Old Missoula

A Leaf From Early Montana History (2 Parts)

Part 1

Establishing Missions – Traditions and Reminiscences of the Indians

By Charles Schafft

(The following paper was written in 1867, but has remained unpublished until the present time.)

In the year 1740 (sic) [1840] Father De Smet, a missionary of the Society of Jesus, made his first appearance in the Rocky Mountains to convert to the faith of the Cross the Red men who heretofore had only seen small rays from the great lights of Christianity reflected from a few Canadian voyageurs or Iroquois Indians that frequented the country for the purpose of trapping and trading for furs.

The First Missionary, Father De Smet.

The Flatheads, inhabiting the Bitter Root valley, were anxious to try the new trail, which promised immortality to all who followed its windings, and repeated messages were sent by them to St. Louis for a priest, or, as they term it, a “Blackgown.” One of these envoys, consisting of five or six Indians and a Protestant clergyman, (who accompanied them to go on some distant mission of his own) were all murdered (except the clergyman) on their return from St. Louis by a party of Sioux, who mistook their nationality and believed them to be enemies.

Catholic priests were not very plenty in those days, and it was only upon a final effort on the part of the Flatheads, that the Superior of the Jesuits in St. Louis felt himself called upon to send them a teacher.

Father De Smet was chosen for the perilous task of carrying the cross to an unknown wilderness and teaching its symbolical meanings an efficacy to the nations of red men dwelling in the mountains. With the true spirit of the Jesuits of old, who enriched the soil of Canada with their blood, the young father started to his new field alone. The principal part of his journey lay along the great Missouri, but the Flatheads knew of his coming and at a considerable distance from their village he was received by a delegation of the tribe, who escorted him in triumph to the Bitter Root valley.

Preaching The Faith.

The father found here in the elevated regions of the mountains a fine country, with a soil sufficiently rich to produce all that a husbandman need require; timber, grass and water were abundant, and could not be excelled anywhere. The people whom he came to instruct looked as yet kindly upon the faces of white men, with whose vices they were unacquainted. He found them ready and willing to be taught, and after the principal features of the Catholic religion had, by means of an interpreter, been impressed upon their minds, the chiefs and head men came forward to be baptized. These Indians as well as the neighboring tribes had always practiced polygamy, and the sincerity of their conversion was proven by their readily resigning all extra wives and becoming united to only one, in accordance with the articles of their adopted faith.

Exemplifying The Trinity – A Beautiful Illustration.

However it happened at times that a doubt would spring up in the Catechumen’s mind which it was not always easy to dispel. For instance, in after years there was an Indian who could not see into the mystery of the Holy Trinity. It was impossible to make him understand how three could be one. At last a chief (probably instructed how to act) told the skeptic to provide himself with a shovel and an axe, and follow him to the river. It was winter: the river was frozen and covered with snow. The doubting Indian was asked what is this snow and he answered, “water”; the snow was then removed and the same question repeated in regard to the ice, with the same reply; a hole then being cut through the ice, flowing water was discovered, and the skeptic felt convinced that three could be one and subsequently applied to be admitted to the church.

Making “Medicine.”

Like all other Indians they had heretofore believed in the Happy Hunting Grounds, and in a Great Spirit, who, assisted by a lesser one, governed and ruled the universe, and from whom came all that was good. They also believed in the existence of bad spirits, who ruled over disease and destruction, and in order to propitiate these latter in cases of sickness or impending evil, the usual “Medicine” ceremonies were resorted to. “Medicine” grounds abounded throughout the country and propitiatory offerings, consisting of beads, tobacco, etc., were hung on peculiar trees or laid on certain rocks, to incline the spirit (who, it was supposed, held in such places their residence), to give them success on the war-path, hunting excursions, or any other important undertaking.

A Curious Lake.

Even at this day, some of the most prominent Indians, among whom is Victor, head chief of the Flathead nation, believe in the existence of a Lake, said to be located somewhere in the mountains between the country of the Upper Pen d’Oreilles and Kootenais, which Lake they maintain is inhabited by all kinds of animals, such as buffalo, elk, deer, etc., that live and thrive under the waters of the Lake, and a very large beaver is the presiding genius over this submarine assemblage. Victor, the above mentioned chief, says that he has seen this Lake with his own eyes, and offered last fall to take one of our distinguished officials to the spot. However, the season was too far advanced, and the project of visiting this Barnumian spot was deferred till next spring. A tradition is current among these Indians of a great flood that at one time covered all the earth; but that a very large beaver was saved from the general destruction. The beaver was always looked upon by them as an intelligent and superior animal. They used to say, “We are like the beaver, but a little above him; for he builds houses as we do, but unlike us he cannot pull them down again.”

