The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-04-01

reached Cow Island or Cantonment Martin
August Is, and finally arrived at Council
Bluffs on the 18th Of September. The
Thomas Jefferson, r. NJ. johnson and Elk
last two seem to have reached Cow Island
in the latter part Of August.
ION their arrival at Cow Island the Ex-
DeditiOn and Johnson tied up, and the troops
went into winter quarters. As these boats
were found to be entirely unnt Tor the
river they returned to st. Louis in the
spring. The Western Engineer, which
proved to be the only boat Of the fleet at
all adapted to the navigation of the river,
although she could make only three miles
an hour upstream, proceeded up the river,
and on the 18th Of September arrived at
Fort Lisa, a trading post established by
Manuel Lisa in 1912, about five miles be-
low Council Bluffs. Here she also went
into winter quarters, and returned to st.
Louis in the following spring. 1t having
become apparent that the marine part or
the expedition was an unqualified failure,
the river was abandoned, the Major Long
with his company Of scientists, went over
land to the Platte"
From the earliest period in the history
of the st. Louis fur-traders, the river was
navigated by cOrdelles, the last Of which
were in use up to 1864. The commerce Of
the region in 1SO5-12 was limited to the
products of the chase. Lewis ana clark,
in their report, state that the products
which were drawn from the Missouri are
obtained from the Indians and hunters in
exchange for merchandise. They may be
classed according to the subJoiped list
Castor. offers, foxes, POnha foxes, tiger
cats. racOOns, black bears, gray and vel
low bears, puces, buffalo, dressed COW
hides, shOrn deer skins, deer skins with
hair. tallOW and fat, bears oil, muSkraUs
and martins. Those products brought to
the Indians and hunters the sum or ST.
1871 per year; but Of that amount about
SCI, $50 were only returned annually 10 tht
district in peltries, cloths and provisions.
The voyageur and trader were the prln'
ciDal characters in the western life OF
those times, and to them the rivers OF the
northwest we're well known.
The yellowstone"
Tn 70 1890 the American Fur company
still chung to their keel boats, and dragged
them by human labor from st. Louis tC
the mouth of the Yellowstone, when Plerr'
ChOteau and the other members Of TIT
company determined to try a steamboat OF
the upDer Missouri, and for this purpOS'
resolved to build a new boat suitable t.
the dangers Of the navigation. me Doa
was built at P~ittsburg, and IN the sprlni
of 1881 left that port for st. Louis. Sh
was christened the Yellowstone, POSSESSED
ltimbers of unusual size, and withal s.
solid and staunch, that she set very low
in the water, drawing three feet hght an
live feet loaded, seriously uniting her L
Iglide over the numerous ShOalS IN ne
destined path. She was a side-Wheel DOa'
with the cabin on the same deck with IN
boiler. and her single engine propelled IN
wheels by a single SMART, necessiIatlng IN
Iunshipping of one wheel when in maxim
labrupt turns it was desired to revOlve OIL
1.-THE other. She was commanded by CapUal
IBennett. and Mr.. ChOteau was so 1ntereSte
in the success of the experiment tnaC Il
-accOmpanied her in the first voyage.
The Yellowstone succeeded IN reachln
Fort Pierre, in 1881, but an lnsuHlclenc
of water prevented her further progress
and she returned to st. Louis. In 1S52 u
boat made a second voyage, MT: Chotea
again accompanying her, and this tin
succeeded in reaching Fort Union, at u
mouth of the Yellowstone, with the annU'
supplies for that post. The boat was
decided triumph, and the company imm
ldiatelv took steps to construct anOtn'
lbOat Of larger size, with such modification
- as were suggested by the experience game
q in the two voyages Of the HelOWst0n
This boat, too, was built at Pittsbur
{ and was called the A~ssinabOlne, but n
o cabin was upOn the upper deck.
e The "~AssinabOine"
The Assinaboine made her first trip
1888, ascending to Fort Union and retur
( ing safely to st. Louis. On board, as
: passenger, was the celebrated Catlin, WI
subsequently distinguished himself by b
works upon the Indians and his cOlSectl(
of aboriginal curiOsities. In 1884 the A
sinabOine returned to Fort Union, repea
: ing the trip in 1885. In the latter yea
after discharging her cargo at Fort Un1O
she made an experimental trip still high
~ up the river, attaining the mouth of Pc
- la creek. Here she was caught by t
n falling water and compelled to pass {
- winter. A fort was built for the dOut
purpose of protecting the vessel and ira
i% ing with the Indians, and the next sprl
she returne dtO Fort Union. Receiving h
n cargo of p~eltries she continued her dow
- ward voyage, but in the vicinity Of Ha
= River, not far from the present town
- Bismarck, she was destroyed by fire wi
nj the loss Of her entire cargo. The origin