I fI I\   
i                   I-rII
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-,'%', 
NEW INDIAN SKETCHES.
BY
REV. P. J. DE SMET, S.J.
NEW YORK:
D. & J. SADLIER & CO., 31 BARCLAY-ST.
NHAL-COR. NOTRE-DAME AND S            T. FRANCI S   XAVI ER WM
- iI  
PREFACE.
THE holy life of Catharine Tehgahkwita,
the saintly virgin of the Mohawk, is well
known; and the odor of her virtues is still
fresh on the banks of the St. Lawrence,
where she edified all by her life, and aided so
many after her death. Among the sketches
of Father De Smet, published recently in
Belgium, is a short memoir of Louise Sighouin, a holy woman of the tribe of the
Cceur-d'Alenes, which shows us another example of high sanctity attained in an Indian
wigwam, and affords us a model and a patron
through whom we may piously expect that
God will grant favors for the glory of his
servant and the salvation of souls.  The
biography is one that cannot fail to touch
and instruct all.
1*
4 
PREFACE.
To it we have added some of the more
recent sketches of the pious missionary,
whose letters are always so much esteemed,
and a catechism of the Flathead Indians, to
give some idea of the mode of instruction
adopted by our missionaries, and the difficulty inherent in all the Indian languages of
expressing religious thoughts. The illustrations in this work are from drawings by
Father Point, whose pencil has preserved so
many scenes and characters of the Rocky
lMlountains.  They are the Baptism of Louise,
and her venerated Grave.
6
Ii. 
CONTENTS.
LIFE OF LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
?AGU
9
18
CHAP. I.-Childhood and Baptism of Louise........
CHAP. II.-Louise's Zeal for the Conversion of her
Tribe, and her Struggles with the Medicine-men.
CHAP. III.-Louise's Zeal for the Instruction of her
Tribe.......................................
CHAP. IV.-Louise's Charity for the Sick.-Her Pov    erty........................................
CHAP. V.-The Special Devotions of Louise to the
Cross of our Lord, to the Blessed Sacrament, and
to the Souls in Purgatory.....................
CHAP. VI.-Louise's penitential Spirit, her Horror of
Sin, and Zeal to preserve others from it........
CHAP. VII.-Sickness and Death of Louise..........
INDIAN SKETCHES
Letter of Father Joset to Father Fouillot. The Koet    enays......................................  61
Letter of Father De Smet. Nov. 1, 1859. Visit to
the Rocky Mountains in 1858.................  67
Letter of Father De Smet. Nov. 10, 1859. Return
to Oregon................................... 86
Letter of Fathier De Smet. Dec. 1, 1861. The Skalzi
Indians..................................... 104
0
22
28
34
89
45 
A Vocabulary of the Skalzi or Koetenay Language.. 118
A Vocabulary of the Skaizi or Koetenay Language.. 11 8
Letter of General Harney.  June 1, 1859........... 127
Letter of Father De Sminet. May 25, 1859. Visit to
the Tribes in the Mountains................... 130
Letter of Captain (now General) Pleasanton. June 1,
1859....................................... 136
Letter of General Harney.  June 3, 1859........... 138
Letter of Father De Smet.  May 23, 1859........... 141
T'he Short Indian Catechism in use among the Flat    heads, Kalispels, Pends-d'Oreilles, and other
Rocky Mountain Indians...................... 147
8
CONTENTS. 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN,
AN INDIAN WOMAN OF THE CCEUR-D'ALENE
TRIBE,
WHO DIED IN THE ODOR OF SANCTITY IN 1853
CHAPTER I.
CHILDHOOD AND BAPTISM OF LOUISE.
LOUISE SIGHOUIN, of the tribe of Skizoumish or
Cceur-d'Alenes, daughter of the chief of the tribe,
was endowed with the noblest qualities of mind and
heart, which won her the esteem and respect not
only of all her nation, but also of the neighboring
tribes and of all whites who had an opportunity of
knowing her. A poor and humble child, but rich
in virtue and exalted in grace, Louise flowered in
the desert like a lily amid thorns. She was an oasis
amid a sterile waste; she was a light amid the
shades of death. Like the poor woman in the Gospel, she had sought and found the lost treasure, and
0 0 0 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
she carefully preserved it all the days of her life to
her latest breath.
Before her baptism, even, she was remarkable for
her rare modesty and reserve, great gentleness, and
a solid judgment. Her words were everywhere listened to with admiration and pleasure, and her
company sought in all families.
In October, 1841, a new era was preparing for
her. In the course of the missions which I was then
giving in the upper parts of the Rocky Mountains,
I met for the first time three families of Cceurd'Alenes, returning from the bison hunt on the plains
of the upper Missouri.   They joined my  little
band, and we travelled together. I found them
mild, affable, polite in disposition, and above all
very eager for the word of God. For several consecutive days I conversed with them on different
points of faith and on the Church. After an instruction on the importance and necessity of baptism, they earnestly implored me to grant that favor
to three of their little children. They were the first
fruits of this tribe. When these families parted
with us, all testified the most lively gratitude for
what they had heard and learned with happiness:
they assured me that the whole tribe would willingly
accept the beautiful word of the Great Spirit, which
I had announced to them, and they gave me a most
pressing invitation to visit them at the earliest moment in order to instruct them.
10 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
Six months after, in April, 1842, I proceeded to
their quarters. My good Cceur-d'Alenes, who had
been my travelling companions, had admirably prepared the way for my visit, and infused into all their
countrymen an eager desire to hear the good tidings
of the Gospel. In consequence of the account which
they gave, the chiefs had already hastened to depute
to St. Mary's Mission several young men, selected
from the most intelligent, in order to ask for missionaries to instruct them in the holy truths of
religion.
The tidings of my coming soon spread through
all the country. The Indians were to be seen flocking from all sides, through forest and plain, by the
rivers and the great lake, to meet me, and hear the
law of God from the very lips of a Black Gown.
My visit, consequently, had the most beneficial results. I baptized all the little children in the tribe
and a good number of adults, who had hastened
with holy avidity to come and receive the mustard
seed mentioned in the Gospel.
Among these was good Louise Sighouin. Enlightened by a special grace, and wishing to turn to
the glory of God and the good of souls the rank
which she occupied and the universal esteem she
had acquired in the whole tribe, she used all her influence to induce a great number of families to follow
her to the rendezvous, which was the great Lake
Cceur-d'Alene, in order to hear there the good and
II 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
consoling word of the Gospel. From the very first
she showed the greatest avidity for it; at all times
was she most assiduous at the instructions of the
missionary. Aided by his advice and counsels, she
was seen advancing with a sure and rapid step,
zealously and fervently in the path that was later to
lead her to Christian perfection. Regenerated in
the holy waters of baptism, where she received the
name of Louise, she seemed to have reached the
summit of her desires, and to think only of wearing
unsullied the white robe which she had received, of
keeping well trimmed on earth the flaming light
that she had held in her hands, and of which from
that moment she had seemed to realize and comprehend the sublime significance; in fine, of showing
herself faithful and grateful to God for the great
favors which he had deigned to grant to her.
'A
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
CHAPTER II.
LOUISE'S ZEAL FOR THE CONVERSION OF HER TRIBF,
AND HER STRUGGLES WITH THE MEDICINE-MEN.
SOON after this she resolved to devote herselt
entirely to the service of the missionaries who had
come to labor in the territory of the Cceur-d'Aldies.
With this view she generously renounced her native
spot, the guidance of her father, the society of her
relatives and acquaintances, to be with the mission aries at the first, and then at the second mission
station established in those countries.  "I will followr
the Black Gowns," she often said, "to the end of
the world, for fear that death should surprise and
strike me far from them, and thus deprive me of the
help of the holy sacraments, and the salutary counsels of the Fathers. I wish to profit by their presence and their instructions to learn to know the
Great Spirit well, to serve hinl faithfully, and to
love him with all my heart."
This desire, or rather this ardent thirst to hear
the word of Eternal Life, never for a moment diminished in Louise. Sooner than be wanting to the
fidelity of her promises and her pious resolutions,
she subjected herself, with unlimited confidence in
God and with a holy ardor, to the severest trials
2
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
and greatest sacrifices. From the tinme of her conversion, during the whole residue of her life, she
lived by choice and predilection in great poverty
and in privations of every kind, never seeking to
diminish them by the assistance of others, and without ever letting the slightest murmur escape her.
As St. Paul lays it down, she seemed to profess "to
know only Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
The zeal and fervor in the service of God, which
she manifested immediately after her baptism, were
the unfailing tokens of a predestined soul, filled
with extraordinary gifts from heaven. These privileged favors were manifested in all their light by
her admirable gentleness, which the greatest opposition could not disturb, by her patience under
every trial, by her truly angelic modesty, by her
fervent and sustained piety.   She seemed, as it
were, absorbed in prayer, and nothing apparently
could then distract her thoughts. Such was her
avidity, her holy ardor, to hear the Word of God,
that every time a new religious truth broke in its
effulgence on her mind, a visible joy overspread her
countenance and her whole person: to her it was
the precious discovery of a hidden treasure, a living
fountain to quench her thirst of heavenly truths, a
bread of life giving her new vigor. Each time slhe
sought to share her happiness, this bread, this foun.
tain, this treasure, with all who were like her hungering for the divine Word.
14 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
An ardent and an untiring zeal for the salvation
of souls seemed ever to occupy her thoughts. She
employed all her leisure moments in the conversion
and instruction of numerous pagans in her village.
Neither the opposition which she encountered, nor
the obstacles which she met, nor the insults which
she received, nor the dangers to which she exposed
herself, naught could divert her from the holy work
which she had resolved to accomplish. Thus each
day was marked by some new triumph, by somo
new increase of the number of the children of God
or of the catechumens.
Louise boldly attacked face to face, the most
formidable and dangerous adversaries of religion:
the ministers of Satan himself, the sorcerers or jugglers, commonly called among the Indians medicinemen, who by their impostures and diabolical arts,
always impose on the simple and ignorant. They
are the most deadly enemies whom the missionaries
encounter, and must ever combat in the bosom of
the Indian tribes. They never cease by tricks and
calumnies and lies to throw obstacles in the way of
the missionary and fetter the progress of religion.
The presence of the priest is the more odious to
them as they know that their private interest, their
wealth, is at stake, and that their illicit gains will
vanish and cease on the manifestation of religious
truths.  Inde irce!  Hence, their hatred and resentment; hence, too, the incessant war they wage  on
15 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
the ministers of the true faith, and the persecutions
they incessantly excite against them, whenever they
can exercise sufficient influence over their adherents.
And on what a people did they exercise their influence, before the arrival of our missionaries in their
country!
Father Point, a missionary among the Cceurd'Alenes from 1842 to 1846, wrote of them as follows, in a letter printed in 1848. These details
prove the civilizing tendency and power of religion.
"Not a quarter of a century since, the Cceurd'Alenes were so hard-hearted, that to paint them to
the life, the common sense of their first visitors
found no expression more just than the singular
.name which they still bear; minds so limited, that
while rendering divine worship to all the animals
that they knew, they had no idea of the true God,
nor of their soul, nor consequently of a future life;
in fine, a race of men so degraded, that of the natural law, there survived among them only two or
three very obscure notions, which few, very few attempted to reduce to practice. Yet it must be said
to the credit of the tribe, that there were always in
their midst elect souls, who never bent the knee to
Baal. I know some, who from the very day when
the true God was preached to them, never had to
reproach themselves with the shadow of an infidelity."
16 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN'.
Among these the most remarkable was our heroine, Louise.  Rising above all human respect, she
always followed the advice of the missionary. As
long as the wily medicine-men existed, she untiringly
opposed and exposed them. She boldly entered
their lodges, and with or without their leave, spoke
to them of the great truths of religion, alone true
and divine, exhorting them to follow it, in order to
avoid the terrible judgments of God, hell with its
frightful torments. She did this with such energetic fortitude, and such peremptory arguments,
that their obstinacy was shaken and their obduracy
softened.
Endowed with a heart and a courage above her
sex, Louise feared neither the sneers nor the threats
of these deceitful and embittered charlatans. Ao
cordingly, the Almighty blessed the efforts of this
"valiant woman"  of the wilderness, and  always
crowned them with such extraordinary success, that
in a short time the medicine-men and their silly
juggleries fell into complete contempt. "In fine,"
wrote Father Point again, "from Christmas to Can
dlemas, the missionary's fire was kept up with all
that remained of the ancient "medicine."  It was a
beautiful sight to behold the principal supporters of
it, with their own hands destroy the wretched instruments which hell had employed, to deceive their
ignorance or give credit to their impostures. And
in the long winter evenings, how many birds
2*
17
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
feathers, wolves' tails, feet of hinds, hoofs of deers, bits
of cloth, wooden  images, and other superstitious
objects were sacrificed!
Among Louise's chief conquests, they especially
mention the conversion of Natatken, one of the
principal leaders of the idolatrous sect. He resisted
stubbornly; but at last, touched by the good example of all the converts, and above all, by the exenmplary life of Louise's family, with which he was
connected by blood, he yielded to the earnest
exhortations, the sweet and persuasive words of the
young girl, and opening his heart to the grace of
our Lord after having been long a rebel, he came
like a timid lamb to the humble fold of the Good
Shepherd. Louise devoted herself with the utmost
care to the instruction of the new catechumen, and
formed him to a kind of apostolic work in his tribe.
Till then a great master of Indian sorcery, he listened to and followed her wise counsels and instructions with the docility of a child; and after all the
necessary trials, Louise led him, humble and contrite, with his wife and children, to the feet of the
priest, to receive the sacrament of regeneration.
N'atatken received the name of Isidore. lie soon
became very zealous and very fervent. Endowed
with native eloquence, he unceasingly exhorted his
companions to convert and persevere in the faith,
and in the holy practices which religion imposes on
her children. He gave the example himself. lHe
18 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
remained faithful to the grace of the Lord till his
death, which was as edifying as consoling.
Emotestsulem, one of the great chiefs of the tribe,
after having been baptized under the name of Peter
Ignatius, had unfortunately relapsed into gambling,
the ordinary forerunner of apostasy among the
Indians. As soon as Louise heard this sad news,
although she was at a distance of two days' march,
she resolved to go to his town and find him so as
to endeavor to bring him back to his duties. She
set before his eyes the scandal which his conduct
occasioned in the tribe, the injustice of his course,
and the danger to which he exposed his faith. She
spoke to him with energy. Such was the authority
that Louise had acquired by her great charity and
exemplary life, such was the respect which she
commanded from all, that the great chief hearkened
to her with the submission of a child, and went to
cast himself at the feet of the priest in the tribunal
of penance, to repair the scandal and be reconciled
to God.
These two incidents, the conversion of Natatken
and that of Emotestsulem, will surprise all who
know how reluctant the Indians, and especially
their chiefs, are to receive correction, especially
when it is administered by a woman.
Let us say a few words of the famous sect of
jugglers or sorcerers, whom our modern spiritualists
have begun to style mediums. This sect is spread
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
over all the Indian tribes of both Americas, frotg.
the Esquimaux, who inhabit the Arctic regions, to
the extremity of Patagonia.
All historians agree in saying, that the most perverse and wicked men in all the tribes are the medicine-men. Before their conversion to the faith, as
well as everywhere else among the Indian tribes,
each Cceur-d'Alene had his manitou (tutelary spirit
or divinity). To this manitou the Indian addresses
his prayer or supplication, and offers his sacrifices,
when he is in any danger, sets out for war, or goes
fishing or hunting, as well as in every other enterprise in which he is about to engage, in order to
obtain success or some extraordinary favor. He
believes that he can ask every thing of his manitou,
reasonable or unreasonable, good or bad. To obtain
favors, he must be able to handle the bow and
arrow, and although initiation to the manitou is
considered as the most important act of life, the
adept is required to submit to ceremonies and practices which are generally very difficult and often
very painful. The young man after making profound incisions on the fleshy parts of the body, or
after a rigorous fast, is supposed to discover in his
dreams the form or resemblance under which the
manitou manifests himself. During his whole life
he is bound to bear the image or a mark of it; and
on all occasions he must present his offerings and
address his prayers to him. His talisman is the
20 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
feather or beak of a bird, the claw or tooth of an
animal, a root, a herb, a fruit, a scale, a stone, no
matter what. He believes that this tutelary spilrit
will protect him against the evil genii, who to injure
the children of earth excite the winds and waves,
lightning, thunder, and storm. This spirit protects
him against the attacks of his enemies, and wild
beasts, and in all diseases that come upon him.
If I mention these dangerous and diabolical superstitions, so profoundly rooted in the mind of the
Indian, it is to display more clearly the courage,
firmness, patience, and perseverance which Louise
must have had to oppose them successfully and
even overcome them. Louise prepared herself for
the struggle by long prayers and frequent fasts, and
fortified herself by her humility, by her fidelity to
the grace of our Lord, who made use of her as a
chosen instrument to crush the monstrous serpent
beneath her feet, and expel him from her tribe.
Nevertheless, the devil never sleeps, he is always
sowing tares in the good field, as Holy Scripture
tells us, he "goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." We must always fly
to the "Watch and pray," for we perceive always
that some trace of the old leaven remains.
21 
LOUISE SIGHOUIiS.
CHAPTER III.
LOUISE'S ZEAL FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF HER TRIBE.
As I have already remarked, Louise manifested
an ardent desire and an active perseverence in instructing herself in all that pertained to the word
of God and the holy practices of religion. She
sought in the first place to enrich her fair soul with
heavenly truths, and then with admirable zeal and
charity she endeavored to relieve the missionary in
his laborious toils and the continual fatigue he
encountered, especially in instructing old people
and children. Entirely wrapped up in her noble
calling, she would go several times in the day to
the priest, to set forth her doubts and ask an explanation of them, and light on some points either in
the prayers or in the catechism, which she wished
to fathom more deeply.
This constant assiduity and application to the
study of heavenly things, soon rendered her capable
of being the head teacher of the catechism, and
enabled her to instruct the underteachers with
great fruit. At every explanation and development
which she received from the missionary, she would
say ingenuously, "I thank the Great Spirit for the
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
beautiful alms which he has deigned to bestow on
nme," and she felt herself bound to impart her knowledge to all the catechumens, to make them partakers in her happiness. She set the example to
those good mothers, of whom Father Point speaks
in his letter, who, not satisfied with giving their
children the food which they refused themselves,
spent long evenings in breaking, not only to parents
and friends, but also to strangers, eager to hear
them, the bread of the divine word, gathered by
them during the day. The missionary, sometimes
present at the pious meetings of these good women,
admired the spirit of God which animated them,
and applied to them the promise of the prophet,
"The  Lord shall give the Word  to them that
preach good tidings with great power."-Ps. lxvii.
12. The patience and constancy which Louise displayed in the office of catechist, deserve the highest
eulogy; the salvation of souls was a work of predilection to her; the hours of the day seemed too
short to satisfy her zeal, and she often consumed a
good part of the night instructing her neighbor.
Amid all her occupations and exertions for tho
good of others, Louise never neglected the care and
ordering of her own house. Her prayers, her good
works, her words, and her good example had drawn
down the blessings of heaven on her poor and humble abode, and this model cabin, great by the vir.
tues which it enshrined, shone with radiance amid
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
all the other Indian lodges. Louise had comprehended at once and fully the whole extent of the
duties of a good wife and mother, duties till then
almost unknown to the Indians, among whom,
from the moment of leaving childhood, each one
becomes absolute master of himself and his actions.
By her conduct beyond reproach, by her motherly
vigilance over the behavior of her children, by the
simple and persuasive gentleness with which she
treated them on all occasions, Louise had inspired
them with the most profound respect and entire
confidence, and had so closely bound to her their
tender hearts, that a desire manifested, or a single
word from the lips of their good mother, was an
absolute order, a law for them, which they accomplished in all its requirements with eagerness and joy.
Louise attended the divine offices with the greatest exactness. Although in delicate health and
often sick, she never failed to be present at all the
religious ceremonies in use in the Church; she
attended Mass, morning and evening prayers, the
expositions and benedictions of the Blessed Sacrament, and all the other practices of devotion. Her
modesty, her recollectedness, and her fervent prayers,
always served as an edifying example to all present.
She seemed at the summit of her happiness and joy,
every time that she was permitted to approach the
holy table; her preparation and thanksgiving often
took whole days.
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
In catechising and in church Louise fulfilled all
the duties of parents to their children. Sitting in
their midst, she watched over their conduct and
their innocent bearing. Rarely was she severe;
when there was any thing to reprehend, the correction was always made with a mother's tenderness
and goodness, which won her the hearts not only
of the children but also of their parents. She merited and received from all the tribe the beautiful
name of good grandmother. Her counsels and corrections were always and by all received with
respect, submission, and gratitude; and the happy
results were seen in a complete and blessed change
of the whole tribe, thus augmenting joy and happiness in all hearts.
Louise, although the best instructed in the truths
of religion, nevertheless came regularly to attend
the catechetical instructions which the missionary
was accustomed to give the children daily. She
could be seen sitting or standing outside the halfopened door, regardless of the weather, heat or cold,
rain or snow. She wished to gather all the important points of each instruction for her own spiritual
good and that of others.
When there was question of admitting an old
man, a boy or girl to partake of the Sacraments, she
prepared and instructed them for several days in her
lodge, impressing them with the high importance
of the grace which they were going to receive, and
a
25 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
the happiness which they were going to enjoy.
She then aided them with the greatest care to
examine their conscience. And that nothing should
be lacking in the preparation, she took them one by
one to the tribunal of penance, telling them:
"Here         kneel at the feet of the Father, who
has the power to reconcile you to the Great Spirit.
Say the Confiteor with a great sorrow for your
offences. Confess your sins with profound humility."
She would then withdraw to a short distance to
wait for them, and then lead them to the foot of the
altar to receive the spotless Lamb, and be nourished
with the bread of angels. Louise did not leave
them till they had finished their thanksgiving. She
wished to supply in some sort the lack of memory
or capacity, when the parties seemed to need it.
For fear of being guilty of any grave omission, the
chiefs themselves, and many of the most esteemed
men in the nation, went regularly to have her
assistance in preparing for a worthy reception of
the Blessed Sacrament.
Among other pious practices introduced by Louise
in the mission, we are indebted to her for the following. On solemn days, the night previous to the
general communion, hymns are sung alternately,
sometimes in one lodge and sometimes in another,
with charming harmony. These pious canticles
have reference to the approaching day, which they
are preparing to celebrate worthily. On the eve of
26 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
the communion, the Indians arrange their exterior,
and for most this is no small affair. They wash,
clean, and mend the clothes or rags which scarcely
cover them; they go and bathe in a retired part of
the river, even on Christmas Eve and when the
water is freezing. Each one keeps in his leather
bag, which serves as a wardrobe (for they have no
chests or drawers), a piece of linen or white cotton,
or a colored handkerchief; the women and girls
wear them as a veil, the men as a cravat. Their
toilet as you see is very simple and very poor; but
each does his best, even outwardly, to come worthily
and with respect to the table of the Lord.
