Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/239

 TRAIL OF THE ASTORIANS 231 near the present site of Alzada, Custer County, Montana, into what is now Crook County, Wyoming 1, where on August 17th he caught sight of Cloud Peak of the Big Horn range. (Chap- ter 26.) Following the ridge between the watershed of the Powder River and the Belle Fourche fork of the Cheyenne in Crook County, Wyoming, they probably crossed the present line of the Burlington & Missouri River Railway in the neighborhood of Gillette. On August 24th they reached the Powder River near the mouth of Pumpkin Creek, Johnson County, Wyoming. This valley was a "hunter's paradise," and was later a favorite wintering place for trappers on account of the abundance of game. Continuing onward along Powder River and Nine- Mile Creek, they camped near the present site of Mayoworth, Johnson County, Wyoming, at the foot of the peak known as the Horn. (Chapter 27.) Although much uneasiness had been felt in regard to Rose, their renegade interpreter, he performed a very valuable ser- vice in showing to them the Indian trail across the Big Horn range, by the middle fork of Powder River and Beaver Creek, which is still used as a highway. ( Chapter 28. ) Having crossed the Big Horn Mountains, they descended Little Canyon Creek and encamped September 6th near the present town of Redbank, Big Horn County, Wyoming. Cross- ing the divide to the valley of Badwater Creek, Fremont County, Wyoming, they followed that stream to its junction with Wind River, which they ascended, passing the site of Riverton on the Wyoming & Northwestern Railway. They continued up Wind River past the fork near Circle, Fremont County, Wy- oming, and near Union turned off on the beaten Indian trail, which is now a public highway, and crossed Union Pass, from the summit of which they saw the Tetons. Keeping to the southwest, they reached Green River (Spanish River), which they followed a short distance, camping September 17th oppo- site Gros Ventre Peak, near Kendall, Uinta County, Wyoming, going from there to the north fork of Beaver Creek, where they spent five days. (Chapter 29.)