Indian and white in the Northwest; a history of Catholicity in Montana, 1831-1891

Front matter

INDIAN AND WHITE IN THE NORTHWEST

THE REV. ANTHONY RAVALLI. SJ.

PASTOR OF ST. MARY'S MISSION, FIRST CHURCH IN MONTANA

Introduction

TT DOES not usually happen that a historian can relate the -•- primitive times of a barbarous country, not less than its com plete transformation by the hand and magic touch of progress, and be likewise a personal witness of both its civilization and barbarism. Such, however, is the case with the writer of the first History of Catholicity in Montana.

An old-timer among the old-timers, the Reverend author speaks whereof he knows. He has lived among the natives; has conversed with the first priests who, preceding the goldseeker by twenty-two years, shared with the red man his dried buffalo meat, his wild roots and berries; and where he saw the nomad's wigwam stand, he saw alike the palatial mansion rise. The howling wilderness has blossomed under his eyes.

It has been with him a labor of love, for over two years, each day deep into the night, to collect the authentic documents, compare and study statements made, so far as to be accurate in relating events and stating dates, which make a history reliable. And as a book which holds the dead letter becomes almost living by the pictures of those it describes, the author has doubled the value of his work by many photogravures which adorn its pages.

Whilst a welcome and valuable addition to the history of the country, the new book will be a surprise to many who still con sider Montana as belonging to the "Wild West." May its pages prove once more that Christianity and civilization go hand in hand and produce the happiest results.

The reading of this volume will give reliable information concerning the growth of our State from an American desert into a flourishing commonwealth, and will show at the same time what a factor Catholicity was in the building up of Mon tana, admitted to-day to be the richest gold and silver producer in the country, and to contain the biggest mining camp in the world.

viii INTRODUCTION

I hope the volume may be perused with great profit by all who love material progress and spiritual growth. It will be interesting especially to those who study the nature of man, whether in his barbarous or civilized condition.

JOHN B. BRONDEL,

Bishop of Helena.

BISHOP'S HOUSE, HELENA, MONTANA

November 18, 1922.

REV. L. B. PALLADINO, S.J.,

Missoula, Montana.

Dear Father Palladino:

It gives me great pleasure to learn that the long-expected sec ond edition of Indian and White in the Northwest is at last about to appear. I congratulate you on preserving for future generations invaluable historical information on the origin and progress of Christianity and civilization in Montana. The people of our State will, I am sure, show their appreciation of your untiring efforts by securing for your book a place on the shelves of every family, school and public library. Very sincerely yours,

JOHN P. CARROLL,

Bishop of Helena.

GREAT FALLS, Montana, October 9, 1922.

DEAR FATHER PALLADINO:

I am pleased to learn that you are publishing a second edition of Indian and White in the Northwest.

Since it was the illustrious Father P. J. De Smet, S.J., who was the first missionary to bring the consoling doctrines of our holy religion to the aborigines of the Rocky Mountains; and since it was the valiant and learned sons of St. Ignatius, assisted by the equally valiant and pious Sisters of Charity of Providence and Ursuline Nuns, who opened the pioneer missions both for the Indians and whites in Montana, it is only becoming that you, one of the oldest missionaries in Montana, and a member of the Jesuit Order, should publish a reliable history of the early mis sions and parishes, and the marvelous growth of Catholicity in our Treasure State.

Your great work on these most interesting events will be con-

INTRODUCTION ix

sidered authentic church history and will be a valuable acquisition to any library.

I hereby subscribe for fifty copies of your new volume, Indian and White in the Northwest, and wish you every blessing.

Faithfully yours,

MATHIAS C. LENIHAN,

Bishop of Great Falls.

MONTANA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

HELENA, Montana, October 17, 1922.

REV. L. B. PALLADINO, S.J.,

Missoula, Montana.

Dear Friend,

I am very glad to learn that a revised edition of your Indian and White in the Northwest, or a History of Catholicity in Montana, on which you have been engaged for some years is soon to appear and I bespeak for it a warm and appreciative reception, to which it is entitled by the public of Montana and in fact the reading public of all the Western States.

