373 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



as the prqs 3C lulei am ii 



mi i i ' . ;oui tier) ■ ' a '•''■' I '"■ ' 



. i' in i ■ u M i '- 



Tliofirsi to be '■'..,, i t, mil i ilu r»uigcm, ■■ idem I iv where out of France. 



I fin ■■'' '■ ■■ "'" I '' to UK-, at Icasl a .■. f ii di e 



. , , ... ; • . .,■ | . | • | I 



ii , i , 'i tli< ii.i •!■. en i«t dasln tl off. "] ri ha 1 i ' which, at- 



iiTut races here," thought I as l cosl tracl Lhi eye, i .' ofrei Eron tin oars ne ■ lihat 



r>1 Be< n 1 1 ■ ■ ■'! i '■" ■■ haraotei nila endexvou i smi ofh i lountrici 



in id out." As the -ilk 5 came [j ; ■ ■ 



o] ii. ■ fori j ii- is i - 



- 1 opportunity of noticing the equestrianism 



i.i i ■■ ■ i ■ -.-■ ■■:! i.o In' French jockeys. The m ml tw-3 



;. i the "seal" was a- most 

 .. English one, ana wondered al II 

 cavaliers 1. bad seen in the OhampaBlyste .mm. 



! tactically in their horsemanship from their British 

 kindred, As soon as the steeds disappeared amidst the shrub- 

 bery, I turned to a good-natured sergean .unl asked 

 Jam. if the riders were frenchmen. "No." saidlie; "wenave 



jockeys in steeple-chases or bun lle-i 

 ail English and Irish." " How is that?" 1 asked; "can't you 

 train Frenchmen to ride V " Oil yes," was the answer: ' ' but 

 you see we can secure experienced talent from England in less 

 expense than it would take to train men here; hut besides 



that, it might be as well to Say thai the French arc not by any 

 meansas good horsemen as the English. The latter are the finest. 

 cavaliers hi the world," said he" admiringly, "and we can 

 never compete with them, " Commenting on the comparatively 

 easy character of the leaps, I asked him if they had no "in- 

 and-outers ?" He did not understand me at first, as I knew Of 

 no idiom in French that would express the phrase, but by 

 making signs with mj : hands, and putting them through im- 

 aginary bounds I soon made him comprehend my idea. "Ah! 

 la double banquette," said he, with the air of a man who had 

 just awoke from a dream, "we have none." "Why not?" 

 said I, "they prove both the power of the horse and the 

 cleverness of the rider." "No doubt," was the res] 

 ' ' but they proved so dangerous here to both men and horses 

 that they" are no longer used. They are known to us as the 

 Irish leap ; but as We are not Irishmen we don't care to risk 

 our necks for nothing except, a display of mere reckless 

 courage." By the time this conversation was ended the horses 

 were approaching the winning post, so I hastened in that di- 

 rection with hundreds of others, but soon found nryself buried 

 amid carriages. I could neither advance nor retreat then 

 without much inconvenience to myself and others. A lady 

 seated in a carriage pointed out my dilemma to her husband, 

 I must he a foreigner, kindly 

 iu in order that "I might.be 

 ..'!;.. accepted the invitation, 

 a very pretty bit of running 

 ipetitors. They ran neck- 

 when the Sag was dropped 

 A minute later, however, 

 f the winner an I the c an- 



■■■■. would increase the com- 

 liters and the weight of their own purse. 



