fir THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET.S.J (1801-1873) By E. LAVEILLE, S.J. \ \ AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION BY MARIAN LINDSAY INTRODUCTION BY CHARLES COPPENS, S.J. ILLUSTRATED NEW YORK P. J. KENEDY & SONS 1915 NOjtt ODbatat REMY LAFORT, S.T.D. Censor Jtttprftttatar >J^jmjto^ father, 7 and, upon his re turn'Tb Belgium, assumed with great ardor the functions .of ,, vicar of Sleydinge. In 1804 he was appointed parish priest at Heusden, near Ghent,, and here the saintly Abbe remained for four years until his death, which was one altogether in keeping with the admirable tenor of his life. On the feast of Corpus Christi y June 19, 1808, in his forty-sixth year, while preaching an eloquent sermon on the love of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, he faltered suddenly and sank to the floor. His parishioners rushed to his aid, but before they reached him he had passed away. 8 Joost De Smet lost his first wife after thirty years of married life, and eventually contracted a second marriage wiE_a_certain Mariejeanne Jbfayderjfe, a native of -the village of d'Acren-Saint-Gereon in Hainaut. Although there was great disparity in the ages of this couple, the second wife being at the time twenty and the husband fifty-six years of age, the union was not less happy or prolific than the former one. Marie Buydens became the. mother of nine children, and Joost De Smet realized, in fact, the fruits of that paternal benediction which monde," published by Jean Broeckaert in the Annals of the Archeological Society of Termonde, 1900, pp. 290-300. 7 Joost De Smet at the same time ransomed J. B. Peeters, who was the- dean of Laerne. 8 Cf . Van Baveghem "Het Martelaarsboeck der belgische geestelijkheid ten tijde der fransche omwenteling," Ghent, 1875; p. 249. The memory of Father Jean De Smet is still venerated in his former parish. On Sept. 29, 1868, a monument was erected in the church at Heusden as a memorial to- him. CHILDHOOD 5 liad made so lasting an impression on him years be- fore. 9 Among the children of the second marriage mention must be made of Rosalie, Charles, and Francis, for their names will occur often during the course of this narrative. Rosalie De Smet married, in 1830, Charles Van Mossevelde, a man who was prominent in the business and politics of Termonde. Charles and Francis became lawyers and both attained distinction. (^Pete^ the future jajjOjrtle^jofJ&e-R^ was born on (January 307 1801^ a_few moments before his twin sistej, ^CJoIette Aldegoncfe. The twins were baptized the same day in the church of Our Lady, by Father Ringoot, the parish priest. Baptiste Rollier, their brother-in-law, stood sponsor for both children, the godmother being their sister-in-law, Colette De Saegher. Peter's childhood was passed under the vigilant eyes of Tiis father and Marie Buy dens, and to him, who some day 9 The following are the names of Joost De Smet's children by his first wife, Jeanne Marie Duerinck: Jean Baptiste, born Jan. 4, 1762, died June 19, 1808, curate of Heusden. Jeanne Catherine, born Aug. I, 1763, died Sept. 27, 1769. Joost, born April 12, 1765, died in childhood. Isabelle Frangoise, born May 16, 1767, died May 21, 1831, wife of Jean Baptiste Rollier. Joseph Antoine, born Sept. u, 1769, died Sept. 18, 1769. Marie Therese, born March 8, 1771, died June 22, 1858. Joost Joseph, born Jan, 13, 1775, died March 31, 1817, married Colette De Saegher. Children by his second wife, Marie Jeanne Buydens: Jeanne Marie, born Nov. 12, 1793, died Dec. 8, 1796. Colette, born May 24, 1795, died Dec. 13, 1796. Rosalie, born Nov. 7, 1796, died Oct. 26, 1875, married Charles Van Mossevelde. Charles, born Sept. 20, 1798, died Nov. 3, 1860, Counselor of the Court of Appeals of Ghent. Married Marie Lie"nart. Pierre Jean (Peter), born Jan. 30, 1801, died May 23, 1873. Missionary. Colette Aldegonde, born Jan. 30, 1801, died Aug. 15, 1807. Francis, born May 15, 1803, died April 28, 1878. Justice of the Peace at Ghent. Married Jeanne Catherine Rollier. Marie Jeanne, born Aug. 20, 1805, died about 1830. Married to Frederic Jean Lutens. Jean, born Feb. n, 1807, died Feb. 3, 1813. The family record states that Joost De Smet had twenty-two children. Several by his first wife must have died in infancy when an epidemic of smallpox was raging in Termonde. 6 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. was to win an entire people over to Jesus Christ, was given the privilege of growing to manhood in the atmos- phere of that ardent faith which is engendered by religious persecution. ''The lessons of piety taught me in child- hood," he said in after life, "were the seeds of that de- sire, which I conceived and afterward executed by God's grace, to give myself without reserve to His service." The ship-owner possessed in a rare degree those quali- ties required by the head of a family. His portrait, still in the possession of his descendants, gives one the impres- sion of a singularly energetic man, one perhaps even hard. 11 It seems, in fact, that this authority was exercised with a certain rigor; but this severity, inseparable from true discipline and training, was neither excessive nor arbitrary if the hand was firm the heart was kind. He was treated with a sort of religious respect by his household ; his wishes and his orders were accepted without question, and scrupu- lously obeyed. He whose life we are relating eulogized his father in these words: "He seemed to take God for his model in the training of his children." 12 Less, however, is known about the character of Marie Buydens. She exercised a certain authority in the house- hold and directed most successfully the education of her children. She died at the age of forty-seven, shortly before the departure for America of Peter, the future missionary. 13 Her son cherished always the tenderest memories of his mother and, in his letters, speaks of her with great veneration. The boyhood of Peter gave ample promise of the dis- position which, in the years of his maturity, so ably fitted him for the r61e he was destined by Providence to fill. "Ei-om_^childhopd," writes his brother Francis, "he_was endowed with a strong and vigorous constitution; hejwas hardy, adventurous, and indifferent to danger, and yet of a nature^ at once affectionate, gentle, generous. '" r '**""" 10 To his sister Rosalie, Florissant, Feb. 10, 1828. 11 This portrait is, to-day, the property of M. Paul De Smet, judge of the Court of Appeals at Ghent. 12 Letter to his family, Amsterdam, Aug. 2, 1821. 13 Sept. 19, 1819. 14 Letter to Father Deynoodt, Dec. 23, 1873. YOUTH a bov he had a pronounced taste for ^ames^ The more violent and dangerous, the more they seemed to appeal to him. Frequently was he seen climbing a tree and then rapidly descending by swinging from one limb to another, but more often could he be found hazarding a long leap between the numerous boats that were brought almost to the door of his father's house by a small arm of the Schelde. On one of these occasions a false step precipitated him in the water and almost cost him his life, but the following day found him undismayed at this favorite pastime. Every morning Peter would relate to his family the dreams he had during the night, and these were always about ships, sea voyages, and ship- wrecks. His father was often wont to exclaim: "God preserve him! He will be either a soldier or a great trav- eler; he will never remain at home." And finally we come to his school-days, which had jbheir iq a rertaitTtre^ekoQl of Terrnonde T conducted teacher n^rnp^ ^Jelauneaftg Whatever aptitude foFlearning he might have displayed it was not such as made him conspicuous, but in agility and physical strength he was without an equal. His deeds of prowess were likened to those of the judge of Israel, the conqueror of the Philistines, and he was accordingly dubbed "Sam- son" by his companions, a name which was applied to him in every school that he attended. His sister Rosalie, who was four years his senior, retained a vivid recollection of his heroic childhood. Sixty years afterward she wrote : "he was a sort of Hercules, the terror of his class, high- spirited, a fighter, and always in trouble." 15 It must be said, however, in Peter's defence, that when he fought, it was usually either to uphold the honor of his side or else assist some fellow-student too weak to defend himself. The course of events so, shaped themselves in time that he was given an opportunity, on a certain occasion, to. employ his splendid strength in the service of religion. It happened that during a kermess a traveling show erected booths in front of the church, and at the hour for High Mass proceeded to parade about in grotesque fashion ac- 16 Related by M. Leon Van Mossevelde in a letter to Father Dey- noodt, Dec. i, 1873. 8 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. companied by the music of trombones. However amusing the spectacle, the good people of Termonde preferred to assist at Mass, and the mountebanks, angered by this seeming indifference, sought to annoy the congregation during the entire time of the service by making distracting noises on their brass instruments. On coming out of church, Peter called several comrades to his side and led an attack upon the booths. At once the parade was dis- organized and the music ceased braying. The players were disconcerted by this sudden attack, and, failing to gather .any assurance from the attitude of the bystanders, fled without offering further resistance. They removed their paraphernalia under cover of darkness. Encouraged by this success, young De Smet dreamed of more brilliant conquests. The Napoleonic wars were in progress at this time and Peter listened with avidity to the tales recounted by the veterans who had marched through Europe with the conquering army. The glory of it all haunted the boy's mind. To defend a barricade or engage in a skirmish with the young element of the neigh- borhood was too tame an affair; henceforth nothing short of major tactics for him. In imagination he had the Austrians and Russians encamped in the near-by villages about Termonde and the young men of these communities were to impersonate the hostile forces. It later years, when an old missionary, he loved to recount one of these expeditions in which his star for an instant waned. It was on a fine morning about the year 1812 or 1813, when, having assembled the school-boys of several neighborhoods, he announced that they would attack the "Russians" occupying the village of Grem- bergen. The proposal was enthusiastically received, and the "army " of about a hundred would-be warriors marched gayly forth. The "Russians," however, doubtless upon the information of their spies, were in a state of prepared- ness and rushed upon the invaders. An encounter took place and after a passage at arms amid some hillocks of sand, the youths of Grembergen fell back upon their village hotly pursued by the "French," who forced the issue a second time, with greater fury, in the square near the church. That it happened to be Sunday was an YOUTH 9 unfortunate circumstance, but that the hour of battle happened to coincide with the hour of Mass was still more so. Hearing the enraged cries of the combatants, and seeing their fellow-townsmen vanquished and seeking asylum in the church, the peasant congregation sallied forth, armed with pitchforks and sticks, and threw them- selves into the melee. This turned the tide of victory and forced " General" De Smet to lead his tattered and bruised forces in retreat. Rumors of this expedition, doubtless noticed on account of its early morning start, came to the ears of Joost De Smet, who at once set out in search of his son. As he was leaving the outskirts of Termonde Peter was entering, his "army" in complete rout. The ship-builder, wishing to add another cruel lesson to that of defeat, deprived the youthful general of his pocket-money for ten days, which meant, in other words, confinement to the house. Seclu- sion, however, is sometimes a bad counselor. One day, during this confinement, while his mother was engaged in sewing, Peter cleverly got possession of her scissors and cut out all the pockets of his coat and then took care to leave it where she could see what he had done. Marie Buydens reported this to her husband, who, in turn, sum- moned his culprit son and with severity demanded, "What is the reason that you cut out your pockets?" to which the youth responded, "What need have I for pockets since I have nothing to put in them?" Although on occasions Peter was swayed by the impulses of his ardent nature he gave indications, day by day, that his was also a generous nature and one imbued with filial devotion. He had now reached his twelfth year and was preparing for his first communion. The time was at hand when the development of his rare qualities of heart must be rounded out and fixed by a careful cultivation of his intell^ek >. AtQBeirvelde) near Ghent, there was a large school which nJQY^-Eir^atroiiae orthejpest families': It wi5"to~this institution that Joost DelBmet decidecT to send his son for the twofold purpose of completing his studies and ^experiencing the benefits of discipline. Accordingly, about 2 io THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. the year 1814, Peter left the paternal roof, thereafter to return only for a few weeks' vacation every year. His life at boarding-school contrasted greatly with the life he had been accustomed to lead at home, but there was little question as to his powers of adaptability when recreation hours came around. At these times he was entirely in his element and was the life and soul of every game. Here, as formerly, his unusual physical strength commanded for him the respect of his companions, although he was among the very youngest of the school. On the occasion of holidays, instead of taking his place in the diligence with the rest of his comrades bound for Termonde, Peter, staff in hand, would make the journey on foot, arriving at his father's house by nightfall. ^After-a-year or two passed at Beirvelde he . entered Jhe Preparatory Seminary of -St, Nicola?, where he began^his Latin studies, but did not long remain here, for jn_i8i8_ we find him at the college "oTATosFl 16 We wonder at the frequent changes from one school to another and we find a partial answer in a certain letter written by his brother Francis: "He could not remain very long anywhere." 17 Peter was of a roving disposition, a fact to which the principal events of his life attest, and his letters tell us that of St. Nicolas he retained the most pleasant recol- lections. In later years he often returned there and was always received with open arms and accorded enthusiastic interest on behalf of his missionary work. His entry into the student life at Alost was marked by an episode that won for him at once a firm place in the respect of the student body. The existence of bitter animosity between the Flemish and Walloon* boys led to frequent and violent quarrels. The first time that young De Smet appeared at recreation he was accosted in a rude and insulting manner by a Walloon several years 16 The college of Alost, opened by the Jesuits in 1620, was at that time con- ducted by the priests of the diocese of Ghent. Canon Van Crombrugghe, who later founded the Josephites, and the Ladies of Mary, was then in charge. The Jesuits did not return to Alost until 1831. 17 Letter to Father Deynoodt, Dec. 22, 1873. * Translator's Note: The Walloons are a mixed Italic, Teutonic, Celtic people in southeastern Belgium and parts adjacent. "The Walloons are descended from the ancient Gallic Belgi, with an admixture of Roman elements." (Encyc. Brit., nth Ed.) YOUTH ir older and much bigger than himself. In a flash Peter had the aggressor down, and, doubling him up, carried him bodily to a pool of water near by. The bully shouted and kicked, but " Samson " held him as with muscles of steel, nor did he let go until he had immersed him two or three times in the water, to the great amusement of the spectators. As a scholar, however, our hero was not so conspicuous ; his standing as such was at all times creditable, but not unusually so, although he seems to have distinguished him- self in mathematics. Fromjthe college at Alost Peter went to the Preparatory Seminary at Mechlin. 18 There, it seems, his intellect was judged more solid than brilliant. His former companions all agree that he was gifted with sound judgment and that it was evident he would one day be a man of action. If the future missionary lacked a passion for study it would appear that, in his own way, he was a conscientious worker, for one of his classmates, in alluding to that period of Peter's life, said, "he was always writing." 19 At recreation- time Peter was in his true element, first in every foot-race, the most expert at ball and other games. For sheer display of strength he would sometimes extend his arms, setting his muscles rigid, and the united efforts of his playmates could not bend them. Dr. Cranincx, afterward professor at the University of Lou vain, recalled with pleasure how many were the times that he had seen Peter lifted up and carried on the shoulders of his com- rades amidst enthusiastic applause. The kind heart, the cheerful disposition, and the straightforwardness which had made Peter De Smet so well liked at Alost and at St. Nicolas won for him an equal popularity at the seminary at Mechlin. He formed friendships there which 18 The Preparatory Seminary or the archiepiscopal college of Mechlin was at that time in the Rue St. Jean, in the house now occupied * by the Sisters of Mary. The Superior, Father Verlooy, a former Oratorian, was a man of wide experience and eminent virtue. His imposing personality com- manded the respect of his pupils, and so great was his eloquence as a preacher that the powerful impressions created by his Sunday sermons were remem- bered half a century later. * Translator's Note: It is doubtful whether a vestige of this building has been left standing after the devastating* operations of the army of invasion. "Abbe* de Viron. 12 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. neither time nor distance could efface, and of these the most notable were with Dr. Cranincx and Monseigneur De Ram, who later became rector of the University of Louvain.* A natural question conies up here as to what vocation Peter was destined to follow. The assertion has been made by one of his comrades 20 that the future missionary was at this time contemplating the life of a Trappist monk, but it seems unlikely that such was the case when we consider his adventurous spirit and how ill adapted it would have been to the limitations and restraints of mon- astic life. At all events, he soon began to entertain other designs, and at twenty years of aeSj in his second year at .Mechlin, he encountered in Father Nerinckx, a missionary from Kentucky, the influence which was to decide his career. Charles Nerinckx was born October 2, 1761, in the village of Herffelingen in Brabant. His ordination took place in 1785, after which he was appointed vicar of the cathedral of Mechlin, and later curate of Everberg- Meerbeke near Louvain. pis work__jn.- this paji^_v^vs attended with splendid success, but suffered a serious interruption when the Revolutionary authorities issued ~a warrant for his arrest. With this hanging over his heacf he was forced to leave his parish, seeking refuge in the hospital of Termonde, and there taking up the duties of the former chaplain, who had just been deported to the Isle of Re. This post he continued to hold for several years, amid constant danger of being discovered by agents of the Republic. Caution obliged him to say Mass at two o'clock in the morning, after which he would spend the rest of the day in hiding. His enforced seclusion ..pr> leisure gaveJiim^pportiinities for literary " improved by writing several treatises upon Theology, Sa- cred His^ty, and Canon Law. When circumstances per- mitted, he would steal out of his hiding-place to visit the * Translator's Note: The University of Louvain was practically destroyed by fire and demolition when the city of Louvain was captured and sacked by the Germans in their march toward Paris, Aug. 26, 1914. 20 Abbe" Jongmans. DEPARTURE FOR AMERICA 13 sick and the prisoners of war held in Termonde, and at times he even found a way of secretly entering Everberg, where he brought religious encouragement to his aban- doned parishioners. This circumscribed missionary work, however, far from satisfied his ardent nature, and in 1804 he left Belgium and sought a vaster field of action in the United States. After a terrible crossing in a ship which he afterward described as ''a floating hell," Father Nerinckx arrived in Balti- more. (TCshbp ~Carrc)$, at that time the only Catholic Bishop in America, received the missionary most cor- dially, accepted his offer of service, and sent him to join.. Father BaHmT theT"pnesir wEo a few years previously had founded the Kentucky Mission. The priests of this mission had for the theater oT their activities a territory larger than the whole of France, and here for twenty years Father Nerinckx labored with indefatigable zeal, conse- crating his health, strength, and energy to the work of evangelization. He traversed .Kentucky from one end to the other; at times in depths of winter through ice and snow; at times again through the torrid heats of summer. To ford a river or to swim it were alike to him, and he would oftentimes traverse twenty-five or thirty miles on horse- back to say Mass, fasting from food till three or four o'clock in the afternoon. With his own hands he built a house for himself at a cost of $6.50. His was a rude apostolate, filled with terrifying hardships. As the number of Chris- tians increased he built churches in proportion, until ten had been erected, as well as a number of chapels. He founded the congregation of the Sisters of Loretto, a congregation which soon established religious institutions in all parts of the continent, for the purpose of instruct- ing children in their religion and also for taking care of orphans. In 1808 the Bishopric of the See of New Orleans was offered to Father Nerinckx, but he declined the honor, saying, "Bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam docendus, docere non valeo." 21 Bishop Spalding has said of him, "He was a learned, humble priest, content to hide his 21 "I have need myself to acquire virtue, wisdom, and knowledge, and am not capable of teaching it to others." I 4 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. knowledge and to bury himself among men who did not know even the meaning of the word 'learning.'" 22 Charles Nerinckx returned to Belgium in 1817 to raise fun9s~lmtn;o" "procure active assistants. He made a second visit to his native land in 1821 for the same purpose. Upon the occasion of the latter he remarked: "How can it be that Napoleon found millions of men ready to sacri- fice their lives to ravage a nation and aid him to conquer the world, while I cannot find a handful of devoted men to save an entire people and extend the reign of God?" Before departing from America in 1817 Father Nerinckx stopped at Georgetown, where Father Anthony Kohlmann, then Superior of the Maryland Province, asked him to bring back a large reinforcement of Belgian novices. This he bent himself to with great ardor, for his sympathies lay very strongly with the Society of Jesus. Five_youngjnen returned with Jhim.lo,. enter,. the .novitiate. His~"s"econd voyage was even more successful in this respect, as will be seen. After his arrival in Belgium the missionary spent several days at Mechlin, where he had many friends. The seminarists received him warmly, and listened with lively interest to all he told them about the immense country, where, for lack of priests, thousands of Catholics were forgetting God and abandoning their religion. He told them particularly about Kentucky and the^Jpurishing Christian communities he had founded there; described^ the state,,., Q. ignorance in which the Western Indian tribes were languishing; and concluded by speaking of the Society ofjesus, that had just been re- established in America by, Pius VII'." This Society had important houses in the United States, where young novices received solid religious and ascetic training, and were wisely directed and fitted for every kind of apostolic work. These discourses created a profound impression, ^.and during his visit a goodly number of seminarists, including Peter De Smet, offered to accompany Father Nerinckx back to America. He, however, counseled them not to be precipitate. It was his wish that they take time for 22 See "The Life of Rev. Charles Nerinckx," by Rt. Rev. Camillas Maes, Cincinnati, 1879. DEPARTURE FOR AMERICA 15 sober reflection, but notwithstanding this it seems that their choice was instantly and definitely taken. 23 In a letter young De Smet wrote his father before embarking he spoke of his project as conceived long before. 24 The future proved that the youthful apostles were not obeying a passing impulse. Father Nerinckx, after a thorough examination of all the applicants, selected nine to return with him to Amer- ica. From the Preparatory Seminary only two were chosen, and these were P_eterTDe 5me^ andjoosr V an j^ggrji^ of St. Amand-lez-Puers. Of the applicants from the college but five were taken: Felix Verreydt, of Diest; Francis De Maillet, of Brussels; John Smedts, of Rotselaer; John Anthony Elet, of St. Amand-lez-Puers; and Van Horzig, of Hoogstraeten. A priest, Father Veulemans, and a young professor of the Preparatory Seminary, Peter Verhaegen, of Haeght, completed the personnel of the band. The enterprise was not lacking in difficulties. The first one encountered was the opposition of the parents and families of the young missionaries. They seemed unable to reconcile themselves to the irrevocable separation the prospect of loss being too sudden and immediate to be softened by sober reflection. After due consideration the young men decided to leave Belgium without saving good - bv to their families a heroic resolution which to us hardly seems compatible with true filial devotion. It must be borne in mind, how- ever, that they were driven by cogent reasons, a fact in- dicated by the words of Peter De Smet in a subsequent letter: "To have asked the consent of our parents would have been to court a certain and absolute refusal." 25 Thus, rather than jeopardize a well-defined vocation it appeared advisable to limit the leave-taking to farewell letters written before sailing. Whatever attitude this 23 One of these young men, Joost Van Assche, had offered himself to Father Nerinckx in 1817. He was refused then on account of his age, but not only did he hold to his intention, but he communicated his desire to be a missionary to John Elet, and their example influenced others. Cf. the St. Louis Times, June 27, 1877. Chittenden-Richardson: "Father De Smet's Life and Travels," p. n. 24 Letter written from Texel Island, Aug. 7, 1821. 26 From a letter of Father De Smet, written toward the end of his life. 1 6 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. course of action would seem to indicate, it is beyond doubt that all of the young men were fully aware of the great sacrifice that was being imposed upon their parents. That Peter De Smet had a poignant realization of this we know from his relatives, who tell us that to the end of his days the memory of his departure remained like an open wound. But, on the other hand, we are also told that he was never beset with any misgivings, because he always felt that he had obeyed an imperative call of duty. All preparations were carried on with great secrecy. Dr. Cranincx tells us how he became the unwitting ac- complice of Peter De Smet, who at that time occupied the bed next to his in the seminary dormitory. Young De Smet had packed the greater part of his books and clothing when he discovered that his trunk would not hold everything. His eye then fell upon his friend's trunk "Cranincx," said he, "would you lend me your trunk to send away some books?" "Willingly," replied the doctor; whereupon Peter, taking him at his word, piled in the rest of his belongings and sent them off to the ship. After leaving the seminary the young men remained hidden for a time in a neighboring house 26 whence they departed to join Father Nerinckx in Amsterdam. They could not call on their families for funds, and being able to realize but small sums from the sale of what few and insignificant trifles they possessed, some of them sought the assistance of friends to defray traveling expenses. Others of the party, however, preferred to seek help from strangers, and to this end relied upon the generosity of such as they could interest along the way through Holland. benefactors in this cause mention must be made of dither Verloay} Superior^ of the Preparatory Seminary, and Mr. PieimDe NeJ, of Turnhout, a personal friend of FatfierlNeriiickx^and a 'lrelMaiQ:sm, J j3atrQD of foreign missions. Before leaving Belgium Peter De Smet returned to St. Nicolas to take leave of his old teachers and also 26 This house was situated at the corner of the Rue St. Jean and the Rue des Vaches. It was a tobacco-shop, and the sign above the door read: Het Schip. DEPARTURE FOR AMERICA 17 his friend and counselor, (father Van Boxelaer, then a professor at the Preparatory Seminary. A few days later, at Mechlin, he joined John Baptiste Smedts, John Anthony Elet, and Joost Van Assche, who were to proceed with him to Amsterdam. They sailed Quly 24, ig^j? and were ac- companied as far as Contich,by Monseigneur De Ram, an intimate friend of Peter's. When the moment of final separation arrived Monseigneur De Ram asked young De Smet to give him some souvenir or token of remem- brance, and Peter, taking from his pocket a penny, bent it in two with his teeth and gave it to his friend; then the vessel started for Antwerp. Having surmounted the difficulty of parental opposition, the young missionaries were very soon brought face to face with an obstacle of a different character. JBelgiurn was P flrt of f ^ e kingdom of foe tries and ''the hostility of Protestant Holland toward Catholics, and especially foreign missionaries, manifested itself in various ways; sometimes through measures taken against them by the government and sometimes by the fanatical antagonism of the favorites of King William. . . . Among other formalities the law required all enteri w a town. Those who could not do so were detained in prison until they could be examined and state the object of their journey." 27 The four fugitives, however, who had set out from Mechlin were successful in evading the watchful eye of the police. A friend from Antwerp, Father John Buelens, who was in the secret of their departure, procured for them the necessary money for the voyage without their having to again enter a town. But once in Holland, even greater prudence had to be exercised. Before arriving at any town the young men would leave the diligence and, armed with walking-sticks, mingle with the crowd on foot. This ruse carried out with assurance passed them through the gates without attracting the attention of the author- ities. Peter p gyrnof nnH frfc pnmpanions reached Amster- dam on July 26th, where Father Nerinckx had arranged 27 From Father ue Smet's manuscripts. i8 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. accommpdatioiis-f or. them. Here also their meager funds for the voyage were substantially added to through the generosity of certain Catholic families interested in American missions. 28 Before long the nine young men were assembled at their meeting-place and in a few days were to set sail. The chance of their being detected seemed very slight in this large city where so many strangers foregathered amid much coming and going, and Peter was much buoyed up by the propitious beginning and the nearness of departure, but an unlooked-for incident which befell him almost dis- organized his plans as well as those of his companions. Despite all precautions taken by the fugitives, news of their project had spread abroad in Belgium and their respective families were at their wits' end for some means to stay their departure. Joost De Smet, we know, was capable of a sacrifice, and in other circumstances might have considered it an honor to pledge to God the flower of his offspring, but being aware of his son's impulsive and somewhat fanciful dis- position, and making due allowance for lofty motives, he could not but question the prudence of his decision. He felt that the boy had acted precipitately. The voyage ap- peared to him merely the beginning of an adventurous career that would end badly. There seemed but one proper course open to him and he accordingly dispatcjied his sontCharles) armed with parental authority and in- structions to bring back the runaway by force if necessary. Charles duly arrived in Amsterdam, went to the City Hall for information as to his brother's whereabouts and after vain enquiries proceeded forth upon a random search. Faring up one street and down another, interrogating a stranger or a native from time to time, he seemed to make no headway and then the much-to-be-desired result came to pass. Suddenly and without warning while crossing a bridge he came face to face with Peter. The latter, in no wise disconcerted, was minded to settle the whole question upon the spot but Charles did not consider the place propitious for an interview and prevailed upon Peter to 28 Father De Smet was particularly grateful all his life to the Roothaan, Van Has, Van Damme, and Koedijk families. DEPARTURE FOR AMERICA 19 conduct him to the rendezvous of the conspirators nothing more or less than a garret which he was sharing with his three companions. Charles lost no time in setting forth the object of his mission, but, knowing his brother's character too well to try to intimidate him, he made an appeal to the kindness of his heart. He described to Peter the anguish into which their loved ones at home had been plunged by the prospect of his departure. He pictured the home bereft of its mother; their lonely father in his eighty-fifth year, whom the shock of separation would probably hasten to his end. How could he have the heart to leave without seeing them all once more? Were Peter truly heeding God's call to a foreign mission no one would oppose his real vocation. Was it not possible to wait a few years and mature his plans, comfort his father's declining years and remain at home until he had closed his eyes in death? Peter listened to his brother's appeal without once in- terrupting. He_ was deeply moved while hearing of the grief of his family, but so inflexible was his resolution that he not only jtiever wavered, but vouchsafed a reply so eioquent~with sound reason and earnestness that Charles, instead of opposing him, actually ended by placing a large sum of money at his disposal. Amsterdam now could no longer shelter them in com- plete security, so the fugitives forsook their garret to go aboard the ship which was to carry them a portion of the way, the captain being already won over to their cause. July 3ist saw them on their way down the Zuider Zee, but before the anchor was weighed Peter, as a last proof of his filial devotion and as a consolation to his bereaved fornHyTaddressed a farewell epistle to his father. "It seems needless to assure you of the tender love I bear you," he wrote. "Believe me, I love you deeply, although the sorrow I am about to cause you may lead you to doubt my affection. The religion to which you are so sincerely attached will dry your tears and fill your heart with joy. How is it possible that you are inconsolable because one of your children is giving himself to God's service and putting into practice the lessons you have taught? ... It would have been my greatest happiness to spend this short 20 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. life with you, but God calls me and I must obey. Every day we say to God, 'Thy will be done on earth' well to-day our hearts must echo these words which our lips pronounce. May the submission of our will to God's designs render us capable of every sacrifice!" After again protesting the deep affection he bore him whom he called "the best of fathers" he reassured his family in the following words: "We are embarking with confidence, en- couraged by the captain's kindness, the sturdiness of the ship, which is quite new, and yet chiefly by our trust and faith in the providence of Him who never abandons His own." On the evening of August 26. the ship reached Texel Island. The young missionaries were hospitably received into a Catholic household recommended to them by their friends in Amsterdam. Here .Father Nerinckx 1 joined them,, as, .he. -had ..come by a different route to avoid susj- picion. He even lodged under a different roof on account of the disquieting rumors that the police were in pursuit under orders to arrest and prevent them from continuing the voyage. Twelve days of irksome suspense were passed here awaiting the arrival of the ship that was to finally take the little party to America, and yet Peter De Smet's letters show us that he at least felt no appre- hension. "God be praised!" he writes to his father, "we have all arrived at Texel in good health after making a passage down the Zuider Zee, and we now hope to land safely at Philadelphia. I wish I could describe to you how pleasant the voyage has been. At night the roaring of the waves as they splashed on the decks and the clattering of the rigging reminded one of the chimes at Termonde. Nothing, however, prevents me from sleeping like a dor- mouse, nor yet from singing in the morning like a young nightingale. But at times I weep, though God the Supreme Comforter dries my tears by permitting me a glimpse of the great reward. 