CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE CROW INDIANS. THEIR COSMOGONY. FIRST MISSIONARY WORK AMONG THEM. FR. P. BARCELO.

The Crow nation is the largest tribe of Indians in southern Montana. It occupies today an extensive reservation within the limits of Custer County in the Big Horn Valley and along the southern fork of the Yellowstone River.

These Indians call themselves in their own language Absaroka, after a bird of the crows species still to be seen in Mexico and other parts of South America, but which has never been known to exist in the wild regions of the Rocky Mountains. Hence the supposition that the Crows belonged originally to some of the Indian families toward the south, whence later on they emigrated to their present home. This opinion gains strength from other peculiarities of the tribe.

Some fifty years ago the Crows numbered over 5,000; the official census of 1887 gives this tribe 2,456 souls. In bygone days these people were considered one of the most warlike and valiant tribes of the Northwest. "This race," says Father De Smet, "is one of the noblest in the desert; they are tall, robust, and well formed; have a piercing eye, aquiline nose, and teeth of ivory whiteness." At the present day, however, the physical constitution of the Crow nation has sadly deteriorated, and is far from what Father De Smet found it in his time. While superior in intelligence to other Indian tribes, the Crows likewise surpassed the rest in superstitious practices.

Father De Smet became first acquainted with these Indians on his return trip to St. Louis from his first visit to the Flat Heads. "In 1840," he writes, "I met with the Crows in the valley of the Big Horn, a tributary of the Yellowstone. In my quality of Black Robe they received me with all possible demonstration of respect and sincere joy."

While in council with these Indians, Father De Smet struck a match, and with it lighted the pipe or calumet of peace. This

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filled the Crows with the greatest surprise, as they had never seen matches before. Most wonderful stories were soon told in connection with this simple occurrence, and many Indians were led by it to look upon the Black Robe as a superhuman being, who could strike fire from the soles of his shoes, as well as from any part of his body. "It requires little," playfully remarks Father De Smet," to acquire a reputation among the Indians; with a few matches you may become a great man among the Crows and receive great honors." From the moment he had struck that match, he was considered the greatest medicine man that had ever visited their tribe, and he was treated in consequence with every respect and listened to by all with the greatest attention.

Before his departure the chief and principal warriors in the camp begged the Black Robe to give them some of his mysterious fire-sticks, and without even a thought that the matches would be turned by them into means of superstition, he distributed among them all he could spare. He revisited the Crows in 1844, and they now tendered him a most solemn reception. "I was lodged in the largest and finest tepee in the camp," he tells us, "all the chiefs and warriors being habited in their embroidered moccasins, leggings, and buckskin shirts, ornamented in beads and porcupine quills, while eagle feathers crowned their heads. One of the chiefs testified to a special friendship for me: 'It is to thee, Black robe,' said he, 'that I owe all the glory of the victories I have gained over my enemies.'" Father De Smet was astonished at the chief's language and begged him top explain. Upon this, the chief took from his neck his medicine, carefully wrapped in a bit of kid. He unrolled it and displayed to Father De Smet's wondering view a remnant of the matches given him by the Father himself in 1840. "I use them," said the chief, "every time I go into battle; If the fire appears at the first ribbing, I dart upon my enemy, sure of victory . . . . . . ."

"I had considerable difficulty," adds Father De Smet, " in disabusing their minds of this singular superstition." Still, the foolish idea concerning the fire-stocks remained among some of them and spread also to others. What puzzled these simple children of the prairies about the wonderful sticks was that at

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times they would light up at once and at the slightest touch, whereas, at other times, no amount of rubbing could bring the fire out. The matches in the latter case had either gotten wet had already been used, and the poor things knew not the difference.

