An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana, Part 4

Author: Western Historical Publishing Co. (Spokane, Wash.)
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western Historical Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 760

USA > Montana > Yellowstone County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 4
USA > Montana > Park County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 4
USA > Montana > Dawson County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 4
USA > Montana > Rosebud County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 4
USA > Montana > Custer County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 4
USA > Montana > Sweet Grass County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 4
USA > Montana > Carbon County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 4

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The following day they passed some lodges of driftwood, which, from all appearances, had not been inhabited lately. On the approach of evening, after having traveled a distance of 24 miles, they camped on a sand island. Farther on a curious collection of bushes was observed, about thirty feet in height, and from ten to twelve inches in diameter, tied together at the top, which was supposed to have been left as a religious sacrifice by the Indians.

With game of all sorts in abundance they went on, and on May the eighth, reached a stream of a peculiar whiteness, which they

named from the milky color of its water, Milk river, which name it still retains. On the following day they passed a most ex- traordinary river, which was called Big Dry. Like many mountain streams it is a raging torrent when the snow is melting and at other times completely dry. At this time there was no water in the stream, hence the name.

On the 11th of May, one of the party who had been permitted to walk on shore had an ad- venture worthy of mention here: "About five in the afternoon, one of our men who had been afflicted with the piles and suffered to walk on shore, came running to the boat with loud cries and every symptom of terror and distress; for some time after we had taken him on board he was so much out of breath as to be unable to describe the cause of his anxiety, but at length told us that about a mile and a half below he had shot a brown bear, which immediately turned and was in close pursuit of hin; but the bear being badly wounded could not overtake him. Captain Lewis with seven men went in search of him and having found his track, fol- lowed him by his blood for a mile, and found him concealed in some thick brush wood, and shot him with two balls through the skull. * * Our man had shot him through the lungs. yet he had pursued him furiously for half a mile, then returned more than twice that dis- tance, and with his talons had prepared for himself a bed in the earth two feet deep and five feet long, and was perfectly alive when they found him, which was at least two hours after he had received the wound."

May 14th was a notable day for the explor- ers. We read in the journals of two remarka- ble incidents that occurred on this day. "To- wards evening the men in the hindmost canoes discovered a large brown bear ; * * six of them, all good hunters, concealing them- selves by a small eminence, came unperceived within forty paces, of him. Four of the hunt- ers now fired, and each lodged a ball in his

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

body, two of them directly through his lungs. The furious animal sprang up and ran open- mouthed upon them ; as he came near, the two hunters who had reserved their fire gave him two rounds, one of which, breaking his should- er, retarded his motion for awhile, but before they could reload he was so near that they

were obliged to run to the river.

Two jumped into the canoe; the other four separated, and concealing themselves in the wil- lows, fired as fast as each could reload. *

* At last he (the bear) pursued two of them so closely that they threw aside their guns and pouches and jumped down a perpendicular bank of twenty feet into the water. The bear sprang after them, and was within a few feet of the hindmost when one of the hunters on shore shot him in the head and finally killed him. They dragged him to the shore, and found that eight balls had passed through him in different directions."

In camp an accident was barely escaped which would have meant much to the progress of the party. One of the canoes, containing all the papers, instruments, medicine and other in- dispensable articles, being under sail when a sudden squall of wind came up, was almost lost. Had not the accident been averted when it was three of the men on board might have been lost, they being unable to swim. This incident was due to Charbineau, who was at the helin, and who instead of doing the right thing at the right time lost his head, and by so doing al- most lost the boat ; and not until the bowsman threatened to shoot him did he do his duty. All credit is due Sacajawea, who calmly con- ducted herself and saved many of the articles that would have been lost but for her. The next day was spent in drying the goods. The greatest loss sustained was the loss of medicines.

On the 17th the party started early and pro- ceeded very well. The banks being firm and the shores bold, they were enabled to use the towline, which, whenever the banks would per-

mit it, proved to be the safest and most expedi- tious mode of ascending the river, except under sail with a steady breeze. The country in gen- eral was found to be rugged, the hills high, with their sides and top covered with timber. The lower part of the hills was a rich dark loam. The timber on the river consisted of scarcely anything more than a few scattered cottonwood trees. The game abounded in great quantities, but the buffalo were not so numerous as they were some days before ; two rattlesnakes were seen that day, and one of them killed. It resembled those of the middle Atlantic states.