and 



and he, 



invited me to a place in his Ian 

 able to witness the finish. I 

 and was fortunate enough to b 

 between three out of the four 

 and-neek Up the homestretch, 

 it was hard to lell which had'v 

 the board announced the numl: 

 ment went around " GYsi It chceal Anf/Uus." If 

 won every race it would evidently be taken a 

 course, judging by the great leaping powers act 

 the critics. Although this race was closely rui 

 won, the people displayed no excitement, and 

 finished they strolled over the lawn with as mu 

 as if no exciting events were on the card for 

 Bcending from my perch 1 followed the moving multitude, 

 and soon learned that the races had vanished from their 

 memory as if by magic, and that they were now bent on en- 

 joying 'the magmficent. landscape that stretched before them 

 as far as the hills of St. Cloud, or the loveliness of the park in 

 which they were loitering, This power to escape readily 

 from one scene to another seems a strong characteristic of the 

 people, and must be a source of much pleasure to them if it is 

 true thai " variety is the spice of life." The care taken to 

 prevent, persons from enjoying the sport without paying for it 



and gallantly 

 when, it was 

 ih indifference 



the clav. De- 



was well exemplified by t 

 paced up ami down the banqut. 

 would uot permit anybody outs 

 mount the grassy slopes of the 

 they might indulge in a pleasui 

 The contrast between America 

 illustrated by this incident. J 

 g atee soldiers mounting guard 

 to keep the "deadheads " awfo 

 along the course and avenues t( 

 or an indulgence in the pleasun 

 Of the throng inside it might 



[ Kb 



■utinels that 

 s fortifications. They 

 .•alls of the course to 

 unifications, for fear 

 ich they In 



■ ■■■ company of United 

 i "free hill." at Jerome Park 

 or a troop of cavalry posted 

 uevent a breach of the peace 

 of political assemblies. 



.Hi., nate that though by 

 no means oeionging to tne ar tocra i lasses, yet i ! i"' • 

 dressed, more cheerful or a politer body of pi-oplc <"•■ 

 found throughout the world. The-Humber of carriages pres- 

 ent was comparatively quite small, and among them I did 

 one bearing American or English occupants. This 

 is due j a .'i'"i' measureto the fact that the races are run. on 

 Sunday, and John and Jonathan do not care to attend the 

 i Lings from conscientious motives. 



The races thai Eollov •' h B ji ere ■ ixly of a cha 



i.mc Mffia :- i". i all, except \w 



War Foraif cent] ! ! 

 SURVEYING THE DEADWOOD ROUTE. 



ON the 4th inst. His Excellency Gov. Pennington did me 

 the honor to appoint me one of three commissioners to 

 accompany Lieut, CoL FredD. Grant, A- D. C, to Gen. P. II. 

 Sheridan (detailed for thai purpose) upon an exploring expedi- 

 tion up the Missouri, having for its object an examination of 

 the river bank at Fort George, at Fort Pierre and at Ghantier 



Greek, with the routes from the twi lAftl : " 



ward the Black Bills: and, also, to penetrate the country 

 from Fort George as far west as' practicable, that 9 suitable 

 route might be found, if possible, and permanently located as 

 a post road across the Indian reservation from the Missouri 

 Biver to the Black Hills mining districts. 



The party Consisted of Lieut, Col. Grant, Gen. W. n. H. 

 Beadle, Hon. M. W. Bheafe and the writer, Commissioners. 

 M. N. Huyt, Esq., general business manager, a guide ;".'.), sur- 

 veyor and teamster— eight persons in all — with a heavy wagon 

 containing a ton or less of supplies, tent, etc., and a light two- 

 seat wagon for the "tender feet." 



Wednesday morning, June (3, found us all on board the 

 steamer Durfee, urging our way against, the strong current of 

 the " Big Muddy;" and a look at our surroundings discovered 

 we were in the midst of a motley crowd — army officers and 

 their families, Indian traders and agents, priests, deacons and 

 doctors, mayors of cities, gamblers and greenhorns, and last, 

 but not least, a Chicago speculator, who conversed about op- 

 erations involving millions as coolly as if it were an every-day 

 matter with him to make or lose a million or two before din- 

 ner. The blue of the army contrasted in a striking mamier 

 with the corduroy of the Black Hiller, and rank or station 

 had very little to do with places at the table. An ex-Surveyor 

 General* had, as a room-mate, a pilot; a judge found the up- 

 per berth of his room occupied by a faro dealer, while the 

 worthy mayor of one of our most enterprising Western cities 

 spread his "blanket, on the floor, and successfully wooed the 

 drowsy goddess, in spite of the surroundings, 



Our" destination was Fort Pierre, situated on the south or 

 west bank of the Missouri River, some 300 miles (by water) 

 above Yankton, and the scenery, as we ascended, was full of 

 interest. 



