New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-05
YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION.



rapidly R the rise Is rapid. the fall that succeeds, IA
most likely to be so too. AS tue stream DECREASING
| IL was hoped that by morning 1t would be sufficiently
low and narrow 90 permit building with the short TIM
Der that grew along It's banks The hope was delusve
| the expectation vain. Instead OF going down, the
stream. refreshed by some remote tributary, went
Up to its original hight When Monday morning came.
just far the other side the day before.
| A
Gen. Stanley determined TO wait no longer THIS
Commissary, Lieut. Ray more solved the problem.
He offered to baiId bridge and the command.
But how coud be build bridge without timber, pom
toons lumberi We have in this expedition 10
water kegs. Nearly all OF them are reformed whisky
eapsd ev HAL leaked drV and became Sopesui1
| converted These temperance Kegs nave been hereto
to carry the wagons on the kegs Perhaps the use Of
these kegs, though not new for this application was
suer accompanying the cavalry train had one OF his
wagons stalled in the mud The efforts OF hs team 10
move it were unavaiug a number Of soldiers at
rest were Stt9g sessy on the BANK oosetyins tns
| by horse power, brought forth keg OF whisky and
rope He tied end OF the rope 70 the wagon ana mo
other end TO whisky. The wagon came out a. quick
as it In. Some Of the men who pulled on that ropo
came being drunk that afternoon 1t showed tns
ractye power OF fun whisky keg 10 inc success %
our plan, however. 10 was necessary that they be en-
rsly empty Of eyerythns but ar o,,oro 70
port at the stream. -Four WagOn,oeds were dlsmem-
bered of their and wheels. Twenty five or thirty
men then set TO work 10 bung and plug the kegs
Only those thoroughly coopeed were accepted inc dry
|
supplied by others. Each OF the wagonbeds just held
Gwentyfour Kegs placed their ends side by side in
poles and pole placed lenghwise over each row OF
kegs TO keep them IN place: Ropes ana chains were
beds that the booms ana Kegs were hrihiy seeureI
| The wagOn-bOdies then dragged down the BANK
and launched in the water botOmside up-that ~, with
the kegs down. Each wagon-bed was then noaung up
down, upheld by twentyfour alright kegs These
| extemporized floats then mOOred lengthSiso IN
the stream The next trouble was TO lash them securely
met ii as he did every difficulty in the construc-
tion with ready brain and ready hand ne lAd ono
and sleeves rolled up ,ri ias1ed them tossiSneff
Win hs own men watching the eSpermeHt
Very little confidence expressed in the structure by
ne t here tnns aint goin' to work no BOW Je.i
as soon as of them big wagins gts that bridge
-" The destination indicated was much further tlan
the Yellowstone. Some OF the less experienced officers
considered the whole thing as foregODe failure, Tue
bridge like the boat was born under cloud VI doubt
BY means Of some wagon-reaches anu plenty ~
picket rope the floats finally fastened together IL
we had had some plank now 70 place across the nEertd
wagon beds, one bridge would have been complete In
| we had only brought plank to each wagon IN our
train should have had ten times ss much as we could
But we had not single available plank or board.
across the wagon beds; they did NOT make very even
floor, bat it was the best We could do The balh had
been previously cut away to form gradual descent IL
| was easy TO connect the float with tue shore.
| The bridge was done. ] imagine that Lieut. Ray
watched with considerable interest the crossing OF tho
first To secure greater safety the mules were
detached and led the bank and the bridge.
The wagonwhees were locked andth wagon gently ics
Gewn to the bridge. detail OF men on tne 9tler pahK
then took the rope and pulled the heavy laden lehlea
great weight the bridge sunk to the waters edge out no
further The crossedin safety The success was
| men were safely landed on the other side with.
| out single accident, without losing pound OF
published its own triumph and the dOnbters were
| silent Such bridge was not a new undertakingor
life all of which spent active service. he has
become familiar with every known device for manss-
better qualified the difficult work OF conducting
who have such resources OF Judgment experience.
On this trip he Is fortunate in being seconded by COM
petent staff The mechanical success OF the work was
due perseverance and ingenuity OF has Chief Com
missary who constructed It manly with ms own hands
tora but it shows what may be accomplished by put
Ting this aud that together brain-wlse ana Otherwise
| BUTTEs and VIEWS PROM THEM.
July 13-Haying crossed the Big Muddy we pushed on
to Major Tewnsends camp, and arrived there the al
Instant Major Townsend, previously noticed, had
been detailed escort the engineers from Fort Lincoln
until the main command should oyertake them from
Fort Rice Major Townsend had gone In camp aud
awaited arrival after suffering from the bail storn
and the cavalry had gone on with the engineers spend
ing night at the camp We pushed on the next day
ing of beauty Tue day was born whouta blemsh,
and ushered in by the sweet carol of birds IL Is Que OF
the mtgations Of breaking sleep at 9 o'clock in tho
morning that We greet the day on the very threshold OF
| dawn. No account OF the scenery Of the plains can
ignore tho scenery OF the sky. The sky is always half
or the picture. There IS the same Intimacy mere taat
partnership which makes the clouds seem neigh0ors tI
the soil Finer cloud PicIr S;o nav nave 9 a9N
| seemed piled up in measureless nights against tho
arch OF the sky. On the cool breeze We could amosa
catch their breath. Silent, restfu baby clouds slept In
cradles or calm over our neaus' No" anu InoA sleas
fleets OF white vaillike mist moved along Ike an AT.
mada ultimately destined to form an close order"
descend and DISPUTE our comfort. Tney would tell tho
approach. We should bridge q csc clouds
on our way. One vision Of clouds aud color snail never
forget gentle shower broke upon US one afternoon
IL was over and the burst through the clouds.
| As q
dIaut arch across the western sky. Prsdga IN AMI
perfect throughout, 1t a sight OF iDdescrlOaOa
beauty But within this gorgeous frame was the pic
cloud faded away to the center. high clOld blum
from this pennsuar OF shade Together the two formed
a beautiful perspective framed within the spectrum.
Riding along at the head of the column toward this
scene Il seemed the curtains OF heaven had been
| drawn and the New jerusalem uavaied. For moment
We were only pilgrims lourhe!hS 10 Tue hedNchy
This morning orr cavalry band had gone on advance
with their regiment, but We marched to a swccter aud
fresher Music. All the larks aud buntlngs OF toe PLAIN
had joined in al overture. Ii Mas bird jubilee.
orchestra played sweeter Our trail led US over
level plains less rolling IN character tnau
that which had preceded it, but still varied IN different
directions by peaked butes and nsuar hills. One OF
its bold and lofty character. few OF us assembled IT,
| and obtained extensive aud beautiful view. A
grassy plain stretched for Two three miles, with
only here and there gentle swell To break tue surface
repeated Looking TINS PLAIN the south, the
was by tall sharp buttes OF equal hight
| at right angles TO the observer They had evidently
been connected at tme bat great water SCOOP
From tue point on which we stood. these
twin bIttes formed tho doorposs 20 delightful vista,
! north broken up into thousand conlca mis- rang
ing apparently, rom 40 TO rs feet IN hgAI Most oi
! wood had rounded them into symmetrical forms 10
| Inc distance they seemed ike 80 many-sugT-oayes
was well-clothed with grass, with here and thero
| nrm SET i'm he of "A