27 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
CHAPTER IV.
LOUISE'S CHARITY FOR THE SICK.-HER POVERTY.
AMoxG all the virtues which distinguished Louise,
and which she cherished and practised with so much
zeal and ardor, shone forth especially her Christian
charity to the sick and dying. Father Gazzoli, who
has for many years directed that mission, assured me
that during Louise's life, he never went to the bedside of a sick or dying person, without there meeting
the Indian "Good Samaritan." She devoted herself
to the continual service of the sick, and tended them
with as much care, patience, and interest, as she
could have bestowed on her own children and
parents. While relieving their bodies with admirable and truly maternal charity, she never failed to
think of their soul, and devoted herself with still
greater zeal and fervor to heal its wounds, especially
when the state of the patient's conscience seemed
most to require it. She suggested pious thoughts,
and recited with them acts of faith, hope, charity,
contrition, resignation, and submission to the holy
will of our Lord; she constantly exhorted them
to have patience in their painful trials, in imitation
of our Lord, who died on the cross to save us; in
28 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
one word she faithfully served her God in the per son of her neighbor, conformable to these words of
the Gospel: "Amen, I say to you, as long as you
did it to one of these, my least brethren, you did it
to me."-Matt. xxv. 40. With no other recompense than what she expected from her divine
Master, she fulfilled all the duties of an excellent
nurse. This service she performed with as much
exactness and devotedness, as an exemplary Sister
of Mercy or Daughter of St. Vincent de Paul could
have shown. On many occasions when she wished
to exercise her voluntary mission of charity, she had
to consent to great sacrifices, and almost heroic
efforts over herself, to overcome her natural repugnance. Father Gazzoli relates that one day, according to his custom in certain circumstances, he invited Louise to accompany him to a patient, to aid
himn in the care which-a most loathsome sore required. Such was the sight of the corrupt mass,
that for the first time the repugnance of the couragreous woman overcame her; she durst not touch
it or do the least to dress it. The missionary perceived it, and opened the abscess himself. Some
moments after, Louise expressed the most lively
regret at having yielded to her feelings, and told
him with humility and respect: "I am greatly
ashamed, Father; my weakness got the better of
me. I admire your charity. I lacked courage to
imitate it." She atoned for what she had reproached
29
.3  
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
herself with as a fault, and immediately began to
nurse the sick man, and dressed his sore with the
greatest assiduity for about two months, till he recovered. It was the first time, added Father Gazzoli, that good Sighouin shrunk from a charitable
desire which he expressed, and it was the last. In
the sequel and down to her death, under every
circumstance, she continued to fulfil, with promptness and fidelity, the requests made by her pious
director, and made by him to offer her occasions of
victory and merit before God. She had completely
triumphed over herself, and in her humble constan
cy at the bedside of the sick, the most loathsome
cases seemed to her the most agreeable and attractive.
Amid Louise's noble acts of charity and patience,
may be cited the care she took for several years of
a poor child on.whom all human miseries of mind
and body seemed to accumulate. An orphan, destitute of every thing, crippled, blind, and what is
worse, stubborn and ungovernable, such was Louise's
adoptive child. Such a child was doubtless a rich
windfall to exercise a saint. One day she told the
missionary that she could not manage Ignatius
(that was the orphan's name), and that he would
not mind her in the least. The Father who supplied his food and clothing, thought that by threatening to make him fast, he might be reduced to
submission; but when it was tried, Ignatius rolled
so 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
up his shirt-sleeve, and showing his arm, said:
"Look there, I am fat.  I can fast."  He was then
eleven or twelve years old. Such was the disposition of the child on whom Louise lavished the
care of a tender mother for several years, till God
recalled the poor boy from this world.
Louise had a niece named Agatha, the only
daughter of one of her sisters. She was, and justly
so, her child of predilection. Pious, and ever attentive to her aunt's good advice and wise lessons,
Agatha verified her name by her exemplary conduct, and by her example amid her young companions. She was well instructed in her catechism,
and was preparing for her first communion; she
had already presented herself at the tribunal of
penance to make a good confession, when an attack
of apoplexy deprived her of speech. She survived
only one day, suffering greatly, but with admirable
patience. Her death was a severe and painful trial
to the heart of Louise, who long after still kept her
loss fresh in her mind, yet she submitted perfectly
to the divine will, and convinced that her niece had
gone to a better world, she overcame her grief, and
shed not a tear; on the contrary, she never ceased
thanking the Almighty for the favor he had bestowed upon Agatha, by snatching her away from the
dangers of earth to set her in his heavenly mansion.
Louise lived in great poverty; yet the slightest
murmur never escaped her to show her wants or her
31 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
suffering. When the missionary was able to give
her any charity, he had first to ask her whether she
was not in some need, either of food or clothing.
Slhe regarded as nothing the privations and voluntary poverty which she imposed on herself through
love for her divine Lord, and for her neighbor.
Her lodge, formed of flag-mats, stood beside the
ho,rse of prayer, or church, and near the poor cabin
of the missionaries. There in happiness and contentment Louise found all her treasure, all her joy,
and the complete fulfilment of her pious desire.
There she unceasingly contemplated the home of
eternal rest, which the Lord has prepared for his
elect in heaven, and to which he alludes in the
words: "My kingdom is not of this world."-John,
xviii. 36. Those which the Acts of the Apostles
add: "In very deed, I perceive that God is not a
respecter of persons. But in every nature, he that
feareth him, and worketh justice is acceptable to
him" (Acts, x. 34), seemed perfectly realized in
poor Louise. From her conversion she faithfully
followed the career which Providence had traced
for her. Poverty with zeal and charity were her
joy. Amid the poor of her tribe she may be said
to have been the poorest, and always blessed God
for her lot. Thus it is, that as we read in St.
Mark, the "last shall be first." Sighouin fully
comprehended this maxim, and she is at once a
striking and consoling example of it. How glorious
32 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
and beautiful is the society of fervent Christians, in
all ranks and conditions of life! By its heavenly
doctrines, benevolence admirably tempers authority;
justice and charity reign in all hearts; the great
humbles himself without derogating from his dignity, and the poor, the lowly, even the poor Indian
woman, not only does not fall into contempt, but is
elevated by the consideration of a common origin,
the hope of a common end, and the distribution of
the same means; in the sight of heaven all are
equal, for all are children of one same Father, and
called, though in different ways, to the possession
of a common heritage.
Behold, then, the humble Louise, a poor Indian
woman, an obedient; charitable, and submissive
Christian. Zeal for souls, zeal for the house of God
devours her.  Endowed with heroic constancy and
courage, she surmounts all obstacles that oppose her
generous designs. Where does she find her courage, her strength, her consolation, her happiness, if
not in the love of her God, in an entire confidence
in him, and a holy indifference in regard to all
else?  All her actions seem to express constantly
these words: "God alone for me!... God alone
to-day and forever!... God alone for all eternity!"
She devoted herself entirely to the cause of God;
her labors, her troubles, her pain, will receive their
reward.  "She hath chosen the better part, which
shall not be taken away from her."-Luke x. 42.
83 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
CHAPTER V.
THE SPECIAL DEVOTION OF LOUISE TO THE  CROSS
OF OUR LORD, TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, AND
TO THE SOULS IN PURGATORY.
LOUISE always manifested a great devotion to the
Hloly Cross. In the sowing season, in order to
draw down God's blessing on the crop, she each
year presented to her spiritual director the seedcorn, to ask him to bless it. She then went through
the great harvest field and the fields of the Indians,
digging up a little piece of ground in the shape of
a cross to plant her grain in. During the whole
time that she maintained this practice, it was every
year observed, that the crop was very abundant and
very fine, even when the neighbors all around lost
their grain. She had learned that heaven and
earth had been disunited, and that the Cross had
reconciled them; that no one can enter into heaven
except by the way of the Cross. She sowed her
grain in the form of a cross, having implicit confidence that our Lord, who died on the cross, would
fructify it. The Cross was her refuge on earth; it
was her strength and consolation till death. We
may here repeat those beautiful words of the venerable Bishop Challoner: "Jesus is delivered into the
34 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
hands of his executioners; his suffering, his ignominy begins; he dies on an infamous gibbet; and
he is no sooner lifted up, than he draws all things to
him. The Cross dispels the darkness that covered
the face of the earth: it unveils the great mystery
of life and death, of God, of our duties and our eternal destiny; in a word, in all that till then had been
hidden from the wisest of pagan antiquity. The Cross
teaches us to suffer for the cause of justice, to bear
wrongs for the glory of God, to die for his love.
ilow admirably has the Gospel been styled by St.
Paul the word of the Cross."
Louise had a tender devotion to the most Blessed
Sacrament of the altar. That great mystery of the
love of God, who deigns to lower, and as it were,
annihilate himself, and "whose delight is to be with
the children of men" (Prov, viii. 31), seemed to
touch the good Indian woman most profoundly,
and to fill her heart with the liveliest gratitude.
Every morning she attended the holy sacrifice of
the Mass with the greatest recollectedness. For a
long time she went regularly to the missionary's
cabin to ask explanations and instructions on the
Holy Sacrament of the altar, without his supposing
it to result from any motive but a desire of instrucion. It was not till after the death of Louise, that
he learned that when she had fully comprehended
the meaning and seen the explanation of the principal ceremonies and rubrics in the celebration of
35 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
the most holy mystery, she composed short prayers,
full of unction, lilre those found in our best prayerbooks. I must remark here that this practice was
then as yet unknown by the catechumens among
the Indians, for the missionaries, especially in the
first years that followed the establishment of the 
mission, were unable to go beyond the most elementary instructions on the points of doctrine of the'
most absolute necessity.  But the zeal of Louise
was by no means limited to her own soul; she had
at the same time in view the spiritual good and
advancement of her neighbor by all these holy
practices. Gifted with an excellent memory, she
communicated with care and eagerness to others all
the instructions that she had received on the holy
sacrifice of the Mass. The beautiful and admirable
little prayers of which I have just spoken were in
harmony with the different parts of the Mass, perfectly conformable to the spirit of the Church, full
of sense and piety; they seemed dictated under the
inspiration of the divine Master.   We  may  say
with all assurance and truth, that this useful work
of Louise was far beyond the ordinary capacity and
reach of a poor Indian.
Among the holy practices in which Louise displayed most zeal, fervor, and charity, and which
always seemed dearest to her, all remarked her
great devotion for the souls in purgatory. All her
prayers, all her actions, all the merits that she
36 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
might obtain from God by her pious and active life,
were directed to this noble intention. She succeeded, too, after persevering efforts, in making the
whole tribe relish and adopt her beautiful devotion.
Every day, even during the rigorous season of winter, she proceeded to the cemetery to spend some
time there in prayer. When the household occupations of her poor family prevented her visiting it
by day, she went there late in the evening, or even
during the night.  This was frequently the case.
It seems that hell endeavored to raise obstacles to
prayers so agreeable to heaven, and, at the same
time, deprive the souls in purgatory of so many
suffrages, and good Sighouin of all the merit she
daily laid up for herself.  The fact was this.  Before
relating it I must observe that, in the whole tribe,
Louise was regarded as a brave and nowise timid
woman,  and that on many  occasions  she  gave
unequivocal proofs of her natural courage. And
yet it several times happened that when at prayer
in the cemetery, she would be seized with affright,
at the sight of fantastic figures that she seemed to
behold before her. Once the spectres appeared in
so frightful a manner, that, trembling with fear, sho
ran back to the camp with loud cries.  The men
immediately all flew to arms, as though a powerfuil
enemy had assailed the village. All were convinced
that the alarm given by Louise must have a real,
foundation. Father Gazzoli, who relates the facts,
4
38 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
had much trouble in restoring order and tranquillity
in the camp; he succeeded however, by promising
to act as sentinel all night over his dear Indians.
The next day he recommended Louise not to be
disturbed in her prayers by the influence of such
fears; and in case the phantoms returned again to
molest her, to come, even though it were midnight,
and tell him, but no one else, so as to create a
panic in the village.  On this occasion as ever, she
showed her obedience and submission; and although
the frightful visions returned from time to time, her
victory over the demon was complete. From that
time for several years, and down to the period of
her last illness, she calmly continued her pious visits
to the cemetery, exempt from all trouble and all
fear. One day the missionary in an instruction,
advised his flock to remember the souls in purgatory, especially after communion. Louise received
the recommendation as an advice from heaven, and
the first time she approached the holy table, she was
seen, after receiving the Blessed Sacrament, proceeding to the cemetery at the head of all the communicants, where they spent a considerable time in
prayer for the relief of the faithful departed. Her
example greatly increased this beautiful practice of
Christian life; the greatest part of the Indians were
soon seen following their pious guide to the place
of rest; at last all went. This holy custom is still
observed.
38 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
CHAPTER VI.
LOUISE'S PENITENTIAL SPIRIT; HER HORROR OF SIN,
AND ZEAL TO PRESERVE OTHERS FROM IT.
OUR poor Indians have a very limited intelli.
gence; their progress in religious instruction is
very slow, retarded especially by the difficulty
which the missionaries encounter in the languago
of the Indians, which is very rich to express whatever is material; but excessively poor in all that
relates to the explanation of spiritual things
Hence, it happens that many of these poor people
have not yet that salutary horror and shame for sin,
which are so powerful a means to restrain men's
passions. Thus a woman who has been unfaithful
or rebellious to her husband will receive pardon tho
moment she shows sorrow for it. A man who has
grossly insulted another, or done him a grievous
wrong, will go and smoke the calumet of peaco
with the injured person, or enter his lodge, or givo
him an equivalent for the wrong committed. Theso
reparations are generally received, and considered
sufficient, and the offender recovers the good graces
of the injured party.  "The wound is covered," as
they express it; that is to say, "All is forgotten."
When any one commits a fault, secret or notorious,
39 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
he goes of his own accord to present himself to the
chief and ask to be whipped. "The whip has covered his fault," no one can then speak of it.  The
missionary has sometimes to instruct them in the 
confessional on this point; for the penitent would
come, and not accuse himself of grievous faults
known to the whole tribe. In vain will the confessor say: "You have been guilty of such or such 
a sin, you must accuse yourself of it before God."
The penitent will reply: "Pardon, Father, I went
to the chief, and the sin you mention was covered
by the whip; the whip has covered my fault." I
mention this usage of the Cceur-d'Alcnes, because
our good Louise sometimes presented herself to the
chief to be publicly whipped. But here the case
was different; she seized the opportunity in a spilit 
of profound humility, always regarding herself as a
poor and enormous sinner, and at the same time
from a desire to satisfy her devotion to imitate our
Lord, by submitting to the cruel flagellation. Louise's faults were only of the nature of those of
whicl the Book of Proverbs speaks, when he says
that the "just man shall fall seven times and(i shall
rise again."-Prov. xxiv. 16.  Nevertheless, what
,he called her faults, caused her such regret and
confusion, that the missionary often found her bathed
in tears. At the least fault, her contrition was so
lively, and, at the same time, her veneration for the
Lodye of the Lord (the church) so profound, and
I
40 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
her respect for the cabin of the priest so sincere,
that she durst not enter either till she had approached the tribunal of penance.  We  admired in
her, too, that faith and that love of God, which, in
the real sins and faults of others, made her share in
their sorrow and shame.
A certain member of the tribe, blinded by passion, in spite of all the obstacles in the way of his
illicit desires, had resolved to unite himself with a
rear relative of Louise's, and who was at the same
time nearly related to himself. Among the Indians
there is no power to prevent evil in such a case but
argument; when this fails there is no means to
which they can have recourse.  The wretched man,
deaf to all the advice of the chief and of his own
friends, obdurately closing his ears to the exhortations of the missionary, had united himself to tho
object of his desires. The traits which I have
already given of the pure soul of Louise, will speak
sufficiently the grief and bitterness which this de
pravity in a near kinswoman must have caused her.
She had already employed all the means of persuasion in her power, to prevent the union of these two
miserable people. They had turned a deaf ear to
her wholesome advice and counsel, as to all that
others had offered. One day the pastor showed
himself more than ordinarily troubled and afflicte4
t the depravity and obstinacy of his two lost sheep,
nd at the great scandal they gave the whole tribe.
4*
41 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
Hle said publicly and vehemently, "We must put
a stop to this at once. Let each one then implore the divine assistance, and beg the Almiglhty,
that with as little delay as possible, he will aid
to remove this great scandal from  among  us."
Louise was present and heard the missionary's
words.   She  was ignorant of the guilty  man's
threats, for he had resolved to repel by brute force
and by arms, whoever would dare to prevent his
retaining the object of his guilty love.  Invested
with courage above her strength, like the strong
womnan in the Scriptures, and full of confidence in
God, brave Sighouin immediately started from the
village over woods and mountains, and marched for
several days to the spot where the two culprits had
hidden themselves to hide their crime and infamy.
She entered the lodge to the great surprise of the
guilty pair.  Ope rushed at her, whip in hand, the
other threatened to strike her; but Louise addressed
them on the misfortune of their state, in words so
resolute, so energetic, so overwhelming, that they
stood silent and confounded before her, and without
difficulty she rescued from his hands the woman
whom sin alone had made his partner.  She took
her to her own house, and kept her there till a
dispensation was obtained, on which they were
lawfully married. The charity and zeal of Louise
aided fiom on high, thus came forth triumphant
from a struggle as heroic as it was delicate.
42
I
I 
LOUISE SIGtIOUIN.
In another and nearly similar case, a wretched
man drew his dagger to strike Louise, while loading
her with insulting words and terrible threats; but
the Christian heroine, with a calm and serene
brow, portrayed to him the enormity of his conduct,
his ingratitude to God, the scandal given to his
neighbor.  "I have come here," she said, "for the
honor of God, and the salvation of your' soul; I fear
nothing." Here below, life is but a short passage.
' The world passeth away," says the beloved Apostle, "and the concupiscence thereof.  But he that
doth the will of God abideth forever."-1 John, ii.
1'. Louise fully comprehended these maxims, she
never shrunk firom any danger when the glory of the
Almighty was concerned.
Louise paid special attention to the young girls
of her tribe.  She took care of their religious instruction, and diligently. watched over their behavior.  In the absence of their parents she made
them all lodge in her cabin of mats, and took the
entire direction of them. To understand this, it
will be necessary to make a little digression. An
Indian lodge of mats is a pretty commodious, though
not very attractive abode. It assumes all dimensions, according to the number of persons to be
accommodated: a few more poles and mats are
added, and the arrangements are completed. Thus
Louise was able to make room for a considerable
number of beds for the children, for each one has
43 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
her blanket or buffalo-robe. Their tables are the
bare ground. Their dishes, plates, and spoons, are
pieces of bark or wood; their fingers serve for forks
and their teeth for knives. It takes an Indian, at
most, half an hour to change a lodge into a large
hostelry, and furnish it to correspond. Thus Louise
was able to see herself at the head of a numerous
household who were her delight. How beautiful it
was to contemplate the good Indian grandmother,
tenderly loved and respected, amid her cherished
children!
I
44
I
t
I
II
tI
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
CHAPTER VII.
SICKNESS AND DEATH OF LOUISE.
'WE may apply to Louise the beautiful words of
the Scriptures: "Being made perfect in a short
space, he fulfilled a long time."-Wisdom, iv. 13.
After her vocation to the faith, she did not indeed
live long years on the earth, but her years were full
of merits before God.  "She walked in the ways of
the Lord with a rapid step." In all that she did,
she constantly kept her eyes fixed on her heavenly
home, awaiting those eternal goods of which the
great Apostle speaks; she made noble efforts, and
employed all her moments to embellish and enrich
her soul with all Christian virtues. By her regular
attendance at the instructions, by her constant spirit
of prayer, by the practice of every species of good
work, she increased more and more in the grace
and knowledge of our Lord and sweet Saviour,
Jesus Christ.
Ier last illness left her the use of all her faculties,
which she preserved to her last breath. She thus
prepaied for death with all the tranquillity of the
just. lier prayer was fervent and uninterrupted;
her patience superior to every trial. Entirely taker
45 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
up with the salvation of her soul, she seemed utterly
unmindful of the sufferings of her body; she sought
no relief, and never betrayed the least sign of impatience; she often tenderly kissed the cross, which
she always carried around her neck.  The desire o,
the Apostle "to be dissolved and to be with Chlrist"
(Phil. i. 23), seemed to be during her illness her
only motto and her only preoccupation.
"Always at the bedside of her who had so greatly
aided me in my visits to the sick, and who had
always served as my interpreter, and given me her
aid with the ignorant,-the spiritual directress, the
guardian angel of her whole tribe,-I had the happiness to witness this touching scene," says Father
Gazzoli, the spiritual director of Louise. "11 ITer virtues had shone like a brilliant torch arnid the
Indians; she had never sullied the white robe of
innocence which she had received in baptism. I
witnessed the great power of the Cross, which
displayed in the desert virtues till then unknown;
which produces wherever it is planted so many
holy martyrs, so many confessors, so mnany virgins
and illustrious penitents. Here, amid these isolated
mountains, appears a poor Indian woman, whose
unshaken faith and firm hope render her superior to
trials of every kind. I desired to relieve her in
somne way; she in obedience gratefully received
what I offered, yet without seeking or asking the
slightest relief or the slightest mitigation of her
46
I 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
pains, which she accepted as so many special graces
of our Lord."
Louise received from the hands of the minister
of God all the consolations of the Church, the Holy
Viaticum especially, with truly angelic piety and
consolation.   She thanked  our Lord  in all the
humility of her soul, for the great favors which he
deigned to grant her in that last hour of her earthly
anguish, committing to his holy Providence  her
crippled husband and beloved children. She then
made an effort to rally her little remaining strength,
to thank her spiritual director for all the care which
he constantly lavished on her, and especially in his
instructions; she especially commended to his spiritual care the charge of all her family. The words
which Louise addressed to her husband and her
grieving children were consoling, full of trust in
God's divine and paternal goodness, full of resignation to His holy will, and of firm hope to be one
day all united again in their heavenly home. At
last she turned to those who surrounded her deathbed, happy witnesses of all these edifying scenes,
which the just dying in the Lord present to the
living, and which realize the words of Holy Writ:
"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."-Apoc.
xiv. 13. She begged those around to intone in their
language the touching hymn in honor of the souls
in purgatory, and accompanied it herself in a
feeble and dying voice scarcely perceptible. They
47 
LOUISE SIG HOYUIN.
were still singing it when Louise, unperceived by
any, slept calmly in our Lord.
