The New York herald., 1876-08-01
A Trip to Places Never Before
Visited by Man.
PICTURESQUE JOURNEYINGS AND JOTTNGS.
Following the Trail Of the Snakes
with General Crook.
A ARCH FOR COL D.
Croup PEAK CANT,

curiosity to penetrate wnero white men had never
entered and where there is evidence thai the Indian
bad ever gone possessed from the Grst moment OF
my approach the Big Horn Mountains and added 20
this incentive TO exploration was tho brilliant posi-
b,ty Of verifying the tradition of the existence Of
gold IN their dark and virgin recesses The Snakes,
when leaving this camp had determined to cross the
mountains by u new pass, never before attempted, d.
recty southwest and 1t seemed feasible for US to as
certain how they had succeeded by following in
their trail
PERSONNEL or THE EXPEDITION.
1t not difficult to enlist party which consisted
Of the following General George
Crook Lieutenant Colonel william b. Royal, Captain
Anson Mills Captain Andrew s Burt, Lieutenant WILL
lam L. Carpenter, Lieutenant Walter Schuyler, late
honorary at,ache Of the staff of the Car oil Russia;
Lieutenant Henry Il. Lemley. Lieutenant John c.
Bourke Messrs Finsrty and Straban, journalists and
the humble explorer and chroncier of the HERALD,
who is the present writer. Each OF us was mounted
on a mule which carried also rations of bacon
ard hard bread to suflce for absence OF
four days Eight packers were in charge of as many
mules, some of which were laden with buffalo robes
and blankets, while others were led empty, with the
expectation Of placing upon them tho game which we
hoped to slaughter
A DISCUSSION MULES
One hears much and reads much OF the length of
nuies aural appcpdangcs but the realization OF it is
wanting until he has mounted on mulos back. Then
1t demonstrates itself to degree which is very i'm
prcssive, by reason of es elevated station Of view,
and the wagging therctf inspires unqucs,oning
faith in the entire sobriey and gravity OF the owner
which his subsequent PAGES VIII not be likely TO
weaken. Most patient, though most obstinate OF
beasts. il thou acknowledged not the superior wisdom
OF the hand which seeks guide thy rein and goest
the way OF thine choice, thou certainly art
alv ami
clmbcst rocks like fly on the wall and mean
dcrcst through pines and thorns rattlesnake,
through with little bodily annoy yself and
thy rider may be-
Tho pestimaole value of mule nature to man--
though much revied-tho members OF the little
ploring party appreciated After sallyng forth
from Cloud Peak Camp and crossing the creek long
and arduous climbing begun. Al the end OF two
miles at the summit OF tho surian rim of the
mountains-l 900 feet above the camp, which is about
1000 above the level of tho We looked back
at tho whtc spots upon the iablo land by the
stream, which dwellings, and they
small and filed little space that the army OF
the Big Horn seemed to have dwindlod TO less than
battalion In tho vast plain 1t seemed like
feet OF petrcls tho ocean, only tho sentence had
been long ago uttered =
Here let the billows stden and have resti
THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS
me outer ridge OF the chain is ribbed by carbon
ferrous limestone, Potsdam sandstone and meta
morphic oonglomeraic, and scattered fragments OF
coarse porphyry appear upon the surface The
IRON the is exceedingly abrupt and toisome but
while we were recovering breath drank in the
magnincence of a prospect which extended
far as the Little Powder River. Beyond the summit
the mountains had been hattened into broad, de-
pressed mesa denscy covered with tall and straight
but slender timber. The eastern edge of the forest is
broken by many and large gades, spangled with white,
pink purple, blue and golden blossoms, and deep dells,
rcsounding with the roar OF rocky brooks, which
splash with cool spray the roses that crowd their
brink The turf is rich and strong Its graceful tas-
ses like long rpples quiet pool, waved glinting
tho sun. 1t seemed eysum for nature's irrational
children, and here for the first time west Of the Mis-
souri, heard the clear melancholy piping of the her
nit thrush that and delicious warbler, which
might be called the Philomel OF the New World. In
of the ravines we observed pyramdal stacks OF
lodge poles which the Sioux had cut IN some
previous summer, leaving them TO become
yoned for by exposure Further than
.he small water beds just beyond the FIRST
ridge, however indications OF their former pres
encc were scen and it is certain, from knowledge OBJ
tained by nabreeds that they have penetrated
further than necessary 10 replace the frames OF
their tepees each year Many Of tho decayed and
out poles lay on ground where the camp Of the
pedi,ion had been recently pitched the base OF
Tho mountains, and whero Sitting Bull has probably
oiten located his summer village while the squaws
busted themselves in telling barking aud trimming tho
pine saplings Crossing several ridges darky tmbered
md small torrents rushing Goose Creek, which
rolled through deep and savage canyon on our lef
THE SNOWY RANGE
suddenly burst upon sight. 1t seemed very near
The ragged edges OF the precipces drapcd clnging
rail-, fb, ht.~k
shadows which they cast in their front They looked
TO be moro Inaccessible than ever, aud the depths
of the canyons. which they enclose, crowded
piney masses in their ebon DARN like tho
gaunt portals of he'll Faithful to our text
which being interpreted means the pony tracks of tho
Snakes-we plunged into forest which covers The de-
pressed table land. Boulders Of granite and gneiss
strew the trail, and frequently in holows crccd by
them are small lasoons OF pure water blue and shad
owy the yasty deep, under the gloomy panopy
OF pines but which delighted eyes their dusky
sheen. Soon entered district however, where
there was no verdure-a vast spectral forest Fire
had swept away ruthless mimic OF physical death,
and Iet beh nd only cohorts OF blackened and decor
Gated trunks Many sti erect, others were
bowed aud thousands encountered the ground vita
their mournful forms But Tor tho hoarsc whispering
OF the breeze taero an unpleasant absence Of
sounds especially OF the pert converse OF the birds
Only tho ground sparrow was seen and the hollow
drumming of the woodpeckcr heard.
All eae,hly things shall sink In gloom.
The himself mus, die,
Before this mortal may assume
Its immortality.
This scenery left the same impress upon the mind as
that made by the lrst reading Of "rhe Last Man"
A MOUNTAIN xgAi.
We bivouackcd on the edge Of hollow, the bottom
,f a large basin of which the ridge we had climbed
was the rim and 10 which the rank verdure OF grass
and willow made pleasing contrast with the dead sur
rounding forest On level, sterile glade We picketed