Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-11-04
FROM MONTANA.
A Trip to the Hcadwatcrs of the Yel-
low Stone-Wonderfnl Displays of
Naturc-Hoilire Springs and Geysers
that surpass the Great Geysers Of
Iceland

| Iceland.
Correspondence of the Springfield Republican.
HELENA CRY, Oct. >, 1870.
Dear Rcpublican:-I promised
your readers in my last letter that
if returned in safety from the trip
to the hcadwaters of the Yellow
stone, Tor which | was thea outfit
ting, would give them some ac-
count of that fabulous region upon
which they might rely. 1t affords
me some satisfaction to chronicle
my safe return, with full head of
hair, and health, strength and spir-
its invigorated. Our main party
consisted Of nine gentlemen, com
prising Gen. ii. ID. Washburn, the
surveyor general of Montana, chosen
general Of the expedition by his IS
sociatcs, n. p. Langford, former
United States collector of Montana,
and present grand master OF Masons
in this territory, S. T. Hauser, pes
ident of our first national bank, l..
c. Evcrts, former United States as
SCISSOR of Montana, and whose mys-
terious disappearance from our par
ty on the lake, and probable death
ere this, has cast over our otherwise
successful expedition deep shadow
of gloom and regret. In addition
to the above were Walter Trumbull,
son of Senator Trumbnll of Illinois,
Messrs. w. c. Gillette, Ben Stick
ney, Jr., Jacob Smith, some of the
leading merchants of this city, and
myself. We had in our employ two
servants and cooks and two packers
to attend to the pack train of eleven
animals, beside those on whom the
entire party were mounted. Upon
application to Gen. Hancock, we
were provided with an escort of sol
diers, which, though given for an
entire company, could only be sup
piled by a detail of six, under Lieut..
Doanc. When completed, the party
consisted of 10 men, with 81 ami
mails, and with this force we left FIT.
Ellis, settlements and civilization,
Aug. ODD, in southeastcrly dircc-
ton, through the Bozcman Pass in
the Belt range Of mountains, by
which it is expected the Northern
Pacific railroad will leave the Vel
lowstonc to strike some one Of the
many passes in the main divide.
From the outset, we were com
PEELED to stand guard over our hor-
ses, securely tied, for fear of the
treacherous, thicving Indians, in
whose peculiar system of ethics the
neglect of any opportunity to steal Il
horse ranks as a first class crime.
| must clear my conscience by the
confession that never wholly fell
in love with this part Of our expert
cncc, and though have tried it at
call watches" of the night and in all
wcathcrs, alone and in company,
in the snow and without moon,
own that | never hankcred after my
turn, though it became GRADUALLY
more tolerablc and | learned many
a precious lesson as to the sweet
ness Of venison cu..iicts roasted on a
stuck before 4 midnight campfire.
II was ny good fortune and cNquis-
tie pleasure to catch the first trout,
as | afterward caught the most and
the last trout taken by any of the
party. The second day from the
fort brought us into the valley of the
Yellowstone where it is quite wide,
but mostly Il second bench above
the river, covered thick with coarse
stones and the internal prickly pear.
The whole Crow nation of Indians
were camped in the valley and
watched us with felonious interest
from the opposite bank in the safe
distance. The result of their long
and close scrutiny must have been
discouraging, for none followed us,
as we expected. Just before reach
ing our first camp on the river,
smart thunder shower came upon
us as an unwelcome attendant, in
the midst Of which we sought the
verge of a poplar grove by a spring
under the bluff, and in moody 81
lence pitched our dripping tent.
Fires were started under difficulties,
but supper came finally with recon
cling effects, and in our robes and
blankets we slept profoundly. The
shower of the evening gave place to
a more gentle and steady rain, which
continued all night and greeted us
when we woke with its melancholy
music. With breakfast came good
humor, and till the rain ceased, near
noon, we had merry times under
large Siblcy tent from the fort.
For two days more our course
was close to the river, but on the
third, near the mouth of a large
western tributary called Gardeners
river, and near where the main riv-
err energies from the canon, we strike