Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-12-04
LEWIS AND CLARKE's EXPEDITION

/ Lne series Ol ld1ls. L ue NlOohtu L dlls
were so named by them because of their
irregularity. They report the Rainbow
| Falls as most beautiful "As the water pre-
! cipitates itself in an even, uninterrupted
sheet over the shelving rock, to a perpen-
dicular depth Of fifty feet, whence dash
ing against the rocky bottom it rushes
rapidly down, leaving behind it a spray of
the purest foam across the river. The
scene which it presented was indeed, sing
ularly beautiful, since without any of the
wild, irregular sublimity of the lower falls,
it combined all the regular elegancies
which the fancy of a painter would select
to form beautiful waterfall" Scarcely
had their eyes been regaled with this
charming prospect when, at a distance of
about half a mile Capt. Lewis observed
another of a similar kind, stretching across
the whole river for a quarter of a mile.
This they named Golfers Falls. In any
other neighborhood, as the report says, this
would have been an object Of great mag
nifcence, but after what they had just
seen it became of secondary interest. Their
next pleasant surprise was the Black
Eagle falls, which they so named because
they found in cottonwood tree, on the
little island just below the falls, an eagles
nest This solitary inhabitant of the island
held undisputed sway, for neither man
nor beast had ever, molested the place.
Capt Lewis also refers to the rapids
where the Cataract mill is now located
and to the Sun river, which is put down
on his map as "Medicine River
He grows enthusiastic over the beautiful
stretch of country lying along the Sun
river and the broad plains which lie be-
tween what is now the town of Great
Falls, and the HighWood. AS Capt. Lewis
was proceeding along in the vicinity of
the confluence of the Missouri and Sun
rivers. he met herd of at least thousand
buffaloes, and being desirous of providing
supplies, shot one of them. The ami
NAL Immediately began to bleed, and
Captain Lewis, who had forgotten to re-
load his rifle, was intently watching to see
him fall, when he beheld a large grizzly
bear, who was stealing upon him unper
ceived, and was :already within twenty
steps In the first moment Of surprise he
lifted his rife; but remembering, instantly
that it was not charged, and that he had
not time to reload, he felt that there was
no safety but in flight. 1t was in the open
level plain, not bush nor tree within
three hundred yards, the bank of the
river sloping and not more than three feet
high, so that there was no possible place
of concealment. Capt. Lewis therefore
thought Of retreating in a quick walk, as
fast as the bear advanced, towards
the nearest tree, but as soon as he turned
the bear ran with open mouth, and with
full speed upon him. Capt. Lewis ran
about eighty yards, but finding that the
animal gained ON him fast, it flashed on
his mind that by getting into the water to
such depth that the sbear would be oblig
ed to attack him swimming, there was still
some chance Of his life. He therefore
turned short plunged into the river about
waist deep, and facing about presented the
point of his espontoon. The bear arrived
at the waters edge within twenty feet of
him, but as soon rs he put himself in this
position of defense, the bear seemed frigh-
tened, and wheeling about. retreated with
as much haste as he had pursued. Very
glad to be released from this danger, Cap
tain Lewis returned to shore, and observ-
ed him run with great speed, sometimes
looking back, as though he expected to be |
pursued, until he reached the woods. He
could not conceive the cause of the sudden |
self on his escape when he saw his own
track torn to pieces by the furious animal.
and learnt from the adventure never to |
suffer his rifle to be for a moment, unload
ed. He now resumed his progress in the
direction which the bear had taken to-
wards the western river the sMedicine and |
found it handsome stream about two
nundred yards wide, apparently deep,
with gentle current, its waters clear, and
It's banks which were formed principally,
If dark brown or blue clay, aboutth same
height as those Of the Missouri, that is,
rom three to FIVE feet. He then went on.
but as If the beasts of the field had con-
pired against him. he encountered pan
her whicn he despatched with
lis rifle before the feline
monster had time to attack him.
n few moments three immense buffalo