University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XVIII.

VOYAGE FROM MUSCLESHELL RIVER TO FORT MC KENZIE, FROM JULY 28TH TO AUGUST 9TH.

We did not make any long stay at Muscleshell River, for after our hunters, who had made
an excursion into the neighbouring wood and prairies, returned, at noon, with a buffalo and an
elk, we proceeded on our voyage. Dechamp brought some impressions of shells, which abound
on these banks of the Missouri. Beyond a prairie where the hills, which were seventy or eighty
feet high, came close to the river, we found Mr. Bodmer and Dreidoppel employed in collecting
most interesting impressions of shells, and very beautiful baculites,[1] of the latter of which
there were large, very fine, opalescent specimens. The edge of the bank, which was scarcely
two feet broad, was covered with these fragments, which fall from the higher part of the rocky
wall. The prairie now alternated with woods of tall poplars, and these trees, probably, do not
form, in any part of the globe, such fine and lofty forests as they do here. Impressions of shells
and baculites were collected on the bank, the last of which, a painter, who lately travelled on the
Missouri, has stated to be petrified serpents.

On the following morning, the 29th of July, the river was rather turbid, and there must
have been heavy rain higher up. Nothing particular occurred on this day. At six in the morning
of the 30th, we came to a stream which is, doubtless, the Grouse Creek of Lewis and Clarke.
There were a couple of islands, which we took to be Lewis and Clarke's Pot Islands, and a
stream near them, for their Teapot Creek, a name which, like many others given by these
travellers, amused us much. We could not help observing that such names are not well chosen,
especially as it would not be difficult to find better ones, even by merely retaining the generally
harmonious Indian names.

Toward seven o'clock in the evening, as we were sailing by the eminences which resembled
the lower mountains of Switzerland, we were much surprised to see a boat, with three men,
which soon afterwards came alongside our vessel. It had on board, Doucette, the Blackfoot
interpreter, and two engagés, from Fort Mc Kenzie, who had been sent to meet us; they had
left the fort three days before, where they told us there were 150 tents of the Piekanns, or Blackfoot
Indians; the remainder of this tribe were scattered about Maria River. They likewise said
that the Fall Indians, or Gros Ventres des Prairies, had encamped on Bighorn River, to wait for
us: that those Indians, however, had not at this moment any articles for trade, but hoped to
receive some presents. This was no pleasant information for Mr. Mitchell, as he was not just
then in a condition to make many presents, and, besides, did not much trust those Indians. Not
far from the place where we now were, Doucette had shot a large bear, which was left on the
bank of the Missouri, a piece of news which was very agreeable to me, and of which I resolved
to take advantage.

This morning, the 31st of July, being very fine, I set out early, with Messrs. Mitchell and
Bodmer, Doucette, Dreidoppel, and the two brothers Beauchamp, all armed with rifles, or guns, to
look for the bear, which had been killed the day before. The engagés carried ropes and hatchets.
In the thick underwood and high grass of the forest, we first killed a rattlesnake, and, after proceeding
a good half league, reached the bank of the river, where we found the bear still
untouched. He was feeding on a buffalo cow, drowned in the river, when Doucette shot him
through the heart, on which he ran up the bank, which was about ten feet high, and fell dead at
the top. After taking his measure, the skin was stripped off, and the flesh cut from the bones,
to prepare the skeleton. The bones having been partly cleaned, were tied together, and drawn
up, by a rope, into a tree, intending to take them in our return, after they had been a little more
cleaned by the birds of prey and insects. As soon as this work was finished, we followed the
vessel, which, meantime, had got considerably the start of us; yet, in the prairie beyond the
wood, we stopped at a large, so called, village of the prairie dogs, to kill some of these animals.
They sat in parties of two or three on the flat little eminences of their burrows, uttered their cry,
which is not a bark, but a shrill squeak, and vanished. Making as little noise as possible, we sat

down near the burrows, and succeeded in killing six of these pretty animals, which are not so
shy here as at other places, and we often got within thirty paces of them. Laden with our booty,
and with the plants we had collected, we proceeded by the paths trodden by the buffaloes and
elks through the thick willow copses, along the river, and were just in sight of the keel-boat,
when, taking advantage of a favourable wind, it hoisted its sail, and left us no alternative but to
follow it as quickly as we could, for three or four hours. Our fatiguing way led through a
rough prairie, covered with hard grasses, with the epinette de prairie, helianthus, and prickly
cactus, through thick skirts of the forest, with a thorny undergrowth of roses, gooseberries, and
burs, where the fatigued and heated hunters refreshed themselves with the wild berries. We
then had to climb over rough sand-stone hills, sometimes obliged to slide down, and at length
reached the Missouri. On a wooded point of land, on the river side, we met with several of our
hunters, but the whole booty of our fatiguing day's work consisted of a wild goose, an owl, and
six prairie dogs. We had waded through many muddy, half-dry streams, and seen, in the blue
distance, the range of the Little Rocky Mountains, about thirty miles off. After our return to
the vessel, a herd of buffalo cows afforded another opportunity for a chase, and our hunters killed
two of them and a bull, which furnished us with some meat. On the 1st of August, early, Mr.
Mitchell sent two engagés to Fort Mc Kenzie, to give notice of our coming. We landed them
on the south bank, laden with their arms and beds. We lay to at the wooded island, called, by
Lewis and Clarke, Tea Island, in the channel on the north bank. As some elks had been seen,
the hunters were landed on the island, and in a short time we heard firing in all directions, and
in half an hour they had killed four elks, an elk fawn, and a young deer. On account of the
number of animals found on this island, we agreed to change the foolish name of Tea Island
to Elk Island. Mr. Mitchell, who had often travelled this way, always found the island full
of elks, and once, of buffaloes. On this day he brought from it a large eagle and a rattlesnake;
and Mr. Bodmer had taken, in the neighbouring prairie, a large Coluber eximus, above four
feet in length.

