Crow's
village, ploughed 75 acres of land, made 500 yards of fence, put
up 20 tons of hay, and hauled corn for seventeen days. To be sure,
Robertson and Chatel were not missionaries, but they were part of the
movement for civilizing the Indians which was fostered and encouraged by
the officers of the fort.[428]

In 1837 at Lake Harriet there was an Indian boarding-school, where some
half dozen half-breed girls were learning to read, write, and sew.[429]
The Pond brothers had made the beginnings of an alphabet of the Sioux
language, and books and primers for the use of the scholars were soon
printed.[430] At all the stations surrounding Fort Snelling schools were
maintained, but here as elsewhere "the children in pleasant weather
prefer playing to reading".[431] Some progress was made, however, as is
indicated by the school reports. In 1851 at the school maintained at
Kaposia it is reported that Daniel Renville, Gustavus A. Robertson,
Rosalie Renville, and Fat Duty Win can spell and read in English in
_McGuffy's Eclectic Primer_, and can spell and read in the Sioux
language in _Wowape Metawa_.[432]

The success of these pioneer efforts depended much on the encouragement
received at the beginning; and by a coincidence this encouragement was
brought about the second summer that the Ponds were in the vicinity.
During the winter Major Gustavus Loomis initiated "a red-hot revival
among the soldiers", and although many of the converts backslid with the
simultaneous appearance of spring and whiskey,[433] yet there were so
many that remained faithful that on June 11, 1835, when Dr.
Williamson arrived, a church was organized in one of the company rooms
at Fort Snelling. This church was composed of soldiers, missionaries,
and fur traders and was a basis of support in the difficult task of
civilizing the Indians.[434] The officers protected and encouraged the
workers under all circumstances, the post doctor gave his services to
them free, and once a month Mr. Stevens preached at the fort.[435]

In 1838 the church was strengthened by the appointment of a chaplain,
Rev. Ezekiel Gear of Galena. But on December 11, 1838, as he was leaving
Fort Crawford in a sleigh, the horse started up sooner than was expected
and he was thrown out, breaking his right thigh bone. He was kept at the
hospital at Fort Crawford for some months and did not arrive at Fort
Snelling until April 28, 1839.[436] As there was no room large enough to
hold all t