The original edition, published nearly thirty years ago and now out of print, was a valuable contribution of a pioneer and of a scholar in telling the story of the spreading of the word of God among the aboriginal and white inhabitants of this Empire State of the West, of which the writer could truly say, "all of which I saw and much of which I was." And the story of the labors of the Society of Jesus and of the Catholic Church in that vineyard is one which will always be read with absorbing interest.

The persistent desire of the Selish or Flat Head Indians for the white man's Bible during the decade of the '30*5, and its gratification by Father De Smet and his missionary labors in 1840 and with the establishment of St. Mary's Mission in the Bitter Root Valley the next year and its subsequent history, and the history of the Church for more than fifty years so graphically portrayed, entitle it to renewed interest which I am sure it will receive.

Please record the State Historical Society and myself per sonally among the subscribers of your forthcoming volume.

With assurances of renewed friendship, I am, Very sincerely,

« J. U. SANDERS, Secretary.

Preface To First Edition

Rosary Sunday, October 4, 1891, marked the Golden Jubilee or the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the first Cath olic Mission in Montana. By pastoral letters to the clergy, the religious communities, and laity of the diocese, the Right Rev. John B. Brondel, Bishop of Helena, called the attention of all the members of his fold to the happy event, and pursuant to his Lordship's directions it was fittingly observed throughout the whole of Montana, state and diocese being coextensive.

A record of Catholicity in Montana during the half century just closed, apart from its timeliness, seemed to be called forth, even demanded, by the occasion, and we were requested to assume the task.

The establishment and progress of Catholicity in the North west will ever be reckoned among the remarkable events of the century, while the circumstances leading to the fact, or attendant upon it, spiced with adventure and haloed with a tinge of romance, have enhanced by additional interest the more than local importance of the subject.

A brief historical sketch, a mere outline of the Church in our midst, is all that was contemplated at first. On second thought, however, it seemed that nothing else than an extended and particularized narrative would meet the wish of the Catholic community and satisfy the reading public. Accordingly we were directed to enter more fully into the subject, and prepare a com plete history of Catholicity in Montana, from its beginning to the close of 1891.

This was a greater task than we felt able to accomplish, and to do it justice, besides, would require more time and leisure for research and collection of materials than our missionary duties left at our disposal. Notwithstanding these serious objec tions on our part, we could not but defer to persons whose wish

THE REV. LAWRENCE B. PALLADINO, SJ.

MISSIONARY — PASTOR — HISTORIAN

PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION xi

we regarded as a command. Hence our venture into the field of history, and this volume now, at last, presented to the public.

Following the natural order and division of our theme, the work is divided into two parts; the First Part being devoted to the Church among the natives or Indians; while the Second Part treats of its labors among the whites. The nature of the subject has likewise suggested the title of the book.

It was not possible to relate what Religion has done to lift the Indian from barbarism in Montana, without entering at the same time, and at some length, into a matter intimately con nected with, and of vital interest to the welfare, temporal and spiritual, of the red man — we mean his education, and the meth ods best suited to encompass it. The question has occupied pub lic attention of late more than usual, while recent events have also greatly accentuated its importance. We express our views on the subject with all candor and frankness, and would fain believe that years of personal observation and experience entitle us somewhat to the privilege.

We take this occasion to express our gratitude to several friends who have either encouraged or assisted us in the compila tion of this volume. We tender particularly our thanks to Colonel W. M. F. Wheeler, Librarian of the Historical Society of Montana, for valuable information and historical documents kindly placed at our disposal; also to the Rev. Arthur E. Jones, S.J., of St. Mary's College, Montreal; the Rev. A. Hoecken, S.J., of St. Gall, Milwaukee; the Rev. F. X. Kuppens, SJ. ; the Rev. Thomas Sherman, S.J., of St. Louis University. Like wise to Mother Xavier Ross, and others for similar favors.

Lastly, whatever is written in this book is meant to be in entire conformity and submission to ecclesiastical authority. Facts, therefore, that may appear to present any mark of being supernatural, are hereby declared to be entitled to no more faith than is due to mere historical evidence ; and such terms as may seem to imply sanctity, martyrdom and the like, are used by us merely for convenience sake, and without in the least attaching to them any meaning that the official acts of the Church alone

can authorize.

