Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-10-12
The Bad Lands.

|
The following correspondence from the
Aissouri Valley Journal, published at Cham.
berlain, South Dakota, will be found Of in
terest to our readers, two of the persons
mentioned in the same being Messrs. VIM.
| W. Anderson and Richard NJ. Williams,
former residents of this town:
DEADwooD, August Goth, 1894.
The Bad Lands Truly, a msnomerl This
was our united opinion when we crossed
over small alkali bed, assembled gentle
slope OF grassy prairie and halted upon the
table land at the entrance of the north wall.
10 the right and left rose this wall devoid
OF verdure, except at the top, its sides so
precipltous that only mountain goat could
scale it. The entrance is known as the
Chamberlain Pass and is about eight miles
from Baretts sheep rancho. A steep diff
cult road leads down from the prairie into
the Bad Land, a road that in one place at
least, tried the nerves of our entire party
There Is barely room enough for a wagon to
pass between two deep chasms that yawn
greedily as one descends the steep road .
Stretching far away to the south as far the
eye can reach lies green basin of waving
grass broken here and there by a sharp peak
of sand which rises from the valley similar
in shape to the pyramids of Egypt, and tow
ers aloft in silent granduer. Most beautiful
do these Buttes appear toward sunset. The
base, in some instances, begins with brown
sand, perhaps ten feet thick, then streak of
reddish sandstone, then blue black clay,
again sandstone, followed by white sand
ending in black gumbo lar above. The peak
is usually sharp and well defined In places
there is long chain Of buttes, while again
they stand alone Wierd and grotesque in
shape they are certainly the most peculiar
and at the same time most interesting sights
we have seen. Small creeks cut through the
vast basin where thousands Of cattle slake
their thirst. The grazing is good although
the cattle men say this is the driest in years
Ii that be true, aud We have no reason to
doubt it, then the Bad Lands under favor.
able circumstances must bea veritable para.
disc indeed. That they are cattlemans
paradise there can be no question.
About ten miles from the Chamberlain
| Pass the White river flows in a deep cut
bed, its banks green with foliage and beau.
tiful groves. Nearly all these groves, cotton
wood, ash and elm trees, are owned by cat.
tlemen who have good strong rancho build
ings, corrals and pastures. Good wells are
To be found aRd in some places springs. The
water is soft and always pleasant to the taste.
At Major Anderson's cattle rancho is u well
being one of the properties
We had intended originally to continue
on our way without stopping, but on our
arrival at the Rake Rancho, as Major Ander-
sons 10 called, we were taken in charge by
Dick Williams, who insisted on our staying
for weeks hunt Nothing loath we &C.
cepted his kind invitation and we certainly
have had no reason to regret it, Mr.. White,
the foreman of the Rake, helped to make our
stay most pleasant, As did Henry Smith,
Dude" Rounds, the johnson Bros Nelson
Bros, Massengale and Ross All these
ranchmcn have large cattle ranches and are
thorough gentlemen and most hosptable.
While there we had the pleasure of max
ing the acquaintance Of Mr.. John Massen
gale, who is known all over the west rs "Mis-
souri, John" He is Il typical ranchman and
his stories OF rancho life and experiences in
the cattle business were highly entertaining
and amusing We spent Sunday with him
and were treated to some fine watermelons
til at grew on his rancho in protuson. Mas
| sengae and Ross own about 5000 head Of
cattle and 800 horses. They have become
wealthy by hard work and thrifty care. Spe-
cial mention of all the fine ranches we saw
would occupy too much space so shall re.
Train. The second day alter our arrival at
the Rake" we saddled up four of the incest
string OF buc king broncos from Dick Will
liams' string of horses and started on
AN ANTELOPE HUNT.
The party consisted of Dick Williams,
Will Farquhar, Henry Smith, Atty, George
ii. King and myself. Ranchmen, who rode
by the Rake" reported that antelope had
been seen about four miles away toward the
north WALL at Il place known as The Cross
We rapidly covered the distance and were
just rounding butte when we canght sight
OF a fine large buck about half u mile away.
The animal was quietly grazing and seemed
to:be unaware OF our approach. Farquhar,
Smith and myself were posted about 200
yards apart to the south in order to antici-
pate any movement tending toward the es-
cape OF the buck, while Dick and George ii
dismounted and, with Winchesters in hand,
crept over TO washout near by. The buck
soon noticed us, but the proverbial curiosity
Of the animal kept him chained to the spot.
Quickly Duck and George Ii. crept along up
the washout, occasionally stopping long
enough to remove cactus from their persons
and to flag the antelope, which was done by
placing u hat on II rifle and holding it alott.
The buck soon became immensely interested
and came smiling along approaching nearer
and nearer to the object of its curiosity. We
could hear George II. breathe hard and set
his teeth more firmly into his"Ciimax." At
last when 200 yards distant the buck stopped
short, stood with his left side turned toward
the boys, smiling the air and stamping its
feet. At that moment Il rifle cracked and
the antelope dropped in heap, its spinal
column broken. Everybody yelled and
started on run toward the struggling buck,
which had raise itself on its fore legs and
was wheeling about in circle and tearing
up the grass with its antlers. George H.,
who had forgotten to shoot at the critical
moment, dashed forward 10 company with
Dick, and in a moment the air was filled
with dubbed rifles, big hats and antelope.
Dick broke his rifle over the beasts head,
but did not kill it, and the next instant our
George H. arose on the end OF the antelope's
antlers and was spilled in an ignomnious
heap on the grass, with his trousers torn and
an ugly cash in his leg He pluckily scram
bled up and after regaining his breath, spec
tacles, rifle and feet, he fired several times
at the dying buck and finally succeeded in
ending the fight thereby covering himself
with glory and applause. We ate antelope
steak Tor the first time in our several careers
that night
g. Il LAFoLLETTE