1700 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 



water, but no wood in sight. Passing over several small branches of this creek which 

 wind among the foot-hills of the mountains at 6 p. m., after a march of 28.36 miles, we 

 finally encamp on one of them near the gay) or pass of the Little Rockies that tower 

 above us. This pass is the only one through these mountains, and not a little difficulty 

 is experienced in following its intricate windings. The weather to-night is much cooler. 



September 29. — Our camp last night was near the northwest extremity of the Little 

 Rockies. Starting long before sunrise this morning Ave move over that rolling coun- 

 try situated between these last named, and the Bears Paw Mountains, and cross several 

 small branches of People's Creek, with running spring-water, gravelly bottom, and no 

 timber. Plenty of deer, buffalo, and antelope are seen. At 11 a. m. we came to two 

 small lakes, respectively one-half and one-eighth miles in length, and half as wide. 

 They are shallow, probably permanent, and have clear water, not alkaline. Nearly 

 opposite these lakes, and a short distance from our trail, stand out prominently Medi- 

 cine Buttes, called by souk 1 Three Buttes; several hundred feet in height, they command 

 a fine view of the surrounding country. Ascending the steep side of the highest, and 

 clambering over and among the detached masses of loose trap rock, the top is finally 

 reached, and the fine view obtained well repays one for the fatigue undergone. The 

 Bear's Paw Mountains are plainly seen stretching toward the southwest and the Little 

 Rockies, a little east of north, to the northeast, and, many miles distant, the dim outline 

 of Wood Mountains in the British possessions are seen on the horizon. 



Continuing our march over a rolling country, we encamp on a small branch of Peo- 

 ple's Creek, with clear running water, and no timber in sight. The weather has grown 

 colder, and the storm, which yesterday threatened us, has arrived, snow to the depth 

 of several inches covering the ground. Before starting out on this campaign, the col- 

 onel commanding selected as his objective point the Bear's Paw Mountains, and then 

 hoped to strike the hostile Nez Perces Indians, endeavoring by a flank movement from 

 the Missouri River to surprise them on their march northward. Our camp lies con- 

 cealed in the foot-hills of these mountains, and scouts are sent out in every direction 

 with instructions to find, if possible, the trail of the Indians, and to be circumspect. 

 The distance marched to-day is 25.76 miles. 



September 30. — At 4.40 a. m. we break camp and move through the low foot-hills of 

 the Bear's Paw, crossing several small branches of People's Creek, and at 6.30 a. m. 

 halt for a few moments on the principal branch of this stream. It is about 10 feet in 

 width, with clear running water and gravelly bed. No wood is seen along its course. 

 The Bear's Paw Mountains differ from the Little Rockies in many respects. In appear- 

 ance the latter seem like one huge mass of rock with pine-crowned summits. The 

 Bear's Paw, on the contrary, are mountains of easy slope, separated by beautiful small 

 valleys or glens, and covered with a fair growth of grass. Here, too, the pine flour- 

 ishes abundantly. On the mountain-side occasionally crops out the unstratified 

 igneous rock, granitic and frappean principally. It is particularly noticeable that, 

 among the pines which cover the mountains aiidinthe cottonwood forests of the valleys, 

 the hum of the insect or song of the bird are never heard. All nature is in repose. 

 One seems to he tracing the airy colonnades of some deserted city of the past, which 

 is no longer tenanted by the living, and which, if the spirits of the dead ever frequent 

 it, 'tis without a sound or a murmur. Only is the impressive silence, the solitude, 

 broken in the agony of the storm, when a thousand strange and haunting voices 

 echo through its glades while the grand old trees wrestle with the winds. Soon the 

 trail of the Indian is discovered, leading northward out of the mountains. It is evi- 

 dently quite fresh, and this fact is confirmed by our scouts returning to report a smoke 

 seen about 6 miles in our front. The cavalry and mounted infantry are quickly ordered 

 forward, and. leaving a guard with the pack-train which is to follow, they dash over 

 the foot-hills of the mountains, anxious to meet the enemy that has made such a long, 

 strategical march in so masterly a manner. At 7 a. m. commences the battle of the 

 Bear's Paw. We find the Indian village on Snake Creek, a clear, running- water stream, 

 with gravelly bottom, and about 15 feet in width. Their camp is cut by ravines, which 

 wind among the hills that surround it to the high ground above. Already their chief 

 shows his generalship by taking possession of the highest hills and hiding his families 

 and warriors in the deepest ravines, from which we are met with a most withering lire. 

 Colonel Miles quickly sees and secures the most available points, advantageously dis- 

 posed with respect to the Indian village. Their pony-herd, captured in the first 

 charge, is in our possession, and the Indians are unable to escape. Our line gradually 

 approaches and surrounds the hostiles, and now we feel assured of ultimately securing 

 as well as punishing them. Our little command, which has suffered so severely dur- 

 ing the day, is now called on to bivouac for the night on the picket-line. The dark- 

 ness, occasionally lighted by the flash of a rifle, is impenetrable. The snow descends, 

 it hails, f hen freezes. There is no wood obtainable within (5 miles, consequently we 

 have no fires to relieve the cold or dry the stiffened, fro/en garments of the men, who 

 endure suffering with fortitude. "Prudence," it is said, "is the mother of safety." 

 We can compel ;i surrender by besieging the hostiles, thereby saving many valuable 

 lives, while we await the arrival of the train which was left on Fourchette Creek to 



