The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1882-07-13

POMPEY'S PILLAR.
Discovery Of this Peculiar Formation
by Captain VIM. CLARK,
in 1906.
The Record of his Visit Still to be Seen
on the Rocks-Various other
Inscriptions
Proposition to Erect Monument to the
Daring Explorer that gave
it a Name

Through the kindness Of Col J. B.
Clough, the HERALD is enabled to lay
before its readers to-daya very interest
ing paper on Pempcy's Pillar, which APP
peared, substantially as here given, in
the New York Tribune short time
since.-ED.]
1t was not until the expedition of Cap
tains Lewis and Clark up the Missouri,
over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific,
and returning by way of the Yellowstone
Valley, that we had my knowledge of the
vast country situated between the NIississ-
ippi and the Pacific coast. The story of
this expedition as told by Captains Lewis
and Clark in their book, "Thc Rocky
Mountains" published by Harper and
Bros. in 1878, presents description of a
wild and magnificent region, unvisitcd be-
fore by white men, with its barbarous
tribes, their character and habits, and
aboundins in herds ofbuffalo, antelope and
elk, vastly outnumbcring the human ten
ants Of the land.
The expedition was planned by Thos JEFF
fcrson, who commenced, in 1892, to organ
ize party Of explorers with Capt Lewis at
its head; but nothing was done until 1903,
when this vast country was ceded to the
Us.
1t was then that Capt Vim. Clark was as
sociated with him. The story of this expe-
dition is very graphically told in the work
Of two volumes already referred to. It ap-
pears that on the return from the Pacific
coast, Capt Lewis continued down the Mis-
souri,, while Capt. Clark, with 10 men and
so horses, was TO return through the Vel
lowstonc Valley, and meet Capt Lewis and
party at its mouth On the 25tIl day of Ju-
ly, 1906, we find recorded in Capt Clark's
record. after describing storm which had
burst suddenly upon them. the following:
As soon as it had ceased we went on, and
about four o'clock. after having made 40
miles, Capt Clark landed to examine very
rock, situated in an extensive
bottom on the right, about 25 PAGES from the
shore. It's nearly 200 PAGES in circumference
and about 200 feet high, accessible from the
Of perpendicular cliffs of light colored,
gritty stone. The soil on the summit is
five or six feet deep, of good quality, and
covered with short grass, The Indians
have carved the figures of animals and 9TH
cr objects on the sides of the rock From
this height the eye ranges over wide cx-
tent of varigated country.
On the southwest were the Rocky Noun
tains, covered with snow. There was low
about 80 miles distant, in di-
rcction north, 55o west, and, at the dis
tancc of thirty-tive miles, the southern en-
tremity of what are called the Little Wolf
The low grounds Of the river extended
nearly six miles to the southward, where
they rose into plains reaching to the noun
tains, and were watcred by large creek,
while at some distance below range of
highlands covered with pine stretched on
both sidss of the river in direction north
and south.
The north side of the river, for some dis
lance is here surrounded by iutty, romantic
cliffs, succeeded by rugged hills beyond
which the plains arc again open and extern
sivc The whole country was enlivcned by
herds of buffalo, elk, and wolves
After enjoying the prospect from this
rock. to which Capt. Clark gave the name
Of
PoNpEY's PILLAR,
he descended and continued on his route.
Standing on this rock to-day, after the
lapse of three-quarters of a century, l ac-
the accuracy Of Clarl>'s dcscrip-
lerful scene as he then saw it. On the
broad plain stretching off to the south l
seem to see herds of buffalo, deer, &C.,
luietly feeding upon the nutritious buffalo
md bunch grasses, and all unconscious OF
my save their own kind around them.
No smoke from settlers or hunters cab
Ms, and no sound breaking the stiffness of
he sccnc--my thoughts go back to the
handful of states that had clustered on the |
shores of the Atlantic, and their successful
,ttOrts to become free, and to the men who,
,cing the ruling spirits of those times, had
ent forth few daring men to explore the
ich domain SO recently acquired. In all
he land there were no steam engines, no
no tclcgraph-all seemed rude
nd uncivilized. Seventy-fve years later,
nd how changed the scenc As I stand
lerc l see the habitations of men.
see the teams at work throwing up the.
reat trans-continental, iron-bound road
which is to link the busy east with the un-
cttled west. Soon will come the iron
orsc, the telegraph, soon the broad acres
;ill be turned mp by the plough, and smil-
ng fields and pleasant homes will every
there greet the eye.
To-day ! sec the self.same mounds on
op of the rock, l see the carvings on the
,ck; but alas, the vandal comcth, and too
oon not vcstigc will remain. On ascend
,g the south cast side of the rock, find
arved on the sandstone the name of VIM
lark, and very many names of later date
Il around his-some have been so ambi-
Gus that their names run into his.
1t would not be inappropriate to build on .
lis rock q monument to
CAPTAIN WILLIAM Clark
nd other eminent explorers of early times,
| honor of the distinguished services