'I have called you,' He says, 'who can resist?' It was a bitter trial that I felt deterred from telling you of my departure and my future plans, and to be obliged to leave without your blessing has caused me cruel suffering. I was convinced that you would never consent to my departure, and for this reason and upon the advice of a wise and disinterested man, I DEPARTURE FOR AMERICA 21 decided to leave without seeing you. Conquer your sorrow, my dear father, and say to yourself the All-Powerful has decided this affair. . . . The voyage to Philadelphia is no more hazardous than a trip to Sac-a-Houblon to play a game of cards. We cross the ocean with the same feeling of security that the children of Israel experienced during their passage through the Red Sea." The half -grave tone of this letter might give the impres- sion that Peter De Smet never realized how great a sacri- fice he imposed upon his family. In reality he was haunted by the knowledge. Thinking that their parish priest could better than himseJfpersuade his father to^consent to his departure, he wrote fl t-nn^V^g Uf.fAr jn. TrR fl>r> j begging him to visit and console his father. The separa- tion caused Peter intense suffering. He wrote to Father Van Boxelaere on August loth, saying: "Charles tried to prevent our departure, but reason and religion soon won him over to our side. He wept bitter tears and I wept with him; for what could be more heartrending than to leave the old father I love tenderly, sisters and brothers who are dear to me, friends and the good things of life? But God calls me and I must obey." He continues in this grave strain, which supposes a knowledge of life rare at his age: "O Vanity of vanities! How strong are the ties of earthly things? Should it be God's will that I return to Europe, I wonder if those who are now so sad- dened by my departure will greet me with joy? Man changes and so easily forms new ties and habits and we occupy such a small place even in the hearts of our friends !" am tl|ejhemnnfflgr n f ^ mrrfispnndp.np.ft that lasted fifty years, and shows not the least trace of indif- ference or diminished affection for his family. Could Joost De Smet have known through these letters the sentiments that animated his son at that time, he would have understood how he was obeying an impulse that had little to do with love of adventure. But unfortunately these letters never reached their destination 2g and not even the account given by Charles of his interview with 29 These letters, written in Flemish, were seven in number. They had been .given to Father Buelens of Antwerp, and only after his death in 1868 were they by chance found among his papers. 22 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. Peter could mitigate the bitterness of the old ship-builder. It required actual results in missionary work and the first letters he received from America to finally convince him that his son had obeyed a divine call. The vessel so anxiously awaited at Texel arrived at length. She was an American brig called the^Colum^si. Dutch law required that officials should visit every ship and examine all passports, a provision that somewhat com- plicated the embarkation of our young men. Fortunately for them, some Amsterdam friends who accompanied them succeeded in securing the cooperation of the captain, and the arrangements were made whereby the missionaries were not to go aboard in the regular way, but were to be picked up from a fishing-boat after the ship had put to sea. ThejColumbia_weigli^d anchor at night and r a shortjistance out hove to and toofc the fugitives aboarji, to, their unfeigned joy and relief. Henceforth there was nothing to fear, and they could send from a distance their felicitations to the police of King William. The day of their sailing was August isth, the feast of the Assumption. The date was of good omen, and to Peter De Smet it par- took of a privilege that he was enabled to begin his career under the protection of the Queen of heaven. The Columbia encountered heavy weather in the North Sea and our missionary tells us that he, like the majority of the passengers, ''paid tribute to inexorable Neptune," but on the whole the crossing was not altogether bad. The nine young men were given over to visions of them- selves in the performance of their apostolic work and the accomplishment of great things in the future. Father Nerinckx kept their zeal and enthusiasm aroused with anticipation of a wonderful harvest of souls. This was, for the embryo missionaries, the beginning of their apprentice- ship to the ministry, and the older missionary did not fail to strengthen his vivid recitals of life and color with lessons drawn from his experience and the inspiring example of his own upright life. Austerity was the domi- nant note in his regime, but it neither alarmed the ardent neophytes nor abated their zeal. When the Columbia finally entered the Delaware River DEPARTURE FOR AMERICA 23 andj?Kent to her moorings at (ghiladelphia she had been forty-two days out from Texel Island. The young Bel- gians were totally unprepared for the wonders that were revealed in their first glimpse of the Quaker City. They hadjmagined America to be a country devoid of any save the most rudimentary marks of civilization, and instead thev_beheld a citv which in area and population, in point of architecture, public buildings, and the number of churches, surpassed many of the cities of Europe. It took no great lapse of time, however, to teach them that their view of Philadelphia comprehended but a very small part of America and at the same time a very large portion of its civilization. If that part of the United States on the Atlantic seaboard were a land of "the strenuous life," there lay, indeed, beyond the Alleghany Mountains an immense territory the inhabitants of which were living ' ' in darkness and the shadow of death." From Phj][a4glP ma the missionaries went to Baltimore, where Archbishop Marechat deceived them most cordially. Here Father Nerinckx left the little band and took up once more his work in Kentucky. "We parted from him," wrote Peter De Smet, "filled with veneration and esteem for his character both as a priest and as a man. The wise counsels he never tired of giving us, and the example of his virtue which we were privileged to behold during a journey of forty- two days, will ever remain fresh in the memories of his young companions."" 80 " father, Veulemans" and v young Van Horzig, who had come over to be associated with the missions directed by the secular clergy, remained in Baltimore and placed themselves at the service of the Archbishop. 31 The others, seven in number, tarried but one day and then proceeded to Georgetown, where they presented themselves to Fajjief Kohlmann, the Superior of the Jesuits in the United States. This priest was so impressed with the solidity of the vocations which could overcome obstacles and face such trials, that he received the young men with open arms and afterward sent them to Whitemarsh to enter upon their novitiates. ^Selected Letters, 2d series, p. 250. 31 Father Van Horzig died in Washington, D. C., after having labored zeal- ously for many years as parish priest of St. Peter's. CHAPTER II THE NOVITIATE ARRIVAL OF THE JESUITS IN MISSOURI (1821-1823) The Jesuits in New France and Maryland Bishop Carroll Whitemarsh Father Van Quickenborne Peter De Smet at the Novitiate De- parture for Missouri "A Floating Monastery" Florissant Madam Duchesne "Samson," Architect and Carpenter First Vows. American Missions,, from their very beginning, attracted great numbers from the Society of Jesus. Jesuits were the early explorers of New France and gave to it its first martyrs. "The history of their labors," says a Protestant writer, "is connected with the origin of every celebrated town in the annals of French America : not a cape was turned, nor a river entered, but a Jesuit led the way.'- 1 While Fathers Jogues, de Brebeuf, and Lalemant shed their blood upon the shores of the St. Lawrence, Father Marquette in a bark canoe explored the course of the Mississippi as far as the Arkansas. Like their confreres of France. thejSnglish Jesuits, who in .1,634 came to Maryland with Lord Baltimore^; were not only missionaries of a heroic type, but were possessed of ^ genius for civilizing, "We have not come to make war," said Fathers White and Altham to the Indians, "but to teach you the law of grace and love, and to live with you .as brothers." They spread the light of Christianity from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. At their recital of the sufferings of Christ, the Abenaki, the Iroquois, the Hurons, the Illinois, and the Natchez put aside their feroc- ity, buried the tomahawk, and felled the most beautiful trees of the forest to build ' ' prayer lodges. ' ' The day came when fanaticism undertook to undo the work of the mis- Bancroft's " History of the United States," Boston, 1852, Vol. xi, p. 122. THE NOVITIATE 25 sionaries. The Catholics of Maryland saw their goods, their laws, their churches, their schools, and their children taken from them. T^he Indian congregations were slaugh- tered the Jesuits themselves, through a brief of Clement XIV, were dispersed . In 1 770 'Erie" War of Independence liberated the American Colonies from England's yoke of oppression. Soon after the war Washington addressed these words to the Catho- lics of the Original States of the Union: ". . . may the members of your society in America, animated alone by the pure spirit of Christianity, and still conducting them- selves as faithful subjects of our Government, enjoy every temporal and spiritual felicity."" 1 An era of peace was then inaugurated, and Catholics, profiting by the change^ petitioned the Pope _ tojcnake Baltimore an episcopal see. un August 15,1790, in the private chapel of an English manor house, John Carroll, the newly - elected Bishop, was consecrated. He belonged to the Society of Jesus, and was a native of Maryland, where his family had fought valiantly for liberty. The Bishop of the United States at that time presided over a diocese fifteen hundred leagues long by eight hundred leagues wide, containing a population of forty thousand Catholics and from three to four million Protestants. His clergy numbered some thirty, several of whom had belonged, like himself, to the Society of Jesus. It was not long ere the Revolution and religious persecu- tion in France and Belgium caused the immigration to America of many missionaries well qualified for hardships, and whose fidelity tQ^dutg was paramount to a love of the fatherland. The ^ii1piV.JRn& u nd ertook_thg_gst.ah1 i shm en t and dirPCtioa~o-a. Jarg^e^qi^*^)-. and arnnnpr these priests were eminent men, of whom several became Bishops. Bishop Carroll, however, was longing to see the Jesuits re-established in his diocese, and on May 25, 1863, he wrote to Father Gruber, Superior of the Jesuits in Russia: "From the letters of many of our faithful we have learned with joy that, by a miracle, as it were, the Society has been saved and exists still in Russia. We know the Sovereign 2 Rupp, "History of the Religious Denominations of the United States," p. 165. 26 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S. J. Pontiff recognizes it and that he has issued a brief which authorizes your Paternity to readmit those who formerly belonged to the institution. Nearly all our old Fathers entreat to be allowed to renew the vows they made to God when in the Society. They ask to end their days with- in its fold and consecrate their declining years to building it up in this country should such be the will of God." The good Bishop did not write in vain. Father Gruber replied, granting the desired permission, and the former Jesuits of America were restored to their previous status. ^atheF'MoIyneu^ was appointed Superior with authority to receive novices. In 1806, at Georgetown, Bishop Car- roll opened the first college of the restored Society. It proved a success from the start, and in 1815, a few months before the death of its founder, it was granted the title and charter of a university.-* The novitiate was at first an annex of the college, but later on the Fathers were able to secure for it a more retired location. The Jesuits for some time had been proprietors of a large plantation at Whitemarsh. Situated as it was, /twenty-four miles.. from Georgetown, in a salu- brious district, surrounded by vineyards, prairies, anp. forests, with a large and commodious house upor^ it, it lent itself easily to the requirements of a novitiate. The novices were transferred there in the spring of 1819. It was October 6, 1821, when Peter De Smet and his companions arrived at Whitemarsh. Father Van Quicken- borne of heroic memory, a native of Belgium also, was Master of Novices at the time. He had been born in the village of Peteghem in the diocese of Ghent on Janu- ary 21, 1788, and in 1812 received his ordination as a secular priest. Following this came his appointment as a professor at the Preparatory Seminary of Roulers and later that of vicar of St. Denis near Courtrai. When the Jesuits opened a novitiate at Rumbeke- 4 the young priest 3 Cf. John Gilmary Shea, "History of Georgetown College." Washington, 1891, Chap. iv. 4 Concerning the novitiate of Rumbeke, see "Life of Father Helias d'Huddeghem," by A. Lebrocquy, S J., Ghent, 1878; Chap. ii. THE NOVITIATE 27 sought admission to the Society. This was granted and he had no sooner completed his noviceship than he obtained permission from the Father-General to devote his activities to the missions in America. Father Van Quickenborne ar- rived in Maryland at the close of the year 1817, and in 1819 was placed in charge of the novices at Whitemarsh. Archbishop Marechal said of him: "Father Van Quicken- borne is a saint. The only fault I can find with him is that he neglects his health.'-- 5 Superior and Master of Novices, Father Van Quicken- borne was at the same time farmer, carpenter, and mason. He managed the plantation and the negroes that worked it ; and the two churches, one for the novitiate and the other at Annapolis, eighteen miles away, were the products of his own skill and supervision. Endowed with prodigious energy, he also found time to travel through a vast extent of country, laboring as a missionary among Catholics and Protestants alike. Every fortnight he went to Annapolis to say Mass. He regularly visited the sick and the poor and devoted a portion of his time to the instruction and encouragement of the negroes, whose cause he espoused. He possessed the true spirit of a missionary, and his zealous soul was rewarded with the satisfaction of numerous con- versions. His view of life is aptly shown by a comment which he was wont to utter frequently: "How consoling it is to work with the angels for the happiness and salvation of men!" In order that the novices might better compre- hend and share his elation he would announce a holiday and give them a repast whenever a hundredth convert was added to his flock. At such times as Father Van Quickenborne was called ftWf>y hy f.Vifi gy^ggn^ift^n-Mi^mi^ his place wa^fijlf.rl hy Kk. Ag^^sj^jnt^ ^atVipr Peter TimmermanSt TKis priest was a Belgian, a native of Turnhout in the province of Antwerp. He was twenty-nine years of age and had come out to America, a priest, with Father Nerinckx in 1817. His virtuous character was an inspiring association for Father Van Quickenborne, and his premature death removed from the society of the novices an influence 6 Letter to Mr. De Theux, Nov. 22, 1821. 28 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. which caused his memory to be deeply venerated by them. 6 The following letter gives an account of Father De Smet's entrance into the novitiate: "You suffered deeply," he wrote his family, "when I left you without a word of fare- well. Grieve no longer God was calling me and I had to follow Him. ... If you only knew how happy I am in the place where God has deigned to place me! Far from the tumult of the city and sheltered from the corrupting influence of the world my life passes in serene and tranquil days. Here is the beginning of that golden age I used to dream about when reading Virgil's Pastorals. My time is spent in serving God, imploring His mercy for the re- mission of my sins, begging for grace to persevere, and praying for your happiness."' 1 ' Time served not to cool his ardor. The vigilant repression of an inflammable temper, the long retreats, the minutiae of religious routine, unceasing labor, and the interior work of the soul striving for self-mastery were all doubtless vexations to his ardent nature, yet in the observance of the rules of his Society he was never known to relax. Letters written by him at that time throw considerable light on his moral attitude and the character of his piety. It does not seem that he was taken up by the speculative study of virtue, but rather that he sought after practicality according to the maxim of Bossuet: "Woe to sterile knowledge that leads not to love and betrays itself." His simple, sincere piety was neither strained nor studied. Prayer, to Father De Smet, like study, was a means of preparing for action and of rendering it fruitful. He prayed to the Blessed Virgin with an abandonment and confidence almost childlike in its simplicity, begging her to bless his missionary career. Together with some of 6 "We never speak of Father Timrnermans," wrote Joost Van Assche some time later, "without expressing our admiration for his great humility, his obedience, piety, and exact observance of the rules. One word from his Su- perior was sufficient and he would go forth no matter where and without a penny in his pocket. However numerous his occupations, he found time every day to visit the Blessed Sacrament. Before starting out on a mission he would prostrate himself before the altar, and when he returned, no matter how wet and cold he might be, he would get off his horse, greet us, and go straightway to the chapel." (Letter to Mr. De Nef, Dec. 4, 1825.) 7 Whitemarsh, Oct. 18, 1821. THE NOVITIATE 29 his fellow-workers he became an apostle of the Rosary in the country about Whitemarsh, and he was to learn laterTKat for every Rosary distributed by his band the reward was one Protestant converted to Catholicity. & Peter De Smet's happy nature, which in Belgium hacf won him the affection of his schoolmates, was still evident in the Jesuit novice. His uprightness, rare common sense, and great delicacy of feeling were admired and appreciated; his characteristic virtue simplicity was at this time already manifesting itself "that candor of soul which seeks virtue, duty, and God alone."* The Society of Jesus was for him "the tenderest of mothers, giving happiness to all who seek refuge within her fold," 4 * but not, however, to an extent that eclipsed his affection for his family. The irregularity of the foreign mails left Peter two years without news from Belgium. "Your silence," he wrote his father, "is a great sorrow to me. I am unable to discover the reason of it. I imagine that perhaps the letters in which I endeavored to justify my course of action have displeased you. Alas! dear father, is it then so reprehensible a thing for one to obey the voice of God?" u Eventually, however, the long-awaited letters arrived: "I have received three of your letters with the money which you have had the goodness to send me. I was beginning to despair of hearing from you when they came to hand. Nothing could so rejoice my heart as your sub- mission to God's will. He wishes me to be in America not only to labor for my own salvation, but, should I prove worthy, for the salvation of others as well." "I can never forget," wrote his father, "that you left without telling me" words which Peter could not read without weeping. "Dear father," he writes again, "God alone knows what it cost me to leave you as I did; but after all was I not right? Reflect for a moment and I am sure, considering the circumstances, you will not condemn me. Had I told you of my departure and gone to say good-by to you, what would you not have done to prevent my going, or at least to persuade me to 8 Whitemarsh, Dec. 27, 1822. 10 Letter of Aug. 26, 1823. 9 St. Francis de Sales. Ibid. 30 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. wait for a few years? I foresaw everything and feared the urgent promptings of human nature, which so often triumph when we expose ourselves to their assaults. I should not have been the first who, through yielding to the tears and insistence of parents and friends, stepped aside from his vocation. . . . Was it not my duty to trample on my natural affections, rather than expose myself to the loss of that happiness I came to seek in this distant land? I have already been abundantly compensated for all J sacrificed to acquire it."*** Peter De Smet had been eighteen months at Whitemarsh novitiate when an unforeseen circumstance brought him in touch with the field of his future apostolate. For some time past Bishop Dubourg of New Orleans had urged the Jesuits to found a mission for the Indian tribes in Missouri. 13 At the beginning of 1823 he renewed his entreaties and, this time, to Father Charles Neale, who had succeeded Father Kohlmann as Provincial of the Maryland Province, he offered by way of a gift to thejjocjgty a large and pro- ductive farm near the village of Florissant; sixteen _ miles from St. Louis. Economic conditions at Whitemarsh had come to such a pass as to make Bishop Dubourg 's offer seem providential. Improper rotation of crops wheat and tobacco having been the only alternates for years had so impoverished the soil of the plantation that revenues suf- ficient to maintain the institution were no longer possible, and as the Maryland Province was too poor to support the twenty young novices, a plan was already under consideration for the removal of the novitiate to a more favorable region. Father Neale "gladly accepted. Bishop Dubourg's offer and thereupon appointed Father Van Quickenbprne Superior of the new mission. Father Timmermans was selected to accompany him, and also given authority to 12 Letter of Dec. 8, 1823. 13 Born in St. Domingo in 1776, William Dubourg was ordained priest in Paris, and afterward joined the Society of St. Sulpice. In 1796 he came to America. Bishop Carroll appointed him head of Georgetown College, and later on he founded St. Mary's College at Baltimore. In 1815 he was made Bishop of New Orleans. He labored zealously in his diocese, which com- prised nearly the whole of the basin of the Mississippi from the mouth of the river to St. Louis and beyond into the Indian country. THE NOVITIATE 31 take with him those novices who showed special fitness and natural inclination for Indian missionary work. Father Van Quickenborne announced the project to his community and without a moment's hesitation seven Flemish novices volunteered. Nothing, they said, could give them greater happiness than to consecrate their lives to the education and salvation of the Indians; for this purpose they had come to America and they were gratified to be the first called. The Master of Novices, being satisfied as to their earnestness, accepted their offer to accompany him to Missouri. Three lay Brothers also formed part of the band: Brothers Peter De Meyer of Grammont, Henry Reiselman of Amsterdam, and Charles Strahan of Maryland. To complete the efficiency of the personnel the Superior chose from among the negroes attached to the plantation three families to work the farm at Florissant. Peter De Smet, his fondest dream realized, wrote to his family at Termonde: "For some time past Bishop Du- bourg of New Orleans has wanted the missionaries of the Society of Jesus to begin the conversion of the Indians, large numbers of them being idolaters and still larger numbers being without laws or religion. He has now obtained twelve of us eleven Belgians and one American. I thank God I am one of those chosen. . . . Pray for me and my companions that God may deign to bless our enterprise." 14 ' Bishop Dubourg asked Father Van Quick- enborne how he would accomplish the journey, as, much to his regret, he was not in a position to furnish him with funds for that purpose. "Don't worry," was the cheerful reply, "we will go on foot and beg our food; all my little band are of one mind as to this." 16 April nth was the day appointed for their departure, and the missionaries started at sunrise, arriving by night- fall at Baltimore where the final preparations for the trip were to be made. Father Van Quickenborne hired two wagons, each drawn by six horses, to transport the baggage to Wheeling on the Ohio River.- He had also a light 14 Baltimore, April 12, 1823. 16 Letter of Bishop Dubourg to his brother, Georgetown, March 17, 1823. (Annals of the Propagation of the Faith, Vol. i, No. 5, p. 41.) 32 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. wagon brought from Whitemarsh in which the missionaries could travel in case illness or excessive fatigue rendered any of them incapable of continuing on foot. When they started off with that simple and inadequate equipment to open a mission to savages fifteen hundred miles distant, our young men little dreamed they were going to found in the center of the United States a new province of the Society of Jesus; that at St. Louis they would establish a flourishing university; that they would erect numerous colleges, and that their missions would extend from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes, Canada, and even to the shores of the Pacific. 1 4th they left Baltimore and started on the journey across the Alleghanjes. The novices with the lay Brothers, staff in hand, led the procession on foot. Except on rare occasions they cooked their own food, and at night sought shelter within the outhouses of some farm or in an abandoned cabin. Father De Smet tells us in his journal that "the Catholic families who were without a resident priest would try to detain them; the Protestants in general looked upon them as young adventurers of for- tune and would offer them inducements to remain in the neighborhood." This roving life in no way interfered with the ascetic training of the novices. Arriving at Conewago two days in advance of Fathers Van Quicken- borne and Timmermans, they employed the intervening time in transcribing Father Plowden's instructions upon religious perfection, ~a work they had been obliged to abandon upon leaving Whitemarsh: 16 After a^rnarch of eighteen days the young Jesuits ar- rived at Wheeling: Their resources were inadequate for the purchase of a boat, so the Superior, by way of a make- shift, procured two scows which he caused to be lashed together. On one he placed the negroes and the baggage; the missionaries occupied the other, and thus they com- mitted themselves to the current of the Ohio. The beautiful river flowed between densely forested banks with only here and there a cluster of miserable huts. The 16 Father Percy Plowden (1672-1745), "Practical Methods of Performing the Ordinary Actions of a Religious Life with Fervor of Spirit." London, 1718. ARRIVAL OF THE JESUITS IN MISSOURI 35 present cities of Cincinnati, Louisville, and Madison were then but small villages. The expedition traveled day and night, only stopping to procure provisions. The religious exercises for the novices were continued on board. A bell was rung every morning for rising, meditation, and examination of conscience. Mass was said every day and the boat was, in fact, a floating monastery. The usual dangers and difficulties which were features, of the river navigation at that time beset the party. Violent wind-storms took their craft beyond their control *Uld fflHJ n S t.rppg toppling into the stream from the eroded blanks, as well as sunken jaiags, were a frequent menace. 17 Steering so unwieldy a craft was at best difficult, but floating brushwood made the task of the pilot quite arduous. Brother Strahan, on whom this responsibility rested, was kept unceasingly on the alert to avoid the steamboats which traveled up and down the river. At Louisville the voyagers encountered the famous falls. of the Ohio. In order to safely make the passage of the rapids it was necessary to lighten cargo, and to this end all of the party except Joost Van Assche went ashore, loading the baggage into carts. Joost Van Assche alone was permitted to remain aboard with the local pilot to whose skill the craft was entrusted for shooting the rapids. The band was to be reunited and to embark again some miles below the falls, where, as it happened, a pleasant surprise was awaiting them. They were destined at their point of rendezvous to meet no less a person than their venerated and beloved friend.^atEer JNerincToD The old missionary was conducting a community of the Sisters of Loretto who were leaving Kentucky for Missouri. He was moved to tears by the happy and unexpected meeting, for, realizing that his span of years was nearly done, it brought comfort to his zealous soul to know that 17 "Trees that topple into the stream when the current washes away the sustaining earth about the roots, float for some time until the roots or limbs catch on the bottom and hold them fast against the current. In the course of months and years the action of the swift-flowing water sharpens the trunk and branches and they go by the name of 'snags.' Frequently these are hidden beneath the surface, and woe to any steamer that strikes one of them, for they will rip the hull in the twinkling of an eye." (Jules Leclercq, "Un e'te' en Ame"rique." Paris, 1877, p. 166.) 34 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. the apostolic work which he had begun would be perpetu- ated by such worthy and ardent men. "Your work will be arduous," he told them, "but never forget God and He will not forget you." To the very close of his life Father Nerinckx followed with interest the missionary and religious careers of these young men, and it so happened that only a few days before his death he went to Florissant to visit them and encourage them in their work. The two flatboats, having made a safe passage through the rapids, joined the missionaries who were awaiting them at \PortlancL The horses and the wagon and all the impedimenta were reembarked and the voyage continued on down the Ohio. From Louisville to Shawneetown the voyage was devoid of incident, but from here on a modifica- tion of travel was necessary because, though only a few days from St. Louis, the boats could not get up the Missis- sippi and the party was obliged to complete the journey on foot. Father Van Quickenborne sent the baggage on a steamboat bound for St. Louis, and the missionaries took their way overland through Illinois. The prairies were inundated by spring rains and they were obliged to tramp one hundred and eighty miles through marshes, often .up to the waist m water, seldom finding shelter in farm or inn. Night would overtake them with no better quarters than the floor of some barn or empty stable, and the singing and biting of mosquitoes made sleep an impossibility. At length, however, on Saturday, May 3ist, the travelers came in sight of St. Louis. They were exhausted, Father De Smet tells us, having descended nearly the whole length of the Ohio River, and having covered more than four hundred miles on foot since leav- ing Whitemarsh six weeks before. Did the sight of the Mississippi's broad expanse, as it lay before them, recall to their memory the splendors of Meschacebe, "The Father of Waters," spoken of by Chateaubriand? It is more probable that their thoughts were only for those brave pioneers of religion who had already evangelized that country, and that they were thanking God for having called them to take up again, after a lapse of more than a century, the work of salvation which religious persecution had suddenly arrested. ARRIVAL OF THE JESUITS IN MISSOURI 35 The 4X)pulatiQi^ -four or five thousand. The new-comers were cordially received at the Catholic academy lately erected byJBishop Duboufg. The next day being the feast of Corpus Christi, to the Father Superior was given the honor of carrying the Blessed Sacrament in the procession, and this was, in fact, the first time in the history of the town that a Jesuit had lifted up the monstrance to the gaze of the faithful. The^evenmg_Q_ Jtha.same day gather Van Quickenborrr$ , impatient to reach his post, incompany, with (Cfcr 1 ^ ^ p l a ^ r oJS>a former native of Ghent and a missionary of six years' residence in Missouri. Three days later, on June 3d, he was joined at Florissant by his young traveling companions^*' The village of ^R1niHsyfflpB T also known . at the time as was situated about sixteen miles from a,tr P^ great, distance from the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. At that time it boasted about four hundred inhabitants, and concerning the country surrounding it a traveler who visited there at the beginning of the last century remarked, "No words can describe its beauty and f ertility . " ** In spring and summer the undulating floor of the valley was a sea of verdure extending to the borders of vast forests of red, black, and white oak, walnut, maple, and trees of every species. In 1823 not a single habitation was to be seen as the eye swept the verdant expanse of the surrounding country. The soil of the district was of inexhaustible richness and fertility, and such land as was under cultiva- tion produced each year enormous crops. Florissant was regarded as the granary of St. Louis and the wheat grown there was renowned throughout Missouri, whence it was conveyed by water to Jjie.inarke.tsof Lower Louisiana. The house of thqf^Jesuit Missio5> was fl-hnflti orie fi n ^ a half miles from Florissant and stood upon an eminence. The situation commanded a fine view of the country lying spread before it like a panorama, with Florissant nestling 18 The account of this journey is taken from Father Hill's interesting book, "Historical Sketch of the St. Louis University," Chap, ii, St. Louis, 1879. 