On day some Blackfeet, who also had caught the fire-stick superstition, after making many incantations over a bunch of matches that gave out fire before, and now obstinately refused to give any (the phosphorus had been washed off the little sticks while the Indians who carried them swam across a swollen stream), they came to Father De Smet, to learn from him why their fire-sticks acted this way. The Father told them that not every stick was good, as some would ignite, and others would not. But this the Indians had already found out, to their great disappointment and chagrin. What they were most anxious to know from the Black robe was, how they could tell the good fire-sticks from the bad ones, those that ha "medicine" in them, and that that had not. The Father told them, that the only way was to try them. Accordingly, when they had succeeded in securing some matches, the first thing the Indians did was to try to light them, one after the other. Those that ignited were deemed good and carefully put aside for future use; the others that did not light up were thrown away. But as they could not get fire from the matches already lighted, the Indian became so utterly disgusted with this whole fire-stick business that they soon also gave up (and this was what the Father had in view) all their superstitious practices in connection with it. Not long after, however, they learned the proper [purpose of the lucifer match and made use of it without superstition.

A most interesting character among the Crows at the present day, is Chief Iron Bull. He was one of the guests present at the driving of the last spike along the line of the Northern Pacific Railway, and made a fine Crow speech on the occasion.

The origin of genealogists and of the Crow Indians, as given time and again to the Father Prando by Iron Bull, is quaint and amusing. It follows:

Long ago, the earth was small, as big (said iron Bull, making a circle with his arms and hands). All around it was water. The Great

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Spirit was sitting thus (sitting with his elbows upon his knees and his chin resting upon his hands). He took some earth and threw it into the water, and the first Crow Indian came up. His eyes were closed and his mouth was shut. The Great Spirit opened the new man's eyes that he might see, then also the mouth. After this, he called the bird, and the bird came. He threw the bird into the water and it sank. When it came back up the bird had sand in its beak. The Great Spirit took the sand and blew it from his hand, and the sand made the earth bigger. The Great Spirit made the buffalo, the elk and the antelope, to gibe man something to eat. Afterwards he threw more earth into the water and there came up other Crows, men and women. They were living far from the white man; they hunted and were happy, and had but one trouble, they had no fire. They had to put a stick between two pieces of wood and work it around. It was hard work and made them tired. They had no cups and used buffalo horns, they had no knives, and had to sharpen stones. Then the Great Spirit made the Flat Heads, the Sioux, the Piegans, the Snakes, the Assiniboines, and placed them all round us. The Crows were in the middle of the earth, because they were the best Indians. We fought with them and took away their women. Then the white man came and traded knives and guns for buffalo robes. Then the priests came.

This is the Crow cosmogony of genealogists as given by Iron Bull.

The first knowledge of Christianity was imparted to these people, so far as we know, by Father De Smet in 1840, and again when he revisited them in 1844, as mentioned above.

In 1847-47, a large band of Crows went to visit the Gros Ventres. As previously stated, Father N. Point passed the winter of 1846-47 among the Blackfeet and Gros Ventres, and was among the latter when the Crows arrived on their friendly visit. Availing himself of this good opportunity, while instructing the Gros Ventres, the Father gave instruction also to the visiting Crows, and baptized twelve of their children at the request of the parents, when about to return to their country.

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This, so far as we know, was all the missionary work done among the Crows previous to 1880. And although from the very first visit made to them by Father De Smet, these poor savages, like the rest of their fellow Indians of the mountains, had never ceased to ask for Catholic missionaries, their wishes and prayers had remained unanswered for want of laborers.

In 1880, Father P. Barcelo, who had been stationed at Helena as the writer's companion, was directed by Superiors to visit the Crows, and on his first visit baptized 114 of their children. he made from that on periodical excursions to the tribe, frequently alone, sometimes accompanied by another Father, and labored most faithfully and most earnestly in this thorny portion of the Lord's vineyard. Few know the sufferings the good Father endured to win these people to God. the hardships of Indian missionary life, in a comparatively short time seriously undermined his otherwise robust constitution. Superiors called him to Spokane, where the best medical skill was employed to restore him to health. a light change for the better led to the hope that he might regain his strength, but the improvement was more apparent than real. After a short interval of apparent progress towards recovery, he grew rapidly worse; and on November 1, 1888, the Feast of All Saints, he went to receive his crown.

