Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-08-06
of the Yorkville Enquirer
LETTER FROM THE BLACK HILLS.
BLACK HILLS EXPEDITION,
Lat. 45o 80, Long. 1040 8 w.


July Is, 1874.
An expedition to the Black Hills has been
long talked of in this Department, but was
never attempted before this year.
The present expedition was organized at
Fort A. Lincoln, and left that post on the
End instant. The expedition consists of ten
companies of the 7th Cavalry, two companies
of Infantry, with three Gatling guns and one
threeinch ordnance gun, the artillery COM
manded by Lieut. Chance, and sixty Indian
scouts under command of Lieut.. Wallace, of
the 7th Cavalry. The Cavalry are armed
with the new Springfield carbine.
The Black Hills are regarded by the In
dians as kind of spirit land, which they
have never yet permitted any white man to
visit. Immense wealth is supposed to exist
there in the way of valuable minerals, numer-
Gus specimens of which have been seen in
possession of the Indians. Several expedi-
tions have heretofore been organized by pri.
vate enterprise for the purpose of visiting the
region of the Black Hills and exploring their
mineral resources, but they have always been
prevented, either by the interference of our
Government or the hostility of unfriendly In
dians.
The object of the present expedition, made
by the sanction of the Government, is to as
certain definitely what are the resources and
capabilities of this vast extent of territory,
never before penetrated by white man. The
Indians are aware of our operations, and it is
reported that they are preparing to resist our
advance but in this they will hardly succeed.
The surface of the country as far as we
have marched is rough and broken, with very
few streams of running water. Wood is also
very scarce. Frequently we are compelled
to carry a supply from one camp to the next,
and for the greater part of the time the sup
ply has been insufficient to cook our rations.
The water is strongly impregnated with aka
Ii, and much of it is so distinguished by this
popularity as to be unbearable to the taste.
Grass has been plentiful, except on the first
days march, in which locality it had been de-
stroyed by grasshoppers.
We are now about 130 miles from Fort
Lincoln, and our average marching is lS
miles per day. Our guide tells us that in
three more days we will reach the Hills. We
marched several miles off the direct route, in
order to visit q cave of which the Indians had
told US many long stories. Some of them
represented that there were numerous draw.
ings and inscriptions about the entrance of
the cave, which they declared to be the work
Off tribe of Indians now in existence. None
of our informauts could tell the length, breadth
or depth of this cave, nor what mysteries it
might be supposed to contain, as none had
ever had the courage to explore it. 1t was
said that two young braves had once visited
the cave, entering it early in the morning and
not coming out again until sunset, but they
never would disclose the result of their search.
We reached the cave on Saturday afternoon,
but circumstances compelled us to leave next
day. visited the cavern, and to reach its
mouth was forced to climb steep bluff about
Is feet. The entrance is through a soft sand.
stone stratum, and is about 8 feet high and II
feet wide. The walls are covered with
scratches and rude drawings of animals and
over the ground or floor of the entrance were
strewn large numbers of arrows, none of
which had been finished Beads, brass rings
and bracelets were also scattered around.
Lighting torch, we followed the subterra-
mean passage, which we soon found to be so
narrow as to barely admit single person,
when it again gradually widened, but was so
low that we had to make our way by crawling
on our hands and "all.fours' style-for
a short distance, when it opened into a low
chamber, and here the wonderful cave
ended-total length from its mouth $50 feet.
We were not much elated by the discoveries
made, and were hardly repaid for our
trouble-albeit the peril was slight.
Since leaving the cave, we have traversed
a hilly, broken section. The Indians are
quite numerous around the fanks of the COM
mand, but as yet have made no hostile de-
monstrations. We are now resting on the
banks of Short Pine creek, tributary Of
Little Missouri river. You may hear from
me again soon. SOLDIER.
THE FLOOD AT PITTSBURG.
In addition to the account already pub.
lished of the terrible disaster at Pittsburg
Penn, surprising any catastrophe Of similar
,,+,,ro borofofnre occurrinp in the limited