Her beautiful soul had taken its heavenward
flight. She happily left the place of trouble, misery, and death, to pass to an abode of glory and
peace, the delights whereof are eternal. In her
were fulfilled what St. James teaches us when he
says: "Blessed is the man that endureth temnptation, for when he hath been proved, he shall receive
the crown of life, which God hath promised to them
that love him."-St. James, i. 12. In the pleasing
hope that henceforth the eternal crown is her lot,
with the deep-seated trust in her power with God,
we addressed to her in heaven our poor prayers:
"0 Louise, intercede with God for him who conferred baptism on you, and was your spiritual
director; for your husband, for your children, and
and for all your dear Skizoumish. Obtain for us
all the grace of perseverance in the holy service of
our Lord. Amen."
I then addressed those around:
"Skizoumish! the example of the pious Sighouin
is in your midst, we must profit by it. Henceforth
she belongs to the whole nation, for she is the
common beloved mothei. As we all one day desire
to share the glorious reward which she has just
obtained by her virtues and good works, we must
all follow the path which she has traced for us, and
which leads to everlasting happiness. From the
48 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
day of her baptism, in April, 1842, she constantly,
i night and day, devoted herself to your instruction.
In the service of her God, she accepted with joy
and eagerness, the privations, misery, contradictions,
which it pleased Him to send her. In her this day
are verified the words of the Lord addressed to the
just:'Because thou hast kept the word of my
patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of
temptation, which shall come upon the whole world
to try them that dwell upon the earth.'"-Apoc.
iii. 10.
The death of Louise Sighouin was the signa4 of
a sudden desolation and a universal grief in the
tribe, which lost a mother beloved by all, and
especially by the children, a faithful friend to the
whole nation, the comfort of the sick and afflicted,
a guide and a support! The loss was immense, we
avow. Yet this mourning was that of a Christian
people, and not that of a perverse and unbelieving
world, that has no hope beyond the grave. Amid
this Indian tribe was renewed the salutary sadness
that we ordinarily admire at the death of the just,
whose memory is ever dear and in benediction,
according to the words of the Holy Ghost: "0 how
beautiful is the chaste generation with glory: for
the memory thereof is immortal: because it is
known both with God and with men."-Wisdom,
The minister of the Lord. was still reciting th
The minister of the Lord was still reciting the
5
49 
I
50               LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
last prayers of the Church, invoking the angels and
saints to receive the soul of her who had just ex. 
pired, to present it at the throne of the Most High, 
when one of those kneeling beside him, ran out
crying: "Sighouin, good Sighouin is dead!"  The i
cry was taken up and echoed in the valley and in 
the foot of the high mountains which encircle the 
Residence of the Sacred Heart.  The Indians ran
up in crowds around the lodge of the departed. In
their impatience to gratify their desire of gazing 
once more on the pious woman, the lodge was 
invaded, but it was too small to hold them all, the'
mats were torn from the poles; the lodge thus
opened on all sides, enabled the crowd of spectators
to satisfy their pious wish, and they gazed in admiring silence on the last sleep of Louise.
It is a custom of the Indians for the relatives and
friends of a deceased person to assemble in his lodge i
after his death.  When  the missionary, after reciting the prayers of the Church, leaves the lodge,
he says: "Pray, my children, for the repose of his 
soul," and adds some words suited to the circumstances. Then, on a signal from one of the nearest)
relatives of the deceased, all present burst into tears 
and groans, either real or feigned, or rather they i
begin lamentations, often forced, and extorted rather
by the usual ceremony, than by a real sorrow
caused by the loss of the deceased. On Louise'
death the scene of mourning was far different: i
; 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
was doubtless sincere. Father Gazzoli thus relates
it: "I was an eyewitness, moved to tears by all that
passed. My emotion kept increasing, especially
when, even before the end of the prayers, universal
cries and tears, interrupted by sobs, announced
clearly that no ceremony was enacting here, but,
on the contrary, they had assembled to pay a just
tribute of gratitude and admiration to Louise's
virtues, and to relieve the lively grief caused by her
loss."
It must not be imagined that sunset, on this as
on other occasions, put an end to these demonstrations of sorrow, regret, veneration, and love, displayed over the mortal remains of good Louise:
they rather increased. The Indians immediately
put up a vast lodge, which they illuminated by a fire
of resinous wood. The body, becomingly wrapped
in skins of wild animals,.was respectfully laid upon
a bed of straw; a great number watch around, and
recite prayers aloud during the whole night. The
pious ceremonies of that night were till then unexampled in the country of the Cceur-d'Alenes. There
was on this occasion a most touching, edifying, and
extraordinary unanimity. Men, women, and children, were seen surrounding with equal eagerness
the corpse of Louise, unable to tear themselves from
her whom they called by so many titles, their moth.
er, their guide, and their true friend.  Their prayers
and hymns were from time to time interrupted by
51 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
edifying discourses on the life and heroic virtues of
the deceased; the principal chiefs of the nation
were the first to retrace most touching pictures of
them for the assembly.
The missionary, struck at the spectacle of so
striking a testimony borne to virtue by a people
possessed of such feeble ideas of it, believed it his
duty to go and preside in this pious assembly. He
proceeded to the lodge about midnight, at the
moment when the eldest son of the deceased was
making a panegyric on his beloved mother. His
beautifuil words, full of simple, unstudied, true eloquence, produced the liveliest sensation and emotion
in all his auditory. The abundance of his tears,
which did not cease to flow as long as he spoke,
prevented him from continuing his long and interesting discourse. The missionary then rose, and
while exhorting his good Indians to imitate the
example of Louise, he expressed the sentiments of
esteem and admiration which her virtues and good
works had excited in his heart from his arrival in
the Mission.
On the day succeeding the death of Louise, her
body was carried in procession early in the morning
to the church, accompanied by all the Indians of
the camp. The labors of the harvest were not
resumed all that day. All thought alone of giving
in the most expressive manner a mark of their love,
their esteem, and their grief, to the common mother
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of the tribe. After a solemn Mass of Requiem, and
all the other funeral ceremonies of the  Church,
Father Gazzoli resolved to leave the body exposed
during the rest of the day, to satisfy the pious zeal,
we might almost say ever increasing devotion, of
the many friiends of the deceased. Her children,
her fiamily, all, in a word, constantly pressed around
the bier, and seemed unable to tear themselves
from it. It would have seemed too hard and too
cruel to put an end so soon to the last expressions
of affection of that religious assemblage, of those
truly Christian hearts.
At last the day began to wane, and the shades of
night would soon infold the valley. The missionary
had to make an effort to overcome his own feelings,
and to propose to his good children in Christ a
separation so afflicting and so painful to their hearts.
Yet it was the most favorable time to give the
interment a funereal grandeur, and a last tribute of
love and respect to the precious remains of Sighouin.
The funeral surpassed all expectation. The children alone, boys and girls, as a proof of their
innocent love, had thought of preparing with care
a large quantity of resinous splinters. These primitive torches in the hands of these children of nature,
dressed chiefly in bear, wolf, jaguar, beaver, and
otter skins, added to the ceremony, sad and mournful in itself, a peculiar air of wild majesty and
savage grandeur, in keeping with the place and the
5*
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interesting occasion of the assemblage.  Perfect
order was observed in the procession; mo4lest piety
and holy silence reigned in the two long files, one
composed of men and the other of womien, where
nothing was heard but the prayer and the chant.
The grave had been dug by the children and kindred of Louise. Her simple and modest coffin was
the work of her youngest son.  On reaching the
cemetery, the Indians ranged themselves in order
around the grave, and after the last funeral prayers
of the Church and some words of consolation from
the priest, the coffin was lowered. Each one present then threw a spadeful of earth into the grave,
pronouncing a prayer and a last adieu.   This
touching ceremony, and the most trifling incidents
of tLe great funeral, live in the memory of our
Cceur-d'Alenes.  They repeat them and will repeat
them to their grandchildren; they will render ever
memorable this day of Christian sorrow, this religious
triumph conferred on a poor Indian woman of the
Skizoumish or Cceur-d'Alenes.
In the month of February, 1859, in one of my
visits to the husband of Louise, a poor old cripple,
unable for many years to walk without crutches, I
conversed with him on the holy life led by his wife
on earth, on her noble qualities, and the great
virtues of which she had given so striking an
example I asked him what he had most loved
and admired in her.  "Truly, Father," he replied,
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
"I cannot tell you in what Louise most excelled.
From the blessed day on which you conferred
baptism upon us, all was good and admirable in her
life. Never to my knowledge was there the slight est shadow of a difference between us; not a
syllable, not a word louder than another. When I
was sick she carried me in the canoe; if I could
not use my hands, she cut my food and put it in
my mouth. Louise served me like a guardian
angel. Now I am an objeet of pity and compassion,
for I am weak in mind. I loved to hear her con soling words, to listen to her wise counsels, to
follow her salutary advice, for she was full of the
wisdom and spirit of God. The Fathers taught her
many beautifuil prayers, and we recited them together with our children. Now I have no one to
repeat those beautiful prayers to me, and I am to
be pitied. Yet I never cease thanking the Lord
for the favors which he has not ceased to bestow
upon me. I submit myself to his holy will; my
heart is always satisfied and calm."
The good old man has always been a subject of
edification amid his tribe, universally loved and
respected by all the nation. He is a man of the
greatest simplicity and of very solid and fervent
piety; nothing gives him greater pleasure than a
conversation on holy things and on the great affair
of salvation. You can never visit him without
seeing the smile on his lips and without finding
55 
LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
him at prayer, with his beads in his hands. Ho
grace of the Lord during the day; he recites the
others either for the missionaries, for his family, for
his tribe, or for some other intention. From the
begins to say the rosary early in the morning; ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the first is offered to Mary to keep him in the holy (~~
me every  ay, and 1 feel tel  umosb  gratiLudu to 
him.
Good Adolph, such is the name of Louise's hus- 
band, related to me among other things, that during
his wife's life, when the village set out for the 
chase, or to get wild roots, and Louise went along
with them, he felt very lonesome. When he saw I
Louise about to die, he told her: "If you die, it 
will be impossible for me to stay here; I shall find
the time so long, I will go back to my own land."'
"Take care not to do so," returned Louise; "be
very careful not to do so, Adolph! Do not remove
from the house of the Lord (the church). As I die 
here, I wish you to remain here till you die.  You
will not be lonesome."  Adolph remains faithful to
to his wife's recommendation. His cabin is beside 
the church, and although alone the greater part of
the time since the death of Louise, he has not felt
the time tedious for a single moment. His beads 
and prayer are his greatest consolation, and his
only delight.
On my recent visit to the Cceur-d'Alenes, I again
.
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questioned the Indians, in order to obtain new
details as to the life of Louise Sighouin. The \
answer was this: "After so many years it is difficult
to add any thing to these extraordinary facts, so
well known by all, except that from the time of her
baptism, her life was an act of continual charity."
And I can say, and all that read this narrative will
agree with me, that there is no exaggeration in this
summary remark. It was a devotedness of every
day and every hour, a chain of links of little details
of mercy, which offer nothing very stuiking, unless it
be that untiring constancy, which for more than ten
years, was always prompt night and day in exercising all works of charity, corporal and spiritual.
No one will better appreciate this martyrdom of
detail than those who are themselves devoted to it;
and if we consider that Louise was poor, infirm,
that she could only half understand the missionaries,
who as yet only stammered the language of the
Indians, no one will call in doubt the many graces
which Louise received, and the immense profit she
derived from the lessons of her Divine Master.
God had raised up Louise to be the assistant of the
apostolic men in the outset of their labors, when
they did not understand the language. It had
been the same at the mission of St. Ignatius. The
Almighty had given the missionaries the chief
Loyola to do among the Kalispels what Louise has
done among the Cceur-d'Alenes Both were poor
57
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LOUISE SIGHOUIN.
and infirm; it was a lively faith which animated
their zeal; both devoted themselves to their last
sigh, and both were bitterly deplored after their
death.  Loyola displayed invincible firmness.  "As
long as I have a breath of life, my people must
walk uprightly," said he; and his virtue alone gave
him the authority to speak so. Louise on the contrary had no support in her zeal except her admirable meekness,  her unwearied patience.   Both
died about the same time, when the missionaries
began to be generally understood by the Indians.
I have all these circumstances from the missionaries on the spot, especially from the reverend and
worthy Father Gazzoli, nephew of the cardinal of
that name who died in 1858. This Father is at
this moment Superior of the Mission of the Sacred
Heart among the Skizoumish or Cceur-d'Aldnes.
In one of my letters written ten years ago, June
4, 1849, I said: "This extraordinary attention of
the Indians, and this avidity on their part for the
word of God, must seem surprising in a people who
appear to combine all moral and intellectual miseries.
But the spirit of the Lord breathes where it pleases
him, his graces and his light prompt and aid men
whom ignorance, rather than a perverse or disorderly
will, has rendered  evil.   And  that same  spirit
which obliged the most rebellious to cry cut with
St. Paul:'Lord! what wilt thou have me to do.'
can often soften the fiercest hearts, inflame the
I
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coldest, produce peace, justice, and joy, where
iniquity, trouble, and disorder reigned. The great
respect and attention which the poor India's show
on all occasions to the missionary who comes to
announce to them the word of God, are a source of
great consolation and encouragement. He finds the
finger of God in the spontaneous manifestations of
these unhappy men." Since the Gospel has been
announced to the tribes of the Rocky Mountains,
the Lord has always had his chosen souls among
them. In the different missions, many neophytes
are distinguished by a zeal and piety truly worthy
of the primitive Christians, by a rare assiduity at
all religious exercises, by the faithful accomplishment of all the duties of a good Christian, in a
word, by all the virtues which we have just seen in
their highest form in Loupe Sighouin.
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LETTER OF FATHER JOSET TO FATHER FOUILLOT.
SACRED HEART MISSION, 21st June, 1859.
I HAVE just received your kind letter of March
12th, 1858; it was more than a year on the way.
I hasten to comply with your request by saying a
word as to our labors. The language is the greatest difficulty. One must learn it as best he can.
There is no written language, there are no interpreters, there is very!ittle analogy with other
tongues. The pronunciation is very harsh, the turn
of thought is entirely different from ours. They
have no abstract ideas, every thing is concrete.
And with these elements it is necessary to create a
religious, and even spiritual, phraseology: for the
savages know nothing that is not material.
I have been here nearly fifteen years. I am not
yet master of the language, and am far from flattering myself with the hope of becoming so. My
catechist remarked to me the other day, "You
pronounce like a child learning to talk: when you
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
speak of religion, we understand you well; but
when you change the subject, it is another thing."
That is all I want. I have at last succeeded in
translating the catechism.   I think it is nearly
correct. You can hardly imagine what it cost me
to do it. I have been constantly at work at it since
my arrival here. I finished it only last winter.
Nevertheless, it is very short; it has but fourteen
lessons. It is based upon the first part of the Catechism of Lyons, which was in.use in the diocese of
St. Louis (of which this mission formed a part)
upon our arrival. This catechism is printed, not
on paper, but on the memory of the children: they
know it all by heart, questions and answers, and
they say two lessons of it every day after morning
prayer; so that they say the whole of it once a
week. The good will of these poor Indians is
admirable; I never saw or heard of any thing to
equal it. I am never tired of hearing them their
catechism; on the contrary, it is my greatest
pleasure. Oh, if you could have seen what passed
here last winter, how your Reverence would love
these poor savages, and how you would pray the
Queen of Apostles to send them missionaries.
Thirty children made their first communion together, and I cannot even yet think of the manner
in which they prepared for it, without emotion.
From the end of November to Palm Sunday, on
which day this ceremony took place, they had
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catechism at the church three times a dayv, and it
was rare that one missed the exercise: besides this
there was a repetition, every day, either before the
chief or the catechist. Every time that I gave
them permission to assemble in my apartment for
more ample explanations, they crowded there, remaining in postures of the greatest discomfort for
three-quarters of an hour or an hour at a time,
without ceasing to give me the utmost attention.
They never became weary. There was no end to
private recitations among themselves, and little
bands would everywhere be found retired and reciting the catechism. When visiting the sick in
the evening, I was almost certain to hear, in some
tent or other, groups of children reciting catechlismn, the more advanced helping the others; and
this zeal for instruction increased rather than diminished.
D)uring the month of January, the period of the
great deer hunt, the children came to ask my permission to return to their parents: this period is
that of harvest with them.  How could I refuse
them.  They were actually suffering with hunger
at the Alission; besides, their parents themselves
had expressed the desire to see them. " Hcow much
holiday do you want?"  "Four weeks."  "I allow
it."  It was not too much.  I see nothing very
surprising in the fact that a boy, after a vacation of
two months, may be glad to return to school. Soli
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tude and inaction have become wearisome to him.
But the case with my dusky children of the forest
is very different. At camp there is no want of
occupation or of companions, they have food in
abundance, which is rarely the case at the Mission.
This year, in particular, the scarcity has been great.
Nevertheless, they obtained of their parents the
permission to shorten their vacation by one half.
With their snow-shoes  on their feet, and their
bundles on their backs, they made a distance of ten
leagues (28 miles English), crossing a mountain
covered with a thick forest, over soft snow. You
must be on the spot to know what are the fatigues
of such a journey. Judge of my surprise when I
saw them all enter my room at nightfall, worn out
with fatigue, but gay and happy. What motive
could induce them to leave the abundance they
were enjoying.with their parents, to come to the
privations of the Mission? I know of no other
than their desire to be instructed in order to make
their first Communion. They knew well enough
that I had nothing to give them but the bread of
the Divine Word. For, be it said, by the way,
although I give catechism three hundred times a
year, I doubt whether there is a catechist in the
world more utterly deprived of the means of encouraging his pupils. Some prayer-beads would
have been a great reward, but I could give them
nothing but a medal to each as a memorial of their
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first communion. I was almost tempted to regret
my poverty.  In Europe there are many pious souls
to encourage poor children in like circumstances,
but here, on the borders of the world, want has no
witness but the missionary, who can give it only
his sighs. The mines have ruined us, and it is
precisely when prices have doubled, that our resources have diminished, so that instead of giving
catechism, one is often obliged to rack one's brains
to make both ends meet. All that I have said of
my dear children is the exact truth, without exaggeration. I am no poet. However, I begin to fear
that I shall be reminded of the fable of the owl and
the eagle; so, though I have much yet to tell, I
will stop here.
However I cannot but beg you, and those to
whom you may communicate these lines, to recommend these dear children to our Lady of Fourvieres,
that she may obtain for them the gift of perseverance. They are exposed to many dangers. Not
to speak of others, strong liquors have already
found their way into the neighboring tribes: and I
know that the wretches who make it their business
thus to ruin the poor savages, boast that our people
will not be able to resist the temptation more than
the others. If their infernal predictions should be
realized, you may see me again one day in Europe.
I do not know to whom to address myself to
convey our thanks to the Ladies of the Sacred
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Heart. We received, some years since, two sets of
very fine vestments, for our Church of the Sacred
Heart, from some unknown benefactors. I have
just learned that the present was from those ladies,
but I know not of what House. By the way, no
one sees our church without testifying his astonishment. It is entirely the work of the Indians, except
the altars. It is a magnificent monument to the
faith of the Cceur-d'Al1nes, who have given the lie
to their name by its erection. If it were finished,
it would be a handsome church even in Europe.
The design is by Father Ravalli. It is 90 feet long
by 40 wide. It has 28 pillars, 2- feet square by
25 feet in height. All the rest is of timber, and
in proportion. It was all cut, raised, and roofed by
the savages, under the direction of a Father; they
also filled it in, and built the foundation-walls,
which are from two to five feet high, and of proportionate thickness. The Indians brought the stones
from a distance of eight hundred feet, did all the
mason work, and would accept no recompense. It
is a great grief to us that we cannot finish it.
There are two fine altars, with handsome pictures
of the Sacred Heart and of the Blessed Virgin, but
all the Trest is naked, without doors, windows, or
flooring, and not being framed in on the outside, I
fear it will rot before it is completed. The neophytes
have done their best: but in the absence of resources,
we cannot continue the work.
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LETITER OF FATHER DE SMET.
ST. Louis, Nov. 1, 1859.
REVEREND AND DEAR FATHER:
In accordance with your request, I proceed with
great pleasure to give you some details of my recent
journey.
On the 20th of May, 1858, I set out from St.
Louis for the western portion of North America,
and after an absence of about sixteen months, I
returned to the point from whence I set out. During
this interval, I had accompanied, as chaplain, an
army sent out by the United States against the
Mormons and the savagos. I propose to give you
some details of this double expedition.   Not to
fatigue you, I will endeavor to be brief. At best,
however, my narrative will fill some pages, as my
recent voyage has been very long. It exceeded
fifteen thousand English miles, or five thousand
leagues. I propose then to give you some details
in regard to the different countries I have traversed,
and the seas I have crossed, and of my visit to the
:avage tribes, my  dear spiritual children of the
Rocky Mountains, the Cceur-d'Alenes,  Kalispels,
Pends-d'Oreilles, Flatheads, and Koetenays; of my
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stay among the different tribes of the Great Plains
of the Upper Missouri, and of the manner in which
nmy tiine was spent in the army of the United States
in quality of chaplain, and envoy extraordinary of
that Government. These details, I venture to hope,
will not be without interest for you, and they will
form the subject of miy little sketch.
Several years have passed, since the Mormons,
that terrible sect of modern fanatics, flying from
civilization, settled in the midst of an uninhabited
wilderness.  With hearts full of hate and bitterness, they never ceased on every occasion which
presented itself, to agitate the country, provoke
the inhabitants, and commit acts of robbery and 
murder against many  travellers and adventurers
from the United States.  In Septemnber, 1857, one
hundred and twenty emigrants from Arkansas,
men, women, and children, are said to have been
horribly massacred by the Mormons, in a place
called  the  Mountain  Meadows.   These  fanatics
never ceased to defy the government, and announced
that the day had arrived to avenge the death of
their prophet, Joseph and his brother, and to retaliate the wrongs and acts of injustice and cruelty ot
which they pretended to have been the victims in
the States of Missouri and Illinois, whence they had
been forcibly expelled by the inhabitants.
On two different occasions, the governor and
subaltern officers, sent by the President of the
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United States, had met with such strong opposition
from the Mormons in the attempt to accomplish
their respective duties, that they were forced to
quit the Territory of Utah, and to return to lay
their complaints before the President. Congress
resolved to send a third governor, accompanied,
this time, by two thousand soldiers, who were to be
followed by from two to four thousand others in the
following spring of 1858. I accompanied the lastnamed expedition. On the 15th of May, 1858, the
Minister of War wrote to me as follows:
"The President is desirous to engage you to
attend the army for Utah, to officiate as chaplain.
