The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-09-15

Belt Mountains TO Rozeman In the Gsllstin
Valley The river for the last two days Of
our journey was cold.blue, rapid stream
abounding In trout, and drawing Its waters
from springs and the melting SHOWS In the
mountains. The scenery became more aud
more attractive as we advanced, gigantic
peaks, covered with snow, rising on either
hand, aud making, with their white SUBMITS
and white streaked-sides, and the dark frs
betting their lower slopes, vivid contrast
Of color with the turf of the uplands, the
vivid light green Of the young cottonwoods
and aspens, and the Rhinerlike blue Of the
river, Among the mountain groups, and
ranges the, most fascinating and the most de-
icidedly Alpine In appearances Is the isolated
group of the Crazy Mountains lying north Of
the river. It resembles somewhat the
Shreckhorn and Wetterhorn group near
Grundelwald in Switzerland. The Crates
send down no glaciers from their towering
rocky sides, but the deep masses Of snow
which fill the depressions between the
shoulders Of the different peaks might easily
he taken for such rivers of ice rs push their
way into the Swiss valleys. Skirting the
base of the Crszies we we're met by one VI
those sudden and severe storms of wind,
rain and hail SO common in the Rocky
Mountain regions. 1t swooped down upon
us msjestically from the Yellowstone
Mountains, snowy range bounding the val.
ley at that point on the south, and It buffet
ed for fifteen minutes with ma fury, and
then sailed of to the east like q gigantic
black bird. While we were struggling In
the icy grasp of the tempest We could see the
white crags and pinnacles Of the Craxies
luminous In vivid sunlight against sky of
perfect azure. The spectacle seemed almost
supernatural, 50 startling and wonderful
was It's beauty. 1t was like gazing on the
cleaning walls Of Paradise from the midst Of
the storm and darkness of the vexed and
toilsome life of earth.
Animal life is not abundant In the yell
lowstone Valley. Buffaloes rarely cross the
river now, but the whole country Is strewn
with their skulls and bones, aud now and
then one comes upon the remains Of bull
killed by the Indians during the last winter
hunting season. There are antelope back
In the hills, and the enormous antlers Of the
elk, which adorn the gable ef every ranch
mans cabin, testify to the sport which may
be found by striking back from the valley
into the rugged mountain defiles. As TO the
common blacktaii deer, they are still so
plentiful that few hours tramp Of morn
Ing rarely fails to afford the hunter q good
shot. The prairie dog still inhabits the
whole valley, and you are not long out OF
sight Of these merry, chattering little
creatures, who keep tune with their tails 10
their querulous notes, and provoke you by
their impudsnee TO try shot with your re-
voiver, but always dodge down In their
holes In time TO escape bullet. ~ IF
. Large herds Of cattle Craze in the valleys Of
the Yellowstone and Ito tributaries, and In
tho hill country as far north as the Upper
Missouri, wherever there are streams or
water holes Now that the buffalo are fast
disappearing, the region would afford pas
turage TO at least ten times as many cattle as
1t supports at present. The stock men who
occupy 1t are generally careful, however,
not TO let this fact be known, As they patu,
rally would like to keep the whole section
for the future increase of their own herds.
Cattle raising in Montana is All exceedingly
profitable business. One hears great deal
sand IN the Territory about the wealth Of the
Seattle kings,r and how they began their
careers q few years ago with few hundred
dollars. The local estimate Of the annual
return from money invested In . herd OF
cattle is from thirty to Fly per cent. The
life Of stockman is not, however, an idle
and comfortable one, as often pictured IN
the, newspaper accounts of the business.
Unless he Is rich enough TO hire herdsmen
he must look after his herd constantly. lie
lives, As a general rule, In dirt-r0of cabin,
aud passes most ofthe time In the saddle,
seeing that his animals do not stray too far
off the range. In the fierce winter storms
he must be out driving the herd into deep
valleys and ravines where they will be pro-
tected from the wind. No shelter Is built
for stock In Montana. The dried bunch
grass furnishes abundant winter grazing,
and the animals get through the severe
weather with loss rarely exceeding four
per cent. In the spring each owner "rounds
up" his herd and brands the calves. Every
ranchman has his own brand, which he reg
listers in the Office of the county clerk, and
advertises In the nearest local paper, printed
1t may be one or two hundred miles from
his range. The annual drive Of bullocks
across the plains southwards to the Union
Pacific railroad, or eastward to the temper
airy terminus Of the Northern Pacific, takes
place in the summer months. "a
Before taking leave Of the Yellowstone
Valley, along which this article has thus far
carried the reader, let me say that the pic
lures have tried to draw Of It's scenery are
all from observation made In journey In
the brief spring season Of May, 1882, when
the grass was green. After June 1t Is ssre
and yellow land, the bunch grass curing
upon the ground and giving 10 all the land
scape q sad, autumnal look 1t Is = tree
less region, too, save where the cottonwood,
that Preteus oftrees, borders the streams, or
the dwarf fir clings to the steep mountain
sides, making black patches below the snow
line. The beauty Of the valley Is not, there
fore, the beauty Of green and wooded valleys
like those Of the Hudson, the Connecticut,
or the Ohio, but the valley has beauty Of
Its own-strsnge, singular, and often
startling by Its sharp contrasts between lofty
and savage mountain peaks, gigantic walls
Of rock and gentle slopes and fair, level
pastures, basking by the side Of swift, limpid
streams.
The Belt Mountains are crossed by the
road leading from the Upper Yellowstone t.
the Gallstin Valley, at an elevation Of five
thousand four hundred feet--a little less
than the height of Mount Washington. Thu
ascent 10 easy and gradual, but the decent h