The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-07-26
ION TO THE BIG HoRNy
Progress and Adventures of Senator
Spencer's Expedition.

ator Spencer's Big Horn expedition,
writes as follows from scamp on Clear
Fork of Powder river, July 11th: Re
peated forced marches had, worn both
m en- and animals so that
A STOP TO RECRUIT
was a necessity. Tents were accord
ingly pitched on the east side of Pow
der river, about a mile from the Can
Torment. Sore-backed stock and sore
bodied men were tenderly nursed until
the 7th, when camp was broken, and
we were again on the way. Our desti-
nation this day was Crazy Woman's
Fork, a stream running from some
where in the Big Horn range, flowing
swiftly a very large body of water.
Long before reaching the Fork, we saw
up in the mountains to our left, that a
heavy storm prevailed, the result of
which was, that on reaching the stream,
we found it swollen and dirty; but the
water was soft, and in a few hours
was again clear and beautiful.
Cantonment Reno is perhaps forty
miles from the mountains, and our
course was diagonally toward these so
much that at Clear creek, fifty miles
from Reno, we touch them. From
Reno looking toward the mountains,
we see, at the left or southern extremi-
ty of the range, a sag in the outline,
descending low and formin5 Sioux
Pass. Along northward the mountains
were higher, until the snow-capped
peaks were seen directly west of Old
Fort Phil Kearney; then they descend
again to the general level. These snow
capped mountains are Cloud Peak and
its few fellow giants. The country
passed through this day was much bet
ter than that lying east of Reno, being
from its c%ontiguity to the mountains;
like the plain Immediately adjacent to
the Black Hills, well watered by fire.
quent rains. The land was elevated
and rolling, the grass .tolerably good.
The country is admirably adapted to
sheep raising,-the high land, and dry
atmosphere, and short, c~lose-growing
buffalo grass being the qualities most
required in this class Of industry.
On the 9th. after leaving Clear Fork,
we passed through the finest land en-
countered on the entire route. The
plain, stretching like the pillows of the
ocean, miles in all directions, was one
unbroken sheet of the most refreshing
green. The grass was red-top and wild
oats. Riding through this, it came to
horses midsides; while down OF
the ground was the buffalo and bunch
grass. These two last are, Of all the
different kinds, the most nutritious;
and the stock would burrow down
through the taller red-top to nip this,
which grows no more than four or five
inches high, and in close, compact
punches.
Along the face of the mountains, or
along the foothills, the formation was
lime and sandstone, evidently nom
gold-bearing; but the presence here of
an immense granite wash satisfied us
that in the interior the formation was
different. 1t was thought prudent,
however, before attempting to enter
for prospecting purposes, that the pro-
posed route be secuted.
At Clear Creek it was the purpose of
the party to make a camp and prospect
the adjacent mountain region as far as
the main "divide." This seemed
to be about ten miles away.
Accordingly two men were sent out
on the 10th, and after a few hours of
hard climbing found themselves upon a
level table land, extending miles ahead.
The grass ON this widespread summit
park was very fine indeed, and game
was more abundant than elsewhere in
the country. A thousand feet below
coursed Clear creek, plunging over its
rocky bed. 1t was dashed into a white
foam. In some places the stream was
so crowded between its granite walls
that the branches upon its sides inter-
loShCu upoNO ~, uIu uSoih "ouiu
appear glistening under the MONDAY
sun, looking like a spool of white silk
ribbon thrown with a reckless hand
across the rich carpet in some dainty
lady's boudoir.
Still climbing upward snow was
reached at 4 p. M, 20 miles from camp.
The scouts then unsaddled and began
hunting. Pressing through the dense
tangle of dead timber lying PROSTATE
in every direction, and in a thick gloom
from the living timber above the men
found themselves suddenly in the pres
ence of an old, old cabin.
1t had been made by whites,
and they either possessed no AK, or
feared to use it-most likely the
latter. The trees were laid on the
walls without cutting, the roots
projecting in one and the tops in the
other direction. The cabin was so old,