The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1922-09-29

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-
soula. they went 80 miles into the Bitter Root
valley. arriving September "a. There and then
DE Smet began work on st. Mary's mission.
DE Smet, In the spring of 1872 made a journey
OF inspection as far as the mouth OF the Columbia
mat fall found him again In St Louis In 1S43
ne 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 al
Antwerp December r. 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
safeiy 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 was not able TO discover among these peonIe
the slightest blameworthy act, unless II was their
gambling, in which they often venture everything
they possess. These games were unanimously
abolished. soon as had explained to them that
they were contrary TO the commandment of God
l have often asked myself: is IL these
people whom the civilized nations dare to call nv
the name Of savagesr"
De Smet then passed two strenuous vears In
exploring, visiting tribes and establishing missions
He arrived at St Louis December 10. 1s4e
What had he accomplished In the seven vears
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 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 bed. I have been sir
months without a shirt 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
He had become great power among the Indian
tribes. All knew him, either personally or by rep
utation. Also be perhaps the one white man
whom all trusted. SO trusted was he that tina
United States government at least five times
asked his services a mediator with various
tribes.
The ordinary usual settlement Of the Bitter
Root country began in 1864 at Missoula-now n
p,odern city Of 1900 which played host last sum-
NOR 70 the National Editorial association The
F,otheods are It's near neighbors on a reservation
they have occupied since 1891.
The 1922 equivalent Of De Smet's establishment
IN 1s41 of St n, vs. mission In the Bitter Root
roIIey Is the Mission of ST. Ignatlus and the Sis
tors of Charity ~ Providence at St Ignatius In
tho nresent Flathead reservation lying between
1Iiseoula and Flathead lake. The original St
AIorv,s In the Bitter Root valley is now Stevens
yiue There stands ST. Mary's church. built by
Father Anthony Ravalli.in 1866. This kind. good
rriast and friend Of all mankind" arrived at the |
,esion in lS45 and for forty years mlnistered TO
all alike. Indian and white man. Roman Catholic |
and protestant His tombstone stands In the cetn- |
eterv back Of St Mary's and Ravaln, a town In |
the Jocxo valley, bears his name.