The b I u lis follow the gena-al course of the river on both 

 sides, at some points rising abruptly from the edge of the 

 water sometimes to the height of two, OX even three hundred 

 feet ; their sides, bare and ragged, worn by the deluging rains 

 of centuries into the most fantastic forms, exposing the varied 

 colors of chalk, clay, lime, slate, oxide of iron, etc., again re- 

 ceding from the river leaving a bottom covered with lux- 

 uriant grass or the more thrifty willow ; ravines and gulches 

 penetratiHg the bluffs, Uned with the cotton wood and other 

 timber native to the region, presented to the writer an eve 

 varying, changing kaleidoscopic panorama, colored with the 

 heaven-given tints of the various grasses and Sowers — the 

 whole alternately flashing in the sun's rays or softened by 

 the cloudv shadows that swept over the scene. Our interest 

 in the peculiar geological foimationof the cliffs was much 

 by the lucid explanations as to cause, etc., by our 

 "military friend," amy seconded by the "philosopher" both 

 enthusiasts in geology and rniuerology. 



Aboiii eighteen miles above Yankton we pass the beautiful 

 farm of a Russian colony, or community, known as " Hut- 

 terisches Gemetue," or Butter Brothers, or Home, or House, as 

 variously translated. They are communistic in their ideas 

 and practices, and, pecuniarily al least, successful. I can 



under cover of -a ravine ; bill bl 



made evi ry ej e sparkle I . 



veins as i ■ 



our firs; 



twenty-two miles 1 , and felt like iyi i •■ i. ■ ■ ■ 



about 1 1.. 



our bo; .. ■ _■. . a aist 



camping j Camp Grant, in honor cga 



i lance 

 ■i tl 



. .... lis si ctioi by Gen. Sheri- 

 dan for . . . . lonel's 100 pouu. Ii 

 good service on more than one r i . , i ravine 

 i . Ii, and the safety! V I Of the entire parly iv:r ■ ■ I .. 

 "I Nimrod the first night they did i 

 together as wind camp, 

 The country ... 1 



Westward, and while we did not t-xper.t, an alUn k from I lii 

 tiles, yet we fell that the best way to avoid danger was to be 



fully prepared to meet it, and therefore each man took his 

 regular tour of duty. I had the pleasure, en our third day- 

 out, of seeing for the first time the young mallard dui 



About 12 si. we camped on top of a high ridge and I 

 spread out at our feet the bed of a lake, of several acres in 

 area, covered with ducks. We had no shot gun, but taking 

 my rifle, thought I might get some meat (which we needed,). 

 Approaching the lake closely 1 found the rushes and grass 

 filled with little ducklings swimming around and trying their 

 wings. Some could rise from the water a short distance; 

 others had seemingly just hatched. It was a most interesting 

 sight, even the old ducks being very tame. I presume They 

 had never been shot at. 



I do not think that region of country very good ; 

 except it oe wild fowl, although we saw quite a number of 

 antelope and a few deer. Saw some prairie chickens, and 

 large numbers of plover and curlew: but the Indians have- 

 depleted that whole region of all the larger animals. The 

 country is very beautiful, well watered, abounding ii 

 ant grass, bottoms of the creeks filled with cotto 

 willow, and is splendidly adapted for stock raising 

 ing, I he rolling nature of its surface affording natural drain- 

 age. After traveling some eighty miles westward from the 

 river, finding ourselves too near Bad River, v, || 1. 

 and gulches, we bore SOUth some ten miles toward the White 

 the 



River, finding 

 Was the distinguishing feat i 

 on the fifth day set our fat 

 Saturday night pitched our 

 Sunday morning found i 

 breakfast, four ponies and i 

 came into camp. We caug 

 the others evaded cm utn 



that one was more hotly 



few accidents, and nou 



; which the horse 



. did the jockey reeei 



■■■! merely 



Both horse and rider we 



by the sergmiM cfe offl 



former scarcely stumUet 



bter was lifted proi 



seemed to have been tak 



iiiice to the audit 



i ; :i-. used to the slo 



ited than another. Thei 

 of iiu-m were Berious. The only 

 fell was the water jump ; but in no 

 -- greater injury than an abrupt roll, 

 issed Hie go .mill raiher suddenly. 