The next day nineteen miles were covered. Weiser's creek was discovered and named after Peter Weiser, one of the privates of the com- pany. The towline was used this day and the following to good advantage, the shores being clear.

Of May 20th the journals say : "As usual, we set out early, and the banks being convenient for that purpose, we used the tow- line. The river is narrow and crooked, the water rapid, and the country much like that of yesterday. At a distance of two and one- fourth miles we passed a large creek from the south with but little water, to which we gave the name of Blowing-fly creek, from the quan- tity of those insects found in this neighborhood. They are very troublesome, infesting our meat while we are cooking, and our meals. After making seven miles we reached by eleven o'clock the mouth of a large river on the south and camped for the day at the upper point of its junction with the Missouri.

"This stream, which we suppose to be that called by the Minnitarees ( Mahtush-ahzhah) the Muscleshell ( Musselshell) river, empties into the Missouri 2,270 miles above the mouth of the latter river, in latitude 47 north. It is IIO feet wide, and contains more water than streams of that size usually do in this country : its current is be no means rapid, and there is every appearance of its being susceptible of

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

navigation by canoes for a considerable dis- tance. Its bed is chiefly formed in coarse sand and gravel, with an occasional mixture of black mud; the banks are abrupt and nearly twelve feet high, so that they are secure from being overflowed; the water is of a greenish yellow cast and much more transparent than that of the Missouri, which itself, though clearer than below, still retains its whitish hue and a portion of its sediment. Opposite the mouth of the junction the current of the Missouri is gentle, and 222 yards in width; the bed is principally of mud, the little sand remaining being wholly confined to the points, and the water is still too deep to use the setting pole.

"If this be, as we suppose, the Musselshell, our Indian information is that it rises in the first chain of the Rocky mountains not far from the sources of the Yellowstone, whence in its course to this place it waters a high broken country, well timbered, particularly on its borders, and interspersed with handsome fertile plains and meadows. We have reason, however, to believe, from their giving a sim- ilar account of the timber where we now are, that the timber of which they speak is similar to that which we have seen for a few days past, which consists of nothing more than a few straggling small pines and dwarf cedars on the summits of the hills, nine-tenths of the ground being totally destitute of wood, and covered with short grass, aromatic herbs, and an im- mense quantity of prickly pear; though the party who explored it eight miles represented the low grounds on the river to be well sup- plied with cottonwood of a tolerable size and of an excellent soil. They also report that the country is broken and irregular, like that near our camp ; and that about five miles up, a hand- some river, about fifty yards wide, which we named after Charbineau's wife, Sacajahweah's or the Birdwoman's river, discharges into the Musselshell on the north or upper side.

"Another party (i. e. John Shields) found at the foot of the southern hills, about four

miles from the Missouri, a fine bold spring, which in this country is so rare that since we left the Mandans we have found only one of a similar kind. That was under the bluffs on the south side of the Missouri, at some dis- tance from it, and about five miles below the Yellowstone. With this exception, all the small fountains, of which we have met a num- ber, are impregnated with the salts which are so abundant here, and with which the Missouri is itself probably tainted, though to us, who have been so much accustomed to it, the taste is not perceptible.

"Among the game we observed today were two large owls, with remarkably long feathers resembling ears on the sides of the head, which we presume are hooting owls, though they are larger and their colors are brighter than those common in the United States."

During the next few days several small streams were found, each being named after some of the men of the party. The buffalo, were scarce; beaver, bear, antelope, and deer not as plentiful as farther down the river.

On the 26th Windsor creek was discovered. A few miles beyond they came to another creek flowing from the north. It was from here, after ascending to the topmost hills, that Cap- tain Lewis first got a view of the Rockies. Four and a half miles beyond this creek they came to the upper point of a sand island. Says the journal : "At a distance of five miles be- tween high bluffs, we found a very difficult rapid, reaching quite across the river, where the water is deep, the channel narrow, and gravel obstructing it on each side; we had great trouble in ascending it, although we used both the rope and the pole and doubled the crew. This is the most considerable rapid on the Missouri, and in fact, the only place where there is a sudden descent ; as we were laboring over them a female elk with its fawn swam down through the waves, which ran very high. and obtained for the place the name of Elk Rapids."

