Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-03-01

1he mountains, lying to 3 miles to tn
south, are covered with large pines whicl
the river would easily flat tor buildin,
purposes in both OF the valleys of the Bi.
Horn.
/ BIG HORN CANYON
is sbout three miles from the cd For,
whose location is inferior TO many site
lower down. Moving along the old Phil
hearney road to the head of Soap creel
THE BIG HILL
OF old Fort Smith days is next assembled
Leaving the road to the right and cross
ing several miry streams branches of Soal
Crcck) the course lies through 'beautlfu
high-rolling hills, covered with fine
grass.'' Camp is made on Rotten Grass
with good grass and wa'er in the mids
OF small timber. Here this stream flow.
through what is described as beau ifu
but narrow bottom apparently extending
to the Big Horn. The distance from
Pease now is 92 miles.
Next, moving in direction GO east OF
north. tributary of The Rotten Grass
offering upon its banks a good supply OF
timber but in its stream little waite,
is reached after an hours march. BE
yond 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 cast a small creek is crossed,
and Z! miles beyond in region of ash
timber 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 McC Clerntnh,' 'is as fine a grazing re-
gion as can be found anywhere; combin-
ing, as it does, hills and valleys with ev-
crAwhcre mass Of the most nutritious
grasses. Numerous streams, fed by the
melting SHOWS Of tho Big Horn Noun
tains, supply clear, pure water at short
intervals-the &C untry is alive with game;
buffalo. elk. deer. and antelope roam in
great bands over the bills and bottoms. II
is the hunter paradise. as well.
comes next, after moving past several
smaller streams. The maps give this
creek the name of Grass Lodge, its valley.
limbered with ash and cottonwood, being
I of mile wide.
THE LITTLE BIG HORN
is soon again reached, ''issuing from q
small bottom, almost hidden by the hills.
A mile below, upon the opposite side of
the river, are high, broken, sandstone
bluffs, but upon this side is beautiful
ard extensive valley more than mile
wide. In its soil not pebble is to be
SCENT has gentle slope TO the river and
is everywhere covered with good grass. !"
Again says McClernand, 'asb grows along
its banks III great abundance. We are
now ll3a miles from Fort Pease.
A second extensive and beautiful valley
is soon encountered, and the Wolf Noun
tains are in sight to the east. A march of
20 miles and we turn to the north -east.
leaving the Little Big Horn for a broken
country. At distance Of miles from
that stream one Of the tributaries of
TULLOCK's FORK
is reached, and camp is made 14G1 miles
from Fort Pease. Moving down the left
bank Of the Fork it is found that sand
stone once more replaces the granite and
the country proves poorer. On each side
''are rough and barren bills, many of them
looking little better than the Bad Lands of
ths Missouri
At distance of 1904 miles from Fort
Pease small pine timber bt gins to appear,
taking the place of the ash which until
now has been SO plentiful, while sand
stone spurs run down from Little Wolf
Barring towards the mouth
of Tullock's Fork the bottom presently
begins to improve, anG cottonwood and
ash again appear. Bordered upon each
side by broken bluffs, steep ravlnes fire.
quently open upon the bottom-rhe for
nation indicating the passage of great
quantities of water In wet seasons.
Tullock's Fork empties into the Big
Horn about mile above the junction of
the latter with the Yellowstone fine
little valley existing at the point of inter-
section.
Testimony agrees regarding the extreme
b eauty, fertility and varied resources of
the Big Horn country. Lieut.. McCler-
nand is enthusiastic in its praise, while
The officers who commanded the scouts to |
he interior aver it to be the garden spot
If the Yellowstone region. That it must
some day bear an important relation to
Eastern Montana, in fact to all Montana,
cannot be doubted, as its great extent and
varied opportunities must yet draw to it
. large and iu portant population.