Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1879-10-02
THE ABSARACA CANON.
A Magnificent Scene In the Big Horn
Range.

Magnificent Scene In the Big Hor1
Range.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
Col. Bracket, Capt. Mix, AdJt. Rawoll,
and a small escort of men belonging t,
the Second regiment of cavalry left For
Custer, Montana, for the purpose of visit
ing old Fort &. +. Smith and the grea
canon in the Big Horn range OF noun
tains. The first day out the party en-
camped on the banks of the Big Horn
river, in handsome grove of cottonwood
trees, where there was excellent grazing
for the animals. On the 18th Of May th,
party marched to the site OF the old fort
passing on the way about 200 lodges O.
AbsaraCa or Crow Indians, located neal
Rotten Grass creek. These Indians wert
on their way from the Crow agency to the
buffalo grounds east the Little Big Horn
river. Here could be seen savage life in
all its war paint and glory and nearly
5000 horses and mules belonging to the
band were grazing on the plains near by
| The lodges, or tepees, were put up neal
the banks of the stream, and the tall
medicine tripods, clothed in Haunting
colors, stood near by, while Indians,
squaws and papooses enjoyed the bright
sunshine.
On the morning of the 10Th the party
assembled the mountain by an easy road to
the southwest of the old fort, and after
travelling about five miles came to the
brink OF one Of the finest canons on this
continent. But few more magnificent
views are ever seen by man than that
which revealed itself to the party at this
| time. An immense Chasm, some thous-
and or fifteen hundred feet deep, was be-
fore them, the steep sides of which were
lined with green pine or spruce trees,
while far below was stream some ten
feet wide dashing along and throwing up
great sheets of foam on either side. In
some places the walls were bare, and
showed a sheer and steep mass OF red
sandstone over thousand feet in height.
Rocks jOtted out in different places and
tall pinnaces were detached from the
main rocks, massive and grim, and fur
rowed with the storms Of ages. The sound
Of the rushing waters below was heard
like the faint breeze of the night, and
added to the wild splendors of the scene.
Away off TO the southeast the canon
stretched, the whole Big Horn range
seeming to have been rent in twain by
some violent convulsion of nature. Dim
and black, the line could be seen for a
distance of many miles, each succeeding
mile seeming to add to the weird and
wonderful views in the grand and majestic
canon.
A place has been named the Absaraca
nonor in hnpnp Of tbn A lonrnpo nv rrnu,
Indians, on whose land tits, and is one OF
their fayorte hunting grounds. 1t enters
the Big Horn canon at right angles, and
the latter seems tame and commonplace
in comparison with it. Several bands OF
elk, few bufialOes, some white-tailed |
deer and mountain sheep were seen on the |
opposite side, while bear Of huge dimen-
sions and several small members of the
Druin family were discovered on one side |
of the canon.
The Falls of Niagara, the Yosemite
valley, and the Yellowstone park have all |
been highly extolled, but none Of them |
surpass this, and in the near future it will |
be favorite resort of the tourist and |
traveller. As yet it is not laid down on
any map and seems wholly to have es-
capped the observation of the many ex-
plorers who have passed through this
country. Soon, however, its marvellous
attractions will be appreciated by our peo-
Pile, and throngs will pierce the wild
depths forthe purpose Of seeing its surpass-
ing grandeur. As explorers and travellers
go in prepared to remain n few days, the
whole region will be passed over and 9TH
er wonders discovered which will add to
its fame. The Absaraca Indians love to
90 down a winding path which leads
through the pines to the bottom, where
there are plenty of brook-trout in the
stream before referred to.
On firing n rifle into the canon the
sound came back after a short time like a
sharp, rattling clap OF thunder, reverber-
lting from side to side, and waking
echoes which had been sleeping for years.
There is no end to the game in this canon,
Is all of the larger animals Of tF's conti-
lent find their homes hereabo",. We re-
yaled ourselves on some buffalo meat ,
brought in by the Indians, and one ofthe
party killed white-tailed deer. Another
me of the party brought in young an
elope which he found lying asleep, but
which died in spite of all our efforts to
ave it. On the way up the mountain
ide we found an abundance of wild aow- !
RS, such as blue and white lupines, lark
pur and primroses, with here and there |
,atches of ground cedar matted together.
The wild roses had not yet opened their /
,uds.
After considerable time spent in re- /
'icwing the beauties of the canon and in 4
reeping up to the edge OF it, as near as G
We dared to, we reluctantly turned our 5
aces homeward and were soon back at our |
amp, near the adobe ruins of the old $
ort, which was abandoned some ten years
go. These ruins will last for years to 4
ONE, and, with the monument in the v
emetery, will be mourntul reminder of i
he times when the Sioux lorded it over h
his country in all their power.