f 



13 



oar camp just over the Lower Fails of the Yellowstone. Distance 

 marched, 15 miles; altitude of camp, 7,300 feet. 



Next day, August 24, we resumed our march down the canon of the 

 Yellowstone River, which exhibited at every curve of the narrow trail 

 a canon with almost precipitous banks, the natural water-wash of mill- 

 ions of years. After climbing on the mountain sides for manv hours 

 during the day, we at last reached Barouett's bridge over the Yellow- 

 stone Ivjver and went into camp on a small plateau just below the 

 bridge. Distance marched, 23 miles; altitude of camp, 6,400 feet. 



The next morning, August 25, after parting with our dear companion, 



Mr. John MeCullough, who had won all our hearts, we resumed our 

 march up the east fork of the Yellowstone. Mr. MeCullough was 

 obliged to leave us here in order to meet engagements made before our 

 departure. We bade him good-bye, starting him off in a spring-wagon 

 for Fort Ellis, just as the sun commenced to light up the sky over the 

 eastern horizon. Our direction was up the east fork until we reached 

 the mouth of Soda Butte Creek, thence up that creek until we found 

 a beautiful place for our camp, distant from Cook City about 11 miles. 

 Distance marched, 25 miles : altitude of camp, 7,500 feet The country 



passed over in this day's march 1 think may fairly be considered the 



best grass and the best wintering country inside of the National Park. 

 There are rich bottom-lands surrounded by bald, grassy mountains, 

 dotted with groves of timber, principally of the different varieties of 

 the pine family and the quaking aspen. 



August 20, resumed the march, passing through Cook City, a mining 

 town on the divide between the waters of the east fork of the Yellow- 

 stone River and Clark's Fork. Manv of the mines here are considered 



Is 



valuable. There are about one hundred houses in the city, with t\vv 

 prospects of as many more in a few months, indicated by the quantities 

 of freshly-hewn logs lying about and the number of town lots for sale. 

 After stopping only a short time to make some inquiries of the court- 

 eous inhabitants, we continued on our way. Just as we reached the 

 summit of the divide, where the waters of Soda Butte Creek and Clark's . 

 Fork take their respective water-sheds, we met a hunter, Mr. (Jeer, 

 who considered himself so familiar with the Bear Tooth Range of 

 Mountains that I was induced to abandon the old Clark's Fork trail 

 and make an effort to cross that range, thus saving about three days 



in our journey to Billings 7 Station, on the Northern Pacific Kail road. 



After meeting him and employing him as a guide, somewhat against 

 the judgment of older guides, we passed down the mountain with 

 much difficulty, on account of the burning forests, the tire extending 

 across our line of march. The journey this day was through high 

 mountain peaks covered on top with perpetual snow. We encamped 

 at the base of Index Feak and Pilot Knob, on the banks ot Clark's 

 Fork of the Yellowstone. This camp was named Camp Clark, after 

 Capt. \V. 1\ Clark, Second Cavalry, our Indian interpreter. Distance 



marched. A\ niilaa: altitude of eamo. 7.100 feet. 



I 