'In his opinion your services would be important in
many respects to the public interest, particularly in
' the present condition of our affairs in Utah. Hav ing sought information as to the proper person to
be thus employed his attention has been directed
to you, and he has instructed me to address you on
the subject, in the hope that you may consider it
not incompatible with your clerical duties or your
personal feelings to yield to his request," &c.
The Reverend Father Provincial and all the
other consultors, considering the circumstances
expressed themselves in favor of my accepting. I
immediately set out for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Territory, to join the army at that point. On the
very day of my.rrival, I took my place in thM
Seventh Regiment, composed of eight hundred me.
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under the command of the excellent Colonel Morrison, whose staff was composed of a numerous body
of superior officers of the line and engineers. General Harney, the commander-in-chief, and one of
the most distinguished and most valiant generals of
the United States, with great courtesy, installed me
himself in my post. The brave colonel, though a
Protestant thanked him very heartily.  "General,"
said he, "I thought myself highly honored when
intrusted with the command of the engineers: to
have attached to my command a representative of
the ancient and venerable Church, I hold as an
additional favor."   General  Harney  then shook
hands with me, with great kindness, bade me welcome to the army, and assured me that I should be (
left perfectly free in the exercise of my holy ministry among the soldiers.  He kept his word most
loyally, and in this he was seconded  by all the
officers.  During the whole time that I was among
them, I never met with the slightest obstacle in the
discharge of my duties.  The soldiers had always
free access to my tent for confession and instruction.
I had frequently the consolation of celebrating the
holy sacrifice of the Mass early in the morning, and
on each occasion, a large number of soldiers devoutly approached the holy table.
A word or two in regard to the character of the
countries through which we passed, will perhaps be
agreeable to you. I left Fort Leavenworth on the
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1st of June, 1858, in the Seventh Regiment, cornm.
manded by the worthy Colonel Morrison. I hliad
an opportunity of observing with admiration the
extraordinary rapidity of the progress of civilization
in Kansas. A space of 276 miles was already
in great part occupied  by white  settlers.   No
further back than 1851, at the time of my return
froIn the great council, held on the borders of the
Platte or Nebraska river, the plains of Kansas were
almost entirely without inhabitants, containing only
a few scattered villages of Indians, living for the
most part by the chase, by fishing, and on wild
fruits and roots. But eight years have made an
entire change: many towns and villages have
sprung up, as it were, by enchantment; forges and
mills of every kind are already very numerous;
extensive and beautiful farms have been established
in all directions with extraordinary rapidity and
iudustry.   The  face of  the country is entirely
changed. In 1851, the antelope, the wild deer, and
the wild goat, bounded at liberty over these extensive plains, nor is it much longer ago that these
fields were the pasture of enormous herds of buffaloes; to-day they are in the possession of numerous
droves of horned cattle, sheep and hogs, horses and
mules. The fertile soil rewards a hundredfold the
labors of the husbandman. Wheat, corn, barley,
oats, flax, hemp, all sorts of garden stuff and all the
fruits of the temperate zone, are produced there in
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abundance. Emigration tends thither, and cornmerce follows in its tracks and acquires new importance every day.
Leavenworth is the principal town  of Kansas
Territory. It contains already about ten thousand
souls, though it has sprung into existence within
the last six years. It is beautifully and advantageously situated on the Missouri river.   It has a
bishop, two Catholic churches, a convent with a
boarding-school and a day-school. There are already fifteen churches, twenty-three stations, sixteen
priests, five religious communities, and four manuallabor schools for the Osage and Potawatomie Indians, which are under the care of our Fathers and 
Religious Ladies of different orders.
The greater portion of the Territory is not thickly
wooded: the surface of the country, as a general'
thing, is rolling and well adapted to agriculture; it
is not unlike the billows of a vast ocean, suddenly
arrested in its flow and converted into solid land.
The air is fresh and wholesome.  As one rises with it
the elevations of the soil, the graceful undulation of 
the alternating vale and hill contrast admirably with
the waving lines of walnut-trees, oaks, and poplars, 
which mark the course of each little river.  The
banks of each stream are generally more or less 
thickly wooded. We ascended the valley of the
Little Blue for three days, making a distance of
fifty-three miles. The names of the principal plants
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which attract the attention of the botanist in tho
plains of Kansas, are: the anothera, with its brilliant
yellow flowers, the amo:pha and  artemisia, tho
commelina, the blue and purple lupin, different forum
and species of cactus, the pradescantia, the mimosa,
and the white mimulus. The waters of the Little
Blue are left at a distance of 275 miles from Fort
Leavenworth.   Continuing  the route from  that
point, you cross elevated prairies of a distance of
twenty-six miles, and enter the great valley of the
Nebraska or Platte river, at the distance of fifteen
miles from Fort Kearney. This river, up to its two
forks, is about three thousand yards wide; its waters
are yellowish and muddy in the spring freshets, and
resemble those of the Missouri and the Mississippi;
it is not so deep as those streams; its current is
very rapid.  Fort Kearney is rather insignificant
It consists of three or four frame houses and several
made of adobes, a kind of coarse brick baked in the
sun. The Government has a military post thero
for the tranquillity of the country, and to provide
for the safety of travellers crossing the desert to go
to California, Oregon, and the Territories of Utah
and Washington.
A great number of Pawnee Indians were encamped
at a little distance from the Fort. I came near
witnessing a battle between them and a war party
of Arapahoes, who, favored by the night, had succeeded in approaching the camp unseen almost forty
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strong.  The Pawnees had just let their horses
loose at break of day, when the enemy, with loud
cries, rushed into the drove, and carried away many
hundreds with them at full gallop. The alarm
immediately spread throughout the camp. The
'Pawnees, indifferently armed and almost nz.ked,
rusled to the pursuit of the Arapahoes, caught up
with them, and a combat more noisy than bloody
took place. A young Pawnee chief, the most
impetuous of his band, was killed and three of his
companions  wounded.   The  Arapahoes  lost one
killed and many wounded. Desirous to stop the
combat, I hurried to the scene of battle with an
aid-de-camp of the general, but all was over when 
we arrived; the Pawnees were returning with their 
dead and wounded and all the stolen horses.  On
their return to camp, nothing was heard but cries
of sorrow, rage, and despair, with threats and vociferations against their enemies.  It was a harrowing scene.  The deceased warrior was decorated
and painted with all the marks of distinct;n~ of a
great brave, and loaded with his finest ornaments.
They placed him in the grave amid the acclamations
and lamentations of the whole tribe.
The next day the Pawnee-Loups invited me to
their camp. I found there two French Creoles, old!
acquaintances of mine, of the Rocky Mountains.
They received me with the greatest kindness, and
desired to act as my interpreters. I had a long
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conference on religion with these poor, unl)appy
savages.   They  listened with  the  most earnest
attention.  After the instruction they presented to
me 208 little children, and very earnestly begged
me to regenerate them in the holy waters of bap tisml.  These savages have been the terror of travellers obliged to pass through their territory; for
many years their character has been that of thieves,
drunkards, and ruffians, and they are brutalized by
drink, which they readily obtain, owing  to their
proximity to the frontiers of civilization.   This
accursed traffic has always and everywhere been
the ruin of the Indian tribes, and it leads to their
rapid extinction.
Two days' march above Fort Kearney, at a place
called Cottonwood Springs, I found thirty lodges of
Ogallallas, a Sioux or Dacotah tribe. At their
request I baptized all their children. In 1851, at
the Great Council on the Platte, I had brought
them the same blessing. They told me that a
great number of their children had died since, carried off by epidemics, which had raged among the
nomadic  tribes of the plains.   They  are much
consoled at the thought of the happiness which
children obtain by holy baptism. They know its
high importance, and appreciate it as the greatest
favor which they can receive.
General Ilarney had many friendly conferences
withl thie Pawnees, the Ogallallas, and the Sheyennes,
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in which he strongly advised them to cease molesting the whites who might pass through their borders, adding that on this condition alone could they
remain at peace with the United States.
1 have so often spoken of the buffalo in my
letters, that this time I might pass him by in silence.
However, I will mention it for the purpose of saying
that the race is not extinct in these parts, though it is
becoming more rare to find buffaloes on the highway across the plains, which its instinct must have
taught it to avoid. We met our first herds of this
noble animal in the neighborhood of Fort Kearney.
The sight created great excitement among those
soldiers who had not visited the plains before, and
they burned to bring down oniie or two. Armed, as
they were, with the famous Mini6 rifles, they mnight
have made a good hunt, had they not been on foot,
while the buffaloes were at full gallop; it was,
therefore, impossible to get near them. They fired,
however, at a distance of two hundred or three
hundred yards.  A  single buffalo was wounded in
the leg.  Its wound compelled it to lag behind, and
he became the target of all our men.  A confused
sound of cries and rifle shots arose, as if the last
hour had come for the last buffalo.  Riddled with
balls, his tongue lolling out, the blood streaming
fiom his throat and nostrils, the poor brute fell at
last. To cut him up and distribute the meat was
the work of a moment.  Never was buffalo mnore
To
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rapidly transformed  into steak and soup,-every
one would have his piece.
AWhile these things were going on, Captain P,
mounted on a fine horse, approached a bull, already
terrified bv the rifle shots and the terrible noise of
our soldiers, who were novices to the chase,  ind
fired at him twice almost point blank. The biiffilo
and the horse stopped at the same instant. In
spite of all his efforts, Captain P        could not
make his horse, unaccustomed to the hunt, advance
a single step, and the furious buffalo plunged both
horns into his flank and threw him down dead.  In
this critical moment the courageous rider did not
lose his presence of mind: he leaped from his horse
over the buffalo's back, gave him two more bullets
from his six-shooter, and completely baffled him.
The captain then fled to a gully, which was luckily
both deep and near at hanl. The buffalo, unable to
follow him, abandoned his persecutor, who returned
to camp with his horse's saddle on his back. A
horse must be well trained to hunt the buffalo, and
must be trained specially for buffalo hunting: otherwise the danger is very great, and the consequence
may be fatal.
During the months of June and July, tempests
and falls of rain and hail are very frequent, and
almost of daily occurrence, towards evening in the
:alley of the Platte, which is the country of storms
-nd whirlwinds par excellence. The gathering of
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these storms can be noticed at a great distance, as at
sea. At first, light spots of clouds are observed on
the horizon, which are followed by dark masses
of cloud, which move along in succession, crowding
one upon another, and spreading over the sky with
extraordinary rapidity, they approach and cross
each other; they burst and pour forth torrents ot
water, which drench the valleys, or volleys of hail
which crush the herbs and flowers; the stormelouds then disappear as rapidly as they have come.
" Every evil has its remedy," says the old proverb,
and these hurricanes, storms, and heavy rains, serve
the purpose of cooling and purifying the atmnosphere, which at this season would become insupportable but for this circumstance. The mercury
often rises to one hundred degrees of Fahrenheit in
the shade. The water does not rest long on the
surface of the soil: it is absorbed almost as it falls,
on account of the very porous character of the
earth of the valley and its sandy bottom. Travellers, in camps a little removed from the river,
always dig wells; the water is everywhere found at
a depth of two or three feet. This water, though
cold and clear, must be unwholesome, and frequently
causes severe sickness. Graves abound in these
regions, and the mortal remains of a vast number
of emigrants repose there. With these emigrants
have also sunk beneath the valley of the Platte
that ardent thirst for gold, those desires and am
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bitious projects for wealth, greatness, and pleasure,
which devoured them, and drove them towards the
distant regions of California, Pike's Peak, and
Frazer. Death met them far from their Penates,
and they are buried in these desert strands. IIow
uncertain are the affairs of this world!  Man makes
his plans; he builds his castles in the air; he counts
upon a filture which does not belong to him: he
proposes, but God disposes, and cuts the thread of
life in the midst of these vain hopes.
The most remarkable thing that I met on this
occasion on the highway of the prairies, ordinarily
so lonely, were the long wagon trains engaged in
transporting to Utah provisions and stores of war.
If the journals of the dlay may be believed, these
cost the Government fifteen millions. Each train
consisted of twenty-six wagons, each wagon drawn
by six yoke of oxen, and containing near five
thousand pounds. The Quarter-master-general made
the calculation, and told me that the whole train
would make a line of about fifty miles.  We passed
every day some wagons of this immense train.
Each wagon marked with a name as in the case of
ships, and these names served to furnish amusement
to the passer-by; the caprices of the captains in
this respect having imposed upon the wagons such
names as the Constitution, the President, the Great
Republic, the King of Bavaria, Lola Montes, Louis
.auvpoleon, -Dan. O'Connell, Old Kentuck, &c., &e
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These were daubed in great letters on each side of
the carriage. On the plains, the wagoner assumes
the style of captain, being placed in commnand of
his wagon and twelve oxen. The master-wagoner
is admiral of this little land-fleet: he has control of
26 captains and 312 oxen. At a distance, the
white awnings of the wagons have the effect of a
fleet of vessels with all canvas spread.
On leaving Leavenworth the drivers look well
enough, being all in new clothes, but as they advance into the plains, their good clothes become
travel-stained and torn, and at last are converted
into rags.  The  captains have hardly proceeded
two hundred miles, before their trail is marked
with rags, scattered and flying along the route.
You may often remark also on the various camping
grounds, even as far as the Rocky Mountains, and
beyond, the wrecks of wagons and the skeletons
of oxen, but especially the remains of the wardrobe
of the traveller: legs of pantaloons and drawers, a
shirt-bosom, the back or the arm of a flannel vest,
stockings out at toe and heel, crownless hats, and
shoes worn through in the soles or uppers, are
strewed along the route.  These deserted camnps
are also marked by packs of cards strewed round
among broken jars and bottles; here you see a
gridiron, a coffee-pot, or a tin bowl; there a cookingstove and the fragments of a shaving-dish, all worn
out and cast aside. The poor Indians regard these
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signs of encroaching civilization with an unquiet
eye as they pass them on their way. These rags
and refuse are to them the harbingers of the approach of a dismal future for themselves; they
announce to them that the plains and forests over
which they roam in the chase, their beautiful lakes
and rivers swarming with fish, and the repair of
numerous aquatic birds; the hearth which witnessed
their birth, and the soil which covers the ashes of
their fathers,-all, in fine, that is most dear to them,
-are about to pass into the hands of the rapacious
white man: and they, poor mortals, accustomed to
roam at large, and over a vast space, free like the
birds of the air, will be inclosed in narrow reserves,
far from their cherished hunting grounds and fine
fisheries, far from their fields of roots and fruits; or
driven back into the mountains or to unknown
shlores. It is not surprising, then, that the savage
seeks sometimes to revenge himself on the white
man; it is rarely, however, that he is the aggressor:
surely, not once out of ten provoking cases.
The wagons are formed every evening into a
co?ral.  That is, the whole twenty-six are ranged in
a circle, and chained one to the other, so as to
leave only one opening, to give passage to the
beasts, which pass the night in the centre, and are
guarded there by several sentinels under arms.
Under the protection of a small number of determined men, the wagons and animals are secure
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from any attack of undisciplined Indians, in how.
ever great numbers.   Wlhen the travellers neglect
this precaution, and camp at random, not unfi'equently a hostile band of Indians will provoke wlhat
is called a starzpt(le, or panic among the cattle, and
carry them all off at once. The travellers go into
camp early, and at break of day the beasts are let
loose in the prairie that they may have plenty of
time to graze.  Grass is very abundant in the valley
of the Platte, and on the neighboring acclivities.
Between Fort Kearney and the crossing of the
South Fork of the Platte, we met over a hundred
families of Mormons on their way to Kansas and
Mlissouri, with the intention of settling there. They
appeared delighted at being fortunate enoughl to
leave, safe and sound, the famous promised land of
Utah; thanks to the influence of the new governor,
and the presence of the United States troops. They
told us that a great number of other families would
follow them, so soonI as they should be capable of
doing so, and of procuring the necessary means for
the journey. They confessed that they would have
escaped long before, had they Inot been afraid of
falling into the hands of the Danites, or Destroying
Angels. These compose the body-guard of the
Prophet; they are said to be entirely and blindly
at his disposal, to carry out all his plans, meet all
his wishes, and execute all his measures, which
often  involve robbery  and  murder.   Before  tho
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arrival of the United States soldiers, woe to any
one who  manifested a desire to leave Utah, or
abandon the sect; woe to him who dared to raise a
voice against the actions of the  Prophet,-they
rarely escaped the poniards of these Destroying
Angels, or rather incarnate demons.
The highway of the plains, during the beautiful
season of 1858, appeared. as it were, invaded by an
unusual and joyous animation. To complete the
idea which I have just given, I will add that couriers
ald express messengers, coming  and  returning,
constantly crossed each other on the road. The
different companies of the army left a space of two
or three days' journey between them.  Each  company was followed by ambulances for the use of the
superior officers, a body of artillery and engineers,
and a train of wagons, with six mules each, transporting provisions and baggage.  Each company
was followed also by an immense drove of six or
seven hundred horned cattle, to furnish their daily
food. Uncle Sam, as the Government of the United
States is called, has a truly paternal heart; he provides abundantly for the wants of the defenders of
the country, and will not suffer them to want their
comforts.
Every thing was going on admirably and in good
order. The commanding general and staff were
already at the crossing of the south branch of the
Platte, 480 miles from Fort Leavenworthl, when he
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received the news that the Mormons had submitted,
or laid down their arms, and at the same time an
order to distribute his troops to other points, and
return to the United States.  This also changed ny
destination; the conclusion of peace put an end to
my little diplomatic mission to the Indian tribes of
Utah.  I consulted with the general, and accompanied him on his return to Leavenworth.
The South Fork of the Platte, at the crossing, is
2045 feet wide. In the month of July, its depth is
generally about three feet, after the junction of the
two forks, the width is about 3000 yards. The
bottom, throughout the whole length, is sandy.
I could say much, dear Father, about the country
between Leavenworth and the South Pass of the
Platte, its botanical and other properties and productions, but I have spoken of these on many
occasions in my letters describing other journeys
across this region. The little incidents mentioned
in this letter are all connected with my last trip.
Before leaving Fort Leavenworth for St. Louis, I
made a little excursion of seventy miles to visit our
dear Fathers and Brothers of the Mission of St.
Mary among the Pottawatomies. I at last reached
St. Louis in the beginning of September, after a
first absence of about three months, and after a
journey, to and fro, of 1976 miles. My stay in St.
Louis was short. I will, in my next letter, give
you details, whichi will inform you as to the partic
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ulars of the long expedition of which I speak in the
first part of this letter.
Receive, Reverend and Dear Father, the expression of those sentiments of respect and affection
which you know I entertain for you, and let me
recommend myself very specially to your holy
sacrifices and good prayers,
your Reverence's servant in Christ,
P. J. DE SMET, S. J.
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LETlnER OF FATHER DE SMET.
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 10, 1859.
REVEREND AND DEAR FATHER: 
In accordance with my promise, I resume the,
little story of my long voyage.  On my return to
St. Louis, I tendered to the Minister of War my 
resignation of the post of chaplain.  It was not
accepted, because a new war had just broken outt
against the Government, among the tribes of thef
Piocky Mountains.  I was notified by telegraph tot
proceed to New York, and to embark there withi
General Harney and his staff.
On the 20th of September, 1858, we left the port"
of New York.for Aspinwall; it was the season of
the equinox, so that we experienced some rough i
weather in the voyage, and a heavy wind among
the Bahamas.  We coasted for some time along'
the eastern shore of Cuba, in sight of the promontories of St. Domingo and Jamaica.  On thle 29th I
crossed the Isthmus of Panama on a good railroad,'
forty-seven miles long. The next day I had the,
happiness to offer the holy sacrifice of the Mlass in
the cathedral of Panama. The bishop very earnestly entreated me to use my influence with the Very
Reverend Father General at Rome, to obtain for
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him a colony of Jesuits.  His lordship especially
expressed his earnest desire to intrust his ecclesiastical seminary to the care of the Society of Jesus.
New Granada, as well as many other regions of
Spanish South America, offers, doubtless, a vast
field to the zeal of a large number of our Fathers.
The distance from Panama to San Francisco is
more  than three thousand  miles.  The  steamer
brought to in the superb bay of Acapulco to receive
the mails, and to coal and water: this is a little
port of Mexico. On the evening of the 16th of
October, I arrived at San Francisco, happy to find
myself in a house of the Society, and in the company of many of my brethren in Jesus Christ, who
loaded me with kindness, and all the attention of
the most cordial charity.  The " quam  bonum et
jucundum habitare fratres in unumn" is especially
appreciated, when one leaves a California steamer
in which one has been imprisoned, sometimes with
fourteen or fifteen hundred individuals, all laboring
under the gold fever, and who think and speak of
nothing but mines of gold, and all the terrestrial delights which this gold is shortly to procure them.
Hiowever, the "shortly" is long enough to allow of
the destruction or disappearance of many an illusion.  "All that glitters is not gold."
We left San Francisco on the 20th, and in a few
days made more than one thousand miles to Fort
Vancouver, on the Columbia river. The news of
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the cessation of hostilities, and of the submission of
the tribes, had been received at Vancouver. The
task remained of removing the Indian prejudices,
soothing their inquietude and alarm, and correcting,
or rather refuting, the false rumors which are generally spread after a war, and which, otherwise,
might be the cause of its renewal. 
Under the orders of the general comnmanding in 
chief, I left Fort Vancouver on the 29th of October, 
to go among the tribes of the mountains, at a
distance of about eight hundred miles.  I visited
the Catholic soldiers of Forts Dalle City and Wallawalla on my way.  At the last-named fort, I had 
the consolation of meeting Reverend F. Congiato,
on his return from his visit to the MAissions, and of 
receiving very cheering news from him as to the 
disposition of the Indians.  At  my  request, the
excellent commandant of the fort had  the very 
great kindness to set at liberty all the prisoners and
hostages, both  Cceur-d'Alenes and  Spokans, and
he intrusted to my charge to bring them on their
way, and return them to their respective nations.
These good Indians, particularly the Cceur-d'Ale6nes, 
had given the greatest edification to the soldiers 
during their captivity: these men often approached
them with admiration, in witnessing the performance of their pious exercises, morning and evening, 
and in listening to their prayers and hymns. During the whole journey, these good Indians testified
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the utmost gratitude to me, and their punctual
performance of their religious duties was a source of
great consolation and happiness to me.
On the 21st of November I arrived at the Mission
of the Sacred Heart, among the Cceur-d'Alenes.
