broken down. Soon after saw an indian on horseback, he approached but with great caution & when not repulsed, followed us to camp. Watched operation of camping with great interest. Stayed long enough to have something to eat & then went away. His pony had a very sore back. The Indian a very young fellow who said he was a Dacotah [Sioux].

Camped at a small creek with a little water still remaining in pools at the 538 m. pt. having travelled nearly 26 miles.

Geol. (See todays notes for description of country &c.) The Western edge of the Coteau shows at some distance N. of the road exposures of whitish, reddish & grey beds. They as a whole resemble those of Lig. Tert. as seen from a distance. I was unable to visit them. The colours however appear more marked. The red appears to occupy a broad definite zone but may only arise from burnt out lignites. The white is purer than that of most beds of lig. tert.

The upper beds appe[alr white, next below red & reddish & these underlaid by grey & yellowish stratified clays resembling exactly those of lower part of lig. tert. On the whole inclined to put whole plateau from about 507 m. pt. to 534 m. point down as due to outlier of Lignite Tertiary.

If so I should find somnbre clays exposed again shortly.

Camp 516 mile pt. 6.30 AM

B.26.57

T.69

Gale force W. Clear

Noon halt 524 m. Lake 26.57..... Wind NW Moderating Clear

Camp 538 m. pt.

8 P.M.

26.80 66

Calm Cloudless

Odometer at noon halt 4800

(Lost count of distance by going down to Capt. Fhls camp).

July 15. Started at 6,30. Travelled West over the same wide flat plain covered only with cactus & sage bush & a little dry grass. Road hard as iron the ground being composed of bard sandy clay & fissured in all directions. The level of the country rises somewhat on approaching the West Fork but without improving in character.

In passing through the patch of Coteau hills to the Eastward of todays march the country was of somewhat better character, there being frequent swamps with grass, & no appearance of cactus.

The East Fork of the Milk River [now named Battle River to commemorate the Cypress Hills Massacre] on which the Depot is situated flows in a valley with nearly precipitous banks but not more than 50 feet below the plain. There is still running water in the stream but it is