Near Lewis and Clarke's Bighorn Island, we again saw most singular summits on the hills.
Entire rows of extraordinary forms joined each other (Plate XXXV., Fig. 20), and in the laternal
valleys we had interesting glimpses of this remarkable scenery, as we were now approaching
the most interesting part of the Mauvaises Terres. I have already described these mountains when
speaking of the White Castles, but here they begin to be more continuous, with rough tops,
isolated pillars, bearing flat slabs, or balls, resembling mountain-castles, fortresses, and the like,
and they are more steep and naked at every step. Often one may plainly perceive hills or mountains
that have evidently sunk into the marshy valley. Many strata inclined at an angle of
30° to 60°, and others perfectly horizontal. The course of the Missouri among these mountains is
pretty straight, only narrow plains or prairies, covered with artemisia and the prickly bushes of the

pulpy thorn, lie on its banks before the mountains, which frequently come very near to the river,
with large blocks of sand-stone at their foot, between which fragments of selenite are always seen.
It were to be wished that the geologist and the painter might devote a considerable time to examine
this part of the country, step by step; they would furnish a work of the highest interest. In
many places the loose pieces had slipped down so as to form buttresses; in other parts the mountains
were spotted with groups of pines. We here collected several plants, and Mr. Bodmer
made a sketch of the mountain tops. (Plate XXXV., Fig. 28). The pretty striped squirrel, which
lives in small round holes in the clay walls, was here frequently seen, and I conjecture that, if
these mountains were closely examined, several species of this animal would be found. The
country was so interesting that we waited with impatience for the morning of the 2nd of August,
when a bright warm sunshine illumined the singular eminences which surrounded us. Several
sketches were taken of them, but very few in proportion to their number, for large folio volumes
might be filled with such representations. We saw several islands, among which was doubtless
Lewis and Clarke's Good Punch Island, a name which is unworthy of being transmitted
to posterity. It is, in fact, difficult to find all the islands mentioned by those travellers, as
many of them have certainly been since destroyed, and others arisen in their room. At seven
o'clock in the morning the thermometer was at 80°, and we came to a rapid, which we passed by
the aid of the towing-rope and the poles. At a bend of the river we thought we saw the ruins
of an old castle, and then reached the mouth of Lewis and Clarke's Windsor or Winchers Creek,
where those travellers say they had the first sight of the Rocky Mountains, which, however, was
certainly only the Little Rocky Mountain range. At this creek, the real pass of the Mauvaises
Terres begins. The Missouri, while passing between these mountains, does not receive any lateral
stream whatever, and few animals inhabit these heights, except great numbers of mountain sheep.

Dreidoppel, who landed on the bank of Windsor Creek, heard a loud noise resembling
what appeared to him to be that of a waterfall, which we could not examine. After one o'clock
in the afternoon, we came to Lewis and Clarke's Softshell Turtle Creek, which may be considered
as the western boundary of the Mauvaises Terres. Here we saw some buffaloes, and heard the
cries of the prairie dogs. Mountain tops (Plate XXXV., Figs. 21, 25, 26), with singular pinnacles,
look like the Glacier des Bossons in the valley of Chamouny; in other places, the mountains
were regularly rounded, and divided into small cones. After a thunder-storm the evening was fine
and serene. We saw some wild sheep on the hills, in pursuit of which some of our young men
ascended without success. On the bank of the river they found pieces of petrified wood, of a
grey or blackish colour, which is here very common, in large pieces, and entire trunks.

