The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-05-28
FRIDAY. MAY %, 1873.
G.nerrf Cu-rnr on the big Horn Coun,


' we make the following extract
from the " y Herald of the 2Ith
inst, giving an account OF an inter
view between a Herald reporter and
Gen. Custaron the
BIC HORN COUNTEY.
RepOrter-Mnch has been said
about the Big Horn country.
Gen. Custar-The mining party
from BOzeman that | spoke Of set out
for that region. a few persons had
contrived in the past, when the In
diAns were not Troublesome, to enter
a portion or IL, and they returned
with twonderfI stories of. the riches
hidden there, and fine specimens of
gold were shown as proof. General
Sheridan, in his letter to General
Sherman, c]orroborates this view, and
he thinks that the wealth Cf the Big
Horn country win be found to sur
pass that of the Black Hills. Beyond
report nothing positive is known
about it.
Reporter-What are the general
features of the land lying between
the BlRck'Hills and the Big Horn
country. which | understand to be
the beginning of the Rocky Noun
tains in that locality?
Gen. Custar-In passing westward
from the Hills we find n low, rolling
landscape, the timber growing
smaller and sclrccr, until the plains
are reached, SO that the Black Hills
are "a cluster separate and distinct
from the great range. We gradually
approach the u%pheaval, which is the
commencement of the Rocky Noun
tainS.
Reporter-Are the Rocky Noun
tain peaks visible from this neigh
borhood, and are they clad with
snow?
Gen. Custar-No snowy peaks can
be seer as you leave the Black Hills,
but when nearing the Big Horn the
Big Horn Mountains appear, aud ~
the march continues their white
peaks come out i'm glittering splendUr.
As the mountains are precipitOus,
abrupt and of n peculiar formation,
and as many stories are told of the
wealth hat is in them, western peO-
Pile are of the opinion that this is
the locality to which gold seekers
must go If they would make their
fortunes.
Reporter-As you enter the foot
hills, do you find rivers running
through the canyons out to the
Plains?
Gen. Custar-Yes, and they are
very clear and full Of trout. Wind
River flows Through the Big Horn
Mountains-through a canyon which
is between jOand 100 miles long, aad
it his never been explored. Bridger,
the famous Indian scout, claimed to
have passed through 1t, but there is
no definite record of its cVer having
been explored.
Reporter-In the west we hear a
great deal about the Wind River re-
gion and the Big Horn region. What
is the difference?
sA-aUEsrIoN IN GEoGRAPHY.
Gen. Custer-I am very glad that
you ask me this question. 1t is one
that needs ex PLANTATION. From the
source OF Wind River to the point
where it enters the canyon it is
known as Wind River but from the
point where this same river emergcS
from the mountains in the north To
the place where it enters the Yellow
stone it is called the Big Horn. This,
of course, gives rise to much cOnfu-
sion, and there is M reasOn why it
should not bear the same name all
along.
Reporter-From your description
it must be a rough country between
the foot hills and the Yellowstone?
Gen. CuStar-It is very mountain
Gus. In fact, the National Park,
which includes the mouth ofthe Yel-
lnwstpne and the geysers, is separated
from the Big Horn country by noun
tains which are almost impossible.
No direct route across to the hot
springs of the Yellowstone has been
discovered.
Reporter-Don't you think that
some of those canyons OF the Big
Horn approach the Grand Canyons of
the COlOradoiu Arizona?
Gen. Custar-I hardly think that
the cascades or falls are so great, for
we know the altitude at each point
where the river enters and leaves the
mountains, and the difference will
not warrant the superstition but the
walls of the canyon may be as high,
if not higher, than those of the Col
orado.
NReportcr-Do the mountains and
gorges Of the Big Horn extend to the
Yellowstone along the Big Horn
River?
Gen. Custar-No. When the Big
Horn leaves the mountains that bear
its name the country becomes less
broken, the mountains disappear,
and we come to what is termed the
e" Bad Lands !" and passing through
n narrow belt Of the Bad Lands, we
coTne to the Yellowstone.
Reporter-What is the distance
from where the river leaves these