358 
ITINERARY OF ROUTE FROM FORT UNION TO FORT BENTON. 
Earth river. Camp near a small pond, with rather scanty grass; no wood. A 
large camp of the Assiniboins in the immediate vicinity. 
July 28.—Country generally rolling and hilly ; knolls stony; night encampment 
on a small tributary of White Earth river, a sluggish rivulet, with scarcely a per¬ 
ceptible current, filled with reeds and rushes. No wood at camp, but obtained from 
a gulley some eight miles back on the route. 
July 29.—Through nearly level country to a small, marshy lake. A wet, marshy 
ground lies on the left, and about a mile back from the lake, on the route, are two 
prominent knolls or hills. 10 
The balance of the day’s journey is over an undulating and hilly country, the 
route for a great part of the way keeping in a valley between the hills. Camp 
with water and grass; no wood. 13J 
July 30.—Rolling and hilly country, with stony knolls, throughout the day. 
Eighteen miles from camp, cross a small tributary of Muddy creek, fifteen feet wide 
and two feet deep. Scattered trees are to be found in the coulees near this stream. 
Several dry water-courses were passed in the course of the day, which probably 
in the time of freshets are occupied by brooks connecting with Muddy creek. Night 
camp, water and grass; no wood. 
July 31.—Rolling but not hilly country, with a scarcity of water. Ten miles 
and three-quarters from camp, water was found in a ravine, in pools. To the left 
and farther east, the country is more broken, and better watered. Night camp by 
a small, marshy pond; water poor; grass fair; no wood, and a scarcity of the 
“bois de vache”. 
August 1.—Descend to the Missouri and arrive at Fort Union. With the excep¬ 
tion of some three or four miles of hilly country near the end of the route, the 
road is remarkably smooth and easy, passing over high and hard prairie. Camp 
on the river-bottom below the fort; water from the Missouri—rather muddy; wood 
hauled for a short distance in carts; grass scanty; animals in the day-time kept 
on the hills bordering on the river-bottom. 
151 
m 
23£ 
23J 
20 £ 
16J 
Whole distance from St. Paul to Fort Union 
715£ 
28. Itinerary of the route from fort union to fort benton, by lieutenant donelson. 
Olympia, Washington Territory, February 18, 1854. 
Sir: Agreeably to your request, I have the honor to submit the following itinerary of a route 
for wagons from Fort Union, on the upper Missouri, to Fort Benton. 
Thinking that the object would be accomplished by stating the distances from point to point of 
those localities where it would be practicable to encamp, and by following this with such 
observations as seemed called for by the nature of the country, I have adopted that form for the 
itinerary. 
LOCALITIES AND DISTANCES. 
No. 
1 . 
6.5 miles from Fort Union. A prairie pond, destitute of wood. 
No. 
2. 
5.84 
“ Little Muddy river. 
No. 
3. 
15.524 
“ A small, wooded stream. One or two good camps between Nos. 2 and 3, and 
3 and 4. 
No. 
4. 
9.437 
“ Big Muddy river. Drift-wood. 
No. 
5. 
11.176 
“ A marsh near the Missouri. 