On the following morning, the 3rd of August, we were at a second rapid, called Elk Fawn
Rapid, which we passed as before. The mountains here presented a rude wilderness, looking
in part like a picture of destruction; large blocks of sand-stone lay scattered around, among which

a small squirrel is found, probably of an unknown species. Some spots were covered with a low
plant, with white flowers, and there are several species of grasses, on which the mountain sheep,
or bighorn, is said chiefly to feed. Some of these mountains reminded us of the Mettenburg and
the Eiger, in the canton of Berne. A few pines and junipers appear here and there, and on the
declivities small patches of grass, like Alpine meadows, so that we could fancy ourselves now in
Switzerland, now in the valley of the Rhine; but the naked rude character of the Mauvaises Terres
seems to be unique in its kind, and this impression is strengthened when you look up and down
the river. Only the croaking of the raven was heard in this desolate waste, which even the
Indian avoids, and very unwillingly visits these steep mountains. As those people generally travel
on horseback, they prefer the open prairies beyond the mountains, where they usually find the
herds of buffaloes. We passed several rapids, one of which was called Dauphin's Rapid, after one
of our engagés, who had fallen into the river at this place. This last rapid gave us much trouble,
till a favourable wind enabled us to use our sail. When the vessel lay to on the south bank, we
sat down upon the hills, and contemplated the singular conformation of the vast, rude landscape,
while part of our people were surrounding a large fire on the bank, till night spread her sable veil
over the scene.

On the 4th of August the tracks of the wild sheep were seen in all directions, and our hunters
immediately went in search of them. When we were returning with the plants we had collected,
Papin came back with two large female bighorns, which he sent on board the boat; they were strong
muscular animals, somewhat resembling in shape and colour the European wild goat (Capra ibex).
The chase of these animals, in these hot and dry mountains, is very fatiguing. In Switzerland the
chamois hunter everywhere finds springs and water to quench his thirst; this is not the case with
the hunter in the Missouri mountains, who must descend to the river when he desires to cool his
parched tongue. The bighorn generally lives in small or large companies, on the declivities and
tops of the mountains, but in the evening, and at night, comes down to the lower ground, where
there is more food; and, even in the daytime, is often seen towards the foot of the mountains.
They are shot with a rifle, and good marksmen do not find it difficult to kill them, because, standing
in elevated positions, they afford him a good aim. Small projections and stones suffice them,
like our European wild goats and chamois, for a footing, or with a sudden leap, with their four
feet together, to fix themselves firmly upon them, at which time their white-grey colour offers a
certain mark to the long American rifles. The females, and the young animals generally, keep in
companies, but the old bucks remain separate from them, two, four, or six together, and are easily
recognised by their size, and their colossal heavy horns. Even small, young animals are very swift,
and it is extremely difficult to get one alive. Mr. Mc Kenzie had promised a hunter to give him
a horse if he would bring a young bighorn alive; but, up to this time, he had not been able to
procure one. The names of bighorn and grosse corne, given to this animal by the English and

French, are properly taken from the large thick horns of the ram, which often weigh forty pounds
the two, and make the animal's head appear quite small. Many travellers have spoken of this
animal; for instance, Brackenridge, who calls it argolia, or argalia; and Richardson, who has
given a pretty good drawing of it. After I had taken the dimensions of our specimen, Mr.
Bodmer made an accurate drawing of the head; and, as it was not possible to save the skins from
the hungry engagés, they were given up to the cook. Our dinner consisted of bighorn flesh,
which is something like mutton, but has an unpleasant peculiar taste, so that I cannot agree with
Ross Cox, who calls it delicious meat; probably because he could find nothing better in many
parts of the interior of North America.

After passing several rapids, during a violent tempest, we reached Lewis and Clarke's Thompson's
Creek, which is considered as the western boundary of the Mauvaises Terres.[2] The appearance
of the country was considerably altered; the eminences were flatter, the valley more open,
and the bank of the river was more covered with green bushes. We were suddenly aroused from
these contemplations of the surrounding country, by discovering that our vessel had sprung a leak;
we therefore hastened on shore; the water had already risen into the cabin; the people unloaded
the boat with all speed, and soon found the leak, which they stopped, so that in an hour and a
half it was reloaded, for which we were indebted to the number of our crew.

On the 5th of August we passed Lewis and Clarke's Bull Creek, the mouth of which is in
a pleasant country; and at six o'clock we were near Judith River, which had, at that time, several
very shallow mouths on the north bank of the Missouri. At half-past seven, when we lay to, to
give our people time to get their breakfast, we saw five Indians coming round a hill on the south
bank, whose fire-arms glistened in the bright light of the morning sun. They fired their pieces,
and sat down on the bank, on which Mr. Mitchell and Dechamp immediately rode over to them.
Several women, with their dogs drawing sledges, soon joined them, and the boat brought four men
and a woman, who had a thick club in her hand, on board. They were tall and well made, and
very different from the Assiniboins; they belonged to the tribe of the Gros Ventres, called by the
English, Fall Indians. They had no covering on the upper part of the body, except buffalo skins.
They sat down in the cabin, where they smoked their pipes, and had some refreshment. A troop
of Indians now appeared on the bank, whom we saluted with a cannon shot, on which our visitors
desired to be taken on shore. The boat brought back a chief and medicine-man, called Niatohsa
(the little French man, or the French child), of whom Mr. Bodmer immediately took a very good
likeness. This man wore his hair tied together in a thick bunch over the forehead, which only
people of his description are allowed to do. As he spoke the Blackfoot language, Doucette was
able to converse with him, while we proceeded rapidly, with a fair wind, and twenty-seven men
towing us.

