October 8. We started at 7.30 o’clock, passing over a hilly, wooded, and at times difficult country, with several patches of prairie, one of which, two and a half miles long and containing probably 1000 acres, was covered with an excellent growth of grass. Here we met a band of fifty Nez Perces Indians going to hunt. They have from 250 to 300 horses, most of them splendid animals, in fine condition, and with perfectly sound backs. Women and children helped to compose the band, and babies of fifteen months old, packed in a sitting posture, rode along without fear, grasping the reins with their tiny hands. We met them in the entrance to a narrow place, a mile in length, leading along the water’s edge; and wishing to have a talk with them, but unwilling to lose time in returning to the open ground, I invited them to turn around to the first prairie, which Antoine assured me was not more than a mile or two beyond. The prairie we found to be well grassed, open, and wooded. We now made our halt, and, while preparing for our talk, a band of Cœur d’Alenes joined us. They, too, were on their way to the hunt, and numbered about sixty, men, women, and children, and had about 200 horses. We had a long talk. I told them about the steps taken to meet in council at Fort Benton; dwelt particularly upon the prospect of the Blackfeet making peace with all the Indian tribes,—upon the promise they had given that their war parties should be stopped; and told them that at Fort Benton and at St. Mary’s I had left men who would interfere unless these war parties ceased. This intelligence was most gratefully received. They tell me that they return from the hunt in March, going home by the Pend Oreille route. We parted with them at two o’clock, and at six made a good camp near the ford by which we mean to cross to the left bank of the Bitter Root River. Two miles from camp we met two Pend Oreilles, who turned around with us. At the camp we found a mother and daughter who had just crossed the river and pitched their lodge. They had eight pack and as many spare animals, and were on their way to join the Indians we met this morning. We gave all the Indians coffee, and the women in return gave us some cooked kamas root. It is of a dark color, small, between the pear and onion in shape, and of a sweet, agreeable flavor.
October 9. We started at eight, and crossed the ford. The ride of to-day has been rather tedious. We left the valley to get rid of the undergrowth of bushes, and took a trail over the side-hill, which carried us up and down hill successively, and in some instances through woods, occasionally obstructed by fallen timber. At noon we halted at a creek, where we found a single Indian family drying venison. For a little tobacco they gave us some fresh meat and trout, which we roasted before the fire, and which made us a substantial lunch; after which, pursuing our course, we fell upon a stream flowing from the dividing ridge, and, continuing up it six miles, made a camp where we found an abundance of grass. Distance to-day nineteen miles.
October 10. We continued in the valley about ten miles, the road leading through wood. Larch and spruce, and inexhaustible supplies of limestone and marble, were met with, and the latter we afterwards found in large quantities all through the mountains. At this point the trail forks, one keeping to the right along the stream, and the other turning to the left, and passing over a high, overhanging mountain spur. Our guide, Antoine, informed us that the mountain trail was more easy for the animals, the one to the right being much obstructed by fallen timber. After commencing the ascent we heard the voices of our men driving the animals in the valley beneath us, and waited until we had turned them upon the trail we had concluded to take. We ascended the dividing ridge, and reached a camp with good grass upon a small lake, within a mile of its top. The lake, to which we were obliged to descend for water, is twelve hundred feet below the camp.
CŒUR D’ALENE OR STEVENS PASS.
