Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-12-05
THE YELLOWSTONE,
Graphic Description Of That
Picturesque Valley.
The Former Hunting Grounds Of the
SiOux Undergoing Rapid and
Wonderful Changes.

w. II. b., in st. Louis Sunday Times.
The Yellowstone river, flowing through.
the great Territory of Montana. has not for
many years received that attention from
the world that its surroundings and re-
sources demand. But the recent evacua-
ton of its valleys by the Sioux Indians.
and the still more recent proof of the pos
sibility of its navigation for 500 miles, has
opened this country to all, and descrip-
ton of this mountain stream, its valleys,
| with its future outlook, cannot be out of
place.
The Yellowstone is the largest and long
est tributary OF the Missouri. 1t rises in
the vicinity OF Sublete's Lake and is about
! 1000 miles in length. 1t at first flows north
east, then east, then again northeast, and
finally nearly north, when it empties into
the Missouri. 1t now discharges, at its
confluence with the Missouri. far greater
amount of water than the latter stream.
The main channel of the river is at the
widest places about 700 yards in width and
at the narrowest about fifty yards. In gen.
eral it is shallow stream. and in low wa
ter is fordable at many places. In high
water it varies in depth, on the shoals.
from four to seven feet. For the iii's. 100
miles it flows thro' the Natona, Park, the
''Wonderland'' Of the world. The falls of
the Yellowstone are said to be the most
magnificent in existence, and the scenery
| ia ,,nctlrnaccan Of C10
600 has this year been made, and will prob
ably secure good roads and accommoda-
| tions for the tourists OF the park.
The Yellowstone valley, abeunding with
all kinds of game, was for years the hunt
ing ground Of the Sioux Indians. No
steamboat dared to enter this region, and
more than one life was lost in the attempt.
In 1887 steamer assembled the Missouri to
the mouth of the Yellowstone, but it was
not until 1862 that Fort Benton, the head
of navigation on the Missouri, was reach
ed, and still later, not until 1875 did
steamer reach the head Of navigation on
| the Yellowstone. The Missouri was ravi-
gated for thirteen years while the Yellow
stone, really the larger stream, was not
disturbed by steamers wheels. Truly.
| vague stories were sometimes told of its
myriad islands. its unlimited valleys. its
productive soil, its giant forests, its untold
mneral weaItfI, MN urr- rvrasusr-.--sy7----
vegetation. But not until the hostile In
lians were driven from 4he country at the
cost OF the gallant Clusters life was any
reliable description OF the country obtain
ed. In many places, however, can be seen
the remains Of old forts and trading posts,
but no history Of the advcnturers or their
fate has been lett lis.
About twenty miles above the mouth of
the Yellowstone, on the right hand shore,
We find wide prairie dotted with clumps
of cottonwood trees and covered with high
waving grass which makes the best hay in
the world. So highly are these hay
fields' valued that the Government has Of
late has been getting its winter supply Of
hay hauled from here to Forts Buford,
keogl and Custer. The river crosses from
bluff to bluff through this valley, which is
very level and covered with high grass and
dense cottonwood. The soil is a rich allu-
vial deposit and is no doubt highly pro-
dUc!ive.
Above this we enter the country Cf
islands. At times we find four or five
chutes ahead of us. and innumerable small
er ones. The pilot is often puzzled where
to find the deepest channel. The islands
vary in size from tiny parks, no larger
than the steamer herself, to great forests,
containing many hundred acres. Without
exception they are well timbered. and,
when cleared, will be highly valuable for
agriculture. But when the river is cut up
into many chutes so much water is drawn
from the main channel as to make it very
shallow, and sometimes narrow and crook
ed, great detriment to navigation. For
the first hundred miles the country is chief
ly of the character described above. After
that, the valleys become narrower, islands
fewer, and timber light and scarce. Nu-
merous grave bars are seen, and layer OF
gravel underlies the narrow prairies.
After passing Red Bluff and until we
reach Bufalo Rapids, distance OF about
ono hundred miles, the country is the very
picture of desolaiion. The river is from
400 to 500 miles in width, very few islands
and 'hese small and poorly timbered. On
one side are seen high desolate bluffs.
which bear the appellation of Les Maa-
vaises Terres, and now and then we find a
few cedars in the coolies. AT the mouth
of Powder river there is shack and wood
yard, but this is all that breaks the mon
otony for hundred miles. After leaving
Buffalo Rapids the valley widens, islands
again become numerous, the timber in
creases in size and quantity, land as we near
the valley of the Tongue river there is an
entire change of scene. Rich rolling val
leys, dotted with stately c0ttOnwoods,
spread out on either side. Some of the
ground is even now under cultivation, and
many extensive ranches have been enclos-
ed. From here to Camp BERTHE, now the
head of successful navigation, the country
increases in beauty at every step. On the
bluffs pine is found in abundance and is
now used chiefly for fuel. The valley is
from two to four miles wide, covered with
luxuriant grass and cottonwood timber,
which deepens at times into dense forests.
The islands are large, well timbered. and
are perfect parks. Antelope, mountain
sheep, deer, elk, buffalo, and all kinds of
game are plentiful, but will not long re-
main so.
Of the many streams which empty into
the Yellowstone, but one or two come in
from the north. The largest streams are
Powder, Tongue, and Big Horn rivers.
Powder is q wide, shallow, sluggish
stream, said to be very long. 1t empties
into the Yellowstone 235 miles above the
mouth, from between the southern hills in
q barren stratch Of country where timber