 • attended to Immediately after a fall 

 on duly neai the leap, so that the 

 lie .. . . 



i to prevent either discomfort or in- 

 ice, or injury to man or horse, and 

 yenly and 'often pom ii 

 MM American courses, this produced a pleasant im- 

 pression. 

 After the races were over the horsemen who wei 



. . lawn all day took a dash i I I!" in -.e much to 



the amusement of the spectators; and as some of them came 



to grief they produced an immense aruoi 



Ihc English' speaking portion. The audience after leaving Ihc 



ml rush madly about, as they do in New York, in 



t in the train, bo . (3 along or 



mjoyed their glass of wine outside the doors of the wine 



shops. Carting. 



ons in bhu 



N. cuirass 



buxom 



iners, and 



scene dn .n 



■ah 



a multitude Of well-dressed people lined the 

 e railway station or to Pari.-, an 

 enough in Ioj md individuality jto attract 



the dullest mind. A I aoyi 1 onward will josHing, rude- 

 ness Or undue haste, I 'thought that a little of their quietude 

 would not be amiss in other lands to which my mind wandered. 



arious tribes of In- 

 dians whose reservations bordel the Missouri, but must ex- 

 i -nrpri.-i. at the evidence of civilization that every- 

 ii i, - Sue fields of wheat and corn, large 

 herds of cattle, wood cut and corded, and, most conclusive of 

 all. the fact that the " tepee" is being rapidly exchanged for 

 small but comfortable g oj board huts. 



It might in ■ ;:, to say that the. Indian policy of the 



gove i ■' "i i pursued for the lust Jewyears, has been a suc- 

 cess: but, certain it is, that more has been accomplished to- 

 - laation of the great mass, and christianization of 

 those within reach of such influences, than during the pre- 

 vious fifty years. To such gentlemen as Bishop Hare, llaj. 

 Gassman, f)r. Livingston and others, must bo ascribed all 

 praise for the results everywhere apparent on the reservations 



Fort Pierre We reached On the fifth day, having been de- 

 layed by high winds and want of fuel. This place, formerly 

 a trading post, is now occupied by a few persons who supply 

 the freighters a I others whoeonvey the great stores of grain, 

 Horn ami general merchandise shipped via t his route to the 

 Black Hills towns of Deadwood, Crook City, Rapid City, 

 Sheridan, etc. 



The place very much resembled an army depot of supplies : 

 the ware-houBe, where we landed, and the adjacent lots 

 covered with wagons, grain, agricultural implements, steam 

 i b id boilers, furniture, etc. ; tents and booths made of 



with their "hull-dozers," returned Black Hi . . 



the hills themselves); houses and stores of logs.- palaces and 



hotels of I...... .. . . i .i i ...■■■■.■. .■ ,.- ..... .. -.• 



signs reading "Meals ut all flours," "Pol.oes, Grain rx. Mele," 

 me "Bakry," ""Grand Central Hotel, " "St. Elmo," etc 



yihirng sr-,-niingly in inextricable confusion. At this place 

 Our "Kfimrod" joined us, bringing a heart overflow I 

 kindliness and a' fund of wit and good humor that added very 

 much to the pleasure of the trip. We remained on board dur- 

 ing the unloading of the Durfee. which thei IrTj . 



the river to the point known as i ort G orge, 



barked, and, aide' 

 i .iiiy due west through or over an almos' '. 



