Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-12
Letter from Nebraska-The Survey and Ex-
ploring Expedition.

Louis on the 2Sth of May, and reached Fort
Pierre on the 10Th of June, stopping at Fort
Randall to receive on board our boat, the es-
cort that had been detailed to accompany
the expedition. On reaching Fort Pierre
we were met by delegations from eight diff
ferent bands of the Sioux nation, with whom
council was held. They were all opposed
to our going through their country with wa
CONS, and only gave a reluctant consent
when informed that we were prepared to
fight our way through if necessary. We
brought up with us quite large number of
goods, promised to them by Gen. Harvey;
these they were unwilling to receive at first
but | believe have at last concluded to take
them. After detention of ten days, in
making arrangements for the trip-we left
Fort Pierre on the 28th of June, and bid
adieu to civilization. In four days we reach
ed the Shyenne river-quite bold stream
its banks we'll timbered with cotton wood
It's bed is Of quicksand and we lad good
deal of trouble in fording it,-but got across
without any accident. We spent Saturday
and Sunday III camp, for the purpose of re-
cruitng our animals, and also to enable de-
tachments of the party to examine the river
above and below camp. At sunrise on
Monday, July 4th, we resumed our journey
leaving the valley of the river, and ascend
ing the ridge, vast rolling plain lay spread
out before us. The heat even at this early
hour was intense, and by nine o'clock it was
almost sufocating, the thermometer in the
shade, standing at 1912 The water with
which our canteens were filed became
so hot that it would burn the mouth, and
every Greek we crossed was perfectly dry
Our animals suffered very much and we
were compelled to stop SO often that we did
not get into camp until | o'clock. We found
nothing but sumo brackish water, standing
in pools in the bed of creek, and all of us
were too much exhausted to travel farther
Our hunter had brought in fine deer the
day before, and we celebrated the 4th by a
fine prairie dinner-a basket Of champagne
which had been presented to us, making
amends for lack of delicacies. Drinking
champagne out of tin cups-with the Their
mometer at llO0 might not be pleasant in
the States, but we all enjoyed it very much,
and the more as the water was so very un-
march, and again camped on q dry creek
but by digging in the bed Of the creek, We
had an abundant supply of pure and very
cold water this we called Relief Creek Our
journey thus far had been over a very unin-
teresting country, but at this point we have
Il view Of quite Il different section, and as
we approached the Black Hills-Bear Bate,
a detached peak loomed up in the dis
lance, forming quite an imposing feature
These Black Hills are zealously guarded
by the Indians, and no white man has ever
visited them. Some of our party assembled
Bear Butte which rises about 200 feet
above the plain, and on its summit found
many Indian relics, showing that it is one
of their medicine places. Wherever any
important step, such as sending out war
parties, is to be taken, the head men OF the
tribe repair to these places, to make medi-
cine, which they believe essential to the sue
cess of every enterprise. Leaving the Black
Hills. we crossed over to the North Fork of
the Shyenne and thence to the Little Missou-
H. on whose banks we saw for the first time, o
small band of buffalo at distance Crossing
Il rugged divide, we struck a small tributary
of Powder River, down which and the Dry
Fork, we travelled to the main stream. Pow
der river, $50 called because ii flows through
rugged banks, the color of powder,) is a
bold stream about thirty yards wide, and its
water is very muddy. The banks are well
timbered, and the valley is covered with i'm
mense bands of buffalo. In one days travel
we must have seen at least $4,000, and du-
ring our trip down this river we Toasted on
buffalo meat At times we were compelled
to halt our train, to allow a large herd to
pass. This river forms the boundary be-
tween the Crow and Sioux Indians, and is
neutral ground, on which both tribes are
afraid to hunt; this accounts for the large
number Of buffalo in it's valley. Following
down the river until within about thirty
miles Of its mouth, we struck across to
Tongue River, a beautiful clear stream, about
the same size as Powder. After travelling
up this river three days, we turned again to
the West, and after two days travel over
very rough divide, we reached Emile's Fork,
Il tributary of the Yellowstone. On the
18th of August we arrived on the banks of
the Yellowstone River, swiftly running
stream of clear water, and about one hundred
yards wide We remained in camp here
until the 18th of August waiting for the
American Fur Company's boat, which had
on board our supplies. The valley of this
river is about four miles wide, and when |
first saw it, it was literally covered with buff
laloes On the arrival Of the boat we moved
up to Fort Sarpy, and our tents were soon
surrounded by crowds of Crow Indians. In
deed, during our stay On the Yellow Stone,
we were ut all times annoyed by Indians,
perfectly friendly, but great beggars, and
some of them not too honest to appropriate
whatever they might fancy. The whole
Crow nation arrived at Fort Sarpy before
we left, and their agent was distributing
their aDnuities the morning we resumed our
journey. In two days travel, we reached
Fullock's Fork, and here our party was d.
vided, one portion going down this Fork to
the Big Horn River and the other going up
and across to Rosebud, Tongue, and Powder
rivers. at the head of the last of which rivers
we were to unite. | was assigned to the
last party which was to travel up FullOck's
Fork. Our route was a very pleasant one
after we reached Rosebud river but we suf-
fered for water for the first week, being COM
PEELED to drink from stagnant pools. We
encountered many serious obstacles, and were
compelled to leave Powder River, at the
mouth of Sandy Fork, and take a some
what circutous route. SO that we did not
reach the appointed place of meeting in time
to unite with the other party. Striking
Powder river the third time we followed