the necessary position of the object, we have certain limits to the angles of incidence formed by the light proceeding from it and impinging on the mirror. All lines drawn from the centre of a concave mirror to the surface, are necessarily perpendicular to that surface, and all lines drawn from the principal focus to the surface necessarily exhibit an angle of incidence of exactly forty-five degrees. Now, as a ray of light proceeding from the centre of the mirror and necessarily coincident with the perpendicular, would have its angle of incidence expressed by 0, while a ray from the principal focus would have its angle of incidence expressed by forty-five degrees, any object placed between the centre and the principal focus and transmitting light to the mirror must have the angle of incidence of such light comprised between those two terms-it can never be less than 0, never greater than forty-five degrees. No one, we imagine, will contend that air is a better reflector than water, or even as good but for illustration sake, suppose it to be as good, and then by consulting our table we will see that when light is reflected from water, in such a manner that the angle of incidence ranges from 0 to 40 degrees, out of every thousand rays that strike the surface only eighteen to twenty-two are reflected, all the rest being absorbed or transmitted, and consequently lost. But suppose again fifty parts out of every thousand are reflected, and this is manifestly far beyond the truth for any angle of incidence between 0 and 45, then only one twentieth of all the light passing from the object to the mirror would be reflected. While of that one-twentieth only the thirty-first part would be available, in consequence of the magnified image. And thus a red cross, twenty-five feet high, produces an image one hundred and forty feet long, which on "physical principles" cannot be more than the six hundred and twentieth part as luminous as the cross itself, and yet appears "of a bright silver color tinged with red." But perhaps it may be said

the cross in the church-yard may have been very brilliantly illuminated by the setting sun or the rising moon, and thus produced a very luminous image. Let us inquire where the sun and moon were at 5 o'clock, P. M., Dec. 17th, 1826, in the latitude of Poitiers. By rectifying a celestial globe to the latitude of 46° 35' north, and finding the sun's place in the ecliptic for that month and day, and proceeding as all well taught girls and boys well know, it appears that the sun set on that day and at that place about 4 o'clock P. M. Perhaps ten minutes more might be allowed for want of accuracy in the globe. Next, by consulting any table that gives the moon's age by inspection for any given time (such may be found in Mackay's Tables,) it appears that on the 17th day of Dec. 1826, the moon was nineteen days old, consequently full moon must have occurred on or about the 12th of the same month. And as the daily variation in the rising and the setting of the sun does not exceed one or two minutes for many days before and after the solstice, we may venture to say that the sun set and the moon rose about ten minutes past four on the 12th of Dec. 1826. This admitted, and we have only to add five times the amount of the daily difference in the rising of the moon to learn when it rose five days afterwards, and thus we find that the moon rose at 8 o'clock, P. M. or thereabouts on the evening of Dec. 17th, 1826. It is evident then that neither sun nor moon will help Thomas Dick, LLD. out of his "physical" difficulty. At 5 o'clock, P. M. on the 17th of Dec. 1826, the sun had been below the horizon more than three quarters of an hour, while the moon did not rise until about three hours afterwards. Even the stars refuse to lend their light and hide themselves, as if ashamed to be caught winking at such blunders, for according to undoubted and undeniable "physical principles," images formed by reflection as above supposed cannot be distinctly seen by numerous spectators at the same

moment, unless they are received on some sort of screen. Now the only kind of screen that could have received the magnified image of the cross in this case, must have been a thin fleecy cloud or vapor or fog, that in proportion to its density must have obscured the light of the stars. With neither sun nor moon to aid, with the stars dimmed by vapors in the air, and with no light to illuminate the object but the lingering light left after the sun has been down three quarters of an hour, we are called upon to admit that a magnified image of that object may be formed by reflection, which although necessarily less than one six-hundredth part as bright as the object itself, may yet shine with a "bright silver light." And this is called accounting for the appearance on physical principles! It is manifestly the want of faith that has betrayed the writer into this contradiction. If one assumes tacitly at least that the age of miracles has long gone by, and that the occurrence of a miracle at the present day, and more par

ticularly in the Catholic church, is too great an absurdity for enlightened science to admit if the supposition of such an occurrence is thought too ridiculous to be answered by any argument, and to require only a sneer for its refutation; it follows that the man of science may be called upon and will be compelled for consistency sake, to explain on physical principles phenomena which are purely preternatural, and of necessity he will be led into errors, absurdities and contradictions. But let a man of faith be called upon and we will find him starting from widely different premises. He begins not with the postulate, "there can be no miracles, and this must be explained on physical principles," but more modestly inquires, is this or is it not miraculous? can it be explained, or is it inexplicable on physical principles? Which of these two inquirers will be most likely to arrive at the truth, it requires no extraordinary sagacity to determine. A.

