252 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TEREITORIES. 



here by tlie labor of Indians under the superintendence of the brothers. 

 The mission, I beUeve, is entirely self-sustaining. We were told that 

 wild grapes, plums, cherries, strawberries, and other small fruits grow 

 in this valley in i)rofusion and of excellent quality. This mission was 

 established by Father De Smet, and I understand is the oldest in Mon- 

 tana. After an hour's rest and a bountiful dinner, we were incited to 

 visit the sisters' school and department of the mission. The residence 

 and school-house of the sisters and girls under their charge is made of 

 hewn logs, is two stories high, about 60 feet long, contains six rooms 

 above and six below, and has a wide hall running the whole length in 

 both stories. It is exceedingly neat, airy, and comfortable. 



'• The most interesting part of our visit was the examination of the 

 children in their studies. There are seventeen Indian and three white 

 girls, varying in age from three to twelve years. They were all dressed 

 alike in neat calico, faces clean, hair smooth, and eyes bright. Although 

 somewhat bashful before strangers, they acquitted themselves very 

 creditably in spelling, reading, writing, and arithmetic. The penman- 

 ship of some would do credit to any young lady. They seemed very 

 fond of their instructors, and obeyed every request very cheerfully. 

 While we were there an Indian and his wife, with his little girl, rode up to 

 the mission. He said they had brought their child to the sisters' school, 

 from near Colville, in Washington Territory, a distance of three hun- 

 dred miles. The father and mother were assigned comfortable quarters, 

 and bountifully fed, and their horses taken care of. The little girl was 

 given in charge of the sisters, and an hour after appeared with the other 

 girls, nicely washed and dressed as any of them, and apparently as 

 happy." 



I have given this interesting narrative not only as showing something 

 in regard to the agricultural resources of that section, but also on ac- 

 count of the lesson it teaches in regard to obtaining influence over the 

 Indians. 



Jocko Eiver runs through one of the prettiest valleys in this entire 

 section. It is in the form of a triangle, its sides, which are neaily equal, 

 being from ten to twelve miles long. It contains about fifty square 

 miles, most of which can be easily irrigated, and which, if properly cul- 

 tivated, will produce bountiful crops, the soil being quite fertile. Sur- 

 rounded by lofty mountains, which form its triangular walls, little rills 

 flow down into it from all sides, furnishing a never-failing supply of pure, 

 clear water. Last year the Indian agent, with but little help except 

 that of the squaws, (the Indian men being generally too lazj^ to work,) 

 raised over 1,000 bushels of potatoes, 1,500 bushels of wheat, 300 bushels 

 of corn, &c.; his corn, as he rei)orts, yielding as much as 75 bushels to 

 the acre. 



This portion of the section has but few settlements in it. Jocko Valley 

 being the principal one ; north of the lake but little is known in regard 

 to it, but upon many of the little streams which flow down from the 

 mountains will be found small arable areas ampl}' supplied with water 

 for irrigation. And here, as well as on the western side of the section, 

 many of these minor valleys are covered with forests of pine, fir, and 

 other varieties of coniferous trees. 



The southern district, which is somewhat quadrilateral, is surrounded 

 on three sides bj^ leading mountain ranges, the Kocky Mountain divide 

 forming its southern and eastern boundary, and the Bitter-Eoot Mount- 

 ain its west. It has three principal streams, wbich converge toward the 

 northwest angle, where they unite to form the Missoula Eiver, as follows: 

 the Hell Gate, (the continuation of Deer Lodge,) rising in the southeast 



