The New York herald., 1875-07-13


truoing few feet nom tue earth. which from the
valley seemed towering erags. Norih-northeast
by the compass lies Harney's PeaS, with It's
bald top. IL looked but O few feet higher
than the mountain on which stood. Beyond the
main range loomed mp the mountains which form
the western run OF the hills, purpled py distance.
Ola Harney, as IL has been famillariy dubbed,
looked not near as imposing as when we had
first seen 1t. The crag upon which stood was OF
q peculiar gray color, with tubercles Of mixed
quartz and mica, closely packed imbedded in It,
Veins OF ordinary quartz also frequent in this
rock.
Tue remai nder OF the landscape was lacking In
prominent features; but wAere there were not
smooth pGrks, surrounded by forests or
peaceful valss imprisoned by high buttes
there vast area OF broken
chaotic upland where ledges and great boulders
were mixed and piled up IN Pluton1c coniuslon,
as II the earth had been shaken like dlce5oX
and the result had been left as chance had or.
dsined. Yet, stealing over the sense, as one OBJ
served the bright sky the emerald vaes the
dusky woods and the frowning rocks, there came,
nevertheless, that Instinct or the power OF
mighty hand that had blended such contrasts to
form, in the whole, the most beautiful landscape
tnat eye ever lignted upon. so, although We ala
not reach old Harney, those who ascended to the
the sea, were amply repaid for their exerti0n.
THE NATURAL HISTORY
OF the Black Hills would be very interesting II
properly Investigated. In ornithology alone the
study would he charming. Many OF the most
priced songsters OF The East ara found here. and
there are species occasionally seen which have
hitherto been unknown. The robin and the blue
bird make cheerful music all day long IN the
groves behind my tent, and deeper in the woods
the thrush ana orole have their home The
larger birds are abundant Huge ravens darken
the sky IN their single flight ana cast a shadow
like an omen. Their smaller relatives. the crows.
abound. Blue jays OF small size haunt the borders
OF the WOOD, and the spike tailed and blue grouse
may be beaten up rom the thickets in large num-
bers. They are as desirable game as the partridge
or Woodcock.
THE SCIENTIFIC SURVEY.
The scientific party is out in two sections. each
with an ample escort Mr. Jenney, with mining
assistants, started early on Friday morning for
the Rapid Greek, in the no tn. M. Newton, geol-
ogist, and DR.. McGlncuddy, Typographical engi-
neer, with part of Company l. OF the Second cav
airy, under command OF Lieutenant Hall, went
southward to explore the country lying between
Camp Harney and The south Fork OF the Chey-
enne. one OF their party. returning yesterday,
reported that they had reached that creek, but Is
evidently in error as rhey had only made march
OF eight miles, ana could not have reached the
South Fork OF the Cheyenne, south ofwbIch stream
tributary flows nortAward. The belief Is grow
ing very strong among officers and civilians con-
nected with this expedition that this region
WILL NOT PRODUCE GOLD
IN any but quantities which viii barely snord a
profit above the value OF labor. shalt sunk TO
the 'oed rock" in the bank OF ths creek, In camp,
fcfla vie nj POl "a
base OF the aruvial soil the richest deposits are
supposed TO exist; but unless by design the ex-
was made In a most improbable spot
the result is Of very discouraging sort.
From many or the miners encanped nearer the
head OF the stream hopeful reports are still heard
In a conversation with one Of them week ago,
named George W. Denahay, a partner in the pla-
Ger dlggings above the point where the expedi-
ton FIRST entered the valley, ne unburdened him
self quite freely. II has been o notable feature
OF the researches in the Black Hills after gold
thai TIE precious metal has seemed like willo'-
the wisp-ever brightest at distance.
cover yonder,n Is the constant remark, "thar's
richer diggins than ony around hyere."
when reached, the "over yonder" has proved
but moderately productive, ana stin further on
cleaned the foytS rntltus. "a better gold
Rion.n Donahay volunteered TO give Information
regarding the prospecting tour made by bis asso-
ciates IN the north, on 3 large stream, which they
"Cherry Creek" 1t runs parallel
With the French and in the same direction, and is
PROBABLY the same which "California Joe" and his
companions visited farther east. Tue miners fol-
lowed it about ten miles and dug nVe pits out Of
which they washed cirt taken or the '.bed rock"
In one piece OF gold which they got was the value
Of six cents and the yield IN each pan was about
twenty cents.n The particles OF the metal ere
nd n n m
Creek auG belonging to the variety called "shot
gold"
"THE PAY STEAK
amt been struck ye," observed the miner ''but
when 'ts struck i'm pay to man four or Ave
dollars q day, think. You see, the pay streak is
" har the old bed o. the stream has ben anG has
washed thar for million o. years, p'rsps, tho
little pieces o. gold. Thapl pay when ips
rsached.p
eyes. but ir there Is a pay streak, why DO you
not 1nd IL IN some Of the pits which you have
supkfn
The miner snook hi4 head. ''It's thar some
whar; but you can't hwas md u at fust. Them
diggins over thar pointing northwsrd1 are
richer'n these here. poor man can make as
much aRin over thar, and we've oil taken our
claims over thar"
ado you propose TO abandon the claims on this
"Ohl no wen divide our party. Half o. them III
work on one creek and half on t'other."
. The miner stated that there ara at present
about forty miners In this valley, having organ
tied into i've camps. One party Is engaged In
building q ranch sno the others are constructing
fumes and suiceA lie said that none OF the
miners have yet gone 70 the 'bed rock" but ex-
peet 20 ind there a rich yield. Re asserted that
o single 'color'' or particle OF gold had peen
found worth four cents and tnat one pan had
gwen twenty-seven and half cents.
THE NUMBER OF MINERS
In the whole extent OF the hills Mr. Donahay est-
mated at more than one hundred. That there are
many other parties engaged in prospecting be-
sides those in this valley he felt assured, as he
had seen trails fifteen mnes nom the camps which
were not those OF Indians, the fore feet OF the
horses being shod and the others bare.
"a think" said the miner, "ther's gold along
every stream in the hills. We've found nne
quartz lodes that we wouldn't show TO nobody.
NY share In one would not take less than $40 600