had come to devote his life to their good. According to the request of the Good Society they promised faithfully to receive and love their minister, and to protect him to the utmost of their power. They understood that it was his business to explain to them the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ contained in the good book. They promised to listen with all possible attention to the explanations, which should from time to time be made from the word of God for their best good and the salvation of their souls. They rejoiced he said to learn that they and the Board, were even minded, in the business which so deeply interested their brethren at Tonewanta. They had sent to the Board, requesting their counsel on the propriety or impropriety of advising their brethren to join in any

agreement, with people of a different denomination and they have now coincided in opinion with them, that it would not be best to receive teachers from any other denomination, but all to observe the same way :-This he remarked was very satisfactory to their minds; and they were willing to await the arrival of the teacher which had been promised them in the talk just read to them.

Finally, they wished to make a request of their minister in order to clear their minds of a difficulty which still rested upon them. It was this: Their nation, they said, was at present divided into two strong parties. The Pagans were much enraged, because their nation was about leaving the rights and customs of their forefathers for the new way. Now as they suppose that the Society had empowered me to instruct them fully on all points that interested their spiritual welfare, they wished to know in what manner, the rising generation of their own party were to be protected in their religious rights and privileges, against the Pagans, should they be disposed to be troublesome. I replied that the Board had not empowered me to satisfy their minds on the belief, that they should not meet with difficulty in embracing the Gospel of the Son of God, but that I might in justice say that I had no doubt they would afford them all the assistance in their power, by advice and direction in their reception of the truth. The most they could do in this respect, I observed, was to send them a minister, to endeavour to direct their feet in the way that leads to life everlasting, and to point them to the "Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world," who is now exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins; "to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth;" and who could therefore protect them and their children against all those who should rise up against them. Hence they saw the necessity of looking

to this Saviour immediately for help and consolation; for he has declared that "he that believeth in him shall be saved." Good David has also said "I once was young I now am old, yet, never saw I the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging bread."

They here expressed their gratitude to their minister, for the manner in which he had explained to them, where they are to look for protection and salvation. They knew that the Saviour was almighty. They could read it in the Good Book; and by the help of the Lord they would endeavour so to do.

On the subject of sending a teacher to Tonewanta, they remarked, that if the Society could send their people there, a letter promising a teacher, signed with the approbation of the President of the United States and the Secretary at War, they supposed that it would be abundantly sufficient to satisfy the minds of the Pagan party, and cause them to be silent. This they thought would cause them to think they were not imposed upon, by the avaricious whites. To this I replied, that I held in my hand a letter from the Department of war, stating, that the Govern ment did approve of these societies sending teachers among the Indians; that an annual sum of ten thousand dollars had been appropriated for the purpose of teaching the Indians the ways of white people, and that this money should be applied through the medium of benevolent and religious societies. I remarked, that if their brethren requested it, a copy of this letter might be sent to them, in order that their minds might be satisfied that this was not a "cunningly devised" scheme to deceive them; and that they might see that it was the very plan which Government had resolved to carry into execution. This, they said, was the very thing they had wanted all along, and they were rejoiced at the good news. A copy of the letter was accordingly sent..

Sabbath, November 11.-After service