L. B. PALLADINO, S.J.

Helena, Montana, Feast of the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady, 1893.

Preface To Second Edition

Indian and White in the Northwest having been out of print for nearly two decades, the author received directions to prepare a new edition. He has done so, and after devoting some four years to the task, the work, revised and enlarged, is now pre sented to the public.

Owing to considerable new matter which, for one reason or another, did not appear in the first issue, the work has been recast and almost entirely rewritten. But the plan originally adopted has not been departed from. Except in some few cases indicated below, no departure has been made from the time limit of the narrative, which runs as before from 1831 to 1891, just sixty years. Therefore, the more recent portion of the history of Catholicity in Montana is not recounted in these pages. It is touched upon here and there, but only incidentally, and no more than seemed required for a proper rounding out of the original work.

The reader's attention is called in a special manner to the third chapter of Part One, entitled "A Correction." It is made necessary by an error into which the writer was misled in the first edition. It will be seen, however, that the error has proved a gain. For it has brought about a clearer vindication of the Flat Head claim to the first expedition sent to Saint Louis after Black Robes, in 1831. And that one fact is the most important event in the history of Catholicity in Montana and the whole Northwest.

Chapter twenty-sixth, also Part One, explains itself, as a new and interesting addition to the local chronicle of Saint Peter's Mission.

It seemed befitting that this new edition should contain a last and due reference to the pioneers who made the history which is here narrated, and have passed away since this chronicle was first published. The writer does this in the last chapter of the Second Part, which thus brings up to date at least a small portion of his subject; and this, as is obvious, not inconsistently with the time limit of the narrative.

It is not ancient history that the author has gathered in these

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION xiii

pages. He writes of things, times, events, in the midst of most of which it fell to his lot to live and move. And since historical truth is never established better than by the testimony of eye witnesses, nothing* could be more unhistorical than for a chroni cler to suppress either himself or the fact of his having been an ocular witness of what he narrates. For it is manifest that by so doing he would detract much from the evidence of his narra tive; and whilst plain, simple truth is the very soul of history, just think of an historian lessening the credibility of what he writes by suppressing what would best evince the truthfulness of his story.

This second edition is hardly such as can be called complete. It is certainly defective in that it does- not take in, with the rest, also the more recent part of the history of Catholicity in Montana. The blame, however, can hardly be placed at the writer's door; his predicament in this regard having been pretty much like that of the Jews of old, who, while required to furnish their task of bricks, were not supplied with the straw needed for the work.

Lastly, to avoid misapprehensions, seeming anachronisms and the like, the reader is requested to bear well in mind that dates not specified by year have reference to and are to be reckoned, not from the time of this new edition, but from that of the first.

Because of the World War and other difficulties, the publica tion of the work had to be postponed until the present.

It will be remarked that the number of cuts in this edition has been considerably reduced. This was done ( i ) to save expense ;

(2) we could not obtain original photographs in many cases;

(3) the local history of Montana is much better known than it was twenty-eight years ago and there is proportionately less need of corroborating our narrative with illustrations.

We must add to the list of those who have been a help to us the following: Mr. John D. Ryan, of New York, through whose splendid generosity, serious financial obstacles were over come; the Honorable Joseph M. Dixon, Governor of Montana; Mr. A. B. Hammond, of San Francisco; Mrs. Ellen Carter, of Washington, D. C. ; the Rev. William Hughes, Director of the Catholic Indian Bureau; Mr. J. T. Ryman, of Missoula, Mont. ; many of the newspapers of the State and the Catholic press throughout the country.

THE AUTHOR.

Missoula, Mont., October 15, 1922.

PASTORAL LETTER

OF THE RIGHT REVEREND JOHN B. BRONDEL, BISHOP OF HELENA,

ON THE OCCASION OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY

OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FIRST CATHOLIC MISSION

IN MONTANA

John Baptist Brondel, by the Grace of God and Favor of the Apostolic See, Bishop of Helena, to the Clergy, both Secular and Regular, the Religious Communities and the Faithful of our Diocese, Greeting in the Lord.

