Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-12-07

were gathering force Of sufficient
size to meet ths Blackfeet who would
oppose their journey 70 the buffalo
country, east OF the main range. Wyeth
camped several days near the Flat
heads, observed their habits and
speaks in high terms Of them.
Lauds the FIatheads
Theft" he writes, "is thing al
most unknown among them and is
punished by flogging as I am told, but
have never known an instance OF THEFT
among them, the least thing even to
a bead or pin is brought you If found"
Wyeth never saw one Of these In
dams get into anger with each other
or with a stranger; they had mild,
playful laughing, disposition, he says;
and he found that even the children
did not quarrel with each other. i
have never" he wrote, heard an an
CRY word among them nor any quar-
reling although there are here at
least 500 of them together and at play
the whole time at football, handy. and
the light sports which give occasion
to so many quarrels among white chill
dren." These Indians were polite and
unobtrusive; they never begged ex-
cept as pay for services and they were
moderate and faithful, but not indus
trious workers. In not stealing the
F'latheadS presented a sharp contrast
in habits to the Indians the party
had encountered on the Columbia
river. But their virtues have not all
been told; the men were brave war
riors who fought almost continually
with the fierce Blackfeet; the women
were chaste and "the young women
are good looking and with dress and
cleanliness would be lovely"
In the Bitter Root
May 9, the Wyeth party left the In
dian camp and proceeded by slow
stages. hunting and trapping as they
went, up the Bitter Root valley. On
May II, they we're near the heads OF
the streams running north and within
sight of a mountain to the south which
separated the valley they we're In
from land in which rise the creeks
and rivers whose waters flowed into
the Big Hole river, thence into the
Jefferson, the main branch of the
Missouri river; down the long stretch
Of the Missouri into the Mississippi
ending their long journey in the Gulf
of Mexico The crossing of the main
range Of the Rocky Mountains was
made without difficulty, and when 1t
was accomplished, the travellers had
passed not only from the Pacific slope
into the Atlantic but out of Oregon
territory, then claimed by the British
into undisputed territory Of the United
States. Staying only a short time IN
the Big Hole basin, a crossing was
made into the Salmon river country,
and thence the party proceeded south
and east, crossed many mountains and
streams and, on July IS, arrived at
Bonnev1lles camp on Green river, a
noted rendezvous for men engaged In
the fur trade.
Camped with Bonneville
Here were found such noted explor-
ers and fur traders as Bonneville, Fon-
tenelle, Fitzpatrick, Sublette and
others, who have left names as tran
blazers, about 300 white men employed
by the various fur companies, and
small village of Snake Indians. From
this place, after a short rest, Wyeth
proceeded to the Wind river mountains
which he crossed, came upon the head
waters of the Big Horn and went
down that river to the Yellowstone,
as has been related.
The political effects Of Wyeth's jour-
ney to the Columbia river in 1882
were important. He was more than
a patriotic American who wished to
see the great Oregon territory settled
by Americans and intended himself to
make 1t his home. He observed the re-
sources Of the country and by letters
and word of mouth to the states,
caused the value of the territory to be
appreciated by many who would not
have heard Of it but for his efforts.
He observed with regret the low ebb to
which American interests In oregon
had fallen and the growing power OF
the British as represented by the Hud-
sons Bay company men.
Although received with the utmost
kindness by DR.. John Mclaughlin, the
remarkable man, who was chief factor
of the Hudson's Bay company at Van
couver, Wyeth never forgot that Nc
Loughlin and his men represented, and
were every year making stronger
claims that were antagonistic to those
of the United States.
when I arrived in the Columbia IN
the autumn of 1892" he states in a
letter to Congressman Palfrey, there
were no Americans there, nor any one
having American feeling. So far as /
knew there had not been since Mr..
Astor retired from the coast. OF the
IL men I had with me, three remained
until again arrived in the autumn OF
1884 and 10 of those who accompanied
me, including the missionaries, re-
manned permanently in the country"
The genuine individual is one VINO