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The Western Homeseeker, January 1906 One of the Garden Spots of the
Flathead Country
A big stretch of fine country lies between Mission Creek and Post Creek--so big and so fertile and of so much value that it would do this portion of the Mission valley an injustice not to say something about it; and, again, to the persons who are interested in becoming familiar with every part of the reservation, it was thought that they should be told of it. In order to get accurate distances between the several streams, I visited the reservation very recently and took with me an odometer. I assume that everyone knows what an odometer is--an instrument which is attached to the wheel of a conveyance and records the distances traveled. It was found that the distance between Mission and Post creeks, where the wagon road crosses the latter creek, is 7.62 miles. The road runs in an almost due northerly direction through townships 18 and 19 north of range 20 west. To the west this part of the Mission valley extends to the Pend d'Oreille river and is about 12 miles wide. The lands lying between these points or boundaries--the Mission range forming the east line--where they have been tilled, are most productive, one place in particular which has been cultivated by a Mixed Blood whose name is Tom McDonald, producing this past year nearly three tons of fine timothy hay to the acre and about 40 bushels of hard wheat to the acre. The lands lying between these two streams are undulating and with very exceptional instances are wholly unoccupied. They lie in most desirable portion of the Mission valley on the Flathead because of their adjacency both to the largest trading post on the reservation and the Catholic institutions--St. Ignatius--and also to the railroad station of Ravalli, which is but five and one-half miles distant from St. Ignatius. There are approximately 75,000 acres of first class agricultural lands in this area and, upon an examination of the map of the Flathead, it will be seen that this is but a very small part of the reservation. The lands are rich and whole crops are successfully raised without irrigation, it would be an easy matter to inundate this entire section because of the fact that the waters of St. Mary's Lake, the Mission Falls, Mission and Post creeks could be brought upon it. St. Mary's lake likes in an almost easterly direction from St. Ignatius about seven miles, the Mission Falls are about five miles due east and Mission and Post creeks flow through this section. Lake McDonald, which is the main water supply for Post creek, lies just northeast of these lands but a few miles. It is a most beautiful lake, abounds in mountain trout of peculiar flavor and its waters are as clear as crystals. This lake is very easy of access and can be driven to by a team, it being but a very few miles from the base of the mountains, the ascent is somewhat abrupt but not uncomfortably so. The mountains encircling McDonald lake form a natural reservoir for it and many millions of gallons of water could be stored as the heavy snows which fall in these mountains each year are melted slowly in the spring and summer, insuring more than ample water to irrigate this section of the valley. It is in this part of the Mission valley, too, that the biggest roundup occurs. There are perhaps 30,000 head of cattle on the reservation and about 25,000 head of horses. In order to "round-up" so much stock naturally requires the practice of some system. There are usually two cattle round-ups on the Flathead--the spring and fall round-ups. It is the custom for cattle owners--Full Bloods and Mixed Bloods--to assemble at a designated place on the reservation and there discuss the plan and system to be put into vogue in rounding-up on the particular occasion under discussion; the place where the riders are to meet, that is the starting point, the territory to be covered by each rider and to what place the cattle are to be herded. On the appointed day the riders, owners and their "outfits" meet. The starting point for a cattle round-up is usually in the Little Bitter Root valley. It is the custom to round-up everything on "the other side of the river" as the lands lying west of the Pend d'Oreille river are called. It is also the custom for the riders of all the owners to work as assiduously in the territory which is grazed over by the cattle of some owner of that stock and in which an owner "on this side of the river" (the east side of the Pend d'Oreille river) has absolutely no interest whatever. It is, in this respect, the most successful practical co-operative plan I have ever seen worked out and to the good and entire satisfaction of every owner of stock no matter how small his herd. Of course the expense is apportioned as it is necessary to have a large quantity of supplies which are carried in several wagons and several cook provide the fare. I have been on some round-ups where there were as many as one hundred riders. And such riding as these natural born horsemen do! About twenty will line up in a group, everybody having breakfasted and the sun is but fairly creeping over some distant hill. Directions to be taken had been agreed upon the night before. Each "cowboy" or rider knew what ground he was to cover and it was his duty to see to it that every head of cattle that he came across was to be "rounded" or driven to the place upon which it was agreed the entire party would meet at about noon. It is truly remarkable the acumen displayed by these people in knowing to such a definiteness just where the lines of the territory maped [sic] out for them begin and end--it is truly wonderful how a rider will cover all the ground cut out for him on the meagre descriptions given. Yet it is a fact that this is done and the instance is rare, indeed, that a single head of cattle is missed. At noon, from seemingly all directions, there come thundering to the agreed place hundreds of heads of cattle, many heads of course with recently born calves, and as they are brought to the noon-day resting place, they are taken in charge by the "holders" and kept or corralled in order that those owned by the different members of the party may be "cut out." After the midday meal, the cutting-out process begins. Those owned by a selected member of the party are first taken. The riders go into the "bunch" and "cut-out" or separate from the herd those having the brand of the owner whose cattle and calves it is desired to inspect and the newly born calves which require branding. This bunch is then taken and the cattle are driven a short way from the balance of the herd and this is continued until each member of the party has his portion of the herd grazing in that section of the reservation cut out and bunched together. Each "outfit" then takes its own bunch in hand. Many fires are started and "the branding irons" are brought from the outfit wagons. The branding seems cruel, but really is not very painful to the animal, the iron being gotten to a white heat, the calf roped and thrown to the ground and held by two of the party, the hind and fore feet being held tightly together by strong ropes, the head close against the ground and the brand is quickly effected. It isn't often that the head of stock being branded makes known any pain by even so much as a bellow. The round-up being finished covering the territory on the reservation lying west of the Pend d'Oreille river, the "outfits" are all moved to the east side. Everybody connected with the round-up is glad of this as the real pleasure connected with the work is attached to the round-up in the broad expansive Mission valley. The first assembling place is had at Polson, which is at the foot of the beautiful Flathead lake. Before starting, a day or two in merry-making is indulged in. It is an orderly aggregation of fellows, fearless and all brawn and muscle. Dancing and the Indian Hand Game are the principle sources of amusement. Of course, "broncho busting" is indulged in and real and daring feats of horsemanship are witnessed by those happening to be present. The final, grand round-up of the stock in the Mission valley is almost invariably had in that part of the valley which lies between Post and Mission creeks, and to that portion of the reservation we started across in the beginning of this story of the rich Flathead. |