FORT PIERRE, August 4th, 1847.

RIGHT REV. SIR,

N the 5th of July last we left St. Pierre, and on the 30th of the same month reached Fort Pierre, upon the Missouri river. Our journey was quite pleasant, though we experienced some difficulties. Divine Providence did not forsake us, but watched over us with a mother's care, and the whole party arrived in safety. The guide whom I had engaged to accompany me to the Missouri was unable to perform his promise, and I joined a party that was going the same way, and thus was enabled to save the hire of a conductor. We were fourteen in all, exclusive of two young children.

The first two days of our journey, the rain fell incessantly, and on the second the rivers of the Bois-franc' had become raging and impassable torrents. We had great difficulty in saving the life of my horse, which was unable to climb the bank of one of these rivers, and we were employed at least one quarter of an hour in getting him to a place of safety. The same day we reached the " Hill of the Sioux," where we met Mr. Quickson, who had come from Penbina with his furs. Penbina is within the territory of the United States, on the Red river, about sixty miles from the bishopric of St. Bo

niface, and four hundred and seventy from St. Pierre. It contains several Catholic families, who ardently desire a priest to distribute to them the bread of life. I have conversed with some persons from that place, who accompanied Mr. Quickson they entreated me to present their case to your consideration.

The greater portion of our little caravan had remained behind on account of the bad weather; they rejoined us two days after at the Hill of the Sioux, where I received my provisions and some other articles necessary for my journey. Mr. Siblez had the kindness to send them to me, in his barge, which came to the Hill of the Sioux to receive a load of Mr. Quickson's furs. Both these gentlemen have rendered me many services. May the Lord repay them!

On the 11th we proceeded on our journey, and on the 13th I visited the house of Mr. Laframboise. He was away, having gone with his family to St. Pierre to enjoy the benefits of religion. God be praised! he has escaped great misfortunes in following the impulses of grace. I had no sooner entered the quarter of his servants, than I was informed that three or four days after his departure, the house had been struck by lightning. "Come and see," said one, and immediately led me to the residence of Mr. Laframboise. On entering, I saw several planks of the floor torn up, a joist split and shivered as by the effect of lightning, and the stovepipe pierced as by a ball. What a blessing, that, when the stroke fell upon this house, no one was within!

We fell in with some Indians on the 14th, with a horse laden with casks of

whiskey. They were going to sell it among the Iaways, a tribe of the Sioux. The price of a keg containing three or four gallons, is a horse. Three or four days after, we met some more Indians, who were also carrying whiskey to the Iaways. Unless the sale of liquors to the Indians be soon arrested, we must expect to hear of the most terrible crimes. Last winter, six persons at least were killed, in the neighborhood of the river St. Pierre, by the fatal consequences of drink. The intoxicated savage is beyond control: friends are slain by friends, and brothers fall by brothers' hands. What monstrous crimes! It is the duty of the government to make every exertion to put a stop to this dreadful abuse. I think that if congress were well informed of the innumerable evils resulting from the sale of liquor to the Indians, it would find some method to enforce the laws which prohibit such sales. Oh that the Lord would open the eyes of those, who, in defiance of all laws, human and divine, pursue this infamous traffic! What a disgrace for civilised men! what a crime for Christians! who, instead of laboring to enlighten these poor unfortunates, plunged in the darkness of idolatry, do not scruple for the sake of a paltry gain to debase them to the level of the brute! I hope that you, Rt. Rev. Sir, will take every means in your power, to put an end to such a great scandal. It is almost impossible to hope for any good among the Indians, where the sale of intoxicating liquors is permitted. You might write to some member of the Senate, and beseech him together with his colleagues to adopt some remedy for this wide-spread contagion. They can do it; they have the power; they have made laws, and it is their duty to enforce them.

