The New York herald., 1875-09-19

0hS pdSsdEc III one direction OF party Oi
soldiers ana IN another Of some bareiooted miners
bound toward Captain Poock's camp They had proba
Dy Dsen captured by detachment Of cavalry ana
pought Dack arrest TACT when reached French
Creek was informed that several citizens had been
y caught on Castle Creek and were then at Camp G. ~
Collins The prisoners there placed on their parole
and made TO promise not to attempt 10 get away or 10
prospect for god except in tho shafts in Custer's
Guch This is polite order view of SIntipalsla,
demand for restitution of the gold which he assumes
has been taken from the Black Hills by white mon
Seven miners have been allowed 10 remain until ths
present in Custer's Guch by General Crook as author
izod protectors Of the property which their fruitful
imaginatons conceived to exist in Custer City.
AN UNMILTTARY STEP
This measure resulted from the kindly feeling OF Gen.
eral Crook toward poor and sefdependen men, and is
Of course, subject TO the approval of General Sheridan
or the Presidents; but is doubtful if II step that
should be paated in a military officer who had
before him nothing but the plain duty Of expulsion,
as indicated his orders. Their mitigation gives ia
law evading men recognition TO which they have no
right OF a pseudo title to claims which they have seized
I'M the Black Hills in violation Of treaty and the COM
mands Of the President The preservation Of their dis
coveres 20 them when the country shall be opened to
the whites would be hagranty unjust 10 the greater
number OF law-abidns men who have been looking To-
ward Kesapa with tho gold lust in their hearts, but
have reirained thus far from being dsobedient TO tho
government II the names OF inc aaySnturers VINO VINO
entered the gold country tins summer couu oe procured
and enrolled it would be only Just to constitute then
'back ls and exclude their bearers from The posses
sion OF any claim and the privilege o. NM
ing in the Black Hills hereafter, when the ban OF
treaty shall be removed They nave Ooastoo
of the inability Of the regular army to keep them out
Of the forbidden country and certainly were conhden'
Of the Discrimination Of officers
DANGERS APPREuENDED.
Major A. s. Burt. OF the Ninth nianry who had pro
cured seven days. leave of absence joined me at the
camp on French Creek the day OF my arrival there
Captain Pollock entertained US N noble chovaier style
and afforded us the kndest assistance. Sergeant Boil
ling Corporal Fisher and Private Robinson, oil the
Third cavalry regiment were detailed TO 20 to TINS
agency and accordingly the parity with the addition OF
a despatch carrier named Williams. who acted as guide
was composed OF six persons Rumors from the White
River had Indicated that the great council would not
4 thou foIr
sened itself that it might dsperse before we should
leave the outskirts Of the hills and if that were So we
in profound ignorance OF the result II was GER
tain that if there had been a lack OF harmony
in the powwOw, and If the red men
dissatisfied, little party would meet, in cross
ing the plains, scores OF northern bands ON ther way
from the agencies, ready like pitch iagos, for the IRE
brand 1t was with sober estimate Of the risk OF th'
venture that started from Camp Collins on Saturday
TO leave the hills at the natural southern gateway
Buffalo Gap Two sturdy pack mules carried all our
baggage The trail which pursued TO the Southern
Cheyenne River was which General Crook had
passed over in August with large escort when return
ing Omaha 1t leads through very picturesque coun-
try to the margin OF the Mills and beyond keeps upon
breezy uplands Of the plains We unched on the banks
Of small creek Five miles further SOUTH on another
stream on stopping TO allow the horses TO drink, We
discovered that It's margin was lined with plum ana
cherry trees loaded with richly colored fruit The
pums, which still ripening, were OF delicate
LEAVING TIRE HILLS
After several miles Of winding through low
hills thnly sprinkled with pines, passed over
bare plateau and came upon perfect landscape In the
BACKGROUND high gray biuas Stood in a long sweeping
crescent in winch there were two gaps Through these
appeared the blue vista of the plains beyond on tho
extensive horizon OF which lay les DadupafSeS te7TeS
