The island is too far from transportation lines, and 

 too difficult of access by the public. Were this otherwise, 

 it might possibly be made a suitable location. 



2. The LiTTLJE Bitter-Root Country. — This is a 

 beautiful country, admirably suited for a range, but 

 is too remote, too difficult of access, and would require 

 greater expenditure for fencing than would be permis- 

 sible. The roads to and from that section are hilly, 

 not much travelled, and visitors to a herd located there 

 would for a long time be very few. The Little Bitter- 

 Root River, which is but a creek, flows through the valley 

 which was formerly made by the outlet of Flathead Lake 

 when the outlet was through the western arm of the lake. 

 Through this valley access is easy, but it is from 60 to 90 

 miles distant from Kalispell, on the Great Northern Rail- 

 road. From the Northern Pacific, at Plains, the distance 

 is less than half of that given, but the road is difficult to 

 travel over in its present state. 



3. The Hills East of the Pend d'Oreille River.* 

 — It is here that the Pablo-AUard Buffaloes have ranged 

 a great deal of the time. True, they have crossed the 

 river often, and ranged westward toward the Little Bitter- 

 Roots, but on several different occasions I have visited 

 them in the very region now under consideration. 



The o-eneral contour of the countrv is as follows : East 



"'••II' 

 of the river there is a valley several miles wide, and quite 



level; eastward of this valley is a range of low hills and 



buttes, extending north and south; east of these is a high 



and level bench, gradually dropping lower to form the 



Mission valley; on the eastern side of that valley the 



majestic Mission Mountains rise abruptly from the plain, 



the peaks having an elevation of from jpoo to 10,000 feet 



above the sea, and 4,000 to jpoo feet above the valley. 



This location is fine, the conditions are favorable, with 



the possible exception of water supply; but the region is 



rather remote, and difficult of access. The new railroad 



from Kalispell to Dixon, connecting the Great Northern 



with the Northern Pacific, will go close to this range, and 



*Inasmuch as on most maps this river is called the Flathead, we have 

 found it desirable to adopt the name in most general use.— Ed. 



19 



