TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 11 
The party, after three days’ detention at Bismarck, embarked on the steamer Josephine the even- 
ing of July 5, and sailed early on the morning of the 6th. Directions had been save Bismarck on 
given Sergeant Becker to make a survey of the river while going up. This was  *¥e Josephine. 
continued during the day; but as night fell, and the boat continued to run, it was found impossible 
to take the necessary compass-bearings to points in advance. 
Fort Stevenson, eighty-four miles from Bismarck, was reached at midnight. Here Lieutenant 
Thompson and Reynolds landed for the purpose of procuring some necessary Fort Stevenson, 
articles, intending to join the boat again at Fort Berthold, which, although twenty- ?4* 
five miles above Stevenson by water, is only seven or eight miles by land. 
July 7.—At 5 a. m., the boat reached Berthold, and stopped for two hours to land some freight, 
and Lieutenant Thromisot and Reynolds again came on board. Berthold is the 
agency for the combined tribes of Rees, Gros Ventres, and Mandans, who occupy 
iu common a village built on the north bank of the river, surrounding an old stockade of the North- 
western Fur Company, which had formerly a trading-post here. At that early hour, the village was 
still asleep, and a stroll through it resulted only in arousing the numerous Indian curs that with 
snarls and threatening aspect resented the intrusion. 
July 8.—Was hot and uneventful. Toward afternoon, the mosquitoes became more and more 
troublesome, and at night forbade sleep. About 11 p. m., the boat was stappetttor the purpose of 
landing Reynolds (who had his horse with him), and disnatobing him in advance to Fort Buford, 
with a note to the post-quartermaster for supplies and one to the post-surgeon. A member of the 
party had been severely attacked with a disorder brought on by the heat and the effect of the river- 
water, which it is injudicious for one unaccustomed to its use to indulge in freely. 
July 9.—Arrived at Buford, three hundred miles above Bismarck, at 3 a.m. The surgeon, Dr. 
Middleton, kindly came down at once and announced that the invalid was suffer- 
ing from a sharp attack, and that it would be in a high degree dangerous for him 
to proceed. I made preparations at once to go ashore and remain until the next succeeding boat, 
which would pass in a week or ten days, should enable me to continue the journey. 
Meanwhile Lieutenant Thompson would be in charge of the party, and instruc- 
tions were given him to proceed to Carroll and examine thoroughly the neighboring country. A 
full opportunity would at the same time be afforded to determine the latitude and risntaneuetitianio: 
longitude of Carroll as a starting-point for the survey of the Carroll road, thence at Ag pares 
to Camp Baker, which might then be proceeded with immediately on my arrival. 
July 15.—The Josephine returned to Buford from Carroll, having safely landed the party, and 
brought a note from Lieutenant Thompson to the effect that the Indians had been —yyas from Carroll 
very troublesome on the Carroll road, had run off a drove of forty mules belong- — teceived at Buford. 
ing to the Transportation Company, and had even boldly invaded Carroll and attempted to steal 
horses from the picket-rope. 
I received information also that three recruits of a large detachment which had recently gone 
up the river, destined for Fort Shaw, had been killed in the immediate vicinity of Camp oe sev- 
enty-five miles ‘out of Carroll. 
Under the circumstances, and feeling some apprehension for the safety of the party, whieh had 
an escort of ten men only, it was weary waiting at Buford for the next boat up, the arrival of which 
was delayed from various causes, until I had nearly determined upon the overland trip of two hun- 
dred and seventy-five miles to Carroll, dangerous as this would have been, on account of the activity 
of the Indians and their large numbers in the vicinity of Fort Peck. However, the tart again on the 
Key West at last arrived, on the morning of the 23a; and, hastily getting on Key West. 
board, the journey was resumed. Wolf Point, the Assiniboine agency, was reached at 10 p. m. of 
the 24th, and Fort Peck, the general up-river agency for the Sioux, on the evening of the 25th. 
Peck, one hundred and eighty miles above Buford by water, stands on a narrow plateau of the 
north bank of the river, almost overhung by the hills in rear. The buildings are 
of logs, one story, and inclosed within a stockade. This agency is the most consid- 
erable on the Missouri River. I was informed that from 8,000 to 10,000 people were fed there. 
The distance to the hostile camps of Sitting Bull on the Yellowstone is not much in excess of 
one hundred miles, and intercourse is easy and not infrequent. It seems more than probable that 
Fort Berthold. 
Fort Buford, Dak. 
Stop at Buford, 
Fort Peck. 
