Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-07-14
Big Horn Valley.


"The Big Horn River flows from the
mountains to the Yellowstone, through q
beautiful rich valley o hundred miles
long and from Ave to twenty miles in
width. 1t is bordered by the magnificent
Big Horn Mountains, and by high rolling
plateaus, covered with rich buffalo grass,
stretching back for miles toward the south
and east The Panther Mountains, and
Pompey's Pillar, on the Yellowstone, are
always in sight; and. with the snow peaks
of the Rocky Mountains, make
grandeur Of scenery seldom equalled else
whore. The sides of the mountains the
plateaus, and the valleys are covered with
fine buffalo and bunch grasses, and. the
valley has plenty of excellent hay ground,
such as is only found on good farming soil.
The valley il we'll watered with clear noun.
tain streams, and tolerably timbeTed. For
grazing country, for either cattle or
sheep, the Big Horn Valley and Mountains
cannot be excelled in the world. The rich
grasses, which on account of the dryness
OF the atmosphere cure on the ground
without losing their nutritious qualities,
would furnish ample pasturage all the year
round, and the frequent canons and small
valleys would afford shelter in all the
storms. All the sheep aocks in the world
could Craze, winter and summer on the
slopes and benches of those mountains;
and one-day they will be as famous for
it's sheep walks and shepherds as the
mountains of Scotland, or the high lands
of Australia.
The climate of this region is something
marvellous, If the Fountain of Youth,
which old Ponce de Leon searched for, and
didn't find, is not in this valley, there is no
use looking further for it. In the southern
part Of the valley, latitude $3.50, we have
about the climate of Tennessee, with an
atmosphere so clear and pure that it is the
real elixir OF life to breathe il. Health is
the natural condition of life here, not only
to the man of good digestion and strong
muscle, but to the consumptive and dys-
peptic Out of force of five or six hun
dred men, we never had death from dis
ease in two years, and about as little sick
ness as comports with existence. The
prevailing winds are southerly and westerly,
bringing to these inland hills and valleys
the mild airs of the Pacific, and tempering
the winters to that delightful degree that
makes outdoor life so pleasant and health
full. The atmosphere is remarkably pure
and clear the stars seem nearer to YOU
here than in the Eastern country, and You
see dis ances that would astonish dweler
in the heavier atmosphere of the States
Sam Weller's assertion that "Havin nothin'
but eyes, his wishion was limited, don't
apply here We have counted men with
the naked eye distance of five miles, and
with our field glasses near forty miles.
All the elements of prosperity and wealth
are to be found in the Big Horn country.
where our people need it for orsettlement and
culture. Soil and climate are all that
could be desired; the rivers are strong,
navigable streams, able to bear to market
great crops and stores of minerals The
mountains furnish plenty of good pine for
lumber, and the very finest qualities of
sand and freestone; limestone and clay are
abundant, and good quality of burning
coal crops out in many places. Iron ore is
found in the mountains, and we believe
that gold will be found there as soon as
it is safe to prospect this mountain range
and the streams leading from it. Color of
gold is found in very many places, and
some fine specimens of quartz and nugget
gold have been picked up by scouting and
hunting parties, enough to insure reward
to the patient labor and enterprise which
are sure to come after the Indian has full
filed his mission, which seems to be to
clear off the game and die.
The big horn sheep from which the
country takes its name, is one of the Curl
osities of the animal kingdom. He has
the head and herns Of the sheep body and
hair Of the deer The flesh has no flavor
of mutton, but is essentially venison in
taste and fibre. They are a strong, agile
animal, standing about as high as the com
mon red deer, and weighinga hundred and
fifty or two hundred pounds. The horns
put to shame anything worn by the patri-
archs OF domestic fiocks; they are eight
or ten inches through at the base, very
long and spiral, giving the head a massive
and dignifed appearance. 1t is said by
old mountaineers that they use their horns
as bumpers, and throw themselves from
crags and ledges Of rock, taking the shock
of the fall on their horns. Whether this
is 50 or not, they are certainly great leap
ers, and as bold and skillful cragsmen as
the chamos of the Alps. These animals
are never seen in the low country, unless
driven there; they inhabit the mountain
ranges and the rocky canyons, and like
best the rough grounds little frequented
by the hunter.
The greatest natural curiosity ofth up-
per country is the Big Horn Canyon, by
which the river flows through the noun
tains. 1t is sixty mileslong, and from half
to three-quarters of mile In depth, it's
sides beautifully fringed with trees and
trailing vines, and the rocky surface taking
every form that art could give to stone.
Here are natural bridges; ruined abbeys,
oyergrown with ivy; turrets, spires and
caves; among which the big horn sheep,
the grizzly and black bear, the wolf and
the fox make their homes. One of these
days the tourist will visit this spot, and the
invalid will make pilgrimages here in search
of health and pleasure, and the traveller
will talk of the Big Horn Mountains and
Canyon as he now does the Alps
The country watered by the Big Horn is
tho home of the Grows, tribe who have
been faithful in their friendship to the
whites through all thetroubles of the north
ern frontier, and who can show tho best
specimens Of the Indian TO be seen at the
present day. 1t is also the favorito hunting
ground of the Sioux, Gros.Ventres Black
feet and Nes-Perces.
These tribes number about 1000 souls,
but they are fast lessening in numbers,
under the blight which civilization casts
on all the families of the red man. In q
few years they will become extinct, or so
nearly SO that they will no longer be taken
into account in deciding the ownership of
the land. When the buffalo begins to
grow scarce, as he soon must, under the
Indians improvident habit of killing and
eating only the COWS, the Indian must fol.
low his herds to the hunting grounds Of
the other world, or abandon his wild habits
and become civilized or self-supporting
man. The latter we all know is much the
least likely result to follow the loss of his
supplies
Two YEARS AGO we called attention TO the
excellent qualities Of G., A. Prince q Co.'s
Organs and Melodeons, manufactured in
their extensive establishment In Buffalo, N.
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