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

Wednesday, the 29th was an eventful day: "Last night we were alarmed by a new sort of enemy," reports the journal. "A buffalo swam over from the opposite side to the spot where lay one of our canoes, over which he clamb- ered to the shore; then taking fright he ran full speed up the bank toward our fires, and passed within 18 inches of the heads of some of our men, before the sentinel could make him change his course. Still more alarmed, he ran down between our fires and within a few inches of the heads of the second row of men, and would have broken into the lodge if the barking of the dog had not stopped him. He suddenly turned to the right, and was out of sight in a moment, leaving us all in confu- sion, everyone seizing his rifle and inquiring the cause of alarm. On learning what had hap- pened, we had to rejoice at suffering no more injury than the damage to some guns which were in the canoe which the buffalo crossed.

"In the morning early we left our camp, and proceeded as usual by cord. We passed an island and two sandbars; at the distance of two and one-half miles came to a handsome river which discharges on the south, and which we ascended to the distance of a mile and a half. We called it Judith's river. It rises in the Rocky mountains, in about the same place with the Musselshell, and near the Yellow- stone. Its entrance is 100 yards wide from bank to bank, the water occupying about 75 yards, and in greater quantity than that of the Musselshell river; though more rapid, it is equally navigable, there being no stones or rocks in its bed, which is composed entirely of gravel and mud with some sand. The water is clearer than any which we have yet seen; and the low grounds, as far as we could dis- cern, are wider and more woody than those of the Missouri. Along its banks we observed some box-elder intermixed with cottonwood and willow, the undergrowth consisting of rose bushes, honey-suckles and a little red willow. There was a great abundance of

the argali, or big-horned animal, in the high country through which it (Judith's river) passes, and a great number of beaver in its waters.

"Just above the entrance of it we saw the fires of 126 lodges, which appeared to have been deserted about 12 or 15 days; and on the other side of the Missouri a large camp, ap- parently made by the same nation. On exam- ining some moccasins which we found here, our Indian woman said that they did not be- long to her own nation, the Snake Indians, but she thought that they indicated a tribe on this side of the Rocky mountains, and to the northi of the Missouri; indeed it is probable that these are the Minnetarees of Fort de Prairie. At the distance of six and one-half miles the hills again approach the bank of the river, and the stones and rocks washed down from them form a very bad rapid, with rocks and ripples more numerous and difficult than those we passed on the 27th and 28th. Here the same scene is again renewed, and we had again to struggle and labor to preserve our small craft from being lost. Near this spot are a few trees of ash, the first we have seen for a great distance and from which we named the place Ash Rapids. On these hills there is but little timber, but the salts, coal and other mineral appearances continue.

"On the north we passed a precipice about 130 feet high, under which lay scattered the fragments of at least 100 carcases of buffaloes, although the water which washed away the lower part of the hill must have carried off many of the dead. These buffaloes have been chased down the precipice in a way very com- mon on the Missouri, by which vast herds are destroyed in a moment. The mode of hunting is to select one of the most active and fleet young men, who is disguised by a buffalo skin around his body ; the skin of the head with the ears and horns being fastened on his own head in such a way as to deceive the buffalo. Thus dressed, he fixes himself at a convenient dis-

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

tance between the herd of buffalo and any of the river precipices, which sometimes extend for some miles. His companions in the mean- time get in the rear and side of the herd, and at a given signal show themselves and advance toward the buffaloes. These instantly take the alarm, and finding the hunters beside them, they run toward the disguised Indian or decoy, who leads them on at full speed toward the river : when, suddenly securing himself in some crevice of the rock which he had previously fixed on, the herd is left on the brink of the precipice. It is then in vain for the foremost buffaloes to retreat or even to stop; they are pressed on by the hindmost rank, which, see- ing no danger but from the hunters, goad on those before them until the whole are precipi- tated, and the shore is strewn with dead bodies. Sometimes in this perilous seduction, the In- dian is himself either trodden under foot by the rapid movements of the buffaloes or missing his footing in the cliff is urged down the preci- pice by the falling herd. The Indians then se- lect as much meat as they wish; the rest is abandoned to the wolves, and creates a dread- ful stench. The wolves which had been feed- ing on these carcasses were very fat, and so gentle that one was killed with an espontoon.