19 H. M. Breckenridge, "Views of Louisiana," Book ii, Chap. ii. 36 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. in the valley, the roofs of the houses peeping here and there through the trees. To the west lay St. Charles, with its low-roofed buildings rising in tiers on the bluffs of the Missouri River, and to the north sinuous white cliffs crowned with forests marked the course of the Mississippi River above Alton. However inspiring was this location, the buildings themselves left much to be desired. The main structure was an affair of one room about eight or nine yards wide, surmounted by a gable roof pitched so low that a man could not stand upright in the attic beneath it. A short distance away stood two huts, each about twenty feet square, and this group of three buildings was all their accommodation. If comforts there were, they were very few; the walls were of logs placed one upon the other, the intervening cracks being plastered up with mud. The roof consisted of large shingles,* which for lack of nails were held in place by strips of wood laid crosswise. The doors were made of rough, hand-hewn slabs, and were fastened by means of a wooden latch which was lifted by a string that hung outside. The windows were mere openings, without glass, having shutters that fastened in a manner similar to the doors. The missionaries proceeded at once to make themselves at home. The dark and stuffy attic became the dormitory of the novicesTanH its floor, softened by a buffalo robe or_a handful of straw, served as their bed. The ground floor was divided by a curtain which separated the chapel from the bedroom occupied by the Superior and his assistant. One of the two outhouses, which in a former day had served successively as a chicken-house and then a pig- pen, was transformed into a study for the novices and also a community refectory. The other outhouses were used as a shelter for plows and farm implements, and as a kitchen and sleeping-quarters for servants. The long journey had exhausted their modest financial resources and in a short while the community felt the * Translator's Note: The shingles referred to were in all probability what were commonly known in this part of the country as "clapboards." These differed from shingles, being made of oak generally, and being longer, wider r and thicker. ARRIVAL OF THE JESUITS IN MISSOURI 37 foite of poverty. The farm, it is true, comprised about three hundred acres, all agricultural land, but it had to be cleared, plowed, and planted with no help other than the three idle negroes. The labor was arduous and was fol- lowed by a protracted period of waiting for the first crop yield. Scant clothing and an inadequate diet of corn and bacon failed, however, to call forth a complaint. "Far from complaining, ' ' wrote Bishop Dubourg, ' ' they thanked God for giving them such a truly apostolic beginning." 20 The courageous Bishop himself gave them an example of perfect trust in Providence: "I wished to be prudent and have money in hand before seeking for missionaries, and behold, the men came before the money! Thus does God divsconcert the plans laid by our poor human prudence. . . . Could I refuse the services of this holy band of apostles under the cowardly pretext that I did not know where to find means to feed them ? God sent them to me and He will not let them starve. Moreover, never have I felt such entire confidence and peace as in this enterprise, which I feel to be above and beyond my own powers and strength to accomplish." 21 The good Bishop's trust did not go unrewarded. About that time the Society for the Propa- gation of the Fflith sent him ... a sum of nqpney wtflc^t he hastened to divide with the missionaries, ami in addition tojbhis, Providence seemed, to help them in other practical ways. The Ladies of the Sacred Heart had then been estab- lished some three years in Florissant. Madam Duchesne, a woman celebrated for her virtues and renowned for the religious houses which she had founded, was the Superior at the time, and while her community was, in fact, quite poor itself and had but scant means of support, the order of its charity was heroic. ThY-CQnducted a_ small school and had enrolled several postulants. The arrival of the Jesuit Fathers redoubled the self-sacrificing devotion of these good women. "Believing that this special mission had been confided to her, Madam Duchesne conserved 20 To his brother, Aug. 6, 1823. (Annals of the Propagation of the Faith, Vol. i, No. 5, p. 41.) 21 To his brother, March 1 7, 1 823. (Annals of the Propagation of the Faith, Vol. i, No. 5, p. 39.) 3 8 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. her resources for the new-comers. Not content with begging alms from the well-to-do families of St. Louis, she also deprived herself of her own belongings, kitchen utensils, linen, bedding, and other essentials, as well as provisions; and whenever she heard that the missionaries were in want she would assemble the nuns and, intimating that she had rather divined the Fathers' needy condition than been told of it, because they never made their wants known, she would let her tears plead the cause of her proteges. This was always followed by a unanimous resolution to practice greater self-denial. The nuns de- vpted a portion of every evening to making and mending clothing for the missionaries. On one occasion, having received a donation of five dollars for her convent, the Mother Superior turned it over to her poorer neighbors, and in commenting upon it when writing to Madam Barat she said: 'We shall be a little Providence to others, even as God is to us.""* 2 Thanks. _tp_the... heroic charity of these nuns, the mis- sionaries were able to eke out an endurable existence amidst the hardships of the early days of the novitiate, and ere long Father Van Quickenborne took steps to en- large the house, adding a_wing and a second story to the main building and also porches, running the entire length. July 3ist, the feast of St. Ignatius, was chosen for the beginning of the work. The only building-stone procur- able had to be quarried from the river-banks, and the trees from which the timbers and boards were to be hewn were selected from a small island in the Missouri River not far from the novitiate. Father Van Quickenborne and, his novices fell to their task with energy, and it was not long before the ground was covered with huge oak logs of many years' growth. The hewing and shaping of the timbers was all done on the spot where the trees were felled so as to facilitate transportation. While engaged on this work an accident occurred which revealed Father Van Quickenborne's indomitable will and resolu- tion. One of the novices who was assisting him in squaring up a timber, for lack of skill permitted the axe to glance, striking the Superior on the foot. The blood gushed from 22 Bishop Baunard, "Life of Madam Duchesne," p. 303. ARRIVAL OF THE JESUITS IN MISSOURI 39 the wound, but the priest would not desist from work till overcome by faintness; only the weakness from loss of blood compelled him to be seated and to permit his foot to be bandaged with a handkerchief. When the time arrived to return to the novitiate nothing would do but Father Van Quickenborne must trudge the several miles on his wounded foot. On the way, however, the pain became so excruciat- ing that he was obliged to mount a horse. For several days he was confined to bed with a high fever, but at the first sign of improvement he returned to his work. It_was necessary for him to ride horseback^ and this circumstance gave rise to another accident. In certain places the river-banks proved to be very marshy, and Father Van Quickenborne suddenly found that his horse had sunk into one of these treacherous bog-holes and was mired to the shoulders. He, fortunately, was able to dismount upon firm ground, but every effort to extricate the poor animal was futile, and he had the pain of seeing his mount perish before his eyes;- 3 * * These misfortunes, however, were to the laborers but a part of the day's work, and their ardor was unabated. On the island, which was now transformed into a lumber-yard, the axe, saw, and plane were plied incessantly, and it was not long before the work of dressing was finished and the last beam had been hauled up the hill upon which the novitiate stood. Nor was the gathering of the timber and its preparation at- tended to with more than sufficient dispatch, for the fol- lowing night the island was washed away by a sudden freshet in the Missouri. The building operations went on apace, and no member of the little colony lent himself to the work with greater enthusiasm than Father De Smet. His skill and herculean strength enabled him to do the work of three men. As late as a few years ago the remains of a hut built of enor- mous logs, one above the other and cemented with mud, were still to be seen at the novitiate, the work of "Sam- son," who was both architect and builder. His notes tell 23 Cf. Father De Smet, Selected Letters, 2d series, p. 174. * Translator's Note: This bog-hole was in all likelihood nothing more or less than one of the beds of quicksand which are quite common in the Mis- souri River, especially near sloughs formed by islands or on sand-bars. 4 o THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. us how every man labored at this arduous task with great -enthusiasm: "most joyfully and pleasantly." A truly remarkable thing is to be noted in the fact that none of these hardships and engrossing labors were per- mitted to interfere with the routine and regular spiritual exercises of the novitiate. 24 It bespeaks the great strength of soul of Father Van Quickenborne and his associates that the spiritual practices peculiar to the community life of the Society were not in any wise permitted to lapse or be abbre- viated under the stress of pressing and necessary material occupations. The enlargement of the house was finally accomplished and the little household more comfortably loaf , but added space and new walls had not shut out the O nawing wolf of poverty. The hard experience of the past months had taxed to the limit the endurance of Francis De Maillet and Charles Strahan, and they withdrew from the Society. These defections from the ranks served only to strengthen the tenacity of Peter De Smet. In one of his letters to his father he said: "I am in good health, contented, and happy in our little hut. . . . You are convinced, I feel sure, that the greatest happiness man can know here below is to serve God, love Him with his whole soul, abandoning him- self to the Divine Will; rejoice that your son has left the world and sought refuge in religion, where he is sheltered from the dangers that would have beset his path had he not followed his vocation." 85 The two years which had now passed since our young men entered the novitiate at Whitemarsh were deemed to be a sufficient term of probation, and on October 10, ,11823, the six Florissant novices made their first vows. Concern- ing the happiness which he felt on this occasion Peter De Smet wrote to his family: "I have had the honor of consecrating myself to God by vows which to me will be indissoluble bonds. I have given myself completely to His service, making thereby an irrevocable and absolute gift. It only now remains for me to sanctify myself in this state and remain faithful all the days of my life. Pray for me that I may persevere." 26 ""Nothing of the spiritual exercises was meanwhile neglected." 25 Letter of Dec. 8, 1823. 26 Ibid. CHAPTER III THE SCHOLASTICATE PRIESTHOOD FIRST LABORS (1823-1830) Father Van CMickenborne at once Superior, Professor, Parish Priest at Flori " ; t, and Chaplain of the Sacred Heart Convent Father De Theux -. v . Peter De Smet's Studies Confidence Reposed in Him by His Superiors His Taste for Natural Science The Priesthood Joost De Smet's Death The Third Year Beginning of Apostolic Work Florissr nt, St. Charles, etc. The "Indian College" The Plan for a "Reduction" Circumstances Preventing Its Accomplishment. TWO days after pronouncing their vows the young missionaries e.ntere^ upon the studies that were "to prepare_ther n f r *l? ft priesthood, and, owing to the fact thatjTinst of jftem had finished the "humanities" before leaving gelyiinn. fjlf ran rag WQQ opened with the study of pHiTos^Et A lack of text-books confronted the students, and Peter De Smet wrote to his father asking that the necessary ones be sent out. In addition to being Master of Novices Father Van Quickenborne assumed the role of Professor of Philosophy, and Peter Verhaegen, who had begun his ecclesiastical studies at Mechlin, became his assistant. The course was necessarily of a summary char- acter, because a detailed knnwIpHgp of systems was not as_jmporta.nt. to the future missionaries as a careful prepara- t.jnn in th mingy ftnd a proper traJningr and maturing of their minds. The circumstances of the times called for the earliest possible ordination of new priests. On May 31, 1824, Father Timmermans succumbed to "the hardships he endured during his missionary work; the travel through arid and flooded districts; the lodging in dilapidated huts and the sleeping on the ground; the diet of water and salt pork."' r He was only thirty-five 1 Letter to Madam Duchesne, Baunard, op. tit., p. 311. 42 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. years of age and was the first Jesuit to die in Missouri. Two months later the missionaries lost Father Nerinckx. The old priest had but just come to St. Louis, intending to devote the remaining years of his life to the poor and the Indians. With this object in view he had asked Bishop Rosati, coadjutor to Mgr. Dubourg, to give him the most neglected mission in his diocese. After visiting the Sisters of Loretto, who had established themselves the previous year at Barrens, he went to his friends at Florissant in order that he might take a long-needed rest. This visit was destined to be Father Nerinckx's farewell, for following it, a few days later, the intrepid missionary died at St. Gene- vieve in his sixty-third year, worn out by the fatigues of his laborious ministry. Father Van Quisksnbprne was now the sole remaining priest at thg^rlorissantT^isslo^, where he filled the offices of Superior, professor, parish priest, and chaplain _to_Jthe Ladies of the Sacred Heart. " Although weak in health," wrote Madam Duchesne, "he looked after four parishes and other remote missions across the river. On Sundays he said two Masses, preached three times in the morning, taught catechism, and heard confessions in the intervals between religious exercises."* No constitution, however robust, could withstand the exactions of such a routine, and, moreover, the training of the scholastics and the direction of their studies required his constant presence. This finally compelled Father Van Quickenborne to ask his Superiors for an assistant. On August 20, 1824, Peter De Smet wrote to his father: "I have finished my course in philosophy, and when the vacations are over I expect to begin theology we are daily expecting professors from Rome." Th&_jgxpecte.d professors never came, but Providence bestowed upon the new mission another remarkable Belgian who was destined jgjeave behmdjiim a reputation for sanctity. This was tieodore DjTT^eu^of Meylandt, born on January 24, 1789, at LiSge. After taking his degree brilliantly at the seminary of Namur, he became, in 1812, the vicar of St. Nicolas in his native town. The hospitals at Liege were at that time overcrowded 2 Florissant, June 10, 1824. THE SCHOLASTICATE 43 with Spanish prisoners who had been deported by Na- poleon, and a malignant fever raging in their midst was decimating their numbers daily. Abbe De Theux, that he might hear the confessions of the stricken Spaniards, lent himself with diligence to the acquiring of their lan- guage, but before he made any progress in it he himself fell a victim to the scourge, and was compelled to return to his home. The disease was so contagious that in a few weeks two of his brothers and four servants had died of it. The young priest was at the point of death, but the designs of Providence seemed to contemplate reserving him for other work. He was appointed professor of Dogma and Sacred Scripture at Liege in 1815, and presided at the opening of the new seminary, where he happened to meet Father Nerinckx, and experienced the call which added him to the ranks of American missionaries. In April, 1816, he left Belgium without again seeing his parents, and was received into the novitiate of the Society of Jesus by Father Grassi, Superior of the Maryland Province in America. Almost immediately following his reception into the Society he was given the chair of philosophy in George- town University, was appointed preacher to the students, and soon thereafter became head of the Georgetown parish and mission. "Such," wrote Archbishop Marechal, "is the fervor of his piety, the immensity of his zeal, and his great charity, that numerous Protestants attended his instructions and afterward embraced the Catholic Faith. "^ To those who remonstrated with Father De Theux for his excessive labors he replied, "It is for this that I became a Jesuit." Father De Theux Jhad been eight years in Maryland when his Superior, Father Dzierozynski), sent him to join febher_Van QmckenBbme in Missouri. Upon his arrival at Florissant in October, 1825, he was struck with the poverty and needs of the mission, but, far from being dis- mayed, he remarked, "The Apostles were only twelve in number when they undertook the conversion of the world ; our successors will finish the work we have been unable to accomplish."^ 3 Letter to Mr. De Theux, Nov. 22, 1821. 4 Letter to his mother, Feb. 3, 1826. 44 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. Father Van Quickenborne had by this time been ap- pointed Vicar General of Upper Louisiana^" a position which did not, however, abolish his ministry in Florissant and the surrounding country, and father JJe 'rhefift re- lieved him of the theological training of the young religious. Father De Theux's previous studies and his experience in Georgetown facilitated this work for him, and though time was wanting in which to thoroughly develop his course of instruction, he made it his aim, through solid and prac- tical teaching, to prepare his students for a fruitful aposto- late, not only among the Indians, but also in the field of Protestantism . Having already studied theology for a year under Father Van Quickenborne, Peter De Smet followed only a two years' course under the direction of Father De Theu^ At Florissant, as at Mechlin, the solid quality of his mind and the sureness of his judgment won him the entire con- fidence of his Superior. "For several years," he writes later on, "I enjoyed the happiness of living with Father De Theux in a miserable little hut, and at his express wish I became his monitor. It was agreed between us that twice a week he should question me upon the faults and defects I had observed in him. He begged me never to spare him, nor consider his feelings, saying he would be most grateful for this service, and would often pray for me. I observed him carefully in the performance of his spiritual exercises, in his class of theology, at table, and at recreation, and never discovered the least failure in duty. He was grieved that I did not correct him so to quiet the good priest I would mention some trifling imper- fection, a mere nothing, which he thanked me for. I feel sure he prayed for me." 6 ' Innumerable were the unpleasant circumstances and incidents which conspired to render the studies of the scholastics burdensome, but Peter De Smet took every- thing in good part. "Thank God!" he writes, "I am wonderfully well. I have suffered with the heat, it is 6 The letter of Archbishop Dubourg, in which he appoints him, is dated Dec. 28, 1824. Cf. "History of the Society of Jesus in North America," by Thomas Hughes, S. J., London, 1910, p. 1027. 6 Selected Letters, 3d series, p. 191. THE SCHOLASTICATE 45 true, but then we have other advantages of which you are deprived. In Flanders I had often to be bled a custom of the country, and an operation which there required a doctor. It is done here, gratis, by gnats, mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and flies. They are so obliging! It is far easier to kill them than to try to dissuade them from rendering this service."-*' During vacation young De Smet collected minerals. plants, and the inseo.ts peculiar fa tV>p rnnntry j thereby acquiring so thorough a knowledge of natural science that his name came to be known among scientific men. He collected not only to satisfy his own curiosity and his thirst for knowledge, but also to send specimens to his family and the benefactors of the missions. "I have read with pleasure," he writes his brother Charles, "that you have an extended knowledge of foreign trees and plants, and I am only waiting to know what specimens you want before sending you some from my own collection. I have gathered near here every interesting specimen that is not to be found in Flanders. These I will send you at the first opportunity. ... I know several travelers who often pass through the Indian country, and you shall have your share in everything I receive."-* He further tells about a qonsignment of insects, birds, and snakes, and refers to the fact that he had made a collection of reptiles of " every species in the State of Missouri." Madam De Theux, the mother of his theology teacher, received a collection of some two hundred insects, as well as of the different seeds peculiar to the locality. A similar collection was forwarded to the Jesuits in Rome. The care of souls, however, remained the all-absorbing interest of these pioneer priests : "A mission territory some three thousand leagues in circumference and one devoid of ministers of the Gospel has been confided to our care. Pray and have prayers and Masses said for us and for the unfortunate people scattered through this wilderness who are waiting on our ministration." 9 "The misery of so many souls deprived of the light and consolation of true religion saddens my heart. Since I am not in a position 7 To his father, St. Ferdinand, Aug. 20, 1824. 8 Feb. 10, 1828. 9 To his father, Dec. 8, 1823. 46 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. to labor among them, the thought of their condition spurs me on and urges me to beseech heaven in their behalf. I beg you, my dear father and my sisters and brothers, to add your supplications to mine. Our united prayers can- not fail to obtain what should be the desire of every good Catholic the conversion of sinners, and the return of our erring brothers to the fold.' 1 ' 19 The time for his ordination was now approaching. Having finished the course in philosophy, Peter De Smet received the tonsure and minor orders from Bishop KbsaTi} In a letter to his father under date of May 7, 1827, he says: "We shall pass our examinations in logic, metaphysics, natural philosophy, and theology in July, after which, in all probability, we shall be ordained. Pray for me." On September 23d of the same year, in the parish church at CFlpfissant), Bishop Rosati conferred Holy Orders upon young De Smet "and his three companions, John Elet/ Joost Van Assche, and Felix Verreydt. 4 ^ The following day, the feast of Our Lady of Mercy, Father De Smet celebrated his first Mass. The father of our missionary was not destined to realize here on earth the joy and satisfaction of knowing that his son had become a priest, for seven months before, in his ninety-first year, he passed away in the bosom of his loving and devoted family ?* Peter could never free him- self from the feeling that his father cherished a certain resentment against him because of his departure from home. "In reading over the letters you wrote me three or four years ago I experience an inexpressible joy when I perceive that you are completely resigned to the will of God, and note the sentiments you entertain in my regard, but when I consider that these letters are the only ones I have received from home, and that I am in complete ignorance of all that is happening to you, I am weighed down with sadness."* 3 The irregularity of sailings and mails at that period would account for the silence of De Smet senior. There 10 April 29, 1824. "John Baptiste Smedts and Peter Verhaegen had been ordained the previous year. 12 Joost De Smet died Feb. 15, 1827. 13 To his father, May 7, 1827. PRIESTHOOD 47 exists, however, a touching proof of the affection which Joost De Smet felt for his son. Not long before his death he sat for a portrait, in which he is seen holding in his hand a letter from Peter, a pose he insisted upon taking. When the missionary returned to Belgium he often stood before that venerated image and there read the assurance of his pardon. Having completed their studies foi^tfie priesthood, the young reTigiousnow passed from the Status of scholastics to, probationers, as it were. Despite the fact that the mission was in need of active ministers of the Gospel, Father Van Quickenborne would not curtail the course prescribed by St. Ignatius by omitting the "third year," and he even took upon himself the duties of instructor. With appealing eloquence he preached to these young men the principles of self-abnegation, and instilled into them the love of Christ. He exhorted them to apostolic zeal with such burning words that the lapse of thirty years could not efface them from the memory of Father De Smet: "The salvation of souls was the one thought, desire, and longing of his life. . . . He communicated his devouring zeal to others and one felt carried away by his words. Those who could not materially aid him in his work were moved to pray for his success."-* 4 In__ addition to the lectures of the Superior the young priests now added the practical work of ministry by frequently visiting the Catholics living in the neighborhood of Florissant. Touching upon his early experiences in a letter to his sister Rosalie, Father De Smet says: "Nu- merous difficulties confront us who are working for the evangelization of this country. In this part of America there are few churches. We are obliged oftentimes to say Mass in a roofless hut, with the congregation exposed to heat, cold, and inclement weather. In winter the altar is often covered with snow, and in summer it streams with wax from the candles melted by the excessive heat. An- other great difficulty is the scattered population. By far the smaller percentage of the Catholics live in the settle- ments, the majority being dispersed throughout the wilder- 14 Selected Letters, 3d series, p. 178. 48 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. ness sometimes at a distance of fifteen or twenty miles from one another. We are obliged to seek them like lost sheep, often at the peril of our lives. Sometimes we spend the night in the woods, exposed to the attacks of the wolves, which are quite numerous in these parts, or we may sojourn in a hut where a fire is our only light, and our clothes the only bed-covering. We cross rivers on horseback, or on the trunk of a fallen tree, or in a bark canoe. Again and again we eat our first meal at six o'clock in the evening, and oftentimes are obliged to postpone even this one till the following day. Hard- ships of this character, however, reduce embonpoint, and we are all in excellent health, a fact that astonishes the Americans. We tell them it is the Belgian blood in our veins. There is much talk about black and yellow fever and chills and fever, but as for myself, thank God! I have not fallen a victim to any of these maladies and am always the same Peter." The letter concludes with an appeal to the generosity of the clergy and Catholics of Termonde: "I know, dear sister, that you enjoy a game of lotto with Mile. X. ... Give the winnings to our poor missions."' 16 The exercises of the " third year" were concluded July 31, 1828, and from that time forward the needs of the mission were not so great. Before beginning the work of converting the Indians, the Catholics were sought out and drawn away from Protestant influences. The Protestant ministers were endeavoring in every way to interfere with the work of the Jesuits. Catholicism was represented by them as a collection of absurd doctrines, and this attitude was backed up by gross calumnies about the Jesuits. In addressing the ignorant classes these preachers were wont to paint the Jesuits as monsters with hoofs and horns, and when the first priest came among the people of this locality he was scrutinized as a curiosity. It did not take long, however, to dispel these false impressions and win the misguided ones to the faith. Prior to the founding of the college in St. Louis the Jesuits had two principal centers of activity: Florissant and St. Charles. When they came to Florissant they 16 Florissant, Feb. 16, 1828. (Translated from the Flemish.) FIRST LABORS 49 found a Belgian priest, Father Charles de la Croix, 16 in charge of the parish. This man's faith and piety had caused Bishop Dubourg to regard him as his principal auxiliary, and the Bishop used to call him ''his good angel." When, eventually, physical exhaustion compelled Father de la Croix to quit his post, the parish was turned over to Father Van Quickenborne, who from 1828 on had as his assistants Fathers De Theux and Elet. The ardent zeal, the charity, and the forceful, convinc- ing words of these priests deeply moved Catholics and Protestants alike, and enthusiasm spread. Retreats were preached by the missionaries, attracting the villagers to the^hurch^at first, and afterward bringing them to the holy table. Madam Duchesne, who witnessed these marvels, was lost in admiration: "These Fathers," she remarked, "seem capable of converting an entire kingdom." St. Charles, situated on the left bank of the Missouri River, some ten miles above Florissant, numbered in population about one hundred Catholic families, all more or less poor. From . contributions which he had begged Father Van Quickenborne was enabled to replace the barnlike building that served this community for a church, byja stone structure, which was looked upon as the most imposing i>r j t,hq* fgprirm The parish was ministered to by Father Verhaegen first, and later by Fathers Smedts and Verreydt, with the same success that their fellow- priests had already attained at Florissant. From these two main centers the missionaries extended their apostolic work unto the surrounding country. Father Van Quickenborne, writing in 1829, says: "The St. Charles church had three smaller churches attached to it. These 16 Born in 1792 at Hoorebeke-St.-Corneille in Eastern Flanders, Charles de la Croix was one of those valiant seminarists of Ghent who were forced into Napoleon's army. Ordained priest by Bishop Dubourg in 1817, he followed the missionary bishop to America. His first appointment was that of parish priest at Barrens, going later on to Florissant. He had begun the conversion of the Osage Indians when he was stricken down by a severe illness. After a sojourn in Belgium, where he remained some time, he was called to the pastorate of St. Michael's in Louisiana in 1829.. He remained five years longer in America, and returned to Ghent, where he became Canon of the Cathedral and Secretary General of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Thence, until his death in 1869, he labored for the cause of the missions. 50 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. the Fathers visited once a month to celebrate Mass, 17 and also called upon six other stations about one hundred and forty- two miles distant. These latter places were only recently established, and when, two years ago, I visited them for the first time there were but seven Catho- lics to be found. The mission priest, on his latest visit to these stations, gave thirty-two communions and also converted several Protestants. To-day the Catholics there number one hundred and eighty souls."' 18 Although he was at that time in charge of thjs Jlljadian College," of which we will speak later on, Father De Smet tells us he often went to assist his companions in the dif- ferent mission posts. 19 No one rejoiced more than he in the progress Catholicism was making. "It seems," he writes, ' * that the National Synod of the Bishops of America that sat last October, has thrown the Protestant ministers into a state of panic. 20 '" Before that event the progress our religion was making no doubt alarmed them, but now they have abandoned all restraint, and in their alarm give vent to a bitterness and hatred which betrays itself in atrocious calumnies spread abroad against everything Catholic. One can hardly repress a smile when reading their periodicals: 'The terrible Inquisition is being born again in this beautiful land of liberty, and instruments of torture and the gallows will soon be erected upon the ruins of Protestantism.' Despotism, Jesuitism such are the names applied to the government of the Church. . . . The National Synod is condemned as a work of Satan and is every imaginable abomination. . . . 'The standard of the beast with ten horns (thus they designate the Sovereign Pontiff) is being waved from one end of the Republic to the other, and rivers of blood will soon inundate the land.' "By having recourse to the basest calumnies, the 17 These villages were Dardenne, Hancock Prairie, and Portage des Sioux. 18 Letter to Mr. De Nef, May 30, 1829. 19 "From 1827 to 1833 I was attached to the missions at St. Charles, Portage, Dardenne, St. Ferdinand, etc." (Itinerary manuscript.) 20 This was the first Provincial Council of Baltimore, held Oct. I, 1829, pre- sided over by Archbishop Whitfield. The assembled bishops deliberated upon means of extending the Faith and combating "the spirit of indifference which, under the specious name of liberalism, tends to confound truth with error, representing all religions as equally good." (See pastoral letter of the* Arch- bishop of Baltimore in "L'Ami de la Religion," Dec. 16, 1829.) FIRST LABORS 51 Protestants endeavor to terrify good people, but, God be praised! the people are beginning to mistrust these proph- ets. They are investigating the situation for themselves, and cease to put faith in the worn-out stories of our enemies. We shall soon have the joy of seeing prejudices vanish one by one, and truth triumph." 