Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-26

ton on the whole route where any
thing like chastity is regarded"
While they were honest, brave,
obedient TO authority. cleanly and vlr-
tuous they were ~"barbarous, cruel and
brutal as any savages could be" in
their treatment of prisoners, whether
male or female"
Birthday Suits
The adults of the tribe dressed in
skins but the children went absolutely
naked, even in winter, plodding
through slush and snow"
Five of the c~onsonants. b. d., f, r
and V, are wanting in their language.
The places are supplied by p, t. | and IN.
In the Flathead tongue Mary be-
comes Malice. Rosalic becomes Usalee
and Victor, Mitto. The same language
is spoken by nine other tribes: The
Upper and Lower kalispells. the Spo-
kanes, the Occur d'Alenes and the
families in the vicinity of Colville.
They believe in a good spirit. and a
bad spirit, in q future reward. and n
punishment. The good Indian went
TO a place of perpetual summer; the
bad Indian TO a land of perpetual
snow.
Their code of morals was short vet
comprehensive: Honesty. bravery,
love of truth, love of wife and chill
dren. were the principal virtues which
entitled them to future happiness.
Thought Beavers Human
The Flatheads believed that the
beaver was a fallen race of Indians
punished for their wickedness, but
in due time to be restored TO human
shape. Some declared that they had
heard beavers talk together and saw
them sit in council to pass judgment
on an offending member.
The author devotes several passages
to the habits of the beaver. Should
and refuse to do their share, the lazy
the whole community and forced to
secure shelter and provisions else
where" he says.
The Flatheads had their medicine
men, lamentations. charms and the
like. Polygamy was the rare excep-
ton among them. The c~hieftanship
was hereditary, but the war chief was
elected each year; his authority ceased
on his return from the hunt or battle
field.
They were warm friends Of the Nez
Perez tribe and intermarried with
them. Nez Perez Indians made their
homes among the F~latheads.
The fact that there were one or
two Nez Perez Indians with the Flat
heads who went to st. Louis o obtain
Black Robes" the Indian name for
missionaries, has caused some writ
ers to be misled into stating, contrary
to historical evidence, that the claim
on the first missionary efforts made
in the country or the part of the Flat
heads was unfounded,'" the author
states.
' The Flatheads first heard of the
missionaries from Ignace in Mouse.
the chief Of a band Of wandering
lroquoise. who drifted down from the
st. Lawrence river and settled among
the Flatheads.
Ignace was a giant physically and
won the respect of his hosts. lie talked
much of the missionaries and Of the
religion taught by them. He taught
them many of the forms, and some of
the prayers, induced them to observe
the sabbath. and 70 baptize their
young. 1t was he who suggested that
they send to st. Louis for mission
aries.
tAi'llouSu hoit vi ltPtl UfU ever
seen a white mans house and but few
had ever seen n white mans face, and
despite the fact that they must trav-
erse nearly 5000 miles of mountains.
desert, sand and sage brush, and cross
the country Of deadly enemies, they
undertook the journey.
In the spring Of 1891 four braves
set out and reached st. Louis in the
fall of the same year. Two of them
fell i'll and died and are buried in the
Catholic cemetery at the Cathedral of
st. Louis. The remaining two set out
on the return journey, but never
reached home. The purpose of their
visit was but imperfectly understood.
n knew their language in st.
In 1894 the Rev. Jason Lee and
his nephew, the Rev. Daniel Lee of
Canada, were sent to found