is paid to the wants of the sick; -changes of treatment, with the remedies administered according to our advice, have probably been the means, under Providence, of rescuing many from premature death. The long-cherished vindictice feelings which so frequently led to depopulating wars, are now supplanted by a Christian sense of justice, which, if unfortunately compelled to take up arms, does so only to repel unjust aggression or defend their inherent rights, but always with the fullest confidence in the protecting arm of heaven.
Indeed their unbounded confidence in the God of battle is well rewarded; a truth which the enemies of the Flatheads invariably acknowledge. "The medicine of the Blackrobes," (an expression synonymous with the true religion) " is," say they, " the strongest of all." Did time permit, I could adduce almost innumerable instances to confirm the belief universally entertained here, that Almighty God visibly protects them in the wars they are compelled to wage
with the hostile tribes. A few of these, for the authenticity of which I can vouch, may suffice for the present.
In 1840, when threatened by a formidable band of Blackfeet, amounting to nearly 8oo warriors, the Flatheads and Pend d'Oreilles, scarcely numbering sixty, betook themselves to prayer, imploring the aid of heaven, which alone could save them in the unequal contest. Confident of success, they rose from their knees in the presence of their enemies, and engaged the overwhelming odds against them. The battle lasted five days. The Blackfeet were defeated, leaving eighty warriors dead upon the field; while the Flatheads and Pend d'Oreilles sustained a loss of only one man, who, however, survived the battle four months, and had the happiness of receiving baptism the day before his death.
In 1842, four Pend d'Oreilles and a Cceur d'Alene were met and immediately attacked by a party of Blackfeet. At the first onset, the Blackfeet had to deplore the loss of their chief. Aroused by the.noise of the musketry, the camp of the Pend d'Oreilles rushed to the assistance of