Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-10-09
f1AlHI)lE II !!'AnK.
What a Tribune Cont rihufor Saw in
q RanbIe through the Beautiful
Belt Park.
A Stretch of Country Carneted With
Green Verdureand aGreat Variety
OF Flowers.
a Ramble Through Belt Park After
Wild Flowers.

Wild Flowers.
It is & fine afternoon about the middle
of August, that we turn down from 1llt
high rolling prHiries on the road descend
ing the @tlch to Belt river, and thence
winding along up that stream TO the Park
All the morning dense masses OF smoke
have been sweeping over the prairies aaG
rolling down into the valleys, SO that one
could see scarcely quarter Of q mile ahead
but the wind suddenly shifting, has made
the air comparatively eIaar, and views az
again to be had OF the Hiehwool, ald
more prominent ns1ntsias OF the Belt
range. The road, only recently completed,
descends quite rapidly, but with an excel
lent grade all tsla way to the river Here
and there, the mountain sides rise abruptly
on either hand, :sle.,t wells of rock with
bare, perpendicular SIDES, weather-worn
ard rough, confront the eye, and in one
or two piaces clusters OF pines, with theiG,
| pendaf:t gray masses, eFeI-shadow tIleroad.
altogether presenting L most attractive ap-
| pearance. ard appreciated tie better after
a long residence Oh the treeiass prairies.
Finally We reas.h tie river, 1T a point,
! quite number of miles above the can
yon. The bottoms are ali small and for
the most part exceedingly rocky. The
usual gfoatls Of cottou-Hood. willow.
| birch, alder, thorn, cherry etc, with clulaps
OF trembling aspen On the hil1sides, all
more or less insaded by the dark-green
spruce and pines OF the mountains, form
attractive groves, and, more often, tangled
| tIiclats. The cottonwood, it is noticed,
grows taller and s.raighteE!here, than in the
valleys outside, as if in imitation of their
symmetrical mountain companions.
Passing up the road for several miles,
occasionally crozsssihlg . ford, or pulling
some short aseest, we finally reach the
lower end Of the Park, climb the hill, 1aav-
ing the river TO the left, and camp st i
snail spring near the roadside. Here We
are, il a ra zion that some seven Or ei:tl.
,ytears ago f;1ii,ie<2 the visions Of the most
enthusiastic sportsman. The changes that
have since occurred are not such as to
brighten the eye Of the hunter OF delight
his heart. They serve but to call NJ, rem
inesceHees of the past. To-day, the blaz-
ing campfire Of ting hay-1nalzerreplaces the
small giean from the erlbe-s Ct some
lonely hunter, ana Aaystacszs stand out,
clear and distinct N the open slopes where
formerly bands o4 elk and deer wandered
at pleasure.
Belt Park consists of an elevated, broker.
prairie, the upper end several hundred
feet aboTe the loW#, and having length
Of seven or eight miles, VITA perhaps d
width Of half tint Il places. It is cat into
IN al sides BY coflees and deep canyons
ana shut OF FROM the outside world by
low mountain rsrses-To
he right ct the roHl and toward the upper
nd. but separated oy 4 considerable dis
ahee, rise two butts, cozered more or less
9ith timber, and otE4abont the same eIeva-
ion as the surrounding mountains. In
yet. snrlngy places, clu,nps of willows. 5
With their rounded Ioatlines. grouped to- /
satllar III great misses, add d pleasing
-ariety to the Landscape. :
As we lead the arses down to water.
fter throwing oil lie harness. great NUM- i
,ers OF grassa0ppez& jump out from under O
ur feet iii every Direction, callsing a con j:
tart rustic al a5o1ltln the dying grasses, II
nathe wide leasel sed ges grown. /. in the c
pFans5 water, lock- ragrea and worn from Il
he eating of these s9raeIoas insects. Just {
Glow, and only a In rods away, is a flock b
mountain or dssky grouse. the half f
roHn young paying little attention to IL b
'litlers. and nippinsnp berries and grass Il
oppers with the qtiek, graceful motions. al
: which al birds soexcei. Il
So far, few peculiarly mountain plants
ave been noticed, sad the next morning b;
e continued up th4road, camping again le
the foot of the firs#or lower butte. Here ta
z are scarcely out of the wagon before q
nding several moHlfain flowers. Service ia
airies are on all ades with their low CT
1shes well hid among the tall grasses. al
hey We're ripe fiveH six weeks agtyin the in
Wer valleys, but in this region many of sp
EN- are Just turl1in. The remainder Of 50
e day is spent ID saarching around and til
-er the butte for spesimens. with fair sue re
IS. The folIoWingna aorning we near the de
oper end OF the psrk and descend the WI
ng. steep hill to farley creek, at the nj
outh Of which. and on Belt river. the m,
eihart smeIter IS sitated. All along the m,
adside. for some dIsanee before descend lo,
g the hill, a pretty, olue gentian is to be ha
en- peeping out froa among the grass, tht
h