Meantime, a number of Indians, on foot and horseback, had assembled on the bank, who
hastened before to inform their countrymen of the approach of the traders, which is an event highly
interesting to them. The sight of the Indians, all in motion, sometimes stopping to look at the
vessel, and firing their pieces, gave great animation to the prairie. Being detained by a violent
thunder-storm, it was one o'clock before we reached the place where the Missouri flows through a
rather narrow gorge, from the remarkable sand-stone valley, called the Stone Walls (Plate XLL);
a white sand-stone hill appeared before us on the north bank, as the first specimen of that formation;
and on the left was the mouth of Bighorn River, between considerable hills, on which
numbers of Indians had collected. In the front of the eminences the prairie declined gently
towards the river, where above 260 leather tents of the Indians were set up; the tent of the
principal chief was in the fore-ground, and, near it, a high pole, with the American flag. The
whole prairie was covered with Indians, in various groups, and with numerous dogs; horses of
every colour were grazing round, and horsemen galloping backwards and forwards, among whom
was a celebrated chief, who made a good figure on his light bay horse. While this was passing,
several Indians had been on board, many of whom swam across to us; among them, a tall man
came on board in this manner, shook off the water, and went without ceremony into the cabin, but
Mr. Mitchell drove him out, and gave him to understand that none but the chiefs could be admitted
there; he then had the Indians told to go back to their camp, where he would visit them.

While the camp was saluted at intervals with cannon shot, and the Indians answered with
their guns, the keel-boat, which had hoisted its flag, was anchored on the north bank, opposite to the
tents, a very necessary precaution to prevent our coming directly into contact with all the Indians
at the same time. About forty Indian warriors, drawn up on the bank, having made a running fire,
and our cannon again saluted, Mr. Mitchell, with the interpreter, Doucette, took the boat and
rowed across. He alone had pistols, the others were unarmed. On the summit of the bank, all
the Indians formed a long red line, and immediately below, on the water's edge, sat the chiefs, in
a detached small body. After Mr. Mitchell had seated himself by them, and had some conversation
with them, he invited them to accompany him on board, and brought us eight of these chiefs,
who sat down in the cabin to smoke their pipes. Among them were several men of a good open
character; but one was a very bad man, Mexkemauastan (the iron which moves) (see Vig. XX.),
whom Mr. Mitchell had turned out of doors the year before, at Fort Mc Kenzie, on account
of his bad conduct. We were now entirely in the power of these people, and had every
reason to fear the vengeance of this man. Prompted, doubtless, by his own interests, he behaved,
to our astonishment, in a most friendly manner; shook hands with us, and, like his comrades,
gratefully accepted the presents which were made him. He wore his hair in a thick knot on the
forehead, and had a deceitful, fawning countenance. While we were engaged with these chiefs,
we saw a number of men and women, from all parts of the bank, swim through the river, or cross

over to us in their round boats, made of buffalo skin, and our keel-boat was suddenly entered on
every side and crowded with them. Tall, slender men covered the deck, thrust themselves into
the apartments, and we were really overwhelmed with them. They all demanded brandy, powder
and ball, and brought to exchange with us, skins, leather, and dried and fresh meat. The leather
boats, laden with their articles for barter, were brought alongside the keel-boat, drawn by one
swimmer, and pushed by another, and in this manner we were soon hemmed in, so that it was
necessary to ask the chiefs to clear the vessel; they, indeed, induced the greater part of the young
men to leap into the water, though only to enter the boat soon after on the other side.

Our situation was everything but agreeable, for these same Indians had entirely demolished a
fort, on the frontiers of Canada, two years before, killed a clerk, and eighteen other persons, besides
murdering several other white people in those parts; they had, in addition to this, had a quarrel
with Lewis and Clarke, and no confidence could we therefore place in them, though Mr. Mitchell
affirmed that he always transacted business with them with pleasure, and had never had any proofs
of the treachery imputed to them. If it was their intention to treat us in a hostile manner, there
was no way for us to escape; and how easily might the most trifling dispute with these rude men
lead to a breach, by which fifty whites, in the power of eight or nine hundred Indians, would have
had no chance. They were therefore treated with much apparent confidence and familiarity, and
everything went off very well. A favourable wind for using our sail was very welcome, in assisting
us to escape from this perilous situation. Doucette had been sent on shore with some goods, and
instructions to barter with the Indians, and thus, in some measure, to satisfy their desires. We
on board saw our people on shore closely surrounded by a great mass of Indians; the noisy
traffic was long continued, though Mr. Mitchell had repeatedly given orders for the return of the
boat. We were obliged to wait a long time, and already began to be apprehensive for the safety
of our dealers, when we at length saw the boat, overloaded with Indians, put off from the bank,
on which orders were given to proceed immediately on our voyage. About fifty robust Indians
joined our men in towing, and we were drawn along very rapidly; our keel-boat was so crammed
with people, that it drew much water. In this singular company we began to pass through the
most interesting part of the whole course of the Missouri, namely, the Stone Walls; but we could
not breathe freely enough duly to appreciate the surrounding scenery, before we were quit of our
troublesome visitors. The chiefs were repeatedly informed that the boat was ready to carry them
on shore, and they had all received presents, with which, however, some of them were not satisfied;
at length they were all sent off, with an intimation that they might go to Fort Mc Kenzie,
to their allies, the Blackfeet, where the goods would be landed, and the barter conducted as they
desired. We lay to for the night, on the right bank, at the fore part of the Stone Walls, and a
number of Indians, especially women, who were found concealed in the vessel, and turned out,
kindled fires near us. Many articles were missing, and we had given much more than we received,

yet we were truly glad at having come off as well as we did. A strong watch, with an officer, was
set for the night.