The Mission Established.

Father De Smet on his first visit tarried only long enough in the mountains to see that the seeds sown by him were not cast upon a barren soil, and then returned to St. Louis to report progress and obtain assistance. He returned in 1842, accompanied by Fathers Point and Mengarini, together with several lay brothers, and a regular missionary establishment was begun in Bitter Root valley, under the name and title of St. Mary’s Mission, (after which Father De Smet left for Europe).

Agriculture.

At this time was yet unknown in the Rocky Mountains. The Indians, indeed, were accustomed to rip open the soil, but it was in search of camas and other esculent roots. The missionaries, provided with an assortment of seeds and the most indispensable agricultural implements, opened now the “first farm in Montana,” and began to test (sic) to Indians and half-breeds the benefits to be derived from the culture of the soil. That their time and labor were not lost, is well proven by the fine farms which the Flathead possess in the Bitter Root valley at the present day.

Upon examination it was found that at least ten different tribes used radically the same language, viz:

The Kallispells (sic) (Lower Pen d’Oreilles).

The Sttaketikomelshis (Upper Pen ‘dOreilles).

The Spokanes, which are divided into the Snyomenei.

Snpoilsshi (Sz-ka-eszilni).

St. Aizui (Coeur d’Alenes).

Sqoielpi (Kettle Fall Indians or Colvilles).

Oakanagon; divided into the Okinakein and Sitakanas.

Very little difference exists in the dialects of these tribes, but the Coeur d’Alenes have some primitive expressions of their own.

(See Father Mengarini’s grammar, part III.)[1]

Multiplying The Missions.

Steps were now taken to multiply the missions in order to facilitate the spreading of the faith among the neighboring tribes. That of the Coeur d’Alenes was established under Fathers Point and Hoeken in 1844. (This year brought also a reinforcement with the return of Father De Smet of several other Fathers and lay brothers; among the number were the well-known Father Louis Vercruyssen and that noted physician, Father Ravalli.) The same year, under the care and superintendence of Father Ravalli, a chapel was built at Colville; (afterwards, in 1853, a regular mission was established at this point, with Fathers De Woss and Vercruyssen as successive resident superiors.)

The old St. Ignatius Mission, among the Kallispels, about thirty miles from Colville, was established with Fathers Hoeken and Ravalli in 1845, and was transferred in 1859, by Father Hoeken, to the Sonielem valley (now a part of the general Flathead Reserve) among the Upper Pen d’Oreilles, and a site was here chosen which cannot be excelled either in a practical view or for scenic beauty in Montana.

Scenic Features.

The mountains show here really their characteristics, rising in perpendicular masses precipitately out of a fine valley, and showing their granite crests far above the line of vegetation. They seem to invite some mortal like Bierstadt to court them with the pencil and canvas. Near this Mission, in a wild gorge, are three magnificent cascades that carry the waters of a mountain lake to the Sonielem river. The principal one of these is named the “Elizabeth Cascade,” in honor of the wife of our acting Governor, she being the first lady (who in company with several Sisters of Charity) had the courage to explore this Alpine wilderness in search of the wild and comparable pictures of nature. The two lesser cascades were named the Two Sisters. This Mission, called after the founder, St. Ignatius, is now the headquarters of the missionaries in the Rocky Mountains, and the Rev. Father U. Grassi, the able and gentlemanly General Superior of the Mountain Missions, holds here for the present his residence. The fine Church adorning this place, (and it may be said the first architectural frame building in Montana), was built by Father Menetrey, now Superior at Colville, in ’59, ’60, ’61 and ’62.

Part 2

But to return to the early Fathers. The field upon which they had entered was not, indeed, an easy one.

Hardships of the Ministry.

