r custom, many of the chiefs assembled at the
Agency on New-Year's Day, their Father laid the subject before them.

The Indians replied, that _if they saw the young men_ they would tell
them what the officers would like to have them do. They could,
themselves, do nothing in the matter. They had fulfilled their
engagement by bringing them once and putting them in the hands of the
officers. The Government had had them in its power once and could not
keep them--it must now go and catch them itself.

The Government, having had some experience the past summer in "catching
Indians," wisely concluded to drop the matter.

About this time another event occurred which occasioned no small
excitement in our little community. Robineau, the striker from the
blacksmith establishment at Sugar Creek, near the Four Lakes, arrived
one very cold day at the Agency. He had come to procure medical aid for
Mata's eldest daughter, Sophy, who, while sliding on the lake, had
fallen on the ice and been badly hurt. Her father was absent, having
gone to Prairie du Chien to place his youngest daughter at school. Two
or three days had elapsed since the accident had happened; a high fever
had set in, and the poor girl was in a state of great suffering; it had
therefore been thought best to send Robineau to us for advice and aid,
leaving Turcotte and a friendly Indian woman from a neighboring lodge to
take charge of poor Sophy.

The commanding officer did not think it prudent, when the subject was
laid before him, to permit the surgeon to leave the post, but he very
cheerfully granted leave of absence to Currie, the hospital steward, a
young man who possessed some knowledge of medicine and surgery.

As it was important that Sophy should have an experienced nurse, we
procured the services of Madame Bellaire, the wife of the Frenchman who
was generally employed as express to Chicago; and, as an aid and
companion, Agathe, a daughter of Day-kau-ray, who lived in Paquette's
family, was added to the party.

Of Agathe I shall have more to say hereafter.

The weather was excessively cold when Robineau, Currie, and the two
women set out for Sugar Creek, a distance of about forty miles. We had
provided them with a good store of rice, crackers, tea, and sugar, for
the invalid, all of which, with their provisions for the way, were
packed on the horse Robineau had ridden to the Portage. It was expected
they would reach their place of destination on the second