The sun., 1883-08-05
AMONG THE KALLIsPELL
Observations OF = Traveller Through tho
Country OF tho Fiathenss, spekanes, and
Ne1 Perces-Rrogress OF Christinrity and
Civilization In tho Northern Kockies.

Civilization In tho Northern Rockies.
FLATHEAp LAKE, M. T., July 25.-hhout
seventy miles from the northern boundary Of
the United States. In the Territory OF Montana.
between tho western slope ofthe Rock les and tho
| moro westerly chain OF mountains known as
| the O8ur d'Al6ne. and. as you travel further
| south. as the Bitter Root lies the reservation
| which has been assigned to tho tribe OF Indl-
| ans called the Flatheads; and probably no
| tribe have adapted themselves more to the
manners OF civilization ut tho expense OF their
former customs and habits than these Why
| they are called Flatheads. no one in their part
OF the country seems to know. They do not
Hatten their childron's heads. nor Is thore any
trace or tradition among them Of such GUS
tom having been practised formerly: and as
| their Indian name Is Selfish. II is probable that
| the name Of Flathead was given to them. rs
| often happens In this country. through the
| unaccountable freak OF somo traveller.
Tho reservation covers about one and half
| million acres. and the tribe number about 800
souls. The agency for the reservation is near
Its southern line. and Is known as the Jocko
| Agency because it lies on the Jocko River.
| Nobody seemed to know why river In Mon
| tana came to be named the Jocko any more
than why the Indians living on 1t we're called
| Flatheads but we learned at last that the
| person responsible for such title was Jim
Finn. Ho established himself on its banks
| before tho year 1910. and the stroam became to
| be known as Jim's Fork. Then the Jesuit
| Father dc smet settled in the neghborhood.
| and. following his own language. he called 1t
jacques Fork. which finally was contracted
into Jocko.
Tho Northern Pacific Railroad passes through
the reservation. and runs for eight or ten
miles through mountainous pass. where at
| ono place the track rides upon trestle nearly
$50 feet high before Vt comes into a country
bearing evidence OF the inhabitation OF
the Flatheads. The indian lands. like the
greater portion Of this part Of Montana.
consist OF detached mountain ranges.
| all covered with evergreens. separated by
rich and long valleys. level and rolling. or
bnsin-shaped. as 1t happens. on which no trees
grow except on the banks OF the streams which
como from tho mountains and flow Off into
some Of tho larger rivers Tho first valley en-
countered is the valley Of tho Jocko and after
that rivor has travelled for about thirty miles
| through one OF tho most picturesque mountain
| gorges In the West tho valley becomes plain Of
five or six miles in width and twenty in length.
At one end Of this plain is situated tho house
| OF the agent. Major Roman. and around that
are the first Indian farms. They raise wheat.
oats. corn. grass and vegetables; and over the
greater part OF the prairie are scattered their
| uIONoo VI uOEbcS uuu CubIto. [AS Sou SO"o
| down from one Of tho mountain passes and
| see the farming land shut in by rail fences. tho
hay fields look like any in tho country Of white
| men. The grass is now being cut by moving
| machines and the hay Is raked by horse rakes:
but on nearer approach the man sitting on the
moving machine or on the horse rake Is found
to be an Indian as aro all the other laborers
| pitching or loading hay.
| Irrigation Is necessary hero only to n slight
extent although the crops would be i'm
| proved IL 1t were practiscd. The vegetable
that flourishos best seems to be tho potato.
though peas and cabbages and onions and cell
| cry are grown.
Whore We camped. at the upper ond Of the
reservation. on tho Flathead Lake. a lake Of
such broad and noble scenery as perhaps bo
longs to no other an Indian brought In from
his farm close by large pail OF Strawberries.
which were not very big but OF most excellent
flavor. and about gallon OF delicious cream.
His cattio were short-horns OF flrst-rate quality
Instead Of their live stock being confined to
horses as formerly. the Indians now pay con-
siderable attention to the breeding Of cattle.
| They had good stock to start with. and herds
| Of as fine cattle are seen on their praries as on
any ranges In Montana. Each Individual cattle
owner has his own brand for his stock. and
mono OF 1t is held In common by the tribe; and
this is also the case with their other agricul-
tural enterprises.
Tho Flathead dwellings are about evenly d.
vided between wigwams and log huts. The
wigwams are no longer made Of the bark OF
trees. but Of good duck woven especially for the
purpose. shaped like an enormous cloak. and
wrapped around the old lodge poles. But even
these arc evidently soon to 60 out OF use.
Many new huts are building close to whore
wigwams are standing and on several Of the
huts lately finished could be seen the old dis
carded lodge poles leaning against tho side OF
the house. where they will probably stay un-
til taken down to be used In making a rail
fence or to be split up for flrewood. Tho huts
are made Of pine logs OF from six inches to a
foot in thickness with their sides hewn fiat
and the onds neatly dovetailed into each other
Small poles are used for the roof. and these are
covered with clay. which bakes hard and
smooth and makes an excellent roofing. Such q
house has q noat and comfortable air.
or course. In such an enormous tract Of land
inhabited by 80 few people. only very small
portion can be cultivated. but 1t is mono the less
true that the Flathead tribe owe their support
almost entirely to agriculture. They depend
very little on hunting. and yet. though they al
live by the soil. thoy cannot be said to BIO al
cultiyators. Nothing Is hold In common by the
tribe but when ono really Industrious man Ii
found. the old customs arc sufficiently observed
to allow his relatives to live on the proceeds o.
his labors. This is often heavy burden. bu
, 1t is not usually shirked. This otlast long
however. and before long these Indians vii
show the same proportion OF active men amonG
them as are found In other communities.
Ono OF tho most potent causes in producing
such state OF affairs among the Flatheadi
has heen. no doubt. tho presence and influence
, Of the Jesuit Mission Of st. Ignatius. Phis Ii
, situated In the next valley north OF the Jocko
and learned from Fathor Bandolinl. who cam,
from Italy twelve years ago to live among tn,
Indians OF this country. much that was inter
estinG about the Jesuit labors among this trib,
and those In the nelghboring regions.
At tho mission is school for BOYS ant
, another for girls. under the care OF SOM
; Sisters OF Mercy. who Joined the Fathers few
, years ago. At these schools the children. II
: addition to learning to road. write. and cipher
receive an industrial education sufficient to Il
a thom to become practical farmers. They learl
| N mi tori nd bo ln lint thnt tha