236 GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR. 
American Fur Company have navigated it they have never lost a boat from that cause. From 
Fort Union to Fort Benton there are but few snags, and the only obstruction is the rapids. 
There is plenty of wood for fuel all the way from St. Louis to within 200 miles of Fort Benton, 
but within that distance, for a space of about 100 miles, wood is scarce, though it can be had 
at a few points. The river may be considered navigable through its whole extent for seven 
months of the year. The ice at the coldest section of the river, say from Fort Union to Fort 
Clark, on an average of a term of years, will commence making so as to obstruct navigation about 
the 20th of November, and would break up about the 10th of April. The distance from St. Louis 
to the mouth of the Yellowstone is 1,887 miles; to the mouth of Milk river, 2,0672 miles; to Fort 
Benton, 2,415 ailes; to the mouth of Highwood creek, 2,430 miles; and to the Great Falls, 
2,445 miles. 
The Missouri has numerous tributaries from the north." Commencing at Fort Union, one of 
the most important is the Big Muddy, which has its rise probably near our parallel; has a 
course generally south, with a fine body of arable land on its banks, and finds its junction with 
the Missouri іп the midst of a large forest of cottonwood. Іп 117 miles from Fort Union by 
the wagon road we reach the mouth of Milk river, after passing many tributaries between it 
and the Big Muddy. Milk river is described by Lewis and Clark, and has been laid down on 
all the maps until within comparatively a recent period as having a due north and south 
course, its source being in British territory; its course is nearly east; west for one hundred and 
eighty-five miles near the parallel of 48° 30’, and it affords a remarkable river valley, looking 
to its own resources, as well as a good approach to the mountain passes. The Milk river has 
several inconsiderable tributaries, both from the north and south; but it has its rise in the 
main Rocky mountain range immediately southeast of Chief Mountain lake, and between latitude 
48° 50’ and 49° 15’, whence it flows a little to the north of east for about 100 miles, then, turn- 
ing to the southeast in longitude 111° 45’, runs for 120 miles until it takes its eastern direction 
to the Missouri, which it follows for 85 miles, crossing the boundary in longitude 110° 30’ north 
of the line of the Missouri and Milk river to the divide of the Rocky mountains. The country 
is a rolling prairie; no mountain ranges are visible, except the Three Buttes, which rise up 
three thousand feet out of a plain one hundred miles east of the mountains, in about latitude 
48° 50’. Between the Milk river and the Missouri there are two upheavals—the one is the 
Bear’s Paw, which nearly fills up the country between these two rivers, 160 miles east of the 
divide, east of which is a less considerable upheaval—the Little Rocky mountains. The Bear’s 
Paw is an exceedingly difficult country, although it is intersected by trails easy for pack 
mules, and said to. be practicable for wagons, which are well known to the voyageurs of the 
country. The Little Rocky mountains, as well as the Bear’s Paw, have an abundance of thrifty 
and available pine. They occur in localities and in bodies which will make it easy to supply 
the surrounding country. This region, from the Bear’s Paw to the mouth of Milk river, between 
the Missouri and the Milk, is an exceedingly fine grazing country. It is well watered by the 
streams flowing into the Milk river and the Missouri. It is a great resort for game. The 
buffalo is found here in very large numbers, as well as on the Milk river itself. The Milk 
river, from the Bear’s Paw to near its mouth, is both the summer and the winter home of the 
Gros Ventres tribe of the Blackfeet nation. This tribe numbered in 1855 two thousand five 
hundred and twenty souls, and owned, at least, three thousand horses. It is unquestionable 
that from Fort Union, all along the general region of the Bear’s Paw, the country is generally 
cultivable. Locations can be made by small farmers throughout its extent, and a thrifty and 
