The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-12-03

the whites enter the Bitter Root to settle
that area with agriculturistS the native
Selfish tribeSmen were perhaps farther
along the road toward civilization than was
true at that time of any other Nation Of
natives in the West. This because of the
fact that there had then been working in
their midst those faithful, brave Jesuit
Fathers, headed in the first place by Pere
Jean De Smet; and later by Pere Anthony
Ravallie, Pere D'Aste, Palladine, Giorda,
ImOda and others.
These representatives of the white mans
religion had already been successful in
teaching the Selfish those methods of de-
irving a livelihood other than hunting.
They did this because they cO-Operated
with the native-rather than damn him
because he was a native. They recognized
his rights and helped him to hiely himself
by more fully taking advantage of the
gifts that Nature offered.
The Flathead reservation was opened for
settlement in 1910. The Selfish were taken
to this their home in the Jocko valley in
1890. The Act of 1910 provided for the
allotment to the Indians and q disposition
to the whites Of the surplus lands. The
reservation comprises land which is among
the most favored in Montana. It is fertile
and well adapted to the growing Of grain,
fruit and vegetables. Sufficient time has
now elapsed since it's opening to form
some idea as to the practicability Of the
experiment OF individual ownership by
In a copy of "Flathead Facts" published
in 1890, l find in the following brief de-
seripitOn of the JOckO reservation, a very
hitting, portrayal of the valley in its
natural state: -"
The Fathead Reservation
THE traveller speeding through the Flat
head reservation over the Northern Pacific
lraifFoad, who gets the first glimpse of it
lfrOm the car window, cannot realize how
ltair the prospect it offers to one, who hav-
ing followed a lonely Indian trail for DAYS.
at last rides out of the timber on the crest
OF one of the ridges which wall in the val
ley of the JOckO, and suddenly sees below
him the white buildings of the agency gilt
tering by the green line of foliage along
the creek which hurries through it toward
the north to meet the clear waters of the
JOckO.
1.-THE bands of sleek cattle and ponies
the snug log houses of the Indians who in,
habit them, the well fenced fields of grow.
ing grain, the long straight windows Of
freshly cured hay, and the moving ma
chimes cutting their way through the grass
at the season of which l write, altogether
present a picture of pastoral repOse mos
refreshing to the eye which has become
familiarized with the rugged scenery of the
unreclaimed mountain wilderness about it
Whether the Indian in this smiling
valley and beautiful reservation will b.
made happier and better now that steam
and electricity have brought them into i'm
mediate contact with the restless and re
~SiStlesS, of a more highly organized soci
ETY., remains TO be seen. There are nov
| dDOuL 4sfUU OF Luem ScdLDefeu over the LOU,
900 acres of the reservation, many of theI
with homes of their own, surrounded b
UnmiStakable evidence not of comfort only
for the most thriftless are serenely com
Portable, but of an acquired habit Of look
ing forward, or working, earning and saw
ing. The railroad and the transfOrmatiO
from a Territory to the state of MOntan;
S has rudely broken in upon the seclusion {
t this valley, but only a few miles from til
track lie stretches of forest and plain ye
e practically unknown to the white man.
t A Ride Up the JCckO
From the agency following a well beate
Indian trail, takes the lover of nature
f wOndrous beauty along the banks Of th'
i meandering stream, bOrdered with a luz
S uriant growth of birch, mountain maple
d ened by myriads of wild flowers Of di
T ferent varieties. The waters Of the strea
f are so transparent that the rich color
e red and green shales and quartzite whiC
form their beds are as clearly visible, whe
10 a horse can swim as in the shallOwest for
In the locke canyon, huge Ian slides ha'
damned up the stream into a chain
; three long, deep takes, whose blue waite
resting at the base of steep and thick
wooded slopes, are picturesque beyond d
scriptiOn. =
1.-THE dense forest, carpeted with beaut
full flowers, with a ray Of sunlight here al
there falling upon the ruset bark OF Il
great pines, openings on the timber Dor
ers so as to afford playground for the d
lie and elk; the loose groups of yellow pi
and fir upon the benches M in the rive
ID bottom furnish every variety of fore
scenery.
How. easy for outing parties to make IL
to trip into the JOckO valley, on horseba
rs and with pack animals, just as the ear
E. pioneers went an stampedes. Starting o
l. from EllistOn, on the Northern Pacific "a
r road, on the Little BlackfOOt, the roJ
ut would lay W. SnowshOe gulch to the vail