Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-05-08
VISIT TO ST. 1GNAT1Us MISSION.
Notes Of the Trip-The Work the Priests
are Doing-Over One Thousand Peo-
pie March in the Procession on
Good Friday.

PIE Marcn In the PROCESSION on
Good Friday.
To reach the mission we passed down the
Jocko valley ten miles, then crossed over 8
low ridge that divides the Jocko from Mis-.
sion Creek valley. On this route we passed
many Indian farms, but it was a holiday and
all was quiet about their homes, except the
preparation to go to the Mission, and be.
fore we had left the valley great numbers oil
them had fallen in behind. There were old
men and women, dressed in red ~calicoes and
blankets, crowded in wagons, and men, wo-
men, boys and misses ON horseback. AT
first they appeared to try to go in regular
order, but they soon..broke.into clusters, and
the bucks and lasses of the valley went gal
Looping, prancing and racing over the plain
in a manner peculiar to their taste and GUS
toms. ''Mulligan. directed my attention to
the dignitied manner they assumed on horse
back. Said he, as a score Of young men and
women darted by at gallop speed: "See
how nice those men sit, their legs astride,
so erect and perfectly straight with the
body" and the answer was, 1.-The women
ditto" Then the conversation run on Ell
quette, in which we all had our say, and,
though no definite conclusion was reached,
it was intimated that the Indian maidens
practice less mock modesty than the whites,
and are deserving OF credit for clinging to
the customs OF their ancestors. Mulligan's
talk was the best. Said he: sRiding astride
is Western style-it will be adopted in the
East by and by, for old styles often be-
come new. AS soon as the walking mania
is over you may expect the French ladies
or the bellies of Long Branch to adopt that
style, for after long walking they'll want to
rest and ride, and then striped stockings
will show to good advantage"
The valley in which st. Ignatius Mission
is situated is the largest and most beaatiful
in western Montana. A chain of lofty
peaked, snow-clad mountains extend fsolmr
the head of Mission creek to andyaround
Flathead lake, 60 miles distant, then break
Off toward the west fencing the north boun-
Diary of the Pend'Oreille river and enclosing
within the triangle an area of many thou
sand miles of low, level lands. most of
"AAASA ~ OH CultlVdLlOu. Inc
mountains are covered with timber at their
base, which extends several miles down on
the fiat, here and.there for miles surround.
lovely,dales, grassy glades, parks and
prairies, the natural orchards OF the West.
wild plums, Strawberries and sew
eral other fruits flourish, and mature year
after year.. The Mission is near the head Of
the valley on the south bank of Mission
creek. On our arrival we were cordially re-
Fathers Giorda, Latanzi, Bene-
dine and Parodi. The first named has been
here many. years, and | am indebted to him
for much valuable information concerning
the establishment and work of this and 9TH
Or missions, which cannot, for want of space,
be given here. Father Giorda speaks the
tlathead language perfectly. He is en-
gagged in compiling a dictionary of the Flat
head language, which is to be used in the
Rome for the instruction ofamis-
The book will contain about 700
pages, and $50 copies are being printed. He
las a job press and type. Mr.. Butler, who
$ engaged upon the work, thinks he will be
' PioASicuo 1uSiH talheF Dy TIME the
work is completed. The mission buildings
low occupied are large, .wosand' one-halt
stories high, and the church is the, second
argest in Montana, it being 1OOx4ofeet, 20
ceiling, pointed root, with belfry on
OPP. Inside the ceiling is supported by col
INNS all snow white, but are strung with
estoons and fringed ornaments. At the
eft of the main entrance is the choir ros-
rum with a fine organ, and at the farther
md the beautiful altar, together with the
statues that stand on each side oc-
upy the whole end of the rooro Still II ;c