Father P. Barcelo was a Mexican by birth, and entered the Society of Jesus at Santa Clara, Calif., where he made part of his novitiate under Father Ravalli. He had been preparing for the priesthood in one of the Mexican seminaries, and had gone through the curriculum of belles-lettres, and partly also of philosophy, before entering the Society. After his novitiate, he reviewed his former studies at Santa Clara, whence he was sent to Woodstock College, Md., to complete his philosophical and divinity course. As a mathematician, philosopher and theologian, Father Barcelo was possessed of more than ordinary talent; and as a Religious, whether a novice, student, professor or missionary, he was always most exemplary and edifying. We lived with him a number of years, and never ceased to admire his fervent piety, constant self-denial and deep humility, while his poverty was always of that stern, severe kind that is never professed but at the expense of personal comfort.

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The only fault we ever found with Father Barcelo was his uncompromising severity with himself, and we plead guilty to having laid before the Superiors this charge against him, in the hope that his life might be prolonged. But men of God--and in our humble opinion Father Barcelo was one of the number--live on a higher plane than the common herd of mortals; and so ready are we old rusty sinners to gauge b our shortsightedness what is altogether above it, that most imprudently we accuse of indiscretion what must needs be eminently discreet and prudent, because inspired by God Himself.

It was in the heart of an intensely cold winter, the thermometer ranging between 50 and 60 degrees below zero, when Father Barcelo arrive at Deer Lodge from Ogden. He wore the thin summer garment he had donned in California, and were it not for the kindness of a gentleman, John Curtin, of Helena, who happened to be on the same coach, and who kindly lent the Father some winter covering, he could not have escaped being frozen to death. On entering the Sisters' Hospital at Deer Lodge, he sank utterly exhausted. It took no little time can care to revive him. So unmindful was he of himself and his own comfort.

Another incident, both edifying and amusing and often repeated in this part of the country, is worth mentioning, as it throws additional light on father Barcelo's character.

On his missionary excursions from Helena to the outlying stations, the Father would often put up for the night at a non-Catholic friend's, somewhere along the Northern Pacific Railway. This non-Catholic gentleman who a very kind to Father Barcelo, and loved to share with him his bachelor's quarters, has seen the Father on his knees absorbed in prayers for hours. when mal time arrived, he would call the priest, who seemed loath to discontinue his devotions, and with a wave of the hand would beg his kind host to leave him along a little longer. An itinerant non-Catholic clergyman happened one night to be the guest of the same gentleman, and was observed by the latter to be rather brief in saying his night prayers; while the next morning he called for his breakfast even before the hour of breakfast had arrived. "You are rather short in your prayers, sir, both last night and this morning," said the gentle-

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man to his guest. "My good friend, Father Barcelo is quite different--he is never read to sir down at the table; he falls on his knees, and whether he lies down to rest I cannot say; I see him on his knees when I fall asleep and I see him on his knees when I wake up." The visitor found the comparison scarcely to his liking and excused himself y saying that he felt very tired last evening and very hungry now, and had cut his prayers short in consequence. "I shall not question that, sir," said the host, good-naturedly, "but I have noticed this lone while that many of your class prefer to short cut to Heaven."

In 1886 Fathers U. Grassi and P. Prando were appointed to select a site for a permanent Mission among the Crows. The spot they chose lay at the mouth of a small stream named Rotten Grass, where it joins the Big Horn, which flows in a northerly direction through the whole length of the valley, discharging its waters into the Yellowstone. The location is twenty-two miles from Fort Custer and about the same distance ina southwesterly direction from the Crow Agency, which is only a short distance from the battlefield where daring Custer and all his command perished at the hands of the Sioux. Looking southward, the view extends as far as the distant and picturesque range of the Big Horn Mountains, while northward, in the direction of Fort Custer, the country is an unbroken plain as far as the eye can reach.