About eight o'clock on the evening of the 15th, a Canadian came to us; he brought his two young children a quarter of a mile to have them baptized. I immediately administered to them the sacrament of regeneration; and the happy father having expressed to me his gratitude,

took up his new-born children and went away rejoicing. On the 16th we received a visit from several Sioux, who were encamped in the neighborhood of the spot where we had stopped to pass the night. Some of them asked us repeatedly for whiskey I answered that we had none, and endeavored to inspire them with horror for a liquor, which is the cause of so many evils among them. I also gave them an instruction upon religion. Our band contained two Sioux half-breeds, who were of much use to me in speaking to the Indians. Whenever I address myself to them, I never fail to exhort them to pray to the Great Spirit, who guides the course of the sun, the moon, and the stars, who causes the earth to bring forth the herbs and flowers of the field, who sends from the clouds the summer rains and the winter snows, who makes the lightning flash and the thunder roll, who gives life to all animated beings, &c. These and similar expressions I present to their consideration under every possible form. Sometimes I exclaim, "Consider the works of the Lord; it needs but eyes and reflection to discover his grandeur, his power and his mercy." Sometimes I interrogate them thus: "Who has made all these things? Who is he that preserves them? For whom has he created them, and for whom does he preserve them?" I then give them the answer, and exhort them to meditate often on God, and to manifest to him their gratitude for all the benefits they have received. After having preached the religion of nature, I announce to them the consolatory truths of Christianity. In all the Indian camps we have passed, I have given an instruction. May heaven grant that this first seed may bear its fruit, the dearest wish of my heart!

Three or four of our horses appeared to attract the attention of some of the Indians who came to our camp on the 16th of this month. They were desirous to exchange them for others, but we declined. They retired one after another, and it was ten

o'clock when the last left our camp. As it was to be apprehended that they might return under cover of the darkness and steal our animals, we established a night watch of two men. At midnight one of the guards cried out that an Indian was approaching the horses. The savage seeing himself discovered, immediately took to flight. On the morrow, in broad day, three came to us on horseback from the same camp. Two of them, who were drunk, wanted to exchange my two horses for others of their own. 66 We will take away those two belonging to the black gown, and give him ours in return." I answered that I would not change horses. They persisted, and said they would have them; they did not, however, attempt to take them by open force, as we were too many for them to succeed thus: but we feared that they might shoot them by arrows, as it is not uncommon for them openly to kill a horse which has been refused to them.

About six o'clock in the morning we directed our march towards their encampment. When we were about half a mile distant from the huts, an Indian sprang upon his horse and came towards us in full gallop. He held a gun in his hand, and discharged it when about seven or eight paces from us. He reloaded immediately with powder, and fired at the head of the horse of our guide, and burned his mane: he reloaded again, and made a second discharge at the head of the same horse. We were all mounted, and asked why he was firing at us; he gave us no answer, but loaded his gun and fired at the horse of the man alongside our conductor, twice in succession. As he approached me loading his gun, I plainly perceived that my turn was come, and that I was about to be saluted in the same manner: this was by no means pleasant. I had great difficulty in restraining my animal, which was not accustomed to stand fire: my bridle was none of the best, and I was in danger of being thrown, should he burn the mane of my horse as

he had done those of my two travelling companions. "Friend," I exclaimed, stretching my hand towards him, “give me your hand; do not fire at my horse, he is not accustomed to the report of a gun, and might dash me upon the ground." He stopped; shook hands, and lowered his gun. We asked him again what had induced him to fire at our horses. This was his answer: "I am but dust and ashes, I am nothing, but I wish my people to know that I am not a child, I wish them to see that I am a great warrior, that I am a brave." He then boasted a great deal of his courage, and assured us we had nothing to fear in his encampment. "You are invited," he added, “to the feast which we have prepared for you, since we first heard of your arrival in our country. My wigwam is waiting for you." The guide, who was also a blacksmith at fort Pierre, supposed that his conduct proceeded from resentment or displeasure: "three or four times," said he, "we have been obliged to refuse this same Indian articles at the garrison, which he wanted, and no doubt it is from a feeling of spite that he has fired at our horses."

Some of our party appeared quite dissatisfied; one in particular expressed himself in very harsh terms, calculated to excite the others to revenge. "Had the savage fired at my horse," he cried, "he would never have done it twice. I could not have restrained myself; he would have received the ball that is in my rifle." I greatly commended the forbearance of our leader, and of him who rode by his side. A thousand times I return thanks for it to divine Providence. Had a fight ensued, how many evils would have followed! human blood would have flowed on both sides, and many would have lost their lives. Oh my God, preserve me from such a sight in the course of the missions I undertake for the glory of thy name! Pray, father, that it may please heaven to favor my desires!

Our guide informed me that this same Indian had distinguished himself on sev