The

The bottom lands on the Missouri, along the western boundary of Iowa, as well as the prairie lands on either side, are very fertile. The valley of the Big Sioux, above its mouth, forms the continuation in direction of that of the Missouri below, and is said to be fertile. Hupan Kutey prairie, lying between this stream and the Vermilion, is low and fertile, and is about the last of the continuous fertile country as you advance up the Missouri, which here comes from the west. Above this the bottom lands of the Missouri are sometimes one and two miles wide, and will give but precarious support to an agricultural people; it is doubtful whether even this can be said of the high prairie lying back from the stream. On both sides of l'Eau qui Court, at its mouth, is a little of very beautiful country, and the Poncas raise considerable corn in this neighborhood, and winter here; it would furnish a handsome site for a military post. The same is true of the right bank of the Missouri, from White river to the Great Bend, at the former situation of old Fort Aux Cedres and Fort Lookout. Another eligible site is on the point ten to fifteen miles below the Shyenne. It is my opinion that no point above the Vermilion could be relied upon for many years to come to raise corn for the sup port of a cavalry post; above this it must be transported.

The crossing of the Missouri at low water is very difficult by any means. It cannot easily be forded, and shoals would prevent a boat from floating across, except she be of very light draft and small dimensions. I am convinced, however, from what I have seen during a season of unparalleled difficulties to navigation, that, with suitable preparation, the Missouri can always be relied upon as a channel to convey any necessary amount of supplies. The removal of some of the snags and boulders would greatly improve it, but even as it is, with a better knowledge of the channel on the part of those navigating it, and more suitably constructed boats, this stream would lose much of its terror to them.

L'Eau qui Court, during floods, throws out large quantities of sand, and leaves a bad bar in the Missouri. Another bad bar exists just below the mouth of White river, and some boulder obstructions are found in the Great Bend.

The wood used by steamboats above the mouth of the Big Sioux is cut by their crews as they proceed, and, consequently, only dead trees will answer. Such wood is most often in places inaccessible for steamboats in moderate stages of the river, and hence the great scarcity of it that is complained of. There is, nevertheless, wood enough for steam navigation for many years, and no scarcity would be felt if there were men to cut it in the autumn, and haul it to good landings in the spring.

My trip was made in the steamboat Clara, drawing 5 feet of water. She had to be lightened at the mouth of l'Eau qui Court, and again at the bar above the mouth of White river, and at the foot of the Great Bend.

She was 39 days from St. Louis to Fort Pierre.

The Clara was so hard to handle when the wind blew strong, that she frequently could not be kept in the channel. The requisites of a good steamboat for Missouri navigation are, a strong bottom, a boiler that burns the minimum amount of wood, as little as possible of top

hamper, wheels well forward, and considerable breadth of beam, so as to give as much control over her motions as possible. The Clara was the reverse of all this, but Captain Cheever, her commander, was a most skilful river man, and his untiring efforts overcame all difficul

ties.

The main rise on the Missouri occurs between April 20, and June 1. The Platte river is the most important tributary of the Missouri in the region under consideration; its broad and grass-covered valley leading to the west, furnishes one of the best wagon roads of its length in America. From its mouth to the forks, the bluffs are from two to five miles from the water, making an intermediate bottom valley of from four to eight miles wide. From the forks to Fort Laramie, the bluffs occasionally come down to the water's edge, and the road has to cross the points of the ridges. From Ash Hollow to Fort Laramie, the road is sometimes heavy with sand. Fine cotton wood grows along the banks, and on the islands, from the mouth to Fort Kearny; from here up it is scarce, and of small size. Cedar is found in the ravines of the bluffs, in the neighborhood of the forks, and above. The river is about a mile wide, and flows over a sandy bottom; when the banks are full, it is about six feet deep throughout, having a remarkably level bed; but it is of no use for navigation, as the bed is so broad that the water seldom attains sufficient depth, and then the rise is of short duration.

The water is sometimes so low, as was the case last season, that it can be crossed anywhere without difficulty, the only care requisite being to avoid quicksands.

The manner in which this stream spreads out over its entire bed in low water, is one of its most striking features, and it is peculiar to the rivers of the sandy region. A short distance above Fort Laramie, the Platte comes out from among the gorges and cañons, and its character there is that of a mountain stream.

