MISSOURI RIVER PROM GREAT FALLS TO MOUTH OF MILK RIVER. 493 



his party were corclelling up the river, heavily laden with Indian goods. The draughts of these 

 keel-boats vary from twenty-eight inches to three feet ; consequently, when ascending the river 

 late in the season, they are at times forced to lighten them over the worst rapids. 



Game in the Mauvaise Terre has been corparatively very scarce ; antelope arid big-horn do 

 occasionally come down from the bluffs to drink, but they evidently don t find sufficient attrac 

 tions about the locality to induce them to prolong their stay. As to us, we are perfectly willing 

 to leave it, and look forward to something less monotonous. 



There are three bad points in the river, passed to-day : first, a shallow, about four miles below 

 our last camp, where the river spreads out much broader than usual ; depth of water one foot 

 eleven inches channel otherwise good. Second, what is called the &quot; Three Channels :&quot; the 

 water here is divided by a gravelly bar ; depth two feet two inches; channel crooked. And 

 third, and worst, the rapid opposite &quot; Cow island.&quot; There is but one foot nine inches of water 

 in the channel. The water is here divided into three parts : one a stream running round &quot; Cow 

 island ;&quot; another making between &quot; Cow island&quot; and a sand-bar ; and the other, the main one, 

 passing to the left of all. The width of the river at camp is 228 yards. Distance made to-day, 

 26.3 miles. 



September 29. We are rapidly approaching a more inhabitable country. The bluffs are less 

 high and more sloping, and covered with grass. The bottoms along the river increase in width 

 and richness of soil, and fields of rank grass alternate with thick groves of cotton-wood, cherry, 

 and willow. The larger points of timber at this season of the year are overrun with bands of elk 

 and deer, which seek the protection of the thickets from the cold autumn storms. 



The bed of the stream, which was before rocky, is now at times sandy or muddy, and supports 

 an occasional snag, and the water grows turbid and Missouri-like. 



About half-past 4 o clock, when we began to think about camping, we suddenly came upon a 

 large band of elk, on a sandy beach in a sunny nook of the river, enjoying themselves, each 

 according to his own fancy. Some were lying down ; some were practising the art of self- 

 defence with their horns, while others were looking on. Upon seeing us, however, they all dis 

 appeared into the timber, except one, the patriarch of the flock, who remained behind to cover 

 the retreat of the others, and satisfy his own native curiosity. But he lost his life by his temerity, 

 and we gained a skin and pair of horns nothing more, for he was too old and rank to furnish 

 very delectable steaks. 



Before sunset I followed a buffalo trail to the top of a high hill near at hand, from which I 

 could see the surrounding country a woodless rolling prairie, running back in the distance as far 

 as the eye could extend. While standing there, looking at the several herds of buffalo grazing in 

 the distance, I noticed as many as twenty wolves, sneaking, with their tails between their legs, 

 from different quarters towards our camp. They had learnt the news of the dead elk. There 

 are a few scattering pines on the bluffs along here ; also some short, scrubby, red cedar, covered 

 with berries, but no other shrub. 



About two miles above camp we passed a small stream, making in from the north, which my 

 pilot said was called &quot; Little Rocky Mountain river,&quot; and was never dry, as many of the small 

 streams are, late in the summer. Another small stream coming in from the south without a 

 name was passed a little below &quot;Two Calf&quot; island. Of the rapids, one opposite &quot; Two Calf&quot; 

 island has two feet of water, with a few large loose rocks near the channel. All the others have 

 upwards of two feet of water, and good channels. Distance travelled to-day 28.2 miles. 



September 30. It was cold this morning, and frosty, and the trees glistened like crystals in the 

 rising sun, as we pulled up stakes and cast off into the stream. We can appreciate a bright 

 sunny day again, as we have not had the like for about a week. The river winds with longer 

 and more regular curves, leaving heavily-wooded points of timber, bounded on three sides by the 

 channel, alternating from side to side. The channel, too, is much improved ; there are no rapids 

 to obstruct it, and a greater depth of water. The river bed, which was before mostly gravel, is 



