of country about 150 miles in width that borders on the Missouri River, we strike the plains, some 400 or 500 miles in width, extending from thence to the base of the mountains with the exception of occasional spots-small, indeed, compared with this immense extent. These plains are not susceptible of cultivation or settlement. This great belt of barren country extends from the Missouri River on the north to the Canadian on the south, being the extent of my travels upon it. The valleys as a general thing are covered with grass often luxuriant and suitable for hay. The uplands generally have a straggling growth of buffalo grass, but are often, for miles, entirely destitute of vegetation, except occasionally the prickly pear, cactus, or sage bush. No part of this great are is susceptible of raising grain or vegetables except on a few streams, and then by irrigation; nor does it, as yet discovered, possess any mineral resources. It is almost entirely destitute of wood, and running water cannot be depended upon except along the great streams that rise in the Rocky Mountains, flow east, and empty into the Missouri or Mississippi or the streams rising in the Black Hills, Big Horn, and Powder River Mountains, and which flow north, emptying in the Yellowstone. Up the great valley and even over the higher tables are the best natural roads in the world, and nature has so constructed them that through this great belt there are four great water-courses traversing it at right angles at distances from each other of from 100 to 200 miles. Commencing, then, on the north the first overland route is known as the Niobrara, up which stream the road runs to its sources, and up to this time crosses to the Platte, terminating at Fort Laramie. Colonel Sawyer's wagon party endeavored this season to find a road on this route through directly to Montana, via Powder River and north of Little Horn River, but the obstacles met with determined them to abandon it, and they struck south and took the road made and explored by General Connor from Fort Laramie to base of Big Horn Mountains; thence to Three Forks of the Missouri and thence to Virginia City. This from the Platte is a fine natural road, and, with the exception of running water for 100 miles from the Platte to Powder River, is abundantly supplied with clear running water, grass, wood, and game. This road is marked A A on map.

The road heretofore used to Montana was up North Platte via South Pass, thence up Snake River, &c. The new road, on which Fort Connor is situated, saves in distance some 350 miles, making the distance now only about 450 miles from Fort Laramie to Three Forks of the Missouri. The military operations this summer have opened this road, and as soon as our Indian troubles in that region are over it will be the great overland route from the State to Montana. All travel concentrating from the different routes east of Fort Laramie will take that road from this converging point. This road, I believe, has an appropriation from Congress which, when expended upon it, will make it equal to any route over the plains and across the mountains. The second route is known as the Platte route. Starting at different points on the Missouri River, such as Omaha, Plattsmouth, Nebraska City, Atchison, Saint Joseph, Leavenworth, Kansas City, &c., the roads all converge at or near Fort Kearny, and following the Valley of the Platte to its forks, either leads up the North Platte via Fort Las, and Salt Lake, or up Lodge Pole, through Cheyenne and Bridger's Pass to Salt Lake, or continuing up South Platte go to Denver, or diverge and pass up the Cache la Poudre to Laramie Plains; thence through Bridger's Pass to Salt Lake. On this route at all times (and for the