black bear, the bighorn, the antelope, the buffalo, the stag and the common deer frequent these regions, whilst coal and iron mines are in such abundance that for fifty years they might supply fuel and materials to a countless number of steam engines.
After the Missouri has received the Yellowstone river, its bottom lands become more extensive; yet as little or no wood is found on them, it may be long before attempts will be made to cultivate there. The White Earth river coming from the north, and the Goose river from the south, are not very considerable. The width of each at the mouth is 300 yards. The Little Missouri, though shallow, has a rapid current, and has its sources in the south, as also the following streams: Cane [Knife] river, near the village of the Mandans; Cannon Ball river; Winnipenhu [Grand], Sewarzena [Moreau] and Cheyenne river, which is navigable for 400 miles, a rapid and muddy stream, 400 yards wide at the mouth; Teton river and White river (so called on account of the color of its waters) which are unwhole
some. The latter is navigable for 300 miles, has a rapid
current, and measures about 300 yards at its mouth.' The lands which it waters in the upper country are barren, and arbound in animal and vegetable petrifactions, whilst its banks have everywhere a fantastic appearance.
Next and on the same side we meet the Ponca and Running Water [Niobrara] river, the latter of which has a fine current. Medicine [Creek] and Jacques rivers [James river] enter the Missouri from the opposite side; the latter is also a rendezvous of the beaver hunters and runs nearly parallel with the Missouri. After the White Stone [ ?] and the Vermillion, we find the Big Sioux river, on which is found the fine red stone quarry explored by the Indians to
make their calumets. The Floyd and the Rodger [Boyer], the Maringoin, the Nishnabotna and the Nadowa fall into the Missouri on the northern side.
e All of these distances are vastly overstated. Navigation refers only to canoes and bullboats.