The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-12-17
THE PROMISED LAND.
A Cowboys Opinion Of the Great
Grazing Lands Of the North
ern Reserve.
A Meadow of &c. 900 Acres in One Stretch
The Place to Look for Homes and
Stock Ranges When the Re-
serve IS Opened.

occasion recently to take a ride into the
upper Milk river region and We're sim.
ply delighted with the country seen.
One of the party gave an ccount OF
their travels to the Stock Growers Jour
nal, from which we make the following
extracts:
Several weeks since Messrs. G.. w.
Lang and John Lang, with several OF
their ~coWboys-of whom the writer is
one-having occasion to ride over Il
large scope of country north of the Mis-
souri,, some account of that region. may
interest parties looking for range.
Swimming their saddle ponies and
pack animals across the Missouri near
the mouth of He'll creek and crossing
themselves in a skiff, the party followed
up a dry creek for q time, and turning
almost northeast entered a bad lands
country, rolling but not very rough,
scantily grassed, with little pools of very
bitter water, Nearing Milk river after
two days ride, this almost desert region
NhdIiSSA co1dpUtY ~ IIC 1lllCot SIlSSSo vi
all Montana kinds, with abundant shell
ter for cattle. Along Milk riverare vast
stretches of fertile loan, covered with a
growth of ~snnfoWers, always an indica-
ton of warm, rich soil. Milk river is
well timbered with cotton wood for
building and fencing. Its water is
abundant and pure, but near its lower
end it's banks for several days. ride are
too steep and miry for cattle to water at
all. Several days ride up-river the banks
became sandyand firm. 1t receives here
a number Of tributary creeks, whose
pure, clear water ripples over pebbly,
firm bottoms. The further up-river one
rides the better becomes the country for
grazing. This season thousands of tons
of hay conld have been cut there in every
direction.
Nearing the Indian reservation of Bel
KNAPP the party diseovered(?) a lake
about twelve miles long, and seemingly
deep and we'll stocked with fish. Around
this lake was the best summer rangethe
writer ever saw
At Belknap, in charge of Maj. Lin
coin, the Indians this season raised
abundant crop of cereals, hay and
roots corn about SO bushels per acre
there rs potatoes weighing 60 lbs.
The Indians have a surplus of 1000
bushels more than they will need for
use. They will have snug
shacks built, their ponies are increasing, |
are hog fat, and they seem to be con-
tent Under Maj. Lincoln's rule. Further
on the Gros Ventures occupy a perfect
paradise Of q stock region. At the time |
our party passed October 14th-1Sth) the
bunch grass was green and luxuriant.
At Fort Assinaboine, reDuted to be the !
best built garrison in the north
west, we learned that cattle and horses !
wintered we'll there and come
put fat In thespring. Contractor Broad
work steers and mules running
near the post were grass fat at the time
Of our visit. AT this time we were only
IS miles from the British line, but
although in October. the nights were
frosty and the days deliciously pleas
mt.
Turning southwark we passed along
The eastern base of Bears Paw noun
Iains, among creeks and lakes and
beautiful meadows without number.
The great features being abundant feed, |
fine shelter and pure, running water.
But n the basin between Bears Paw
and the Little Rockies as far as the eye
could reach lay the finest grazing region
seen. The weather was getting sharp, |
out flowers were in bloom by the road
side, and this in the latter part of Oeto-
Der. IF any reader thinks we exagger-
ate the worth of the Little Rockies as a
grazing region let him see it himself.
He'll be converted.
Turning eastward from the Little
Rockies we rode extensively owe an
other splendid grazing region, we'll
watered by what we believe to be the
the Fourchette and Beaver
though We are not certain OF
these names, none OF us having been IN
that country before. Further southeast
we travelled the greater part of n day
over a long meadow which must have
contained at least 10000 acres of good
hay land. Then turning into the bad
lands. and broad bottoms along the Mis-
souri,, we sought our original crossing
place at Van Buren's near the mouth OF
He'll creek.
In concluding this article it lis neces-
.ary to state that all that fine grazing
region north of the Missouri to the
British line is Indian reservation at
present, on which no cattle except CON
are allowed to Craze. But It is