Loup river, a large branch of the Platte, some 200 yards wide, is, where I saw it, in every respect similar to the latter below the forks, and a fine road could, without doubt, be made along its valley, which is about two miles wide. Its banks are low, like those of the Platte, but are much better wooded. The Pawnees lived in numbers on this stream, till the hostility of the Dacotas drove them from their homes. I have no knowledge of how far west this stream heads, but judge from its size that it must be about the meridian of Ash Hollow. It drains a portion of the Sand Hills, and has several large tributaries.

L'Eau qui Court or Rapid river has its source just west of Rawhide Peak, about twenty-five miles north of Fort Laramie, and flows for the most part through a sterile country. Where I crossed it, August 15th, it was about 200 yards wide, the banks one hundred and forty feet high, and the river difficult to approach. High precipices of soft, calcareous sandstone stood in places at the water's edge. The valley was very narrow, and it was impossible to course along it without frequently taking to the ridges. The water was clear and flowed swiftly over a sandy bed. In the side ravines, which are all filled with pine or scrubby oak, are numerous springs. The stream

might answer for rafting in the floods, but would furnish no navigation.

White river rises about 35 miles east of the source of Rapid river, and in about the same latitude. Its course for the first 15 or 20 miles is through a narrow gorge, thence it emerges into a broad, open valley, through which it flows for 90 miles, and then enters the high, precipitous cliffs of the Bad Lands; it winds through these to the South Fork, and thence to its mouth it has a beautifully wooded and grassy valley of about one mile wide. Below the Bad Lands, its valley cannot be followed without frequently taking to the high prairie bluffs. At the forks, the river is about 140 yards wide; a short distance above the mouth, about 200 yards. The south fork has large pines upon it, and so have most of the southern branches above this stream, and they are much resorted to by the Indians. The water from these streams is clear, and similar to Rapid river.

The Bad river, Wahpa Shicha, Teton, or Little Missouri river, is about 90 miles long, rising just east of the Bad Lands. The same difficulty is experienced as with the lower part of White river, if you attempt to follow along its valley. The valley is from one-half to one mile wide, well grassed and wooded. The bed of the stream is soft and miry, and generally not fordable. The approach to the valley is not difficult for wagons in dry weather. Cottonwood exists in considerable quantities mixed with willow, and in some places, ash and oak. Wild plum trees are abundant. A portion of this valley is adapted to raising Indian corn. When flooded, the river is from 25 to 40 yards wide, and cannot then be crossed without a good bridge or ferry. I am not informed of the extent to which it overflows its immediate banks, which are about 10 feet high. This stream flows through a section abounding in salt springs, and salt incrustations are almost everywhere visible, but the water is generally palatable. Big Shyenne, Washté Wahpa or Good river, rises west of the Black Hills. The north fork, it is said, breaks through, as in the case of Laramie river. The forks are about 100 miles from the mouth. The south fork rises not far from the source of l'Eau qui Court. After leaving the Black Hills this stream flows between high clay bluffs, winding about in its valley, and is in many respects similar to White river and Bad river, being difficult to pursue with wagons. The stream near its mouth is about 200 yards wide, the bottom is generally muddy, and not easily crossed. Fine cottonwood exists along its banks, and pine on its sources in the Black Hills. The stream could be used for rafting.

The Rivière à Jaques, or James river, rises near Mini Wakan, or Devil's lake, in latitude 47° 30' north, and flows through a valley about one mile wide, the stream in the lower part being 80 yards wide. It entirely overflows its valley at high water, and must then be ferried. There is a rapid formed by boulders nearly in the direct line from Sioux city to Fort Pierre, which makes a good crossing when the river is low. Below this, loaded wagons cannot cross without a bridge or ferry. Canoes can navigate this stream at all times, and steamboats could go a long way up at high water. There is not

much wood on its banks, and the country bordering is not valuable, for agricultural purposes, and posseses few resources.

The Vermilion has a good ford nearly in a direct line from Fort Pierre to Sioux city, the stream being about 20 yards wide; below this point it is difficult to ford. The valley is broad and not all overflowed.

There is some timber along its margin, and the country adjoining is fertile. I consider it about the western limits of agricultural lands. The Big Sioux is a fine large stream, about 150 yards wide at its mouth; the water is from two to three feet deep in low stages; bottom muddy, and not fordable. The soil of the land bordering it is good and productive, and the stream is fringed with cottonwood. It will no doubt be valuable for steamboat navigation. A ferry is being established at its mouth.

ROUTES, TRANSPORTATION, &c.

