St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-06
RAV0Ux REMINISCENT.

nHvUUA nEMiNlSSENi.
60 ye, therefore, and teach all ma
tons" Yet three months, and it will
be forty-eight years since a few per-
sons from Fort Pierre and from Old
Fort on the banks of the Missouri
river came to MENDOZA. They spoke to
me of several Catholic families living
there, having children unbaptized, and
told me that they would be pleased TO
have the visit of a Catholic priest. I
learned also of them that the Sioux
were there in great numbers, and
would receive me with respect if l
would announce to them the gold It'd
ingS of the Gospel.
L informed the Rt. Rev. Bishop Loras,
of Dubuque, of all I knew about the
people of that remote country, and
proposed to accompany those who had
come to Mendoza when they would go
back to the Missouri river, if he would
think it proper. requested him also
to ask of the archbishop of st. Louis
the faculties necessary; because those
people lived on both sides of the river,
and the west side then belonged to st.
Louis. The right reverend bishop gave
his approval and permission to me for
an absence of two or three months.
In the beginning of July, 1871, our
travellers, few others and myself left
Mendoza. July s L baptized child at
Traverse !des Sioux, and two at Lac
qui Parle July Is. We had travelled
about two hundred miles from Men
dota without any mishap or any event
worthy to be mentioned. 1 will, how
ever, state that L felt a certain interest
when passing through a place where,
on the 26th of December, 1871, was in
danger of losing my life, and very
probably would have lost it, if, unex-
perienced traveller that L was, l had
refused to follow the good advice given
me by Mr.. Provencal just at the mo-
ment of our departure from Traverse
des Sioux. l will relate the fact, as it
may be useful to some inexpert travel
ers.
The day was fine, and through the
kindness of Mr.. Provencal 1 was pro-
yided with two companions and a
horse, and we expected to reach Lit
tie Rock on the same day; but we did
not until 8 o'clock the night following.
The good old gentleman, perceiving
that l was starting with shoes unfit
for winter journey, said to me:
with such shoes, father, 1 fear you
shall have your feet frozen; you ought
| to use moccasins; let us go in, and
| will give you a pair 81 thank you
very much, Mr.. Provencal, it is not
necessary; the day is fine, I am a
young man, and [ do not fear' "Ah,
my friend" said he to me, you have
no experience; the weather is fine, it
| Is true, but the wind may change be-
! fore you have travelled ten miles, and
| you may be very much embarrassed {;
believe me, father, come in and change
| your shoes" l acceded to his advice
We had not yet advanced ten miles,
| when the weather changed; the wind
became strong and cold, the snow was
deep, the horse could scarcely carry
| my baggage, and we were on a vast
| prairie without timber. I had once
| lost sight OF my companions the wind
| prevented them from hearing my voice
when l called for them to assist me:
and L was so much fatigued that L
! thought once L could not walk anv
longer. With my heavy shoes L could
not have proceeded so far; L should
! nave persisted under the snow. I was
however, fortunate enough to find
again my two companions; but we had
| to travel until dark before we could
| procure some wood to make a fire. and
a convenient place to pass the night.
I Mr.. Provencal dit Leblanc died in
February, 1851, at the age of seventy
eight years at Mendoza where I had
! often the qualification of visiting him
during his last Illness, and of admins
| terlng to him the last sacramento.
| Again to our journey of 1847. From,
Lac, aui Parle to Fort Pierre we Went
| west, except OH the last DAYS. when
we mad to travel little southwest.
| We had no difficulty in crossing
| swampy places; the country was, for
the most part, rolling prairies without
TIMBER, deficient in water and in buff
faloes, though some of our compan-
IONS, when going to Mendoza in the
spring, were sometimes embarrassed
| by the lnnumerable herds of these ami
! mails grazing or running on the same
! prairies
Having Travelled forty-fve or ffftv
miles from Lac qui Parle, we encoun-
tered camp of Sioux with whom we
hau a snort conversation, and then we
proceeded farther One or two DAVIS
after, an occurrence of some interest
to travellers took place On the west
ern prairies, do not lose your compass
We had for our guide a man who. like
most guides, knew his duty. and who
did not like much to have suggestions
made-he went ahead and we had TO
follow him without making any re-
mark. On that day the sun did not ap-
pear for several hours, including the
time we had stopped to take our din
ner. When we were ready to start
again, our guide jumped on his horse
and went on alone a quarter of a mile
before we began to move. 1 thought he
had taken a wrong direction, took my
compass, and saw that he was return
ing to Lac qui Parle. [ showed the
compass to the others, and they were
convinced Of it. This time Boyer has
made mistake, said they; and then
at the top Of their voices, Boyer,
Boyer, come back, come backr' re-
peating the same until lie had heard
them. He came back speedily, and ap-
peared to be displeased, thinking we
would not obey and follow the guide;
but having learned by the compass
that he was going east, he was very
much confused, and went west fast
and without any reply
A RAVOUX.
MINNEAPOLIS GLOBULES.