The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-06-15
Proprietor.
TUESDAY. JUNE 10. 1875.
rnE BLACK HILLS.

Colonel Stanton, Paymastcr L. s.
Army, yesterday received a letter
from an officer with the expedition
Aow escorting Prof. Jenncy through
the Black Hills, which letter, in good
part, we give herewith.
"HEADoUARTERs BLACK HILLS
EXPEDITION.
CANT JENNEY, June 4, 1879.
Latitude 49, 49, north, Longitude
IOI7
Dear Colonel: AZ promised, / pro-
coed to give you an idea of where we
are, and how we nre getting on. You
will have no difficulty In following
us up, rs VIC have made n trail
through the country, stamped with
the mark of sixty government wng
ons, that will last until the ]everlhst-
ing hills are dissolved, and their
material substance covers the plains.
We camped on Rawhide the first
night out, followed MiN's trail II few
miles the second day, then started of
%northward on our W hook, aud,
with map, compass and the feeble
assistance Of our so-cdllcd guide, Joe
Merrivale, we made u way rs
direct rs possible for the hills. We
left Laramie, you know, on the 18th.
On the Both we camped on the Chey-
enne River, and on the lst of June
struck Beaver Creek, near the forks.
We found the water perfectly dam
nable. II was strongly im~pregnated
with alkali, and had II saline taste
also. We were ~'oblceged' to vacate
tn )se regions the next day and look
for a camp where decent water
abounded, to dissolve our sugar and
amnlgamate the corn juice. We
struck 1t yesterday, the 3rd, in the
shape of a clear, swift-ruuhiug stream,
coming out of n canyon in the noun
tains. 1t is n tributary of the east
fork OF the Beaver. We are In n
notch of the hills, camped on II beau
tiful grassy plateau, with cottonwood,
elder and willows to shade us. just
back of us Is a peak over a thousand
feet high, its summit covered with
red sandstone. There is no gold or
silver anywhere in this vicinity.
That Is evident from one look at the
rocks and formation. 1t is all sand
stone and gypsum.
The Indians have not put in an
appearance at all yet, and do not
think they will trouble US. but we
are throwing up a couple of small
redoubts on commanding points, so
we can rake the country with our
Calling and howitzer. After our sup
ply train returns from Fort Laramie.
which will be in fifteen or twenty
days, and after Prof. Jenncy has com
pIeted his survey in this vicinity, we
will pull up stakes and establish
another camp further east or north.
This will probably not occur, how.
ever, before the middle of July, and
we will leave n good trail from
here.
We have Travelled about 40 miles,
but the distance can b. made much
shorter. Capt. Burt starts back to-
morrow with the train, and expects
10 go through to Fort Laramie in
five days. Old Joe took us five or
six miles out of our course, the second
day out, trying to make n short cut
to the Niobrara. We went about
three miles up II dry sand creek, and
then we had TO turn round and march
back to Ruwhide to get wa Cr to
camp on. Then, owing to Joe's mis-
representations and ignorance, we
lost about two days more going
roundabout courses. We consumed
much time, also, making roads and
bridging streams and gullies. We
struck the line of bad cliffs that Mix
had so much trouble in getting
through, and went over then. on an
old Indian trail without difficulty.
We crossed the Old Wonnn's Fork
of the Cheyenne five times in one
day. Our hunters brought in Il Gin
namon hear, four elk ami three deer,
the night we camped on the Beaver.
So we know there is game in the
country. An elk was shot yesterday
near camp.
We hope you will be along early
in July, and see the country yourself,
for, / assure you, it is well worth
seeing. We have named our camp
after the chief "Bug suffer" and the