The Bolivar County Democrat., 1922-09-23

three lay brothers At Fort Hill on the Snake
river in August he met by an advance party
of Flatheads. Passing through the site of Mis-
soulu, they went 80 miles into the Bitter Root
valley, arriving September "a There and then
De Smet began work st. Mary's mission.
De Smet in the spring of 1912, made journey
of inspection far the mouth of the Columbia.
That fall found him again in st. Louis. In 1S43
he solicited for the mission south to New Orleans
and east to Boston, and took three recruits and
supplies to Westport and started them west.
Then he set sail for Europe. After visiting the
principal cities of six countries he embarked at
Antwerp December 12 1843 with four fathers, a
lay brother and six sisters and supplies. The
voyage was around Cape Horn. They were nearly
wrecked on the Columbia river bar, but landed
safely July 81, 1874, and went at once to the Bit
ter Root mission.
These Bitter Root Flatheads, by the way seem
to have been too good to be true. All explorers
traders and travellers bear witness to their high
moral character and attractive ways De Smet
says of them:
II not able to discover among these people
the slightest blameworthy act, unless it was their
gambling, in which they often venture everything
they possess. These games were unanimously
abolished as l had explained to them that
they contrary to the commandment of God
have often asked myself: is it these
people whom the civilized nations dare to call by
the name of savages?"
De Smet then passed two strenuous years in
exploring, visiting tribes and establishing missions
He arrived at st. Louis December TO- 1876
What had he accomplished in the seven years
since he first hit the Oregon Trail? For one thing
his labors, travels hardships and perils belong in
the first rank of similar exploits He had Travelled
nearly $4,000 miles in every sort of conveyance
and in every kind of climate. AS he wrote ::
II two years in the mountains without tast-
ing bread salt, coffee tea, sugar l was for years
xriitl,O wi hpd hov hoa,,
months without shirt my back, and often I
have passed whole days and nights without NOR
sci of anything to eat"
These arduous labors had at least this reward +:
He had become great power among the Indian
tribes All knew him. either personally or by rep
utation Also he perhaps the one white man
whom all trusted SO trusted he that the
United States government at least five times
asked his services as a mediator with yarious
tribes.
The ordinary, usual settlement of the Bitter
Root country began in 1864 at Missoula-now a
modern city of $4,000, which played host last SUM-
mer to the National Editorial association The
Flatheads are its near neighbors a reservation
they have occupied since 1891
The 1922 equivalent of De Smets establishment
in 1S41 of st. Mary's mission in the Bitter Root
valley is the Mission Of st. Ignatius and the Sis
ters of Charity of Providence at st. Ignatius in
the present Flathead reservation lying between
Missoua and Flathead lake. The original ST
Mary's in the Bitter Root valley is Stevens
ville There stands ST. Mary's church. built by
Father Anthony Ravalli in 1866. This "kind, good
priest and friend of all mankind" arrived at the
mission in 1S45 and for forty years mnstered to
all alike, Indian and white man, Roman Catholic
and Protestant His tombstone stands in the Gem
etery back of St Mary's and Ravalli, town in
the Jocko valley, bears his name