I was detained at the Mission by the snow until the
18th of February, 1859. During this interval snow
fell with more or less abundance for forty-three
days and nights, on seven days it rained, we had
twenty-one cloudy days, and sixteen days of clear
and cold weather. I left the Mission on the 18th
of February with the Reverend Father Joset, who
accompanied me until we met Father Hoecken, who
had promised to meet us on Clarke's River. The
ice, snow, rain, and winds, impeded very much our
course, in our frail canoes of bark, on the rivers and
great lakes: we often ran considerable risk in
crossing rapids and falls, of which Clarke's River is
9~~~~~~~
full. I counted thirty-four of these in seventy miles.
We met with several camps of Indians in winterquarters on every side. On the approach of the
winter season, they are obliged to scatter in the
forests and along the lakes and rivers, where they
live by the chase and fishing. They received us
everywhere with the greatest kindness, and, notwithstanding their extreme poverty, willingly shared
with us their small rations and meagre provisions.
They eagerly embraced the occasion to attend to
their religious duties and other exercises of piety:
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attending at the instructions with great attention,
and with much zeal and fervor, at Mass, and at
morning and evening  prayers.  On  the  11th of
Alarch we arrived at the Mission of St. Ignatius,
among(r the Pends-d'Oreilles of the mountains.
The Koetenays, a neighboring tribe to the Pendsd'Oreilles, having heard of my arrival, had travelled
many days' journey through the snow  to shake
hands with lme, to bid me welcome, and manifest
their filial affection. In 1845 I had made some
stay with them. I was the first priest who had
announced to them the glad tidings of salvation,
and I had baptized all their little children and a
large number of adults. They came on this occasion, with a primitive simplicity, to assure me that
they had remained faithful to prayer, that is, to
religion, and all the good advice  that they had
received. All the Fathers spoke to me of these
good Koetenays in the highest terms. Fraternal
union, evangelic simplicity, innocence, and peace,
still reign among them in flfl vigor. Their honesty
is so great and so well known, that the trader leaves
his store-house entirely, the door remaining unlocked
often during his absence for weeks. The Indians
go in and out, and help themselves to what they
need, and settle with the trader on his return. iHe
assuired me himnself, that in doing business with
them in this style he never lost the value of a pin.
On the 18th of March I crossed deep snow a
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distance of seventy miles, to St. Mary's valley, to
revisit my first and ancient spiritual children of the
mountains, the poor and abandoned Flatheads.
They were greatly consoled on learning that Very
Rev. Father General had the intention of causing
the mission to be undertaken again. The principal
chiefs assured me that since the departure of the
Fathers, they had continued to assemble morning
and evening for prayers, to ring the angelus at the
accustomed hour, and to rest on Sunday, to glorify
the holy day of our Lord. I will not enter into long
details here, as to the present dispositions of this
little tribe, for fear of being too long. Doubtless, in
the absence of the missionaries, the enemy of souls
has committed some ravages among them, but by
the grace of God the evil is not irreparable. Their
daily practices of piety, and the conferences I held
with them during several days, have given me the
consoling conviction that the faith is still maintained
among the Flatheads, and still brings forth fruits of
salvation among them,-their greatest chieftains,
Michael, Adolphe, Ambrose, loses, and others, are
true and zealous Christians, and real piety in religion and true valor at war are united in them.
In my several visits to the stations in the Rocky
Mountains, I was received by the Indians with
every demonstration of sincere and filial joy. I
think I may say that my presence among them has
been of some advantage to them, both in a religious
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and secular point of view. I did my best to encourage them to persevere in piety, and to maintain
the conditions of the treaty of peace with the Government. In these visits I had the happiness to
baptize over a hundred infants, and a large number
of adults.
On the 16th of April, in accordance with the
orders of the commander-in-chief of the army, I
went to Fort Vancouver, and left the Mission of St.
Ignatius. At my request, all the chiefs of the
different mountain tribes accompanied me, to renew
the treaty of peace with the general and with the
Superintendent of Indian Affairs;  I give  their
names, and the nations to which they belonged.
Alexander Temyl(igketzin, or the Man-without-ahorse, great chief of the Pends-d'Oreilles: Victor
,4Alamiken, or the Happy-man (he deserves his
name, for he is a saintly man), great chief of the
Kalispels; Adofphus Kwilkweschape, or Red-feather,
chief of the Flatheads; Francis Saya, or the Iroquois, another Flathead chief; Dennis Zenemtietze,
or the Thunders-robe, chief of the Schuyelpi or
Chaudieres; Andrew and Bonaventure, chiefs and
braves among the Cceur-d'Alcnes, or. Skizoumish;
Kanmiakin, great chief of the Yacomans; and Gerry,
great chief of the Spokans. The last two are still
pagans, though their children have been baptized.
We suffered much, and ran many dangers on the
route, on account of the high stage of the rivers
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and the heavy snow. For three days we had to
clear a way through thick forests, where thousands
of trees, thrown down by storms, lay across one
another, and were covered, four, six, and eight feet,
with snow; several horses perished in this dangerous passage.  My horse stumbled many a time, and
procured me many a fall; but aside from some
serious bruises and scratches, a hat battered to
pieces, a torn pair of trowsers, and a soutane or
black-gown in rags, I came out of it safe and sound.
I measured white cedars in the wood, which were
as much as six or seven persons could clasp at the
base, and of proportionate height. After a month's
journey, we arrived at Fort Vancouver.
On the 18th of May the interview took place
with the general, the superintendent, and the Indian
chiefs. It produced most happy results on both
sides. About three weeks' time was accorded to
the chiefs to visit, at the cost of Government, the
principal cities and towns of the State of Oregon
and Washington Territory, with every thing remarkable in the way of industrial establishments,
steam-engines, forges, manufactories, and printing
establishments,-of all which the poor Indians can
make nothing or very little. The visit which appeared the most to interest the chiefs, was that
which they made to the prison at Portland, and its
wretched inmates, whom they found chained within
its cells. They were particularly interested in tho
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causes, motives, and duration of their imprisonment.
Chief Alexander kept it in his mind. Immediately
on his return to his camp at St. Ignatius Mission,
he assembled his people, and related to them all the
wonders of the whites, and especially the history of
the prison.  "We," said he, "have neither chains
nor prisons; and for want of them, no doubt, a
great number of us are wicked and have deaf ears.
As chief, I am determined to do my duty: I shall
take a whip to punish the wicked; let all those who
have been guilty of any misdemeanor present themselves, I am ready." The known guilty parties
were called upon by name, many presented themselves of their own accord, and all received a proportionate correction.
Before leaving the parts of civilization, all the
chiefs received presents from the general and superintendent, and returned to their own country contented and happy, and well determined to keep at
peace with the whites. As for me, I had accomplished among the Indians the task which the
Government had imposed upon me. I explained to
the general my motives for desiring to return to St.
Louis by way of the interior. He acceded to my
desire with the greatest affability, and in an answer
which he addressed to me on this matter, he bore
most honorable testimony to my services.
About the 15th of June, I again left Vancouvei
with the chiefs, to return to the mountains. I
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passed the 7th, 8th, and 9th of July at the Mission
of the Sacred Heart, among the Cceur-d'Al1nes.
Thence, I continued my route for St. Ignatius with
Father Congiato, and completed the trip in a week;
not, however, without many privations, which'deserve a short mention here.
Imagine thick, untrodden forests, strewn with
thousands of trees thrown down by age and storms
in every direction; where the path is scarcely vis
ible, and is obstructed by barricades, which the
horses are constantly compelled to leap, and which
always endanger the riders. Two fine rivers, or
rather great torrents,-the Cceur-d'Alene and St.
Francis Borgia,-traverse these forests in a most
winding course; their beds are formed of enormous,
detached masses of rock, and large slippery stones,
rounded by the action of the water. The first of
these torrents is crossed thirty-nine times, and the
the seco(nd thirty-two times, by the only path; the
water often comes to the horse's belly, and sometimes above the saddle. It is considered good luck
to escape with only the legs wet. The two rivers
are separated by a high mountain, or rather a chain
of mountains, called the Bitter Root chain. The
sides of these mountains, covered with thick cedar
forests, and an immense variety of firs and pines,
present great difficulties to the traveller, on account
of the great number of trees which lie broken and
fallen across the path, and completely cover the
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
soil.  To these obstacles must be added immense
fields of snow, which have to be crossed, and which
are at times from eight to twelve feet deep. After
eight hours' painful march, we arrived at a beautiful plain enamelled with flowers, which formed
the summit of Mount Calvary, where a cross was
raised on my first passage, sixteen years ago. In
this beautiful situation, after so long and rude a
course, I desired to encamp; but Father Congiato,
persuaded that in two hours more we should reach
the foot of the mountain, induced us to continue the
march. When we had made the S,ix miles which we
supposed we had before us, and twelve miles more,
darkness overtook us in the midst of difficulties.  On
the eastern side of the mountain we found other
hills of snow to cross, other barricades of fallen
trees to scramble over; sometimes we were on the
edge of sheer precipices of rock, sometimes on a
slope almost perpendicular. The least false step
might precipitate us into the abyss. Without
guide, without path, in the most profound darkness,
separated one from the other, each calling for help
without being able either to give or to obtain the
least assistance, we fell again and again, we walked,
feeling our way with our hands, or crawled on all
fours, slipping or sliding down as best we could.
At last a gleam of hope arose; we heard the hoarse
murmur of water in the distance: it was the sound
of the waterfalls of the great stream which we were
go
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
seeking. Each one then directed his course towards
that point. We all had the good fortune to arrive
at the stream at last, but one after another, between
twelve and one o'clock in the night, after a march
of sixteen hours, fatigued and exhausted, our dresses
torn to rags, and covered with scratches and bruises
but without serious injuries. While eating our
supper, each one amused his companions with the
history of his mishaps. Good Father Congiato admitted that he had made a mistake in his calculation,
and was the first to laugh heartily at his blunder.
Our poor horses found nothing to eat all night in
this miserable mountain gap.
I cannot omit here testifying my indebtedness to
all the Fathers and Brothers of the Missions of the
Sacred Heart and of St. Ignatius, for their truly
fraternal charity towards me, and the efficacious aid
which they rendered me towards fulfilling the special mission which had been intrusted to me.
As Father Congiato keeps the Very Reverend
Father General informed of the actual state of the
Missions of the mountains, it is unnecessary for me
to enter into all its details; I recommend, especially,
these poor children of the desert to his paternal
attention and charity, and to our immediate Superiors in this country.
Divine Providence will not, I hope, abandon
them. They have already a great number of intercessors in heaven, in the thousands of their children
9
97 
INDIAN SXETCHES.
dead shiortly after baptism, in the number of good
Christian adults among  them, who,  having lead
good lives, have quitted this world in the most
pious dispositions; they can especially count upon
the protection of Louise, of the tribe of Cceurd'Alenes, and of Loyola, chief of the Kalispels,
whose lives were an uninterrupted series of acts of
heroic virtue, and who died almost in the odor of
sanctity.
On the 22d of July I left the Mission of St. Ignatius, accompanied by Father Congiato with some
guides and Indian hunters. The distance to Fort
Benton is about two hundred miles. The country
for the first four days is picturesque, and presents
no obstacle to travelling. It is a succession of forests easily traversed, of beautiful prairies, impetuous
torrents, pretty rivulets; here and there are lakes,
from three to six miles in circumference, whose
waters are clear as crystal, well stored with fish of
various kinds: nothing can be more charming than
the prospect. We called one of the largest of these
lakes, St. Mary.
On the 26th of July we crossed the mountain
which separates the sources of the Clarke River
from those of the Missouri, at the 48th degree of
north latitude and the 115th of longitude. The
crossing does not take more than half an hour, and
is very easy even for wagons and carts. At the
eastern base of the Rocky Mountains the plains are
98
i. 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
mountainous, and almost destitute of timber; we
crossed several small streams before we reachled the
Sun River, and followed down its valley almost to
its mouth. We visited the great falls of the MAlissouri on our way: the principal fall is ninety-three
feet high.  Father Hoecken and Brother Magrii met
us in this vicinity. On the 29th we arrived at Fort
Benton, a post of the St. Louis Fur Company,
where we received the greatest attention from all
its inmates; we feel particularly obliged to Mr.
Dorson, the superintendent of the fort, for his cointinued kindness and charity to all our missionaries.
May the Lord protect and reward him!  The Blackfeet occupy an immense territory in this neighborhood; they reckon from ten to twelve thousand
souls in the six tribes which compose this nation.
They have been asking for Black Gowns (priests)
for many years, and their desire appears universal.
In my visit to them in 1846, they begged me to
send a Father to instruct them.
Father HIloecken is now in these parts, and I have
just read with the greatest pleasure, in the "Annals
of the Propagation of the Faith," that the work of
the conversion of the Blackfeet has been commenced,
with the entire approbation of the Very Reverend
Father General.
On our arrival in the neighborhood, we found a
large number of Indians encamped around and near
the fort. It was the period for the annual distribu
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
tion of presents. They manifested their joy at the
presence of a missionary in their country, and hoped
that "all would open to him their ears and heart."
The chief of a large camnp, in one of our visits,
related to us a remarkable circumstance, which I
think worthy of mention.
VWhen Father Point was among the Blackfeet, he
presented some crosses to many chiefs as marks of
distinction, and explained to them their signification, exhorting them, when in danger, to invoke the
Son of God, whose image they bore, and to place
all their confidence in him. The chief who related
these details, was one of a band of thirty Indians
who went to war against the Crows. The Crows
having got upon their trail, gathered together in
haste and in great multitudes to fight and destroy
them. They soon came up with them in a position
of the forest where they had made a barricade of
fallen trees and branches, and surrounded them,
shouting ferociously the dreaded  war-cry.   The
Blackfeet, considering the superior numbers of the
enemy who thus surprised them, were firmly persuaded that they should perish at their hands.
One of them bore on his breast the sign of salvTation.  He  remembered  the words of the  Black
Gown (Father Point), and reminded his companions
of them; all shouted, "It is our only chance  of
safetv." They then invoked the Son of God, and
rushed from the barricade. The bearer of the
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
cross, holding it up in his hand, led the way, fol lowed by all the rest. The Crows discharged a
shower of arrows and bullets at them, but no one was
seriously injured. They all happily escaped. On
concluding his statement, the chief added with
energy and feeling: "Yes, the prayer (religion) of
the Son of God is the only good and powerful one;
we all desire to become worthy of it, and to adopt it."
MAy intention, when I left General Harney, was,
with his consent, to go all the way to St. Louis on
horseback, in the hope of meeting a large number
of Indian tribes, especially the large and powerful
tribe of Comanches. I was obliged to renounce
this project, for my six horses were entirely worn
out, and unfit for making so long a journey; they
wcre all more or less saddle-galled, and, not being
shod, their hoofs were worn in crossing the rocky
bottoms of the rivers, and the rough, rocky mountain roads.
In this difficulty, I ordered a little skiff to be
made at Fort Benton; worthy Mr. Dawson, superintendent of the Fur Company, had the very great
kindness to procure me three oarsmen and a pilot.
On the 5th of August I bade adieu to Fathers
Congiato and Hoecken, and dear Brother Magri,
and embarked on the Missouri, which is celebrated
for dangers of navigation-snags and rapids being
numerous in the upper river.
AVe descended the stream about 2400 miles in
9*
101 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
our cockle-shell, making fifty, sixty, and sometimes,
when the wind favored us, eighty miles a day.
We took the first steamboat we met, at Omaha
City. The steamer made about 700 miles in six
days, and on the 23d of September, vigil of our
Lady of Mercy, we entered the port of St. Louis.
During this long trip on the river we passed the
nights in the open air, or under a little tent, often
on sandbanks, to avoid the troublesome mosquitoes,
or on the skirts of a plain, or in an untrodden thick
forest. We often heard the howlings of the wolves;
and the grunting of the grizzly bear, the king of
animals in these parts, disturbed our sleep, but
without alarming us. In the desert one perceives
that God has implanted in the breast of the wild
beasts the fear of man. In the desert, also, we are
enabled in a particular way to admire and to thank
that Divine Providence which watches with so
much solicitude over his children. There is admirably verified the text of St. Matthew: "Consider
the birds of the air, they sow not, but your Heavenly Father feeds them; are ye not of much more
value than they." During the whole route, our
wants were constantly supplied; yes, we lived in
the midst of the greatest abundance. The rivers
furnished us excellent fish, water-fowl, ducks, geese,
and swans; the forests and plains gave us fruits
and roots.  We never wanted for game:  we found
,-erywhere either immense herds of buffaloes, or
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
deer, antelope, mountain sheep or big-horns, pheasants, wild turkeys, and partridges.
On the way, along the Missouri, I met thousands
of Indians of different tribes: Crows, Assiniboins,
Minataries, Mandans, Rickaries, Sioux, &c.  I always stopped a day or two with them. I received
the greatest marks of respect and affection from
these hitherto untutored children of the plains and
mountains, and they listened to my words with the
utmost attention. For many years these poor
tribes have desired to have missionaries and to be
instructed.
My greatest, I may say almost my only consolation, is to have been the instrument, in the hand
of Divine Providence, of the eternal salvation of a
great number of little children; of about nine hundred I baptized, many were sickly, and seemed
only to wait for this happiness, to fly to God, to
praise him for all eternity.
To God alone be all the glory; and to the Blessed
Virgin Mary, our most humble and most profound
thanks for the protection and benefits received during this long journey. After having travelled, by
land and river over 8314 miles, and 6950 on sea,
without any serious accident, I arrived safe and
sound at St. Louis, among my dear brethren in
Jesus Christ. I am with the most sincere respect,
Your servant in Christ,
P. J. DE SMET, S. J.
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
LETTER OF FATHER DE SMET.
ST. Louis UNIVERSITY, Dec. 1, 1861.
DEAR SIR:
In my letter of Nov. 10th, 1859, I alluded
to the Skalzi Indians.  Allow me to add fuller details concerning that tribe.
I visited these good savages, for the first time, in
the summer of 1845, on which occasion I had the
happiness to regenerate all their little children in
the holy waters of baptism, as well as a large number of adults. I saw these dear children again in
1859; and the visit filled me with inexpressible joy,
because they had remained faithful,-true to the
faith, and fervent and zealous Christians. They
were the consolation of their missionaries, and
shone conspicuous by their virtues among the tribes
of the Rocky Mountains.  They  were especially
distinguished by an admirable simplicity, a great
charity, and a rare honesty in all their dealings with
their neighbors, and an innocence of manners worthy of the primitive Christians. A short account
of this interesting tribe and the country which they
inhabit, will doubtless please you.
The two tribes of the Koetenays and Flat-bows
number over a thousand souls. They are princi
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
pally divided into two camps, and are known in
their country under the name of Skalzi. One of
these camps, numbering about three hundred, inhabits sometimes the neighborhood of the great
Flathead Lake, and sometimes the great Tobacco
Plain, which is watered by the Koetenay River,the distance is about seventy miles. The Tobacco
Plain is a remarkable spot, situated between the
forty-ninth and fiftieth degrees of north latitude,
and is the only great plain possessed by this camp.
It is about fifty or sixty miles long, by fifteen or
twenty miles in width. It resembles a large basin,
surrounded by lofty mountains, which form a vast
and beautiful amphitheatre, and present a picturesque
sight. The plain has all the appearance of the dry
bed of a vast lake. Towards the south the valley is
gravelly, undulating, and covered with little hillocks,
and patches here and there are susceptible of cultivation; the northern portion, on the contrary, has a
uniform surface, and a considerable extent of excellent
arable land. Though the land is very elevated, and
far towards the north, the temperature is remarkably mild, severe cold being a rare occurrence, and
the snow is seldom deep; it falls frequently during
the season, but disappears almost as it falls, absorbed,
perhaps, by the rarefaction of the atmosphere at this
elevation, or, perhaps, driven off by the southern
breeze, which blows almost uninterruptedly in the
valley, and drives the snow off as it falls. Horses
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
and horned cattle find abundant pasture during the
whole year. The large river, called indifferently
the Koetenay, the McGilvray, and the  Flat-bow
River, flows through the entire valley. It rises
to the northwest of this region, and its course is
towards the southeast for a considerable distance.
The waters of this great river are increased by a
large number of brooks and beautiful rivulets, which
have their source, for the most part, in the lovely
lakes or numerous basins of these beautiful mountains.  Many of these streams present to the eye
the most charming scenes in their course. The
noise of their waters and the sweet murmur of their
falls are heard at some distance, and the eye is
charmed by their descent from height after hleight,
and their succession of cascades, from which they
escape to the plain, covered with foam, and, as it
were, exhausted by the struggles of the way. These
mountain torrents will some day be the sites of mills
of every description. Coal exists in many portions
of the country, lead is found in abundance and I
venture to say that more precious minerals repose
in the bosom of the mountains, and will one day
be brought to light there.
The Indians have devoted themselves to agriculture for some years  past.   They cultivate little
fields of maize, barley, oats, and potatoes, all of
which ripen. It is rare that the frost injures the
crops before the season of harvest. Their small
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
fields cannot be extended, owing to the want of
instruments of agriculture. They are compelled to
turn the earth with instruments of the most primitive construction, such as Adam may have used in
his dav. The pointed stick made of a very hard
wood, is what they have used from ages immernmorial to dig up the camash, the bitter-root, the wapt
patoo (sagyitta folio), the caiOus, or biscuit-root, and
other vegetables of the same description. These
Iiidians are very industrious.  They are rarely unciiployed.  Their time is fully occupied in making
bows and arrows, lines and hooks, or in hunting
and fishing, or seeking roots or wild fruits for their
numnerous families.  They extend their hunt often
to the great plains of the Blackfeet and the Crows,
to the east of the Rocky Mountains, on the upper
waters of the Missouri and the Sascatshawin.  Deprived as they are of agricultural instruments and
fire-arms, they are always in want, and they may
be said to keep a perpetual Lent.
The missionaries furnished them with a few
ploughs and spades. Last year I forwarded to
thenm, by the steamer of the Missouri Fur Company
at St. Louis, some necessary agricultural implements, such as ploughs, &c.; but the boat was
burned with all her cargo above the Yellowstone
river.
It is much to be regretted that no more can be
done for these good Indians, for, of all the mountain
107 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
tribes, they are at once the best disposed and the
most necessitous. The beau-ideal of the Indian
character, uncontaminated by contact with the
whites, is found among them. What is most pleasing to the stranger, is to see their simplicity, united
with sweetness and innocence, keep step with the
most perfect dignity and modesty of deportment.
The gross vices which dishonor the red man on the
frontiers, are utterly unknown among them. They
are honest to scrupulosity. The Hudson Bay Company, during the forty years that it has been trading
in furs with them, has never been able to perceive
that the smallest object had been stolen from them.
