y's mission to Canada.

"He returned on the 21st instant, with his companion and interpreter,
Lieut. Taylor, and brought with them ten youths, eight belonging to
the tribe at Caughnawaga, near Montreal, and two of the tribe at
Lorette, near Quebec. Soon after his arrival at the former of these
places, he made known to them the errand on which he was sent, and
disclosed the proposal of sending a number of their children to this
school for an education; and left it to their consideration, till he
should go and wait upon the Commander-in-chief of that province at
Quebec. And after he had passed through the small-pox, which he took
by inoculation, as it was judged unsafe for him to travel that country
without it, he went to Quebec. But his Honor the Governor, as well as
other English gentlemen, were apprehensive that the Indians were so
bigoted to the Romish religion, that there was no hope of success, and
advised him not to go on that errand to Lorette: he accordingly
returned without visiting them as he proposed.

"But on his coming to Caughnawaga he found there two likely young men
of the tribe at Loretto, who set out with a design to go to Sir
William Johnson, with a single view to find a school in which they
might get useful knowledge. They had heard nothing of Mr. Ripley, nor
of any such design as he was upon in their favor, till they came to
Caughnawaga, which is 180 miles on their way to Sir William's, and on
hearing of the proposal Mr. Ripley had made, they waited five weeks at
that place for his return, and on his coming complied with his offer
of taking them into this school with cheerfulness. The same day a
council of the chiefs of that tribe was called to consider of the
proposal of sending their children to this school, which Mr. Ripley
had left to their consideration, in which they were to a man agreed in
the affirmative, and acknowledged with gratitude the benevolence and
kindness of the offer. They continued united and firm to the last in
that determination against the most warm and zealous remonstrances of
their priest, both in public and private; in consequence of which
determination, nine of their boys were made ready to accompany Mr.
Ripley hither; three of which were children or descendants from
captives, who had been captivated when they were young, and lived with
them till they were naturalized and married among them."

A later "Narrative" says:

"The beginning of May [1773], the Rev. Mr. Ripley