Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-08-10
g Worth Fighting For.o

y
present Indian war is being carried
on:
But l started to say that, beside en-
deavoring to protect a thrifty and
beautiful frontier, this aggressive
movement on the part of the Govern
ment essays to open up a country that
IS "worth fighting for" For the
benefit OF readers who may not be in
formed upon the matter, it should be
stated that the Sioux have only the
right to hunt here, and can, under ex-
listing agreement, lay no claim to own
ership. Commencing at Powder Riv-
Ell, and extending northwestward along
the Big Horn Mountains to the Vel
lowstone, is as fine belt of grazing
country as can be found anywhere
among the superior pasture-lands of
the Rocky Mountain region. The belt
closely approXimates 200 miles in
length, and will average twenty-five in
width. The surface is a combination
Of hill and plain, with everywhere a
perfect mat of the most nutritious
plain and mountain grasses. De-
bOuching from the Big Horn Noun
tains at frequent intervals, and de-
scending generally nOrthward, are
streams fed by melting SHOWS, and
flowing clear as crystal over gravelly
beds. Chief among these in size and
attractlvenesS are Crazy Woman
Fork of Powder, Clear Fork, Big
Plney, North and South Forks of
Goose Greek, Tongue River, and the
Big Horn. All Of these deserve to be
called rivers, as the flow of their wa
ters is large and strong. The valleys
are generally from one to two miles in
width. A deep black soil is invariably
found on the bottom-lands; while that
on the more extensive first benches"
is usually the lighter sandy loan, so
much priced for Wheat-groWing in the
tranS-MissOuri States and Territories.
Gracefully bordering the streams of
all the valleys, are groves of cotton
wood, red ash, bOX-elder and willow.
There is no hard wood of consequence,
and the pine, spruce and juniper only
creep downward to the base of the
mountains. Covering the mountains,
however, from foot to timber line, are
grand forests of the varieties just nam
ed; and the supply of building mate
rial need never be limited or difficult
to reach. Far out beyond the limit of
this twenty-five mile belt, the valleys
are often compressed to canon width:
and, as q rule, the rugged hills inter
yening are not SO valuable for grazing
purposes. But, even in that vast re-
gion, so ruthlessIy called g bad lands, -
there are pretty, park-like expansions
of the valleys, and whole s'townships''
of well graded uplands. Many of the
hills in that direction arrive at the
dignity of mountains, and are we'll
covered by forests of pine.
Wild fruits are numerous in nearly
all of the valleys A month ago, or
more, the snOW-White blossoms of the
cherry and currant were so wonderful
ly massed along some of the streams
that the rich green foliage was almost
hidden. In addition to those varieties,
there are plums, gooseberries, straw
berries, raspberries, and one or two
other kinds do not remember having
ever seen elsewhere. Strawberries
Tipened in camp as early as June 20.
Large patches of wild onions are found
in the mountains. These, with bulb
Gus plant growing in a similar man.
ner, furnish the Indian his principal
vegetable diet.
One could not be blamed for grow
ing rosy and losing his bearings here.
1t is decidedly a land of flowers. The
most beautiful and familiar varieties
Of the forests of Maine, the prairies of
Illinois, and the staked plains of the
Southwest, alike find representatives
in these freshest of American wilds.
Led by perfect thlckets of rose, and
closed by the modest and almost hid
den daisy, the list embraces hundreds
of varieties in the different attitudes.
On the crests of the first range of the
Big Horn Mountains, [ have found a
more varied and gorgeous display of
flora than in long years of travel else
where. Eighteen varieties were
plucked in a circle of as many feet in
diameter. Among the singularities in
this line, [ have noticed variety of
wood-moss growing far out on the
plains south of che Powder. No tim
Der being within thirty miles, the ques-
ton very naturally arises: How did
this delicate woodland plant, which is
nourished by the bark of trees, wan
der so far from its home?
Animal life is the same as that ex-
listing in Colorado; while that of in
sects is largely changed, and presents a
L. Il