On the first Sunday of October, the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary, we will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the estab lishment of the first Catholic Mission in Montana. It was on that day, 1841, that the first Mass was celebrated at St. Mary's Mission in the Bitter Root Valley, Montana, Missoula County, where Stevensville is now situated.

Father Peter De Smet, S.J., at the repeated requests of the Flat Head Indians, had visited the country from St. Louis, Mo., the previous year. He returned, in 1841, accompanied by Fathers Point and Mengarini and three Lay Brothers of the Society of Jesus, and began mission work among the Indians of the Rocky Mountains. Of this first band of missionaries one survives, Brother W. Claessens, living at present at Sta. Clara, California. We may form an idea of what they went through when they came to these regions and lived here, and traveled over these mountains; when civilization was not in existence and when the savages and the wild beasts roamed freely over the land. We may also conceive what an element they formed in the found ing of civilization, as they were always on the side of religion and social order. If to-day there is no Indian tribe that has not its churches and schools, if there is no community that has not its Catholic church, if there is no town of some importance that has not its churches, schools and hospitals, it is due in great measure to these heroic pioneers of Christianity.

PASTORAL LETTER xv

It is proper that we should celebrate this golden jubilee of Montana's Catholicity, by thanking God for the graces of the true faith bestowed upon the aborigines, and for those as well granted to the white population that has poured into the land during the later years. Gratitude to God for past blessings obtains new ones. We need the perseverance of the faithful, we need the conversion of the sinner, we need the light of faith for those who are still resting in the shadow and darkness of unbelief. To obtain all these favors and to render thanks in an appropriate manner to the Giver of all good gifts, we invite the people to receive the sacraments of penance and holy Communion on Rosary Sunday.

By our direction the Te Deum will be sung at the end of the divine service either in the morning or in the evening of that day, and the prayer of thanksgiving is to be said every day at Mass during the month of October. We further desire that the sermon on that occasion have for its subject, "Catholic Mis sions." * * *

JOHN B. BRONDEL,

Bishop of Helena.

