The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-12-01
YELLOWSTONE FIELD NOTES
84 ytf2"&G~ .s----.5 5.f4 I<fssttta 4tf4ss
ENGINEERING OBSERVATIONS OF THE
1 VALLEY. asG
NO. III.

Compiled from McClernsnd's and other reports.
af The Big Horn Valley at this point is more
than mile in width and extends-in di-
rection 70 west of south--to the foot of the
| Big Horn mountains, 25 miles away. The
grass is everywhere good. The river runs
about half as much water as the Yellow
stone, and ''upon the opposite side washes
ststeep sandstone bluffs 100 feet high. )"
The valley soon increases in width to be-
tween and miles, when six miles below
we reach "t ny 2t2 4a RI =
| Beaugais Greek which runs 40 south of
east through a finely timbered valley bot
| tom. .@s . sfl9a #a 4.- a-.t
Rotten Grass Creek is next reached-run-
ming from the southeast through a ravine
| f2 feet deep. This stream, ten feet wide
and two feet deep, is situated ina good hay
country. A few miles lower the valley
narrows to 400 to 500 yards in width, but
soon again opening increases to a width of
one mile, when sa ..,:
Soap CreeE is crossed-distance from Ft.
Pease, IA miles. "All day long" says Nc
Clernand, "we have been marching
through magnificent valley, about 23
miles wide, with rich black loan sol, pro-
ducing luxuriant grass. The foot hills in
crease in fertility, while the TT. Pease sand
stone here gives place to granite, always
the herald of better and more plentiful
| wood. water and grass. Altogether it is
the finest piece of tillable land have seen
In Montana. Not stone or cactus is found
in the valley, and water is everywhere
abundant" .l@'s
The hay fields Of old Fort @. r! Smith,
lying in direction south 800 west, come
next upon the way. Most of the walls, !"
says McClernand, are yet stand1ng-built
of adobes upon stone foundations-tbe roofs
fallen in. The flagstaff lies across the pa
rade, and from the manner in which it is
cut we suppose it was felled by Indians.
The cemetery is least injured of all, and
the monument erected to the late Lieuten-
ant Sternberg and Is soldiers and citizens
is but little defaced, the corners only hav-
ing been Clipped away with hatchet.
This monument, erected by sorrowing
friends, and standing alone in the wilder
ness, is the last token of loYe for those who
sleep here beneath the sod, waiting long,
and perhaps in vain, for the country they
served to avenge their DEATH f4z-ss,...
The mountains, lying to miles to the
south, are covered with large pines which
the river would easily float for building
purposes in both of the valleys of the Big
Horn. ... t..- ..; Ef..s r-
aIi Big Hornt Canyon is about miles from
the old Fort, whose location is inferior to
many sites lower down. Moving along the
old Phil. KearDey road to the head of
Soap Creek the
Big Hill of old Ft. Smith days is next
assembled. Leaving the road to the right
and crossing several miry streams (branch-
es of Soap Creek) the course lies through
beautiful high-rolling hills, covered with
fine grass" Camp is made upon Rotten
Grass, with good grass and water in the
midst of small timber. Here this stream
flows through what is described as beau
tiful but narrow bottom apparently ex-
tending to the Big Horn. The distance
from Fort Pease is now 90 miles. i'
Next, moving in direction 600 east of
north, tributary of the Rotten Grass, of
fering upon its banks a coop supply of
timber but in its stream little water, is
reached after an hours march. Beyond
this creek stretch high rolling hills, well
grassed and crossed by large game trails
pointing in all directions. A high divide
next intervenes, when turning north 700
east small creek is crossed, and u miles
beyond in region of ash timber little
valley is found which from the number of
its small streams was named by the COM
mand as,H, .+.. 5---fI(, ,la0IIt 9.Eo@'
Many Stream Bottom. "Ths belt of
country we are now in,' says MeClernand.
sis as fine grazing region as can be found
anywhere; combining, as it does, hills and
valleys with everywhere mass of the most
nutritious grasses. Numerous streams, fed
by the melting SHOWS of the Big Horn
mountains, supply clear, pure water at short
intervals-the country is alive with game
buffalo, elk, deer, and antelope roam in
great bands over the hills and bottoms. It
is the hunters paradise, as well.' 7as sar
Long Greek comes next, after moving
past several smaller streams. The maps
give this creek the name of Grass Lodge, its
valley, timbered with ash and cottonwood,
being of mile wide. s.s,s s.. .,.} ag
The Little Big Horn is soon again reach
ed, 6 issuing from a small bottom, almost
hidden by the hills. A mile below, upon.
the opposite side of the river, ara high,
broken, sandstone bluffs but upon this side
is a beautiful and extensive valley more
than a mile wide. In its soil not pebble
is to be seen--it has a gentle. slope to the
river and is everywhere covered with good
grass. Again says McClernand, s'ash
grows along its banks in great abund-.
ance. ? 3. We are now 113I miles from Fort
Pease. ts -.
A second extensive and beautiful valley
is soon encountered, and the Wolf Noun
tains are in sight to the east. A march of
&c, miles and we turn to the north h-east, hav-
ing the Little Big Horn for broken coun-
try. At distance Of 5 miles from that
stream one of the tributaries of ,@ =
1mslcek's Fork is reached, and camp is
made 1401 miles from Fort Pease. Moving
down the left bank of the Fork it is found
that sandstone once more replaces the gran
ite and econntry proves poorer, On each
side fare rough and barren hills, many Of
| them looking little better than the Bad
Lands Of the Missouri. - 80. -. -
At "a distance of 1921 miles from Fort
Pease small pine timber begins to appear,
taking. the place Of the ash which until now
has been 50 plentiful, while sandstone spurs
run down from Little Wolf mountains,
Bearing towards the mouth of Tullock's IS