Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-01-08
A WONDERFUL COUNTRY.
Sitting BULBS Old Domains Occupied
by Cowboys--A Stsckman's ExrJor-
alton.

Beyond Miles City northward to
the British lines, lies a region which
may be properly called an unknown
land. Save from buffalo hunters,
trappers, wolf poisoners, soldiers who
followed Sitting Bulls trail, and gov
eminent teamsters, but little informa-
ton has been given of this valuable
and interesting country.
During the summer, alike fearless
of rustlers and stray bands ofroaving
Indians, Mr.. @. W. Lang drove 6 900
young Texas cattle on the Big Dry,
about 100 miles north of Miles CITY.
EIhe Running Water Land and Cattle
company followed with several thous-
and head of Dakota cattle, which
they turned loose upon the Little Dry
about 1875 miles north of Miles City.
Maj. Z. Il Lang, of Fort Keogh,
and -- McBird, have also located
ranches and several thousand head of
cattle on the Little Dry. Three old
buffalo hunters, more venturesome
still, have located ranch, and about
three hundred graded eastern cattle
at Round Butte, betw cen He'll creek
s,nd Squaw creek, on the Missouri.
nearly TWO hundred miles n0rthwes
Of Miles city. a great many parties
have been prospecting on the Big Mis-
souri, and Dry late this season, and
probably the next year will witness
an influx Of cattle to all available
ranges north OF the YellC Kstone.
There is an abundance of grass and
white sage In ali this region, but
scarcity Of water, and it is to be hoped
dha3 - Il I'll of no. 1rvapcAra1rnI
cessitatIng, perhaps, a drive during
dry seasons to better watered ranges.
AS it is already, the cattle which will
be driven to the Big Dry and adjacent
country next season will need all the
available water there The Big Dry
and adjacent creeks are well timbered
with cottonwood. On the south, till
near the Yellowstone, the land is roll
ing and not rough enough for perfect
shelter. Near the Dry and Yellow
stone are rough, bad lands and album
dant feed and shelter. North from
che Dry the country grows
rOugher and rougher till on the Mis-
souri, itself bad lands pile up noun
tains high, and are almost mpassable,
even to pack outfits. At He'll Greek
no misnOmer-Yankee Dan, domi-
ciled with Van Buren,, SAYS arider
may start from Van Buren's to leave
Hell creek valley, and, after several
hours Of zig-zag hill climbing, may
still be able to spit down from bad
lands cliffs on the roof of VANS
shack.
The Missouri bottoms are generally
good soil but overgrown with brush
and greenwood, afording scant hay
grass. The cottonwood growth along
the Missouri is something to be won
dered at by those who never saw full
grown cottOnwoOds. The crests of the
higher bad lands are crowned with
pines, and at distant intervals along
she river few parties maintain wood
yards TO supply the occasional steam
er running up the Missouri as far as
Fort Benton. Beyond these and an
occasional band of half-breeds or IN
dlan5, the south bank of the Missouri
is uninhabited.
Several weeks since, messrs. O.. w.
Lang and john Lang, with several of
their cOWbCys-Ot whom the writer is
One-haying occasion to ride over a
large scope of. country north of the
Missouri, some accounts of that re
gion 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 a
time, and turning almost northeast
entered a bad lands country, rolling
but very rough, scantily grassed, with
little pools of very bitter water Near
ing Milk river after two days ride,
this almost desert region changed
abruptly 70 the finest grasses of all
Montana kinds, with abundant shell
ter for cattle. Along Milk river are
vast stretches of loan, covered with
a growth of sunfowers, always an in
dication 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 its banks for several
days ride are too steep and miry for
cattle to water at all. Several days
ride up river the banks became sandy
and firm. 1t receives here number
OF tributary creeks, whose pure, clear
water rlppleS over pebbly, firm bot
toms. The further up-river one rides
the better becomes the country for
grazing. This season thousands of
tons of hay could have been cut there
in every direction.
Nearing the Indian reservation of
Belknap the parry discovered ca a
lake twelve miles long, seeming deep
and well stocked with fish. Around
this lake was the best su pmer range
the writer ever saw. Before reaching
Belknap number OF. Assiniboine In
dian villages were passed. The in
habitants manifested lively interest
in our party. At distance they evil
IDENTIFY mistook us for rustlers, but
nearer they recognized our calling and
cried out: ME know-cowboy :"
They certainly had heard of cowboys,
but our party was evidently the first
cowboys ever seen by them. The
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