FROM FORT BENTON TO THE FLATHEAD CAMP. 
307 
miles from the fort. This river is a wide and deep stream, that rises in the Belt mountains, 
which here form the most eastern range of the Rocky mountains, and empties into the Missouri 
just below the mouth of the Judith river. It winds through a most beautiful valley of ten miles 
in width, the grass of which we found very high, excellent, and green. This river is about forty 
to fifty yards wide, and between two and four feet deep, with a very rapid current; the current 
is much more so where we struck it than that of the Missouri itself. The stream during the 
high-water season, judging from the portion of the bed at present dry, is about one hundred and 
twenty yards wide; the water is perfectly clear and limpid. This stream is exceedingly well 
wooded, the trees growing in the greatest abundance on its banks being cotton-wood, willow, and 
wild cherry. Where we struck the river, which was below its two forks about one mile, the bed 
of the stream has a gravelly bottom. Large quantities of gravel are also to be found on its 
banks, forming in some places a purely gravel formation. About five miles before striking the 
Muscle Shell we found a large bed of gray sandstone that outcropped from the bluffs or hills of 
the prairie, which was highly impregnated with iron. This has been the only rock that has 
been observed since leaving the Highwood mountains. 
The night of this day was mild and pleasant; very little frost during the night, but towards 
morning it became very cold. 
September 14, 1853.—Commences very cold and cloudy. At half past 4 a. m. the thermometer 
stood at 38° Fah., the appearance of the clouds in the w r est giving indications of rain. The air 
from the Snow mountains this morning we found exceedingly chilly, making an overcoat quite 
comfortable. We resumed our march at G.30 a. m. During the evening of the previous day we 
examined to see if the Flathead camp had passed the Muscle Shell below the point where we 
struck it. Our guide examined on both sides of the river, and finding no trail on either side, we 
concluded that their camp must be still up the river. We had heard they were on the river, 
above the forks; so we turned our horses’ heads up the river in search of their camp, which 
course we pursued for four miles, when we found unmistakable evidence that they had gone down 
the river. Retracing our steps, we followed the river along the left bank for nineteen miles, to 
our noon halt. After journeying six miles below our camp of last night, we fell upon a camping 
ground of the Flatheads, which we supposed they had left about three days before. About the 
same distance farther down we fell upon a second camp they had left, where we had nooned. 
The valley of the Muscle Shell river still continues to be well grassed and well wooded, the 
cotton-wood still abounding; the stream retaining its general width. When journeying down the 
river, we passed the mouth of the fork from the southwest that rises in the snow mountains. The 
northwestern fork takes its rise in the main chain of the Belt mountains. The southern fork is 
well wooded, by which means you can trace it far along in the distance, as it rounds through 
the valley to the base of the mountains. 
At our nooning of the day, there was to our left, rising from the bluffs of the valley of the river, 
a high and wooded ridge, extending to the Highwood mountains, the wood being principally of 
pine. 
Having found that the trail of the Flatheads crossed the Muscle Shell, we passed to the opposite 
bank, when we entered a very rough and rugged country, crossing a short prairie in the interval. 
About two or three miles after leaving the Muscle Shell we passed a high ridge of rocks, covered 
with pine. This ridge was about three hundred feet high above the valley. This was only the 
commencement of the bad lands that extended back from the river for a distance of many miles. 
Ascending a high peak in following the trail, we could see far into the distance, but no sign whatever 
of the Flatheads met our view. The appearance of the trail indicated that it was at least six 
days old. I here concluded that with my pack-animals it would be impossible for us to overtake 
them at our present rate of travelling, so we went into camp, which I placed in charge of Mr. 
Burr, and early the next morning started with the Piegan guide, mounted on two of our best 
horses, in search of their camp. This we followed for a distance of about eighty miles southeast 
