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NARRATIVE OF 1853. 125 
to a mile anda half wide, and covered witha rich growth of very nutritious grass. Its 
branches also flow through prairies, and the hills on each side are high, undulating prairie, 
their summits occasionally covered with timber. Towards its junction with Hell-Gate river 
the Little Blackfoot becomes twenty-five or thirty yards wide, and its valley continues wide 
and open. The Hell-Gate below this point is eighty yards wide and two feet deep, and above 
the mouth of the Little Blackfoot takes the name of the Deer Lodge creek from the prairie 
through which it flows. Rolling prairie continues along its valley nearly to its junction with 
the Big Blackfoot Fork at Hell-Gate defile, and the road is good the whole distance. From Hell- 
Gate to the Bitter Root valley he followed the route of the main expedition already described. 
CONFERENCE WITH THE FLATHEAD INDIANS. 
On the 30th of September and the 1st of October I had conferences with the Flathead dele- 
gation. The principal men of the delegation were Pacha, Finissiant, and Palassois, three 
Flathead chiefs, and Cohoxolockny, a Nez Регебв. They were invited into a room, and took a 
smoke all around. I then told them of my having sent to their seven lodges, and of the Indians 
having, the evening before, returned with Antoine to have a talk with me. That the chief, 
Victor, had returned to-day in consequence of the illness of one of his children, but Adolph 
was still here with the remainder. I said that, since Lieutenant Mullan left Fort Benton, I had 
seen the Blackfeet, who solemnly promised to give up waging war and stealing horses. They 
would also endeavor to restrain their young men. I thought that in the future they would 
conduct themselves more peacefully. Palassois replied that, when the master came to their 
camp, the Pend g’ Oreille's chief said to them, ‘‘Go to St. Mary's, see the Father, listen to what 
he has to say, and return and tell me." I then asked when they would return to their chief. 
To which they replied, to-morrow. I then told them I would tell them to-morrow what 
word they should carry to their chief. I had business which required my absence now; but 
in the morning I would see them, and wished to see Adolph and his party with them. . They 
then received each a piece of tobacco, and had another smoke and talk among themselves. 
Finissiant and Palassois are relatives. They are old sages.  Palassois is a great hunter. He 
has kept the party supplied with game. He goes, also, in advance of the party in the morning, 
and at noon awaits them with a string of trout. All аге Christians, and never eat anything 
without offering up a blessing, and never rise without praying. Mohen is the name of the 
Flathead chief. Four old sages came in yesterday, also Adolph and three or four of his men. 
They were invited into the room this morning about 10 o'clock. I informed them that I had 
given a license to Mr. Owen to trade with them, as I understood that he and his brother had 
always acted honestly towards them; that if they had any complaint to make against him, now 
was the time to make it. I also said that I would leave Lieutenant Mullan here, who would see 
to their wants, and also that their rights were not invaded. I told them that their rights were 
the use of their own lands, and that the Great Father desired them to be at peace with them- 
selves and the whites, and to remain so forever. The Great Father wishes you to raise more 
Wheat and potatoes,, and to collect more meat and skins, that you may not suffer from want. 
He sends to you traders, so that you may not be compelled to go a great distance to procure 
blankets and such things. We will leave Lieutenant Mullan with ten or fifteen men to protect 
you from the Blackfeet; but they have promised not to disturb you, and I believe that they 
mean to abide by it. After telling them that I would see them again next spring, I wished to 
know if they had any questions to ask. After conferring among themselves, they replied that 
they had none. In answer to inquiries, they informed us that there were about twenty-five 