October 11. The pass beneath us was made by two rivers flowing from the dividing ridge in opposite directions, having their sources in lakes not more than half a mile apart; the general direction of the valleys being east and west. We estimated our camp to be two thousand feet above the eastern base of the mountain, and two thousand five hundred feet above the western base. The lake upon the eastern side was about twelve hundred feet below us, and that upon the western side about seven hundred feet higher. After pitching camp last night a drizzling rain commenced falling, which we supposed would turn into snow before morning. Upon awakening this morning we were surprised to greeted with one of the loveliest days imaginable. The sky was clear, and the air as soft and balmy as a morn in summer. After striking camp we ascended to the highest point of the ridge, about a mile and a half from camp. Here we made a long halt, enjoying the magnificent view spread open to us, which, I venture to say, can scarcely be surpassed in any country. Far distant in the east the peaks of the Rocky Mountains loomed up into view, stretched out to a great length, while the Flathead Lake and the valley thence to the Blackfoot Pass were plainly visible. Nearly the entire range of the Cœur d’Alene Mountains, clothed with evergreen forests, with here and there an open summit covered with grass; numerous valleys intersecting the country for miles around; courses of many streams marked by the ascending fog,—all conduced to render the view fascinating in the greatest degree to the beholder. The mountains were covered with luxuriant, coarse grass. Seated on this point, Mr. Stanley was enabled to transfer this beautiful panorama to his sketch-book. Descending the peak to the general level of the ridge, we continued on for six miles, when the descent commenced, and in less than three miles we passed down a very steep descent and gained the base of the mountains, which we estimated rose thirty-five hundred feet above us. This brought us into a valley filled with gigantic cedars. The larch, spruce, and vine-maple were found in to-day’s march in large quantities, the latter giving a pleasing variety to the forest growth. About four o’clock we encamped upon the bank of a stream, which here grows much wider. A Cœur d’Alene accompanied us to this point from the eastern base of the dividing ridge, and at to-night’s encampment we found a Cœur d’Alene and his wife on their way to hunt.
October 12. The scarcity of grass last night caused our animals to wander, and three of them were found at the base of the mountains six miles back. It was not until half past ten o’clock that our men had them all collected, and we were prepared to move. We rode until half past three, when we halted at a beautiful camp, although the day’s march had been but twelve miles. Learning from Antoine that the Cœur d’Alene Mission was only eleven miles beyond, I determined on going in to-night. Antoine and I accordingly mounted, and rode to the Mission in an hour and three quarters.
CŒUR D’ALENE MISSION.
The Mission is beautifully located upon a hill overlooking extensive prairies stretching to the east and west towards the Cœur d’Alene Mountains and the Columbia River. About a hundred acres of the eastern prairie adjoining the Mission are inclosed and under cultivation, furnishing employment to thirty or forty Indians, men, women, and children. I observed two ploughing, which they executed skillfully; others were sowing wheat, and others digging potatoes. Père Gazzoli received me with the most pleasing hospitality. Associated with him are Père Ravalli, now absent to procure supplies, and Brothers Charles Huet and Maginn. Towards evening I witnessed the burial of an Indian chief. The funeral ceremonies were conducted after the Catholic form, and I was struck with the harmonious voices of the Indian choristers, and with their solemn observance of the ceremonies.
The Mission is composed of buildings inclosing a square. Some of them are quite old, but the barn is large and new. The church stands a little distance from the rest, and does much credit to those who erected it. It is constructed upon a plan designed by Père Ravalli, and is of the Roman demi-style of architecture. Pulleys and ropes were the only mechanical aids in the construction. The interior is prettily arranged. The altar is supported by two massive timbers of pine which are four feet in diameter. The priests live in a self-denying manner, and the good effect of their influence over the Indians around them is plainly manifest. There is quite a village of Indians near the Mission. They have some half dozen log-houses, but most of them live in lodges.
October 13. While awaiting the arrival of the train, I was enabled more particularly to observe the manner in which the affairs of the Mission are conducted. Brother Charles has charge of the buildings, and attends to the indoor work, cooks, makes butter and cheese, issues provisions, and pays the Indians for their work, which payment is made in tickets bearing a certain value, “good for so many potatoes, or so much wheat,” etc. By this arrangement the Indians are able to procure their subsistence in the summer by hunting and fishing, and have tickets in store for living during the winter. They are well contented, and I was pleased to observe habits of industry growing upon them. In the barn we saw their operations of threshing: four boys rode as many mules abreast in a circle, being followed by two girls with flails, who appeared to be perfectly at home in their business. One half of the barn is reserved for their crops, while the other is arranged for cattle. Their stock at present consists of twenty cows, eight pairs of oxen, and ninety pigs, which are driven to pasture upon the prairie by Indian boys daily. I noticed an Indian woman milking, and was surprised to see her use both hands, something rarely seen amongst the Indians. We afterwards visited the field; a large fire was burning, and around it sat Indians roasting and eating potatoes. There appeared to be a great scarcity of proper implements, and in digging potatoes many had nothing better than sharpened sticks. The train arrived about one o’clock, and Père Gazzoli allowed us to turn our animals into the inclosure.