The agent of the Company takes his furs down to
Colville every Spring, and does not return before
Autumn. During his absence, the store is confided
to the care of an Indian, who trades in the name of
the Company, and on the return of the agent, renders him a most exact account of his trust. I
repeat here what I stated in a preceding letter, that
the store often remains without any one to watch
it, the door unlocked and unbolted, and the goods
are never stolen. The Indians go in and out, help
themselves to what they want, and always scrupulously leave in place of whatever article they take
its exact value.
The following anecdote will serve to give an
idea of the delicacy of conscience of these good
Indians.
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
An old chief, poor and blind, came from a great
distance, guided by his son, to consult the priest; his
only object being to receive baptism, if he should
be considered worthy of the privilege. le stated
to the missionary, that, in spite of his ardent desiro
to be baptized, he had not dared to approach the
priest for that purpose, owing to a small debt of
two beaver skins (say ten dollars) which he had
contracted.  "My poverty," said he, "has always
prevented me from fulfilling this obligation; and
until I had done so, I dared not gratify the dearest
wish of my heart. At last I had a thought. I
begged my friends to be charitable to me. I am
now in possession of a fine buffalo robe: I wish to
make myself worthy of baptism." The missionary,
accompanied by the old man, went to the clerk of
the Company to learn the particulars of the debt.
The clerk examined thQ books, but said that no.
such debt existed. The chief still insisted on paying, but the clerk refused to take the robe.  " Have
pity on me," at last exclaimed the worthy old man,
"this debt has rendered me wretched long enough;,
for years it has weighed on my conscience. I wish
to belong to the blameless and pure prayer (religion), and to make myself worthy of the name of
a child of God. This buffalo robe covers my debt,"
and he spread it on the ground at the feet of the
clerk. He received baptism, and returned home
contented and happy.
le
109 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
A young Koetenay who had been baptized in
infancy, during my first visit in 1845, had emigrated
with his parents to the Soushwaps in the mountainols regions near Fraser River. His parents desired to marry him to a young woman who was as
yet unbaptized; he had a sister in the same condition. It was resolved that the three should make
the long journey of many weeks' travel, to reach
the Mission, in order that both sacraments might
be received. On their arrival, their ardent faith,
and praiseworthy'earnestness, were the admiration of
the whole village. The fervent missionary, Fathei
~Ienetry, instructed these zealous neophytes, and
prepared them for holy baptism. The young man,
who had not seen a priest since 1845, had prepared
himself to approach the tribunal of penance, for the
first time, in order to make his first communion,
and to receive the nuptial benediction with the
proper dispositions. On the day appointed for the
administration of all these sacraments, the young
Koetenay presented himself with an humble and
modest air at the confessional. He held in his
hands some bundles of cedar chips, about the
size of ordinary matches, and divided into small
bunches of different sizes. After kneeling in the
confessional and saying the confiteor, he handed the
little bundles to the priest.  "These, my father,"
said he, "are the result of my examination of conscience. This bundle is such a sin: count the chips
110 
INDIAN SKETCHIIES.
and you will know how many times I have com.
mitted it; the second bundle is such a sin," and so
he continued his confession. His confession was
accompanied with such sincere signs of grief, that
his confessor was affected to tears. It is impossiblo
not to be struck with admiration for the simplicity
of heart which led our young savage, in his desire
to perform this duty with the utmost exactitude, to
this new method of making a confession; but still
more admirable is the adorable grace of the Holy
Ghost, who thus sheds His gifts upon these, His
poor children of the desert, and, if I may dare to
say so, adapts himself to their capacity.
In their zeal and fervor the Koetenays have built
a little church of round logs on the great Tobacco
Prairie. They carried the logs,-which averaged
from twenty to twenty-five feet in length,-in their
arms a distance of more than a quarter of a mile,
and raised the walls of the new church, as it were,
by main force.  The exterior is covered with straw
and sods. In this humble house of the Lord they
meet morning and evening, to offer to the Great
Spirit their fervent prayers,-the first-fruits of tlih
day. How striking is the contrast between this
little church of the desert and the magnificent
temples of civilization, especially in Europe. Tho
majesty of these churches, their fine pictures, tho
sculpture which adorns their walls, and their imposing proportions, inspire the beholder with adini
ill 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
ration and awe: yet, on entering this little cabin,
consecrated to the Great Spirit in the desert, erected
by poor Indians,-on contemplating the profound
recollection, the sincere piety depicted on their
features,- on hearing them recite their prayers,
which seem to rise from the bottom of their heart,
it is difficult to refrain from tears, and the spectator
exclaims: "Indeed, this poor and humble church is
the abode of the Lord and the house of prayer; its
whole beauty lies in the piety, zeal, and fervor of
those who enter there!"
In this humble church are now performed all the
religious ceremonies of baptism and marriage. The
Indians defer them until the appointed season for
the arrival of the missionaries; they then come in
from all parts of the country. " How beautiful are
the feet of those who announce the Gospel of peace."
The priest of this Mission finds the truth of the
words, "Jugum meum suave: my yoke is sweet."
No sooner has he arrived than all crowd round
him, as beloved children to greet, after a long
absence, a father whom they tenderly venerate.
Even the hands of infants are placed in those of the
missionary by their mothers. A long conference
then follows. The priest gives and receives all
news of important events which have happened
since the last meeting, and regulates with the chiefs
the exercises to be followed during his present visit.
He gives two instructions a day to adults, and cat
112 
INDIAN SKETCHIIES.
echises the children; he helps them to examine
well their consciences, and to make a good confes.
sion: he prepares them to approach worthily the
Iloly Table, instructs the catechumens and admits
them to baptism, together with the children born
during his absence; he renews and blesses all new
marriages; and, like a father, settles any difficulties
which may have arisen. Some he encourages and
strengthens in the Faith, and removes the doubts
and soothes the inquietudes of others. In a word,
he encourages all these good neophytes to know
the Lord, to serve Him faithfully, and love Him
with all their hearts.
If the days of the missionary are thus filled with
labor and fatigue, he has his full recompense of
merit and consolation. He counts them among tho
happiest days of his life. The Reverend Father
Menetry, their missionary, during his visit in 1858,
baptized fifty children'and thirty adults, blessed
forty marriages, and heard over five hundred confessions.
The great chief of the Koetenays, named Michael,
recalls in the midst of his tribe the lifb and virtues
of the ancient patriarchs. His life is that of a good
and tender father, surrounded by a numerous family
of docile and affectionate children. His camp numbers four hundred souls. They are all baptized, and
they walk in the footsteps of their worthy chief: It
is truly a delightful spectacle to find in the bosom
It)*
113 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
of these isolated mountains of the Columbia river,
a tribe of poor Indians living in the greatest purity
of manners, and leading a life of evangelic simplicity.
They are almost deprived of the succors of religion,
and receive the visit of a priest but once or twice
in the course of a year.
The sleep of a missionary among the Indians is
always deep. His entire day, and a great part of
the night, is spent in instructing them, and arranging the affairs of their conscience. When his work
is done, his slumber is profound, and it is not surprising that he hears nothing that passes around
him. I wish to add, at this point, a little chapter
on  the subject of Indian dogs.  "Experte  crede
Roberto."
Having had much experience in this matter myself, I give ready and implicit faith to the statement
made to me by Father Menetry, as to the conduct
of the dogs of the Koetenays. It is the reverse side
of his beautiful description of life among this tribe.
All is not beauty and pleasure in this charming
wilderness. It is well that travellers at a distance
should be forewarned of what they may expect,
that they may provide themselves for the occasion.
If the traveller has only one tent, he must be careful before he retires to barricade the entrance well,
and surround it with brush; he must stop every
crack and cranny, and carefully hang out of reach
not only all his provisions, but any thing made of
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INDIAN SKETCHES.
leather, or that has once had connection with
flesh, otherwise, he will find on waking, that himself and his cattle are deprived of provender. The
Indian dogs are as bad as their masters are
good. Their masters abhor theft, but these dogs
make it their business, and subsist entirely by
pilfering. The dogs are found to the number of six
or seven in each family: each member owns one or
two; they live on bones and the crumbs which fall
from the frugal table of their poor masters, and I
can assure you that very little is left from the meal
of an Indian, who considers it a duty to eat all that
is set before him, and is by no means nice at table.
The dogs, therefore, are left to provide for themselves as best they can. For the most part, they
work by night, and become very cunning and
expert: hunger sharpens their rapacious instincts.
Father Menetry assures us, that he has very often
awoke in the morning-as poor as Job, every thing
having been carried off during the night. It was
in vain that he had taken every precaution which
prudence suggested before going to bed, the industry of these nocturnal marauders got the better of
all his care. Sleeping like a log after the fatigues
of the day, he never heard the noise made by the
thieves during their stay, though they often fought
with one another in his tent over their spoils. The
more vigilant savages were frequently aroused by
the racket made in his tent, and were in the habit of
115 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
coming to his rescue. Sometimes a good old Indian
dame, armed with a big stick, would present herself
suddenly upon the field of battle, dealing her blows
right and left upon the combatants; again, a stalwart young savage would venture into the Father's
tent to disperse these midnight marauders, and
restore peace. Occasionally, the good Father himself would be aroused by the noise of the howling
of the dogs and the cries of those who had come to
protect him. They would then set to work to
repair, though rather too late, the breaches made
in his fortifications, stopping up every hole, and
barricading the entry afresh. He would then lie
down again, at the risk of another attack from these
indefatigable robbers.
At last a council of chiefs was held on the subject, in which it was resolved to put an end to these
scenes, so annoying to the missionary. They therefore surrounded his tent with an inclosure impenetrable to dogs. They went further, even, and set
to work, in good earnest, to build a presbytery with
two  apartments, attached to the church.   One
room was made to serve for a sleeping-room, and
the other to meet in, and for private conference
with the priest. The good savages replaced, each
time, the provisions and other objects stolen by
their dogs. Taking the food as it were, from their
own mouths and from those of their children, that
the Father might not suffer from hunger; for fear
116 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
that the want of necessaries might shorten his stay
among them.
It appears from these little details, that Charity,
the eldest daughter of Religion, flourishes in the
soul of the simple savage, as well as in that of the
children of Civilization. Though poorer and more
humble among them, charity is not less industrious,
not less beautiful: it is more simple and candid
with them, and therefore more attractive.
P. J. DE SMET, S. J.
117: 
SKALZI VOCABULARY.
A VOCABULARY OF TIIE SKALZI,
OR KOETENAY TRIBE, INHABITING THE ROCKY MOUNTAIIS
ON TIIE HEADWATERS OF THE CLARKE AND MAOGIL  VRAY RIVERS.
TAKEN DURING mr TRIP or 1859.
Titto.               *    Father.
Kettitto.                   My father.
Tittonis.                  Thy father.
Tittowis.                  His father.
Kittetonelgle.              Our father.
Tittoniskelg.              Your father.
Galg.                      Son.
Kannagalgli.               My son.
Galgtinis..            Thy son.
Galgliis.                  His son.
Kannagenaggle.             Our son.
Galgniskilg.               Your son.
Kakittegle.                 My house.
Akitglen,is.                Thy house.
Kakitglenegle.              Our house.
Akitgleniskilg.            Your house.
Koos.                       Pipe.
Kakoosh.                    My pipe.
Koosnish.                  Thy pipe.
Koosish.                   His pipe.
118 
VOCABULARY.
Our pipe.
Knife.
My knife.
Thy knife.
His knife.
Our knife.
Day.
Night.
Good.
Bad.
Long ago.
Soon.
Man.
.Men.
Wioman.
Women.
Young man.
Young men.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
Eleven.
Kakooshnegle.
Akitsemmelg.
Kakessemmelg.
Akessemmelgnis.
Akessemmelgis.
Kakkesemmelgnegle.
Joukisitnemme
Kitsilgmouiet.
Sookene.
Ts~nnin.
Pekkek.
Makke.
Tittekete.
Tittek6tenintik.
Pelgki.
Pelgkimintik.
Nitste6helg.
Nitsthhelgnintik. 
Nutkwinne.
Ash.
Kelgs6.
Gatse.
Yikko.
Nmiss6.
Wistelggle.
Ogwatse.
Kykittow6.
Itt6we.
Ittowonglenkkwe.
119 
OC ABULARY.
Twelve.
One hundred.
One thousand.
Twenty.
Thirty.
Forty.
Fifty.
Sixty.
Girl.
Infant.
Mother.
My husband.
My wife.
My daughter.
Mv brother.
My sister.
Indians.
Head.
Hair.
Face.
Forehead.
Ear.
Eye.
Nose.
Mouth.
Tongue.
Teeth.
Beard.
Neck.
Ittowongleaish.
Ittowinn5we.
Ittowolg ittowinnowo.
Yowo.
Kattesennewe.
Gatsennowo.
Jikunnewo.
Nmissennewo.
Westenenne.
Egkomne.
Kamma.
Kennukglakkanelg.
Kattelgnammo.
Kessuwi.
Kukketogammelg.
Kolgglitskilg.
Akkesemakk,nik.
Ekkeglem..
Ekkuktegl6.
Akkakkane.
Akkinnekelg.
Akukkowete.
Akakkeglelg.
Ako.
Akelgmanna.
Welgglonbk.
Akonann6.
Akokkegleggea.
Akokdk.
120 
I VOCABULARY.
Arm.
Hand.
Fingers.
Nails.
Body.
Leg.
F oo t.
Toes.
Bone.
Heart.
Blood.
Vill age.
Chief.
Warrior.
Friend.
House.
Kettle.
My head.
My throat.
My breast.
My stomach.
My belly.
My eyes.
My nose.
My lips.
My tongue.
My backbone.
My legs.
My knee.
Akegleke.
Aki.
Akitskyhi.
Akukkepe.
Akulggl1k.
Akkuksake.
Akkeglik.
Akilskakkamak.
Makke.
Akitglewi.
Wenneme.
Kikkeglenam.
Nessoki.
Kappilgglitit.
Kitsglikilggla.
Kitteglana.
Yelskime.
Kakeglem.
Kakiblglumma.
Kakiwettekbk.
Kakenukkegl6ke.
Kak,woom.
Kakakkeglig.
Ka~kkoon.
Kakelglumma.
Kowwelggl6nbik.
Kakkeglek.
Kaakkesake.
Kajouskennek.
11
121 
CABULARY.
My arm.
My foot.
Gun, bow.
Arrow.
Axe.
Canoe.
Shoes.
Tobacco.
Sky.
Sun.
Moon.
Star.
Day.
Night.
Light.
Darkness.
Morning.
Spring.
Summer.
Autumn.
Winter.
Wind.
Thunder.
Lightning.
Rain.
Snow.
Hail.
Fire.
Water.
Kaakkeglete.
Kakegliek.
Tewwo.
Akke.
Akuttelg.
Yakkesomelg.
Glenn.
Yakkyt.
Ekkelglomouet.
Nettennikk6.
Kitselgmittelgnukkaky.
Akelgnbhoos.
Yokeyitnenne.
Kilgmouit.
Nukkokigittene.
Nemmogonn6.
Woulgndm.
Glemasit. 
Akkesoke.
Suppenekkoot
Wennoui t.
Akk6mi.
Numma.
Kelgglettelglig.
Akkeglukkekakkek.
Akkeglo.
Kappekamaka.
Akinnekukko.
Woo.
.122 
VOCABULARY.
Ice.
Land.
River.
Lake.
Valley.
Mountain.
Island.
Stone.
Salt.     Iron.
Hoe.
Powder.
Ball.
Meat.
Flour.
Medicine.
Tree.
Leaf.
Bark.
Grass.
Dog.
Buffalo.
Black bear.
Wolf.
Deer.
Elk.
Beaver.
Snake.
Egg.
Akowite. 
Ammak.
Akkelggleit.
Akukk6nok.
Akukglupgloit.
Ak6wogliit.
Akankammilg.
Noki.
Kiamiskaglagggne.
Nilgko.
Kakammogomoolg.
Akaniggelg.
Akke.
Akugglek.
Kittekwakulggwa.        l
Awomo.
Akenitsglaa.
Akukglekkopilg.
Akitssekelg.
Sahelg.
Gelgsi.
Glukk6po.
Nappeko.
Kakki.
Suppeky.
Gl6wwo.
Sinna.
Akannukglam.
Akkemakke.
12A' 
ZI VOCABULARY.
Feathers.
Wings.
Duck.
Pigeon.
Fish.
Salmon.
Sturgeon.
My name.
White.
Red.
Black.
Yellow.
Green.
Great.
Small.
Strong.
Old.
Young.
Good.
Bad.
Ugly.
Alive.
Dead.
Cold.
Warm.
I.
Thou.
Hie.
We.
Akkinnekaha.
Akowite.
Tiyakkegle.
Eggl6we.
Kiyakkeglo.
Swakkamo.
Wielg.
Kakikkeglit.
Kammenukkeglo.
Kennehoos.
Kamkokukkolg.
Kammakkesin.
Kakkegloyitteky.
Kowilgky.
Kitssekunn8.
Kissemakkek6.
Tilgnemme.
Kitssekunn6.
Kissook.
Kesahan.
Kesahannelgk6.
Gettenukken.
Kiep.
Kiskettegleit.
Kuttemelggliit.
Kammin.
Ninko.
Ninksish.
Kammenelggle.
124 
V LARY.
You.
They.
This.
All.
Many.
Who.
Near.
To-day.
Yesterday.
To-morrow.
Yes.
No.
I eat.
I drink.
I run.
I sing.
I sleep.
I speak.
I see.
I love.
I kill.
I sit.
I stand.
I go.
I am angry.
I am lazy.
I am glad.
Ninkomshkelg.
Ninkoish.
Tuno.
Kappi.
Yenakkenne.
Kelggle.
Akattkk.
No5w sinnemomteke.
Walgkowaa
Kannewouit.
H6.                       e
Mats.
Woussilg ikkine.
Woussilg ikougle.
Wousnenglukkapekanne.
Wounowesgoume.
Woutskomnene.
Woulsisgenni. 
Onuppegonne.
Outsglekeln.       e.
Onepilne.
Onesakkenoune.
Onewekene.
Woutsnagge.
Oulsinglewino.
Oultakatine.
Oulsukkekokine.
11*
126 
NUMERALS.
INDIANS OF TIHE MISSOURI RIVER.
Otto.
Yanki.
Nowe.
Tani.
Tow6.
Thatah.
Schakwe.
Schama.
Grerabenni.
Sh umk6.
Kr~penne.
Rtckarie.
Achko.
Pipko.
Tawit.
Schttilch.
Schioug.
Schapix.
Schapitswedr.
Tawikshhpiesh.
Loogshiriwir.
Lo6gghent.
Patwnee.
Asko.'
Pipko.
Tawit.
Shititch.
Shiouks.
6. Shikshapeach.
7. Pikoushikshapeah.
8. Towikshapeach.
9. Lookshiriwar.
10. Lookshirri.
126
Omaha.
Wiachtshe.
Nambah.
Thabenni.
Dabah.
Satah.
Phap8.
Penumba.
P6lhabenni.
Shanka.
Gr6ba.
Mandan.
Niewatza,
Nopa.
Navw.
T6ph.
Kiggou.
Ekkawa.
VhApo.
Nopapi.
Niwatzapie.
Piaka.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
E R OF GENERAL HARNEY.
HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF OREGON.
Fort Vancouver, W. T., June 1, 1859.
SIR:-I have the honor to report, for the information of the general-in-chief, the arrival at this
place, on the 28th ultimo, of a deputation of Indian
chiefs from the upper Pend-d'Oreilles, lower Pendd'Oreilles, Flatheads, Spokans, Colville, and Cceurd'Alene Indians, on a visit, suggested by myself
through the kind offices of the Reverend Father De
Smet, who has been with these tribes the past winter, and has counselled them, both as an agent of
the Government and in his clerical capacity, as to
the advantages accruing to them by preserving
peaceable and friendly'relations with the whites at
all times.
These chiefs have all declared to me the friendly
desires which now animate them towards our people, and they assure me that their own several tribes
are all anxiously awaiting their return, to confirm
the peace and good-will they are hereafter determined to preserve and maintain. Two of these
chiefs,-one of the upper Pend-d'Oreilles and the
other of the Flatheads,-report that the proudest
boast of their respective tribes, is the fact that no
127 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
white man's blood has ever been shed by any one
of either nation. This statement is substantiated
by Father De Smet. The chiefs of the other tribes
mentioned, state their people now regret they had
been so deceived and deluded as to go to war with
the whites the past year. They tender the most
earnest assurances that such will never be the case
again. All of these chiefs assert there will be no
difficulty for the future as regards the whites travelling through their country, or in the occupation
of it.
They request the Government to secure a reservation to their people, upon which they desire to
live and be protected.
Kamiakin, the noted chief of the Yakimas, came
in with these chiefs as far as Fort Walla-walla, with
the intention of surrendering himself to my custody,
but in consequence of an officious interference with
these Indians on the part of Mr. T, agent for
the Flatheads, Kamiakin became alarmed, and returned to his people. No censure is to be attached
to Kamiakin for this act, and I have caused him to
be notified that I am satisfied with his present
peaceful intentions......
I have also the honor to inclose a copy of Father
De Smet's report as to the Indian tribes he has
visited the past winter, which shows that peace
exists among themselves as well as with the whites;
and from my own observation I am convinced that
128 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
with proper care, another Indian war of any magnitude cannot soon occur in this department.
It gives me pleasure to commend to the generalin-chief the able and efficient services the Reverend
Father De Smet has rendered.
I am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
W. S. HARNEY,
Brigadier-general commanding.
AISsTT ADJUTATGENERAL,
Headquarters of the Army, N. T. City.
129 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
LETTER OF FATHER DE SMET.
FORT VANCOUIVER, May 25, 1859.
DEAR CAPTAIN:
Towards the end of last March, owing to the
deep snows and the impraeticableness of the mountain passes, I received your kind favor of the 1st of
January of the present year. I am happy to learn
that my request to the general, about bringing
down to Vancouver a deputation of the various
chiefs of the upper tribes, met with his approval.
I have no doubt, from the happy dispositions in
which I left them at Walla-walla, the general's
advice and counsel will be cheerfully and punctually
followed out by them, and will prove highly beneficial to their respective tribes, and consolidate the
peace established last fall by Colonel Wright.
During my stay among the Rocky Mountain
Indians, in the long and dreary winter, from the
21st of November last until the end of April, I
have carried out, as far as lay in my power, the
instructions of the general. I succeeded, I think,
in removing many doubts and prejudices against
the intentions of the Government, and against the
whites generally, which were lurking in the minds
180 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
of a great number of the most influential Indians.
I held frequent conversations with the chieftains of
the Cceur-d'Alenes, the Spokans, several of the
Shuyelpees, or Kettlefalls, and the lower Kalispels,
who had chiefly aided, particularly the two firstmentioned tribes, in their lawless and savage attacks
on Colonel Steptoe, and their war with Colonel
Wright.
