NO. 7 SOHON S PORTRAITS OF INDIANS — EWERS 35 



the Blackfoot. Although Moise was the only Flathead leader to ex- 

 press these ideas at the Council, and the only one to refuse to sign 

 the treaty, it is possible he voiced the sentiments of a large segment 

 of Flathead opinion. In the course of his remarks Moise also re- 

 vealed his independence of Victor. When asked directly if Victor, 

 who had already signed the treaty, was not his head chief, Moise 

 replied bluntly, "Yes, but I never listen to him." (Partoll, 1938a, 



P-3II.) 



Although Moise attended the Blackfoot Treaty Council that fall, 

 and signed the treaty, he took no speaking part in the proceedings. 



Scattered references to Moise's activities in the years following the 

 treaties appear in Major Owen's Journal. In early April, 1857, Moise 

 sought Owen's assistance to dissuade some of the young warriors 

 from going to war against the Bannock and Shoshoni. During Vic- 

 tor's prolonged illness in 1858 Moise and Ambrose led the Flathead 

 on their winter buffalo hunt. In March 1861 Moise brought up the 

 rear of the Flathead camp on its return from hunting on the plains. 

 In the winter hunt of 1862-63 he was a leader. On May 18, 1865, 

 Moise started out with Victor and the Flathead party for the sum- 

 mer hunt east of the mountains but changed his mind and returned 

 tiie next day in order to care for his growing crops. This is the only 

 indication that any Flathead chief of the period was sufficiently in- 

 terested in farming to permit it to interfere with his going to hunt 

 buffalo. Apparently, even in this case, Moise had some difficulty 

 reaching a decision in favor of tending his crops. (Owen, 1927, 

 vol. I, pp. 160, 190, 234, 277, 330.) 



Moise died in March 1868, following a tedious year of sickness. 

 Modern Flathead believe that he was buried in the Bitterroot Valley. 

 At the time of his death Moise must have been over 70 years of age. 

 Ambrose became his successor as second chief of the tribe, (Ibid., 

 vol. 2, p. 95.) Moise, the headquarters of the National Bison Range, 

 near Dixon, Mont., was named after Antoine Moise, a son, who was 

 also a prominent Flathead leader. 



Moise was a leader who combined the Qiristian virtues with the 

 tough qualities necessary for survival on the northwestern Indian 

 frontier in his time. lie was honest. God-fearing, brave in war. and 

 both independent and frankly outspoken in council. Later events 

 proved that in his distrust of the possibility for a lasting peace with 

 the Blackfoot, Moise possessed a keen and realistic insight into the 

 military problems of the region. 



