WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI EIVEE. 703 



portion of tlio State, and the Belt, Highwood, Snow, Judith, Tobacco Root, and 

 Bridger ranges in the southern and central portions — nearly all extending in a gen- 

 eral north and south direction — are Montana's principal "watersheds.'' For con- 

 venience in description the State is popularly divided into five large basins, four 

 lying east of the Eocky Mountains and one to the westward. These basins are 

 broken into large numbers of minor valleys separated and sheltered by spurs pro- 

 jecting from the main mountain ranges. Each may be said to have its own peculiar 

 river system — as complete and grand as those of any first-class State — and, though 

 generally divided from each other by mountain ranges, are, as already indicated, 

 easily accessible by good wagon roads over low passes. The valleys are wider and 

 more extensive than any other in the Eooky Mountain chain, excepting along the 

 valleys of the Snake and Great Salt Lake. 



It is claimed that Montana presents the finest river system in America, and, there- 

 fore, in the world. Here, almost within a stone's throw, are the founts of two great 

 rivers of our continent that finally flow into either ocean, the one with its tributaries 

 possessing 2,000 miles of navigable waters within Montana's boundary. Northward 

 for 300 miles, and then eastward through peaceful valleys, the fairest of all Montana 

 landscapes, through occasional mountain gorges not surpassed in grandeur in the 

 world, now thundering over dizzy precipices and again almost losing its identity in 

 unruffled lakes, pours the mighty Missouri. Eastward from the National Park and 

 across the southern portion of the State, claiming features none the less majestic 

 and even more picturesque than the first named, is the beautiful Yellowstone. 

 Northward and southward from points not many miles distant, and wandering in di- 

 verse ways for a thousand miles only to meet again near the western sea, flow the 

 Hell Gate and the Snake, the two great forks of the Columbia. 



Aside from the Missouri, Yellowstone and upper Columbia — each possessing thrice 

 the volume of the Ohio at Pittsburg — are a dozen so large and beautiful that we 

 pause and wonder whence they come, and that the world knows so little of their 

 manifold attractions. Among these we may name Jefferson, Gallatin, Madison, 

 Musselshell, Bitter Eoot, Sun, Milk, Hell Gate, Beaver Head, and Flat Head. 

 Adding to these the almost numberless laterals which course through and beautify 

 every ravine and valley, we find here unlimited water power and inexhaustible 

 supplies of water for irrigation. 



Several millions of acres in Montana are still set apart for Indian 

 reservations, and comprise the Crow, Flathead, Blaokfoot, and Chey- 

 enne agencies. The lands monopolized but only partially utilized by 

 the 10,336 Indians, comprise some of the best agricultural and grazing 

 lands in the State. In the message of Governor Toole to the second leg- 

 islative assembly of the State last winter in regard to these Indian 

 reservations, he says : 



The large Indian reservations within our borders, which were set aside by the Gen- 

 eral Government, embrace some of our best agricultural lands, and are far in excess 

 of the requirements of the Indians, who are no longer able or compelled to live by 

 the chase, but in every instance are the recipients of bounty from the Government. 

 The buffalo and wild game which once abounded upon these great reservations are 

 practically extinct, and with their departure disappeared the only reason for the 

 maintenance of large areas of land for the occupancy of the Indians. 



The writer addressed a letter to each of the United States Indian 

 agents for information regarding sheep on their respective reservations. 

 The uniform reply was that there were no sheep held on the reserva- 

 tions, and that Indians owned none whatever. Hon. M, P. Wyman, 



