The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-07-29
A Flight to the Northwest.
''TIIE BAD LANDS OF DAKOTA"

pouring through it for the last few years riu
the Northern Pacific Railroad), is one of the
most singular spcctacles which grccts the vision
| of the traveller to the Northwest Their loca-
ton is west of the Missouri River. For full
hour the train rushed on through these famous
lands. Il truthful description of which is beyond
the power of the most skillfu artist and to ac-
count for them is beyond the power of your
scribe, or any other person whom | have yet
CHANGED to meet | will, therefore. write Of
them as l SAW and enjoyed them from my seat
on the rear platform of the hindmoSt car of our
train on that >utry June afternoon. As far as
my vision could extend, | could only see one
vast plain. thicIlly covered with mounds of
nearly every size, form and height. ] had
heard much of them, but was wholly unprepar-
ed for what saw. The term bad Lands" is
but an imperfect translation of the name given
by the early French explorers, who described
mounds, or pyramids, are scattered in every
conceivable order over the plain-in lines. col
umnS. groups, Ilatoon>. ~quadrons and single
files, thick, thin, high, low. big, and small, like
| great bubbles upon the surface of the water in
Il huge tub. Here is one At my right which tow
crs three hundred feet high; it is circular in
formation, lis crest being in the form of DOME
Its nearest nrighborS are not so lofty by one
half. a portion of them are evidently pattern
ed after their great ncirhbor, while others diff
fer entirely in shape Onc is like Il turrct built
on some lofty wall; another is square with
rounded corners; another triangular in its
structurG-no two alike i'll both size and form
| Some are mol over ten feet high, and yet on ac-
count OF their symmetrical proportions outdo-
ing their more commanding fellows. They are
composed Of Il substance which closely rc>cnl-
hleS red and Eray clay. Thcy have no vcyeta-
| ton whatever OH either sides or crest but are
painted i'll the most artistic fashions. The CAV
roore 50 freely used in their decorations are
quitr bcWil'lcring to the vision. Red, green.
yellow, black, orange, aud gray prc,ominate !;
but other tint, are freely blended. so that these
mounds are painted in stripes checks, circles,
and diamonds. all colorS being frequently dis
played on 4 single mound of the most hilnnll-
| tive size
From the Sides of these mounds can be dis
ccrncd here and there cithcr the stump or trunk
| IL
| remaining relies are now pcrcd stone. many
of which have rolled forth from their places Of
| long roNvcalmcnt. and are now Wing in the mar
row walks between the hills Smoke rises in
| thin columns from many of these mounds, and
| frequently we see the cleaning Goals which
! shine forth to show Us that the center or core
OF these hills is but mass of fire. These have
been burning during all the Years which have
passed since The first white men found Them
and in all probability have not been eNtinguisll-
! ed since the days when the whole plain was i'm
| the intense heat Of volcanic action. The fires
which now exist are consuming the beds of
coal which yet remain after the wrecks and
! upheavalS and transformations Of the unwriltcn
| past.
Three hundred miles or more to the west
| ward is the Yellowstone Park. where the MANI
moth Hot Springs and splendid ecyScrs are
| speaking of the internal heat and mighty
pressure which still remains. There can be but
| little doubt but that there WAS once Il rrScm-
| blanre between these two sections. and that
the >plcndorS Of the lellow>ton Park were
| once exhibited on mighty scale near the banks
of the Missouri River. For i number of wears
nothing but ranlcsnakc~ and prairie dogs were
| found in the ravne> between the hills, but the
| coWboys have ,iScoy cred that much ulItritious
Grass crows there. 50 that cattle and horses bv
the thousands are now rowing sleek and fit
| over all that tcrritorv. To look lpon the bad
! Lands" alone is we'll worth II trp across fine
continent.
At the little town of .'ATrtIura" on the west
ern edge Of the Bad Lands. we found that now
famous race the '.coWboys." in MI thrir oriui
| nal glory. This class like all other western
| productions. has been so ovcrdonc bv thc fer
| tile IMAGINATION of correspondents 1hat there
| is but little resemblance between the cowboy
on paprr and rs yor see him IL lis home -
| that there is Il litfI. fcrlin,. of disDnnontmrnt
at your first iutroIuction to this hero of :,
| Thousand ,nfouuht battles Eut vour interest
| increases. however. as vou acuu,intaurr
| leu~tbrns auu Won act,,olly find within ynur
| self a shirt of ,,luIiratiou for the rowh6vs ,
minority Of whom arr. undrr thirty wars of
arc, straight rs an arrow. bronzrd as .tiu>irs
! clad in leather brcerhcs trimmed with leather
| tasscIs made bv fine Indians L,r lnny fnrr
ccanlv >havcn. the unner lin snortin1 a Iar~r
| mustarhp. flannel shirt brrnrhns f,strnrL Ll
belt at the waist. within which i s1lo,e for fine
| murb -usrI ana IcssurrLrI rnynIynr< thn
| white L,t rurrrIrL win :, Iirbt coInr.J l.,tL
crn band with ronsnirIous LurkIr-thr lyhnl,
| making M n figure mite rs Gallant ,s thnt Of
1hr carIv Spanish invader who tir>t banded mn
| ON o,r continent Grrlt v,rnnr- it'll. Lnnn
| done to thr rovhovs Lv tln y.rns Which have
| for tbo l.st ton vnnrs iiIIeI H. Amnri,.,n M
pers. Asowbol,, Ihrv nre lrtvn bnnnst h,rJ-
| worEiu" honorable k Linl hna,t,J nu., II i.
ulIitr trIr t,at there ,r. nvrnntio,s tn Jill. Iut
| 80 there .,rr to ,lI rulns SOM cn,vho,.s stnai
| shoot ana rut thronts Inf mrn ln thr s,n1
| and niIch more frruunutl, i'm ,.Iaysi,. Roxtnn
anJ ntLrr urrnt rrntrns tl:n II, thn ',I,ins n
both eases if viii be- fomJ thnt girdh"i is thn
1