The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-07

Black gowns as we are called, establish our
ourselves. The medicine men are accomplished
spiritu<34ts and hold intercourse with the devil
There is no doubt about that They ask derls-
lively, Can you missionaries cure the rattiesnake
bite! Can you point out where the daer areH
which they consider of more Importance than
matters spiritual But we practice medicine,
and as the diseases OF Indians are for the most
part uncomplicated we meet with success, and
the native medicine men are falling into
disrepute Among the Ceur dAlenes there
are no medicine men. They despise and
laugh at them The Ceur d Alenes have in
creased from four hundred up TO six hundred or
more members. Other tribes With Which am
acquainted are keeping up their numbers. The
Indians have large numbers of children. but
they die from lack of care and exposure IN one
way or another. On this side of thu Rocky
mountains missionaries find opposition from
Indians on the side of polygamy On the other
side of the mountains polygamy is about de-
stroyed My collecting tour will keep me away
eight or nine months. We need at the least
ten thousand dollars, and hope to raise that
amount. 90 from here to Canada. where
will begin my collections.
How did you live among the IEjians, father!
II did my own cooking, carrying with me
-four, tallow and salt"
Nothing else2'
Nothing else. Why should II There is good
water everywhere | carry my own cooking
utensils. The dried meat is too tough for my
teeth might get fish, but would have to pay
for them, and that could not afford to do. The
Indians want pay for everything. and prefer
TO be independent; besides do not like Indian
cooking
Father Gavsk tells me you have attended a
number of Indian feasts Did you ever eat dogl'
The priest laughed Yes, on one two oc-
casons. and did not dislike it. But you should
see me cook / make my slapjacks, and
many years practice has rendered me very ex-
pert"
DO you live go simply all the time"
Except when | go to the missions, every six
months There they have tea and coffee: but
my supplies are what have told you. have a
riding horse and pack horse. The latter car
ries the tent for the chapel as we'll as my pro-
visions and cooking utensils"
sYou really think the Indian can be civilized"
"Assuredly, If he is given chance. By the
way. want to say the Indian thinks better of
the Chnaman than he does of the white man.
He has reason to do so. When he trades with
the Chinaman the Monaghan treats him fairly
and honestly. Indians learn rapidly. lu 1884
was snow bound with the Chelen Indians In
Washington Territory, and tried to teach seven
or eight of them, persons from fifteen to TWEEN ty
years old. began on the 9Th of December, and
taught until the Goth of February. In that time
they learned to read Wilson's Primer in English
and translate it into their own language Will
sons Primer is rather q hard book for beginners.
They learned numbers from one to a million, and
addition. and subtraction, and some multiplied
ton. All that In less than two months. doubt
if white persons of like ages could have done
much better The Benedictines have missions
in Dakota and Indian Territory. The Jesuits
have missions in Idaho, Washington Territory,
Montana, Wyoming and Alaska. In the jesuit
missions there fifty fathers, about fifty
brothers, and nearly sixty five Sisters Of Provi-
dence engaged"