The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-07-29
DE SMET MISSION, IDA.
Father caruana Labored Forty-three
Years Among the Indians.

Forty-three years of missionary work
among the Occur dAlenes, the Yaki-
mas and the Colville Indian tribes of
Idaho and Washington is the record of
Father Joseph NJ. Caruana of the So
ciety of Jesus.
Father Caruana is now at the head
of the mission at De Smet, Idaho. on
the Occur d'Alene Reservation. twelve
miles southeast of Tekoa He has been
there since the mission was esta blished.
In 1880. He performs the triple duties
of priest teacher and postmaster at
the little Indian village. but finds time
to entertain his friends and takes de-
light in narrating his unique expert
ences among the. red men.
AT De Smet is located a school for
indian boys taught. by one of the
brothers. of the Society of Jesus, un-
Ger the supervision of Father Caruana
The school is attended at present by.
about forty-f1ve pupils. There is also
q convent and school for Indian girls
with an average attendance of about
fifty pupils. This is under the charge
of Sister Jane de Chantal, mother su-
perior. She has the assistance of two
teachers. Girls are admitted to these
schools as young as four or five years,
and can remain as many years as they
wish. Marriages usually take place at
an early age and it is rare to find a girl
in school who is more than fourteen
years old. The course of study is al
most identical with that taught in
public schools of the state.
Treacherous Cruel Tribe.
Father Caruana began his labors
among the Occur d'Alene Indians in
1852. OF the Indians then inhabiting the
northwest this tribe was noted as be-
ing the most treacherous and cruel.
Their territory had never been invaded
by white man, except one or two
missionaries of the Society of Jesus,
and few agents of the Hudson Bay
company. On account of the ferocity
OF the Couer d'Alenes the latter feared
to establish permanent agencies. as
they had done with the Flatheads.
Kalispeils and other peaceably dis
posed tribes. But from dense ignorance
they have been brought to a degree of
enlightenment and honesty Well filed
fields, sleek horses and barns and
money in bank are possessed by many
of the Industrious. while the moral and
mental condition in the tribe has been
vastly improved, says Father Caruana.
When / arrived among these Indians
they were in state of degradation
bordering on the brute creation The
Christian religion, combined with pa
tient treatment and continual instruc
ton, has brought them to a high de-
gree of civilization and rescued them
from the darkness of poygamy and SUI
perst1tion, with their train of vices.
which formerly reigned supreme among
them
Previous to the advent of the Jes-
uit fathers cruelty and treacherv was
the best known characteristics of this
people. They did not even dare to trust
each other, but neighboring camps of
the same tribe were in constant fear
OF surprise and eception-perhaps of
robbery and massacre
THE change which has been wrought
since then has been truly wonderful.
and can only be explained by the the
DRY that 1t was caused by the grace of
God working in their hearts
Nez Perces War.
"An incident may illustrate this
point At the breaking out of the Nez
Perces war Chief Joseph sent depu-
tation of several warriors to meet the
Occur dAlenes and persuade them to
join the Nez Perces in war against the
CAACA AoCIliCS dCleu DIS SDOkeS-
man for the Occur dAlenes. and said.
ask first of all whether you know
that we are Catholics? They answered.
Yes, we know Then go back to Jo-
seph and tell him we shall fight none
but him and his people should they
cross the line of our own land, to drive
them away The Nez Perces warriors
then asked to shake hands as good
hands before leaving Seltice then
stretched himself to his full height and
said: We cannot shake hands covered
with human blood
"The emissaries of Joseph departed
and never again had the temerity to
cross the territorial line of the Occur
d Alenes.
Il wish to relate another incident of
the Nez Perces war which tends to
throw light on the true character of the
people of this tribe. During that war
there were several white families scat
tered. over this country who became
frightened at reports of massacres
perpetrated by Nez .Perces indians,
and, fearing an uprising among the