No greater success was attained in many efforts which were exerted to give a European stamp to the character of the aborigines, than in divers attempts to train in civilized habits young Indians brought up in the seminaries.  And we know that if success in this direction had been possible it would certainly have been obtained by educators like the Jesuit Fathers.  “With the French admitted to the small seminary,” says the Abbe Ferland, “six young Indians were received; on the advice of the king they were all to be brought up together.  This union, which was thought likely to prove useful to all, was not helpful to the savages, and became harmful to the young Frenchmen.  After a few trials it was understood that it was impossible to adapt to the regular habits necessary for success in a course of study these young scholars who had been reared in complete freedom.  Comradeship with Algonquin and Huron children, who were incapable of limiting themselves to the observance of a college rule, tended to give more force and persistence to the independent ideas which were natural in the young French-Canadians, who received from their fathers the love of liberty and the taste for an adventurous life.”

But we must not infer, therefore, that the missionaries found no consolation in their troublous task.  If sometimes the savage blood revealed itself in the neophytes in sudden insurrections, we must admit that the majority of the converts devoted themselves to the practice of virtues with an energy which often rose to heroism, and that already there began to appear among them that holy fraternity which the gospel everywhere brings to birth.  The memoirs of the Jesuits furnish numerous evidences of this.  We shall cite only the following:  “A band of Hurons had come down to the Mission of St. Joseph.  The Christians, suffering a great dearth of provisions, asked each other, ’Can we feed all those people?’ As they said this, behold, a number of the Indians, disembarking from their little boats, go straight to the chapel, fall upon their knees and say their prayers.  An Algonquin who had gone to salute the Holy Sacrament, having perceived them, came to apprise his captain that these Hurons were praying to God.  ‘Is it true?’ said he.  ’Come! come! we must no longer debate whether we shall give them food or not; they are our brothers, since they believe as well as we.’”

The conversion which caused the most joy to Mgr. de Laval was that of Garakontie, the noted chief of the Iroquois confederation.  Accordingly he wished to baptize him himself in the cathedral of Quebec, and the governor, M. de Courcelles, consented to serve as godfather to the new follower of Christ.  Up to this time the missions to the Five Nations had been ephemeral; by the first one Father Jogues had only been able to fertilize with his blood this barbarous soil; the second, established at Gannentaha, escaped the general massacre in 1658 only by a genuine miracle.  This mission was commanded by Captain Dupuis, and comprised