New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-12

some member of Congress or some chain Garner In
the surveying party. As the southern butte seemed
most favorable for q good view, party OF about
fifteen, including a small cavalry escort, left the
column TO make the ascent A ride OF about three
miles brought us to it's base. 1t was a rugged road
for our horses over the piles of rough stone which
had fallen from its rocky Sides When about $50 feet
up further ascent by horses impossible without
making long detour Hating at the base of the
steepest activity we made the rest of the ascent
foot. 1t was hard enough for lungs and feet alike
and often the aid of some stunted bush invoked
to prevent going down with the slides of shale and
sandstone which our feet set IN motion. Once on
top, the view rich compensation for the exer-
ton. This southern butte, instead of rising to
peak like most of the eroded hills Of this section
forms on top broad plateau several acres in ex-
tent, covered with decomposed quarzie, flint, peb-
bles, and silicifed wood The hardness of the rock
had resisted the nroads of the water every side,
and left this broad plateau level as floor, with
out gorge gully.
THE FIRST SIGHT OF THE YELLOWSTONE HILLS.
From this spacious observatory lay spread before
us the finest and most extensive map Of Dakota and
it's sister Territory that any point our march has
afforded. If the view was not grand. it was wonder
fully panoramic The butte itself is 300 feet above
the plain and this broad pedestal of plain rises itself
600 feet above the Little Missouri Valley. Nowhere
has the eye greater license than here. As far as it
may push its quests, so far may it 90. Good judges
say that from so to 90 miles of the country can be
in direction The linit of sight is only the
capacity of the human eye. The only restraint i'm
posed is where the other Sentinel across the valley
rises to hide portion of the sky, With
one bound the eye flies from the Little Mis-
souri, 70 miles to the west, and traces out
faded blue band against the sky. 1t IS the half
way milestone in our journey the Yellowstone
range of hills. In four days we shall camp on its
waters Walking to the other edge of this broad
4ha hoe fhnr hut rNnfn nal
knowledge 1t is country unnamed and unknown.
Indeed, in any direction whatever, the observer
looks over homeless land. No house, nor spire, no
wall, nor dome, nor minaret. no curl OF smoke, no
boat the distant river, avenue nor highway on
the plain suggests the habitation or presence of
man. Nothing but white ribbon on the plain,
the free range of sight alone that gives
this view its peculiar fascination III, ike
good tourist, the spectator can climb to the
of Lots wife, and then walk along its tesselated
floor to the northwest corner, he is almost startled
by the view. A red sea of fire elares before him.
Mile upon mile its billowy outline gOrges the sight
with its flaming red as II the medi9val hell had
been uncovered, and its fires let loose smoke no
sulphur from the pit, but simply tins wild pictured,
billowy flame. The more one watches 1t the more
the falsehoOd fascinates turn on the heel toward
the distant blue finally dissolves the spell. second
view makes the picture real 1t is only the Bad
Lands" with their wavy crests covered with the red
shale. From an economic point of view this butte
was worth more than any we had seen. 1t Is COM
an excellent building material.
DAKoTNs GREAT PROMISE AS A GRAZING COUNTRY.
Before taking leave of Dakota let me say parting
word. We have travelled on this expedition from a
point at the center to its western boundary 200
miles, in marches ranging from five to 20 miles day.
We have had opportunity to see pretty thorough
" the belt Of country over which have passed in
the most favorable season of the year. The features
of particular sections have been described in pre-
viOus letters. / only wish to append few remarks
in regard to the general character of the country.
The great promise of Dakota is as grazing country:
On its broad, open PLAINS, between the Missouri
and the Bad Lands, there is generally a line
growth OF the prairie grasses, varying IN
a a'nf home e"u for thousands Of cattle. On our
march we practically tested the value of this region
for stock. We brought from Fort Rice catte.herd
of $50 head. Most of them were bought in Mime
sofa and driven two three hundred miles to Fort
Rice from which, after few days rest, they were
pushed on with the Expedition. Except a few lame
ones, wehave not lost single steer, and the herd as
whole weighs much more now than when 1t started
There is nothing finer for cattle than this short
buffalo gd Ss w no XII D bs SO WpteT bn On Ta
bic for pasturage the whole year round: There is
also tail variety of CANA of which cattle fond
Wild rye, oats, and wheat grow here very album
Bunch grass thriyes on a considerable area
For agricultural purposes this section of Dakota
can offer no satisfactory Inducements: The farmer,
unless he is prepared for successive failures had bet
ter seek another home. From the reports made
of the south eastern part of the State the only set
ya ea of the Red River of the North is said to be
rich and fertile In this section, however, the
country as an agricultural district is OF very
doubtful character. The soil is dry, sandy with a
large proportion of clay and alKal, and general
thing entirely devoid of that rich vegetable mold
which distinguishes the prairie soil OF Minnesota: In
the bottom lands along the streams the soil is richer
1t is possible that In the fertile areas wheat
could be grown with success. 1t is doubtful if
Indian corn you'd ripen. except the small variety
Of "a The a@G S f the ana tSe
over the plain like hurricanes, would lmperll the
life of any crop The future settlers, should the
railway open this country must be prepared to un-
derake farming only as an experiment and one very
likely to be disastrous. For several years past there
has been an excessive drOuth. There is some evil
dence, however that this is not the general rule.
This year. through June and July the rainfall has
been abundant Il
OBSTACLES TO THE FARMERS SUCCESS.
The scarcity of timber presents another great diff
fculty. Every year the extensive fires which
sweep across this region reduce the supply. The
indians are utterly reckless in it's use and destruc
tion knowing its value to the whites. In the east
ern part of Dakota the Northern Pacific Railroad
have been trying tree-planting with measurable
success. Cottonwood was brought from the Missls-
sippi Valley, Lombardy poplar from Ohio, and
Balm of Gilead from Vermont. Many OF them were
injured during transportation some were actually
dead before planting. OF those planted 10 per cent
survived. Better success might have been attained
had indigenous trees been used. Cottonwood, box
elder ash, and elm are found along the streams.
Transplanted to the hills they said to do WELL
The region where such experiments were tried was
east of the Missouri near Fargo. The most favorable
section for agricultural experiments west of the
Missouri is the valley of the Heart River. Further
west as you approach the Little Missouri, the
try becomes more and more impoverished. For
miles and miles before you reach the Bad Lands
there stretches level floor of clay Cactus and
sage brush the chief products of the soil rattle
snakes prairie dogs and horned toads are the prin-
cipal inhabitants. The character of soil is