Christmas with Ross Cox
Who were the first white men to spend Christmas in Montana? Why were the Salish Indians, who had never heard of Jesus, celebrating? How did the horror of that celebration bring peace to many?
This is the week of Christmas so it behooved me to discuss something appropriate to that important occasion. Often when "writer's block" produces panic. I seek help from my friends, the books. That's the way it is tonight.
Young Ross Cox kept a diary when he came up the Columbia River to Spokane House in 1812, and then led a group of men eastward to the Flathead country the following year. His boss in Astor's Northwest Fur Company warned Ross that game could be scarce in the country east of Spokane house, and said if his "brigade" got to starving he should kill one of the skinniest horses for food. A measure of this 18-year-old Englishman's personality was the fact that when the day of dangerous hunger arrived, he ate the fattest horse.
Ross and his weary band of fur traders reached the confluence of the Flathead and Clark's Fork Rivers, about 40 miles below Flathead Lake, on Dec. 24, 1813. Another trader, McMillan, who also worked for Astor had already erected a small fort-trading post at that spot. Cox had the goodies to supply it, ammunition, tobacco, rice, tea, coffee and the greatest goodie of them all, 15 gallons of "prime rum." A major band of Salish Indians (Flatheads), were camped near McMillan's buildings. They were delighted to have those provisions brought from New York clear around the horn of South America by Astor's ships, and they were anxious to begin trading.
Shortly after his arrival, Cox received word that a warrior band of the Salish had just returned with a captured group of their hated and dreaded enemies, the Blackfeet. Now it was time to torture them to death one by one, so Ross went immediately to the Indian camp to watch. The slow death of a Blackfeet warrior tied to a tree and killed by inches was almost more than Ross could stand. Things were looking worse when they dragged out a young female prisoner.
Ross objected to the torture causing some of the Salish to jeer him. A leader told Cox his people believed they would be eventually wiped out by the Blackfeet who controlled the high plains buffalo country and he said the Blackfeet treated their captives the same. Torture and slavery was a part of their historic rituals of revenge. A group of the more aggressive participants said they were not going to stop the torture because of the foolish and womanish feelings of a white man. When the girl was tied to a tree an old Salish priestess took charge of putting her to death. Cox drew the line. He said, "As much as we esteem your fine furs and value your friendship, the fort will be closed and the white men will leave with the guns and trade goods . . . if the tortures are not discontinued."
It was a brave and risky ultimatum, and in spite of the furious old priestess, the girl was untied and returned to the other prisoners. There followed considerable howling from the pro-torture group who even called some of those who weakened "cowards and fools with the hearts of fleas." Cox told the cooler heads that it would be better for the Salish to have guns to protect themselves from the stronger and more numerous Blackfeet and he eventually talked them into giving the prisoners enough food and equipment to make it back to Blackfeet country. (These actions did result in many relatively peaceful years between the two former enemy tribes.)
Tribal hunters had killed several mountain sheep in the cliffs above the camp, so with fresh meat, spices, smokes, and rum, the first white man's Christmas in Montana eventually ended in a happy and somewhat wild celebration, those 191 years ago.
All this led to settlement of the west, Pro Football on TV, McDonalds, shopping malls, and the Interstate to Spokane. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
*(Ross Cox lived to return to his home in England and wrote a book "Cox's Adventures on the Columbia River." In his 1890 "Historical Sketch of the Flathead Indian Nation", Major Ronan says the Cox book was published in England in 1817; however Weisel's book, "Men and Trade on the Northwest Frontier" has the Cox book published in New York by J. and J. Harper in 1832. It was likely published in both countries, and would be a fascinating read in its entirety. Those of you who are interested in such things would appreciate the Ronan book. It was reprinted and issued by the Montana Historical Society in 1965.)
*Writer's Note-This is a rewrite of a column done 18 years ago. Please forgive me but there's a reason . . . haven't started my Christmas shopping yet.