The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-09-30
rvP IN Glacier mark Within sigb

- $500 &AaL w 9018 AOAA AG
Wolf, which rears it's crest proudly to
a height of more than 10000 feet,
and stands a fitting monument to
one of the greatest chiefs Of the
Blackfeet nation of Indians, after
whom it was named.
Mad Wolf will go down in the his
tory of the BlackfoOt nation as one
of the greatest war chiefs, orators
and medicine men that the tribe ever
had. He died May %, 1902, and no
chief of the Blackfeet VI passed
away amid greater sOTrowing in the
tribe, by whom he was loved and re-
spected. The loss of his voice at
the tribal councils was keenly felt.
The old men of the nation shook their
heads sadly. They said the greatness
and glory of the Blackfeet had de-
parted: that the young men who were
growing up did not understand and
were Indifferent to ancient customs
and traditions.
Mad Wolf we'll remembered the
first visit of Father De Smet to the
Blackfeet in 1916, for at the time
of the coming of the great mission
airy he was a renowned warrior and
becoming one of the leading men Of
the tribe. He used to tell the story
of Father De Smet's coming as fol-
lows:
when Big Lake was our head
chief, an expedition made up from
the clan Of Small Robes Ga Blackfeet
secret society crossed the Rocky
mountains to visit the Flathead In
dians. They met there a Black Robe
Gather De Smet). He was a good
man, so they persuaded him to re-
turn with them. We named him
Long Teeth because of the appear
ance of his teeth. He lived with us
for a long time, occupying a large
tepee near the center of the camp,
in which he kept his religious out
fit and held his ceremOnials. He had
a large bell which he always rang be-
fore beginning.
whenever our hunters or war
TiOrs returned to camp he visited
/ their lodges, and taking them, with
their wives and children, to his big
tent, babe them all kneel down and
give thanks to the great spirit for
their safe return. He taught the
people to rest every seventh day, and
on that day to remain in camp and
not to go off on war and hunting ex-
petitions. On the seventh day he al
ways held an important ceremonial,
which began in the morning and last
ed until midday.
zone spring, just after the big
rains, when we we're camped close to
the Rocky mountains hunting grizzly
bears, Long Teeth rang his bell and
rode through the camp announcing
that it was the seventh day and that
he would hold a ceremonial. 1t hap
pened that a man named MotOkis,
when he heard the bell, began pre-
pairing for a hunt. His wife made
objections and said they should go
! together to the ceremonial. But Mo-
tokis derided her and scoffed at the
ceremonial, saying defiantly that he
intended to go on a hunt and kill a
bear. He ordered his son to bring
in the horses and go with him on the
hunt.
MOtOkis is Killed.
Long Teeth and others warned
MOtokis not to go. But it was IN
vain. Motokis laughed at all Of them
and started with his son toward the
mountains. Soon after the ceremOn.
ial. when the sun was high, the boy
rode into camp at a gallOp, shouting
that a grizzly bear was killing his
father. He said that soon after he
p and his father had entered the noun
| tains they discovered a grizzly beal
, turning over stones and hunting fOl
A., grubs. The bear did not see them
so MOtokis directed his son to hold
the horses while he crawled up Il
kill him. Motokis circled around 70.
I an approach through the trees, bu
the bear turned and made a suddel
r charge. The boy saw the grizzly risI
, on its hind legs and sieze his father
2 who fell with the bear standing owe.
8 him. He did not wait longer Blu
rode as fast as he could to camp. tn
= men caught their horses and foliowe'
e the boy to the place. where the
{ found MOtokis dead. The bear ma
/ killed him, and then covering IN
body with dirt, had gone away me
@ followed the bear to the edge OF tn
y timber but did not dare to go tuI
Their, fearing that the grizzly Nigh
have supernatural power.
a 'The Blackfeet firmly believe
= that death came upon Motok1s be
cause he had not obeyed the Blac
Robe. From that time the BlackEee
believed that Long Teeth was Ell
dowed with supernatural power
y When some Of the women saw tha
Y their lives were made easier by hi
T good influence over their men, the
It said that the Black Robes power wa
very great and advised everyone [
l. obey him. The three clans, Worl
If People, Buffalo People and Sma
l. Robes became his followers and wei
obedient to his teachings. Lit
d Plume, the great war chief and lea'
je er of the Worm People, was the fir
D. man to be baptized by him and mai
y people then followed his example.
al Battle With eros Ventres.
when Long Teeth left US and r
turned to the F~latheads, he sent w
= Black Robes (Priests) to take b
place. We named II Of them SCI
Cheek, because Of a mark on his fac
and the other Short Man. Short Ma
lllremained with the Blackfeet, bl
Scar Cheek went eastward to Wis