, 1875-02-28
THE BLACK HILLS,
Return Of Two Adventurous Pioneers
from That Region.
A Glowing Account Of It's Golden
Attractions.
Abundance of Precious Metals,
and No Indians.

SIOUX .Cr1Y, 1a-, Feb. N.-The Sioux City
| Journal has special dispatch from Yankton to.
! night, with tue following Black Hills news: Eph
| Witcher, wel-kuown and respected citizen ot
| Sioux City, and q member Of the Collins and
Russell Sioux City Black BILLS expedition, ar.
rived in Yankton to-day, direct from: the Blacl
Hills. mr. Witcher reports having, in com
pany with John Gordon, another member o1
the expedition left his companions ut the stock
! ade OF the expedition. within two miles OF uar:
! ney's Peak, on Box Elder Creek, on the Sd inst
hlr. Titcher gives the following information
The expedition WAS composed Of twenty-se7en
men, one 1ady-Mrs. Tallant--and her son.
had six wagons, we're we'll AIMED
and some OF them mounted. aud had
six months supply Of provisions and mining
tools. The expedition lett Sioux City on Tho 6ta
Of October, struck the Niobrara River about 10
miles above it's mouth; followed tho latter
stream for some distance, and then struch across
the country to = point southeast Of the Black
Hills on the Cheyenne River; met q party Of
about 200 mounted Indians, five Of the latter
held par1ey with the members Of the ezpadi-
ton.
NO TROUBLE WAS ENCOUNTERED
With them. After reaching m apparently feasi-
BILE pass at the foot OF the hills they struck into
the mountains. aud after picking their way
EsaGhsd Pss Rqnt within thin %'es Of IT, H@Fnsya
Of their entry into the hills. on Box Elder Creek.
on the 23d OF December, wte1e they immediate
1y erected stockadcl so feet long. within which
they put up comfortable log cabins from tho
timber, which Was found in abundance. They
greatly impeded by the cold weather; sunl
twenty-five prospect holes. and
STRUCK GOLD IN EVERY INSTANCE.
From the grass to the bedrock they fonrd
i 1us1%- J.1
The silver specimens which MI. Wi.cher has
brought back With him are pronounced ill.,
menseIy rich The party never hive seen an
Indian while in tho hills. Mr: Witcher
describes such portion Of tho Black
magnificent valleys. seemingly Anitless forests
OF pine, aud an abundance Of elk, dear. andoth er
game. He and his companion left the bills in =
snow-storm. and, desiring 10 keep in tho timber
On their retnrn. made dirsct for tho Niobrnrn
and from thence to Ysnkton. Tho greater por-
ton of their return trip WAS made through
snow-drifts over trackless country At = season
remarkable for it's extreme cold and storms
They had two riding animals and ona pack
horse. at night they
and, wrapping themselves in their blankets. took
rest Coming cut OF the hil1s Mr. Witcher dir
covered what has been named Witcher's
Pass. whereby to travel over \ good, natural
"a8on-roao tce 1oot nius can pe teacneu. tnu8
shortening their exit on: Of the hills by thirteen
days. Their ani1nals existed by paving the
snow OF tho grass, often having to 70 through
2 feet Of SNOW Witcher says be can take loaded
ox-tosms into the hills from Sioux City in thirty
days.
The members Of tho expedition in the hills
are in good health aud spirits. The object of
the return OF Witcher and Gordon r. to obtain
Their companions in tho bills
have sufficient provisions to last until July
He says that no evidence OF any other
parties being in the hills Was discovered.
arrive until tomorrow. Nothing vas heard or
seen Of the two disastrous army expeditions sent
out to intercept them. The bravery and pluck
of these two returning pioneers, riaking their
lives on this trip, stamp thom as men Of un-
energy aud heroic bravery.