21 The kind services rendered the Fathers upon their ar- rival in Florissant by the Ladies of the Sacred Heart were not forgotten, and in gratitude the Jesuits offered them- selves as chaplains to the community. Father Van Quickenborne became their spiritual director. He was a stern man, brief in conversation, and knew but one road that of humility and renunciation. The Mother Superior, no less than the nuns, was conducted along a thorny path. One day the good Mother, moved by the poverty of the Fathers, sent them a cooked dinner. Father Van Quicken- borne returned it with the curt remark that he had not asked any alms of Madam Duchesne. Such rigor as this can be applied only to strong souls, but that it was to the liking of the Superior and her heroic companions is evidenced in her correspondence with Madam Barat. "Truly," she writes, "it would be very bad taste on my part to com- plain, when I am favored and upheld by so many friends of God. The guidance of these holy men is so uplifting that I delight more in our poverty-stricken country life than I should in that of a well-endowed convent in town." The esteem felt by Madam Duchesne for the Jesuit Fathers was evinced even in a greater decree bv the interest she showed in their work. On occasions when they went forth to visit their outlying congregations she would with celerity and generosity equip them with vestments, altar linen, sacred vessels; also money, cooking-utensils, and even the horse belonging to the convent. Indignant at the thought of the money which the Protestants were raising to oppose the work of the missionaries, she ex- claimed, sublimely: "Could my flesh be converted into money, I would give it willingly to help our missions!" 22 From this t.jmp. dates the religious friendship between Madam Duchesne and Father De Smet. Appreciating 21 To his sister Rosalie, Feb. I, 1830. 22 "Histoire de Mme. Duchesne," Baunard, pp. 306 et seq. 5 2 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. his zeal and initiative, she never ceased to pray for the success of his work and encourage him in every way. He in return venerated her, and was grateful to her to the end of his life. The Indians, meanwhile, were not overlooked. Dis- possessed of their lands and driven west by the_whites f they now found refuge and support in the Catholic Church. A considerable number of them, whose fathers- had been instructed and baptized by the Jesuits, were well- disposed toward Catholicity. Protestant ministers made repeated attempts to gain their confidence, but were always coldly received. 23 "What had they to do," asked the Indians, "with married preachers, men who wore no crucifix, and said no rosary? They wanted only the Black Robes to teach them how to serve God. T^eyjeven went_jctiar,..as to appeal to the President of the, United. States, asking that the married ministers might be recalled land .Catholic priests sent in their place. "^ In 1823 a deputation of the Indians of Missouri came to- St. Louis, and had an interview with the Governor. They also saw the pastor of the Cathedral, begged that mission- aries be sent among them, and promised that any priests who should come would be accorded the very best treat- ment. The following year a family of Iroquois or Algon- quins journeyed to Florissant to have their children baptized. On another occasion the head of a family brought the dead body of his son, wrapped in a buffalo robe, to a priest, asking to have it interred in consecrated ground. The all-absorbing desire of the missionaries was to go at once to the Indians. The scarcity of priests, however, made it impossible for them to found new missions, so in 1824 they decided to open a school in Florissant where the children of the various tribes could be instructed, baptized, and brought up in the Catholic laith. In addi- tion to the fact that the United States Government granted a subsidy to this school, it offered to the Jesuits a further 23 "Each sect desired the conversion of the Indians as a proof of the divinity of their particular doctrine." (Letter of Father Van Quickenborne to Mr- De Nef, May 30, 1829.) 24 Letter of Father De Smet to his father, Aug. 20, 1824. FIRST LABORS 53 advantage, in that, while the scholastics were awaiting ordination, they could study the language and habits of the Indians. It was further hoped that the Indian pupils would eventually be of assistance as interpreters and catechists. The Ladies of the Sacred Heart shortly afterward opened a similar school for Indian girls. Father Van Quickenborne built a frame school-building .of two stories, and about forty foot frontage adjoining the mission house, and it was not long before the Indian children began to arrive, some being sent . by Catholic ffl'miiipg in St.. .I>Miija~ ntViprg by superintendents of the tribes in Missouri, a few being brought by their own parents. Two months after the opening of the school Peter De Smet writes: " Already two chiefs of the Ayonais have brought their children to us for instruction. One of the chieftains, in giving his children to the Superior, said, 'Black Robe, this one is an orphan boy; the others have lost a mother whom they loved tenderly; in you they will find both father and mother. By teaching them to know the Master of life you will be giving them every good." Father De Smet describes this chief as "a giant in stature, tawny of skin, hair and face daubed with vermilion after the manner of savages. 25 His ears were pierced with many holes, and from his head hung two tin tubes in the form of a cross filled with feathers of dif- ferent colors. His clothes consisted of a green shirt and knee-breeches of doe-skin, attached to which were the tails of wildcats that flapped about his legs as he walked." In the same letter Father De Smet goes on to say, "The children are very attentive at the instructions. They are being prepared for baptism, and we hope they will one day be apostles to their respective tribes. Many more chil- dren are on their way to our school, and if we had the means we could accommodate about eighty pupils."- 3 * Before long the children that congregated at the school 25 It is an abuse of the word to speak of the "redskins" of America. " None among the peoples of the New World have red skin, unless painted, which often happens. Even the reddish tinge of the skin resembling that of the Ethiopian is found only among half-breeds. In America one sees people of various shades of yellow from brownish to yellow, and even paler." Den- iker, "Les Races et les Peuples de la Terre," Paris, 1900, p. 593. 26 Letter to his father, Aug. 20, 1824. 54 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. represented seven or eight different tribes. They were taught writing and English. The older ones were in- structed in agriculture, and in order to incite them to take up the manual labor inseparable from this study, it was necessary for the Fathers to join in the plowing and spad- ing of the soil, as the savage regards this as menial work, and hence beneath his dignity. 27 The day came when the Catholic families of St. Louis in default of a college sent their children to the mission school. At first the scholastics of Florissant taught the young Indians, and Father De Smet was at the head of this department. After the "third year," however, he seems to have been left quite alone. No human motive could have persuaded him to seek this particular phase of the work, for those who know the idleness, the unsteadi- ness, and the revolting filth of the Indians, know also that constant contact with these gross natures requires a heroic charity of which God alone can judge the price. 28 But nothing deterred this man, who, upon his arrival in St. Louis, wrote to his father: "To suffer and die for the salvation of souls is the sole ambition of a true mis- sionary." 29 The Indian children grew and prospered, and while at Florissant contracted industrious habits and learned pious practices. When, however, this part of their education 27 The presence of the children was a means of reaching the parents. "A short time ago," writes Joost Van Assche, "a party of about thirty Indians came to visit us. One of them, seeing his son carrying a bucket of water, asked him had he become a slave they call those who work, slaves but after three days, seeing that the children were well treated, the Indians suffered a change of mind and spoke quite otherwise. During their visit they entirely consumed one of our biggest beeves and nearly all our potatoes. The day the caravan arrived one of the Indians said he wished to take away his son, who seemed quite willing to go. Before leaving the father made the boy recite his prayers and other things he knew perfectly. He then in my presence said to him: 'My son, I will not take you with me. You have everything here that is good for you. You pray night and morning to the Master of life while we are roaming the woods like wild beasts. Remain here, and I will come soon again to see you." (Letter to Mr. De Nef, Dec. 4, 1825.) 28 "We pray fervently for the conversion of the Indians, and to obtain laborers in the missionary field," wrote Madam Duchesne, "but they must be men who have died to all things, for every feature about the work is against human nature. Faith only, and the love of Christ suffering, can sup- port a soul in such labor." (June 10, 1824.) 29 Aug. 26, 1823. FIRST LABORS 55 was finished, there was no alternative but to send them back to their tribes, there to be deprived of religious help, and exposed, in their own families, to gross superstition and revolting immorality. To meet this_ situation the Jesuits formulated a plan whereby, instead of returning home, the young men upon leaving school should marry tEe"~thristian girls of their tribes girls who had been educated by the nuns of the Sacred Heart. Each family was to receive a certain allotment of land, and thus the newly-baptized, under the vigilant eyes of the mission- aries, would found a Christian village, the first foundation serving as a model for others.'**' This plan met with the approval of President Jackson and also that of Very Rev. John Roothaan, General of the Society of Jesus ;** but two obstacles were encountered which rendered it im- practicable. The first difficulty grew out of the limited resources of the Florissant mission, which in 1827 barely sufficed to feed thirty pupils, and which could not be expanded or stretched so far as to purchase the six thousand acres of land necessary for the project. 32 The second difficulty was found in the unstable character of the Indians, and still more in the land-grabbing policy of the United States Government. When the Osages consented to cede their Missouri lands to the Government and retire to Indian Territory, they took away with them the greater number of the children at the mission. From this time on the number of scholars, never exceeding forty, decreased steadily. This tr^in-Qljcircumstances forced the Fathers, in 1836, to close their school. Providence was calling them to labor in other fields. They continued striving by every means, nevertheless, to follow and convert the Indians who were constantly moving further and further west, 30 In a letter to Mr. De Nef (May 30, 1829) Father Van Quickenborne set forth this project, and its advantages. This letter, almost in its entirety, is to be found in the Annals of the Propagation of the Faith, Vol. iv, p. 583. 31 Cf . The Woodstock Letters, Vol. xxv, p. 354. 32 The Government which had approved the scheme should have sup- ported it, but Father Van Quickenborne hardly hoped for this: "The ex- pense for one year exceeded 1,600 francs ($320) and the Government paid only 400 francs ($80). . . . For many reasons I think it is not to our interest to ask for their cooperation." (Letter cited.) 5 6 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. and Father Van Quickenborne, at the price of great dif- ficulty and inexpressible hardships, started new missions among the tribes. As to Father De Smet, he was the last to leave his beloved school, where, to the end, he had the satisfaction of seeing the children docile to his directions and attentive to the lessons he taught them. He had learned their language and come to understand their habits. Later, when he was in the Rocky Mountains and in Oregon, and again became instructor to the Indians, he needed but to recall to memory the customs and organization of the Florissant school. CHAPTER IV THE ST. LOXJIS COLLEGE SOJOURN IN EUROPE (1830-1837) St. Louis, "the Queen of the West" Building the College Father De Smet, Prefect, Professor of English, and Procurator Rapid Growth The College is Given the Title and Privileges of a University Financial Embarrassment Father De Smet is Sent to Europe to Obtain Money His Health Requires a Change A Visit to His Family, to Benefactors, and to Mr. De Nef A Financial Success Father De Smet Wishes to Sail A Serious Illness Forces Him to Return to Belgium He Obtains Permission to Leave the Society Services Rendered to the Nuns at Termonde The Foundation of the Carmelites at Alost His Devotion to the Missions As Soon as His Health is Restored He Returns to Missouri, and is Readmitted to the Society of Jesus. UPON the west bank of the Mississippi, twenty miles below the mouth of the Missouri River, and in the center of an immense plain extending from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Alleghanies to the Rocky Mountains, stands the city of St. Louis, "the Queen of the West," as it has long been called by Amer- icans. Few cities equal it in its commercial and agricultural advantages. A network of streams, whose navigable waters total some thirty thousand miles, formed by the tributaries of the Mississippi, makes St. Louis the center of the whole Mississippi basin. T^e_JMissouri, the^Ar- kansas, the Illinois, the Ohio, and the Wisconsin rivers flow through States abounding in wheat, coal, minerals, and timber of every variety. This river system waters a land that is exceeded in fertility by no country in the world. Founded in 1764 by French colonists from Louisiana, St. Louis was at that time an outpost from which trappers penetrated into the wilderness to trade with the Indians, and to hunt the beaver and the bison, returning after each 5 58 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. expedition to place their furs in its market, which was a dominant factor in the raw fur trade of the world. St. Louis, with Louisiana, was ceded to the United States by Napoleon in 1803, and soon thereafter began the settling up of the rich country that to-day forms the State of Missouri. Through concessions of land and the granting of immunities, the Government encouraged immigration, and the population increased rapidly. When the Jesuits arrived in Missouri, St. Louis was entering upon a develop- ment destined to make it one of the first cities of the New World. 1 In 1822 the town was granted a municipal charter, and four years later (1826) it became the seat of a Bishopric independent of the See of New Orleans. 2 The population of Missouri, which for the greater part was Catholic in the beginning, began to feel the influence of Protestantism, as exemplified by Methodists, Quakers, Anabaptists, and Presbyterians, all of whom had their ministers, preachers, and schools, and to offset this in- fluence a Catholic college was badly needed for those of good faith, who were thrown into contact with jthe_ jiis- senters. 3 Before returning to France Bishop Dubourg offered the Jesuits a large tract of land just outside the city limits, and Bishop Rosati's first act, when he became Bishop of St. Louis, was to renew the offer made by his predecessor. The main object of the Jesuits in coming to Missouri had been the evangelization of the Indians ; but a ministry to the whites seemed to offer at that time an opportunity for more abundant and lasting good. Father Van Quicken- borne submitted the proposition to Father Dzierozynski, 1 In 1820 St. Louis had about 5,000 inhabitants; in 1850, 80,000, and the census of to-day credits it with over 700,000. 2 Overcome by the fatigues and difficulties of administration, Bishop Dubourg returned to France in 1826, where, as Archbishop of Besangon, he died in 1833. Bishop De Neckere, a Belgian, succeeded him at New Or- leans, and Bishop Rosati, who since 1823 had acted as Coadjutor at St. Louis, became titular Bishop of that city in 1827. Joseph Rosati was born in 1790 at Sora in the kingdom of Naples. He joined the congregation of St. Lazarus and early in life consecrated himself to the American Missions. This worthy man created the diocese of St. Louis, which he administered for sixteen years, during which time he hon- ored with his constant friendship the Fathers of the Society of Jesus. 3 A former college, confided by Bishop Dubourg to some secular priests, had not prospered. THE ST. LOUIS COLLEGE 59 who, regarding it favorably, confided to the Superior at Florissant the foundation of the new college. Money being an important factor in the project, Father Van Quickenborne was obliged to raise what he could by sub- scription from the people of St. Louis. His efforts in this direction were rewarded by the collection of $3,000, which was but half of the sum required; for the balance he trusted to a beneficent Providence. In the autumn of 1828 work was begun under his direc- that. of "Rftfftpr Verhaegen. Father De Smet often laid aside the duties of his professorship and for a change of occupation went to St. Louis to help in the construction work. With his own hands he cut stone, carried bricks, and directed the sanitary arrangements. In less than a year the building was. finished and Father Verhaegen was appointed Rector, with Fathers De Theux and Elet as directors of the institution. The college opened Novem- ber"^, 1829, with forty pupils, including both day- scholars and boarders, and from that time on the attend- ance grew constantly. Three months later Father De Smet writes: "There are already more than one hundred scholars at the St. Louis College, the greater part of them being Protestants, and many of these coming from a dis- tance of more than four hundred leagues." 4 Tbis_rapid growthcaUsd. for a corresponding increase in the faculty, and in. 1 830 the school at Florissant was closed and Father De Smet sent to St. Louis, where he filled the offices .of Procurator, Prefect of Studies, and Professor oTEnglish. "Our establishment continues to prosper," he writes to his sister. "We have more than one hundred and fifty pupils, of whom half are Protestants. You can picture me in the midst of this mischievous band, making deafen- ing noises at recreation, and leading me a merry dance when it gets the opportunity. In spite of all this, however, we have every reason to be satisfied, since the greater number behave well, and make rapid progress in their studies." 5 It was evident that Father De Smet regretted the separation from his little savages at Florissant, but his 4 Letter to his sister Rosalie, Feb. I, 1830. 5 St. Louis, May 9, 1832. 60 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. kindness and good spirits soon won the affection of his new pupils, many of whom remembered him in after-life, and contributed to his missions. In 1831, Father Roothaan, General of the Jesuits, deem- ing the future of the Missouri Mission assured, detached it from the Maryland Province to which it had hitherto Belonged. Father De Theu was appointed Superior, and JFather Van Quickenborne, happy to be relieved of author- fity, left at once for the west to consecrate his remaining 'years to the conversion of the Indian tribes. In conjunc- tion with these changes, the Provincial sent to St. Louis from Georgetown three other Belgians, one of whom was Father James Van de Velde, the future Bishop of Natchez. 6 Every year saw an increase in the number of scholars attending the college and eventually it became necessary to add a new building to the original group. Qn_December 28, 1832, the State of Missouri bestowed upon the college the title and charter of a University, where letters, science, medicine, law, and theology 7 were taught, and from that time on the establishment became one of the leading intel- lectual centers of the United States. The success achieved by the Fathers was not confined to the activities of the class-room alone ; they became equally celebrated as preachers. Being without a church of their own, the pulpit at the cathedral was offered to them every Sunday, and to the congregations gathering there they preached sometimes in French and sometimes in English. The Protestants were not slow in denouncing the " papist invasion of the Mississippi valley," and, as_it_were, to offset^this, the Jesuits added the apostolate of the pen to that of the spoken word, by taking over the direction 6T "The Shepherd of the Valley," a newspaper founded by Bishop Rosati. 8 This organ defended Catholicism 6 Arriving in America with Father Nerinckx in 1817, Father Van de Velde soon became famous as an orator and a distinguished humanist. 7 The courses of law and medicine were given by outside professors. 8 Father Verhaegen, justly proud of his work, gives the benefactors of the mission an account of the things achieved: "We Belgians, who came here ignorant of English, now write in this language and have succeeded in reach- ing Protestants, who read our paper eagerly. They find in it the truth they boast of seeking, and are finally convinced. It has an immense circu- lation, and accomplishes much good. Thus we not only labor to form the hearts of our pupils, who will revive piety in their own homes, but from our THE ST. LOUIS COLLEGE 61 against Protestant attacks, and brought about many conversions. Fanatical religious opposition was, however, the least of the trials that beset the missionaries at this time. A great disaster fell upon the community in the shape of a terrific cyclone that devastated the valley of the Mississippi. The college was all but demolished, the pupils and the pro- fessors barely escaping with their lives. Then came an epidemic of cholera, that claimed more than two hundred victims a day, and forced the institution to close its doors for three months. Three of the professors broke down in health from overwork brought about by these conditions, and their classes had to be cared for by the other already overburdened teachers. ' ' But , ' ' writes the Rector, ' ' in spite of all these difficulties that confront us daily we walk erecto capite." 9 The limitations and embarrassments of poverty were, perhaps, not less difficult to bear than the other misfor- tunes. 10 Father De Srnet; as Procurator, bore the brunt of the impoverished exchequer. "You will be surprised," he writes to his sister, "that I am Father Procurator, that is, steward of the college I, who in Flanders could not keep a penny in my pocket ! I am general purchaser, and it is no easy task, especially in this college, with money as scarce as it is. My cash-box is as empty and smooth as the palm of my hand, and yet from every side I am be- sieged for this thing and that, and, lacking the means to satisfy these demands, am called stingy." 11 Hor did poverty and want settle themselves upon the Jesuits only in St. Louis; Father De Theux had great difficulty in se- curing sufficient means to feed the novices, and Father college we preach, so to speak, to every part of the West." (Letter to Mr. De Nef, May 26, 1833.) 9 Letter to Mr. De Nef, May 26, 1833. 10 In alluding to the title of University recently bestowed upon the college, Father Verhaegen wrote: "In according us the distinction bestowed on no other institution in Missouri, the Legislature gives public and unequivocal proof of the importance of our institution, and the esteem in which it is held. But it is a title without endowment, and one, moreover, that imposes upon us the necessity of proving ourselves worthy of the esteem we enjoy. The day school being free, the revenues from the boarders, which must meet the running expenses of the house, are insufficient to permit us to extend our work, and accomplish all the good we could do in our position." (Letter cited.) " May 9, 1832. 62 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. Kenny, after sojourning at the mission as a visitor, tells us that the houses at Florissant and at St. Charles were "miserably poor." 12 The Catholics of Missouri, for the most part of Canadian and Irish origin, had already made such great sacrifices to build the college that nothing more could be asked of them. Money was an absolute necessity. Additional missionaries were also needed, and these considerations, in conjunction with the fact that the Fathers were anxious to have their Missouri Province united with the Belgian Province of the Society, moved them to make an appeal to Belgium. Father De Smet was chosen for this mission. The priva- tions he had suffered at Florissant, and his unremitting labor in St. Louis, had begun to tell on his robust consti- tution, so that, even had the dire needs of his community not required him to take this journey, his health would have demanded some such relaxation. Father De Smet left St. Louis toward the end of Sep- tember, (8 3^, and spent some time en route at Georgetown. The second Council of Baltimore was about to take place, and as the question of the Indian Missions would come before it, he wished to know the result of its deliberations before sailing. The Council advocated the policy of officially confiding this field of missionary work to the Jesuits, and, in the hope of soon being able to takgjapjiis ministrations to the Indians, he left at once to plead their cause with his compatriots. He landed at Havre in the winter of 1834, going at once to see Father Van Lil, the Belgian Provincial residing then at Ghent. From there he wrote to his brother Charles: "After this long absence I am pining to see you and embrace you. For three years I have had no news of my family : please, I beg you, tell me all that has happened and all about each one. Where is my dear brother Francis, and where are my dear sisters Rosalie and Jeannette? and tell me if my sisters Rollier and Therese are in good health, etc." 13 A few days later he arrived in Termonde, and after an absence of fourteen years beheld again his 12 Letter to Mr. De Nef, Nov. 7, 1832. 13 Ghent, Oost-Eecloo, Jan. 6, 1834. SOJOURN IN EUROPE 63 old home and the places that had witnessed his childish feats of valor. The father's chair by the fireside was vacant, but, despite this sorrow, he had much cause for rejoicing, for he was united to his brothers and sisters by ties of the tenderest affection. Although his eldest sister Rosalie had married Charles Van Mossevelde, the younger children still called her "mother." Charles and Francis occupied honorable positions in the magistracy, and the other members of the family were equally prosperous and happy. God had blessed their marriages, and charming children smiled from the cradle and climbed upon Uncle Peter's knee. The gladness of home-coming did not, however, render the missionary oblivious of his adopted family beyond the seas, and after a few days' rest he set out upon his journey through Belgium. Father De Smet's first visits were to the parents of his associates to bring them news of the absent ones in Amer- ica. He told them of their labors and successes, and made them appreciate the honor of having a son or a brother among the apostles of the New World, ije ; ihejn sought out the benefactors', to give them an account of the progress made by the missionaries in Missouri. To Mr. Peter De Nef of Turnhout; more than to any one else, did the missionaries owe a debt of gratitude. Concerning this worthy man a word is not out of place. He was born in 1774 of a humble family of farmers, and after a brilliant school career entered upon commercial life. His business prospered beyond his most sanguine hopes, and he was moved to devote his fortune to the cause of religion and good works. Seeing the clergy decimated by the Revolution, he opened a school in his own house in which young men could be prepared for the priesthood and the missionary field. Instruction was free, Mr. De Nef himself teaching some of the classes. So great was the success of his undertaking that, eventually, he had to provide enlarged accommodations for the institution. 14 The school gave a complete course in the humanities, and in 1830 numbered one hundred and eighty pupils. 14 The school was transferred to Rue d'Herenthals, and later became the well-known college now under the direction of the Fathers of the Society of Jesus. 64 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. By reason of the fact that he was appointed Commis- sioner of the district of Turnhout, also member of Congress and later on Deputy of the House of Representatives, Mr. De Nef was compelled to give up his classes. He con- fided them to the priests of the diocese of Mechlin, reserv- ing to himself the management of the institution. The assumption of these distinguished offices did not, however, prevent this intrepid worker from carrying on the active management of a linen textile factory and a large wine business. These prosperous and varied industries enabled him to maintain the college, clothe and feed poor students, and endow the missions in a generous way. "For the benefit of the missions," he writes to Father De Theux, "I have formed an association with my honorable friends, Messrs. De Boey, Le Paige, and Proost, of Antwerp, the object of which is to invest in the securities of different countries. Should any losses result they are to be assumed by us entirely, but a large portion of any profits that may accrue is to be given to our beloved missions." 15 Not content with furnishing the money, this extraor- dinary benefactor provided even the men. Over five hundred priests received their first instructions in his establishment, and among this number many consecrated their lives to the missions and became brave and inde- fatigable workers in the United States. The Superiors of the Society of Jesus left to "Father" De Nef, as he was called, the choosing of those who were to be sent to the American Missions. In addition to his regular pupils he often accepted seminarists and priests from Holland as well as Belgium, and not infrequently he undertook to furnish lay Brothers to the missions. 16 Father De Smet's 15 Turnhout, Aug. 23, 1832. To one of his friends who had sent him a generous donation for his enter- prise he replied: "I rejoice in the Lord for the good use you make of your fortune. As for myself, I am persuaded that I would fail in my first duty, if, in my position, I did not do all in my power to further the cause of our holy religion. Unhappy would I be if I did not obey the voice of God, and, unmindful of the honor, should refuse to be His instrument. Should I fail in this respect, I would forever reproach myself for my cowardly negli- gence." (To Chevalier de Donnea de Grand Aaz, March 27, 1830.) 16 Never was he so happy as when he could announce the arrival of new recruits. "Following the instructions given to me by your predeces- sors," he writes to Father De Theux, "I have admitted several young men who will be received into the Society of Jesus in America. I know their* SOJOURN IN EUROPE 65 account of the use that had been made of the generous donations was very gratifying to Mr. De Nef. He gave the good priest a large sum of money and promised to send priests for the extension of the work in Missouri. Following these first visits, which were made through motives of kindness and a sense of obligation, Father De Smet set out upon the unpleasant task of begging. He was most cordially received by the J^rcEbTsEop of Mechlin. "I have obtained," he writes, "many things for the mis- sions, among others a silver gilt chalice and two pictures. Several people are collecting books, vestments, and such articles as are needed for the altar." 17 At Louvain he met his friend and colleague, the Abbe De Ram, who, although but thirty years of age, was then the rector of the Catholic University. From Liege he writes: ^T have succeeded very well here." 1S Bishop Van Bommel had not forgotten the services rendered to the diocese by the Superior in Missouri, and had given generously to the mission. Madam De Theux also was instrumental in inter T esting_a number of people in the work over which her son presided. "Father De Smet's next move was to Namur, from where he reports: "I have visited more than fifty families and have been most successful. I shall proceed next to Mons, then to Tournai, and on to Brussels." 19 In a letter written to his brother from Nivelles, he says: "When I left Ter- monde I thought I could easily canvass Belgium and com- plete my business in a fortnight, but here I am, after six weeks of traveling, with only about a fourth of my work accomplished. I hope, however, to be able to spend a few days with you and to rest from my travels. I am more fatigued now than I was after my voyage from America." 20 sterling qualities, and have been struck with the fortitude which they have shown in abandoning parents, friends, country, and a life of ease, to face every kind of hardship and privation with the sole object of winning men to God. I rejoice in sending them to you, and I am confident that our poor Americans and Indians will find in them support and consolation. We lose them now only to find them again in heaven, surrounded by blessed- souls saved through their labors." (Letter, Oct. 16, 1833.) 17 Letter to Francis De Smet, Louvain, Feb. 27, 1834. 18 Liege, March 9, 1834. 19 Namur, March I4th. 20 March 24th. 66 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. When writing, later on, to his brother, he tells us how his trials and labors were now and then rewarded by some unlooked-for piece of good fortune : "I expected to be with you before Easter, but Providence intervened to prevent it. An affair of small importance that could be settled in an liour called me to Enghien. There, by chance, I met a certain priest, and in conversation we got around to the subject of books. He pointed out a house where he thought I could procure some, and when we called to broach the subject I received a donation of nothing less than the entire library: Baronius in 22 volumes in folio; The Bollandists in 40 volumes, all the Councils, Moreri's large dictionary, a history of the Church, a large number of the Fathers of the Church, and several other works." 21 The books were piled into the diligence and brought to Brussels that same evening, and in a few months were adorning the shelves of the library in St. Louis. Upon leaving Brussels Father De Smet visited succes- sively Erps-Querbs, Aerschot, Montaigu, Diest, Santhoven, and Antwerp, all of which responded to his call for aid, the last-named city giving more than six hundred dollars. From Antwerp Father De Smet went to France by way of Lille and Arras. A gentleman from Bruges traveling in the same carriage with him offered to pay the expenses of his journey if he would go as far as Paris. The good priest did not accept the offer, however, as his desire to be with his family outweighed the attractions of the great capital. His longing to see Amiens did, nevertheless, cause him to visit that place and call at the college of St. Acheul, the institution which the Jesuits were forced to leave after the Ordinance of 1828. There again he came across an oppor- tunity to acquire something valuable for the St. Louis College; "I have bought," he writes, "a complete physical science cabinet, including a collection of minerals, for 3,500 francs [$700], the original price of which was more than 15,000 francs [$3,ooo]." 