The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1868-08-14

tnul6QS IIldN llaD tTAN SlStl cdSbn hIu bAAI &C
or four weeks before were encountered,
and were productive of considerable con-
sternation in the camp, some entertain
ing fears that they were Blackfeet. AZ
ter prospecting at the head of Line Riv-
er, finding the monument marking the
British boundary, three miles above the
Pass, but no gold, the command travelled
forty miles farther north along the east
ern base of the Rocky Mountains to a
stream one third lgarer than Sun River
called by the Indians the River the Old
Man Played On This stream fiows
through the centre of the prairie and,
having cut banks frUIIs eight to ten feet
high, under which are concealed its
groves of cottonwood, is invisible until
the traveller is almost upon it Eight
days prospecting upon this stream re-
suited in fatigue but fortune for no
one. In order to cross this river to the
northern side il was found necessary
to swim il, accordingly men and animals
plunged in, and reached the other side
in safety. While drying their supplies,
after reaching the shore. Indians were
seen in the distance. BY firing their revol-
vers in the air they signified their friend
ship for the whites and were permitted to
come to their camp They proved 90 be
kootenais and gave information that
fifty one lodges of their tribe would ar
rive there the next day ON their way
home from a buffalo hunt. Proceeding
still north McClellan's party reached
stream about as large as the Blackfoot,
which it was found impossible to pros
pect, on account of the high water,
passing which. they reached, on July
18th, and at a distance of twenty miles
from the River the Old Man Played
On, Tho "Porcupine Tail, a large
mountain extending castwardly from
the main range far out into the prairie.
Here the limestone formation of the
mountains WAS exchanged for granite
and slate and here, for the first time since
the commencement of the expedition was
gold discovered, five or six colors to
the pan being obtained from the top
dirt, bat nothing further down.
Through this range, which was about
fifty miles ride. The party pursued its
way. by a low pass some three miles in
width, and arrived. ON July 10th, at
Bow River. This stream is said TO be
as large as the Missouri at Fort Benton
and flows through one ut the most beau
tifUl valleys on the continent. The
soil l. excellent, producing timothy,
clover and blue grass in such luxruiance
that the gTrru blades reached 10 the
backs of ilu sorsGs as tho expedition
rode through llthoUgh 81 far north,
the season i earlier thelr than in this
section. service berries ia abundance,
---a.-l-----sIfus OF aCTcS uT srrawDcrries
being ripe as early as July Isl. With
all its streams well tin bered, with the
greatest production "f grass L., Ie found
in the world, and with such a fruitful
soil, who shall say that the Bow River
srxy r,nt Nsaf Mag
part in the supply of Montana with ag-I
ricultural productions From the main
camp on Bow River, Captain Mcclellan,
Nolwan and Dillon, went seventy miles
into the mountains, discovered a lake
twenty-five miles long and ten miles
wide and went around il, but found no
gold. Returning 10 the rendezvous
they found the camp in confusion. some
OF the men wishing to turn back, and
others wishing to continue their journey
to the Saskatchewan. 1t was therefore
decided TO separate. Objections to this
were raised, ON account of the danger
from Indians, but these fears were laugh
ed at by some who offered to bet that
there was not q solitary red man OF the
forest within two hundred miles. Hardly
had the wager been laid, however, be-
fore hundreds of Indians made their ap-
pearance, to the discontinue not only of
the one offering the bet, but TO that of
the entire camp. IL was soon ascertain
cd that the cause of the excitement was
thirty-two lodges of Stoneys, all of
very amicable disposition, who exhibit
ed their friendship by cordial invitations
To the whites to remain and prospect
their country, telling them that they
would show them where they could find
gold ii they would do so. They also
gave information that there were no pro
Visions at Edmonton. a Hudson Bay Cos
post one hundred and twenty miles fur
iher north, and all ideas which had been
Entertained of spending the winter there
lnd prospecting the country were, there's
tore. abandoned. Only twelve DAYS sup
plies being left to the expedition, il was
now compelled to abandon further ex-
ploratiOns and seek for white settle
ments. a party of eight started for the
Saskatchewan, fonr of them to continue
heir journey to Red River and the other
our to return to Benton this winter
The balance of Capt. McClellan's party 1
iook up direct line of march for Sun I
River, keeping, as a general thing, out
N the prairies and from Fifty to seventy /.
i've miles east-oi ths route taken when 4
going up. ca tho return tim they met
Iohn Rand's AEEY OF six men ON their
syw TO the country which thyF had Just /
hft. They weIe provided wita wagons 1
.nd cattle and wguld probably spend the
winter on Elk River. forty miles north i
II Bow River. The cnleInbers OF Rand's ,
party had all been IA the section 70 1
which they were travelling bsfore, and I
we're confident of being sur-csstul in /
discovering good digginEs Col. Spike, I
Who had been of invaluable service 20
Mcclellan as an interpreter. turnti balk |
With Rand's party. Cap. AcCiclIsn ar
,ived in Helena on SATURDAY last, and I
bis whole party has returned safe aud 4
tound. A word with regard tc tho gsc-