Part I. Chapter Page

I. THE FLAT HEADS I

II. THEIR FIRST NOTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY 7

III. A CORRECTION 13

IV. RIVALS OF THE BLACK ROBES 23

V. CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES AGAIN SENT FOR 25

VI. FATHER DE SMET VISITS THE FLAT HEADS 30

VII. FATHER DE SMET RETURNS 37

vin. ST. MARY'S, FIRST MISSION IN MONTA.NA 41

IX. THE BUFFALO CHASE AND THE MISSIONARIES 48

X. FIRST GRIST MILL IN MONTANA $8

XI. FATHER JOSEPH GIORDA AND FATHER A. RAVALLI . 64

XII. CHARLOT AND THE GARFIELD TREATY '. . 77

XIII. ST. IGNATIUS, SECOND MISSION IN MONTANA QI

XIV. EDUCATING AND CIVILIZING THE INDIAN 1 04

XV. CONTRACT SCHOOLS IC6

XVI. SCHOOLS AND TRAINING NEEDED FOR INDIAN YOUTH 113

XVII. NON-SECTARIANISM IN INDIAN EDUCATION 121

XVIII. THE FIRST SISTERS IN MONTANA 138

xix. AUTHOR'S FIRST EXPERIENCE OF INDIAN MISSIONS 148

XX. INDIAN BOYS' SCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN 158

XXI. SENATOR VEST AND THE SCHOOLS AT ST. IGNATIUS l66

XXII. THE REV. JAMES RAZZINI AT ST. IGNATIUS l?O

XXIII. AGRICULTURE AND MATERIAL PROSPERITY 173

XXIV. ST. IGNATIUS MISSION, CONCLUDED 179

xxv. ST. PETER'S, THIRD MISSION IN MONTANA 185

XXVI. NEW LABORERS IQ7

XXVII. CLOSING OF ST. PETER'S MISSION 208

XXVIII. ITS RE-OPENING. FATHER PHILIP RAPPAGLIOSI 214

XXIX. STARVATION AMONG THE PIEGANS. SCHOOLS 224

XXX. HOLY FAMILY MISSIQN AND SCHOOLS 228

xxxi. ST. PAUL'S MISSION 230

XXXII. MISSION OF ST. LABRE 236, 245

xxxiii. ST. XAVIER'S. THE CROW INDIANS 251

xxxiv. ST. XAVIER'S, CONCLUDED 260

XXXV. SUMMARY AND RETROSPECT 267

Part II

I. EXPLORERS AND FIRST WHITE SETTLERS 28l

II. CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL ORGANIZATION 289

III. FIRST MISSIONS AMONG THE WHITES 2Q5

IV. FORT BENTON 299

V. MISSION OF VIRGINIA CITY 306

VI. LAST CHANCE OR HELENA 315

VII & VIII. FIRST SISTERHOOD FOR THE WHITES 328

IX. DEER LODGE MISSION 338

CONTENTS

DEPENDENCIES OF DEER LODGE MISSION

BUTTE AND DILLON

MISSOULA MISSION

FRENCHTOWN MISSION

SUN RIVER, LEWISTOWN, GREAT FALLS

MERCY WORK OF THE SISTERS

FIRST EPISCOPAL VISITATION

ARCHBISHOP SEGHERS IN MONTANA

BISHOP BRONDEL

DIOCESE OF HELENA

DIOCESAN SYNODS

BOULDER, THREE FORKS, BOZEMAN, WHITE

MARYSVILLE

MILES CITY, GLENDIVE, BILLINGS, LIVINGSTON.

CEMETERIES

YEARS OF GRACE

THE GOOD SHEPHERD ORDER IN HELENA

NOTABLE PIONEERS

SOME OF THE DEPARTED

SULPHUR SPRINGS,

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

xrv. xv.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

XXVII.

XXVIII.

APPENDIX :