22 His return to Belgium was by way of Courtrai, and the 21 To Francis De Smet, Brussels, March 31, 1834. It is probable that these books came from the convent of the Augustinians at Enghien. 22 Amiens, May 22d. SOJOURN IN EUROPE 67 hot weather and the long journey exhausted his strength. He was taken with a fever and, upon the advice of the Provincial, wrote to Father De Theux for permission to remain some time longer with his family. Rest with him did not mean idleness. He exchanged many letters with Father Van Lil relative to putting the missions under the direction of the Belgian Province. "It is," he says, "the consensus of opinion, among those familiar with the situation, that this is the most certain way to assure the future of the mission." This idea, however, was carried out only after a fashion. The Belgian Province, which counted only one hundred and fifty religious, was barely able to support itself, and the mission was to continue under the direction of the General, the Belgians being pledged, as it were, to assist with money, and to send to St. Louis any young men who manifested a desire to go to foreign missions. Summer, meanwhile, was drawing to a close. Father De Smet's health was not yet reestablished, and Father Van Lil insisted that he remain longer, but the missionary, in his desire to take up his labors in America, disregarded these considerations and decided to start. His party was made up of the five young men projnised by Mr. De Nef , among whom were Peter Verheyden of Termonde an "The day of departure arrived, and found us without hope. Father De Smet accompanied us to the boat, said good-by, and returned to the city. We sailed out of the harbor, and were already at sea when we saw a little skiff making for our ship. It was Father De Smet coming SOJOURN IN EUROPE 75 tQ_4oiiL us! Transports of joy dispelled our fears and anxieties. He alone remained calm his faith had been rewarded. The seasickness from which Father De Smet suffered during the voyage was as nothing compared to his previous sufferings." 43 When about to leave Europe, Father De Smet announced his departure to his family: "I am sending you a hurried line, for I have only a moment. . . . After long and mature reflection I have decided to make a second trip to Mis- souri. I hope to hear from you often, and I promise to give you news of myself. ... A thousand embraces for my little Charles. I take him with me in my heart. Good-by for two or three years." 44 Having sailed from Havre September 26th, the mis- sionaries landed in New York just a month later to the day, and an overland journey of three weeks more found them in St. Louis. They were welcomed in a manner that compensated for the fatigues and trials which they had lately undergone. The unmistakable evidences of joy occasioned by his return manifested to Father De Smet how greatly he had been missed. Three days later the new arrivals went to St. Stanislaus* novitiate, near Florissant. Father Verhaegen, Superior of the mission at the time, was also Master of Novices, and on November 2gth he readmitted Father De Smet into the Society of Jesus. In the happiness that was now his by virtue of possessing that which he had sought at the price of many trials and much suffering, he wished to console his family by explain- ing his departure: "I hope that the sorrow and vexation my hasty departure occasioned you has been entirely for- gotten, and that you will not reproach me for concealing it from you. I had not the courage to say good-by. Whenever I found myself in your midst, I wavered in my resolutions and my duty to God. The sight of your chil- dren, of Charles, Sylvia, Elmira, and the little Rosalie tore my heart, and I rebelled at the thought that I was about to leave these dear creatures. But God willed it: 43 Account of the voyage sent to Mr. De Nef, Florissant, Dec. 28, 1837. 44 To Francis De Smet, Havre, Sept. 25, 1837. 76 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S. J. we must submit. He will recompense us for the sacrifices we make for love of Him. I am waiting impatiently for news from you, and trust you will not disappoint me. You have given me too many proofs of your affection for me ever to doubt it and I hope you will keep me always in your heart." 45 4i St. Stanislaus, Dec. 26, 1837. CHAPTER V THE POTAWATOMI MISSION (1838-1839) Progress Made by the Jesuits in Missouri Father Van Quickenborne's Apostolate to the Indians His Death Fathers De Smet and Verreydt are Sent to Open a Mission for the Potawatomies at Council Bluffs First Journey on the Missouri A Dinner at the Otoes The Disposi- tion of the Indians Their Conversion will be "a Work of God" The Missionaries' First Successes Loneliness and Privations Father De Smet Effects a Reconciliation between the Sioux and the Pota- watomies Whiskey "What Could One Do with Two Thousand Drunken Indians?" Father De Smet's Journey to St. Louis He is Replaced at Council Bluffs by Father Christian Hoecken. FATHER DE SMET, upon his return to Missouri, was amazed at the improvements and the progress that had been made during his absence. In four years the population of St. Louis had increased from 7,000 to 15,000 inhabitants. The success of the University was assured. Father Elet, through his wise and intelligent di- rection, aided by Father Van de Velde's renowned classes, attracted numerous pupils to the University, many of them from Louisiana. A library containing several thousand volumes, a complete physical - science cabinet, and a chemical laboratory facilitated the work of the preachers and professors. Although Florissant and St. Charles were still in dire need, their Jiardships had been somewhat ameliorated by the Belgian contributions. The novitiate had been en- larged by connecting the Indian college with the main building. The churches, now vastly improved in con- struction and decoration, gave a better impression of the Catholic religion. Copies of Flemish masters covered the bare walls, and spoke to the missionaries of their far-off land, recalling to the faithful the touching mysteries of the lives of our blessed Lord and His holy Mother. With regard to the Indians, the results that had been 78 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S. J. obtained were satisfactory and consoling. The appeal of the American Bishops, to confide the Indian Missions to the Jesuits, had been granted by Rome, and the Fathers of the Missouri Province would now be the first to prove themselves worthy of the confidence of the heads of the Church. Congress had just set apart a territory on the banks of the Arkansas exclusively for the Indians, where native tribes scattered throughout the United States would be united under Government supervision, and upon this there followed a series of willing or forced migrations, assembling to the west of Missouri nearly 200,000 Indians. It was to these tribes that Father Van Quickenborne consecrated his labors and remaining strength. Having been relieved of his post of authority at Florissant, he was free at last to devote himself to a work that had been the dream of his life, and for the past six years he had labored for the conversion of the Indians with all the energy of his ardent nature. To reach the wandering tribes that were often at war with each other, this intrepid missionary endured unspeakable fatigues and faced in- numerable dangers. More than once he owed his life to the direct intervention of Providence. 1 ., After making many conversions among the (Qsages and the TowaX Father Van Quickenborne went in 1836 to the Kickapobs, inhabiting that part of Northern Kansas situated upon the right bank of the Missouri. Father Christian Hoecken, a Hollander, and three lay Brothers, 1 The Woodstock Letters, Vol. xxiv, p. 37; Vol. xxv, p. 357. "In the first excursions made by Fathers Van Quickenborne and Christian Hoecken, they were often lost for days at a time, and would traverse the immense prairies in every direction in a vain endeavor to discover their where- abouts. These plains resembled a vast sea; as far as the eye could reach one beheld nothing but a limitless sketch of green pasture and blue sky: deer, chamois, and roebuck were plentiful; prairie-chicken and other wild game abounded. Wolves and bears creeping from their lairs to eat sheep terrified both man and beast. But even in such straits they were not abandoned by divine Providence. At nightfall the Fathers would often throw the reins on the horse's neck, letting him take his own direction, and before long would find themselves in sight of some habitation. Once an immense and strange dog sprang in front of their horses, and, making a path through the high grass, brought them to the home of a Catholic, where they rested and were refreshed, and, to their great consolation and that of their host, they celebrated the Divine Mysteries." (Letter of Father HeUias d'Huddeghem to his family, St. Louis, Dec. 17, 1836.) THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 79 accompanied him. In a few months he established there a flourishing mission and was about to go to the neighboring tribes, when physical exhaustion obliged him to abandon hiswork. He retired to Portage des Sioux near Florissant. As the pastor of a small Christian community, he hoped (with the help of a lay Brother) to be able to rest and regain his strength. "But," says Father De Smet, "who could restrain his ardent zeal?" He began at once to make plans for the erection of a church; undertook the con- version of several Protestant families, and was absorbed in his work when he fell ill with an attack of bilious fever that carried him off in a few days. The man of God remained calm and resigned to the end. He received the Last Sacraments with profound piety, and fearlessly saw his last hour approach. "Pray for me," he said to those around him. These were his last words. He died without a struggle, August 17, i837, 2 having not yet attained his fiftieth year. The young re- ligious trained by Father Van Quickenborne hastened to claim their heritage and undertake his work. ^Father Verreydt joined Father Hoecken at the Kicka- poo Mission. These Indians, being unreliable, rebellious against authority, and, moreover, thieving and addicted to drink, had disappointed the hopes of the missionaries. In 1838 they began to leave Missouri in order to lead a nomad life far from Government supervision. The Fa- thers, seeing they had very little influence with this tribe, were rejoiced at receiving a delegation of Potawatomies who came to ask for a Black Robe for their tribe. This tribe had recently been brought from Michigan on the 2 Selected Letters, 2d Series, p. 183. "You heard some months ago of Father Van Quickenborne's death. Now comes the news that great favors have been obtained at his tomb. A Sacred Heart nun at St. Charles, a victim of consumption and given up by the physicians, went with the other nuns and young pupils to pray at his grave. After praying fervently they returned in procession, reciting prayers. The nun (Mme. Eulalie) was instantly cured, and from that time on enjoyed perfect health. "The undertaker who had charge of Father Van Quickenborne's funeral told me, that although the body was kept three days during the excessive heat of summer, and was transported during the day from the parish of St. Francis at Portage des Sioux to St. Charles, there was no unpleasant* odor and it appeared fresher and handsomer than in life." (Letter of Father HeUias d'Huddeghem to his family, St. Louis, Dec. 8, 1837.) 8o THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. Missouri, near the mouth of the Nebraska River. Their camp was situated at Council Bluffs, just opposite the present city of Omaha. Father Verreydt, accompanied by Brother Mazelli, had previously visited the Pota- watomies in the summer of 1838 with the -idea of establish- ing a mission among them. 3 Since his return from Belgium Father De Smet occupied the post of minister at the Florissant novitiate. His health was now completely restored and with it his former vigor returned. The object of his life continued to be the conversion of the Indians. On January 26, 1838, he wrote to the Carmelites of Ter- monde: "New priests are to be added to the Potawatomi Mission, and my Superior, Father Verhaegen, gives me hope that I will be sent. How happy I would be could I spend myself for the salvation of so many souls, who are lost because they have never known truth! My good Sisters, I beg you to pray for this intention. Implore the divine Pastor to deign to look upon the most un- worthy of His servants, who longs to work for His glory. I tremble when I think of the great qualities an apostolate to the Indians demands. We must make men before making Christians, and such work requires unlimited patience and solid virtue, and you know what I am. Nevertheless, I am not discouraged. God's strength is greater than my weakness, and He can bring forth from stones children of Abraham." 4 ^ ZealJ[or_tlijg^alvation of souls, and profound humility (God could not resist his supplications) were the dis- tinguishing traits of our missionary, and a few weeks later he was appointed to the Potawatomi Mission. Father *? x De Smet left St. Louis May iothV Father Verreydt and Brother Mazelli joining him at Leaven worth, s In going up the Missouri he greatly admired the vast river, dotted 3 Father Hoecken remained some time longer, endeavoring to convert the Kickapoos. 4 If any one fancies that Father De Smet exaggerated, let him read his letters to Father De Theux: "As for myself, in my opinion, to come to America to teach in a college or to be a missionary to the whites, is child's play in comparison to the Indian Mission. I see so many difficulties in this work that, did I not know that our divine Lord is all-powerful, I should regard the enterprise as a great folly." (To Mr. De Nef, St. Stanislaus, July 9, 1835.) THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 81 with its many islands; the villages that rose one above the other on its banks, the towering rocks, the caves, the forests, and the immense prairies, all of which lent in- finite variety to the aspect. But the scenic beauty failed to render agreeable a journey fraught with many dangers. ' * I would rather cross the ocean," he writes, "than ascend the Missouri River. The current is so swift that in order to get up the river the boat must be heavily loaded and the steam at full pressure. Hence, the traveler is in imminent danger of being shot up into the air by an explosion, and coming down perhaps in bits. Added to this, we run upon sand-bars every day a dangerous proceeding. Lastly, the river bristles with snags which tear a boat open, and are the terror of pilots and travelers. More than once we were in great peril from them." 5 Crowds of Indians came to the landing to greet the missionaries, and wherever the boat stopped for fuel the priests went ashore to visit the different villages. The chief of the lowas, an old pupil of Father De Smet's at Florissant, wished to keep him with his tribe. An Indian convert, eighty-four years of age, prepared himself for death by confession, shedding, meanwhile, tears of repent- ance. Everywhere they were most cordially received. The visit to the .Qtoe^enabled Father De Smet to initiate himself in the wav^ of the savage. The following Jines give us an idea of his impressions: '"The village is composed of several large mud huts, each containing about ten families, and several buffalo-hide tents reeking with vermin. The womeri slave for the men, and appear most miserable. Some are blind, others have only one eye, and all appear extremely dirty. Their dress consists of a skirt of deer-skin to the knee, with tunic, garters, and shoes of the same hide. The whole costume is greasy and black, as though they had wiped their hands on it for a century. Both men and women wear bracelets of polished metal, and five or six strings of china or glass beads around the neck. "I was ushered into the large hut of the chief or king. The queen placed a cushion of deer-skin shiny with grease upon a still greasier cane mat, and made me signs to be 8 To Francis De Smet, Council Bluffs, Sept. n, 1838. 82 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. seated. She then presented me with a roughtly-cut wooden plate which I think had not seen water since it was made, and served me on it a dish of disgusting appearance, cooked by herself. Opposite me a dozen wolf-dogs, seated on their haunches, eyed my plate. They seemed to envy me my happiness, and showed willingness to aid me in disposing of the food. "I was hungry, I admit; but my stomach revolted at the sight of that mysterious stew. I said to myself, 'No airs now, you are not in Belgium, begin your apprentice- ship. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' I took a spoonful of the mess and found it delicious. It was a fricassee of buffalo tongue, mixed with bear's grease and the flour of wild sweet potatoes. I evinced my. apprecia- tion of the princess' hospitality by rubbing my stomach as a sign of satisfaction, and returned the plate to her much cleaner than when she gave it to me." 6 -kThe missionaries arrived at the Potawatomi camp (May aisti^ Nearly two thousand Indians, painted in every conceivable way, came to the landing. Father De Smet and his companions repaired at once to the tent of the great chief, a half-breed called William Caldwell, re- nowned for his prowess and his victories over the whites. The missionaries were cordially received and promised protection. The chief then offered them three tents near his. Colonel Kearny, representing the Government, put an abandoned fort at the disposition of the missionaries. There they celebrated Mass and assembled the neophytes, until a wooden church was erected in honor of St. Joseph, patron of the mission. The Indians at first received them coldly, 7 but soon the missionaries got into touch with them, and Father De Smet was then able to discover their tastes and aptitudes, and the needs of their tribe. 6 To Father Verhaegen, Council Bluffs, June, 1838. 7 "We were far from finding here the four or five hundred fervent Catholics they told us about in St. Louis. Of the 2,000 Potawatomies that came to the landing not one of them seemed to know why we had come, and appeared quite indifferent. Out of thirty half-breed families, only two came to shake hands with us. Very few had been baptized, and all of them are profoundly ignorant of the truths of our religion. They do not even know how to make the Sign of the Cross, nor say the Our Father and Hail Mary, and this ac- counts, I think, for the great reserve they maintained toward us." (Letter to Father Verhaegen, June, 1838.) THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 83 "Imagine numerous huts or tents constructed of up- right poles covered with tree bark, buffalo hides, canvas, straw, and grass; dreary of aspect, and pitched pell- mell, with no regard to order or symmetry, and you have some idea of an Indian village." 8 In these holes, for such they are, 3,000 savages lead a miserable existence. The women do all the rough work, while the men pass theinime in~playing cards and smoking the calumet; their__sole_ occupation being war or hunting. "For the most part, these Indians are content with a little dried beef and a pap made of pounded roasted corn. They are sober, less from virtue than necessity. When food is plentiful, either at home or abroad, they plunge their hands into the boiling pot and eat like ravenous wolves, and when filled, lie down and sleep. Their sole possessions are a few horses that graze at large on waste land. At his birth an Indian is enveloped in rags, and during infancy left under a buffalo hide. He is brought up in idleness, and abhors work. He has no desire to change or ameliorate his condition. Any Indian who would aspire to a greater degree of comfort, or to increase his fortune through his own efforts, would be the object of general hatred and jealousy. Moreover, all his posses- sions would be pillaged and confiscated." 9 And yet the Indians had redeeming qualities: "The Potawatomies are gentle and peaceful. There is neither rank nor privilege among them. The chief has no revenue save that which he procures with his lance, arrow, and rifle. His horse is his throne. He must be braver than his subjects; the first to attack, and the last to leave the field. In the division of spoils, he shares equally with the others. The greater number of the Indians can converse intelligently upon things that concern them. They like to joke and listen to chaff, they never dispute or lose their temper, and never interrupt any one. If the affair under discussion is serious, the Indian reflects before speaking, or defers his reply until the next day. They know no blasphemous words, and often years pass without an angry word being spoken. But when drunk and now they 8 Letter of Father De Smet to the Father General, Dec. i, 1838. 9 Letter of Father De Smet to Father Verhaegen, June, 1838. 84 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. get drink in large quantities all the good qualities of the Indian disappear, and he no longer resembles man; one must flee from him. Their cries and howls are terrible;, they fall upon each other, biting noses and ears, mutilating each other in a horrible manner. Since our arrival, four Otoes and three Potawatomies have been killed in these drunken orgies." 10 Besides idleness and drunkenness, the missionaries had to combat prejudice and abolish polygamy and supersti- tious practices. They had "to master a difficult language and undertake the still more difficult task of trying to- domesticate men accustomed to a wandering life, who complained if obliged to stay three months in the same place. Father De Smet said: "It is a work of God," and such indeed it was. He begged earnestly the prayers of his Superiors and friends. To the Carmelites of Termonde he wrote: "Here I have been for three months in the midst of the Indians. If it is your prayers that have obtained this favor for me, I beg you to ask that I may have courage, humility, fervor, patience, and the other virtues which make a good missionary." 11 Success soon crowned his efforts. Before the close of 1838 Father De Smet was able to write: "A great number of Indians have asked to be instructed. We have opened a school, but, for the want of a large hut, we can only receive thirty children. Twice a day instructions are given to those preparing for baptism. We have already administered the Sacrament to one hundred and eighteen Indians; one hundred and five of this number I had the consolation of baptizing myself. ^ "The feast of the Assumption will long be remembered by the Potawatomies. The church in which Mass was said was perhaps the poorest in the world. Twelve neophytes, who three months before had no knowledge of God's laws, chanted the Mass in a most edifying manner. Father Verreydt preached upon devotion to the Blessed 10 Letter to the Father General, Dec. I, 1838. (Annals of the Propa- gation of the Faith, Vol. xi, p. 484.) 11 Nov. 7, 1838. THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 85 Virgin. I followed with an instruction upon the neces- sity of baptism. I explained its ceremonies, and then ad- ministered the Sacrament to twenty adults, among whom was the wife of the great chief. 41 After Mass I blessed four marriages. In the evening we visited the newly - converted families, who had all assembled and were thanking God for the graces received during the day, and now these good people traverse the country to induce their friends and relatives to be in- structed and share their happiness. Several Indian women, whose relatives, being still pagan, refused to receive us, dragged themselves a distance of two or three miles to ask for baptism before dying." 12 The good dispositions evinced by the Indians encouraged Father De Smet to exert himself to the utmost in their behalf. "Often," he writes, "I visited the Indians in their huts either as missionary, when they seemed . disposed to listen to me, or in the capacity of a physician .-'to minister to their sick. When I find a child in danger whose parents are ill-disposed toward religion, I take out my bottles and recommend certain medicines. I begin by rubbing the child with camphor; then taking water, I baptize it before their unsuspecting eyes, and thus open heaven to the innocent soul." 13 The shiftlessness and filth of the Indians often occasioned epidemics; some tribes had as many as a thousand sick, and at such times the missionaries were dreadfully over- worked. Each day Father De Smet visited a new village, carrying remedies and words of encouragement to the victims of the plague. His charity j bore fruit.. in. ..new conversions. Writing to his brother, he says: "I have baptized nearly two hundred Indians, and we now have three hundred converts. I can truthfully say they are all fervent Christians. Their greatest happiness is to assist at daily Mass and instruction, and receive holy com- munion. Several chiefs and their families have em- braced the faith. I baptized an old man a hundred and ten years of age." 14 12 Letter to the Father General, Dec. I, 1838. 13 Letter to the Mother Superior of the Orphanage at Termonde. 14 To Francis De Smet, May 30, 1839. 86 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. Protestant ministers tried to compete with the Catholic priests; but between a salaried official who distributed tracts to inquisitive members of the tribe, and the mis- sionary, devoted body and soul to their interests, the Indians did not hesitate to make a choice. 15 They refused the most alluring offers from Protestants and came from all directions to ask for a Black Robe to show them the way to heaven. 16 One day three chiefs of the Pawnee- Loups came to beg the Jesuits to visit their tribe. Noticing that the priests made the Sign of the Cross before eating, they, upon their return, instituted this practice in all the Indian villages. This delegation was followed by the chiefs of the Omahas, accompanied by forty warriors, who, making their followers a sign to wait, approached the missionary and executed the dance of friendship. 17 Father De Smet thanked God for the success that crowned his labors, and expressed his gratitude to his Superiors for appointing him to this mission. "We suf- fer, of course, many privations in this far distant country; but God will never be outdone in generosity. He rewards a hundredfold the smallest sacrifices we make for Him, and if our trials are heavy, our consolations are very great. I thank God every day for having sent me to this country." 18 The little community at Council Bluffs suffered many privations. To the fatigues of the ministry was added the anxiety of providing for their daily existence. Brother 15 "After five years' residence with the Otoes, the Protestant minister has not yet baptized one person, and the greater part of the Protestant missionaries who overrun the Indian Territory make no better showing." (Letter of Father De Smet to Father Verhaegen, June, 1838.) 16 "The Protestant ministers pay the chiefs to come and act as interpreters in their churches. Some give as much as a hundred dollars, four beeves, etc." (Letter of Father Helias d'Huddeghem to his family, June 29, 1837.) 17 "They all manifested great affection for us, and invited us to smoke the pipe of peace with them. Pictures representing Our Lord's passion, and our explanation of the meaning of the crucifix, seemed to interest them greatly. They begged me to go at once to baptize their children, presenting me at the same time with a beautiful beaver skin for a tobacco-pouch. In return, I gave them rosaries for the children, and presented each one of them with a copper crucifix. They kissed the crucifixes respectfully, put them around their necks, and appeared most grateful for the gifts. When leav- ing, the Indians embraced me most cordially." (Letter to the Father General, Dec. I, 1838.) 13 Ibid. THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 87 Mazelli, in his capacity of physician and surgeon, was in constant attendance upon the sick. Fathers Verreydt and De Smet chopped wood, cooked the meals, and mended their clothes. The distance from St. Louis, and the difficulty of communication interfered greatly with obtaining food-sup- plies. The mission was often without the necessities of life. In the spring of 1839 their distress was extreme, their whole nourishment for weeks consisting of acorns and wild roots. At last, on April 2oth, the provision-boat was sighted. Father De Smet hurriedly departed with two carts to get the mission supply. A cruel disappointment awaited them. At the moment of landing, the boat, striking a snag, was wrecked. The missionary arrived in time to see it sink before his eyes. A saw, a plow, a pair of boots, and some wine were all that was saved. But even this disaster did not disturb Father De Smet's habitual serenity. "Providence," he said, "is still kind to us. The plow has enabled us to sow a good crop of corn. Thanks to the saw, we can now build a better house and enlarge our church, which is too small; and with the boots I can tramp the prairies and woods without fear of being bitten by snakes. The wine permits us to offer to God tbe sacrifice of the Mass, a happiness we have long been deprived of. We returned courageously to our acorns and roots until May 3oth." 19 Great as may have been the hardships of poverty, loneliness, however, was still harder to bear. The mis- sionaries had news from St. Louis only two or three times a year, and Father De Smet's sensitive nature suffered cruelly from this isolation. On December 18, 1839, he wrote to Father Peter De Vos, his friend of Alost, now Master of Novices in Missouri: "Your letter of last July reached me the beginning of the month. I had begun to fear that you also had put off your reply to the Greek Calendar. Can you believe it? although I have written numerous letters since June to our Fathers and brothers who are so dear to me, in reply, I have had, not counting your letter, exactly five lines. Would that I could hold the post responsible for this! "We who are at the end of the world, far from friends 19 To Francis De Smet, July 30, 1839. 88 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. and fellow-priests, in the midst of strangers and infidels, suffering privations, and daily witnessing revolting scenes, look forward to letters as a real treat. If you only knew the joy they bring, I am sure every one of you would give us this consolation and support, for after reading our let- ters we are fired with renewed zeal." With equal joy did our missionary receive news of his relatives and friends in Belgium. "Your long and de- lightful letter," he writes to his brother, "enclosing a little one from my friend Charles, reached me the beginning of June. It gave me such pleasure, that I read it over several times, not wishing to lose a word." 20 To induce his family to write often, he continually gave them details of his life at Council Bluffs, recounting the habits and customs of the Indians, and the progress the mission had made. His open and cheerful letters betray not only his strength of soul, but his unalterable attachment to his family. "When I think of what my life was with you during four years, I often smile at my present condi- tion. My only shelter is a little hut fourteen feet square, constructed of trunks of fallen trees covered with a rough shingle roof that protects me from neither snow nor rain. The other night, during a downpour, I was obliged to open my umbrella to protect my face from the rain that fell on it and awakened me. My furniture consists of a cross, a small table, a bench, and a pile of books. A piece of meat, or some herbs and wild roots, washed down by a glass of fresh spring water, is about my only food. My garden is the immense forest of Chateaubriand, 'old as the earth which bore it,' bordering the largest river in the world; the huge prairie resembles a vast sea, where gazelle, deer, roebuck, buffalo, and the bison graze at large. "My gun is my constant companion. One niust^go about armed to defend one's life from the red bear and the starved wolves that prowl about here. Our situation is rendered even more precarious by the war that is going on between the Indians. Bands of Otoes, Pawnees, and Sioux roam in every direction seeking scalps, and every day we get fresh news of their atrocities." 21 20 To Francis De Smet, July 30, 1839. 21 Letter to Francis De Smet, May 30, 1839. THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 89 But in this barbarous community, the missionary de- vised means of being reminded of the dear ones at home: "Among the converts was the wife of the great chief and I named her Rosalie. There were already many named Francis, Charles, Anthony, Peter, Jeannette, Marie, Sophie, and Teresa. All those I have baptized are named after some member of my family and after friends." 22 Father De Smet became a child again in replying to a letter from little Charles, his favorite nephew: "When I walk through the prairies and see the beautiful flowers, I often say to myself : ' If Charles, Sylvia, Elmira, Clemence, and little Rosalie were here, what exquisite bouquets they would make for mother and father ! I have a roebuck with big horns, a deer, and a tame bear that follows me everywhere on the prairies and is as quiet and gentle as your little Fidele. Were you with your uncle and did your legs get tired, hop! hop! you and Sylvia would be upon the bear's back; and Clemence and Elmira upon the roebuck! Little Rosalie would mount the little deer, and we would all trot home together!" 23 Although of a sensitive nature, Father De Smet was in no sense a weak man. No fatigue disheartened him, no danger held him back when the interests of the mission were in question. For two years the Potawatomies lived in constant apprehension of being attacked by their ter- rible and threatening neighbors, the Sioux of the Missouri. Recently two men of their tribe had been massacred, and the future of the mission was endangered so long as there was danger of these murderous incursions, which in a few hours converted a populous settlement into a field of carnage and death. The missionary resolved to go to the enemy armed only with faith ; to speak to them in the name of God and ask for peace. On April 29, 1839, ne left the camp and took passage on a steamboat that was going up the Missouri River. On board he found two Europeans he had known in St. Louis, Mr. Nicollet and Mr. Geyer, who were being 22 To Francis De Smet, Sept. n, 1838. 23 July 30, 1839. 