ee THE MISSOURI AND PLATTE RIVERS, ETC. | 37 
and wood, but not much timber fit for building; the landing i is not 
f good, better, however, than that of Fort Pierre, and it is in general a 
more eligible locality. 
The next place worth speaking of is De Bouis’ point. This 
strip of bottom land about five miles long, and from a quarter to tees 
quarters of a. mile wide; it has an abundance of the finest grass and 
_ timber, and a permanently y good landing. This place and Crook’s 
‘point, nearly opposite, would furnish all the supplies needed; there 
_ seems, however, no place to locate a fort which would not be too far 
- from the river without subjecting it to being slightly flooded during 
ss extraondinayy freshets ; the bottom is also so flat as to probably remain. 
wet long after arain. The next desirable location is on what is called _ 
me <The ae below the Shyenne;’’ this is a prairie from fifty to a 
hundred feet above the river, about five or six miles long, north and 
south, and a mile anda quarter wide; at the upper side there is a 
fine permanent ging, and there is said to be one at me lower — 
There is a fine belt of wood at the lower end, and just at the u 
3 end i is a large island probably equal in every respect to Oe one. Sivluded 
“inthereserve. Altogether this point is a desirable one, and apparently 
offers, right at hand, nearly all the resources of pe country. It is, 
eby water, forty-five or fifty miles above Fort rre. Formerly an. 
Aricaree village existed here of more than shad handréd lodges. I 
have been informed that the American Fur lompany intend. building 
upon it, but this is, as yet, doubtful. The general opinion is that the 
trade with the Sioux in this vicinity is ruined forever, and that it will 
not be profitable to incur the expense of establishing a trading post. 
The immediate vicinity of the mouth of the Shyenne i is not good or 
establishing a military post; the north side is the best, and is good 
for trading. Dupuis is camped there with the party formerly at Fort 
George. ‘T believe they intend to build houses, and occupying it per- 
= manently, Above the Shyenne, there are said to be many good —— 
_ for woo 
eo nd 
rises, and falls equally fast; it is very crooked; and when high, has a 
very ’ swift current ; Mackinac boats have been brought down in time 
het Dane but it does not promise much in the way of steam 
navigat T have said nothing about the roads to and from the 
different laos spoken of. In this respect they are all about equal. 
: ‘With s ome labor on the first mile and a half of the bluffs, the road — 
“4 in dry eather would become good for loaded wagons, In vou any 
Black Talle between the forks of the Shyenne 7 
The Moreau road crosses the Shyenne fifteen miles from its mouth: 
ere is pootet crossing three miles from its mouth. 
