30 RECONNAISSANCE FROM CARROLL, MONTANA, 
August 25.—Took the back trail over which the pack-train had traveled on the journey out, past 
our former camp of the 16th and 17th on Cascade Creek, and up the creek-valley. The day was 
very wet and cold, and desirous as I was of again looking at the Grand Caiion, I was unwilling to 
impair my vivid recollection of it by seeing it for the last time deprived of its marvelous wealth 
and brilliancy of color. 
As we neared the belt of hills stretching nearly east and west across the trail, and commenced 
to ascend the shoulder of one of them, we were greeted with a sharp burst of hail, followed by suc- 
cessive gusty showers. The rain made the mountain-trail a hard one, turning the rich, black mold 
in the narrow bridle-path to a slippery mud, and making the up and down grades equally severe on 
the animals. The trail gradually ascends from the head of Cascade Creek to the divide between 
two mountains, thence following partly the valley of another creek, which rises nearly at the sum- 
mit of the divide, descends a long winding slope, with many fatiguing and unnecessary rises and 
falls, until the west part of Mount Washburne is reached. Ascending this rap- 
idly but laboriously to the shoulder, we were in a few minutes enveloped in a 
blinding snow-storm from the west ‘and north, which forbade another ascent to the summit of the 
mountain, and continued until we were about to descend from the Elephant’s Back. The ther- 
mometer fell below freeziug, the wind blowing in furious gusts, and the snow occasionally turning 
to hail, with frequent splashes of rain. As we were about leaving the Elephant’s Back, half- 
frozen and entirely discontented with the weather, a change took place. A rift suddenly opened 
in the clouds to the northward, and rapidly widening disclosed the mountain-tops brilliantly white 
with fresh-fallen snow, which reflected the clear rays of the sun; the dense strata of clouds drifting 
black and heavy beneath: the sun soon after reached us with grateful warmth. 
The trail winds rapidly down to Tower Creek, just before reaching which two deer were seen, the 
only game animals we encountered in the park. A number of trout were taken at the mouth of the 
creek, and we were much disappointed to find that out of twenty-five cooked for supper two certainly 
were affected by the worm previously mentioned. It has been hitherto stated, and generally 
believed, that the wormy trout were confined to the lake and river above the falls. It afterward 
‘appeared that one captured in Cottonwood Creek between Ellis and Baker, and several from Deep 
Creek east of Baker, were affected in the same way. Camp was made at the former place on 
Meadow Brook, and rain came on again in the evening. 
August 26.—A visit was paid to Baronet’s Ranch, across the bridge, in the forks. We found 
Baronet’s Ranch there a large collection of specimens from Amethyst Mountain, on the east side of 
at the bridge. the river, a locality which we had not time to visit. The specimens were mainly 
impure amethysts and forms of quartz chalcedony, &c. 
The weather continued unpropitious as ever, and in a drenching rain the back trail up Meadow 
Trail from the Brook was resumed. In such weather, the trail is difficult and in places not a little 
gomidge” | pack to dangerous. It leads along and ascends slopes of clay which the rain makes exceed- 
Springs. ingly treacherous and slippery, where a misstep would -precipitate a mule with 
its pack or a horse with its rider down several hundred feet. A great improvement could be 
made with comparatively little labor by widening the trail and placing rocks on its outer edge. Rain 
fell all day, with occasional intervals of sunshine; the trail over the broad rolling divide between 
the Yellowstone and Gardiner’s River affording a good road, however, even in such weather. The 
Gardiner’s River Falls were passed, and the long, sloping descent made into the valley, out of which 
we again climbed to the springs, just before reaching which camp was made. The rain lasted all 
night with great severity ; the temperature steadily falling nearly to the freezing-point. Soon after 
our arrival, an ambulance from Ellis reached the springs, bringing Major Benham and his wife, who 
were about to make a tour of the park. 
August 27.—Leaving Lieutenant Thompson in charge of the party, I took the ambulance, and 
accompanied by Mr. Wood set out for Ellis, desiring to precede the party and gain time by having 
transportation ready to take us on to Carroll. The mountains and hills were covered with heavy 
snow but two or three hundred feet above us. The roads were exceedingly muddy and slippery; 
fresh rain falling at intervals during the day. At the toll-house, a certified memorandum of the 
Government transportation taken over the road was given to the proprietors. The tolls charged 
each way were $5.50 for a six-mule team, $4 for a four-mule team, and $1 for a single animal. 
Mount Washburne. 