90 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. sent by the Government at Washington upon a scientific exploration to the Indian country. Low water, contrary winds, sand-bars, and numerous snags forced the boat to proceed slowly and with great caution. Every time it landed for fuel, Father De Smet accompanied Mr. Geyer in his search for plants and minerals. "I was proud," he writes, "to be able to en- rich his herbarium with several specimens that might have escaped his notice. This study has great attraction for me, and the hours I have spent tramping over hill and dale with a friend are among the most agreeable of my life." 24 Mr. Nicollet, knowing Father De Smet's trust- worthiness, left him his instruments for measuring heights and making observations, as they would be of great service to the missionary in working on his map of Missouri. 25 The conquest of a soul, however, meant more to the missionary than the greatest discoveries. While aboard the boat Father De Smet instructed and baptized a mother and her three children. He also heard the confessions of many Canadians who were going to the Rocky Mountains. Twelve days after his departure from Council Bluffs, he arrived at the mouth of the ^Vermilion, where the Sioux were encamped. He parted with his friends with great regret. Alone, and unarmed, he was going to plead the cause of the Potawatomies, with an enemy who had sworn to exterminate them. Providence, who destined our missionary to be an apostle of peace in the United States, crowned with success his first negotiations. Faithful to the law of hospitality, the Indians accorded him a reception that augured well. "Upon my arrival," he writes, "the chief and the warriors, some Yanktons of the Sioux nation, invited me to a feast. I found them seated in a circle in a large tent made of buffalo hide, their chins resting on their knees, a position my corpulence forbade me assume. I seated myself, crossing my legs tailor fashion. Each one received upon a wooden plate a huge piece of venison. Those who could 24 To Francis De Smet, May 30, 1839. 25 Cf. Chittenden-Richardson, pp. 1549 and 1552, two letters of Mr. Nicollet to Father De Smet. One sees how highly the learned geographer valued the missionary's contributions. THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 91 not consume all their portion were allowed to take away what was left. This I did, and I found myself with two days' rations/' 26 TJie__reast; finished, the missionary stated the object of hisjm'ssion :~ he had come to conclude a lasting peace between the Sioux and the Potawatomies. The conditions of the peace pact were immediately under discussion. Father De Smet's forceful reasoning and his charm of manner soon dispelled the grievances that had caused the separation of the two peoples. The Sioux agreed to bury the hatchet, and swore to "cover the dead," by sending presents to the children of their victims, and to smoke with them the pipe of peace. Profiting by such dispositions, the missionary spoke to them about religion, and that evening gave an instruction upon the principal articles of the Creed. The following day he administered baptism to a few of the tribe and blessed several marriages. After sowing the first seeds of faith in this tribe, he hastened back to Council Bluffs to tell the Potawatomies of the result of his negotiations. This time his only means of transportation was a primitive canoe, the trunk of a tree scooped out in the form of a boat, and in this frail bark he descended one of the most dangerous rivers in the world. Happily he had with him two skilled pilots who knew the whereabouts of the rocks that abound in the Missouri. The boat shot like an arrow into the current, covered the immense distance, and brought the missionary back safe and sound to his dear Potawatomies. No army had accompanied him, and without combat or bloodshed he returned victorious, his hands filled with the benedictions of peace. The Potawatomies greeted him as the father and saviour of their nation. But it was far easier to cope with the ferocity of the Indian than to uproot hfs passion for intoxicating liquors. "The Government," writes Father De Smet, "pays the Potawatomies $50,000 annually for the land that was taken from them. With the payment of this money has come a following of thieves, drunkards, gamblers, coun- terfeiters; in a word, the dregs of the United States. 28 To the Superior of the Orphanage at Termonde, July I, 1839. 92 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. They exploit the Indians and furnish them with quantities of whiskey. 27 "So long as he has a penny the Indian will drink and gamble. Their passion for drink is so inconceivable one must see it to believe it : it affects them like the bite of a tarantula. Instantly their blood is excited and like fire in their veins; they are mad with thirst for it, and, obtaining it, clamor for more ! more ! until, consumed with 'firewater,' they fall down dead drunk. Regaining their their senses, their first cry is for whiskey! whiskey! whiskey! as though life and death depended upon getting it. "Under the influence of liquor their passions lead them into the grossest excesses, beginning with songs of joy and ending with howls and screams. Disputes and quar- rels follow, then stabbing and head - smashing ; finally, murder is the crowning crime of these abominable orgies. The ground is strewn with the dead, and the living are horribly mutilated. With a drunken Indian about, no one is safe, and many times my own life has been in danger/' 28 The Government, it is true, prohibited the introduction of whiskey into the Indian Territory under penalty of the law, but no agent respected the law, and brandy arrived in cargoes. 29 Indignant at the breach of the law, Father De Smet, with one stroke of a hatchet, broke open a cask destined for the Indians, and, not content with such measures, he wrote a strong letter to the Government at Washington denouncing this abuse as being both criminal and illegal. But apparently little heed was given in high places to these complaints ; and a few unworthy Americans looked on with satisfaction at the self-destruction of a race they detested, and the whites, undisturbed, continued their odious traffic. After two such orgies the mission seemed doomed. "What could one do with two thousand drunken Indians? Where would it end ? Who can say ? For with the yearly 27 Letter of Father De Smet to Mr. Charles Van Mossevelde, Sept. 18, 1839. 28 Letter to Francis De Smet, Oct. 29, 1839. 29 One reads with interest Father De Smet's journal from May 10 to Oct. 15, 1839. Chittenden-Richardson, p. 171-178. THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 93 arrival of the money, the same blackguards would return, and the same scene be enacted." 30 But, however dark the future appeared, the missionaries determined not to desert their post. More than ever did they endeavor to win these wild natures through kindness. They had at least the consolation of opening heaven to a, large number of children. "I have often remarked," says Father De Smet, "that many of the children seem to await baptism before winging their flight to heaven, for they die almost immediately after receiving the Sacrament." 31 Among adults, conversions were becoming more rare; at times even some of the neophytes fell into habits of vice that desolated the mission. The greater number, how- ever, remained faithful; they continued to follow the instructions, and even became monthly communicants. The neighboring tribes, especially the Omahas, were now clamoring for the Black Robes. Seeing what good he could still accomplish, our mis- sionary took heart. After writing to Father De Vos, "I do not dare advise any one to come here," 32 he rejoiced to hear that many novices wished to share his labors. "My heart bounded so with joy, that had my arms not been tightly crossed, I believe it would have burst forth; this news, I feel sure, has caused equal joy to the angel guar- dians of our poor Indians. The tribe, for this, assembled to sing canticles of thanksgiving to the Most High." Nevertheless, he advises the Master of Novices "to drill these young soldiers of Christ after the rigorous methods of our holy founder, St. Ignatius. Such training will make them of great service in this country. A rusty gun or a dull sword is of little use here." 33 In 1840 another famine threatened to increase the hardships and difficulties of the mission. Provisions were running low, and the looked-for succor did not arrive. Father De Smet offered to go himself to St. Louis to get supplies. He left Council Bluffs February i3th, and in spite of the state of his health, was quite decided to return to his dear Indians as soon as possible. The intense cold 30 Letter to Mr. Charles Van Mossevelde, Sept. 18, 1839. 31 Letter to Father De Vos, Dec. 18, 1839. 32 Ibid. 33 To Father De Vos, Council Bluffs, Feb. 10, 1840. 94 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. had suspended navigation, so he was obliged to travel on foot, then on horseback, and at times in a cart, a dis- tance of nine hundred miles 34 with no other companion save his guide. The winter, he tells us, was a severe one. "I suffered greatly during the journey, often sleeping in the open, in deep snow, with only two blankets for covering. A bitter north wind froze my cheeks and one side of my nose. Droves of famished wolves appeared from time to time and followed us howling, but as they kept at a safe distance we were not alarmed. "The intense cold affected my lungs in such a manner that I found difficulty in breathing, and feared at one time that I could not continue my journey. Upon arriving in St. Louis I was put under the care of a physician I, who fear American doctors as I do the pest. This one hastened to employ the entire resources of the apothecary : bleeding and leeches were the first prescription, then followed baths, powders, pills, plasters, and every known tisane* sweet, bitter, hot, cold, and tepid ; added to which a strict regime was ordered. Complete rest quickly restored my health and I immediately set about getting out of the hands of the doctor, who would soon have had all the flesh off my bones/' 35 If cheerfulness be a distinct mark of the missionary temperament, Father De Smet had reason to be thankful for this gift. Notwithstanding the trials and hardships of the mission and the silence of his friends which pained him, he brought a cheerful countenance to every fatigue and danger. The modest assurance of a heroism which ignored self was not the least attractive aspect of his personality. No sooner was his health . reestablished than he began to make arrangements to rejoin his post. He collected provisions, clothing, church ornaments, vestments, and agricultural implements, and was about to start/ when he heard he was to be sent to another mission, and that 34 On the first trips Father De Smet could only roughly calculate distances; hence there may be some inaccuracies. * Translator's Note. A mild aqueous infusion possessing nourishing rather than medicinal properties. 34 To the Carmelites of Termonde, Westport, April 27, 1840. THE POTAWATOMI MISSION 95 Father Christian Hoecken had been appointed to replace him with the Potawatomies. 36 The two years spent at Council Bluffs were but years of preparation; the great work of the missionary was about to begin. In another theater of action, and into the heart of the American wilderness, he was to carry the light of the Gospel, and be known henceforth as the " apostle of the Rocky Mountains." 36 In September, 1841, Fathers Verreydt and Hoecken left Council Bluffs for St. Mary's Mission, established two years before at Sugar Creek for the Potawatomies of Kansas. From there Father Hoecken continued to visit the tribes on the Upper Missouri. CHAPTER VI THE FLATHEADS. FIRST JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS (1840) The Growing Prosperity of the United States The Indian Situation Admirable Dispositions of the Flatheads Old Ignatius The Indians Who Four Times Made a Three-thousand-mile Journey to Obtain the Black Robes Father De Smet is Sent to the Rocky Mountains to Prepare the Foundation of a New Mission How One Traveled in 1840 Across the Prairies A Meeting between Father De Smet and the Flatheads One of Napoleon's Grenadiers A Sojourn in the Camp of Big Face The Missionary's Joys On the Summit of the Rockies Sanctus Ignatius Patronus Montium Father De Smet Leaves the Flatheads Dangers He Encountered in the Yellowstone Triumphant Reception by the Sioux He Returns to St. Louis. SINCE the separation of the Colonies from England the United States had marched steadily on in the path of progress and prosperity. In fifty years, "this infant in swaddling-clothes," as spoken of by Joseph De Maistre, had attained a development only equaled by that of some of the great European countries. In 1780 the population of the United States. numbered 3,000,000; in 1840 it exceeded 17,000,000, and every year new States and cities have sprung into existence. The pioneer marched ever westward, hewing, with fire and axe, a path through the virgin forests, and weaving a trail in the tall grass of the prairies, pitching his tent wherever he found agricultural land. Before this steady conquest the wilderness receded, and colonization ad- vanced at the rate of from twenty-four to thirty miles a year. But what became of the Indians, the original possessors of the American soil? They beheld their domains jii- niinishing continually, and numerous tribes driven from the Eastern country sought refuge on the other side of the Missouri. The Indian Territory had just been ceded to THE FLATHEADS 97 the Indians, and there the Cherokees, the Creeks, the Chickasaws, the Seminoles, and the Kickapoos, etc., en- deavored, under the supervision of the Government, to- lead the life and acquire the habits of the white man. Other Indians had, like the Potawatomies of Council Bluffs, abandoned the greater part of their land to the Americans. They kept for themselves only an independent settlement called a "reservation," where the Government undertook to provide for their subsistence, at least for a limited number of years. But the greater number of the redskins continued their roaming life in the desert, where the white man had not yet penetrated. Upon the banks of the Upper Missouri, in the territories of Nebraska, Wyoming, Dakota, and Montana, lived the great Sioux Nation 5 , divided into several tribes. 1 Further north, on the frontier of the British possessions, roamed the Blackfeet, the Crows, the Assiniboins, and the Grosventres. Lastly, in the heart of the Rocky Moun- tains, and in the fertile valleys watered by the tributaries of the Columbia River, gathered a large number of smaller tribes, strangers to the Missouri Indians, and often victims of their incursions. These were the Flatheads, the Pend d'Oreilles or Kalispels, the Cceur d'Alenes, the^Chaudieres, the Spokanes, the KootenaiS, and the Nez Perces. To these last tribes Father De Smet was henceforth ta consecrate his ardent zeal and the resources of his great ability. Of all the mountain tribes, the most interesting were the Flatheads. 2 Lewis and Clarke, the explorers, sent in 1804 on an expedition to discover the source of the Mis- souri River, were the first white men to penetrate the region of the Flatheads. 3 This tribe numbered scarcely *See complete table of the Sioux tribes compiled by Father De Smet. Selected Letters, ist series, p. 146. 2 The origin of this name is unknown, as well as that of the Nez Perces, which is justified neither by their physical formation, nor the practices in use in their tribe. Translator's Note: The Flatheads are said to belong to the Sd-lish-an stock found in Washington, British Columbia, and Montana. 3 Cf. "Travels to the Source of the Missouri River," by Captains Lewis- and Clarke, London, 1814. 9 8 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. two thousand souls ; but if inferior in numbers to many of the neighboring tribes, they were unsurpassed in bravery and daring. A member of that celebrated expedition, in speaking of the moral degradation in which many of the tribes were sunk, adds: "To the honor of the Flatheads who live on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, they must be cited as an exception. This is the only tribe that lias any idea of chastity." 4 Mr. Cox, who in 1812-1814 traded furs with them, tells us that the Flatheads possessed nobler qualities than any of the other Western tribes. They are, he says, honest, obedient to their chiefs, cleanly in their huts and personal habits, and hold lying in abhor- rence. Polygamy is almost unknown among them. The women are excellent wives and mothers, and so celebrated for their fidelity that the contrary failing is a rare exception. 5 Such a race was ready to receive the Gospel. The French Jesuits who fell under the tomahawk of the Iroquois in the seventeenth century, little dreamed that the faith they had preached and sealed with their blood would one day be carried beyond the Mississippi to the Rocky Moun- tains and as far West as the Pacific Coast by the descend- ants of these same Indians who had treated them with such barbarity. Let us here recall this extraordinary evangelization. Between the years 1812 and 1820 a band of Catholic Iro- quois left the Caughnawaga Mission near Montreal, and, crossing the . Mississippi valley , directed their _steps to the unknown regions of the West. What could have been their object in migrating to the far West? Pos- sibly, they were unconsciously serving the designs of Providence in behalf of those who were to become their brothers by adoption. The chief of the band, Ignatius La Mousse, had been baptized and married by the Jesuits and remained for some time in their service. 6 4 Journal of Sergeant Patrick Gass, quoted by Father Palladino, "Indian and White in the Northwest," p. 4. 5 Cf. Palladino, op. tit., pp. 4-8. See Helen Hunt Jackson, "A Century of Dishonor," pp. 377, etc. 6 These details have been taken from a letter of Father He"lias d'Hudde- ghem Quly 4, 1836). We see from it that he conversed for some time at St. Louis with Ignatius and his children. THE FLATHEADS 99 The Indians called him Old Ignatius, to distinguish him from another Iroquois, the Young Ignatius of whom we will speak later on. The travelers were so cordially received by the Flatheads that they decided to remain with them. Ties of marriage soon strengthened the bonds of friendship, and the new- comers became members of their people. Beneath his native ruggedness and rare intelligence, the soul of an apostle lay hidden in Old Ignatius. His courage and loyalty acquired for him an influence which he used for the good of the tribe. He often spoke to the Flatheads of the' Catholic faith, of its beliefs, its prayers, and its ceremonies. The conclusion of his discourse was always the same ap- peal: to send for a Black Robe to instruct them and show them the way to heaven. The Flatheads listened most attentively, and learned from him the principal mysteries of the Faith, the great precepts of Christianity, the Lord's Prayer, the Sign of the Cross, and other religious practices. Their lives were regulated by this teaching; they said morning and night prayers, sanctified Sunday, baptized the dying, and placed a cross over the graves of their dead. The Pend d'Oreilles and Nez Perces, tribes friendly to the Flatheads, were eager to be instructed, and all ardently longed for the Black Robes. But how to obtain them? To reach the Montreal and Quebec Missions meant a journey of over four thousand miles. Catholic priests, however, finally arrived in Missouri, and the news reached the mountains, doubtless brought by merchants who made yearly trips up the river. Old Ignatius at once assembled the tribe in council, and pro- posed sending a deputation to St. Louis in search of a missionary. The proposition was enthusiastically re- ceived, and four Indians offered to start at once. It was a bold undertaking. How were they to accomplish a journey of three thousand miles over high mountains, broad rivers, and across arid plains and the sands of the desert? How avoid meeting the Crows and Blackfeet, mortal enemies of the Flatheads? The four travelers left their country in the spring of 1831, ready to brave every danger in order to obtain a ioo THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. priest. 7 It is very probable, however, that they joined a caravan of merchants who were going East. In the beginning of October the deputation arrived at St. Louis, repairing at once to a Catholic church to prostrate them- selves before Him whom Ignatius had taught them to adore, praying fervently that their long journey would not be in vain, and that they might realize their hearts' desire. The dignified bearing and piety of the Indians greatly impressed all who met them, but unfortunately no one could understand their language. Yet another trial awaited them. Worn out by the fatigues of a journey that had lasted several months, two members of the deputation fell ill and died within a few days. 8 The two surviving Indians set out for the mountains, but never reached their tribes, nor is it known whether they, too, succumbed to fatigue, or were massacred. This expedition, however, was not in vain, for it made known the existence of the Flatheads, and gained the interest of the public. Catholic priests were so scarce at that time that a new mission could not be started. The Protestants, wishing to profit by this condition, endeavored on two occasions to get in touch with the Indians. In 1834 the Flatheads learned that a band of missionaries was en route to their tribe, and they concluded it was the Black Robes with the messengers who had been sent to fetch them. Great was their disappointment when the caravan arrived and they beheld not one of their tribe in the party. The missionaries, moreover, in no way resembled those the Iroquois had told them about. They were married and they did not wear either the black robe or the crucifix, neither did they recite the "big prayer" (the 7 According to Father Helias d'Huddeghem, the chief of the expedition was called Martin, and was Ignatius' uncle. He died shortly after arriving at St. Louis. His companions belonged to the Flatheads and the Nez Perces. 8 "I was at that time absent from St. Louis," wrote Bishop Rosati. " Two of our priests went to see the poor Indians, who seemed delighted with their visit. They made the Sign of the Cross and other signs connected with baptism, which Sacrament was administered to them, to their great satisfaction. A crucifix was given to them which they seized eagerly, kissing it several times and clinging to it until they died. The bodies were taken to the church and buried with full Catholic ceremonies." (Annals of the Propagation of the Faith, Dec. 31, 1831.) THE FLATHEAD'S : ,\ ioi Mass). These were not the masters they expected. Realizing that it was useless to remain, the Methodists left to establish themselves in Oregon. Another attempt was^made~a year later by the American Board of Foreign Missions, with no greater measure of success. The Flatheads, despairing of seeing again their brothers that had left the camp four years previously, decided to send a sec9nd deputation to St. Louis. This time Ignatius offered to go himself. Taking with him his two sons, whom he wished to have baptized, he left the mountains in the summer of 1 83 5 . After unspeakable fatigues and hard- ships the deputation reached St. Louis the beginning of December. Having been taught French when a child, Ignatius could explain the object of his journey. A Belgian Jesuit, Father Helias d'Huddeghem, heard his confession and prepared his sons for baptism. For some time the Fathers in St. Louis had wished to establish a mission on the other side of the Rocky Moun- tains, but as the number of priests hardly sufficed for the work of the college, the Father General could not then undertake another foundation. Ignatius, nevertheless, continued to plead for a priest, in the name of the tribes whose delegate he was. "I consoled him as best I could," wrote Father Helias, " assuring him that our 'Black Chief at Rome would shortly provide for the needs of his people, and that if permission was given to me, I would start at once for the mountains." 9 Bishop Rosati also promised to send missionaries, and cheered with this hope Ignatius returned to his country. Eighteen months passed, and yet no Black Robe ar- rived. In the summer of 1837 a third deputation started for St. Louis. It_was composed of three Flatheads. one Nez Perce, and their chief, Old Ignatius. In traversing the Sioux country they encountered a band of three hun- dred warriors. Ignatius, who was dressed as a white man, might have been spared, as the Sioux thought he belonged to a caravan of white men returning to St. Louis; but the valiant old man refused to be separated from his com- panions. Knowing they were lost, the Flatheads deter- mined to at least uphold the honor of their tribe. Fifteen 9 To Madam H&ias d'Huddeghem, July 4, 1836. lEKfi; /IWE ; GF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. Sioux entered into combat with them. At last, defeated and outnumbered, they fell, offering their lives to God for the salvation of their brothers. Upon learning this crushing news the poor Indians asked themselves if they would ever obtain a Catholic priest, and undaunted, decided to send a fourth deputation to St. Louis. Two Iroquois who had some knowledge of French offered to go. One was called Peter Gaucher, the other, the Young Ignatius. They left in 1839, joining a party of trappers traveling in the same direction. About the middle of September the deputation passed the St. Joseph Mission, at Council Bluffs. They visited the mis- sion which had been established the year before for the Potawatomies, and there Father De Smet beheld for the first time those to whom he would soon begin his apostolate. "With tears in their eyes they begged me to return with them. If only my health would permit it, I might have the luck this time to get further up the Missouri. Should God deem me worthy of the honor, I would willingly give my life to help these Indians." 10 A few weeks later our two travelers arrived at St. Louis. They made their confessions to one of the Fathers at the college, then went to the cathedral to hear Mass and receive holy communion, and there Bishop Rosati confirmed them. After a long conversation with the Indians the good Bishop wrote to the General of the Society of Jesus, telling him of the sterling qualities of these Indians, and re- counting their efforts of the past eight years to obtain a Catholic priest. The letter concluded in the following words: "For the love of God, Most Reverend Father, do not abandon these souls." 11 Touched by this earnest ap- peal, the Father General agreed to send a priest. At last the Flatheads were to realize their long-deferred desire. Peter Gaucher started at once to carry the good news to his tribe, Young Ignatius remaining in St. Louis to act as guide to the missionary, who would start in the spring. When Father De Smet heard of the promise made to the Flatheads he offered at once to go to the Rocky Mountains. 10 Letter to Francis De Smet, Council Bluffs, Oct. 29, 1839. 11 St. Louis, Oct. 20, 1839. FATHER DE SMET, APOSTLE OF THE ROCKIES am THE FLATHEADS 103 Knowing his health was not yet entirely restored after the hardships of his recent journey, his Superiors for some time withheld their consent, but finally yielded to his importunities. 12 At that time there was no question of definitely establish- ing a mission for the tribe, but simply of studying the country with this end in view. The missionary, more- over, entertained no illusions as to the difficulties of the enterprise: "It is a journey fraught with many dangers," he wrote to his brother, "but God, in whom I put my trust, will, I hope, guide me, for it is for His greater glory that I undertake it. The salvation of a whole nation is at stake. Pray for me; and have little Charles pray especially for me every day: talium est regnum codorum, their innocence makes them friends of God." 13 His Superior had intended giving him an assistant, but the necessary money was not forthcoming, so he started alone, with only Young Ignatius as guide. They left St. Louis March 27, 1840, arriving a few days later at West- port, 14 the frontier city of Missouri, and the meeting-place of the merchants en route to the Rocky Mountains. He here procured horses for his iourney, buying seven in all, one for himself, one for his guide, and five for transporting baggage and provisions. They were to join a caravan of about thirty men belonging to the American Fur Company. Before starting for the great desert, he placed himself under the protection of the Queen of heaven, and wrote for the last time to his brothers and sisters. In the firm belief that he was answering the call of God, he departed cheerfully and confidently: "God has surely great designs upon these poor tribes, and I thank Him with my whole heart for having chosen me for this mission. I fear nothing, and never in my life have I experienced greater happiness and tranquillity." 15 12 "He manifested," writes Father Verhaegen, "such eagerness and ardent zeal for the work; he possessed, moreover, such remarkable qualities, that it was hardly possible for us to make another choice. His prudence and ability assured the successful termination of his journey." (To Francis De Smet, St. Louis, April 24, 1840.) 13 To Francis De Smet, St. Louis, March 16, 1840. 14 To-day this is Kansas City. 15 To Francis De Smet, Westport, April 24, 1840. 104 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. The caravan started April 3oth, going west across arid plains that were intersected by deep gorges. Soon the intense heat began to affect them. "When only ten days out," writes Father De Smet, "I was seized with an attack of intermittent fever, with the chills which usually precede such an attack. My friends urged me to return, but my longing to see the mountain tribes was stronger than any argument they could offer to deter me from going. "I followed the caravan as best as I could, holding my- self on my horse until my strength was exhausted. They then laid me upon a cart, where I was jolted about like a bale of goods. Often in crossing deep and steep ravines I was thrown into extraordinary positions; sometimes my feet shot up in the air, and again I fell between packing- cases. I would shiver with cold one minute and the next be dripping with perspiration, and crimson from the raging fever. For three days--- when my fever was at its height I had only stale, salt water to quench my thirst." 16 On May 1 8th they reached the Platte or Nebraska River, "the most marvelous and useless of rivers," two miles wide, and in places only from three to six feet deep, which renders it unnavigable. Hence the caravan was obliged to continue the journey by land. Father De Smet appreciated keenly the grandeur and beauty of the country, and gazed with delight upon the islands that lay in groups in the river, which from a dis- tance resembled a flotilla of boats, their sails entwined with garlands of green and festoons of flowers. 17 Thou- sands of buffalo ranged the vast prairies, recalling to mind the flocks of the patriarchs that once covered the moun- tains in the East. Then came the desert, with its arid, desolate plains, where the grass was parched and the rivers and streams dry; the deer, buffalo, and roebuck sought refuge in the few oases where life still existed. Piles of stone, steep peaks, and deep ravines were encountered; and walls of rock, seemingly unsurmountable, barred their progress. Father De Smet was greatly interested in meeting bands 16 Narrative addressed to Francis De Smet, St. Louis, Jan. 25, 1841. 17 Ibid. JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 105 of_ Indians of different tribes. Formerly these tribes were in peaceful possession of the prairies, and now they were being driven back into the forests and gorges. ''Some day this country may be the cradle of a new people, com- posed of the original savage races, and of adventurers, fugitives, and the outcasts of society : a heterogeneous and dangerous population, that the American Union gathers like a sinister cloud upon its frontiers. The Indian tribes that are being transported from the country east of the Mississippi to the solitudes of the West, carry with them an implacable hatred of the white man, who has unjustly driven them from the tombs of their fathers and robbed them of their heritage. Hence their numbers are aug- mented, and resentment is rife. In time, will not these tribes assemble in bands to pillage and massacre mounted upon the fleet-footed horses of the prairie the desert for the theater of their brigandage, their lives and spoils sheltered behind inaccessible rocks?" 18 The future alas ! but too well justified his prevision. After following the right bank of the Nebraska for a month the missionary reached the Rocky Mountains about the middle of June. "They are rocks piled upon rocks and seem the ruins of an entire world, covered with the shroud of eternal snows." 19 The caravan camped at Green River, one of the branches of the Colorado. The Indian and Canadian beaver-hunters assembled there every year to sell their furs, or exchange them for articles fur- nished by the white men. Arriving at Green River June 3oth, what must have been Father De Smet's joy when he beheld a group of Flat- neads approaching. Peter Gaucher had brought back from St. Louis the news that a Black Robe would soon come with Young Ignatius. The great chief immediately dispatched ten warriors to meet the missionary and escort him to the camp. He himself followed with all his tribe. "Our meeting," says Father De Smet, "was not that of strangers, but of friends. They were like children who, after a long absence, run to meet their father. I wept for joy in embracing them, and with tears in their eyes they 18 Narrative cited. Cf. W. Irving, "Astoria," Chap. xxii. 19 Ibid. io6 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. welcomed me with tender words, with childlike simplicity. 3ie Flatheads gave me the news of the tribe, recounting their almost miraculous preservation in a battle that lasted five days, in which they killed about fifty of the enemy without losing a single man. 'We fought like braves/ they told me, 'sustained by our desire to see you. The Great Spirit had pity upon us, and helped us to clear of all danger the road you must follow. The Blackfeet retired weeping. It will be some time now before they molest us again.' Together we thanked God for His protection and begged for His assistance to the end." 20 But the party had yet to traverse the most difficult and dangerous part of the way. While the horses were resting Father De Smet spent several days conversing with the Indians assembled upon the banks of the Green River. He saw for the first time the (nake$, who were reduced to feeding on roots they dug out of the ground, and the Ampajoots [Yampah Utes?], who were still more impover- ished. ''The country they inhabit is a veritable moor. They live in crevices in the rocks and in holes dug in the earth. These Indians wear no clothing, and their weapons consist of bow and arrow, and a sharp stick. They wander over the barren plains searching for ants and grasshoppers, which they eat; insipid roots and nauseous berries are re- garded as a feast. Men, whose word I cannot doubt, have told me that they feed on the dead bodies of their relatives, and even eat their children. " r21 Such misery appealed to the heart of our missionary, and he would gladly have stayed to consecrate his life to those degraded people. He had, however, the consolation of baptizing several of the tribe and giving. hema glimpse of eternal joys. The Nez Perces, the Spokanes, and the Cceur d'Alenes were more human in their habits and customs, They inhabited a fertile country and their wealth consisted prin- cipally of horses, some of the tribes possessing five or six hundred. All manifested a great desire to have a Black Robe among them. The Kalispels s , or Pend d'Oreilles, re- sembled the Flatheads in character, language, and habits, ^nd formed with them one people. Like the latter, they had led a wandering life, and merely awaited the arrival 20 Narrative cited. 