BLACK ROBE: The Life of Pierre-Jean De Smet

Father Pierre-Jean De Smet was a frontier missionary, explorer, and pioneer for over thirty years in the western wilderness. He was known as Black Robe and his feats at peace-making among the Indians became legendary. History has failed to completely to accord him the place he earned serving under four Presidents. His greatest mission was with the government's Peace Commission in 1868 to arrange peace terms. The Sioux had gone into hiding and no one knew where. Father De Smet went alone into their country, located them, parlayed with Sitting Bull and other chiefs and won them over by their faith in Black Robe. Father De Smet died brokenhearted, having anticipated the swindles against the Indians during the Grant administration. On par with this author's earlier books of frontier Americana, Journey into Darkness and Furs by Astor.