Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1874-08-15
NEWS FROM THE EXPEDITION tn
THE BLACK HILLS.

A correspondent OF the New York Tri.
oune with the Black Hills exued;t,on
writes from within two miles Of the sor,h
;olk o. Cheyenne river. August Sd, Civ.
ing the following summary Of Clusters
oinciai report to date from July l6:
starting from Prospect Valley Dako.
70, tne expedition moved in a south.
westerly direction until it reached the
valley OF the Little Missouri, up which
We moved 200 miles. The valley is al.
most destitute of grass. From the LittIe
niissouri to the Valley of Belle Fourche.
the country was generally barren and nm.
inviting. Belle Fourche was reached nm
the 18th OF July, and good grass, water
ana wood, were abundant. From this
point, Just west of tho line separating
Dakota from Wyoming. we began q skir.
mish through the outlying ranges of hills.
The country Is a very sup. r,or one. GOV.
cred with excellent grass and having an
Abundance OF timber, principally OAK.
pine and poplar. IN the I'D We halted
aud encamped within 40 miles of prom.
inent peak III Wyoming. called "Irj AN
iara. 6.60O feet high. which peak We
asrend.d. lying over here one day. The
txpdltion then turned due east, and ut.
l. mpted passage Of the Black bills.
After short march We came into a most
beautiful valley. cts equal" said Gen.
Custer, 81 have never Seen" Such. too
was the testimony Of all those who be-
held the panorama spread out before US.
Every step of our march that day was
amidst lowers OF the most exquisite color
ahd Perfume, soue belonging to new or
unclassiied speci,s. TIE water il the
streams stood at A degrees. THIS beau.
tiiui vale was named Floral Valley
We followed this valley to the top oil the
western ridge Of the Black Hills. winding
our way through little park Of great
natural hauty. On the goth We cau ped
within four miles OF the western base OF
Harney's peak. which the next day Gen.
Custer ascend-d with engineers and
small escort. The peak was the highest
point in the Black Hills. This morning
two companies under Colonel Hart were
dispatched to extend our explorations in
southerly direction to the south fork
OF the Cheyenne. Tomorrow, General
Custer, with five companies Of cavalry,
will endeavor to reach the same stream
in southwesterly direction from Har-
ney's Peak.
The correspondent adds: I'm no Dor
ton Of the United States. not excepting
the famous blue grass region of Ken.
lucky, have / ever found grazing superior
to that which grows wild in these
hitherto unknown regions. l know OF
no portions of our country where nature
has done so much to prepare homes for
husbandmen, and left 30 little for them
to do, as here. Everything indicates an
abundance of moisture within the space
occupied by the Black Hills. Gold has
been found in several places, and it is
the opinion of those who are giving at.
tention to the subject, that 1t will be dis.
covered in paying quantities. l have
upon my table forty or fifty small psfti-
Giles Of pure gold, in size about that Of
small pin.head. Most Of it was obtained
to-day from single pan Of earth; but as
We have not remained longer ut any
camp than one day, it will be readily
understood that there is no opportunity
to make satisfactory examinations in re-
gard to deposits Of valuable minerals
until further investigation is had. Re-
garding the richness Of the deposits of
gold, no opinion should be formed.
Veins of what the biologists call gold
bearing quartz crop out Oh every hillside.
All existing geological or geographical
maps Of this region have been found to
be correct. The northward march begins
in few days and General Custer ex-
poets to reach Fort Lincoln by the 3lst
OF August. Small parties Of Indians
met by the expedition generally fed.
Slab, one OF their chiefs, was captured
He recently returned from hostile camp
on Powder River, and says the Indians
lost ten killed in the fight with the Boze-
man exploring party"