It would appear however that the Sioux did the hardest part of the fighting.

About 6m E. of our camp we found the trail of their cart train & were at a loss to account for the fact that instead of following in our road & making a well beaten track for at least some of the carts; they had made 10 or 12 parallel within the distance of a few hundred yards. Learnt however that this a precaution against indian attack. So many hundred carts would offer but a weak line, but travelling abreast if surprised they can draw up in a solid phalanx & put the women & children in the centre in comparative safety. Capt. A. wishing to get some interpreters & men who knew the country let it be known in the camp soon had some applicants but all very independent & with the idea of high pay. Only one man thoroughly understood the Blackfoot language & he was finally engaged at the exhorbitant rate of $5.00 a day others as guides at less sums.

They value the commonest ponies at $40 to $60 & for Coureurs or buffalo runners all sorts of fancy prices are asked up to $150 & $200.

The hills or rather mountains, called on the map the Three Buttes are universally known to the half-breeds even on the Missouri as the Sweet-grass Hills or Montagnes de l'herbe Santé

Geol. At 52@iles W. of West Fork near the trail exposures of Sombre Clays like Long R. Shales occur.

T'he escarpment or plateau edge spoken of yesterday approaches nearest the line about 2 m. W. of West Fork & is then not more than 2 m. South. It sends indeed a low ridge northwards which crosses the line. After forming this point it retreats S.Westward & probably blends with a plateau to the West, which runs S.E. & N.W. just on the West side of the lakes. The latter is very marked as to its edge & indicates the appearance of another set of beds. (See Milk R. notes). The lesser plateau just mentioned may owe its existence to the same cause.

Valley of W. Fork

6.30 AM

B.27.21

T.54

Light SE Clear

Camp at the two lakes 588m.W.

8 PM :

26.92

64

odometer - 3500 Slew A little water. Poor feed.

4900 Half-breed trails going N.W.

9000 Camp.

July 20. Started at 5.30 & moved N. to Ashe's camp. Found him