34 



morrow's march. Temperature at 5 p. m., 74°; altitude, 3,500 feet; 

 distance marched, 31 miles. 



August 31, Thursday. — Broke camp on Rocky Fork at G.18 a. m. 

 Forded the Yellowstone above the mouth of Clark's Fork by an excel- 

 lent ford. The Yellowstone is ordinarily a dangerous and treacherous 

 . stream, but the water is very low now, and our train came over without 

 accident. After the guide. General Stager led the column in making 

 the ford. The Yellowstone is the northern boundary of the Crow Res- 

 ervation, and as -soon as we had crossed it there were visible many 

 ranch buildings both up and down the stream. The Clarke's Fork bot- 

 tom, as it ife miscalled, because it is on the opposite side of the Yellow- 

 stone from Clarke's Fork, is a very rich bottom, and is, I believe, already 

 all taken up by settlers. The town of Billings is located on the eastern 

 edge of it. Four miles down the river from the ford we came to the 

 construction parties of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and the superin- 

 tendent of construction kindly offered to send the general and his party 



to Billings, 12 miles, in a caboose. Ilis invitation was accepted, and 



Captain Wheelan was left to bring the rest of the command to the 

 town. The change from horseback to a railway car was very accepta- 

 ble to Colonel Sheridan, who has suffered intensely all day, and only 



got a little sleep last night under the influence of soporifics. We were 

 soon in Billings, which is 3 miles west of the older town of Coulson, and 

 found Mr. Bishop's cars awaiting us. Mr. McCullough was on the* 

 watch for us, and apparently was as much rejoiced to rejoin the party 

 as we were to have him. The command arrived about two and a half 

 hours after we did, and our baggage and camp equipage was quickly 

 transferred to the baggage car. The charge of the. pack trains was 

 transferred to Captain] Wheelan, with orders to proceed to Fort Custer. 

 He went into camp with his command on the south side of the Yellow- 

 stone, nearly opposite Coulson City. Distance marched by the com- 

 mand, 28 miles. 



September 3, Sunday.— We left Billings by special train at 8 p.m. 

 Vugust 31, and reached Fargo, Dak., in time, on the morning of the 



■ 



2d, to have our cars attached to the regular east-bound train. We ar- 

 rived at Saint Paul ou the evening of the 2d and in Chicago this after- 

 noon. The journey by rail was an exceedingly pleasant one, as Mr. 

 Bishop had his cars provided with every comfort and luxury that it seems 

 possible to devise for the enjoyment of even travelers who ride in spe- 

 cial private ears. Colonel Sheridan has rapidly improved since we left 

 the horseback mode of travel, and Dr. Forwood says his arm will be 

 soon u as good as ever." 



Tims ends a trip which was an event of importanee in the lives of all. 

 of us, covering a period of five weeks from the time of leaving Chicago 

 to the return there. No accident or misfortune occurred to mar the 

 pleasure of the journey, except Colonel Sheridan's mishap, which has 

 proved not to be serious. We made twenty-two camps, and marched 





