The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-10-21

Interesting Description Of the
Country through Which the
Expedition Moved.

Country through Which the
Expedition Moved
From our own Correspondent.
THE following letter was delayed long
time In transmission, but Is interesting for It's
description of the country. and the incidents of
the march
NORTHWESTERN InDIAS EXPEDITION,
CAMP 81, FoKT UNtoN, August 80, 1854.
70 tAs Bditor Of the Rone~:
After the battle Of Tahpahokuta the ex-
petition rested two days, and on the morn
ing Of the Sd inst. took up its line of march
from Heart River, which is about 112 miles
west from Fort Rice, for point on the
Yellowstone near the month of Big Horn
River. On the afternoon of the 5th, the
high table land upon which We had been
journeying came to an abrupt and sudden
end, and our eyes we're greeted with q sight
never to be forgotten Expressions Of as
constituent and admiration burst from the
lips of all who beheld the scene before
them. Immediately beneath where We
stood, and as far as the eye could reach,
extended one Of the most confused, oon-
glomerate and mixed up portions Of Mother
Earth that any human being ever gazed
upon. Imagine level plain Of many miles
In extent osving in and tumbling down
pell-mell, from one to Eve hundred feet,
forming . succession Of mounds, buttes,
pyramids and pinnscles Of all possible sizes
and shapes, inberseoted BY deep ravines
and horrible gulohes, their sides washed
into ten thousand fantastic forms by the
rain, and representing every shade imagin-
able, and you viii have faint idea Of. the
scene which appeared before Us. Many
thought that now the expedition had come
10 al end. A council Of the scouts was
called, and all decided with the exoep-
ton Of one "a Blackfoot Indian) that
We could proceed no further in that d.
rection; but BlackfOot said "White
men much chop, much dig, he could take
take him through" On the Judgment of
this one Indian Gen. Sully decided to
make the attempt and the sequel has
shown that it proved to be correct. We
then moved on mile or two further and
camped on a detached portion of table
land just large enough to accommodate
us. Here we experienced the first real
suffering for water, none to be had except
surface water in holes down in ravines of
untold depth. Early on the morning of
the 9Th the camp was astir and ready for
q forward. As the train moved out many
misgivings were felt among the men, for
we were in an unexplored country and it
seemed not at all unlikely that human skill
combined with mule flesh would prove un-
equal to the task Of extricating it from the
mass of confusion into which it was
about to plunge. The day was extremely
hot, the dust almost suffocating, the roads
equal to our worst fears, and the water
mud. Notwithstanding all these Difficult
ties we made twelve miles and camped on
a branch of the Little Missouri. We saw
along our route to-day great number of
stumps which had petrified and turned to
stone. Some ofimmense proportions meas
uring from six to twenty feet in diameter.
Numerous specimens were gathered and
earnest discussions carried on as to what
had become of the trunks and branches
belonging to these stumps as well as
whether they were real stumps or not,
some doubling the possibility of wood
turning to stone.
However the unbelieving were soon
convinced for specimens were produced
composed of wood on one side and stone
on the other. From the appearance on
the surface there must be coal enough
imbedded in these hills to supply the
whole world. Here is field for the geol-
ogist and other scientific men, such as
they will seldom find. 1t is a strange
country, called by the Indians the Bad
Land-a most appropriate name, for scarce
any vegetation is to be seen except few
box elder and wild cherry along the IA
vines, and the cottonwood which borders
the Little Missouri and grows tall, straight
and in regular order, like apple tees in an
orchard, giving the only evidence to be
seen that Nature has not forgotten there
is such thing as system.
On Sunday the 7tb, two companies 60
and F) of the 9Th Minnesota were sent out
as pioneers to work the roads; the rest
remained in camp. The ponies we're sent
out to Craze, and everything had assumed
the quiet of that day of rest, when the
news was brought in that the Indians had
made dash on Company F and the herds
men in charge Of the beef cattle, taking
two horses, and were about to attack the
camp. The long roll was beaten, bugles
blown, horses hurried in, and everything
put in readiness for action; but no enemy
came. So we broke camp, moved across
the Little Missouri, halted and lay swell
tering in the dust and scorching sun the
remainder of the day. Near sunset the
"forwardr was sounded. A cheer
went up from the ready men, and
we again crossed the Little Missouri and
went into camp on its banks two miles