Being far away from the haunts of civilization, with no means of obtaining information or supplies, they were often thrown into the most embarrassing circumstances. Their necessities compelled them to turn their attention to the mechanical arts and all kinds of hard labor. Many times they were reduced to live upon such food as they could procure from the Indians; their clothing was occasionally reduced to mere rags; and, as an instance in regard to the latter, the following illustration is here given: Father Zerbenati, the only one of the Fathers who thus far found his grave in the mountains, (at St. Mary’s Mission, ’46 – ’46), was, after bathing in the river, taken with sickness and died. He was a small man, and accordingly wore a small cassock; but clothes were so scarce and the particular gown so indispensable, that a rather large Father (A Ravalli) took it for his inheritance. However, it being too small for him, a piece of Indian manufacture was inserted to enlarge it.

“In Perils Oft.”

Much difficulty was also experienced in those early times on account of the unremitting hostilities existing between the “Blackfeet,” inhabiting the eastern slope of the mountains, and the tribes inhabiting the western slope. A predatory warfare was kept up continually between them, and no man’s life was safe. Away from shelter the rifle or bow of the Blackfeet could be expected to send forth its deadly messenger from behind any bush or lurking-place. One foggy morning in the fall of ’49, while Father Ravalli was at the St. Mary’s Mission, accompanied only by a lay brother, an Indian called General Slocum, another called Baptiste, and a number of sick and aged [Indian women] and little children, (the Flatheads being absent at the time on the buffalo hunt), the Mission was suddenly surrounded by a band of about fifty Blackfeet warriors, who had come over to avenge the death of one of their tribe who had fallen at the hands of the Blackfeet.[2] They were preparing for extremes and the attack would most probably have ended in a massacre, had not, opportunely, two bands of horses, (belonging to the Mission and the Flatheads), made their appearance. The appearance of the “almighty horse” diverted the enemy from his intention, and they retired from the place content with the equine booty. A small Indian boy, employed about the kitchen of the establishment, fell, the only victim, by unconsciously venturing outside the stockade.

After spending some ten or twelve days in the greatest anxiety, the mind of the Father was relieved by the arrival of some friendly Indians who reported the coast clear. It was very seldom that a battle took place between the contending tribes, their warfare being confined to ambuscades and flying skirmishes. A battle (perhaps the most considerable and severe) was fought on Salmon River nearly thirty-six years ago, in which the Flatheads, Nez Perces and Pen d’Oreilles combined left some thirty or forty Blackfeet warriors on the ground.

Indian Burial-Places.

It is habit among the Indians to mark the spot wherever a warrior or relative fell, with a pile of stones; most generally a single stone is dropped each time that a relative or friend passes the spot of a catastrophe. At times the piles of stones already established are moved away, one by one, to some more notorious locality. Thus it happens that several piles of stones are sometimes found where really only one or two notorious characters have fallen. Numerous monuments of this kind may be found at this day on or near the divide between the Hell Gate and Jocko Valleys; but no regular battle was ever fought at that point.

“Karriakkan Defile.”

By consulting competent authority, the following circumstances in regard to the place are brought to light: About twenty-nine years ago a Hudson Bay Company train, in charge of Francois La Martigen, broke up camp near the site of the present Flathead Agency, to proceed toward the valley of the Hell Gate. A Kannaka[3], named Karriakka, who was employed as a kind of cook to the train, went in advance. In crossing the creek now called Finley creek, a volley sent by some concealed Blackfeet mortally wounded him, and he fell to awake no more. At the next crossing the main party advancing found their companion dead on the bank of the creek, and it is the opinion of the Indians that if the same train had not been so numerous many more would have fallen victims to the treachery of the Blackfeet. As it was, Karriakka fell alone, and the canyon (leading from O’Keefe’s to the Reservation), henceforth bore his name, Karriakkan Defile, to commemorate the event. The locality was always noted as a kind of ambuscade ground, and the only Indians who were killed here were killed singly and treacherously by a concealed foe.

In 1850 the Mission of St. Mary among the Flatheads was abandoned. Maj. Owen advanced now and took the place of the Priests.

 

The above articles appeared in The New North-West of Deer Lodge, Mt. over a two-week period:

Part 1 – 2/14/1874

https://www.newspapers.com/image/171614304/?terms=schafft

Part 2 – 2/21/1874

https://www.newspapers.com/image/171614668