The Gros Ventres des Prairies are originally, it is affirmed, a branch of the Arrapahos; they
lived chiefly in the country about the Saskatschawan (Rivière aux Rapides), but roamed about in
all the prairies which border on the territory of the Blackfeet and Arrapahos Indians; Alexander
Mc Kenzie, and other travellers, call them Fall Indians, because they lived near the falls of the
above-mentioned river. They are well made, little differing in appearance from the Piekanns, and
other Blackfeet. They ornament their large buffalo robes in a peculiar manner, with narrow
parallel transverse stripes of porcupine quills, and many little pieces of scarlet cloth fastened to
them in rows. This way of adorning their robes is said to be likewise usual among the Arrapahos;
their shoes, like those of the Blackfeet, are generally of different colours; their tents, and household
utensils, are quite similar. I saw many war clubs among them, made of the long end of an
elk's horn; daggers, with handles made of the jaws and teeth of a bear, are not uncommon among
them. (See the woodcut.)

[ILLUSTRATION]

These Indians were formerly very poor, had bad tents, and could not buy any fire-arms; they
have, however, recovered of late, and supplied their wants. They are addicted to begging, like all
the Indians; steal sometimes, especially the women and children; but, in this respect, the Crows
are said to surpass all the other tribes. These people had lately been compelled to make vigorous
efforts to ransom about thirty of their men, who had fallen into the hands of their enemies—the
Crows. In their engagements with this tribe, they lost so many men as to occasion among
them an undue proportion between the sexes. Well informed persons affirm, that they
have at present not many more than 200 tents, and from 400 to 500 warriors; though
others have assured me that their number far exceeds this. Alexander Mc Kenzie estimated
them, at the time of his journey, at 600 warriors. They possess many dogs, and at present
more horses than they formerly had. In case of distress, they sometimes eat the dogs; of late
they have conducted themselves very well in trading, and behaved peaceably towards the Whites;
whereas they were formerly enemies to the Americans. The buffalo skins, dressed by them, are
said to be now better than those of most of the other Indians. In the main, their customs agree
with those of the Blackfeet, and they dispose of their dead in the same manner. They are reputed
to be brave in war. Their language is the most difficult of all those of the Missouri and the Rocky

Mountains. The Fur Company had not a single interpreter for this language, though great pains
had been taken to procure one.

The Indians who had passed the night near our vessel returned very early, on the 6th of
August, to their camp, that they might be able to travel in one day to Fort Mc Kenzie. The
night, which was very cool, had passed over quietly, and we had every reason to be satisfied with
the behaviour of this numerous band of Indians, for few other tribes would have conducted themselves
so peaceably and moderately on a similar occasion. This, it is true, was for their own
interest, since they had hitherto been sufferers from the bad reputation which they had among
the Whites.

At break of day the weather was extremely cool and disagreeable; the thermometer at half-past
seven was only at 58°, and a bleak wind prevailed, which enabled us to use our sails. The
part of the country called The Stone Walls, which now opened before us, has nothing like it on
the whole course of the Missouri; and we did not leave the deck for a single moment the whole
forenoon. Lewis and Clarke have given a short description of this remarkable tract, without,
however, knowing the name of Stone Walls, which has since been given it. In this tract of
twelve or fifteen miles, the valley of the Missouri has naked, moderately high mountains, rounded
above, or extending like ridges, with tufts of low plants here and there, on which the thick strata[3]
of whitish coarse-grained friable sand-stone, which extends over all this country, are everywhere
visible. As soon as we have passed Judith River this white sand-stone begins to stand out in
some places, till we have passed Bighorn River, and entered the narrower valley of the Stone

Walls, where the strata extend, without interruption, far through the country, and lie partly
halfway up the mountain, and partly form the summits. They are the continuation of the white
sand-stone which occurs in such singular forms at the Blackhills. At all the places which are
bare of grass, they are visible, and there we see horizontal or perpendicular angles and ledges
resembling walls, some of which contain caverns. This sand-stone formation is the most striking
when it forms the tops of more isolated mountains, separated by gentle valleys and ravines. Here,
on both sides of the river, the most strange forms are seen, and you may fancy that you see
colonnades, small round pillars with large globes or a flat slab at the top, little towers, pulpits,
organs with their pipes, old ruins, fortresses, castles, churches, with pointed towers, &c. &c.,
almost every mountain bearing on its summit some similar structure.

