Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-21
ON THE PRAIRIE.
A Aanhtcn Mans Account of the Late
H. George and Pierre Route surveys.

80 49, = 0AN ENA4 l4lAN
On The 4th inst. his excelleney Gov.
Pennington did me the honor to appoint
me one of three commissioners 10 accom-
pany Lieut.. Col. Fred D. Grant. 4 D. G..
TO Gen. P. H. Sheridaa detailed for thai
purpose upon an exploring expedition NJ
the Missouri, having for It's object an ex
animation of The river bank al Fort George.
at Fort Pierre and at Caaniier creek, with
The routes from the two las. named west
ward toward the Black Hills; aud, also. TO
penetrate the country from Fort George as
Tar west as practicable, that a suitable route
might be found, If possible, and permanent
~ located as g post road across the Iadian
reservation from The Missouri river 10 The
Black Hills mining districts.
The party consisted Of Lieut.. Col. Grant.
Ger. w H. Il. Beadle, Hon. 81. w shsale
and the writer, commissioners, NJ. L. How.
Esq, general business manager, a euiae( III.
surveyor and teamster-eight persons 10 all
with a heavy wagon containing a ton or
less OF supplies, tent. etc, AID q light two
seat wagon Tor the tender feet"
Wednesday morning, June s, found us all
on board the steamer Durfee, urging our
way against the strong current Of the big
Muddy :" and a look at our surroundings
discovered We were in the midst of a mot
ley crowd-army officers and their fmi-
lies, Indian traders and agents, priests, dea-
cons and doctors, mayors of cities, gamblers
and g~reenhorns, and last, but not least. a
Chicago sFeculator, who conversed about
operations involving millions as coolly as
Ii 1t We're an every day matter with him 10
make or lose a million or two before din.
ner. The blue of the army contrasted in a
striking manner with tne corduroy of the
Black Hitler, and rank or station had very
little to do with places at the table. An
ex surveyor general had, as a room mate, a
pilot a judge found the upper berth of his
room occupied by a faro dealer, while the
worthy mayor of one of our most enter.
prising western cities spread his blanket on
the floor, and successfully wooed the drow-
sy goddess, IL spite OF the surroundings.
Our destination was Fort Pierre, situated
on the south or west bank of the Missouri
river, some 300 miles (by water above
Iankton, and the scenery, as we assembled.
was full o finterest.
The bluffs follow the general course OF
the river on both sides, at some points
rising abruptly from the edge Of the water
sometimes 10 the height of two. or even
three hundred feet; their sides, hare and
ragged, worn by the deluging rains of cen.
turtles into the most fantastic forms. expo.
stag the varied colors of chalk, clay, lime.
flate, oxide of iron, etc, again recedinp
sFom the river leaving a bottom covered
with luXuriant grass or the more thrifty
willow; ravines and gulches penetrating
the piults, lned with the cottonwood and
olher timber native to The region, presented
to the writer an ever varying, changing ka.
| lnl6ngnDnID n y INN nalnnol r-4t- -
heayen-giyen tints of the various grasses
and f1owers-the whole alternately iashinn
IN the suns rays or softened by the cloudy
shadows that swept over the scene. OuI
interest in the peculiar geological forma
ton OF the cliffs was much heightened by
the lucid explanations as TO cause, etc, by
our military friend ably seconded by the
the i" nhilnsopher," both enthusiasts Ii, se.
ology and mineraiogy.
About eighteen miles above Yankton we
pass the beautiful farm of a Russian COLONY
or community, known as "Huttrische &c.
meme" or Hutter Brothers, or Home. o,
House, as variously translated. They art
communistic in their ideas and practices
and, %pecuniarilY at least, successful. / can
give your readers but a faint idea of the va.
rious tribes of Indians whose reservations
border the Missouri, but must express ms
surprise at the evidences of civilization that
everywhere exhibit themselves-fne fields
OF wheat and corn, large herds of cattle.
WOOD cut and corded, and, most conclusive
of all, the fact that the "tepee' is being ran.
idly exchanged for small but comfortable
log or board huts.
1T might be premature to say that the In.
dian policy of the government pursued for
the last few years, has been a success but
certain 1t is, that more has been accom-.
pllsheo TO the pacification of the great mass,
and contamination of those within reach
OF such influences, than during the previous
hfty years. To such gentlemen as Bisbon
Hare, Ma. Gassman, DR.. Livingston and
others, must be ascribed all praise for the
results everywhere apparent on the reserya.
tons visited by us.
Fort Pierre we reached on the fifth day,
having been delayed by high winds aud
want OF fuel. This place, formerly a ira.
ding post, is now occupied by a few persons
VINO supply the freighters and others who
convey The great stores of grain, flour and
general merchandise shipped via this route
10 the Black Hills towns of Deadwood,
Crook City, Rapid City, Sheridan, etc.
The place very much resembled an army
depot OF supplies; the warehouse, where we
landed, and the adjacent lots covered with
""6o"j SA"hb) aSiiCuituIdi implements,
steam engines and boilers, furniture, ETC..
tents and booths made of bushes, camp fires,
wagon trains, mules and oxen, drivers with
their 'bnll-dozers," returned Black Killers
(blacker than the hills themselyes); houses
and stores of log; palaces and hotels ofboards
-four stories high, all on the ground floor;
signs reading meals at all hours Potatoes,
Grain q Mele, Bakery" Grand Central
HoSel,' "St. Elmo" etc. all and eperyt ina
seemingly in inextricable confusion. At
this place our aNimrod" joined us, bring
ing a heart overlooking with kindliness and
a fund of wit and good humor that added
very much to the pleasure of the trip. We
remained on board during the unloading of
the Durfee, which then dropped down the
river to the point known as Fort George, on
Monday morning, when we disembarked.
and, after a hasty breakfast, struck nearly
due west through or over an almost terra IN
cognita.
In fact, the foot of white man has seldom.
if ever before, trod the route over which we
passed. Our route lay between Bad river,
on the north, and White Earth river south.
The maps show no streams running into the
/ D,l r,,,o, C,nu, IL - "