The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-04-05
FROM BENTON To BARKER.
Notes of Travel bv omr Own Correspon.
DENT.


try surrounding Fort Benton within radius
of one hundred miles for the benefit of its
numerous readers, and being supplied with
full equipment for the journey, consisting OF
note book and pencil we HE away to the
livery stable where our ''cayuse" is soon sad
died up, with two pairs of blankets strapped
to the addle, so that in case we should have
to sleep on the prairie or mountains, away
from inhabitants, we shall be able to wrap
up and be comfortable while sleeping out.
Right here we ought to say that we mounted
our rampant steed, but we did not do it, for
being told by the stable keeper that our ''cay-
use' would probably ''buck" as soon as we
mounted, and not having been paid by the
citizens of the river metropolis for an exhi-
bition of our powers in grand and lofty
acrobatic feats, we took the bride 1ens in
hand and led the way to the upper ferry
owned by Browne s. Todd, where no one is
kept waiting for boat, and in trice we
are across the river and On our way to the
Barker mines, and thence to the Maginnis
| mines. Having ascended the high bluffs op-
posite town we venture to get into the sad
| dle
The roads are now (25th Of March) dry
and dusty, and no snow to be seen except oc-
casionally in the coulees where it had drifted
in winter. The first plateau about two hum
dred and fifty feet above the Missouri has
strong clay soil, very adhesive when wet,
| "a la far
bench, which is reached about two miles
further on. Here we find the land more roll
ing, and large herds of cattle are seen all in
fine condition, many of them fit for the
butchers block. Cattle fed upon the best OF
hay and stabbed in the States would not come
through the winter in as good condition as
these animals have, without any care what
ever
About noon we reach James ArnouX' s
sranch," (nobody has farms, but they are all
ranches) situated in the deep valley OF the
Highwood creek, where the stream has cut
through the carboniferous sandstone and
shales to depth of one hundred and fifty
feet, andsInere tiaan ster OF 9 mile VIDE
In the valley the grass was already starting
up and beginning to show its green tints.
Mr.. Arnoux raised last year 3,282 bushels
on 7s acres, which brought him two and
half cents per pound and 1900 bushels of
potatoes, on six and three-quarters acres,
which he sold for one and half cents pei
pound in the field He has 200 head of stock
cattle and IA head of horses. He expects to
sow twenty acres of wheat and one hundred
and twenty acres of oats this spring. Leav-
ing Mr. AS after bounteous dinner, we fol
low up the general course Of the creek, while
the Barker road leaves the creek, bearing
more to the right, and we pass several fine
, ranches before reaching the .se OF the
HighWood mountains, rel4ing up at }. Y.
McCord's We were Hospitality invited by
: Mrs. G. to dismount, and her invitation was
! gladly accepted. The house having but one
, room, and only one bed, it rather looked te
us as if we should have to hang up on peg
] but our fears on that score were quietec
when we were requested to follow our hos
e to the granary where We found comfortabl
] bed. Before being left alone, however, th
comforting information was given that tn
last occupant of that room and bed had com
, planned that he was unable to sleep on &C
count of ssspooks" being by his bedside al
night. To appear brave, at least, we tol'
them that we and the spooks were warn
friends. and that we would rather sleep will
forty spooks in the room than one drunkel
n loafer. Well, we blew out the light, wen
e to bed and slept SO soundly that the ghost
4 could not have awakened US If they hat
q tried TO. Probably it was the spirit Of Johl
) Barley Corn that troubled the former lodger
o or the innocent little mouse may have cause
e all Of the fright.
e After visiting couple of ranches furthel
. up in the mountains, we struck out across tn
s base of the southwestern peak to the Barker
o road. and reached Mann's station in time fol
) supper The next morning We go up to th
n coal mine Of Brown s. Ellis, one mile aboy
Mann's. The coal is bituminous Ignite O
y good quality, with sandstone roof, and abou
+. three foot in thickness. Argillaceous iro
! ore is found in abundance in the immediat
. vicinity Of the coal. Having visited and ex
!, amined the coal mines at Cashiers, fourtee
miles below, and at Gibson's, between tn
n two places, am confident that coal can b
If found along Otter creek from its source to il
y junction with Belt creek, and for many mile
{ along the latter. Ten to twelve miles soutf
r. west of Castner's the same coal is found
d abundance, in Sand Coulee. Following Otte