Towards nine o'clock the valley began to be particularly interesting, for its fantastic forms
were more and more numerous; every moment, as we proceeded along, new white fairy-like
castles appeared, and a painter who had leisure might fill whole volumes with these original
landscapes. As proofs of this we may refer to some of these figures, which Mr. Bodmer sketched
very accurately. (Plate XXXIV. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and Plate XXXV. Figs. 22, 23, 24, 27, 29). In
many places the clay formed the summits of the hills; in these parts there were patches of
Juniperus repens, and on the bank of the river, small and narrow strips covered with artemisia
and the thorn with flesh-coloured leaves (Sarcobatus nees). Long tracts of the sand-stone strata
perfectly resembled a large blown-up fortress, because the stratification everywhere gave these
walls a certain regularity, while, at the same time, they bore marks of having been destroyed by
violence. In several places where the sand-stone summit appeared plainly to represent an
ancient knight's castle, another remarkable rock was seen to traverse the mountain in narrow
perpendicular strata, like regularly built walls. These walls consist of a blackish-brown rock, in
the mass of which large olive-green crystals are disseminated.[4] They run in a perfectly straight
line from the summits of the mountain to the foot, appearing to form the outworks of the old
castles. (Plate XXXIV. Fig. 4, and Plate XXXV. Fig. 11.) The surface is divided by rents or
furrows into pretty regular cubic figures like bricks, which renders their similarity to a work of
art still more complete. The breadth of these perpendicular strata seldom exceeds one or two
feet. One of these walls was particularly striking, which ran, without interruption, over the tops
of three mountains, and through the clefts between them, and connected the three masses of
white sand-stone on the summits in so regular a manner, that one could hardly fancy they
were natural, but that they were a work of art. All these eminences are inhabited by numerous

troops of the wild mountain sheep, of which we often saw thirty or fifty at a time climbing and
springing over the sand-stone formation. These harmless animals often stood on a lofty peak,
far beyond the reach of our rifles, while the outlines of their forms were clearly defined against
the bright blue sky. As we passed a hollow lateral valley, we were shown the place at which
the hunters of the keel-boat had, last year, hemmed in a whole herd of these animals in such a
manner that not one escaped.

Early in the afternoon we came to a remarkable place where the Missouri seems to issue from
a narrow opening, making a turn round a dark brown rugged pointed tower-like rock on the south,
to which the traders have given the name of the Citadel Rock. (Vig. XVIII). This singular isolated
rock seems to consist of clay-slate, grauwacke, and a conglomerate of fragments of rock in
yellowish clay, and is joined to the south bank by a ridge. On the bank opposite to it the white
sand-stone runs over the ridge of the hills, which Mr. Bodmer has very accurately represented.
(Plate XLI.) After we had doubled the Citadel Rock we lay to on the south bank, and our
people took their dinner. We did not stop long, and had to contend against a cold, very high
wind, while the country was flatter and more open, with only a few of the oddly-fashioned rocks.
Immediately above the Citadel there is a similar dark brown much smaller rock, and soon afterwards
we saw, on the north bank, a jagged conical rock, which stands quite isolated on a hill
covered with short grass. Two other less remarkable tops follow, of which the towers (according
to the course of the river) resemble a small castle, while the other hills in this part have again
the flat and rounded forms. A herd of wild sheep looked down upon us from these heights.
We had, however, not yet taken leave of the extraordinary sand-stone valley, on the contrary, we
now came to a most remarkable place. The stratum of sand-stone, regularly bedded in low hills,
runs along both banks of the river, which is rather narrow, like a high, smooth, white wall, pretty
equally horizontal above, with low pinnacles on the top. At some distance before us, the eye
fell on an apparently narrow gate, the white walls in the two banks approaching so near to each
other, that the river seemed to be very contracted in breadth as it passed between them (Plate
XLI.), and this illusion was heightened by the turn which the Missouri makes in this place to
the south-west. Looking backwards, the high, black, conical rock rose above the surrounding
country; and on our right hand, there were, on the bank, dark perpendicular walls, seemingly
divided into cubes, in the form of an ancient Gothic chapel with a chimney. Some pines grew
singly about these walls, where there appear to be regular gateways formed by art. A little
further on there was, on the north bank, a mass which much resembled a long barrack or some other
considerable building (Plate XXXV. Fig. 10), the corners of which were as regular as if they had
been hewn and built up by a skilful workman. Beyond the rocky gate a herd of buffaloes were
grazing on a small lateral valley; our hunters contrived to get near them and to kill four. As

evening was come, and the people had to cut up the buffaloes, we lay to for the night on the
north bank. I took this opportunity to ascend the remarkable eminences. I found the sandstone
so soft that it crumbled in my hand; whereas the yellowish-red sand-stone, which, in some
places, formed the tops or roofs of the strange white masses, were of a rather harder grain. Extremely
stunted and often strangely contorted cedars (juniperus) grew among these rocks; but
the pines (Pinus flexilis) were well grown and flourishing, though not above forty feet high.
When standing among the remarkable masses of the sand-stone, we fancied ourselves in a garden
laid out in the old French style, where urns, obelisks, statues, as well as hedges and trees clipped
into various shapes, surround the astonished spectator. The balls and slabs, often of a colossal
size, which rested on the above-mentioned pedestals, were likewise soft and friable, but not so
much so as the white sand-stone, and there were in them many round holes. Stratification could
be perceived in all these stones, for even round spherical blocks were easily divided into regular
plates, nearly an inch thick. Among these fragments the tracks of the mountain sheep were
everywhere discernible, and on the lower declivities, which were covered with grass, those of the
buffaloes. In the prairie beyond the Stone Walls, Cactus ferox grew, and at their foot, the beautiful
Bartonia ornata, with its large snow-white flowers.

