Helena weekly herald., 1878-09-26
lust as we left the mountains we heaio tne
wv Il hraaA L.

oovon rocky bottom, and striking against
number OF lose boulders that can be easily re-
moved vet there is plenty of water. For
few minutes we had an exhileratlng ride, but
soon passed the rapids safely and swiftly.
These rapids are no worse and similar 10
many below Fort Benton.
The rain still falling heavily, we went into
camp for the night two miles below the
rapids and at the head of the Long Pool,
which extends fifty miles, or to mile below
the mouth of Sun river.
This remarkable pool in running river
has very little current, is three to twelve
feet deep, and from 500 to 1900 feet wide.
1t has many regular bends and numerous
green grassy islands, which are fringed with
growth of box elder and willow, and numer-
Gus wild ducks and geese can be seen dis
porting themselves over its surface. In many
respects it resembles lake.
September 8 and 9-We spent these TWO
days in rowing down the Long Pool and in
taking soundings and other observations
that may be useful hereafter
At p. m. on Monday. we arrived at tne
mouth of Sun river, having rowed our ooat
through the Long Pool for fifty miles. Here
we found the horses and wagon which Mr..
Reineka had sent us from the Sun River
Leavings to carry our boat and camp equl-
page around the Falls. We went over the
first rapid above the Falls with our boat and
camped about two miles below.
September 1O-7 a. m-Messrs. Murphy,
Cullen and Capt. Parkinson accompanied the
team around the portage-16 miles-to the
river below the Falls, on the north side,
while Capt. Warren, Messrs. Sanders, Can
non and myself took the foot path along the
river bank for the purpose of visiting all the
falls of the Missouri.
According to Lewis and Clark, Sun river
is 135 yards wide at the mouth, and the MIS-
souri, here is 300 yards wide. The pool, or
still water extends up from the mouth OF Sun
river six or seven miles, we were Informed,
and it is navigable that far.
The first fall of any note is found three
miles below the mouth of Sun river. 1t is
called Black Eagle Falls. The water de-
scends twenty-six feet perpendicular]y, and
it is very beautiful.
Between this fall and the Rainbow fall,
about four miles below, is a remarkable toun'
tain, described thus by Lewis and Clarke,
vol 1, page 234.
ssThis fountain boils up underneath the
the rocks near the south edge of the river,
into which it falls with a cascade OF eight
feet. The water is of the most perfect clear
ness and rather of blush cast; and even
after falling into the Missouri it preserves its
color for half mile"
Our party saw this fountain, but being on
the opposite side of the river could not OBJ
serve it very we'll. have no doubt it is an
underground stream which flows through fis-
sures of rocks from the Belt mountains and
discharges into the Missouri here. If its
stream could be pierced by Artesian wells, it
would flow to the surface and irrigate the
great prarie through which it flows for many
miles.
Rainbow falls, four miles below Black
Eagle falls, excited our admiration for its
beauty. 1t falls forty-seven feet vertically
without break across the whole river, over
the concave segment of circle and is white
sheet of foame. Roberts says its "nolse, Its
sprays and its rainbows were not much short
of the grandest displays of Niagara" think
it was prettier if not so grand. We all
fingered here long to enjoy its beauty.
One hundred rods below the last, we come
to Crooked falls, nineteen feet perpendicular.
They are the most curious falls have ever
seen. They start out from the left bank OF
the river and run at an acute angle nearly
parallel with it up stream 800 yards. then
they form almost circle in the river for
twice its width, and finally the precipice over
which the water falls turns off at an obtuse
angle to the right bank. The whole face OF
the fall is nearly mile in extent over which
the water flows in white foam like thin veil
without break. You might think it was the
gossamer for bridal dress.
Six miles below we came to the Great falls
of the Missouri after passing several small
cascades of two, three four, eight and thir-
teen feet respectively, which need no descrlp-
ton.
Above the Great Falls the whole river is
compressed into space of two hundred and
eighty yards in width. The bed of the river
immediately above the falls is at least one
hundred and fifty feet below the top OF the
banks above. Here the whole body of the
river p.unges at one leap down ninety feet to
the rocky bed below. Rapids continue below
the falls for about three miles, when the