These various tribes, with the exception, perhaps,
of a small portion of lawless Kettlefalls, and lower
Kalispels, are well disposed, and  will faithfully
adhere to the conditions prescribed by Colonel
Wright, and to any future requests and proposals
of treaties coming from Government. The upper
Pend-d'Oreilles, the Koetenays, and Flatheads, I
found, as years ago, strong friends and adherents to
the whites, and I have every reason to think that
they will remain faithful; they ever glory, and
truly, that not a drop of a white man's blood has
ever been spilled by any one of their respective
tribes. When I proposed to them that from each
tribe a chief should accompany me down to Fort
Vancouver, to pay their respects to the general,
and to listen to his advice, all eagerly consented,
and they kept in readiness for the long journey as
0soo1 as the snow would have sufficiently disappeared. Meanwhile, Major Owen, agent among
the Flatheads, arrived at St. Ignatius' Mission, and
made known to me that he had received orders
131 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
from the Superintendent of Indian Affairs and from
Commissioner Mix, to bring down to Salem a chief
of each tribe of the upper country. Upon this
declaration I persuaded the Indians that as Major
Owen had received orders from the highest authority he superseded me, and they should look upon
him as their leader in this expedition, while I would
follow on with them, as far as practicable and I
would be allowed. The major having brought no
provisions for them, I lodged the chiefs in my own
tent, and provided them with all necessary supplies
from the 16th of April until the 13th instant, the
day on which we reached Walla-walla, and where
the chiefs were liberally provided for by Captain
Dent, in command of the fort. The deputation of
chiefs was stopped at Walla-walla by Major Owen,
to await an express he had sent on from Spokan
prairie, with instructions to the superintendent at
Salem. My own instructions from the general,
according to your letter of the 1st of January, "To
return to Fort Vancouver as early in the spring as
practicable, for some contingency might arise requiring the general's presence elsewhere," hurried
me down in compliance with said order. With
regard to Kamiakin, and his brother Schloom, I
held several talks with them in February, March,
and April, and acquainted them with the general's
order, wish, and desire in their regard, namely, that
they should follow me, and surrender into his
132 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
hands, assuring them, in the general's own words,
that "the Government is always generous to a
fallen foe, though it is at the same time determined
to protect its citizens in every part of its territory,"
&c. They invariably listened with attention and
respect. Kamiakin made an open avowal of all he
had done in his wars against the Government o,
the country, particularly in the attack on Colonel
Steptoe, and in the war with Colonel Wright.
Kamiakin stated that he strongly advised his people to the contrary, but was at last drawn into the
contest by the most opprobrious language the deceitful Telgawax upbraided him with in full council, in presence of the various chiefs of the Courd'Alenes, Spokans, and Pelouses. Kamiakin repeatedly declared to me, and with the greatest
apparent earnestness, that he never was a murderer;
and, whenever he could, he restrained his people
against all violent attacklis on whites passing through
the country. On my way down to Vancouver
from St. Ignatius' Mission, I met him again, near
Thompson's prairie, on Clarke's Fork. Kamiakin
declared he would go down and follow me if he
had a horse to ride, his own not being in a condition to undertake a long journey. I had none to
lend at that moment. At my arrival in the Spokan
prairie, meeting with Gerry, one of the Spokan
chiefs, I acquainted him with the circumstance, and
entreated him, for the sake of Kamiakin and his
12
133 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
poor children, to send him a horse and an invitation
to come on and to accompany the other chiefs to
Walla-walla, and hence to Vancouver; it being
his best opportunity to present himself before the
general and superintendent, in order to expose his
case to them and obtain rest and peace. Gerry
complied with my request, and Kamiakin soon
presented himself and joined the other chiefs. I
had daily conversations with him until he reached
Walla-walla: he places implicit confidence in the
generosity of the general. I believe him sincere in
his repeated declarations that henceforth nothing
shall ever be able to withdraw him again from the
path of peace, or, in his own words, "to unbury
and raise the tomahawk against the whites." My
candid impression is, should Kamiakin be allowed
to return soon, pardoned and free, to his country, it
will have the happiest and most salutary effect
among the upper Indian tribes, and facilitate greatly
all future transactions and views of Government in
their regard. The Indians are anxiously awaiting
the result, I pray that it may terminate favorably
with Kamiakin. The sight of Kamiakin's children,
the poverty and misery in which I found them
plunged, drew abundant tears from my eyes. Kamiakin, the once powerful chieftain, who possessed
thousands of horses and a large number of cattle, has lost all, and is now reduced to the most
abject poverty.  His brother Schloom, if he lives,
134 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
will come in in the course of the summer. I left
him at Clarke's Fork sickly and almost blind: he
could only travel by small journeys. Telgawax, a
Pelouse, I think is among the Buffalo Nez-Perc6s;
from all I can learn, he has been the prime mover
in all the late wars against Colonel Steptoe and
Colonel Wright. His influence is not great, but he
remains unceasing in his endeavors to create bitter
feelings against the whites, whenever he can meet
with an opportunity.
With the highest consideration of respect and
esteem for our worthy general, and his assistant
adjutant-general, I remain, dear Captain,
Your humble and obedient servant,
P. J. DE SMET, S. J.,
Chaplain, U.S. A.
A. PLxASOXTON,
Captain 2d Dragoons, A. Adjutant-general.
135 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
LETTER OF CAPTAIN PLEASONTON.
HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF OREGON.
Fort Vancouver, W. T., June 1, 1859.
MY DEAR FATHER:
The general commanding instructs me to inclose a copy of his special order, No. 59, of this
date, authorizing you to return to St. Louis through
the different tribes of the interior, which you are so
desirous to visit once again, for the purpose of confirming them in their good disposition towards the
whites, as well as to renew their zeal and intelligence in the elements of Christianity,-the means
so signmlfiy productive of good-will and confidence,
in your labors of the past winter, requiring such
self-denial and resolution.
On your arrival in St. Louis, the general desires
you to report by letter to the adjutant-general at
Washington, when your relations with the military
service will cease, unless otherwise ordered by the
War Department.
The general is anxious that I should communicate to you the deep regret with which he feels
your separation from the service, and in making
the announcement he is assured the same feeling
136 
INDIAN SKETCHE9.
extends to all those who have in any way been associated with you.
By the campaign of last summer submission had
been conquered, but the embittered feelings of the
two races, excited by war, still existed, and it remained for you to supply that which was wanting
to the sword. It was necessary to exercise the
strong faith which the red man possessed in your
purity and holiness of character, to enable the general to evince successfully towards them the kind
intentions of the Government, and to restore confidence and repose to their minds. This has been
done: the victory is yours, and the general will
take great pleasure in recording your services at
the War Department; for such services no one
feels more sensibly than yourself the proper acknowledgment is linked with the hopes that are
cherished in the fulfilment of a Christian duty.
Satisfied that all necessary blessings will be bestowed upon you, in whatever sphere of duty you
may be called to serve, the general will always be
happy to tender to you the evidences of his esteem
and friendship. I remain, Father, with the highest
respect,    Your most obedient servant,
A. PLEASONTON,
Captain 2d Dragoons, A. Adjt.-gen.
REv. P. J. DE SrET, S. J.,
Chaplain, &c., Fort Vancouver, W. T.
12*
137 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
LEBI,R OF GENERAL HARNEY.
HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF OREGON,
Fort Vancouver, W. T., June 3, 1859.
SIR:-I have the honor to inclose, for the information of the general-in-chief, an interesting report
from the Rev. P. J. De Smet, describing the country
of upper Washington Territory, in the vicinity of
the Rocky Mountains, now occupied by various
Indian tribes.
This report is valuable from the rare advantages
Father De Smet possessed for many years, in his
position as missionary among those tribes, to obtain
accurate information of the country; and his purity
of character wile always give respect and importance
to his statements.
The description he gives of the upper Clarke's
Fork, the St. Mary's or Bitter Root valley, the
valley of Hell's Gate Fork, the upper valleys on the
headwaters of Beaver River, and the Koetenay country, in connection with his suggestion of collecting
the remnants of the Indian tribes in Oregon and
Washington Territories in that region upon a suitable reservation, is well worthy the serious consideration of the Government.
The country spoken of will not be occupied by
138 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
the whites for at least twenty years: it is difficult
of access, and does not offer the same inducements
to the settler that are everywhere presented to him
on the coast.
The system adopted in California of placing large
numbers of Indians upon a single reservation, and
causing them to adopt summarily the habits of life
of the whites, failed in consequence of the abrupt
transition brought to bear upon these simple and
suspicious people. The plan proposed by Father
De Smet is not open to this objection: it places the
Indians in a country abounding with game and fish,
with sufficient arable land to encourage them in its
gradual cultivation; and bythe aid of the missionaries
at present with them, that confidence and influence
will be established over their minds, by degrees, as
will induce them to submit to the restraints of civilization, when the inevitable decree of time causes
it to pass over them.
From what I have observed of the Indian affairs
of this department, the missionaries among them
possess a power of the greatest consequence in their
proper government, and one which cannot be acquired by any other influence. They control the
Indian by training his superstitions and fears to
revere the religion they possess, by associating the
benefits they confer with the guardianship and protection of the Great Spirit of the whites. The
history of the Indian race on this continent has
139 
INDIAN sKETCHES.
shown that the missionary succeeded where the
soldier and civilian have failed; it would be well
for us to profit by the lessons its experience teaches,
in an instance which offers so many advantages to
the white as well as to the red man, and adopt the
wise and humane suggestion of Father De Smet.
I am, sir, very respectfully,
Your most obedient servant,
W. S. IARNEY,
Brigadier-general commanding.
ASSI8TANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,
Headquarters of the Army, N. Y. City.
140 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
LETIER OF FATHER DE SMET.
FORT VANCOUVER, W. T., May 28, 1859.
I)EAR CAPTAIN:
In compliance with the request of our worthy
brigadier-general, I herewith give you a short narrative of the upper Washington Territory, as yet
occupied by various Indian tribes, as far as my
views and observations may have extended during
several years' residence in that region, and particularly during the last winter trip I performed under
the special directions of the general.
The distance from Fort Walla-walla to the great
Spokan prairie, through which the Spokan River
flows, is about 150 miles. This whole region is
undulating and hilly, and though generally of a
light soil, it is covered with a rich and nutritious
grass, forming grazing fields where thousands of
cattle might be easily raised. It is almost destitute
of timber until you are within thirty miles of the
Spokan prairie, where you find open woods, and
clusters of trees scattered far and wide; this portion,
particularly, contains a great number of lakes and
ponds, with ranges of long walls of large basaltic
columns, and beds of basalt. The country abounds
in nutritious roots (bitter-root, camash, &c.), on
141 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
which principally the Indians subsist for a great
portion of the year. The Spokan prairie is about
thirty miles from north to south, and from east to
west, bounded all around by well-wooded hills, and
mountains of easy access. The soil is generally
light, though covered with abundance of grass.
Along the base of the hills and the mountains
patches of several acres of rich arable land may
be found. The Spokan prairie is claimed by the
Cceur-d'Albne Indians. Taking Cceur-d'Al6ne Lake
as a central point, their country may extend fifty
miles to every point of the compass. The lake is a
b5eautiful sheet of clear water, embedded amid
lofty and high mountain bluffs, and shaded with a
variety of pines, firs, and cedars; in its whole
circumference, to my knowledge, there is no arable land. The low bottoms in several of its many
bays are subject to frequent and long inundations in the spring. The lake is about thirty miles
in extent from south to north, its width throughout
is from one to two or three miles. It receives its
waters principally from two beautiful rivers, the
St. Joseph and the Cceur-d'Al6ne rivers, running
parallel from east to west; each is from sixty to
eighty yards broad, with a depth of from twenty to
thirty feet. After the spring freshet their currents
are smooth and even, and are hardly perceptible fer
about thirty miles from their mouths, and until
they penetrate into the high mountain region which
142 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
separates their waters from those of Clarke's Fork
and of the St. Mary's or Bitter Root River; their
respective valleys are from one to three miles broad,
and are much subject to inundations in the spring;
the narrow strips of land which border the two
rivers are of the richest mould. The deep snows in
winter, the ice and water, keep these valleys literally
blocked up during several months (last winter it
continued for about five months). Small lakes, from
one to three miles in circumference, are numerous in
the two valleys. Camash, and other nutritious roots
and berries abound in them. Beautiful forests of
pine, &c., are found all along. The mountains bordering the two valleys are generally of an oval shape,
and well wooded; a few only are snow-topped during
the greatest portion of the year. All the rivers and
rivulets in the Cceur-d'Alene country abound wondelfully in mountain trout and other fish.  The
forests are well stocked with deer, with black and
brown bears, and with a variety of fur-bearing animals. The long winters and deep snows must
retard the settlement of this country.
Clarke's Fork, at its crossing below the great
Kalispel Lake, is about forty miles distant from
Spokan prairie. Clarke's Fork is one of the principal tribuaries of the upper Columbia.  From its
entrance into the lake to the Niyoutzamin, or Vermilion River, a distance of about seventy miles, I
counted thirty-eight rapids. You meet with a 8uc
143 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
cession of rapids and falls to its very head. Before it
joins the Columbia, for a distance of about thirty
miles, its rapids and falls ate insuperable. In its
whole length Clarke's River has few spots of good
and arable soil, with ranges of dense andy thick
forests. The upper portion of the river, and its
upper tributaries, have a succession of large prairies
of light soil filled with water-worn pebbles, indicating bottoms or beds of ancient lakes. All these
prairies are covered with a luxuriant and nutritious
grass, and owing, probably, to the position of the
high mountains by which they are surrounded, they
are little or not covered with snows in the winter
season. Such are Thompson's prairie, Horse prairie, Camash prairie, Jaco prairie, Flathead Lake
prairie, with several other minor grazing fields.
Far and wide apart, spots of less or more acres of
good arable land are found; but too few, indeed, to
make it for years to come, a thickly settled portion
for the whites. The country of the upper Clarke'a
Fork, the St. Mary's or Bitter Root valley, the
valley of Hell's Gate Fork, the upper valleys on the
Beaver headwaters, the Koetenay country within
the 49th degree, and under the jurisdiction of the
United States, appear to be laid out and designed
by Providence, to serve as reserves for the remnants
of the various scattered tribes of Oregon and Washington territory, at least for some years to come
This region, I should think, might contain all the
144 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
Indians, and afford them the means of subsistenoe
The rivers could supply them with fish, the prairies
with domestic cattle; deer and elk are still abun dant, the buffalo grounds are not far off; wild edi ble roots and fruits are plenty; while in each se tion a sufficient portion of arable land might be
found and reclaimed for their sustenance. Should
all the remnants of Indians be gathered in this
upper region, one single military post would suffice
to protect them against all encroachments and in
fringements of evil-disposed whites on Indians, and
of Indians on the rights of the whites. As the rserves are now laid out in Washington and Oregon
Territories, far and wide apart, surrounded and acce
sible on all sides by whites, experience teaches that
it must lead to the speedy destruction of the poor
Indians. Liquor and its concomitants, sickness and
vice, will soon accomplish the work. Providence
has intrusted and placed these weak tribes under
the care and protection of a powerful government,
whose noble end has always been to protect and,
advance them. If aided and assisted, in a proper
situation, with agricultural implements, with schools
mills, blacksmiths, &c, I have no doubt but thousands of the aborigines might be reclaimed, and liveto bless their benefactors. In the topographical.
memoir of Colonel Wright's campaign, recently
published (page 75), I read to this effect: "The
government, in its wisdom and prudence, should
145
13 
INDIAN SKETCHES.
make some timely provision for these many Indians
by selecting for and placing them upon proper
reservations, in order that they may not be caused
to disappear by the fast-approaching waves of civilization and  settlement, that must   vertake  and
eventually destroy them."  I have labored for several years among the upper tribes in the capacity
of missionary. My companions have carried on the
work to the present time, and will, I hope, continue
their labors. The want of adequate means has
greatly retarded one of the principal objects we had
in view,-their civilization. We can all, and do,
cheerfully testify to the good dispositions of these
upper tribes. Should they be supplied with the
necessary implements  of agriculture, with oxen,
&c., they would all work, and would soon place
themselves above want and in comfortable circumstances. As for schools, all are anxious to have
their children taught. These are a few points I
desire to be allowed to present to the consideration
of the general, if they can in anywise tend to the
amelioration of the lot of Indians. With the highest sentiments of respect and esteem, I remain,
Captain,   Your humble and obedient servant,
P. J. DE SMET, S. J.,
Chaplain, &e., U. S. A.
A. PLEABONTO,,                                
Captain 2d Dragoons, A. Adjutant-general
146 
THE
SHORT INDIAN CATECHISM,
IN USE AMONG THE
FLATHEADS, KALISPELS, PENDS D'OREILLES,
AND OTHER ROGKY MOUNTMIN INDIANS. 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
I.
Question. Ts~st o kolins, o shtitestoms o jdtil
gwa?
Answer. Tkolinzotin o kokolis o koeshtitestas.
Q. Gu]stem Tkolinzotin o kolins, gulstem o
eshtitestoms?
A. Tkolinzotin kokolis o koeshtitestas gul ikssemipenonum, gul iksgamenshum, gul ikysenwenem;
tahei gul tik eppel ingwilgwilten takypshoi.
Q. Stem glo Kolinzotin?
A. Kolinzotin spagtpagt, tapshoi, schiiimlgest,
esia eskolists, essia essowitsh.
Q. Gulstem koeszoti, Kolinzotin spagtpagt?
A,4. Netli Kolinzotin taop skeltitsh.
Q. Gulstem koeszoti Kolinzotin tapshoi?
A. Netli Kolinzotin ta glo elshei m ikskolis nbg6
ta kypshoi.
Q. Gulstem koeszoti Kolinzotin schiiumlgest?
A. Netli essia glo gest Lkolinzotin eltsi, essenshi
itsin gest tel essia testem.
Q. Gulstem koeszoti Kolinzotin essia essowitsh?
0 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
I.
Question. Who created you and preserves you
to-day?
Answer. God created me and preserves me.
Q. Why did God create you, why does he pro
serve you?
A. God created me and preserves me, that I may
know him, that I may love him, that I may obey
him: that so I may have life without end.
Q. Who is God?
A. God is a spirit, without end, the best, omnip
otent, all-seeing.
Q. Why do you say that God is a spirit!
A. Because God has no body.
Q. Why do you say: God is without end 
A. Because there is no time when God was born,
because he will have no end.
Q. Why do you say: God is the best?
A. Because all good is in God, he is supremely
good above all things.
Q. Why do you say that God sees all things?
13* 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. Netli Kolinzotin essowitch essla jetilgwa, glo
tle tgwetsh, ndg5 jetille glo elshei, m kytssageel
nkgo glo nish shot ky spoos.
Q. Letien glo Kolinzotin?
A,4. Kolinzotin lstittshemaskyt n6go lessemilko
jalestoleg.
II.
Q. A tsgw6wit Kolinzotin?
A. Ta, itshenaks glo Kolinzotin.
Q. A lsgw~gwit persones Lkolinzotin?
A4. One,, tshetshbgles persones Lkolinzotin, Ill6uw,
Skouse, Saint Pagtpagt;  shei essoustum Sainte
Trinit6.
Q. Stem glo Sainte Trinit6?
A. Sainte Trinit6 etshenaks Kolinzotin ltsh6tshbgles persones.
Q. Illeuw a Kolinzotin?
A. One, Illbuw Kolinzotin.
Q. Skous6 a Kolinzotin?
A. One, Skouse Kolinzotin.
Q. Saint Pagtpagt a Kolinzotin?
A. One, Saint Pagtpagt Kolinzotin.
Q. Illeuw, Skousk, Saint Pagtpagt, a tshbtshegles
Kolinzotin?
A. Ta; tsh6tshbgles persones, pin itshenaks
Kolinzotin.
Q. Gulstem tshbtshegles persones o itshenaks
Kolinzotin?
150 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. Because God sees all that is present, what is
past, and what will happen hereafter, even the bottom of our hearts.
Q. Where is God?
A.4. God is in heaven and in all the earth.
II.
Q. Are there several gods?
A. No, there is but one God.
Q. Are there several persons in God?
A. Yes, there are three persons in God, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: this is called
the Holy Trinity.
Q. What is the Holy Trinity? 
A. The Holy Trinity is one God in three persons
Is the Father God?
Yes, the Father is God.
Is the Son God?
Yes, the Son is God.
Is the Holy Ghost God?
The Holy Ghost is God.
Are the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost three
oQ.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
gods?
A.
Q. Why are the three persons only one God I
151 
152             INDIAN CATECHISM.
A4. Netli tshetshdgles persones etsgageel 1 essi&
testem.
Q. S6wet tel tshetshdgles persones glokout6oont,
glo shuiti glo yoyot?
A. Ta; tsh6tshegles persones yoto etsgageel
lessia tdstem.
Q. Glo tshbtsh6gles persones a estugtegulum
lsenils?
A. One, estugtegulum lsenils, itshenaks tam shei
itchenaks.
III.
Q. A itshenaks tel tshltshbgles persones kolist
schyloug?
A. One, itshenaks kolist schyloug.
'Q. Sowet tel ltshotshb6gles persones kolistschyloug 
A. Kolinzotin Skous6.
Q. Etie etsageel Kolinzotin Skouseg kolist schyloug?
A. Kolinzotin SkousA kolist schyloug, kwyst skeltitsh, a singapp6us etsageel je kample.
Q. Tel letien Kolinzotin Skousb kwyst skeltitsh
o singappeus?
A. Kolinzotin Skouse kwyst skeltitsh o singappeus  tel snitelses  stetshemish  Mary,  olkshilum
Saint Pagtpagt.
Q. Kolinzotin Skous6 kolist schyloug, a hoi
Kolinzotin?
A. Ta, Kolinzotin Skous6 yetti]gwa Kolinzotin
nego schyloug. 
INDIAN CATECHISM.              153
A. Because the three persons are equal in all
things.
Q. Which of the three persons is the great, old,
powerful?
A. No, the three persons are equal in all things.
Q. Do the three persons differ from each other?
A4. Yes, they differ; one is not the other.
III.
Q. Did one of the three persons become man 
A. Yes, one of them became man.
Q. Which of the three persons became man 
A. The Son of God.
Q. Hlow did the Son of God become man?
A. The Son of God became man, he took a body
and soul like us.
Q. Whence did the Son of God take his body
and soul?
A4. The Son of God took his body and soul from
the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the operation of
the Holy Ghost.
Q. Did the Son of God, become man, cease to
be God?
