The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1867-08-24
THE UPPER YELLOWSTONE.

THE UPPER YELLOWSTONE
From DR.. James Dunlevy, Surgeon of
the Montana Vols, we CLEAN the follow
ing items concerning the headwaters of
the Yellowstone river, supposed by SO
many to be a continuation of the Mats-
Gals TerTes or Bad Lands that exist at
it's mouth.
DR.. Dunlevy left Camp Green Clay
Smith, near the mouth of the Yellow
stone canyon, about the 18th ult., with
a small party, following up the western
side of the river for about ninety or one
hundred miles, and within few miles
OF the lake near the head of this great
river; travelling through a valley OF
great extent, richness and beauty, inter
spersed with scenery of most inn
pressive grandeur and magnitude. une
surpassed in the world. Tall spires et
colossal grandeur which in beauty and
symmetry are superior to any works Of
art; beetling cliffs of rock, rising from
the waters edge thousands of feet in
hight; while wood crowned mountains.
with delightful slopes and vista like
parks cOursed by purling streams and
mountains covered with SHOWS, capped
and rising TO cone shaped peaks and
knife-like edges, or turretted like castles,
and rolling away off in beautiful white
pyramidal forms, were to be seen on
every side. Language is not ade-
quate to convey an idea of the marvel
Gus beauty of the scenery, which is be-
yond the power of description, and
begets wonderful fascination in the
mind of the beholder who reverently
gazes at the snow-crowned SUBMITS,
that seem as if
They were to show
How earth may pierce to Heaven and leave vain
man below"
In addition to this, Dr. Dunlevy in
forms us that he discovered several large
streams coming in from the western
side, that are vet unnamed. When near
the end of his journey his attention was
called TO something resembling steam or
smoke, near the crest of a mountain, and
observing springs of hot water gushing
out of its side, he was induced to attempt
to reach il, which he succeeded in ac-
complishing with very little trouble,
there to find something that proved to
be the keystone to the arch of wonders
"a boiling hot lake, covering an area of
about forty acresl A herd of antelope
were quietly licking the salt along the
edge, when a shot from his rife brought
one of them down, a sheath-knife soon
severed off a ham which was fastened to
a lariat and thrown into the lake, and in
less than forty minutes il was taken out
completely boiled and salted The party
ate of it and represented it as having
peculiar but pleasant flavor. The Doc
tor supposed the water TO contain 8
large percentage of tincal, the crude
property from which borax is manufac-
tured, and has already taken the neces-
sary stops to have it pre- empted and q
company organized TO have il thoroughly
tested. He gave it the name of Black,
in honor of our highly esteemed citizen,
Hon. L. M. Black. Should this prove all
that the Doctor saEguinely expects, il
will prove an additional source of wealth
to our highly favored Territory, as very
nearly all the borax used, until quite re-
Gently, had to be brought from Tuscany
Lately considerable has been manufac.
tured in California, but we do not know
of any having been found elsewhere
within the country. We have not the
space to give an elaborate report of DIR.
Dunlevy's trip, but can only say that IL
abounded in the rarest scenes and incl
dents, equalling almost the experience
of Captains Speke and Grant, in their eff
fort to discover the source of the Nile;
and we trust ere long that some select
party. we'll prepared and equipped, will
be able TO penetrate these wilds and re-
veal TO the world its manifest beauties,
existing as they do in all their pristine
grandeur. The Doctor deserves credit
for the daring, invinciblc spirit display
ed by him in thus far exploring this re-
mote region, which example we trust
will be emulated by many others. He was
compelled to return to camp as his time
was limited, and what matches he had
with him became dampened and spoiled.
He reports the country filed with game
OF all kinds, including mountain bison,
and reports mining in threo different
gulches on the eastern side OF the river.
including Bear and EmigraDt gulches.
b. g.