Year: 1876




1t borrowed in reflection and the gnt OF the nocturnal
heavens was also duplicated In those lofty glacial mir
rors, lending them aspect of beauty, at the
same timo that II quvered Ike molten gold IN the
bosom of tho stream VIII ch rushed by through tho
stunted willows.


on THE UPPER TONGUE RIVER.


On the morning of July we left our hard couches nt
sunrise We conjectured that the stream mus, be the
Upper Tongue River rising far higher in the mountains
than geographers had ever supposed. II had here a
wide and rapid current Fishing It was OF avail,
the water probably being cold for trout at that alti
tude NV narrative shall borrow from the notes of the
day, which retain the freshness Of the first
impression From the moment of earliest
glimpse OF the white caps when we werc but three
dnys' march from For, Feterman, prodgious canyon
west or the central group of peaks, overhung by
masses of snow, visible more plainly than any
other gap In tho mighty barrcade The precpco at
It's upper end looked then II did to us in the morn
ing, inaccessible At noon, however, we stood upon a
summit much higher and further west than the pass
jottng In our notebooks:--


Main ridge OF Big Horn Range, II, 500 feet above
the sea We left our bivouac tho middle depressed
mesa which slopes to what Is properly the basin OF
the Upper Tongue River and followed its
course nversely thereafter until reached the point
OF its origin, in great bank OF snow, lying in the
OF tue steep cu west or Cloud Peak, Wnlcn
have SO often observed from the plain.


AS we have progressed the faint trail made by the
Snakes has grown more and difficult and obscure
We have crossed the Tongue River at least hundred
times each time deeper mre than at the last
Tho bed and banks are composed OF large
and small bouders wedged together, but in the
incrspaces have accumulated black ooze and moss,
into which the mules sunk up to their bellies. Some
times their hoois would become fast In tho intricate
roots of tho pines which underie these fens, and in
their efforts to got free would endanger tho equipose OF
their riders The brush and timber became more
Dense and sometimes tore hats and shreds OF our
clothing away. During of those moments, when
his faithful mule was noundcring in deep quagmire
and had placed her forcfeet in positions from which
they could not be instantaneously exricatcd, Mr.
John I. Fnerty. the distinguished journalist, of Irish
extraction, found his plight TO DO deplorable. Tho
mule swaycd and fro violently now nearly fitting
HIM upon thorn bush and into pool of ooze
In the ludcrous struggle the carbine sung the bow
of the saddle, fell, barrel foremost, and was i'm
mersed in tho soft mud. He could not dIsmount
10 1t in the bottomless mire, which
would have voraciously engulied him also
and could not reach it from his seat except after
peateuy refining his mule and STOPPING grasp
1t beneath the surface. Then the cavalcade. torn by
unfrcndy branches and bespattersd with mud, moved



JoURNEyING AMONG HILLS.


We passed the border OF the district through which
the fiery scourge had swept, and step led into
source by its stout volume clear and rgd, ioaming
and sparkling rapids and cascades of the widest
description. On each side of the canyon tho cliffs
far into the blue sky, in the naked grandeur of the
primeval granite. Thin threads of water drppcd
IRON thousand crevices, with musical murmurs, and
the surface of the rook could be traced
to their source this cold gIttcrng snowdrifts
ing the tops Of the crags


We rode In a of twilight the dark shadows Of
pines and rocks the air, pleasantly pcrvaded by the
pungent aroma Of the bronze foliage The mules
threaded bewilderng with wonderful s,cadiness
and pa,ience--sometimes around and under huge
boulders Of granite; sometimes piles of smaller
ones up steep activities; sometimes the rough
beds OF ancient glaciers, paved many feet deep with
the arrested torrent of polished debris of fcspathc
rock Paths of extinct avalanches are numerous
the slopes of the main range On the surface OF the
rock in many places are traces made by boulders
showed along under the weight Of less terrific snow
slides, which probably occur every winter. The uen-
sity OF the foliage IN the narrow canyon and its steep
sides circumscrbed view crawled along the
very base OF Cloud Peak that did hot realize the
stupendity OF the walls until we at length approached
the limit Of the pine growth where the trees opened
about crystal pools that were cnsconced among





us least 1000 feet, and had already
climbed 1000 feet above our bivouac ground OF last
night. We nearing the snow, and saw that II lay
in the indentaiions OF the granite On the ragged
edge OF the lerrace-ke cliff that surrounds the
and broken mountain supposed to be Cloud Peak
drift Juts over, melting, doubtless in the mellow moons
of summer and congeahng again at night after slipping
toward the seductive brink. Just below is an cpor-
frozen mass, on which ;he shadow Of the clill
always falls, and which therefore never diminishes.


The first drift which we passed lay at the foot OF
towering cataract of granite debris another checked
pla nj nj as
the way devious and uncertain Tired and prema-
turey made hungry 10y the Keen air as We were, the
white patch OF coolress and purity received many
fond ana thirsty look. Then fresh breeze met us,
with a wintry smell and henceforih snow around
us every side The bottom of the canyon became
rough and spongy the ascent more steep and tortuous
We frequently came to reservoirs of melted snow,
nearly immersed IN the water Above the tmpcr line
the great gorge expanded INTO narrow glen, jewelled
by chain OF still lagoons which are fed by The Drifts


MOUNTAIN SCENERY AND WONDERS


At height oil about 10 600 feet the snow in the glen
bridged the stream and after advancing a few hundred
yards further we found 1t a rvulet escaping from a
deep bog, which was flooded by the summer thaw and
beyond which rises great slantng bank Of show
against precipce, which 1t hides Its TOP is the
summit OF the pass, bat il proved impossible
to reach II by crossing the snow, which
a stni higher crest on the right, leading
the mules The cloud-like outline of the Soshonee
the west flock OF big horn or Rocky Mountain
sheep stood on a neisnboring granite ridge facing
and gazing Before, however, all our gallant party
was the top they turned and bounded away VITA a
magnificent agility. just at our feet tho southern
side OF The barrier which We had surmountcd lay two
lakes, within steep shores of granite stream takes
from them and they are many icet higher in
level Than the bog opposite them, ana separated rom
them by only min meek and precpee, which is the
head OF the Tongue RIVER The two lakes united
by several small rills and they bat three PAGES
apart Their surface partially covered With Ice,
although II high noon bat IN the centre the water
was open and seemed very deep This basin prob
ably the highest water source of the Big Horn
Mountains lvoly current loans over "A
dent IN the granite rim and tumbcs through,
rather than over, chaotic mass oil bouldcrs
until II reaches q bed softly bordered by turl.
On the rgh., which toward the wcst another
stream rises pool at the loo. OF irownng cliffs, and
aterward gathers strength from many otncr pools tina.
g stem IN drcary looking canyon vending toward the
northwest THIS Is undoubtedly tributary OF shell
Greek. We congratulate ourselves that we are the
only white party assembled TO tho crest OF the
Big horn Mountains, nnding near,y al the same