I. EARLY CATHOLICITY IN MONTANA, BY L. F. LA CROIX

II. LETTER OF THE HON. THOMAS H. CARTER, U. S. SENATOR.

III. LETTER OF MAJOR H. M. CHITTENDEN, U. S. A

IV. LETTER OF ARCHBISHOP IRELAND

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES ,

415 422

425 429 434

492 496 497 498 500 502

'ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

THE MOST REVEREND CHARLES J. SEGHERS, D.D 424

THE RIGHT REVERENED JOHN B. BRONDEL, D.D 424

THE RIGHT REVERENED MATHIAS C. LENIHAN, D.D 488

MO.NSIGNOR PETER DESIERE 34O

THE REVEREND HONORE B. ALLAEYES (GROUP) 436

FRANCIS X. BATE.XS /|/|2

AMAT A. COOPMAN W

REMIGIUS DE RYCKERE 34O

JOHN j. DDLS (GROUP) 432

CHARLES G. FOLLET (GROUP) 436

A. H. LAMBAERE (GROUP) 436

E. W. J. LINDESMITH (GROUP) 432

CYRIL PAUWELYJST 352

L. F. TREMBLAY (GROUP) 432

H. VAN DE VEN (GROUP) 436

J. B. VENNEMAN 352

FIRST DIOCESAN SYNOD 432

THIRD DIOCESAN SYNOD 436

THE REVEREND PETER J. DE SMET, SJ 32

PETER BARCELO, SJ. (GROUP) 432

" JOSEPH M. CATALOG, S.J 32

RAPHAEL CRIMONT, S.J. (GROUP) 436

JOSEPH DAMIA.NI, S.J 72

JEROME D'ASTE, s.j 72

ALEXANDER DIOMEDI, S.J. (GROUP) 436

FREDERIC EBERSCHWEILER, S.J. (GROUP) 432

JOSEPH GIORDA, S.J 308

JOSEPH GUIDI, S.J. (GROUP) 432

CAMILLUS IMODA, S.J. (GROUP) 432

J. MENETREY, S.J. (GROUP) 432

LAURENCE B. PALLADINO, S.J Preface

ANTHONY RAVALLI, s.j Frontispiece

JAMES REBMAN.N, S.J 164

ALOYSIUS VAN DER VELDEN, S.J 164

" " LEOPOLD VAN GORP, S.J 3°8

BROTHER JOSEPH CARIGNANO, S.J 376

BROTHER WILLIAM CLAESSENS, S.J 96

MOTHER AMADEUS 247

" CARON 364

" MARY JULIAN 364

" JOSEPHA 336

" PERPETUA 247

SISTER JULIA 336

THE HONORABLE GEORGE G. VEST, U. S. S l6o

THOMAS H. CARTER, U. S. S l6b

" " JOSEPH K. TOOLE, GOVERNOR I ^6

THOMAS CRUSE 4&4

DANIEL HEN.NESSY 4&4

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

MAJOR PETER RONAN 156

MRS. MATILDA GALEN 472

MRS. MARY LOUISA HANRATTY 472

MRS. ELLEN NAGLE 472

WAR CHIEF ALEE 84

TWO INDIAN BRAVES, AFTER A PAI.NTING BY GEORGE CATLIN 13

CHIEF CHARLOT AND FAMILY 88

FATHER AND SONS, ST. IGNATIUS MISSION 128

FLAT HEAD FAMILY 48

CROW CHIEFS 248

CROW INDIAN RESERVATION 266

CHIEF PLENTY COUES OF THE CROWS 256

PIEGAN CHIEFS 204

CHEYENNE FAMILY 88

ST. MARY'S, SKETCH OF THE ORIGINAL MISSION 44

PRESENT CHURCH 44

STONES OF FIRST GRIST MILL IN MONTANA 60

MONUMENT TO FATHER RAVALLI 76

ST. IGNATIUS:

FIRST RESIDE.NCE OF THE MISSIONARIES IO4

SAW MILL AND GRIST MILL 96

WORKSHOPS AND PRINTERY IO4

BUFFALOES IN THE MISSION VALLEY 48

ST. PETER'S MISSION, DIAGRAMS BY FATHER KUPPENS 197, 199, 200

ST. PAUL'S MISSION, CLASS OF CALISTHENICS 128

ST. XAVIER'S CHURCH, CROW INDIAN MISSION 128

ANACONDA, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH 344

BILLINGS, ST. JOACHIM'S CHURCH 344

BOULDER VALLEY, ST. JOHN'S CHURCH 440

BOZEMAN, CHURCH OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY 44O

DEER LODGE, CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 384

FRENCHTOWN, CHURCH A.ND RECTORY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST 384

GLENDIVE, ST. JULIANA'S CHURCH 452

GRANITE, ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH 3Q2

GREAT FALLS, PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE 488

ST. ANN'S CHURCH, GREAT FALLS 3Q2

HELENA, PRESENT CATHEDRAL 3l6

ST. HELENA'S CHURCH 320

HANGMAN'S TREE 332

HELL'S GATE, ST. MICHAEL'S, FIRST CHURCH FOR WHITES IN MO.NTANA .... 320

LEWISTOWN, ST. LEo's CHURCH 444

LIVINGSTON, ST. MARY'S CHURCH 444

MARYSVILLE, CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES 448

MILES CITY, CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART 448

MISSOULA, ST, FRANCIS XAVIER'S CHURCH (INTERIOR) 3?6

THREE FORKS, CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY 45^

* Most of the illustrations used in this volume are impressions from cuts that appeared in the first edition. The original photographs and plates were destroyed in the big fire that visited Baltimore a few years ago, and could not be replaced.

Indian and White in the Northwest

PART I.

Chapter I. The Flat Heads Or Selish.*

AMONG the Indian tribes of the Rocky Mountains there is •^-none more renowned in modern history than the Selish, commonly known as Flat Heads. But how they came by such a name is a mystery even to themselves. The barbarous custom of flattening the head, implied by the appellation and practiced by the natives on the Sound and along the Pacific Coast, never existed among them. Their heads are normal and shapely, and therefore the name Flat Heads in its obvious meaning and literal sense cannot be applied to them, save as a misnomer or a libel.

However, since they are known to the outside world only as Flat Heads and have become famed under that name, we cannot but follow the custom and use the same appellation.

