The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-30

dams use here the term, literally or
! metaphorically? For. as we have seen
1t could be used in ono wav as well
as in the other Did they intend to
express the cool. natural property of
some waters or stream. or rather the
chilling experience which they had
! often encountered and were liable to
encounter again, near. some particular
stream?
There can be no reasonable doubt,
that the latter, and not the former,
was their meaning. First. because the
waters OF mountain streams In this
latitude and vicinity are all pretty
much OF the same temperature. Why,
then. should any of them be especially
designated by IL property common to
all?
Old Timer Senscd Meaning.
But what places the point beyond
controversy is the fact that irauuois
half breeds. white trappers and trad
ers who lived or mingled with the Flat .
heads and could not but know what
these intended to signify by the word,
all understood and rendered 1t In
French or English by Porte d'Enfer''
and "Hell's Gate" who can question
that by doing So that is. by translat-
ing the Indian term as they did, these
people sought to express after the
white mans way what was really
meant by the natives. namely, To-
caiity or waters Of ill-omen. OF DANCE,
and impending evil?
Was Place Of Ambush.
The place or "waters'' so desig-
mated by the Flatheads was the can
yon whose mouth or west entrance
opens out short why from where the
Rattlesnake enters into the larger
stream, some few hundred yards from
the center of the original townsite o
Missoula. For the l'latheads and
other tribes west of the main range
the canyon was the natural gatewa,
to the buffalo plains. east OF Tho
Rockies. But whilst so, it was also a
dangerous piece OF country for them Ia
pass through. owing to it's being the
best vantage ground for their deadly
foes. the Blackfeet and pieCana. to
ambush them on their way to, or when
returning from the buffalo chase To.
day the canyon is bare of all avail
able timber, whereas within the writ
er's own memory it was still thickls
wooded and q; real forest Large war
parties. on the occasions just men
toned. would be lurking In those
woods. in the Businesses and narrow
passes Of the long defile, to attac!;
and oppose the F1athcads and all
western Indians from going through
Hollis Gate 10 Translation.
All this. as a matter of fact. is In.
dian history, albeit unwritten. And
hence the name which our Indians
gave the canyon and its waters, I'm.
sul-e'.' and which Is the equivalent OF
'Hell's Gate" or Port d'Enfer" a,
these expressions are often used ant
understood by the white man. Natur.
ally enough. the ominous appellatiol
passed to the first white settlement
sprung up in the vicinity. some fiv.
miles from the mouth Of the canyon
IL was shared In by the river and b,
the whole valley as well. In both IT.
French and English renderings. on
land all being still called after He'll
Gate and Porte d'Enfer" by old tim
ers.
Missoula. then, is the aborigina
"lm-i-sui-e'" only polished somewha
and euphonized. There can be n
9 question about It. But whilst so, tn
meaning Of the original Indian wor
l has been entirely reversed. 1t frs
stood for a place Of danger and ev
omen: 1t now means a favored spot,
p thriving. hospitable community. wit
n q bright. promising future ahead.
4 then meant wild, desolate surround
Il ings. the haunts of deadly foes;
Q means today the coming Garden Cit
h of Montana"
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