We looked with impatience for the following day, the 7th, in order to reach what is called
the Gate of the Stone Walls. We soon came to a dark brown rock, like a tower, rising in the
middle of the white wall, the front of which had fallen down, and had a great number of boulders
about it. From this tower it is between 600 and 800 paces to the place which appeared to us
yesterday to form a narrow gate; before reaching it, there is, on the north bank, a stream called,
by Lewis and Clarke, Stonewall Creek, which is about fifty paces broad at the mouth, and its
banks are bordered with high poplars. A cold wind blew from the gate, beyond which there was
another tower-like dark brown rock, not so large as the other, while the white sand-stone walls
decreased and became less regular. The hills became gradually lower, the sand-stone partly
disappeared, and was only seen occasionally. About eleven o'clock we saw two Indians—a man
and a woman—who, on their approach, were recognised to be Blood Indians. They were
returning from the Manitaries, where we recollected having seen them: the man was well made,
and both were very neatly dressed. We took them on board, passed several islands, and had a
fine view of Bear's-paw Mountain, nearly behind us, in the north-east. The hills on the bank
had, in general, nothing remarkable in their appearance; the strata of the sand-stone were partly
exposed at their base, because the sand under them had either fallen or been washed away. The
stratum of whitish-grey sand-stone still ran along the hills with an equally thick layer of clay and
sand over it, covered with green turf; but what might here be called sand-stone was rather a
half indurated clay and sand, mixed with blocks of sand-stone. A mile further up, we saw, to

the south, in the direction of the river, the foremost chain of the Rocky Mountains, looking like
a distant blue range, which was soon hid behind the naked, sterile banks of the river, which had
only here and there some old trees.

On the morning of the 8th of August, we again saw before us the summits of the Rocky
Mountains, and came to Spaniard Island, where several of our hunters returned from an excursion
with wild geese and a large rattlesnake. They had seen from the eminences the eternal
snow of the Oregon, and observed six Indians on horseback, who were going in the direction of
Fort Mc Kenzie. They brought with them a quantity of choke cherries, the fruit of the Prunus
padus Virginiana, which is considered to be very indigestible. This fruit is said to have cured
Captain Lewis, on his journey, of a dysentery and fever. Proceeding on our voyage, we followed
the right bank, composed of steep, yellowish-red walls, the base of which was a bluish clay, and
were delighted with the fine bright green colour of the waters of the Missouri, which contradicted
the assertion that it is discoloured by the junction of Maria River, from the mouth of which we
were now not far distant. Turning round a point of land, we saw before us a long table-formed
range of hills, behind which is Fort Mc Kenzie, which we might have reached by land in half an
hour. In the front of these hills, on the north bank, is the mouth of Maria River, called, by the
Canadians, Marayon; after we had passed it, we saw, about six o'clock, on the same bank, the
ruins of the first fort, or trading post, which Mr. Kipp, clerk of the American Fur Company, had
built, in the year 1831, in the territory of the Blackfeet. This fort was abandoned in 1832, and
the present Fort Mc Kenzie built in its stead, and this, too, is soon to be abandoned. In this
manner the Fur Company continues to advance, and firmly establishes itself among nations that
are but little known, where the fur trade is still profitable. The forsaken ruins of the first
fort were entirely demolished and partly burnt by the Indians after the departure of the Whites.
On the heights of this part, we saw two Indians on horseback, who galloped off as soon as they
perceived us, doubtless to carry the news of our arrival to the fort. Several islands, opposite the
ruins of the fort, obliged us to pass through a narrow channel on the south bank, which was not
more than forty paces broad, with a very rapid current.

