230 RECONNAISSANCE OF THE ROUTE. 



parts of the channel, and no wood. There is evidently here at times a considerable flow of water. 

 Besides this we saw but little water, and there was no wood. 

 The buffalo-dung was sufficiently plentiful for fuel. 



From the &quot;Knee,&quot; a square detached butte, of perhaps half a mile wide, with a fortress-like 

 look, and accessible with horses at only a few points, I had another view of the Rocky mountains, 

 the country watered by the Teton, and of the prairie to the eastward, and then was able to trace 

 the general route desirable for the railway after leaving Milk river, The Missouri river mountains 

 were also in view. Camped on the Teton, about five miles from the &quot;Knee,&quot; groping into camp 

 late in the evening, having marched about thirty-three miles without water, and one of the 

 mules having given out. Here we had good water and wood and tolerable grass. At this camp 

 I remained the next day, the Sabbath. The Teton here resembles the Marias river, though a 

 smaller stream, flowing deep below the prairie, fringed with cotton-wood, was sixty to two hun 

 dred feet wide, one to three feet deep, freshet-marks about eight feet above the water-level ; 

 at that line, width of interval one thousand feet. 



From this camp the same smooth prairie continues until terminated by the bluffs and coulees 

 of the Missouri river ; and save that we once more crossed the Teton, having about the same 

 character already noticed, the balance of the journey does not require remark, and the route 

 soon crosses the more thoroughly explored line travelled by the main train. 



September 12th. I reached Fort Benton late in the evening, after a ride of some thirt} r -rive 

 miles, closing this reconnaissance of about two hundred and ten miles in extent, and occupying 

 ten days time. 



Its chief value is the continuation of the survey of Milk river above where the odometer survey 

 left it ; the examination of the general character of the country between Milk and Marias rivers ; 

 the partial reconnaissance of the &quot; Trois Buttes,&quot; discovering much that may prove valuable in 

 these mountains of wood and stone, with more or less of land capable of tillage; the intersection 

 of Marias and Teton rivers, with other surveys, enabling us to plot those rivers with a good 

 degree of accuracy; and the description of the practicable railway character of the country from 

 Milk river to the upper valley of the Teton river. 



Its plot was long since incorporated in the general maps of the survey ; the barometric observ 

 ations, few in number, but characteristic, were at Olympia among the meteorological records, 

 with Lieut. Donelson, and probably are included in the missing records. The mineralogical 

 specimens were turned over to Dr. Suckley. 



I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



A. W. TINKHAM. 



Governor I. I. STEVENS, 



Chief N. P. R. R. Exploration, Washington, D. C. 



13. REPORT OF DOCTOR JOHN EVANS OF HIS ROUTE SOUTH OF THE MISSOURI AND YELLOW 

 STONE, AND BETWEEN THE MILK AND MISSOURI RIVERS. 



[This paper, sent from Washington Territory, where Dr. Evans was still employed in the field when the report of Governor 

 Stevens was submitted, was lost on the route.] 