"Above this place we came-to for dinner at the distance of 17 miles (from camp), oppo- site a bold running river, 20 yards wide, fall- ing in on the south. From the objects we had just passed we called this river Slaughter river. Its low grounds are narrow, and contain scarcely any timber. Soon after landing it began to blow and rain, and as there was no prospect of getting wood or fuel farther on, we fixed our camp on the north, three quar- ters of a mile above Slaughter river. After the labors of the day, we gave each man a dram, and such was the effect of long absti- nence from spirituous liquors that, from the small quantity of half a gill of rum, some of the men were considerably affected, and all

very much exhilarated. Our game today con- sisted of an elk and two beaver."

The next day they passed several places where Indians had been camped not many weeks previously, who were supposed to be moving slowly up the river. From where they left the Minnetarees there had been no sign of permanent abodes of Indians, although no place was exempt from occasional visits.

The next day, May 31, after having as- cended nine miles : "We came to a high wall of black rock rising from the water's edge on the south, above the cliffs of the river; this continued about a quarter of a mile, and was succeeded by a high plain, till three miles farther a second wall 200 feet high, rose on the same side. Three miles farther a wall of the same kind, about 200 feet high and 1,200 feet in thickness, appeared to the north. These hills and river cliffs ex- hibit a most extraordinary and romantic ap- pearance; they rise in most places nearly per- pendicular from the water, to the height of 200 and 300 feet, and are formed of very white sandstone. In trickling down the cliffs, the water has worn the soft sandstone into a thousand grotesque figures, among which with a little fancy may be discerned elegant ranges of freestone buildings, with columns variously sculptured, and supporting long and elegant galleries, while the parapets are adorned with statuary ; on a nearer approach they represent elegant ruins; columns, some with pedestals and capitals entire, others mutilated and pros- trated, and some rising, pyramidally, over each other till they terminate in a sharp point. In the midst of this fantastic scenery are vast ranges of walls, which seem the productions of art, so regular is the workmanship."

On the first of June, they dragged along against a contrary wind for twenty-three miles. During this day, chokecherries, yellow and red currant bushes, and wild roses and prickly pear, were observed. The wild roses were in bloom.

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

Game was very abundant through this section, and they spoke of the necessity of beginning a collection of hides for the purpose of making a leather boat, the same having been under consideration.

The hunters, on the second, brought in six elk, two buffaloes, two mule deer and a bear. During the day several islands were passed, most of them containing some timber. After having traveled 18 miles, they camped on the south side of the Missouri, opposite the mouth of a large river. Here our explorers were at a loss. They had gathered all the information they could from the Indians, but this river had not been mentioned, so the expedition was in absolute ignorance as to this body of water. Before proceeding, these streams must be ex- plored, and accordingly, as narrated in Coues journals, we have the following examination : "Monday, the third, we crossed and fixed our camp at the point formed by the junction of this river with the Missouri. It now became an interesting question, which of these two streams is what the Minnetarees call Ahma- tealiza, or Missouri, which they describe as ap- proaching very near the Columbia. On our right decision much of the fate of the expedi- tion depends ; since if, after ascending to the Rocky mountains or beyond them, we should find that the river we were following did not come near the Columbia, and be obliged to re- turn, we should not only lose the traveling season, two months of which has already · elapsed, but probably dishearten the men si much as to induce them to abandon the enter- prise, or yield us a cold obedience, instead of the warm and zealous support which they have hitherto afforded us. We determined, there- fore, to examine well before we decided on our future course. For this purpose we dispatched two canoes with three men up each of the streams, with orders to ascertain the depth, width, and rapidity of the current, so as to judge of their comparative bodies of water. At the same time parties were sent out by land

to penetrate the country, and discover from the rising grounds, if possible, the distant bearing of the two rivers ; and all were directed to re- turn toward evening.