Late in the fall of the same year the writer had been detailed to proceed to the Crow Reservation with the object of making arrangements toward building some quarters. The instructions given him called for a structure of specified dimensions, the cost of which, however, was not to exceed the sum of six hundred dollars. The task proved utterly impracticable, for the simple reason that the mere hauling of the material could not be done for the whole of that amount. A few months later, better plans having been matured, two Fathers, one of them being Fr. Prando, were assigned to the Crow Mission, and directed to proceed with the construction of permanent buildings.

The two Fathers were joined at Helena by a young man, Eddie Dillon, who felt prompted to devote himself to their service. Our esteemed townsman, the Hon. John Sweeney--since

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deceased--presented them with a spacious tent, which was to be their dwelling place for several months. On the 25^th of February, 1887m they arrived at the site that had been chosen the year before, their journey through the reservation having proven anything but a jaunt of pleasure, owing to the severity of the winter.

Having cleared away the snow from a patch of ground, they pitched their tent. It answered at one for church, reception room, storehouse, kitchen and dormitory. These were the first quarters of the Crow Mission, to be known henceforth as St. Xavier's. The little band lived in this primitive abode some eight months, doing their own cooking. The Indians came in numbers to greet the Black robes and showed themselves very friendly. It soon became necessary to have more room and two more tents had to be erected. In the spring contracts were let for a frame structure 40 by 60 feet, two and one-half stories high, to be used as a school.

The new premises were ready for occupancy by the first of September; but no school was opened until the following month. The colony of Ursulines assigned to conduct the school were delayed at St. Paul for lack of funds to pursue their journey. They arrived at St. Xavier's on the first of October, and found the country full of the wildest excitement.

Wrought up to a pitch of frenzy by one of their medicine-men, the Crows were just them up in arms against the whites. This Indian impostor boasted of being able to exterminate every paleface by means of his favorite weapon--a rusty bayonet-sword that had been unearthed in some field--hence he went by the name of "Sword-bearer" or the "Man of the Sword." He claimed likewise to possess a mysterious powder, by scattering which in the air "He could strike stone-blind all their white foes," while with his rusty implement, "he could down every horseman and kill both rider and hose at one stroke."

Many of the young Crow warriors credited his powers and were "spoiling" for a fight with the Government soldiers stationed at Fort Custer, but who were not hastily brought up close to the Agency, owing to the threatening attitude of the Indians. The very evening the Ursulines arrived at the Agency with one of the Fathers as their escort, the Crows made a

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hostile demonstration against the premises, marching around in battle array and shouting defiance to the whites within. They grew bolder and more aggressive toward dusk, and fired several shots into the buildings, terrifying the employees and their families, but happily hitting no one. They made no further whoops and savage yells. The next morning the surrounding hills were thick with armed Crows, were drawn up in front ready for the fray. The soldiers had orders not to fire the first shot.

The Fathers and Sisters were entreated by the Agency people not to start for the Mission, as their way lay between the two forces, who any moment might engage in battle, both sides awaiting for the first shot. The Indians learned in the meanwhile of the arrivals of the Black Robe and the Nuns at the Agency, and notwithstanding their warlike attitude against the whites, civilians or soldiers, they came down from their positions to greet and shake hands with them. The Government troops on their side, officers and men, did likewise, and thus the little missionary band passed between the two hostile forces respected and saluted by both. What a subject for the brush and canvas of an artist! The Indians not only allowed the peaceful colony to proceed through their files unmolested, but a number of warriors joined the party, as an escort, and accompanied our travelers to the Mission, some twenty-three miles away.

Some days later there was an engagement between the U. S. troops and the Indians, but the fight was over almost before it had begun. One of the Crow scouts, siding with the soldiers, picked off the Indian bully, the medicine-man, who was the cause of all the trouble. As soon as the Indians saw their leader, whom they had looked upon as invulnerable, fall, in spite of his sword and mysterious powder, they lost at once all their natural ardor, and "the Crow war," came to an abrupt end.