New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-16
CLIMBING THE ROCKIES.
UPON FLAT HEAD LAKE TO OLD MARIAs
PASS.

vpNrAL SURVEY PARTY-HARD ROADS, PER-
VERSE MULES AND PICTURESQUE
STREAMS.
,v,ou AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
O1p TETON AGENCY, Montana. Aug. 90
o,v few years ago the spacious plains OF Northern
uontaua extending eastward from the root-hs OF tne
Sr,,,antal Divide were avorite pasture ground for
~. hus.ocs which herded here In numbers beyond all
nutatiou Their bones, strewn thlckly over all the
n,on show how relentessly the game was pursued
,u now single herd-the sole remnant here OF
svify disappearing speces-is grazing norm OF the
and this Is watched and counted oy the hunt
ava who are preparing for their annual slaughter, as
re.nlly and accurately band OF branded cattle by
.hsr owners OF course this a chosen hunting
a for the Indians Not only did the tribes this side
=, the Rockies depend largely upon these animals for
socd and clothing. but hunting expeditions across tine
Mountains were the events of the year TO Flatheads.
Kooteuays, Pend uOrcles, and other western
Indians when their attention was not engrossed
NV sill more important enterprises, such as war,
a 1t but justice TO the more Western
s TO say that the horse raids organized mainly
fo this side OF the Range by Blackteet, who achieved
reuown for developing the most audacious and artistic
methods of transferring horseesh from one side OF the
uauntains TO the other successful horse-ft usu
ally followed by reprisal and then the scapng began
Thus il happened that the three leading aboriginal In
austries hunting stealing and ghing, made highways
mass opening at the head waters Of Two Medicine Lodge
River ,s intricate and dangerous. A young Flathead
brave attempted here two years ago on his Wed
cling tourney bOmeward with Piegan BRIDE and neither
one has been heard from since. Neglecting this then,
"a impraoticabe the first gateway through the noun
taBs above Lewis and Carks pass lay $50 miles to the
north This was the British border. known ~ the
oa Maas Pass and it came to be the thoroughfare In
1879 Iaeutenants Woodruff aud Van Orsdae led half
dozen United States troops this trail, and 1t Is
probable that no white man had preceded
them Event then the trail had grown indls-
tipct for the enmity between the tribes
separated by the Divide had become confirmed,
40 that hunting and DEMONSTRATING were both periious
and unproductve Since then few trappers may have
penetrated the by this route, for game abounds
here aud the forks OF the Fstand populated by an
uncommonly energetic race of beavers, which gnaw on
cotonwOods two and half feet in diameter by actual
measurement. But the trail has been practically aban-
doned for years.
In July OF ss2 party of the Northern Transcontn
entail Survey attempted to cross over by IL from the
East but found tbs way blocked up with snow. Never
theess In spite OF the warning, "Try not the Pass"
sounded on every hand 1t decided by the explorers
by this route from the basin OF the Columbia 10
that OF the Missouri The journey proved long, and at
times toilsome but the dangers and losses were no
perhaps than should be looked for by those
who set out to rough IN the heart OF the Rockies
Flathead Lake Is a most picturesque sheet OF water
some $50 square miles IN extent, and gemmed with
green islands It's western shore, along which the trail
Winds highly diversified vita open plain and wooded
ridges terminating often in bold promontories On the
east it seems bounded entirely by steep, fores-cad
mountain range, running parallel with the Divide.
From its northern extremity stretch miles of 10
land resolurey fat and productive of much grass and
phenomenaly ravenous and venomous breed OF mosqu-
toes small settlement has gathered here and a0ont
Cen miles north of this we left the human habtaton
and the last human being were to see for fifteen
days
Beyond this long days ride across great fertile
terraces which fell away to broad we'll
tmbered bottoms. Then the trouble began The three
distinct mountain ranges here parallel with the
Divide and over through them lay course. One at
least OF these ranges higher than the Divide, but the
river has worn through them all in succession OF deep
gsrges
While climbing along the precptous face OF the first
caon our pack animals began TO lose tn cir balance and
nye of them in succession went tumblng down among
the rocks IL seemed to BIO a diversion forthe mules 10
double I'D into gobuar shape and roll down precpice
for 200 yards, and their faces beamed with
quiet satisfaction as they contemplated the wreck
Of fryiug-pans and tin ware. Old Dad," however, an
experienced mule with such elastic cheek that he
habitualy away in side OF his face enough
grass every morning to chew at intervals all day
him and his legs in the air. from which position he voiced
his discomfort in eloquent braylngs. A horse which
rolled clean into river Jared still worse for he was
swept down by the current full four miles before he
could be rescued while were left lamentiHg at the
thought that the salt aud sugar and tea in his pack
would improved by the soaking Two days iatsr
the same animal was ostled from his path by mule
The second roll proved too much for his spinal column.
and he hoated away the first victim.
Beyond this cafion was "wind fall" where
great trees had been blown down ana lay
piled confusedy upon each other ike JACK
straws over space Of 100 acres. Only seven
miles we're made here in days. and they were long
days full of labor and impatient language The party
suffered acutey at this stage of the journey from early
rising The openings IN the wood where pasture could
be had for the animals widely separated sometimes
making necessary forced marches from camp TO camp
aud an alleged breakfast at $3.50 IN was endured more
than once.
AMONG MOUNTAIN TORRENTS.
After MANY attempts 1T oriing the river
We at last found ourselves across, not much
the worse for wetting, and our course then lay
along the north bank of the East Fork, which came
roaring down directly from the SHOWS OF tho summit
With every mile OF progress eastward and upward tne
bed OF the stream grew sleeper and the rush anu play Vi
the waters was more Wild the rock escarpments seemed
to have been scuptured with freer hama; all the SKY
lines were holder and the scenery every feature was
grander. We rode through noble forest and every
opening gave gimpses Of snowy peaks Sometimes .he
caon became almost dedle; again they would receae
cult. Tho tributary streams which dropped
down the steep sides OF the canon broke
Into frequent cascades. many OF them snguaIy Desu'
full In graceful and perfect OF all OF them the
water shot through cleft In perpendicular wal,
pouring clean over In sheet unpr0Ken put 80 tn anu
clear that through it the rock behind, with whole
family of little cascades tumbing from ledge TO ledge
was plainly visible. The river itself o Tor miles sS
appeared as succession OF rapids and " fumes ana
eaaracts any one which would have made the ior
tase OF Resort" among Eastern mountains
ROCKY MOUNTAIN GLACIER.
The decatey transparent blue Of the waters In this
Eastern tributary was observed where the forks united
the color deepened with days march towards
TIE rivers source AT length the blue couded with
gray and finally the narrow stream was milky white
This seemed TO indicate that some active glacier