31 



lias grown very much since we were there last summer, and now has 

 nearly two hundred inhabitants, and looks like a thriving mining town. 

 Before crossing the divide between Soda Butte Creek and Clark's Fork 

 we met a Mr. Geer, who owns a ranch on the Yellowstone near the 

 mon th of Clark's Fork. He says he came from his ranch to Cook City by 

 way of Little Rocky Creek and through the Bear Tooth range of moun- 

 tains, and that the trail is no place worse than the trail from this divide 

 down to Clark's Fork. He offers to guide us to the Yellowstone by his 

 route, and says we can get through by doing a little timber cutting. 

 The General has his proposition under consideration. We found a 

 forest lire had been for some days burning across the trail. Fortunately 

 the wind was blowing from the northeast, and though we passed over 

 the fire track amongst burning logs and hot ashes, we were only com- 

 pelled to diverge from the trail occasional short distances. We went 

 into camp on Clark's Fork, on the spot where we camped last year. 

 General Sheridan has named it Camp Clark, in honor of Captain Clark, 

 Second Cavalry, who is with us, and who, as Lieutenant Clark, had a 

 skirmish here with Bannock Indians in 1878. The hunters returned to 

 camp at 5 p. m., having had a long and weary journey, as after their 

 hunting was over they had to follow us from where they struck our 

 trail, 48 very long miles. However, they were consoled by their suc- 

 cess, as Mr. Bishop and Mr. Rhodes each killed a mountain buffalo, the 

 former a very large bull, and General Strong a black-tailed deer. 

 There are no trout in the north fork of Clark's Fork above its canon, 

 or in the streams tributary to it. Temperature at 5.30 a. m., 38° ; at 6 

 p. m., 0G°; altitude of divide, 8,250 feet; altitude of camp, 7,100 feet; 

 distance marched, 21 miles. 



August 27, Sunday. — Broke camp at 6.15 a. m. The General con- 

 cluded to take Geer for a guide and try to go over the Bear Tooth 

 range, hitherto regarded as impossible. We were all glad to make 

 the attempt instead of following our old trail of last year, the Clarke's 

 Fork trail. We crossed the north fork of Clarke's Fork soon after leav- 

 ing camp, and climbed the mountains to the north of it in a general di- 

 rection nearly due east from Index Peak. We climbed nearly all the 

 morning, with but few and short descents. Soon after leaving camp we 

 came in sight of Clay Mountain, which was a landmark for Geer to keep 

 sight of, as our proper direction was just to the right of it. This mount- 

 ain is the most prominent peak in the Bear Tooth range, which is visi- 

 ble for several miles along the Clarke's Fork trail. We passed many 

 lovely little lakes and crossed several pure water mountain streams. 

 The air was bracing, the weather delightful, and even the work of climb- 

 ing under such circumstances was a pleasure. We had to make occa- 

 sional halts to give time for the pioneers to cut a trail through thick 

 fringes of timber. Everywhere we saw so many old elk tracks that it 

 seemed as if this had been their favorite abode j but we saw no game 

 or any very fresh signs. Our camp was pitched on the south side of 



