1676 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 



• 



very deep ravines and cuts, over which it is almost impossible to pass even with horses. 

 Gamp was made on the East Fork of Big Dry : water and grass plenty ; wood scarce. 



On the 15th, marched 19 miles to the East Fork of Sunday Creek, the road being 

 much better than the two previous days. No wood; plenty of water; grass not very 

 good. 



On the 16th, marched 14.35 miles to Sunday Creek over a very good road. The 

 country about Sunday Creek is very poor, consisting mostly of '-bad lands." The soil 

 is filled with alkali. The water is very bad, giving the troops dysentery and causing: 

 considerable sickness. The bottoms are very narrow and covered with sage-brush. 

 and cactus. Grass is poor, wood scarce. From this time until the 31st the command 

 was camped on Sunday Creek, moving down stream every few days far enough to get 

 fresh grass, wood, &c. 



On the 31st, moved 16.75 miles down stream to its mouth, camping on Yellowstone 

 where a meadow of splendid grass was found and plenty of wood. The Yellowstone 

 water was a grateful relief to the alkali compound which we had been drinking. Re- 

 mained in this camp until the 10th of August, when the command was moved 4 miles: 

 down stream for fresh grass, <fec. Scarcely had camp been established when orders- 

 came to move up to Tongue River, distant 16.55 miles. The command camped oppo- 

 site Tongue River that night. The cause of the move was that a report of the Nezr 

 Percys Indians were coming through Montana and heading for the Judith Basin,,, 

 when Colonel Miles ordered Colonel Sturgis with six companies of his regiment to 

 start for the Judith Gap on the morning of the 12th. Preparations were made for- 

 taking ten days 7 rations from this point, with the intention of procuring thirty days' 

 more at the mouth of the Bighorn. The route was along the Yellowstone to Pom- 

 pey's Pillar, whence it diverged across to Muscleshell, and up that stream to the gap. 



On the 12th, the command moved 18.50 miles, to a camp on banks of the Yellow- 

 stone, the road being very good with the exception of the descent to river-bottom, five 

 miles above Tongue River, which is very steep ; and although it is not very difficult 

 to descend, is very bad for team going down stream. The bottoms are covered with a 

 luxuriant growth of grass, which is very easily cut, the ground being level and easily 

 passed over by mowers. Out from the bottoms, on the north side, the country is un- 

 dulating, but on the south side very much cut up and intersected by deep ravines. 



On the 13th, marched 26.46 miles itp the Yellowstone, only leaving the river-bottom?, 

 for 3 miles, the ascent to and descent from plateau being gradual. The road was- 

 very good throughout, but in wet weather there would be some difficulty at crossings. 

 The Yellowstone from 50 miles above its mouth to the mouth of the Bighorn has 

 very little variety ; the same character of bottoms covered with same kind of timber :. 

 frequent sloughs from main stream form islands covered by a dense growth of cotton- 

 wood. 



On the 14th, marched 33.01 miles to the mouth of Froze to Death Creek. The road 

 was very good, with the exception of descent to river-bottom 4 miles from camp, which 

 was very steep. Grass was scarce at camp, but this was due to the fact that the Crows 

 had been there only a short time before and their herds had eaten the grass off. A # 

 great many carcasses of ponies and dogs were seen here that had been killed or 

 drowned by hail-storm which had fallen while the Crows were encamped there. 



On the 13th, marched to the ferry, 5 miles above the mouth of the Bighorn. The 

 descent to river-bottom, 4 miles from camp, w r as very difficult. The crossings, small 

 streams, are difficult, in most cases requiring bridges, the material for which can be 

 found at hand. The ferry is owned by a civilian, and consists of a flat with a rope 

 stretched across the river worked with block and tackle. The depot for supplies 

 destined to Forfc G. A. Custer is on the south bank of Yellowstone, from which point 

 to the post I was told there was a very good road. From the mouth of the Bighorn 

 the country changes decidedly, becoming rough and broken. The hills are covered 

 with a scrub growth of pine and cedars. The Yellowstone water is much clearer. The- 

 valleys are narrow but very fertile. 



On the 16th, marched 8.i2 miles up stream over a very rough and broken country. 

 The right-line distance between the two camps is not more than 3 miles, but a detoui 

 from the river is necessary in order to find a road. Camp was made in the valley, with 

 plenty of wood, water, and grass. The ravines are very dee]), with cat banks, which 

 render the road very difficult. From Cedar Butte a good view is obtained of the sur- 

 rounding country, taking in the mouth of the Bighorn and its course to the Bighorn 

 Mountains, distant about 90 mile's. 



On the 17th, the march was continued up the Yellowstone to Pompey's Pillar (24.24 

 miles) over a very broken country, which is exceedingly difficult in wet weather. 

 The Yellowstone Valley averages about 2 miles in width, and a road has been made 

 along (here from the Upper Yellowstone, a ferry having been established at Bakein?s 

 Battle-ground. Pompey's Pillar was formed by a change in the channel of the river, 

 enl i ing off a point of the hills, and is situated about midway of the channel. It rises 

 ahoui 80 feet from the water-level, is nearly circular, with a diameter of 75 yards at 

 the base. The eiirivn! of the river is very rapid and water very char. 