From Fort Leavenworth to Fort Kearny there is a good prairie road, with a ferry on the Blue river. The road from Fort Kearny along the south side of the Platte to the crossing of the south fork, is perfectly level and well broken; the ground, a few inches below the surface, is gravel or sand, and ordinary rains do not seriously affect it. In crossing the divide from the south fork to the north, we gain the summit by easy slopes, but the descent is very sudden into Ash Hollow on the north fork, and it would be almost impracticable to take a loaded wagon up this steep. Ash Hollow is bounded on all sides by rocky escarpments from 50 to 100 feet high, and much labor would be required to make a permanently good road for getting down to it. The route this far is the one usually followed by the emigration which leaves the western part of Missouri for Oregon and California, and it continues usually along the south side of the north fork to Laramie river, which is crossed by a good bridge.

We crossed the north fork at Ash Hollow, and passed up on the north side, which is probably preferable when the river is low enough to be easily crossed. The Mormon emigration, and that which leaves the vicinity of Kanesville, Iowa, I am informed, strikes across the country to the Platte, follows this to the mouth of Wood river, then up this stream to near its source and crosses to the Platte again in the vicinity of Big Cottonwood Spring, and continues on the north side all the way to Fort Laramie. This route has to cross the Elk Horn, a stream about 30 yards wide, and Loup Fork, 200 yards wide, which, when flooded, must be ferried over, and perhaps might not be passable for many days at a time. This route, I am informed, is quite heavy and difficult during wet seasons. If it should be used to supply Fort Laramie the stores would have to be crossed over the north fork of the Platte, but at a point so near the Fort that they might be left on the north side in charge of a detachment from the garrison. The route along the south side of the Platte has at least to cross the south fork, which, in the time of melting snows and spring floods, would occasion serious delay. I am not, therefore, prepared to say whether Fort Laramie could be best supplied from Fort Leavenworth, or from the

points of starting of the Mormon emigration near Florence, above the mouth of the Platte; the distance of land transportation is in favor of the latter. The scarcity of wood along the Platte is a serious objection to winter travel. The bottom, along which the road lies, is very seldom overflowed. I think it altogether probable that a good route could be found leading up Loup Fork towards its source, and then crossing over to the Platte-it should be examined.

It was thought that the route from Fort Pierre to Fort Laramie might be used to supply the latter post, the stores being transported by steamboats up the Missouri. I believe the steamboat transportation perfectly practicable up to Fort Pierre for any requisite amount of provisions and stores, yet they could not be relied upon to reach there before the 15th of July, and the cost would be considerable. The land transportation would then be 323 miles. But the road, even in good seasons is rough and contains numerous hills, requiring heavy hauling, and in wet seasons would be almost impassable, as it lies throughout in a clay region. For 12 miles on the head of White river, the road is in the last degree bad at all times; there is reason. however, to think that this portion could be avoided. But when we consider that the train for transportation from Fort Pierre to Fort Laramie must be procured from the States at a distance of 500 to 600 miles, it is doubtful if at any time economy would select this route as a channel through which to supply Fort Laramie.

Very much in the same light must we view the project of supplying Fort Laramie from the mouth of Rapid river, supposing a post estallished at that point, viz: the distance one hundred to four hundred miles, from which the means of land transportation must be obtained and the probable difficulties of the route itself. This proposed road would have to keep on the divide north or south of Rapid river, and most probably to the north, or if it entered the valley would be forcel to cross the stream frequently, or take again to the bluffs. Unlike the Platte, or the main portion of White river now followed by the Pierre and Laramie road, the Rapid river has no continuous broad valley on either side, and could not be followed by wagons at the points at which I have visited it. A better route would no doubt be found along the valley of Turtle Hill creek, a branch of l'Eau qui Court, to near its head; it must then take along the divide between White and Rapid rivers, of the nature of which I am not informed. Wood will no doubt be found on all the streams along this route, but we should have to make frequent detours to find camps if we are confined to the divide.

The country is sandy and the road would be good in wet weather: there is undoubtedly good grass.

The route from Fort Pierre to Fort Kearny in summer answers very well for light vehicles or pack trains, and wood, water, and grass are sufficient for travelling purposes; the large streams, however, that have to be crossed, and which, when flooded, would occasion delay, as well as the difficulties of the sand hills, render this route unfit for more than the ordinary communications between posts.

The direct route from Sioux City to Fort Pierre, by the way of Fire Steel creek, is very good; there is a ferry at the mouth of the Big