ies had prefixed the name of Simon. He was an exceptionally
good man, and prominent in all church matters. He prayed and exhorted,
and was looked upon by all interested as a fulfillment of the success of
both the church and the republic. Imagine the consternation of the
worthy missionaries when one day he announced that a man who had killed
his cousin some eight years ago had returned from the Missouri, and was
then in a neighboring camp, and that it was his duty to kill him to
avenge his cousin. The missionaries argued with him, quoted the Bible to
him, prayed with him,--in fact, exhausted every possible means to
prevent him carrying out his purpose; but all to no effect. He would
admit all they said, assured them that he believed everything they
contended for, but he would always end with the assertion that, "He
killed my cousin, and I must kill him." This savage instinct was too
deeply imbedded in his nature to be overcome by any teaching of the
white man, and the result was that he got a double-barreled shotgun and
carried out his purpose, the consequence of which was to nearly destroy
the church and the republic. He was, however, true to the whites all
through the outbreak of 1862.

When the Indians rebelled, the entire mission outfit at Pajutazee was
destroyed, which practically put an end to missionary effort in
Minnesota, but did not in the least lessen the ardor of the
missionaries. I remember meeting Dr. Williamson soon after the Sioux
were driven out of the state, and supposing, of course, that he had
given up all hope of Christianizing them, I asked him where he would
settle, and what he would do. He did not hesitate a moment, and said
that he would hunt up the remnant of his people and attend to their
spiritual wants.

Having given a general idea of the missionary efforts that were made in
Minnesota, I will say a word about

THE INDIANS.

The Dakotas (or as they were afterwards called, the Sioux) and the
Chippewas were splendid races of aboriginal men. The Sioux that occupied
Minnesota were about eight thousand strong,--men, women and children.
They were divided into four principal bands, known as the
M'day-wa-kon-tons, or Spirit Lake Villagers; the Wak-pay-ku-tays, or
Leaf Shooters, from their living in the timber; the Si-si-tons, and
Wak-pay-tons. There was also a considerable band, known as the Upper
Si-si-tons, who occupied the extreme upper waters of the Minnesota
river. The Chippewas numb