The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-05-16

Wind river runs in southeasterly d.
rection for l25 miles, 100 Of which dis
lance being in the Rocky Mountains, 1t Is
then joined by the Little Wind river and
the united waters turn to the north,
which course the river keeps to its juno
ton with the Yellowstone, distance Of
$50 miles. Topographers Of the present
day call this river Big Horn, from the
junction of the two Wind rivers down;
but it was called Wind river by the old
trappers and explorers to the mouth OF
Sinking Water river, and from there
down, Big Horn. Just below the mouth
of Sinking Water the river cuts through
the Big Horn range and for thirty-fve
miles runs through grand canyon. with
nearly vertical walls, at places 1000 feet
in height. Twenty-Five miles below the
mouth of the canyon comes in the his
toric Little Horn river, and thirty-fiye
miles below this its muddy waters Join
and faint the clear Yellowstone. Stink
ing water river runs through the rough
est and most picturesque part of America.
Its canyons and walls Of conglomerate
are cut by the elements into all sorts OF
fantastic shapes. To person of an i'm
aganative nature this would he an inter
esting place. There are narrow canyons
hundreds of feet in depth, tall pinnacles
standing alone and statues with grotesque
features that as you pass by change their
appearance and expression. A clown
from one view becomes Roman senator
at another. Upon leaving the main
range the river opens out into the pref
test valley on the east side of the Rock
les, which has been the favorite winter
camping ground of the ShOshones fol-
many years. Then the river cuts through
the point of mountain and runs for five
miles through deep canyon, in which
there is large sulphur spring that taints
the water of the river and fills the air fol-
miles around with it's sickly odor, from
which comes the name of Sinking
Water. Then for seventy miles to its
junction with Wind river it runs through
gravel beds and bad lands. Seventy miles
below it's extreme head the Yellowstone
empties into the beautiful lake Of the
same name. This lies at an elevation OF
5000 feet, and is thirty-five miles long by
twenty-five in width and contains several
islands. The river when leaving the
lake has increased its volume three fold,
and it runs smoothly for sixteen miles
and then with but little preparation
dashes over the upper falls. A quarter
of a mile below it takes the grand leap Of
1884 feet over the lower falls, and then
goes plunging and dashing for thirty
miles through the grand canyon, whose
high. and wonderful walls reflect the sun
light in every conceivable color.
Just after leaving the canyon the river
receives the water of Tower creek, on
which, about 800 yards above its mouth
is very pretty waterfall. There are
several sharp basaltic towers near the
verge of the precipice, from which the
creek takes its name.
Three miles below this the east fork of
the Yellowstone comes in. Up this
about twelve miles is Soda Butte creek,
on which stream about twenty miles
above it's mouth are the Clarke's Fork
mines. The course of the Yellowstone
lies for eighty miles yet in themountains
and receives in this distance nany beau
tiful creeks from either side. From the
east comes He'll Roaring, Crevice, Gear.
Six Mile, Emigrant, Mill, Elbow, Short
hill, Geisdorf, Pine, Deep and Kruse
creeks. On the west are the two Black
tails, Gardiner river, Reese, Cinnabar,
Tom Minor, Big, Eight Mile and Trail
creeks.
From it's head to the mouth of Reese
creek the river runs nearly due north.
From there it gradually turns tothe east
ward and from the lower canyon to its
junction with the Missouri, it's general
course is east. Below the canyon and
on the north side the tributaries
are Bilman and freshman creeks,
Shields river, Hot Springs, Buck,
Little sad Big Tribe, Beaver, Sweet
Grass and White Beaver creeks. There
are no other streams o: impo- .ance COM
ing into the river from this side; though
of dry water courses there are plenty.
Some OF these are as deep cut and have
nearly as great wash as the man river.
On The south size commencing at the
canyon comes in Mission, Boulder. Tie
two Deer creeks, Bf:dser, saltwater,
Clarke's Fork, Pryor, Fly, Big Horn, Rose
bud, Tongue and Powdee. The country
bordering on the Yellowstone from bead
to Gardiner river is We y rough and high.
There are little patches o; arabic land,
which can not be titled with success, on
account of feavy iros+s. Just below
Gardiner there are a few fine farms.
Then gravel and rough hills extend for
several mules below the middle canyon:
thence 10 opposite the mouth Of Trs'l
creek, Gravel beds and arabic fields alter
nate At Trail creek commences one OF
the most fertile valleys in Montana. 1t
extends to the lower canyon and en-
braces about foriy-ei. hit square miles and
is called by The settlers Paradise valley.
Just below the lower canyon commences
fine bottom that extends down for iorr
miles. From he e 70 CJa4ke's Fork ravel
beds and fertile bottoms have divided
the country about equally between tfem
The Clarke's Fork bottom is twenty-five
miles long by five miles in width and is
considered very rich soil. From here to
mouth OF river the soils are heavier with
q mixture OF clay and alkali salts
Clarke's Fork and Saltwater have very
rlch bottoms along their course and in
fact each of the streams that empty into
the Yellowstone ON the southhave neal
where they rise from the morn'airs a
fertile valley, but by far The richest soilf
are to be found on the streams that come
from the Big Horn range and run to the
east. From the Big Hon to the clear forf
Of Powder river, is rolling prairie. L
is well watered and has a delightful eli
mate. Any of the country drained b,
the Yellowstone can not be equaled by