The Dolores star., 1922-09-29

three lay brothers. At Fort Hill the Snake
river in August he met by 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 st. Mary's mission.
De Smet, in the spring of 1872 made journey
OF inspection as far as 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 u, 1S43, with four fathers
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, 1914 and went ut 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:
81 was not able to discover among these peonIe
the slightest bameworthy act unless it was their
gambling in which they often venture everything
they possess. These games were unonfmorsl,
abolished, soon as had explained to them tbat
they were contrary to the commandment of God
/ have often asked myself: is IT these
people whom the civilized nations dare TO call NV
the name of savagesT"
De Smet then passed two strenuous veors T.,
exploring, visiting tribes and establishing missions
He arrived at st. Louis December 10, 1916.
What had he accomplished in the seven veors
since he first hit the Oregon Trail? For one hin,
his labors, travels, hardships and perils belonp In
the first rank of similar exploits He had troyo,oa
nearly 10000 miles in every sort of conyevonce
and in every kind of climate. As he once wro,o
II was two years in the mountains without tast
ing bread salt coffee, tea, sugar. was for veors
without n roof, without bed | have heen ;
months without shirt on my back and of,en
have passed whole days and nights without n NOR
sci of anything to eat"
These arduous abors had at least this rewora
He had become great power among the Indi.n
tribes All knew him, either personally or hy 49,
utation Also he was perhaps the one white ,nn,,
whom all trusted. So trusted was he that tha
United States government at least five tImes
asked his services as mediator with vorin,,s
tribes
The ordinary. usual settlement of the Ritz,
Root country began in 1864 at Missoula-now
modern city of $4,000, which played host last Sn,,
mer to the National Editorial association IT,
Flatheads are Its near neghbors on a reserv,tioa
they have occupied since 1891
The 1922 equivalent of De Smet's estob,isbr,..
in 1S41 of ST. Mary's mission in the Bitter D..
valley is the Mission of st. Ignatus and tho e.,
tiers OF Charity OF Providence at St IgnatIus In
the present Flathead reservation lying between
Missoula and Flathead lake. The original @.
Mary's in the Bitter Root valley is now sta,o.s
vile. There stands st. Marys church. bni,, hr
Father Anthony Ravalli in 1866 This ..kind 49,,
priest and friend of all mankind" arrival :. ~
mission in 1S4o and for forty years minjstered ~
all alike Indian and white man. Roman (,o,h,t
and Protestant His tombstone stands in tho ao,.
etery back of st. Mary's and Ravalli. n tow H.,
the Jocko valley. bears his name l"