Noon Top of E. Butte

B.23.20 (Mean of two obs.)

Camp

5.45 PM.

B. 25.72

8 P.M.

T.57°

WNW. Cloudy. Rain.

The Butte thus about 6700 feet above sea level taken at 30 inches Bar. (Wrong. Should add 0.30 for error of instrument making the Mt. nearly 300 feet lower.)

July 25. Has been raining heavily all night. The first rain for a very long time. Continued wet/ till about 8 AM. Got off by 10 AM. (P & travelled W about ten miles to a creek with pools of water. Set off again at 3.30 & travelled till nearly dark to reach the Depot.

Saw immense herds of buffalo scattered over the plain. Boswell ran several & killed two. One an old bull, the other a calf. The latter he wounded & drove across the road just in front of us. Had a couple of flying shots at it one of which I believe took effect. The dogs rushed out & headed the calf (P it was soon dispatched. The calves run almost quicker than the older animals & are very difficult to gain on. A herd of about 50 buffalo rushed across the track in a solid phalanx about 80 yds in front of the buckboard. Put a few bullets into them & though we could hear them strike no animals fell out. Near where we lunched., a. herd of more than 200 were feeding quietly.

The East Butte consists of four main peaks, arranged somewhat in [a] square. The NWestern is the most conical & the highest. The swestern is is connected with the last by a ridge, is blunt topped & is not far below the last in height. The N.E. & S.E. are considerably lower & about equal in height.

The Centre Butte consists of one prominent pyramidical hill, which preserves its regular outline when viewed from almost any side. It is surrounded by foot hills covered with grass especially towards the N. It falls S. of a line forming the East & West Buttes, & is not so high as either.

The West Butte has at its Eastern extremity its highest peak, a blunt topped & large mountain, the Eastern end of which is formed in many places by perpendicular rocky cliffs. West & N. of it several good sized peaks & ridges rise, & enclose a rugged pine clad & rocky area of some extent. The foot hills are also on a large scale. This Butte may be the highest, but cannot be much higher than the E. Butte.

The whole of the Buttes in good view during the day. The country passed over around their base is well grassed & beautifully green in the hollows & coulés.