be fool, of white man has seldom, if ever before, 



trod the route over which we passed. Our route lay between 



Bad River, on the north, and White K.inh River souib. The 



earns running into the Bad Kiyer from the 



Fl ... .' 



with 

 •elers, 



ickeys 



same beautiful rolling prairie that 



■e of the first, part of our route, and 

 toward (he Missouri t:i 

 ut near Camp Grant once more. 

 ir, and while preparing 

 rule, with saddle and bridle en, 

 the mule aud one of the ponies ; 

 efforts to make them 

 '.i i :li ed long the propriety of retaining the estrays, think- 

 ing they might belong to some hovering baud of redskins, who 

 if they followed up the trail and found them in our | n 

 might assume that we had stolen them, and, knowing Mr. Lo 

 was not susceptible to reason or argument, felt uncertain as to 

 what was best in the premises; but. finally it was concluded 

 to retain the id drive the others info Pierre. Wc 



crossed Antelope Creek, soon struck an old t.ravics I 

 ing over the bluffs and alkali lands, reached Bad Ril 

 we forded, and got to Ft. Pierre early in the afternoon, 

 thoroughly tired out with a week's steady tramp, and BOOB 

 found owners for our ponies. We camped that, night near the 

 bluffs, but found sleep nearly out of the question." be 

 the clouds of mousquitoes that arose from the 

 descended. We broke camp very early Monday moi I ing 

 changed our heavy wagon for a light one, got rid of all super- 

 rage, and struck out over the bottomland 

 '■o--.. :. ;.:■ * ■ _■ ' b. :.... ■ . which we reached after a 

 rapid drive abOUl noon. Some ten miles from Pierre, Nimrod 

 sprang from the wagon aud dashed like a madman al 

 object running in the grass. T 



The driver, our military friend and the writer all joined in the 

 chase, finally securing the frightened little fcllov 

 h lulling cap (after much ground.and lofty tumbling) n. 



Chantier (as we named her') was soon secil] 

 acracker-bos, and, in imagination, already lhi ■ ■ 



ladj r in Yankton. Bui human expeetati 



. ■ f her prison, preferring, evidently, 



olci associations to new. 



Chantier Greek possessed anything but agreeable rtcollec- 

 tions to our worthy .Nimrod, as a few weeks previous to our 



,- i _ ., lemanin his employ, while guarding si 

 landed from a passing steamer,' waa shot and install 



by the Indians will po i"we ate 



our dinners, ami the vn-. rascals who did il . 

 , 

 I think we all experienced a feeling of relief wfteu we once 

 more stood on top of the bluffs nut of reach of (he murdering, 

 devils. 



That night, we camped on Willow Creek, ok. the Black Hills 

 road, returning to Pierre next day. 



The ride from Fl,. Pierre to Yankton on our return, a dis- 

 tance of over two hundred and fifty mile*. wh ; le 

 special incident, was one never to tie forgotten. Mo 

 way through Indian rusei i 



good, others bad, still others execrable. Noting the marked 

 difference between the condition of the late hostiles at Tank- 

 ton Agency and elsewhere, 5 since gathered to- 



lei • irf 



and at Yaukbat \\ ItC., under Majoi 



mtr ..ii- ml painted, hlauketed. and mm I 

 Indian ' v. 1 u mind with 



. supreme eonttsmpl P 1 I In .' hi li ivh 



Lapel at Yankfe 

 unto ours, we began b ■ 

 fact thai tl ■' was being rapii 



and the solution of til 

 We arrived 



fexclusi' . 

 sunburned fcu I hi 

 . 1 ;dce up 



■ »f thi 

 round of ib 



of over five hundred milea, 



is. but hard j 



. of life. 



ess trouble 



"I! I I, . I' 



hours' ride Oft] - fcj abi Undlng in game. 



11. Our rivers 



. 



Cm lew. atn' d .vihl fowi aanunl 



aii with theory of the wild goose, branl 



ing splendid sport lo lovers of Ml 