"While they were gone we ascended to- gether the high grounds in the fork of these two rivers, whence we had a very extensive prospect of the surrounding country. every side it was spread into one vast plain, covered with verdure, in which innumerable herds of buffaloes were roaming, attended by their enemies, the wolves; some flocks of elk also were seen, and the solitary antelopes were scattered with their young over the face of the plain. To the south was a range of lofty (up to about 6,000 feet; Highwood) mountains, which we supposed to be a continuation of the south (i. e. Judith) mountain, stretching from southeast to northwest and terminating ab- ruptly about southwest of us. These were partially covered with snow ; but at a great dis- tance behind them was a more lofty ridge ( Lit- tle Belt .mountains), completely covered with snow, which seemed to follow the same direc- tion as the first, reaching from west to north- west, where their snowy tops were blended with . the horizon. The direction of the rivers could not, however, be long distinguished as they were soon lost in the extent of the plain. On our return we continued our examination ; the width of the north branch (Marias river) is 200 yards and that of the south 372. The north, although narrower and with a gentler current, is deeper than the south branch, its waters are of the same whitish brown color, thickness, and turbidness, and run in the same boiling and rolling manner which has uniform- ly characterized the Missouri; the bed is com- posed of some gravel, but principally mud. The south fork (i. e. the Missouri itself) is deeper, but its waters are perfectly transparent ; its current is rapid. but the surface smooth and unruffled ; and its bed is composed of round and flat smooth stones like those of rivers issuing from a mountainous country.

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

"The air and character of the north fork so much resembles those of the Missouri that almost all the party believe that to be the true course to be pursued. We, however, though we have given no decided opinion, are inclined to think otherwise; because, although this branch does give the color and character to the Missouri, yet these very circumstances in- duce an opinion that it rises in and runs through an open plain country, since if it came from the mountain it would be clearer, unless, which from the position of the country is improbable, it passed through a vast extent of low ground after leaving them. We thought it probable that it did not even penetrate the Rocky moun- tains, but drew its source from the open coun- try toward the lower and middle parts of the Saskaskawan, in the direction north of this place. What embarrasses us most is that the Indians, who appeared to be well acquainted with the geography of the country, have not mentioned this northern river; for 'the river that scolds at all others,' as it is termed, must be, according to their account, one of the rivers which we have passed ; and if this north fork be the Missouri, why have they not designated the south branch, which they must also have passed in order to reach the great falls which they mention on the Missouri.

"In the evening our parties returned, after ascending the rivers in canoes for some dis- tance and then continuing on foot, just leaving themselves time to return by night. The north fork was less rapid, and therefore afforded the easiest navigation ; the shallowest water of the north was five feet deep, that of the south six feet. At two and one-half miles up the north fork is a small river (Teton) coming in on the left or western side, 60 feet wide, with a bold current three feet in depth. The party by land had gone up the south fork in a straight line somewhat north of west for seven miles, where they discovered this little river (Teton) came within 100 yards of the south fork; and on returning down it, found it a handsome

stream, with as much timber as either of the large rivers, consisting of the narrow and wide leaved cottonwood, some birch and box-elder, with an undergrowth of willows, rosebushes and currants. They also saw on this river a great number of elk and some beaver.

"All these accounts were, however, very far from deciding the important question of our future route. We therefore determined, each of us, to ascend one of the rivers during a day and a half's march, or further if neces- sary for our satisfaction. Our hunters killed two buffalo, six elk, and four deer today. Along the plains near the junction are to be found the prickly pear in great quantities; the chokecherry is also very abundant in the river low grounds, as well as the ravines along the river bluffs; the yellow and red currants are not yet ripe; the gooseberry is beginning to ripen, and the wild rose which covers all the low grounds near the river is in full bloom. The fatigues of the last few days have occa- sioned some falling off in the appearance of the men; who, not being able to wear mocca- sins, have had their feet much bruised and mangled in passing over the stones and rough ground. They are, however, perfectly cheer- ful, and have an undiminished ardor for the expedition."

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An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana, Part 4

Author: Western Historical Publishing Co. (Spokane, Wash.) Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western Historical Publishing Company Number of Pages: 760

Author: Western Historical Publishing Co. (Spokane, Wash.)
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western Historical Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 760