Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-01-21

for the night. The high country
through which we have passed for
some days. and where we now are.
we suppose to be a continuation Of
what the great French traders called
the Cote Noire or Black hills. The
country thus denominated consists of
high. broken, irregular hills and short
chains Of mountains, sometimes 800
miles In width, sometimes narrower,
but always much higher than the
country on either side. They com.
mence about the head of the Kansas,
where they diverge, the first ridge
going westward, along the northern
shore OF the Arkansaw, the secon |
approaching the Rocky mountains OBJ
liquely, in a course a little to the
west Of northwest and after passing
the Platte above its forks. and inter-
secting the Yellowstone hear the Big
Bend. they cross the Missouri at this
place, and probably swell the cou 1try
as far as the Seskeshawan, though
as they are represented much smaller
here than to the south, they may not
reach that river. The next day they
proceeded onward, availing them
selves of the tow line whenever the
banks would permit its use. They
were much incommoded by barriers
Of stone which had been forced into
the river by the spring torrents. In
the course of the day they saw sever
al herds of the big horned animals
and killed some of them.
MAY 26.-We proceeded on at an
early hour by means of tn towline,
using our oars merely in passing the
river, to take advantage of the best
banks. There are now scarcely any
low grounds on the river, the hills be.
ing higher and in many places pres.
ing on both sides to the verge of the
water" At a distance of 10 miles from
their starting place in the morning
Captain Lewis assembled some hills on
the north side of the river, from the
SUBMITS of which he had the first
view Of the Rocky mountains. "the
object" the journalist remarks, "oi
all our hopes and the reward of all
our ambition. On both sides of the
river and at no great distance from
it. the mountains followed its course;
above these, at a distance of so miles
from us, an irregular range of noun,
tains spread themselves from west to
northwest from his position. To the
north of these a few elevated points
the most remarkable of which bore
north 65 degrees west appeared above
the horizon; and, as the sun shont
on the snow on their submits, he OBJ
tanned a clear n satisfactory view
of those mountains, where are tn,
sources of the Missouri and Column
bia.
AT this distance of five miles. be
tween high bluffs, we passed a yer.
difficult rapid, reaching quite across
the river, where the water is deep
the channel narrow and gravel OBJ
structed 1t on each side. We ha,
great difficulty in ascending it, al
though we used both the rope and tn
pole, and doubled the crews. Thi
is the most considerable rapid on tn,
Missouri, and as in fact, the onl,
: place where there is a sudden dc
scent. AS we were laboring up it
, female elk. with its fawn, swaI
r down through the waves, which RAJ
very high, and obtained for the plac
, the name of the Elk Rapids"
The country has now becom
2 desert and barren; the appearance
[ of coal. burned earth, pumice stone
salts and quartz continue as yestel
I day, but there is no Timber, excep
the thinly scattered pine and spruc
; on the submits Of the hills or alon
the sides. The only animals we hav
observed are the elk, the big horn an
I the hare common in this country.
Q May 27.-The wind was so hig
that we did not start I'LL ten o'clocl
$ and even then were obliged to us
[ the line the greater part Of the da.
@ The river has become e~xceedinly RAJ
e i'd. with a very p~erceptible descen
Its general width Is about 200 yard
v the shoals, too, are more frequen
and the rocky points at the mout
e of the gulleys more troublesome
pass. The water is bordered by hig
rugged bluffs, composed of irregula
but horizontal straits Of yellow an
a brown or black clay, brown and ye
lowish white sand, soft yellowis
white and sand-formed, irregula
n separate masses of hard black iroI
8 stone, imbedded in the clay and SAM
some coal or carbonated wood ais
makes its appearance in the cliff
g as do also its usual attendants. tn
pumice stone and burned wood.
8 MAY 2S.-The weather was dar
and cloudy. and there tell a few drop
q of rain. At ten o'clock we had agai
a light sprinkling of rain, attende
! with distant thunder, which is tn
first that has occurred since Il lea'