The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-03-15
YELLOWSTONE FIELD NOTES.
BY ]. v. BoGERT.

in width, and extends-in direction
degrees 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 Yellowstone, and upon
the opposite side washes steep sand
stone bluffs 100 feet high" The valley
soon increases in width to between
and 8 miles, when 6 miles below is
reached Beauvais creek, which runs a
degrees south of east through finely
timbered valley bottom.
ROTTEN GRASS CREEK
is next reached-running from the
southeast through a ravine IL feet
deep. This stream, 10 feet wide and
feet deep, is situated in a good hay
country. A few miles lower the valley
narrows to 400 to 500 yards in width,
but soon again the opening increases
to a width of one mile, when
SOAP CREEK
is crossed-distance from Fort Pease,
"a miles. "All day long" says Nc
Clernand, "we have been marching
through magnificent valley, about 2f
miles wide, with a rich black loan soil,
producing luxuriant grass. The foot
hills increase in fertility, while the
Fort Pease sandstone 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 1 have seen in Mon
tana. Not stone or cactus is found
in the valley, and water is everywhere
abundant"
The hayfelds of old Fort c. F.
Smith, lying in a direction south 30
degrees west, come next upon the way.
"Most of the walls" says McC Clernand,
"are yet standing-built Of adobes and
stone charlottesville roofs fallen in.
The flagstaff lies across the parade,
and from the manner in which it is
cut, we suppose it was felled by In
dians. The cemetery is least injured
of all, and the monument erected to
the late Lieut.. Sternberg and fifteen
soldiers and citizens is but little de-
faced, the corners only having been
| Clipped away with a hatchet. This
monument, erected by sorrowing
friends, and standing alone in the will
derness, is the last token of love for
those who sleep here beneath the sod,
waiting long, and perhaps in vain, for
the country they served to avenge their
death.''
The mountains, lying to 8 miles to
the south, are covered with large pines
which the river would easily float for
building purposes in both Of the val
leys of the Big Horn.
BIG HORN CANYON
is about three miles from the old fort,
whose location is inferior to many sites
lower down. Moving along the old
Phil Kearney road to the head Of Soap
creek, the big hill of old Fort Smith
days is next ascended. Leaving the
road to the right and crossing several
miry streams branches of Soap creek)
the course lies through beautiful high
rolling hills, covered with fine grass"
Camp is made on Rotten Grass, with
good grass and water in the midst of
small timber. Here this stream flows
through what is described as beauti-
full but narrow bottom, apparently ex-
tending to the Big Horn. The distance
from Pease is now 90 miles.
Next, moving i'll a direction 60 de-
grees east Of north, q tributary of the
Rotten Grass, Offering upon its banks
a good 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 point
ing in all directions. A high divide
next intervenes, when turning north 70
degrees east small creek is crossed,
and u miles beyond, in region Of ash
timber, a little valley is found, which,
from the number of its small streams,
was named by the command
MANY STREAM BOTTOM.
"The belt of country we are now
in," says McClernand, sis as fine a
grazing region as can be found any
where, 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. 1t
is the hunters paradise as well. Long
creek 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 three-quarters
of mile wide.
THE LITTLE BIG HORN
| Is soon again reached, "isSuing from a