The country of these Indians was that part of western Mon tana which lies at the base of the main range of the Rocky Moun tains, and is comprised today in Ravalli County. They called it in their language Spetlemen, which means the place of the bitter root, whence the name of the Bitter Root Valley. This section was properly their home. At times, however, for hunting and trading purposes, they could be found roaming about, like other Indians, in almost any part of the Northwest.

Though in bygone days and previous to their becoming known to the civilized world they must have been more numerous, there seems to be no indication that they ever constituted a large com munity. When our missionaries arrived among them, the mem bers of the tribe, all told, did not exceed seven hundred souls.

But if inferior in numbers to many of the other tribes in the Rocky Mountains, they seem to have surpassed them all in prowess and daring, and as a warlike people they were considered even by their enemies the bravest of the brave. Owing, however,

* The Indian sound of ' e in Selish is that of long English a in fate, or as if the word were written Sehlish.

to their endless hostilities and deadly conflicts with other tribes, who greatly outnumbered them, and who, besides, were better equipped for war, our Flat Heads often met with reverses and, despite their bravery, were constantly being reduced in numbers.

Their deadly foes from time immemorial were the Blackfeet tribes, living in what is now northern Montana, and the cause of their perpetual warfare, the bone of contention, was the buffalo. The Blackfeet claimed as their own all the country east of the main range, the home of innumerable herds of buffalo, and looked upon the Flat Heads who resorted thither to hunt, as intruders, whom they should keep off at any cost. The Flat Heads, on the other hand, maintained that their forefathers had always exercised the right of hunting on these disputed grounds, and while one of their warriors remained alive the right should not be surrendered. In these continual and desperate encounters the Flat Heads, being the weaker in numbers, were frequently also the greater sufferers.

Another advantage that the Blackfeet had over the Flat Heads was the use of firearms, which the former obtained from the so-called Forts des Prairies or trading posts established east of the mountains at an earlier date and before any post of the kind was located within the reach of the latter. To these murderous weapons our Flat Heads, for a long time, had nothing to oppose but the arrow and their undaunted bravery.

It is likely that the first white men seen by Flat Heads were members of an exploring expedition of the de la Verendryes, who between 1740-43 seem to have reached the southeast corner of what is now the state of Montana. In the report of one of those expeditions mention is made of meeting the Flat Heads. But as none of the exploring bands referred to came anyway near western Montana, where lay the land and home of the Flat Heads, it may be reasonably surmised that the Flat Heads in question were only a part of the tribe who were hunting buffalo somewhere in the Yellowstone country or along the Missouri.

That among the first whites met by the Flat Heads there should have been a Jesuit missionary, a member of the same order as Father De Smet, who a century after was to become their apostle, is interesting.

THE FLAT HEADS OR SELISH 3

While one or other of the de la Verendrye parties were the first pale-faces ever seen by the Flat Heads, the first whites to pass through their country, so far as it is known, were Lewis and Clark and their party, who arrived in the Bitter Root Valley in September, 1805.* There is still living at St. Ignatius an old Indian woman, by name Eugenie, who distinctly remembers and speaks of the coming of these explorers, and vividly describes the surprise which their advent created. Eugenie was then in her 1 4th or i6th year, and in her present venerable old age she is still well preserved, her mental faculties are unimpaired, and she can tell with accuracy of camping scenes and events which Lewis and Clark describe in their Travels.

To these explorers we owe some interesting details about the Flat Heads, which the reader will find in the published history of Lewis and Clark's celebrated expedition. It must be noted, however, that the Indians whom we know as Flat Heads go by an altogether different name with Lewis and Clark, being called by them Ootlashoots. We are at a loss to understand why; but the importance of noting this fact will appear further on.

We shall now quote but one paragraph from the Journal of Sergeant Patrick Gass, who served in Lewis and Clark's expe dition. The passage appears very significant and gives us an insight into the moral character of the Flat Heads. After point ing to the loose morals of the other tribes they had met in their long tour of exploration, Sergeant Gass writes : "To the honor of the Flat Heads who live on the west side of the Rocky Moun tains, we must mention them as exceptions: they are the only nation on the whole route where anything like chastity is regarded."