Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-01-21
Comments Of the Noted Northwestern
Explorers While Travelling Along
the Missouri River
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Early Impressions Of the Country Now
a Part Of Fergus county-lndians
Were Friendly.

Clark Expeditions Journal.
May 18th, 1S05.-The last night was
disagreeably cold, and in the morn
ing there was a very heavy fog, which
obscured the river so much as 10
prevent our seeing the way. This is
the first fog of any density which we
have experienced. There was also,
last evening a fall of dew, the second
which we have observed since enter
ing this extensive open country.
About eight o'clock the fog dispersed
and we proceeded, with the aid Of the
towline. The country resembled
that of yesterday, high hills closely
bordering the river. In the after
noon the river became crooked and
contained more sawyers or floating
timber than we had seen in the same
space since leaving the Platte. Our
game consisted of deer, beaver and
elk: we also killed a brown bear,
which, although shot through the
heart, ran at their usual pace nearly
a quarter of a mile before he fell"
On the Goth they reached the mouth
of a large river on the south, and
camped for the day at the upper
point of its junction with the Missouri.
This stream" says the Journal
which we supposed to be that called
by the Minnetarees the Musselshell
river, empties into the Missouri two
thousand two hundred and seventy
miles above the mouth of the latter
river and in latitude AZ degrees, "a
minutes north. It is ITO yards wide
and contains more water than streams
of that size usually do in this coun
try" Among the game killed this
day we're two large owls, with long
feathers on the sides of their head
resembling ears and which they took
10 be hooting owls, though they were
much larger and their color brighter
than those common in the United
States.
May 21st.-"The morning being
very fine. we were able to employ the
rope and made twenty miles. In its
course the Missouri makes a sudden
and extensive bend towards the south
TO receive the waters of the Mussel-
shell. The neck of land thus form
ed. though itself high, is lower than
the surrounding country and reaches
a waving valley. extending for a
great distance to the northward, with
a fertile soil, which, though without
wood, produces a fine turf Of low
grass, some herbs. and vast quantities
of prickly pear. The country on the
south is high, broken and covered
with some pine and dwarf cedar, the
leaf of this pine is longer than that
of the common or red pine OF Vir'
ginia, the cone is longer and narrow
err. the imbrecations wider and thick
er. and the whole frequently covered
with rosin."
May 22.-The river continues about
$50 Yards wide. with fewer sand-bars
and the current more gentle and reg
ular. Game is no longer in sucf
abundance since leaving the Mussel
shell. We have caught very few fist
on this side of the Manders, ant
these were the white catfish OF IRON
two to FIVE pounds. We killed a dee
and a bear; we have not seen In thi'
quarter the black bear, common II
the United States and on the lowe
parts of the Missouri o have we dis
coyeie ed any Of their tracks, which
NAV easily be distinguished by thu
shortness of its claws from tn
brown, grizzly or white bear, all o
which seem to be Of the same family
assuming those colors at differed
seasons OF the year."
May 23.-Last night the frost wa
severe, and this morning the ice ap
peared along the edges Of the river
and the water froze on our oars. A
the distance of a mile, we passed tn
entrance OF a creek on the north
which We named Teapot creek, 1t |
fifteen yards wide and although
has running water at a smaii distanc'
from its mouth, yet it discharges non
into the Missouri. resembling we be
lieve, most of the creeks of this hill,
country, the waters of which are al
sorbed by the thirsty soil near tn
river. They indeed afford but littl
water in any part; and even that
so strongly tainted with salts that
is unfit for use, though all the vii
animals re very fond of it, On eN
pertinent it was found to be modera
tely p%urgative. The river has bee
more rapid, the country the same a
yesterday, except that there is ratf
err rocks on the face Of the hills
and some small spruce pine appear
n among the pitch.
4 May 2i.-The water in the kettle
a froze one-eigth Of an inch durinI
the night, ice appearing along tn
0 margin Of the river. and the cotton
wood trees, which have lost nearly al
their leaves by the frost. are putin
forth other buus. At IA. miles, W
reached a point Of woodland on tn
y south, where We observed that tn