r opposition from friends and kinsmen,
Gideon accepted and began his preparations for life among the Indians,
and in March, 1834, he bade farewell to his friends and kindred and
began his journey westward.

Early in April, he arrived at Galena, equipped for their strange,
Heaven-inspired mission. He found his brother firmly fixed in his
resolution to carry out the plans already decided upon. In a few days
we find them on the steamer's deck, moving steadily up the mighty
father of waters, towards their destination. "This _is_ a serious
undertaking," remarked the younger brother as they steamed northward.
And such it was. There was in it no element of attractiveness from a
human view-point.

They expected to go among roving tribes, to have no permanent abiding
place and to subsist as those wild and savage tribes subsisted. Their
plan was a simple and feasible one, as they proved by experience, but
one which required large stores of faith and fortitude every step of
the way. They knew, also, that outside of a narrow circle of personal
friends, none knew anything of this mission to the Sioux, or felt the
slightest interest in its success or failure. But undismayed they
pressed on.

The scenery of the Upper Mississippi is still pleasing to those eyes,
which behold it, clothed in its springtime robes of beauty. In 1834,
this scenery shone forth in all the primeval glory of "nature unmarred
by the hand of man."

[Illustration: SAMUEL W. POND,
20 Years a Missionary to the Sioux.]

[Illustration: GIDEON H. POND,
For Twenty years Missionary to the Dakotas.]

As the steamer Warrior moved steadily on its way up the Mississippi,
the rich May verdure, through which they passed, appeared strikingly
beautiful to the two brothers, who then beheld it for the first time.
It was a most delightful journey and ended on the sixth day of May, at
the dock at old Fort Snelling.

This was then our extreme outpost of frontier civilization. It had been
established in 1819, as our front-guard against the British and Indians
of the Northwest. It was located on the high plateau, lying between the
Mississippi and the Minnesota (St. Peters) rivers, and it was then the
only important place within the limits of the present state of
Minnesota.

While still on board the Warrior, the brothers received a visit and a
warm welcome from the Rev. William T. Boutell, a missionary of the
American Board to the Ojibways at Le