CHAPTER 4. ON TO THE THREE BUTTES

July 18. Left camp about 8.45 & travelled on to creek 6 miles W. Stopped to examine some sections & lunched before going on. The geology proving interesting. On returning from measuring the section found that Stuart had shot a yearling antelope, a steak from which was very acceptable. Antelope exceedingly numerous about here.

Started again at 2 PM. & went on to the West Fork 14 1/2 miles from the E. Fork by the road. [Now known as Medicine Lodge Creek.] The W. Fork does not occupy so deep a valley as the E. Fork & appears to be a smaller stream, though water still abounds in large pools. The banks which are low show only drift deposits. In the valley several trees of Negundo aseroides [Manitoba Maple or Box Elder] with stems more than 18", diameter but very stunted & gnarled, having probably been effected by winds, frosts & fires. Found however that a very good growth had taken place this year, some shoots as much as between 3 & 4 feet in length. Found here also Ribes Aureum [Golden Currant] growing luxuriantly & the berries beginning to turn dark. Also Ribes Rotundifolium [?] [Goose- berry?] cove-red with very large fruit nearly ripe.

The country from E. Fork to here is very arid much of it covered with cactus & a sparing growth of wiry grass only green in coulée bottoms. One of the most common grasses on this very dry prairie is a Stipa [Needle-grass]. It is now quite yellow & appears to have dried up without maturing seed.

The Little Rocky Mts & Three Buttes clearly visible. Also the Cypress Mts [Hills] to the North. A not very well defined but rather high ridge or plateau comes within a mile or two of the line, a few miles West of this place & runs S.Eastward.

Camp E Fork

8.30 AM

B.26.72

T.68

N.N.W. Cloudless.

Valley bottom 6m W of E Fork

lPM

26.71

76

N.W.

Fresh Clear Camp valley bottom W Fork

8 PM

26.99

56

N.

Clear Odometer - E Fork to W Fork 5800 revolutions.

Camped with Campbells waggon train which arrived before us & Capt. Andersons party which got in after us.

Geol. The banks near the line on the valley 6 m. W. of E. Fork shows good sections of beds resembling Sombre Clays or Long R. Shales.

Most places more closely resemble the latter, the rocks being somewhat