At twilight we lay to under the high clay wall of the southern bank. We were much surprised
that no notice had yet been taken of us by the fort, which was so near, though, in the two
preceding years, the steamer had been welcomed by the Blackfeet further down the river; and as
we were now so close to the fort, we might expect to see the white inhabitants of the post;
besides this, the Manitaries had told us that the garrison of Fort Mc Kenzie had had a dispute
with the Indians, and Dechamp affirmed that he had heard to-day some cannon-shot. All these
considerations, taken together, excited in Mr. Mitchell—who was well aware of the little reliance
that could be placed on the Indians—some apprehensions for the safety of the fort and our expedition.
Small parties of Whites, at a distance from the Missouri, are generally murdered, or at

least plundered, by the Blackfeet, if they take them for fur hunters; we had, therefore, reason
to proceed with much caution. Accordingly, Major Mitchell resolved to reconnoitre the fort in
person, and, meantime, a strong night watch was ordered on board the vessel. Mr. Mitchell
chose four of our hunters, who were thoroughly acquainted with the country, and well armed,
to accompany him. The boat landed them on the north bank of the river, where it remained
in safety. They set out on their expedition at nightfall, the moon shining brightly. It was
agreed that, in case of a misunderstanding with the Indians, we should drop down the river if
Mr. Mitchell had not returned before midnight. The people on board the vessel remained on
the alert, awaiting the result. The night was exceedingly fine, warm, and serene, but the moonlight
did not last long. We plainly heard the drums of the Indians in the direction of the fort,
and, on the opposite bank of the river, the loud howling of the wolves. At half-past ten o'clock
Mr. Mitchell returned with two of his men. He had ascended the hills, but had lost his way,
and came to the mouth of the Maria River, from which he now returned. The other two had
again proceeded towards the fort. The feet of our wanderers had suffered severely by the thorns
of the cactus plants. As we had no information of the state of the fort, we had nothing to do
but patiently to wait for daylight.

Before daybreak, on the 9th, a heavy rain set in, which continued, at intervals, the whole
day, and the mosquitoes were very troublesome. We proceeded early along the steep clay walls
of the southern bank, which were above a hundred feet high, and saw, on our right hand,
gentle eminences, from which the antelopes fled at our approach. We were just doubling a
point of land, when we saw five white horsemen coming towards us. The party consisted of
Mr. Patton, clerk of the Company, and hitherto director of Fort Mac Kenzie, and some of his
people. They galloped to the bank, discharged their pieces, and were welcomed on board.
The news they brought dispelled all our apprehensions; universal joy prevailed on account of our
happy arrival; and, after we had breakfasted together, they rode back to the fort, to which we
had thirteen miles to go by water. We saw the horsemen gallop over the high banks of the
river, on which groups of Indians were everywhere seen. Whole bands of their brown children
came to the river's edge, and accompanied the vessel with shouts of joy. Frequently two Indians
were riding on one horse; great numbers of those animals, of all colours, were grazing in the
prairie. Our arrival gave animation to the whole scene, and our guns began to fire salutes from
time to time, in which the heavy rain was very troublesome.

We passed the last winding of the river, and a most interesting scene presented itself. A
prairie extends along the north bank, at a point of which, projecting towards the river, we saw
Fort Mc Kenzie, on which the American flag was displayed. A great number of Indian tents
was erected in the plain, which was covered with the red population in various groups, all of
whom hastened to the bank. Near to the fort, the men (about 800 Blackfeet) were drawn up

in a close body, like a well-ordered battalion. They formed a long dark brown line, with a
black stripe at the top, which was occasioned by their black hair. The palisades and the roof
of the fort, as well as the neighbouring trees, were occupied by Indian women and their children,
singly, or in groups, and the whole prairie was covered with them. The smoke of the powder
rose in the fort, and the thunder of the cannon re-echoed from the high banks. While our vessel
was slowly approaching this interesting scene, the boat brought an Indian, the White Buffalo
(soldier of the fort[5] ), who was well known as a good-natured, tolerably trustworthy man. The
fire of musketry among the mass of the Indian warriors was uninterrupted, and their war cry
sounded over to us, while our vessel, in spite of the rain, kept up a brisk fire. In front of the
Indians we saw three or four chiefs in red and blue uniforms, trimmed with lace, and wearing
round hats with plumes of feathers. The most distinguished among them was Mexkehme-Sukahs
(the iron shirt), dressed in a scarlet uniform, with blue facings and lace, with a drawn sabre in his
hand; riding without stirrups, he managed, with great dexterity, his light bay horse, which was
made very restiff by the firing of the musketry. The most respected chief among the Blackfeet,
at this time, was the Spotted Elk (Ketscpenn-Nuka), who, after a successful battle with the
Flatheads, had changed his name, and was now called Ninoch-Kiaiu (chief of the bears). The
other chiefs besides these two were called the Old Heart, now called the Stiff Foot, the Stiff Leg,
the Big Soldier, and the Red Buffalo.

We approached the landing-place, and at length set foot on shore, amidst a cloud of smoke
caused by the firing of the Indians and of the engagés of the fort, who were drawn up in a line
on the bank. Here we were received by the whole population, with the Indian chiefs at their
head, with whom we all shook hands. The Chief of the Bears was quite an original: his countenance,
which was not very handsome, with a large crooked nose, was partly hid by his long
hair. On his head he had a round felt hat, with a brass rim, and a silver medal on his breast.
We were led through a long double line of the red men, the expression of whose countenances
and their various dresses greatly amused us. When we arrived at the fort there was no end of
the shaking of hands; after which we longed for repose, and distributed our baggage in the rooms.
We had happily accomplished the voyage from Fort Union in thirty-four days, had lost none of
our people, and subsisted during the whole time by the produce of the chase.