21 Ibid. JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 107 of the missionary to begin the cultivation of the soil, and to live according to the precepts of the Gospel. While conversing with the Indians, Father De Smet took occasion to give some salutary advice to the Canadian hunters who seemed to him "to have great need of it." Great was his astonishment to find a compatriot among them, a Fleming of Ghent. John Baptiste De Velder had been an old grenadier in Napoleon's army. Taken prisoner in Spain, he escaped from the English colonies in an American ship, and for the past years had hunted beaver in the Rocky Mountains. Enchanted to have found a Belgian nine thousand miles from his country, he gener- ously offered to accompany the missionary and serve him during his journey. He was resolved, he said, to spend the remainder of his life serving God. John Baptiste had almost entirely forgotten Flemish, remembering only his prayers, and a hymn in honor of the Blessed Virgin he had learned at his mother's knee, and which he recited daily. July 3d was a Sunday. Father De Smet offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at an altar erected upon elevated ground and decorated with wild flowers. This was the first time Mass had been said in the Rocky Mountains. "I preached in French and English (writes the missionary) to the American and Canadian hunters, and then through an interpreter addressed the Flatheads and the Snakes: 22 It was a consoling sight to see this cosmopolitan gathering following devoutly the Sacred Mysteries. The Canadians sang some hymns in French and Latin, while the Indians chanted in their own tongue. The service was truly Catholic. The place where the Holy Sacrifice was offered has since been called by the trappers, 'The plain of the Holy Sacrifice/"* 8 The next day the gathering dispersed. Accompanied by his faithful Fleming and the delegates from the Flat- heads, Father_JI)e Smet continued his journey. After crossing mountains and rivers, and scaling precipices for eight days, they arrived at the Indian camp. The Flatheads, Pend d'Oreilles, and Nez Perces, came 22 Also Shoshones or Rootdiggers. See Chittenden-Richardson, p. 219. 23 Narrative addressed to the Carmelites at Termonde, March I, 1841 io8 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. from a distance of eight hundred miles to meet them, 24 and in their midst Father De Smet tasted the purest joys of his apostolic life. He himself shall tell us of it. "The poles were already set up for my tent, and upon my arrival, men, women, and children, sixteen hundred souls in all, came to shake hands with me and bid me wel- come. The old men cried for joy, and the children ex- pressed gladness by gambols and screams of delight. These kind Indians conducted me to the tent of the great chief, a patriarchal person called Big Face, who, sur- rounded by his council, received me with great cordiality. ' Black Robe/ he said, 'welcome to my nation. Our hearts rejoice, for to-day the Great Spirit has granted our petition. You have come to a people poor, plain, and sub- merged in the darkness of ignorance. I have always ex- horted my children to love the Great Spirit. We know that all that exists belongs to Him and everything we have comes from His generous hands. From time to time kind white men have given us good advice, which we have striven to follow. Our ardent desire to be in- structed in what concerns our salvation has led us on several occasions to send a deputation of our people to the great Black Robe [the Bishop] of St. Louis to ask him to send a priest. Black Robe, speak! We are all your children. Show us the path we must follow to reach the place where abides the Great Spirit. Our ears are open, our hearts will heed your words! Speak, Black Robe! we will follow the words of your mouth!' "I then spoke at length to these good people upon the subject of religion. I told them the object of my mission, and asked them to give up their wandering life and settle in a fertile district. All declared themselves ready and willing to exchange the bow and arrow for the spade and the plow. I drew up a set of rules for the religious exercises. One of the chiefs immediately brought me a bell, and that first evening it called the Indians to assemble around 24 Father De Smet passed then quite near to "the land of wonders," since called the National Park of America. But he knew the country only later from the accounts of another traveler. (See Selected Letters, ist Series, P- 97-) JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 109 my tent. After a short instruction, night prayers were said. Before retiring they sang in admirable harmony three hymns in praise of the Great Spirit of their own composition. No words can express how deeply I was touched. "The great chief was up every morning at daybreak. He would mount his horse and make the tour of the camp, haranguing his people: 'Come,' said he, 'courage, my children! Tell Him you love Him, and ask Him to make you charitable ! Courage, the sun is rising. Come, bathe in the river. Be punctual and at our Father's tent on the tap of the bell. Be still, open your ears to hear, and your hearts to retain the words he will speak.' ' ' When all were ready I rang the bell for prayers and in- struction. From the day I arrived until I left the Flat- heads, their avidity to hear the word of God increased daily. I preached regularly four times a day, and each time they ran eagerly to secure good places. Those who were sick were carried to the sermons. ' ' The morning after our arrival I began at once to trans- late the prayers through an interpreter. Fifteen days later I promised a medal of the Blessed Virgin to the one who would be the first to recite the Pater, Ave, and Credo, the Ten Commandments, and the four Acts without a fault. A chief arose. 'Father,' he said, 'your medal belongs to me'; and to my great surprise he recited all the prayers without missing a word. I embraced him, and made him my catechist. He performed this function so zealously that in ten days the whole tribe knew their prayers. "I had the happiness of regenerating nearly three hundred Indians in the waters of baptism. They all begged for the Sacrament, and manifested the best pos- sible dispositions. But as the absence of the missionary would be only temporary, I deemed it wiser to put off the others until the following year, not only with the inten- tion of giving them an exalted idea of the Sacrament, but also to try them in regard to the indissolubility of mar- riage, something quite unknown among the Indian nations of America. "Among the adults baptized were two great chiefs, one no THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. belonging to the Flatheads, the other to the Pend d'Oreilles, both over eighty years of age. When I exhorted them to renew their sentiments of contrition for their sins, Walking Bear (the name of the second) replied: 'In my youth and even later in life I lived in complete ignorance of good and evil, and during that time I must often have dis- pleased God. I sincerely ask for pardon. But when I fully realized that a thing was sinful I immediately ban- ished it from my heart. I do not remember ever having deliberately offended the Great Spirit/ "I have never discovered the least vice in these Indians, save gambling, in which they often risk all they possess. These games have been abolished by general consent, since they have learned that they are contrary to the commandment which says 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.' They are scrupulously honest in selling and buying, and none of them has ever been accused of stealing. Every article that is found is carried to the tent of the chief, who proclaims the object and returns it to the owner. "Slander is unknown among the women; a lie is con- sidered especially odious. 'We fear,' they say, 'to offend the Great Spirit, hence we hold liars in abhorrence.' "All quarrels and fits of passion are severely punished. They share one another's sufferings, give help in time of need, and care for the orphans. They are well-mannered, gay, and very hospitable; their tent is open house; keys and locks are unknown. Often I said to myself 'These are the people that civilized men dare to call barbarians!' "It is a great error to judge the Indians of the interior by those of the frontier. These last have learned the vices of the white men, whose insatiable greed of gain is served by corrupting the Indian, and whose bad example leads him into vicious habits. )V28 Father De Smet returned to the Flatheads in Pierre's Hole at the foot of the three Tetonsr 56 A few days later they broke camp and started north by slow stages. On 25 Narrative addressed to Francis De Smet. 26 The Teton Mountains are the most interesting, historically and other- wise, in the United States. The principal summit, the Grand Teton, is 13,691 feet high. Cf. Chittenden-Richardson, p. 228. JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS in July 22d, the caravan attained the ridge which separates the watersheds of the Missouri from those of the Columbia River. "I climbed a high mountain," writes the mission- ary, "in order to more accurately measure the distance of the source of these two rivers. I saw the stream descending from dizzy heights, leaping from rock to rock with a deafening noise. The two large streams are formed at their source, with scarcely a hundred feet between them. I wished very much to get to the summit, but a five-hour climb had exhausted my strength. I reached, I think, a height of 5,000 feet, and after crossing masses of snow twenty feet deep I yet was far from the top. "Constrained to abandon my project, I seated myself and fell to thinking about the Jesuit Fathers who were serving the missions on the Mississippi from Council Bluffs to the Gulf of Mexico. The happy memories these thoughts awakened moved me to tears of joy. I thanked God for having deigned to bless the work of His servitors dispersed in this vast vineyard, and implored this grace for all the nations of Oregon, the Flatheads and Pend d'Oreilles in particular, these last who had just enrolled themselves under the banner of Jesus Christ. Then I wrote in large letters upon the soft surface of the rock the following inscription: SANCTUS IGNATIUS PA- TRONUS MONTIUM. DIE JULII 23, 1840. I said a Mass of thanksgiving at the foot of this mountain, surrounded by my Indians, who chanted canticles of praise to God, and took possession of the country in the name of our holy founder." 27 The following day the travelers marched on the other side of the mountain, where they came upon a succession of smiling valleys, arid plateaux, steep hills, and narrow passes. The end of July found Father De Smet camped near the junction of the three sources of the Missouri. Immense herds of buffalo roamed over the plain, and the Flatheads, profiting by this occasion, replenished their food-supply. Father De Smet shared in every way the wandering life of his Indians, Jiving on roots and what gapie could be found. His bed was a buffalo hide, and, wrapped in a 27 Narrative addressed to Francis De Smet. ii2 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. blanket, he slept under the stars; storms and tempests he braved in a small tent. For four months he suffered from a fever which, he says: "Seemed loath to leave me; but the hard life I lead finally enabled me to throw it off, and since September I am in perfect health." 28 The season was then far advanced, and the missionary was obliged to start at once in order to reach St. Louis before the winter set in. "I decided to leave," he tells us, "on August 27th [1840]. Early in the morning of that day seventeen warriors, the pick of the two tribes, came with three chiefs to my tent. The old men in council had selected these braves to act as my escort through the country of the Blackfeet and the Crows, the two tribes most at enmity with the white man. Long before sunrise all the Flatheads had assembled to say good-by. No word was spoken, but sadness was written on every countenance. The only thing that con- soled them was a formal promise to return the following spring, with a reinforcement of missionaries. Morning prayers were said amid the tears and sobs of the Indians, which drew tears from my own eyes, although I endeavored to control my emotions, trying to make them understand that my departure was imperative. I exhorted the tribe to serve the Great Spirit with fervor, and to avoid anything that might give scandal, dwelling once ..more upon the principal truths of our holy religion, and giving them, as spiritual chief, an intelligent Indian I had myself carefully instructed. He was to replace me during my absence. Night and morning and every Sunday they were to recite prayers in common, and he was to exhort them to the practice of virtue. I authorized my deputy, furthermore, to privately baptize the dying and infants in case of need. With one voice they promised to obey all my injunctions. "With tears in their eyes the Indians wished me a good and safe journey. Old Big Face arose and said: "Black Robe! may the Great Spirit accompany you on your long and dangerous journey. Morning and night we will pray that you may safely rdach your brothers in St. Louis, and we will continue to pray thus until you return to your children of the mountains. When the 28 To Francis De Smet. JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 113 snows of winter will have disappeared from the valleys, and when the first green of spring begins to appear, our hearts, which now are so sad, will once more rejoice. As the meadow grass grows higher and higher, we will go forth to meet you. Farewell, Black Robe, farewell."' 29 While the Flatheads were returning to their country upon the banks of the Clarke, Father De Smet, escorted by the band of Indian warriors and his devoted compatriot, traveled in the direction of the Yellowstone. His purpose was to follow this river to its junction with the Missouri, and on his way back to St. Louis to visit the forts estab- lished along the river, where he might possibly find a goodly number of half-breed children needing to be baptized. For days they traveled through endless plains and arid wastes intersected with deep ravines, where at every step the enemy might be in hiding. Scouts were sent out in every direction to reconnoiter, and at night what seemed to be the least dangerous spot was chosen for encampment. A small fort hastily constructed with trunks of trees safe- guarded them from a night attack. The caravan soon came to a. camp of the Crows, a tribe allied at that time with the Flatheads, and was received with great cordiality. The tribe's larder being well provisioned, the time was spent in feasting and rejoicing. Father De Smet tells us that in one afternoon he assisted at twenty successive banquets. "Scarcely was I seated in one tent before I was invited into another one. My digestion not being as accommodating as that of the Indians, I contented myself with only tasting their stews, and for a bit of tobacco, the eaters I had taken the pre- caution to include in my followers emptied the plates for me/' 30 When about to enter the country of the Blackfeet, Father De Smet, fearing to expose the faithful Flatheads, sent back his escort. Alone now, with only his honest 29 To Francis De Smet. 50 "The law of the feast was that each one must eat all that was given to him; however, one could get rid of his plate by giving it to another guest with a present of tobacco." (Narrative cited.) n 4 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. Fleming, he traveled for several hundred miles through the most dangerous country any explorer has ever visited, a trackless land in which his compass was his sole guide. At every step they saw recent traces of the grizzly bear, that terror of the wilderness. In many places the travelers came upon forts that had been constructed by warring tribes, and behind which the enemy might be hiding. "Upon awakening one morning," writes the missionary, ' ' I saw, about a quarter of a mile distant, the smoke of a big fire, which turned out to be the camp of a party of savages. Being separated from them by only a point of rock, we hurriedly saddled our horses and galloped off. That day we made about fifty miles without stopping, arriving at camp two hours after sunset. Fearing the savages had seen our trail and might pursue us, we dared not light a fire, and went to bed supperless. I rolled myself in my blanket, lay down on the grass, and recommended my soul to God. My brave grenadier soon began to snore like a steam-engine under way, sounding all the notes of the gamut and ending in a deep sigh which harmonized with the prelude, while I tossed from one side to the other and spent a sleepless night. ''The next morning at daybreak we were off. Toward noon, another alarm. A buffalo had been killed scarcely two hours before at the place we were then passing; his tongue, marrow bones, and several other tidbits had been taken out. Providence provided us with a supper of what was left. We traveled in an opposite direction from the Indian tracks, and the following night camped in the midst of some rocks, once the lair of panthers and wolves. There, I slept well, undisturbed by my com- panion's music." 31 Every day, in fact every hour, the travelers beheld signs of^the near presence of the~dreaded Blackfeet. "Such solitude, with its horrors and dangers, has one great ad- vantage; man is face to face with death and realizes how completely he is in the hands of God. Hence, it is no great thing to make to God the sacrifice of a life that belongs less to one's self than to the first savage who wishes to take it. In the face of danger one prays more 31 To Francis De Smet. JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 115 fervently, and when saved makes better resolutions. In the desert I made the best retreat of my whole life." 32 At last they reached the Missouri, at a place where one hour before the enemy had passed. Father De Smet recounted to one of the chiefs the dangers he had run in the Yellowstone. "The Great Spirit has His manitous," said the Indian, "which He sent to accompany you and put to flight the enemy that would do you harm."^ Could any Christian have translated better the verse of the Psalm: Angelus suis mandavit de te, ut custodiant te in omnibus mis tuis ?** The travelers remained several days at 'Fort Union .at tjie mouth of the Yellowstone, the most important post the Fur Company possessed upon the Missouri. Father De Smet baptized several half-breed children there, and on September 23d set out again, accompanied by the traders who were en route to the Aricaras. Three days later the travelers reached the camps of the Mandans. At the approach of strangers, the Mandans and the Gros- ventres rushed out prepared to make trouble,, but when they caught sight of the minister of the Great Spirit, demonstrations of friendship quickly followed their threats of death. In every tent or lodge the pots were filled with good things. Like their neighbors, the Crows, they wished to feast the new arrivals. A series of invitations to dine followed, and the feasting was kept up until mid- night. The three merchants remained at Fort Clarke. Fort Pierre was a ten days' journey farther on. Father De Smet, failing a guide, started off with only John Baptiste De Velder and a Canadian traveling in the same direction. "But," says he, "one gradually accustoms one's self to brave every danger. Confident in God's protection, we continued our way across the sands of the plains, guided by our compass, like mariners upon a vast ocean. "The fifth day found us in the neighborhood of the Sioux Blackfeet, an offshoot of the Blackfeet of the mountains. Their very name struck terror into our hearts. We crept through ravines to be out of range of the piercing eye of the Indian that ever searches the plain. 32 To Francis De Smet. 33 Ps. xc. II. n6 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. 11 To ward noon a near-by spring invited us to rest and make our midday repast. We were congratulating our- selves upon having escaped the dreaded enemy, when sud- denly a war-cry, accompanied by deafening noises, sounded from the direction overlooking our hiding-place. A band of Blackfeet that had been following our tracks for several hours, armed with guns, bows and arrows, half-naked, weirdly daubed with color, descended upon us at full gallop. " I immediately rose and extended my hand to the one who appeared to be chief of the band. 'Why are you. hiding in a ravine?' he said, 'Are you afraid of us?' 'We were hungry,' I replied, 'and the spring tempted us to take a few moments' rest.' The chief eyed me from head to foot. My cassock and the crucifix I wore on my breast excited his curiosity. Then addressing the Canadian, who spoke a little Sioux, he said: 'Never before in my life have I seen this kind of a man. Who is he, and where does he come from?' Given such an opportunity, the Canadian was not backward in according titles. 'This man,' he replied, 'converses with the Great Spirit. He is the French Black Robe M and is come here to visit the different Indian tribes.' "At these words the savage softened, commanded his- warriors to lay down their arms, and each one gave me his hand. I made them a present of a large package of to- bacco, and immediately the warriors seated themselves in a circle to smoke the pipe of peace and friendship. "The chief then invited me to come and spend the night in his village. Twelve warriors laid an immense buffalo hide on the ground before me. The chief took me by the arm and, conducting me to the hide, bade me sit down. Understanding nothing of the ceremony, I seated myself, and imagine my surprise when I saw the twelve Indians seize this would-be carpet by its extremities, lift me from the ground, and, preceded by the chief, carry me in triumph to the village. " In an instant every one was out to see the Black Robe. 34 The missionaries who until the end of the eighteenth century evangelized North America were all French; hence the title French Black Robe,, given to them by the Indians. JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 117 I was given the place of honor in the chief's tent, who, sur- rounded by forty of his braves, addressed me in the fol- lowing words: 'Black Robe, this is the happiest day of our lives, for to-day, for the first time, we see in our midst a man who is near to the Great Spirit. These are the principal warriors of my tribe. I have invited them to the feast I have prepared for you, that they may never forget the great day. 1 "- 88 It seems strange that with the savages the fact of being a Catholic priest merited a triumphal reception for the lowly missionary, while in other times, and to men proud of their civilization, he would have been the object of suspicion. During the repast the great chief showered attentions on his guest, even to giving him a mouthful of his own food to chew, a refined usage among his tribe. At night, after the missionary had retired and was about to fall asleep, he saw the chief who had received him with so much honor, enter his tent. Brandishing a knife that gleamed in the light of the torch, he said: "Black Robe, are you afraid?" The missionary, taking the chief's hand, placed it on his breast and replied: "See if my heart beats more rapidly than usual! Why should I be afraid? You have fed me with your own hands, and I am as safe in your tent as I would be in my father's house." Flattered by this reply, the Blackfoot renewed his professions of friendship; he had wished only to test the confidence of his guest. The next day Father De Smet continued his journey. The great chief gave him three Indians to accompany him to Fort Pierre; among them was his own son, whom he begged the priest to instruct. "I want to know," he said, "the words the Great Spirit has communicated to us through you." From Fort Pierre the missionary went down to Fort. \ermillion, where a bitter sorrow awaited him. The Sioux had violated the peace concluded the year before with the Potawatomies. A band of warriors had returned to camp bearing a scalp. Father De Smet at once called a council of the tribe, rpprnaolwl f>iA nhWa fp r fcffiaj^nfc j^df word, menacing them with terrible reprisals if they did not at 86 To Francis De Smet. u8 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. once repair the injury done. Thoroughly frightened, the Sioux entreated him to be once more their interpreter, and to assure the Potawatomies that they were resolved to forever bury the hatchet. Happy to be the bearer of a message of peace to his neophytes, Father De Smet wished to start at once. His horse was exhausted, so with a half-breed Iroquois he started in a canoe. It was then the middle of November. The Missouri was filled with floating ice, which continually jammed the frail skiff against snags. Five times the travelers nearly perished. The nights were spent on sand- bars with no nourishment save frozen sweet-potatoes and a little fresh meat. At last, after traveling ten days, they reached Council Bluffs. The following night the river froze over. Fathers v Verreydt and Hoecken were the first priests Father De Smet had seen since he left St. Louis. . "You can readily imagine my joy in finding myself safe and sound in the midst of my fellow-priests after a journey of two thousand leagues, through every conceivable danger, and among barbarous tribes." In the name of the Sioux he renewed peace with his beloved Potawatomies. But he could not tear himself away from his dear Indians and only at the end of three weeks did he set out to finish his journey to St. Louis, arriving there New Year's Eve. His journey had lasted nine months. 36 36 It is very probable that John Baptiste De Velder accompanied Father De Smet to St. Louis, but from that time on his name no longer appears in the missionary's narratives. CHAPTER VII SECOND JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS ST. MARY'S MISSION (1841-1842) GFather De Smet Returns to the Mountains with Fathers Point and Mengar- ini Difficulties of the Journey A Cyclone on the Platte Hail, Majestic Rock! Arrival at Fort Hall The Bitter Root River- Founding of St. Mary's Mission A New Paraguay The First Bap- tisms Solemnization of Marriages The Blessed Virgin Appears to a Child The Order of the Day at the Mission Fervor of the New Christians The Winter Hunt The First Communion Death of Big Face. FATHER DE SMET had promised the Flatheads to return to the Rocky Mountains and bring with him new missionaries, but lack of funds again stood in the way of realizing this project, the Fathers not having suf- ficient means to defray even one-half the expense of the expedition. And how did our resourceful missionary meet this situation? "The thought," he writes, "that the un- dertaking was doomed to failure, and that I could not keep the promise I had made to the poor Indians, occa- sioned me keen sorrow and regret. But I had been the recipient of direct help from on high too often to allow myself in this instance to yield to discouragement. My confidence in God remained unshaken." 1 Shortly after his arrival in St. Louis, Father De Smet circulated thousands of pamphlets recounting his life and experiences among the Indians. Being thus informed of the admirable dispositions of the Indian tribes, the Catho- lics east of the Mississippi generously contributed to es- tablish a mission promising such abundant fruits. /Father De Smet started off on his begging expedition in midwinter, going first to Louisiana. "I marvel at the ways of Providence in choosing me as the means of ac- 1 Letter to the editor of the Catholic Herald, May I, 1841. 120 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. 'Complishing His designs. My fondest hopes have been more than realized, for notwithstanding the critical financial condition actually existing in the United States, I col- lected $1,100 in New Orleans. Women brought me their jewels; even the slaves contributed their mite." 2 Fathers Point and Mengarinr>and three lay Brothers were appointed to the mission, and returned with Father De Smet to the Rocky Mountains. The Superior's choice of men proved a very happy one. Nicholas Point, born of humble parents at Rocroi, in the French Ardennes in 1799, early in life manifested great piety and love of work. Marshal Ney offered to adopt the lad and give him a career in life; but the youth had other aims in view. The lives of the Saints, particularly the life of St. Francis Xavier, revealed to him a higher and greater glory than that of arms, and he determined to become a missionary. Entering the novitiate of Mont- rouge, it was not long before he was appointed prefect of studies, filling that office first at St. Acheul, and after- ward at Fribourg. In 1835 Father Point came to America and founded a college at Grand Coteau, which he left three years later in a flourishing condition. In 1838 the Louisiana Mission in charge of the French Jesuits was attached to the Missouri Mission, Father Verhaegen remaining Superior with the title of Vice- Provincial. Profiting by this circumstance (the union of the two missions), Father Point begged to be allowed to go with Father De Smet to the Rocky Mountains. 3 Father Gregory Mengarini was born in Rome on the feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, July 31, 1811. In 1828 he entered the Society of Jesus and made his course in theology at the Roman College. One day in the refectory he heard read a letter from Bishop Rosati, pleading the cause of the Indians. That letter was, for Mengarini, the call of God. Immediately after his ordination he started for the missions. A man of tried virtue and gentle nature; a skilful physician, a musician of no mean order, and a remarkable linguist, such was the new missionary to the Rocky Mountains. 4 8 Letter to Francis De Smet, April 27, 1841. 3 See notice of Father Nicholas Point in The Woodstock Letters, 1882, p. 299. 4 Cf. The Woodstock Letters, 1887, p. 93. SECOND JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS 121 The lay Brothers, not less than the Fathers, rendered valuable services to the mission, Brother William Claessens filling the office of carpenter, Brother Specht that of black- smith, and Charles Huet, general-utility man and "Jack- of -all-trades." 6 Besides the Fathers and lay Brothers, Father De Smet engaged three laborers, who under the direction of the Brothers were to undertake the hard work of the mission. The missionaries set out on their journey April 24, 1841, and at Westport joined a party of sixty travelers, many of them bound for California in search of gold. "The caravan," writes Father De Smet, "was composed of a curious collection of individuals, every country in Europe being represented: in my little band of eleven were men of eight different nationalities." 6 Several days were spent in loading the wagons and mules before the caravan could start. "I hope," writes the missionary, "that the journey will end well; it has begun badly. One of our wagons was burned on the steamboat; a horse ran away and was never found; a second fell ill, which I was obliged to exchange for another at a loss. Some of the mules took fright and ran off, leaving their wagons; others, with the wagons, have been stalled in the mud. We have faced perilous situations in crossing steep declivities, deep ravines, marshes, and rivers." 7 The missionaries, as in the preceding year, followed the Nebraska River until reaching the first spurs of the Rocky Mountains. The immensity of that river and its verdant, graceful banks, in cheerful contrast to the lugubrious desert, compelled Father De Smet's admiration. "One feels himself transported to the dawn of creation, when the world came forth from the hands of its Maker." But every now and then a destructive cyclone would devastate these enchanted shores. "One day when the wind was spending its fury, we witnessed at a short distance from us a marvelous spectacle. A huge, whirling, funnel-shaped cloud appeared in the 5 Brother Claessens of Beerendrecht in the province of Antwerp, Brother Specht of Alsace, and Brother Huet of Courtrai. 6 Letter to Father Verhaegen, from the banks of the Platte, June 2, 1841. 7 Letter to Father Elet, from Soldier River, May 16, 1841. 9 122 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. heavens, tearing through the air with a deafening noise, carrying with it every object in its path ; while clouds lying beyond the influence of the wind massed and whirled in an opposite direction. Had we been in the track of the cyclone the whole caravan would have been swept into nothingness. But the Almighty said to the winds, as to the waves, so far and no further. "Above us, we saw the storm retreating majestically to the north, finally spending its force in the bed of the Platte. Then occurred another upheaval of nature: in an instant the river was lashed into a foaming torrent, from which the water rose in the form of a vast horn of plenty, its sinuous movements resembling a serpent rising on its tail; trees were uprooted and the land laid waste. Such violence, however, soon spends itself. Shortly all was over; the waterspout fell of its own weight as rapidly as it had risen; the sun came out, nature's forces calmed, and we continued our journey."-'* Upon nearing the source of the great river, the travelers found more somber vegetation, rugged hills, and moun- tains towering into the clouds. Behind those summits dwelt the tribes destined soon to hear the word of God. Our missionary, uplifted by this thought, became a poet, expressing his rapture in the following hymn: "Oh, no! It is no shadow vain That greets my sight yon lofty chain That pierces the eternal blue, The Rocky Mounts appear in view. "I've seen the spotless virgin snow, Glistening like gems upon their brow, And o'er yon giant peak now streams The golden light of day's first beams. "All hail, majestic Rock! the home Where many a wanderer yet shall come; Where God Himself from His own heart, Shall health and peace and joy impart. "Father and God! How far above All human thought Thy wondrous love; How strange the paths by which Thy hand Would lead the tribes of this bleak land, From darkness, crime, and misery, To live and reign in bliss with Thee!" 8 Letter to Father Verhaegen, Sweet water River, July 14, 1841. SECOND JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS 123 After resting two days on the shores of the Green River, the caravan started again in the direction. .of Fort Hall, situated on Snake River and north of Salt Lake. "The crossing of a river, with a retinue such as ours, was no small affair. Commending ourselves to God, we ordered the drivers to whip up the mules; the animals tugged and strained valiantly and gained the other bank. Our train of wagons then worked its way through a laby- rinth of valleys and mountains, opening, as we went, a trail in the depth of a ravine, or through dense brush on the slope of a steep rock. At this juncture the mules were taken out and hitched abreast, then every man's shoulder went to the wheels, and every inch of rope was requisitioned to steady the convoy on the edge of the chasm, or keep it from a too rapid descent! Yet all these precautions did not save us from many tumbles. Our Brothers, forced by circumstances to take the reins, would often find themselves, one on a mule's neck, another on his hind quarters, and a third under the fore feet of the animal, not knowing how they got there, and each time thanking God for a miraculous escape. "Those on horseback were accorded the same divine protection. During the journey Father Mengarini was six times thrown from his horse, Father Point almost as often, and once in full gallop I was pitched over my horse's head; yet none of us had so much as a scratch." 