A4. No, the Son of God is now God and man. 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
Q. Gulstem Kolinzotin Skouse kolist schyloug?
A. Kolinzotin Skous6 kolist schyloug, gul kakyin
nylgglis glo tel tyje, gul kakysgwitsils kakel ingwilgwilsenta kaypshoi.
Q. Sowet glo skests Kolinzotin Skous6, kolist
schyloug?
A. Kolinzotin Skous6 kolist schyloug, Jesus
Christ glo skwests.
Q. Sowet Jesus Christ?
A. Jesus Christ Kolinzotin Skous6 kolist schy
loug.
Q. Letien etsageel Tjesus Christ o ky in nyglis?
A. Jesus Christ kyinnyglglis sttlils, gul kamplle
lessyimeus.
Q. Jesus Christ a eltsi glo ltumtumny?
A. Jesus Christ eltelschyloug tshatelkatilsh glo
telslil.
Q. Jesus Christ glo eltelschyloug kassip a stllI
jelestolig?
A. Ta, mousselopenstaskyt glo tel eltelschyloug
o elnuwisk schillis esteltshemaskyt.
Q. Nam elsgoui jelestolig?
A. One, Jesus Christ nem elsgoui jelestolig, 1 ets
eufwit schalgalt, iks innemiepelems glo esgwilgwilt,
glo estlil.
Q. Stem glo iks innemi6pelems kyjelemigom
Jesus Christ?
A. Nem gwiyousis glo gest lstittshemaskyt, n~m
gwelst glokwaokot lessoliep.
154 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
Q. Why did the Son of God become mall?
A. The Son of God became man to redeem us
from evil, to give us life without end.
Q. How is the Son of God, become man, called?
A. The Son of God, become man, is called Jesus
Christ.
Q. Who is Jesus Christ?
A. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, made man.
Q. How did Jesus Christ redeem us?
A. Jesus Christ redeemed us because he died on
the Cross for us.
Q. Did Jesus Christ remain among the dead?
A. Jesus Christ came to life on the third day
after his death.
Q. Did Jesus Christ remain long here on earth
after he came to life again?
A. No; forty days after he came to life again,
he ascended to heaven.
Q. Will he return to the earth?
A. Yes, Jesus Christ will return to the earth on
the last day, to judge the living and the dead.
Q. What will our Lord Jesus Christ judge?
A. He will take the good to heaven, he will cast
the wicked into a place of fire.
155 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
IV.
Q. Lsowet Jesus Christ ltekwint6s glo ky semyltums glo skolkwelts, glo tshy ikssemiiikeltums lstittshemaskyt?
A. Jesus Christ tekwintes I ondg5 miensotin 1
ntshaumin.
Q. Stem glo Sintshaumin?
A. Sintshaumin essia glo tshy essenoningwenemsh
n~g6 esseuwenemst Jesus Christ innemitsinsotis.
Q. Sowet glo on6go Jesus Christ innemitsinsotis.
A. Esanrostum Pape, eveque, n~g6 kwailoks.
Q. A gwiet glo Sintshaumin?
A. Ta, inko glo onego Sintshaumis Jesus Christ,
ishy onego ingwilgwiltin.
Q. LItien glo onego Sintshaumin?
A. Sintshaumin Catholique, Apostolique, Romaine, shy glo onego Sintshaumis Jesus Christ.
Q. Sowet o jelemigums Sintshaumin Jesus Christ?
A. Jesus Christ jelemigum ta kysewitshtum.
Pape jelemigum kysewitshstum.
Q. Sintshaumin pentitsh a essonegwi glo lkysemyellills?
A. One, netli pentitsh estogg/mim t Saint Pagt
pagt.
Q. Letien glo tyje, glo tshy o ta esseuwnemist
Sintshaumin Jesus Christ nago glo innemitsinsoti_?
156 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
IV.
Q. To whom did Jesus Christ commit to teach
what he said, to show the way of heaven?
A. Jesus Christ committed it to the true teachers
of his Church.
Q. What is the Church?
A. The Church is all who believe and obey the
interpreters of Jesus Christ.
Q. Who are the true interpreters of Jesus Christ I
A. They are called Pope, bishop, and priest.
Q. Are there more churches than one?
A. No, there is one true Church of Jesus Christ:
in it alone is life everlasting.
Q. Where is the true Church?
A. The Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church, that
is the true Church of Jesus Christ.
Q. Who is the head of the Church of Jesus
Christ?
A. Jesus Christ is the head that we see not, the
Pope is the head that we see.
Q. Does the Church always speak truly in what
it teaches us?
A. Yes, because the Holy Ghost always directs it.
Q. What s-n does he commit who does not obey
the Church of Jesus Christ and his interpreters?
14
157 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. Shy glo ingoutgoutsin, glo sinshiiteinissotin:
shy glo ky auwstum heretique: tshy esgwioustum
lessoliep.
Q. Letien m'etsageel glo kykelsot in kygwilgwilt
lstittshemaskyt?
A. Kakysageli tgest schosigults Kolinzotin.
Q. Sowet glo gest schosigults Kolinzotin?
A. Glo shy eppel bapt~me, ndg5 essenoningw6nemists neg5 essenwenemists skolkwelts Kolinzotin.
Q. Letien glo kaksenoningwendmli?
A. Shy je ky auwauwstum ltshaumin Noningwenbmin Lkolinzotin Illeuw, etc.
Q. Auwst glo shy ntshaumin.
A. Noningwenemin Lkolinzotin Illeuw, etc.
Q. A esse noningwenemstoug glo shy ntshaumin I
A. One, noningwenemin, netli Kolinzotin kogwitsl glosnoningwbnetin tel bapt6me.
VI.
Q. Lstem o kysougstum glo schosigults Kolinzotin.
A. Lstakkatakkensout essyimeus.
Q. Letien m etsageel glo kokostakketakkensout
essyimeus?
A. Tekanten istliltshemishin, tel shy lissemilshemclis, tel shy lisshezikwe lissintshummelkyt, tel shy
listshishdtsh: 0 tson lskwests Illeuw, o Skouse, o
Saint Pagtpagt. Komi etsageel.
158
V. 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. The sin of arrogance, pride, which is called
heresy: this leads to fire.
V.
Q. What must we be to live in heaven?
A. We must act as good children of God.
Q. Who is a good child of God?
A. He who is baptized, and believes and obeys
the word of God.
Q. Where is what we are to believe 
A. What we say in the prayer: "I believe in
God the Father," &c.
Q. Say this prayer.
A. I believe in God the Father, &c.
Q. Do you believe this prayer?
A. Yes; I believe, because God gave me faith in
baptism.
VI.
Q. By what do we know the children of God?
A4. By the making of the sign of the Cross.
Q. How must we make the sign of the Cross?
A. I sign the forehead, then the breast, then the
left shoulder, then the right, and say: "In the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost. Amen."
159 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
Q. Stem glo kysinkukkekomme glolis tstakketak
kensout essyimeus?
A. Kysinkukkekommeglolis Sainte Trinit6 nbg6
glo tlil Jesus Christ essyimeus.
Q. Letien o etsageel kysinkukkekomeglolils
Sainte Trinit6?
A. Glo ky auwauw Illeuw, Skous6, o Saint Pagt
pagt.
Q. Letien o etsageel kysinkukkekomeglolils glo
stils Jesus Christ?
A. Gul ky yimeuslum lkampile glo eshy tlil Jesus
Christ.
Q. Pist~m m kystak ketakkensout essyimeus?
A. Agal kakstshaum, nego glo tistem kykskolinturn, n6go glo kykopillelt kykskwentum glo tyje.
Q. Gulstem o kystakketakkensout agal kykstshaum, neg6 testem kykskolintum?
A. Ky gwitseltum Lkolinzotin, kyksolkschitlils
tsenils, gest kykskolum.
Q. Gulstem kykstakketakkensout, agal glo kykopillilt kykskwentum tyje?
A. Kaksgalittestum kaksolkschitlils ta kykskwenturn glo tyje.
VII.
Q. Letien o kyksauro auwstum glo kyksseuwene?
A. Lntshaumin: slhy glo ko Anjelemigum Koankolinzotin keije, etc.
160 
INDIAN CATECHISM.1
Q. What must we remember when we make the
sign of the Cross?
A. We must remember the Blessed Trinity, and
that Jesus Christ died on the Cross.
Q. How are we to remember the Holy Trinity?
A. Because we name the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost.
Q. How do we remember the death of Jesus
Christ?
A. Because we form on ourselves the Cross on
which Jesus Christ died.
Q. When must we make the sign of the Cross?
A. Always when we pray and when we do any
thing, and when we are incited to do any evil.
Q. Why do we make the Cross before we pray
or do any thing?
A. We give them to God, that we may be helped
by God to do them well.
Q. Why do we make the Cross when we are
incited to do any evil?
A. We ask to be helped not to do evil.
VIL
Q. Where do we say the things that we are to
dot
A. In the prayer: "I am the Lord thy God,"
&c.
14*
161 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
Q. Letien o etsageel kykelsotin glo kakyseuwe
nistumglie skolkwelts?
A. Kakysgemnenshlum glo Kolinzotin tessemilko
kyspoos ne go  kaksgemensh im  kysinnukshyloug,
etsageel kampile.
Q. A  nego kakyseuwene glo skolkwelts Sint
shaumin?
A. One, netli Tkolinzotin kytsotsils.
Q. Auwauwt glo skolkwelts Sintshaumin.
A. Akysseuwene koetoont stshaum.
VIII.
Q. Ko nam ky elkonten glo i tkaimpile kykseuwene glo skolkwelts Kolinzotin 2
A. Ta, kakyksolkshitlels Tkolinzotin.
Q. Letien o m etsageel glo kykelsot um kyksolkishitlils Tkolinzotin?
A. Kakystshauwi kakyskomen Sacrements.
Q. Stem glo shiumlgest tel essia nstshaumin.
A4. Shy tky jilemigom Jesus Christ kymyellils.
Q. Auwnt glo shy ntshaumin.
A. Kyleuw lstittshemaskyt, etc.
Q. Stem glo ksesselils ntshaumin glo kakysemium?
A. Sinkintistis l'ange, tshy kyskolkwelstum glo
stetshemish Maly, skois Jesus Christ.
Q. Auwt glo sinkuitistis l'ange.
A. Tshinkuitis Maly etc.
162 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
Q. How must we act to do as this says 
A. We must love God with all our heart, and
we must love our neighbor as ourselves.
Q. Must we also do what the Church says?
A. Yes, because God tells us so.
Q. Name what the Church says.
A. Hear the great prayer.
VIII.
Q. Are we able alone (of ourselves) to do what
God commands?
A4. No, we must be helped by God.
Q. What must we do to be helped by God 
A. We must pray and receive the Sacraments
Q. Which is the best among all prayers?
A. That which our Lord Jesus Christ teaches u&
Q. Recite that prayer.
A. Our Father in heaven, &c.
Q. What is the second prayer which we must
know?
A. The salutation of the angel, and in it we speak
to the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.
Q. Recite the angelic salutation.
A. I salute thee (i.e., Hail), Mary, &c.
163 
INDIAN CATECHISBM.
Ix.
Q. Stem glo tyje?
A. Tyje, glo ta kyseuwenemtum
Kolinzotin.
Q. Kwinish estugtegulum glo tyje
A. Esseltoleg: inko glo tyje lky
kykolil o glo inkoleg tkampile o kyk
Q. Stem glo tyje lkyspoos estoko
A. Shy glo kwyst tyje kyleuw Adam gul ta
seuwenemis Kolinzotin.
Q. Pistem tkampile m ky kwentum glo tyje?
A.  Ne  kystikkitsog ta kyseuwenemintum  glo
Kolinzotin.
Q. Kwintsoleg estugtegulem glo tyje, kykwestum
tkampile?
A. Esselloleg, inko ntliltien, inko tam ntliltien.
Q. Stem glo ntliltien tyje?
A. Gulshy o kygwellils Tkykolinzotin, n~g6
okyshimgelils Tkykolinzotin, n~go tshy kysgwienlils
lessoliep.
Q. Gul kwinish ntliltien tyje m kygou tssoliep 
A. Gul inko, ne ta kyelkolgwblils um kytlil.
Q. Stem glo, tam ntliltien, tyje?
A. Tshy o geel, ta kysolkshitlils Tkykolinzotin.
Q. Lkwinshsoleg o kyskwestum glo tyje I
164
glo skolkweltb 
INDIAN CATECHISM.
Ix.
Q. What is evil (sin)?
A. It is evil not to do what God says.
Q. How many kinds of evil are there?
A. Two; one (original sin) is in our hearts when
we are born, one that we do ourselves.
Q. What is the evil that is in our heart when
we are born?
A. That which Adam our Father took because
he did not do what God said.
Q. When do we ourselves do evil?
A. When of our own accord we do not hear
God.
Q. Of how many kinds is the evil we do ourselves?
A. Of two kinds, one giving death, one not giving
death.
Q. What is the evil giving death?
A. For this we are rejected by God, we are enemies of God, he casts us away into hell.
Q. For how many mortal sins shall we go to hell I
A. For one, if it is not forgiven before we die.
Q. What is the sin not giving death!
A. That which makes us to be less assisted by
God.
Q. In how many ways do we do evil I
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INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. Lsilkstoleg: tky inpoostin, tky inrkomtsintin,
tky inkolkweltin, tky skeltitsh, tky sinnouwilsbmen.
Q. Kwinish glo essinshiitsin tyje?
A. Sispel: sinshiitsemissotin, siyokwe, tshgtshet
tyje, intshegoutleslin, sintellane, snaiemils, snowylis.
Q. Stem glo Sacrement?
A. Sacrements Jesus Christ tskolist etsageel
maliemmisten lkysingappeus.
Q. Kwinish glo Sacrements?
A. Sispel: Bapteme, Injojotillistin, Eucharistie,
Sinnemipemist, Sacrement Lessemiogti, Sinkwailokstin, Singonnogweus.
Q. Stem glo Baptdme?
A. Tshy o kykolgw1llis glo tyje, lkyspoos o
estoko o kykolis. N6go kyschousigultlils Tkolinzotin neg6 Tsinshaumin.
Q. Stem glo Injojotillistin?
A. Tshy o kygwilsils Saint Pagtpagt, kysolkshitlils kakgesti shousigults Kolinzotin.
Q. Stem Eucharistie?
A. Eucharistie shy onebgo skeltits, singols, singappeus kyjilemigom Jesus Christ, je letsageel etsgwako.
Q. Stem glo Sinnemipemist?
A4. Tshy kyelkolgw1lils glo tyje kyskwestum tel
kywisle bapteme lils.
Q. Stem Sacrement glo Lessemiogti I
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INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. In five ways: in our heart, in desire, in
speech, in body, by sloth.
Q. Hiow many sovereign (deadly) sins are there?
A. Seven: pride, avarice, the foul sin, anger,
gluttony, envy, sloth.
X.
Q. What is a Sacrament?
A. Jesus Christ instituted the Sacraments as
medicines of the soul.
Q. Hlow many Sacraments are there?
A. Seven: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist,
Confession, the Sacrament of those grievously sick,
Order, Matrimony.
Q. What is Baptism?
A. By this is remitted the sin that is in our
heart when we are born. By it we are made children of God and of the Church.
Q. What is Confirmation 
A. By it is given to us the Holy Ghost, we are
helped to be good children of God.
Q. What is the Eucharist?
A. The Eucharist, truly the body, blood, soul of
our Lord Jesus Christ, although as it were under
flour.
Q. What is Confession?
A4. By it are remitted the sins which we have
committed since we were baptized.
Q. What is Extreme Unction?
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INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. Tshy o essolks4itum glo essemiogti skollits a
singappeus.
Q. Stem glo Sinkwailokstin?
A. Tshy o eskolil akkelinnemitsinsolis Jesus
Christ.
Q. Stem glo Singonnogweus?
A. Tshy o esko6lstum aktshissinnew6go glo skaltemig o semeem etsageel schousigults Kolinzotin.
XI.
Q. Stem glo Sinnemipemist?
A. Sinnemipemist glo kysglakommisten essia glo
tyje kyskwen lkwailaks kakykelkolgw611ils.
Q. Etien o etsageel um gest kymipemish?
A. 1. Kaksinkolkolsinsotum glo tyje kyskwen.
2. Kakyspoposensh.
3. Kakstsogschitum ta kakelkwentum glo tyje.
4. Kaksglakommisten  glo tyje;  ta kakeppel
wvkwintum.
Q. Etien glo tyje glo kyksinkolkolinsotum?
A. Glo tyje kyskwen tky impoostis, tky inkamsinlin, tky inkolkwenten, tky skelti]s, tky snonyllis:
kyksmkolkolsinsotum glo skolkwelts Kolinzotin ndg5
Sintshaumin.
Q. Agest glo sinnemipemists glo tagest essinkolkolsintotums?
A. Ta.
Q. Agest glo sinnemipemists glo eswdkwest
intliltien tyje?
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INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. It helps those grievously sick in soul and
body.
Q. What is Order (the making of Black Gowns)!
A. Thereby one becomes a minister of Jesus
Christ.
Q. What is Matrimony!
A. This unites a man and woman as children of
God.
Xi.
Q. What is Confession?
A. We manifest all evil deeds to the priest to be
remitted.
Q. How shall we confess well?
A. 1. Our bad deeds are to be recalled to mind.
2. We must repent.
3. We must resolve not to do evil any more.
4. We must manifest our sins, we must conceal
none.
Q. What evil must we call to mind?
A. Evil done in our heart, in desire, speech,
body, by sloth: we must be mindful of the commands of God and of the Church.
Q. Does one confess well who does not call to
mind?
A. No.
Q. Does one confess well who conceals a mortal
sin?
15
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INDIAN CATECHISM.
A. Ta, stittegwintes glo tie skwys tyje.
Q. Letien m kysagelum glo kaksemipemist?
A. 1. Kakyssensilloggwdpi.
2. Mkakstakketakkeus sout, um kytsontum kwin
Illeuw ko tshauwst netli kwen tyje.
3. Kwemt ky myeltum glo lshy o etsageel glo
kys kwen glo tyje.
Q. Letien m kysagelum glo neky wissemyeltum
glo tyje 8
A. 1. Kakyspopoosentsh.
2. Kakysseuwenem glo tkwenloks kytsotlils.
8. Ta kyks stegulumstum glo neky seuwenumtlils.
Q. Letien m kysagelum ne kywissemipemist.
A,4. 1. Kakselemtem glo Kolinzotin.
2. Kakysauwauwin ntshaumin, kystsotlils tkwailoks.
XII.
Q. Stem glo Sinkytsinum?
A.  Sinkytsinum kykwentfim  glo skeltits, glo
6ingols, glo singappeus Jesus Christ kyjilemigom.
Q. Akaky skamtsinum glo Tsinkytsinum I
A. One, gul kootont skolis lkampile.
Q. Stem glo skolis Sinkytsinum?
A. 1. Kys clousils Ljesus Christ.
2. Tshy o kykollis geel taksjojot kyspoos ltyje.
3. Telsi kyksgestilisshy.
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INDIAN CATECHISM.
A4. No, he adds another sin to those already
committed.
Q. How must we confess?
A. 1. We kneel down.
2. We make the sign of the Cross, and say:
"Father, pray for me, because I have done evil."
3. Then we manifest how we have done evil
things.
Q. How must we behave after we manifest our
sins?
A. 1. We must be sad.
2. We must listen to what is said by the priest.
3. We must not change any thing if we are
questioned.
Q. How must we do after confession?
A. 1. We must return thanks to God.
2. By reciting the prayers which the priest
told us.
XIL
Q. What is Communion?
A. In Communion we receive the body, blood,
and soul of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Q. Must we desire to receive Communion?
A. Yes, on account of its great effects in us.
Q. What are the effects of Communion 
A.4. 1. We are united with Jesus Christ.
2. We become less strong in evil.
3. Hence we are made better.
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INDIAN CATECHISM.
4. Telsi koutenliles kyinnemousseltin lkykel ingwilgwiltin.
Q. Letien m etsageel um gest ky mkytsinum.
A. Mous.  1. Gest kakssewissemepsmist.
2. Tel sieuwsum skoukwets m  hoi kakisse illis,
hoi m kyksoust.
3. Tessemilko kyspoos kakysposeminum glo Jesus
Christ.
4. Neg6 tky skeltils kyksg]akomin gloskoutont
Jesus Christ.
Q. Letien glo tyje skwys glo ntliltien tyje lspoos
o inkytsinum?
A. Essenshiitsin tyje: gwitsshummis Jesus Christ
letsgwblemin.
Q. Stem tglo elg kakskolum glo tsi autsi kysinkytsinum?
A. 1. Kykskamsinum Jesus Christ.
2. Kyksauwauwntshaumin noningwbnetin, innemousselstin, ingamenshalistin, popoossenstin.
Q. Letien um kytsageel glo kwemt kyksgwitsils
Jesus Christ skeltits?
A. 1. Kytlttshumstum ky tigoutst.
2. Ky insippesummbsum.
3. Ky kanmintem.
Q. Letien um kytsageel ne kywisinkytsinum I
A. 1. Kykselntem glo Jesus Christ.
2. Tessemilko kyspoos, kakysposiminum  Jesus
Christ.
3. Kyksgalitilglum, glo kyssig&petsinum.
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INDIAN CATECHISM.               173
4. Hope of eternal life is increased.
Q. iHow shall we communicate well.
A. 1. We must have confessed well.
2. From midnight we cannot eat or drink.
3. We must with our whole heart think of Jesus
Christ.
4. Even exteriorly we must show how great Jesus
Christ is.
Q. What sin does he commit who has a mortal
sin in his heart and receives?
A. The greatest sin, he rejects Jesus Christ for
the devil.
Q. What more should we do before Communion?
A. 1. We should desire Jesus Christ.
2. We should recite acts of faith, hope, charity,
and contrition.
Q. How should we act at the moment when the
body of Jesus Christ is given to us?
A. 1. We put out the tongue.
2. We cast down our eyes.
3. We swallow it.
Q. What must we do after Communion I
A. 1. We thank Jesus Christ.
2. We must think of Jesus Christ with all our
hearts.
3. We ask for what we need.
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INDIAN CATECHISM.
4. Um kysauwauwstum ntshaumin noningwnelin, mnemousselstin, ngamensh6listin.
Q. Letien um etsageel glo shy schalgalt o kysinkytsinum?
A. 1. Kakysiskuttoleminum glo Jesus Chris.
2. Kakystilien glo kykeltsotin.
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INDIAN CATECHISM.             1 75
4. We recite the prayers of faith, hope, and
charity.
Q. How must we act on the day we receive
Communion?
A. 1. We must remember Jesus Christ.
2. We must watch over our actions.
ma