Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-09-21

three lay brothers. AT Fort Hill on the Snak
river In August he was met by an advance part
OF Flntheads. Passing through the site Of Mis-
soula. they went 30 miles into the Bitter Roo
valley, arriving September "a. There and ther
DE Smet began work on st. Mary's mission.
DE Smet. In the spring of 1912, made a journe,
or Inspection as far as the mouth Of the Columbia
lnat fall found him again In ST. Louis. In 184s
ne solicited for the mission south to New Orleans
ana 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 IL, 1843, with four fnthers. g
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:
T was not able to discover among these people
the slightest blameworthy act, unless Ii was their
gambling. In which they often venture everything
they possess. These games were unanimously
abolished. as soon as l had explained to them that
they were contrary to the commandment of God
! have often asked myself: Is It these
people whom the civilized nations dare to cali by
the name Of savagesr"
De Smet then passed two strenuous years In
exploring. visiting tribes and establishing missions
He arrived at st. Louis December 10. 1s4e.
What had he accomplished In the seven YEAR,
since he first hit the Oregon Trail7 For one thing. |
his labors, travels. hardships and perils belong in |
the first rank Of similar exploits. He had Travelled
nearly 10000 miles In every sort OF CONVEYANCE
and In every kind OF Innate. As he once wrote
81 was two years In the mountains without tast,
Ing bread. salt, coffee, tea. sugar. I was for years
without a roof, without a bed. I have been six
months without a shirt on my back. and often I
have passed whole days and nights without a NOR.
sci Of anything to eat"
These arduous labors had at least this reward:
had become a great power among the Indian
All knew him, either personally or by rep
utation. Also he was perhaps the one white man
whom all trusted. SO trusted was be that tbe
States government at least five times
asked his services as a mediator with various
The ordinary. usual seffiement=of the Bitter
Root country began In 1854 at MIssouIa-now a
city of $1,000. which played host last sum-
ner TO the National Editorial association. The I
are its near peighbors on a reservation
hey have occupied since 1891. 4
The 1922 equivalent Of De Smef's establishment I
a 1S41 OF st. Me- US mission In the Bitter Root
alley lie the Mission Of st. Ignatlus and the Sic J
ers Of Charity Of Providence at st. ~Ignatius In .
he present Flathead reservation lying between
fissoula and Tiathead lake. The original St. 8
in the Bitter Root valley is now Stevens c
lille. There stands St. Mary's church, built by
Anthony Ravali In 1885. This kind, good =
REST and friend Of all mankind" arrived # the Z
lissicn In 1G46 and for forty years ministered to B
alike, Indian and white man, Roman Catholic ).
nd Protestant His tombstone stands Ia the cess- a
terry back u ~. Msrys and Ravaili, q town In p
's yocxo valley. bears his nsms =