9 At Fort Hall on the feast of the Assumption they met the advance-guard of the Flatheads, who had traveled over three hundred miles to come and meet the Black Robes. Among them was Young Ignatius, Father De Smet's guide of the previous year. Ignatius had been running for four days without food or drink in order to be the first to salute the missionaries. , Simon, the oldest member of the tribe, was also in the advance-guard. Although so worn with age that even when seated he leaned upon a cane for support, the ardor of his youth revived upon hearing of the approach of the Black Robes. "My children," said he, as he mounted his horse, "I am one of you; if I succumb on the way our 9 Letter to Father Verhaegen, Fort Hall, Aug. 16, 1841. i2 4 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. Fathers will know in what cause I die." During the journey he was often heard to say: "Courage, my children, remember we go to meet the Black Robes!" Then lashing their steeds and following their intrepid leader, the caval- cade covered fifty miles a day. Father De Smet's heart rejoiced when he found that the year's interval had in no way diminished the fervor of the Flatheads. The greater number, even old men and little children, knew by heart the prayers he had taught them. Twice on week-days, and three times on Sundays, during his absence had the tribe assembled to say prayers in common. The box containing vestments, and the altar service left in their charge the preceding year, were carried on high like the Ark of the Covenant each time the camp moved. Many of those baptized died saintly deaths. A girl twelve years of age exclaimed at the moment of death: "How beautiful! How beautiful! I see the heavens opening and the Mother of God is calling me to come!" Then turning to those about her she said: "Heed what the Black Robes tell you, for they speak the truth; they will come and in this place erect a house of prayer." Enemies of Catholicism vainly endeavored to sow dis- sension and distrust, by insinuating that the missionaries had no intention of returning. "You are mistaken," re- plied Big Face. " I know our Father ; his tongue does not lie. He said, 'I will return,' and return he will." The missionaries left the caravan three days after their arrival at Fort Hall, going north to the Flathead encamp- ment. One of the braves sent Father De Smet his finest horse, with strict orders that no one should mount the steed before it was presented to the Black Robe. On August 3oth, four months after their departure from St. Louis, the missionaries arrived at their destination. "As we approached the camp we saw one courier after another advancing. A gigantic Indian then appeared, coming toward us at full gallop. Cries of 'Paul! Paul!' were heard, and it was in fact Paul [Big Face], so named in baptism the year before. They thought him absent from the camp, but he had just returned, wishing himself to present us to his people. Toward nightfall an affecting SECOND JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS 125 scene took place. The neophytes men, women, young men, and children in arms struggled with one another to be the first to shake hands with us; our hearts were too full for utterance. It was a great day." 10 Upon his first visit to the Flatheads, Father De Smet had urged them to look about for a fertile tract of land where the tribe could settle. They lived, principally, upon the fruits of the chase; hence, it was neither feasible nor possible to suppress this means of subsistence until agri- cultural development could replace it. Nor did Father De Smet expect to transform instantly a wandering tribe into a sedentary people. Hunting, for some time to come, would have to remain their principal means of subsistence, but, instead of encampments continually following in the wake of the roaming buffalo, their movable lodges would be transformed into fixed abodes, where, after the day's hunt, the men could join their families and experience the softening influence of home life. The Indian thus would be drawn from idleness; he would learn economy, and unconsciously acquire the habits of civilization. The proposition was enthusiastically received. The Flatheads chose a suitable site which the missionaries went to inspect, at the source of the Clarke River, and beyond a barren territory. In traversing these arid wastes, the Indians and missionaries lived on fish for eight days; but the horses suffered for want of food, not a blade of grass being found on that desolate soil. After twice crossing the ridge of the Rocky Mountains, the caravan at last entered the valley destined to be the home of this wandering tribe, and pitched their tents a few miles south of what is now the town of Misspula;* between Stevens- ville and Fort Owen. The Bitter Root River, which further on becomes the Clarke, watered this extraordinarily fertile region. The richness of the soil, the beauty of the situa- tion, and the proximity of other tribes decided the mis- sionaries to make this place the seat of the mission. It was September 24th, the feast of Our Lady of Mercy, 10 Letter to the Father General, Madison Fort, Aug. 15, 1842. * Translator's Note: On the main line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, not far from the town of Missoula, Montana, one may catch a passing glimpse of a small way-station painted red and bearing the sign " De Smet," a sorry monument to the memory of so intrepid a pioneer. 126 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. and that same day Father De Smet erected a cross in the center of the camp. "I should have liked all who are zealous Christians to be present at this ceremony: it was a moving spectacle to see the Flatheads, from the chief to the youngest child, come to press their lips reverently upon the emblem of our salvation, and swear upon their knees to die a thousand deaths rather than abandon their religion."- 11 The solemn inauguration of the mission took place the first Sunday in October, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. The mission was placed under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin and called St. Mary's Mission. It was a solemn moment! The marvels of the primitive Church were about to be renewed in those mountains. The mis- sionaries sank on their knees, imploring the help of heaven. "What can we do," they asked themselves, "to fulfil our vocation?" being fully convinced that God had especially chosen them for the conversion of an entire people. The plan of evangelization adopted by these intrepid apostles merits more than a passing mention. We find it outlined in a letter which Father De Smet wrote to his Superior, Father Verhaegen. 12 "The little nation of the Flatheads appear to us to be a chosen people, out of which a model tribe can be made; they will be the kernel of a Christianity that even Paraguay could not surpass in fervor. 13 "We have greater resources for obtaining such results than had the Spanish Fathers. Remoteness from corrupt influences; the Indian's aversion to the other sects; his liorror of idolatry; his liking for the white man, and for 11 To the Father General, Madison Fork, Aug. 15, 1842. 12 St. Mary of the Rocky Mountains, Oct. 26, 1841. 13 The celebrated Reductions of Paraguay were founded upon the right bank of the Parana River at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Spanish Jesuits converted the natives, and taught them to till the soil. It was a sort of theocratic state comprising thirty-two cities inhabited by relatively 40,000 families. In 1767 the Jesuits were driven out of the Spanish posses- sion and the destruction of the reductions followed. (Cf. " Histoire du Paraguay," by Father De Charlevoix, 3 Vols. in 4, Paris, 1756.) Translator's Note: The employment of the word "reduction" in con- veying the idea of systematized settlement has sprung from the use of the word as constantly applied to the groups or colonies above referred to in the historical records of the Jesuit Missions. ST. MARY'S MISSION 127 the Black Robe in particular, whose name for him is synonymous with goodness, learning, and piety; the central position of the mission; sufficient land for several settlements ; fertile soil ; the protection of high mountains ; no meddlesome and petty authority conflicting with that of God and those who represent Him upon earth; no tribute to pay but our prayers; such are the advantages our mis- sion enjoys. Furthermore, the Indians are convinced that without religion there is no happiness either in this life or in the world to come." Father De Smet was of the opinion that they could not do better than model their mission upon the celebrated (reductions of Paraguay. "The end those Fathers had in view, and the means employed to attain that end, were approved by the highest authority. Furthermore, the results obtained called forth the admiration even of our enemies." After a careful study of the Muratorr 14 Relation, Father De Smet believed he could develop in the neophytes the following virtues : "First, with regard to God: A simple, firm, lively faith in the practices and precepts of religion. A profound respect for the only true religion and all that relates to it. Tender devotion and respect for the Virgin Mary and the saints. Desire of conversion of others. Fortitude in trials and suffering. "With regard to one's neighbor: Respect for authority, for the .aged, and respect for parents. Justice, charity, and generosity to all men. "With regard to one's self: Humility, modesty, discre- tion, gentleness, pure living, anct love of work." But to attain this ideal, the Indians would have to be kept away from all bad influences. "Here in this place we are far removed from the corruption of the times, and from all that the Gospel implies in the term 'the world.' A great advantage we must safeguard, by a strict surveil- lance over all intercourse between the Indians and white men, extending our watchfulness even to the workmen we employ." 14 An account of the Missions of Paraguay, translated from the Italian, Paris, 1754. 128 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, S.J. In order to preserve the language of the neophytes, the missionaries taught them in their mother tongue. The curriculum of the mission comprised reading, writing, arithmetic, and singing. "A more advanced course of teaching, it seems to me, would be prejudicial to the sim- plicity of these excellent Indians." Exceptions were made only in favor of those who promised to labor for the propa- gation of the faith. " Father Point, our architect, has already drawn plans for the village, in the center of which will stand a church one hundred feet long and fifty feet front, with the priests' house and school adjoining. Around this central point will be grouped the dwelling-houses, workshops, stores, and other buildings of common utility, the farming land be- ginning on the outskirts of the village." Religious exercises, singing, music, instructions, cate- chism, administration of the Sacraments, in fact the divi- sion of labor and the general organization of the congrega- tion, conformed as closely as possible to the regulations of the Paraguay Mission. "Such," says Father De Smet, "are the rules we have drawn up for our community. We now await their approval or amendment by those who have God's interests at heart, and who by virtue of their position of authority receive graces that enable them to keep alive in us the true spirit of the Society of Jesus," Hardly had the missionaries arrived at their destination, when they began the work of construction. Every man became a laborer. The Flatheads cut thousands of stakes in the forest and fenced in their property. The priests' house and farm-house rose as by enchantment. In less than five weeks a temporary church with "pedi- ment, colonnade, balustrade, choir, seats, etc.," was erected in the exact spot designated by the young Indian girl of whose happy death we have spoken: "The Black Robes will come to this spot and will build a house of prayer." On the '-feast of St. Martin: the catechumens assembled and instructions preparatory to the reception of baptism were begun. A number of neophytes were to receive the Sacrament on December 3d, the feast of St. Francis Xavier, but a series of unfortunate happenings seemed to conspire ST. MARY'S MISSION 129 to interfere with the ceremony. The interpreter and the sacristan fell ill; the organ, through some unforeseen ac- cident, got out of order; a hurricane swept over the valley, uprooting trees, carrying away three tents, and breaking the church windows. Happily, however, on the evening of December 2d the storm ceased. The Indians were lost in wonder and admiration when they beheld the decorations and arrangements of the sanctuary. " Festoons of green covered the walls. Above the altar, artistically draped, the holy name of Jesus stood out in relief upon a background of blue sky. A statue of the Blessed Virgin stood at the end of the choir ; an image of the Sacred Heart adorned the door of the tabernacle. The flaming torches, the silence of the night, and the approach of dawn all this moved the hearts and minds of the Indians already touched by grace, and nowhere, I think, could be found a similar gathering of elect souls." 15 What a joy indeed for the missionaries, this offering to- St. Francis Xavier, on his feast, the spectacle of two hundred men and women just emerging from barbarism, replying intelligently to their catechism questions, and praying with great fervor while receiving the Sacrament of Baptism; then retiring to their places, each carrying a lighted candle. Being obliged at times to speak through an interpreter, the missionaries were in the church from eight o'clock in the morning until ten o'clock at night, taking only one hour for dinner. The following day was devoted to legalizing marriages. This occasion proved the neophytes to be profoundly im- bued with the spirit of Christianity. Up to the present time many of the Indians had lived in complete ignorance of the unity and indissolubility of the marriage-bond; but now having learned to love God above all things, they generously made Him the sacrifice of their affections the women rivaling the men in heroism. "I love you dearly," said one woman to her husband, a prey to hesitation and indecision, "and I know you love me; but you also love another. I am old, she is young. Leave the children with me and remain with her. In so doing we will please God, and all will receive baptism." 15 Letter to Father Verhaegen, Dec. 30, 1841. 1 30 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. Father De Smet, at that time, was absent from the mission. 16 He returned December 8th and began at once the preparation of those who had not yet received baptism. Besides lessons in catechism taught by the other Fathers, Father De Smet gave three instructions daily to the cate- chumens, who learned so quickly, and showed such ad- mirable dispositions, that on Christmas day he admin- istered baptism to one hundred and fifty souls, and per- formed thirty-two marriages. "I began the day by saying Mass at seven o'clock, and at five in the afternoon I was still in the chapel. The emotions my heart then experienced are but poorly ex- pressed in words. "The next day I sang a solemn High Mass in thanks- giving for the favors God had showered upon His people. Between six and seven hundred converts, counting the children baptized the previous year, assembled in the heart of the wilds, where until now the name of God was unknown, offering the Creator their regenerated hearts and promising fidelity to Him until death. Such devotion must be very pleasing in God's sight and will assuredly call down blessings upon the Flatheads and the neighboring tribes." 17 The Blessed Virgin now deigned to manifest in a striking manner how pleasing to her was the simple faith and inno- cence of her new children. Shortly after midnight Mass on Christmas eve, the Mother of God appeared in the tent of a poor woman to a little orphan named Paul. "His exemplary childhood," writes Father De Smet, "his piety and candor, and the account he gave of the appari- tion, preclude all doubt of the truth of his statement. The following is what he told me in his own words: 'Upon entering John's tent, where I went to ask help with the prayers I do not yet know, I saw a wonderfully beautiful person raised above the ground, clad in raiment white as snow, a star upon her brow and a serpent at her feet; in her hand she held a fruit I have never seen before, 18 16 See following chapter, his journey to Fort Colville. 17 To Father Verhaegen, Dec. 30, 1841. 18 Would it be temerity to see in this apparition an anticipated declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception? ST. MARY'S MISSION 131 and from her heart rays of light radiated toward me. I was frightened at first; then fear vanished, my heart was warm, my mind clear, and although I cannot say how it happened, suddenly I knew my prayers.' The child then told me the same beautiful person had appeared to him many times in his sleep, and that she told him that it would please her if the first Flathead village would be called St. Mary. "The boy had never seen nor heard tell of visions, nor did he even know whether the apparition was a man or woman, as the clothes were unfamiliar to him. Questioned by several others, he gave the identical description of all that had happened. The child grew in virtue and was the angel of the tribe. Jue One can imagine Father De Smet's joy and thankfulness when he could write his Provincial on December 3oth: "The whole Flathead nation has been converted, and baptism administered to many Kalispels, Nez Percys, Cceur d'Alenes, Snakes, and Kootenais: other tribes are asking for us, and a vast country only awaits the arrival of the missionary to range itself under the banner of Jesus Christ. This, Reverend Father, is the gift we offer you at the close of the year 1841." The newly-born mission became in three months a flourishing Christian colony, and as it was essential to keep up, through regular religious practices, the good dis- positions of the Indians, a rule of life was outlined and strictly adhered to. The Angelus gave the signal for rising in the morning; half an hour later morning prayers were said in common, then followed Mass and instruction. Everything was done to render these exercises attractive to the Indians. Father Point, gifted with remarkable talent for drawing, made highly-colored pictures of the mysteries of our religion, the history of God's people, and the life of Jesus Christ ; the full, melodious voice of Father Mengarini intoning hymns which told of the happiness of a Christian life and the joys of eternity, moved the Indians' 19 Letter to the Father General, Aug. 15, 1842. Father Point relates the same facts in almost the same words. (Recollections of the Rocky Moun- tains in The Woodstock Letters, 1883, p. 140.) 1 32 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. hearts to thankfulness for the graces God had. ^poured forth upon their tribe. The sick were visited in the morning, the Fathers ad- ministering remedies and comforting the sufferers with words of encouragement and counsel. CDatecEism> .was tugJiLj$_twojo^clo^ in the afternoon, the children _ being.. divided into two categories, according to cSge">and the amount of instruction already received. The missionaries adopted the method of teaching and awarding of prizes in use in the Christian Brothers' schools. Night-prayers were said at sundown, followed by an hour's instruction. The time spent in church seemed all too short to the Indians: " After prayers said in common," writes Father De Smet, ''the Indians prayed and sang hymns in their homes; these pious exercises were prolonged often far into the night, and if awakening during the night they began again to pray."- 20 On Sunday the religious exercises were protracted and more numerous, but the Fathers knew that these humble souls found happiness in speaking to their celestial Father, and that no place was so attractive to them as the house of God. "Sunday, the day of rest, was religiously observed, and even before the coming of the missionaries a timid deer could have stayed among the people in perfect safety, even when the Indians were starv- ing for food. To shoot an arrow from his bow on Sunday was as great an enormity in the eyes of the Indian as gather- ing wood was to the Jews. But, as the former has a better understanding of the law of grace, he is less slave to the letter which kills, although no less faithful to the spirit."^ In dealing with such Christians, one could ask more of them than the ordinary practices of religion, hence a few months after the founding of the mission, pious associations were formed. The^JiaJDi^^ into four groups, each group having its separate rules, its. officers, and its meeting-^ ys- The congregation_of jnen was called the Society of the " The Prefect, an Indian called 20 To the Carmelites of Termonde, Oct. 28, 1841. 11 See in the accounts of St. Mary's Mission the interesting Memoires of Father Mengarini, published in The Woodstock Letters, November, i888 r February and June, 1889. ST. MARY'S MISSION 133 after the death of Big Face, raised to the dignity of chief. In the opinion of all, "he had the best head and the kindest heart in the village." His wife, Agnes, was elected President of the Society of the Blessed Virgin. His son became President of the Young Men's Society, and his daughter acted in the same capacity for the young girls. Grace working in the souls of the new converts moved them to perform acts of heroic virtue. QiJeter, chief of the Pejr^_d^preilles, 22 having _on^_ one jDccasiQiX-JtP.. defend, .ills. family from the attacks of a Blackfoot outlaw, afterward threw himself on his knees and prayed for his enemy. "Great Spirit," he prayed, "You know why I killed the Blackfoot. It was not revenge; it was necessary to make an example of this man, that others of his tribe may take warning. I entreat You to be merciful to him in the other life. We willingly pardon him the evil he wished to do us, and to prove that I speak the truth, I will cover him with my cloak." What a victory over self, in a man whose supreme joy, before his conversion, had been to revenge himself upon his enemy with all the refinements of cruelty! Twice a year some of the Flatheads left the village to hunt buffalo. Not wishing to leave before receiving bap- tism, the Indians remained at St. Mary's as long as a morsel of food was left to eat, and even the dogs, driven by famine, devoured the leather straps which tethered the horses at night. Thejdeparture^ for the winter's hunt took place ^December 2Q^h> and the expedition prepared for an ab- sence of several months. Father Point accompanied the wandering camp, not wishing to leave a part of the tribe so long without spiritual help, and because his presence would prevent the disorders the hunt usually occasioned. The winter was a severe one. It snowed without inter- ruption for three months. Man^i.j)LJ^^ ..Indians were attacked by snow-blindness, and during a terrifjp s^orm Father Point nearly succumbed. Had not some hunters quickly lighted a fire when they saw him turn a ghastly pallor, he would have died of cold. The crowning trial was that they saw no buffalo. 22 This chief was the celebrated Walking Bear, baptized the year before. 134 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. But neither cold, nor wind, nor snow, nor famine, pre- vented the Flatheads from accomplishing their spiritual devotions. Night and morning the camp assembled in and around the missionary's tent, the greater number having no shelter but the sky above them. Nevertheless, they were most attentive to the sermon, and sang the hymns which preceded and followed the prayers. At daybreak and at sunset a bell summoned the hunters to recite the Angelus. Sunday was strictly kept. Such fidelity touched the heart of God, as we shall see from notes taken from Father Point's diary. " February 6th: To-day is Sunday. Strong wind, gray sky, bitter cold; no hay for the horses; the buffalo driven off by the Nez Perces. "February fth: The cold more piercing, the aridity of the plain increases, the snow a great hindrance. Notwith- standing yesterday, the day of rest was sanctified, to-day perfect resignation. Courage! confidence! "Toward midday we reached the summit of a high mountain. What a transformation! The sun was shin- ing and the cold less penetrating. We saw an immense plain before us, good pasturage, and herds of buffalo. The expedition halted, the hunters assembled and set off for the chase. Before sunset one hundred and fifty- three buffaloes fell to their bag. If this find of buffaloes was not a miracle, it resembled greatly the miraculous draft of fish. In God's name Peter cast his net and brought to shore one hundred and fifty-three fish. Confident in the power of God and in His name the Flatheads brought down one hundred and fifty-three buffaloes." Several Pend d'Oreilles joined the Flatheads. Despite the difficulties of a nomad's life and the rigors of the season, Father Point found means to instruct and baptize a number of Indians. At the approach of Easter the hunters re- turned to St. Mary's, and on Holy Saturday the whole tribe assembled in the mission church to sing the Regina codi. The time was now come to prepare the neophytes for their first cqrnrnumon. The faith and piety that charac- terized their reception of the Sacrament of Baptism was evident in the same degree in their preparation for the ST. MARY'S MISSION 135 other two Sacraments. When told abDuL-confession, some/ wished it to be public. The impenetrable mystery of the Holy Eucharist they accepted without question: "Yes, Father, we believe truly and sincerely." The feast of Pentecost was chosen for the great cele- bration. In order to give greater solemnity to the occa- sion a ^procession was formed; the missionaries, wearing surplices and preceded by a crucifij^bearer, marchedahead of the neophytes. Silently, in a spirit of recollection, they entered the church. The sanctity of the spot, the clouds of incense, and the singing of the hymns, moved the hearts of the neophytes, awakening within them emotions they had never felt before. As the moment of the conse- cration and communion approached, the poor savages, kneeling, with bowed heads, adored and thanked their God. He whom they had learned to love and whom their fathers had so long desired, had become the Guest of their transfigured souls ! In the spring of 1842 a succession of touching feasts took place. Th^JSjocky-MountainS-. witne^seA ion time the month of May devotions. tl\e celeb^-tinn of feast of the Sacred Heart, and the procession of the Blessed Sacrament. The fervor of the Indians was such that numbers were permitted to receive holy communion fre- quently. "There are entire families," writes Father De Smet, "who approach the holy table every Sunday. Often we hear twenty consecutive confessions without finding matter for absolution." 23 The old chief v^ig Pace;) was no longer witness of these wonders. He died during that same. wiflt? r T after having, at ninety yeajs of fl.gft T made his first communion. "Have you no sins to repent of since your baptism?" asked the missionary. "Sins?" he replied, astounded. "How could I com- mit sins when it is my duty to teach others to live well?" He was buried wrapped in the flag he waved every Sunday to announce the Lord's Day. He also could chant his Nunc Dimittis, for he had lived to see his tribe a Chris- tian people, practicing, in the heart of the desert, the highest Christian virtues. 23 Letter to the Father General, Aug. 15, 1842. CHAPTER VIII JOURNEYS TO FORT COLVILLE AND FORT VANCOUVER THE KALISPELS AND THE CCEUR D'ALENES - FATHER BLANCHET (1841-1842) The Privations of the Missionaries Father De Smet Goes to Fort Colville to Get Provisions The Kalispels Baptism of Some Old Indians Messis quidem Multa, Operarii Autem Pauci First Attempt at Farming at St. Mary's Journey to Fort Vancouver The Coeur d'Alenes Father De Smet Sees Five of His Companions Drowned in the Columbia Oregon in 1840 Fathers Blanchet and Demers A Mission Must Be Opened at Willamette Father De Smet's Return to St. Louis On His Way Back He is Received by the Crows Dominus Memor Fuit Nostri, et Benedixit Nobis. month after his arrival at St. Mary's, Father De Smet was obliged to leave his fellow-missionaries to go to Fort Colville on the Columbia River, abqut^ three hundred miles northwest of the mission. The journey was undertaken with two objects in view: r First, the needs of the colony, which was in direjDoyejjLy. Brother Specht was clothed in a garment made of animal skins, and one of the Fathers had been obliged to transform an Indian blanket into a cassock. Moreover, provisions for the winter, seeds for the spring crops, tools, agricultural implements, beeves, cows, in a word all that was needed for the establishment of a ''reduction," had to be purchased. The second object of his journey was to visit the Kalispels (a tribe alliecTto the Pend d'Oreilles) who camped in the autumn on the borders of the Clarke River. 1 Father De Smet had left St. Mary's October 28th, es- corted by ten Flathead warriors. On the feast of All Saints he reached the principal camp of the Kalispels, 1 The Kalispels were also called the Pend d'Oreilles of the Bay to dis- tinguish them from the Pend d'Oreilles of the Mountains, who had been visited by Father De Smet when he visited the Flatheads. JOURNEY TO FORT COLVILLE 137 where he was enthusiastically received; and what was his surprise that evening to hear them recite night prayers, and to learn that this tribe was in a way converted before ever having seen a missionary! The mystery was soon solved. Having heard the pre- vious year of the arrival of a Black Robe in the mountains, the_KalispeIs sent an intelligent young Indian, possessing an excellent memory, to visit the Flatheads. In their camp he learned the prayers, the hymns, and the great truths of our religion, and upon his return was made the apostle of the tribe. His instructions were handed on from one lodge to the other, and before the winter was over, more than half the tribe was Christian. Overjoyed at the admirable attitude flf CFalhejL.,De- Smet at once baptized the children , and the sick of the tribe, and when taking leave of the Kalispels he promised to send a priest who would remain with them. His journey along the banks of the Clarke brought him to a gigantic chain of rocks. "I have been in many bad places," he writes, "but never before have I encountered such difficulties as this pass presented. Impossible to cross it on horseback, on foot it was equally out of the question, as I should have been exhausted before getting over." He then had recourse to an expedient that recalled the adventures of his youth. "Remembering I had in my caravan a gentle and staid old mule, I proceeded to take hold of its tail, and held on tight. Urged on by cries and the generous use of the whip, it patiently dragged me to the summit. For the descent I changed my position and hung on to the reins. The animal, descending step by step, landed me safely on the other side." 2 The next day he entered a vast forest of pines and cedars, through which he traveled for three days. "This forest," writes the missionary, " is a marvel of its kind. The Indians tell me it is the finest forest in Oregon. It would, in fact, be difficult to find elsewhere such gigantic trees. The cedar towers majestically in a wilderness of birch, alder, and beech. I measured one forty-two feet in cir- cumference; another fallen cedar lay two hundred feet 2 Letter to one of the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, St. Mary's, Dec. 3, 1841. 10 138 THE LIFE OF FATHER DE SMET, SJ. along the ground. The branches of these colossi, inter- laced above the birch and beech trees, form a canopy so dense that the sun's rays never reach the moss and lichen- covered earth. A thousand trunks rising like so many columns to a green dome form a temple erected by nature to the glory of its Creator." 3 Upon emerging from the forest one catches sight of Kalispel Lake with its islands and pine-trees, its sloping shores, its horizon of hills, one above the other, reaching up to summits of eternal snow. For the missionary, however, the most entrancingly beau- tiful view is as nothing compared to the joy of gaining a soul for God. "One day, from the declivity of a hill upon which I was standing, I saw upon the river-bank a little log hut. I called several times no reply. Feeling drawn to visit the hut, I descended, accompanied by an inter- preter. We found there a poor old woman, very ill, and blind. I spoke to her about the Great Spirit, of what one must do to obtain salvation, of baptism, etc. The apostle St. Philip tells us that there are cases in which all the necessary dispositions are found in an act of faith and a sincere desire to know truth. The poor woman's replies breathed respect and love of God. 'Yes,' said she, 'I love God with all my heart. During my whole life He has cared for me. I wish to be His child and belong to Him forever.' The poor creature then fell on her knees and begged for baptism. I administered the Sacrament, giving her the name of Mary, and hung a medal of the Blessed Virgin around her neck. When leaving her hut and even at some distance away, I still heard her thanking God for this inestimable favor. "Hardly had I regained the small mountain path when I met the woman's husband. Bent under the weight of years and infirmity, the wretched man could scarcely drag himself along. He was in the forest setting a deer- trap when my men told him of my coming. The poor Indian hurried as best he could, and catching sight of me, cried out from afar in a trembling voice: 'What happiness to see our Father before I die! The Great Spirit is good. 8 Letter to one of the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, St. Mary's, Dec. 8, 1841. JOURNEY TO FORT COLVILLE 139 I am now at peace!' The good man shook my hand effusively, repeating again and again the same words. I told him I had visited his hut and baptized his wife.