The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-06-09
For the True Northerner.
From the Upper Missouri.

On inc morning or Aprh Zoth, We
arrived at the mouth of Grand River.
There small military force Of three
hundred men are kept for the purpose
of supplying the Sioux Indians with the
necessaries of life. After leaving this
place, we passed through fiat, level
country of about one hundred miles,
and again the surface presented an un.
broken and diversified appearance
Wild deer were now seen, occasionally
in small collections of five to ten in
number, but more often in droves of
hundreds; while beaver and other water
animals, were no uncommon sight
Passed Cannon Ball river on the after
noon of the 9th, the scenery of which
may be better imagined than described.
On the Missouri, above the mouth of
this river, are perpendicular banks three
hundred feet high, filled with smooth
round rocks, from six inches to three
feet in diameter. We passed Fort Rice
on the 2Sth, and on the Goth arrived at
Stephenson, the point where the North
Pacific Rail Road is to meet the river.
This place is we'll located, and promises
in time to become a lively town. After
leaving this Fort we passed on up the
river. Fifty miles above we met FIVE
or six hundred Siouxs descending in
bull boats. These boats are formed by
stretching two or three buffalo skins over
hoops, and sewing Thorn together with
deer sinews. They have very much the
shape of a chadron kettle, and are pro
PEELED along by squaws who strike with
the paddle directly in front each boat
following behind the other, and when
large number are defending the river
at once, they present a motley appear
ance indeed. The river now began to
rise, and we were carried along day and
night until we arrived at Berthold, May
I'd. This Fort is situated near the river
and is guarded by four hundred sol
diers. There are about two hundred
topics Indian houses) in close proxim
ity to the Fort, though none of them
receive annuities here from the Govern
ment they are more peaceable accord
ing to all accounts, than any other tribe
on the river.
Many of the passengers who embarked
from Sioux City, had from time to time
got off at various places, while new ones
filed their places, until large share of
the passengers were made up of hunters
and back.woodsmen, each of which car.
ries murderous looking knife and
revolver, aud are ready to use them on
the smallest provocation. Up the river
from Berthold, the hills prevail upwards
farther than any place below, present
ing many curious and fantastic forms to
the strained optics of the traveller
Some are cone like, some represent the
form of pyramid, while others present
the appearance of some old ruined
castle.
On the 4th, large drove of antelope
crossed the river in front of the steam.
er, two of which were shot by lawless
ruffian, who knew that the captain
would not stop, and they would do no
one any good. We passed them as they
washed towards the shore, where they
will serve as food for some ravenous
wolves that infest the vicinity.
On the evening of May 9th, we passed
military post by the name of Beau
ford, the location of this place is ex-
ceedlugly beautiful, and it will undoubt.
eddy become prominent place on the
Northern Pacific r. II. in some future
time. 1t is also located at the mouth
of the Yellowstone, which will give it
commercial intercourse with one of the
richest valleys of the Western World.
Little worthy of note occurred on our
trip from this place, until our arrival at
Fort Peck, small Indian post estab-
lshed by Durfee, Peck & Co., for the
purpose of carrying on traffic with the
natives. Here we found the North
American Aarabs gathered together in
a larger collection than at any other
place which we had passed. They had
I II =.