The larger opening in the bluffs Immediately south
east is Buffalo Gap, point well known to the Indians
Nearer, within the semclrcle Oh oluis Is "oe pasih
with successive table lands formed OF great beds OF
gypsum and of red clay Struggling groups OF grease
wood mark the surface, where the grass is scan and
stunted Buffalo Gap the gateway by which the
great herds formerly entered the hill country, to range
over the rich gades and valleys in late summer and au
tumn The thousands Of beached skulls lying on the
earth show that the Sioux Crows and Cheyennes Tor
rnerly chased them there. In the higher ravines
the mountain bison smaller than he OF the plains,
roamed throughout the year. In Buffalo Gap, which
we reached sunset AmphDious Creek rises suddenly
from a bog Of tall rushes and flows IN large, sulien
current out into the plains The water has an intense
suphurous odor like that OF the Powder River In the
Gap which seems have been cut through the bluffs
by the action Of thstream, there is most interesting
exhibition of stratihed formation The right bank Of
the creek is perpendicular wall, and its smooth sur
face shows strata Of three or four contrasting colors,
perfectly distinct at the margins. There are two
three shades OF green blue, gray, red and yellow The
stratas are not all OF mature formation. Some Of
soft sandstone; others Of hard clay / did not make
thorough examination but am satisfied that geologist
would ind here chapter of rare interest in the book Of
nature.
A few miles from Buffalo Gap, Captain MiXs trail to
the Black Hills, made last April Is joined BY General
Crooks. IL is now well worn. We rode two hours by
the light OF the new moon before reaching the south
Cheyenne There we biyouacked III strange, IN
certain darkness, peculiar 70 TINS portion OF the
plains The distance from French Creek to the South
Cheyenne is ATTY miles, and, after soldiers meagre
supper we slept soundy under willow tepces,
which had been constructed by Indians who had pre-
ceded Us during the summer ut tins spot.
on Monday the march was through the celebrated
Bad Lands a barren district Of white clay, whose
geology has never been thoroughly Investigated.
Fossils Of the cretaceous period plentiful Some OF
the low hills literally covered with fragments Of
agate formed IN curious shapes. In many Of the
black banks very beautiful reptlian fossils OF largo
size found The region is, in reality,
a desert, and for many weary miles, after
fordlng the south Cheyenne we found no water. Al
length began to descend mo the valley Of the
White River our lips cracked from the heat and
very brackish and saline water reckless draught OF
this alkaline fud produced first feeling ieyerish
sickness but That Was succeeded Dy sensation OF re-
lief
The trail as VIC advanced, became crowded with the
Of Indian ponies and Of lodge poles In the In
dian method Of nspOraton the latter are dragged
the ground as they 20 from place TO place The signs
increased as We neared White RIVER until there were
ey dences Of least 800 lodges having moved south
ward. Trails gong in an opposite direction excited
some fear Aat the Council had broken up and that
would meet parties of dissatisfied and hostile braves
II is needless say that watched keeny the apex
oi every ridge and the depths OF every arroyo for
band, however, consisting Of six hOrscmen-two led
ponies and pack-mues, preserved stolid front
had pienty We were armed Win neodie guns Az sun.
set rode into the White River bottom, near the old
Spotted Tail Agency in ul view OF an indian village.
on the right bank OF the stream and III our IRE ior
supper our arrival Was eigualzed by the sudden
herdng OF all the Indian ponies on the hills, which
seemed suspicious supper over, the party lay down
to rest Night made hdeous by the howng OF dogs
in the Indian villages, but their eioquence was lost ON
the dued ears Of tired travellers One OF the party
had become moon and had TO be waited upon like
child but slumbor had sway over all, and only
SIX false alarms, caused by imaginary shadOwy Indians,
stealing around among tho bushes momcntarly broke
its spell during the night In the morning it
found that we close to he family hamlet OF Sim
tigaska or spotted Tail We started early search Of
the Grand Council place
NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.