The new North-west., 1872-11-23

up the BITTER ROOT.
WITH seor1S on TIM s1DE

WITH MOTIFS on TN StDS.
Eprron New NORTHWEST: |
But Of the LO.Lo. or Travellers Rest !
Creek, as Lewis and Clarke called II. may |
have occasion to say more again, and will
proceed on my journey. The first night
stopped at Mr.. McWh,rk's, 10 miles from
Aissoula, who came to this country last
spring from Ohio, to try his hand at farm.
ing in the valley of the Bitter Root. A
portion Of his rancho 10 under good state
of cultivation. From sixteen acres sown in
grain. he had some four ricks of wheat and
one of oais-a crvp any farmer in the East
would bc proud to take from four times that
amount of ground.
Keeping on the right hand side Of the
river in the morning, passed many
FINE FARMS,
Whose crowded stackysrds gave proof that
most bountiful harvest had been gathered,
while the owners patiently awaited the ar
rival Of the thrcshers.
The lands nearest the river are covered
with n splendid growth Of pine. which.
with no undcrbrusl,, renders it easy of nc
cess. Some day this will al! be valuable
| for lumber. most of the trees being clear OF
limbs for distance of forty to sixty feet
and from eighteen inches to three feet in
diameter.
| PRAIRIE CHICKENS
Arc seemingly as numerous in the valley as
in Illinois or Iowa. They sat in the trees
and Oh the fences by hundreds, enjoying
the WARM morning sun. They arc not quite
~ large as the same specie of birds in the
Western states, but they more than make
up in sweetness Of meat. Pheasants Of the
old fashioned kind are also found in great
numbers near the river and in the brush
along the creeks This is fine
FIELD FOR HUNTERS AND sPoRTsMEN.
Deer, bear and elk abounding in the low
hills and adjaceut mountains; while trout
Of wonderful size are plentiful in the river
and brooks. Ducks and geese. also, con.
grcgate on the little lakes and bayous by
thousands; so that, take it altogether, the
palate Of the most fastidious can be fully
gratificd in the Bitter Roo. country.
Stopping short time ut the house Of the
Hon. W. E. Bass, took q glance ut his
farm. 1t is one among the best in the
Territory. His extensive fields had yielded
enormous crops, and his system of farming
gives his place the appearance "f a well.
regulated homestead in much older commu-
mites. The location il excellent. with
all the convcnienccs one could wish for in
any country. From there turncl in the
direction of the river. over u mile away.
On the road downI saw. for the first time
In my life,
| INDIAN WOMEN THREsHING
They lay III. sl.eavcs on large cloth, and
then with u pole a dozen feet IN length,
pclt out the gr:dn. Each one Of these no.
be women. of whoa there were = number
In the field. had taken . shock apiece and
were laying on with u vim that was II eau.
zion To Woman's Rights. yThcir :'old men"
and boys were u. the same tine engaged IN
the laborious task Of invcigis,s fish from
the river rear by.) This style q threshiug
Is but little below that Of the old fla,l, the
thunp. thump Of which, from morning till
night, many Of Us can rememhcr Acsring
in our childho'd days. The operation .p,
peared more striking, perhaps, to nc. ft<
the reason that Ihnd seen the steam thre.hcr
At the lower end Of the valley, which de-
vous whole stacks without stopping to
breathe. Nearer the river l saw the thing
A. IT SHOULD NE.
Ao Indian splitting big stump into slivcrs
and extracting from thence grubs for fish
bait He had secured handful Of those
and laid them on piece of bark. while hi
wife, quite pretty woman. with II bright
eyed little girl at her side. set by and
watched tie bait that it might not crawl
away. They seemed very much interested
in the operation, aud no doubt were think.
ing villa; a nice string Of trout those worns
would bring home. The lesson taught il.
} that it 10 the mans duty to gather together
the goods Of this world, aud the womans
to watch over them and see that by mis-.
management or oversight they do not ga
away. This Indian, might add, raised
. good crops and had his thrcshing done by
the machine. gs. .r..'".s.... s.. ,tr e.
The Bitter Root this time o. the year can
be forded almost anywhere, the water BE-
ing 20 clear there is no danger OF getting
into bad places. ~ in thc He'll Gate. On
the bank of the river, near the StcveEsvile
cr',ssins, in quiet little home, lives .
.ExEAs, TIE IRoQUoIs.
, Of whom I may have something TO soy in
another letter, for look upon him as one
9 of the greatest men in hur,ble life the
West has ever seen. and his history Is full
of interest; yc,
, The world 0'eriooks him In her busy search
N Objscs, more illustrious in her view; rt
And, occupied a. earnestly as shc
Though more sublmey, be ocr!ooks tLe world :
> \ mile fsom the river broughtm 10
~ FORT OWEN.
The quaint old walls and battle mcnts Of
which. cvcs now u, good state of preser.
vation. contrast stfsngely with the style Of
, archI.ccturs adopted BY the settlers If these
. latter dsys. There Is scarcely a.sspot or
place in the whole Northwest % histosscally
interesting . this, and wlicn, when We
come to consider the associations that sur.
round II. might well be called
4 SACRED GROUND. '#t
Its lOop.holes ranging IN every direction, its
} massive gates and bulIet.proof ,urre,s, tell
, plainly il was not built for shelter from tho
D rude elements slone. bu. u shield the occu.
I pants. and furnish safe retreat for the few
l settlers, syxinst the fierce attacks Of the
. willy Bla:kfnot . we'll These Indians. 20
fur back as any knowledge Of them is had.
. have made the Ritter Root Valley their
. particular forging grounds. driving off
stock and numbering residents when Tic
least opportunity afforded. Maj. John
. Owen. under whose supervision the Fort
! was erected, and who has made there his
. sOme for more than 80 years, hes, on differ.
. ~ occasions, been great sufferer BY ihss.