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Show 186 ARRIVAL AT FORT UNION. is a sudden turn of the Missouri to the north-west; it is not wooded at the junction, but flows between prairies thirty or more miles in extent. Herds of buffaloes are often seen here ; at this time they had left these parts : we saw, however, many antelopes. At the next turn of the river, towards the right hand, we had a fine prospect. Gentle eminences, with various rounded or fiat tops, covered with bright verdure, formed the back-ground ; before them, tall poplar groves, and willow thickets on the bank of the river, whose dark blue waters, splendidly illumined by the setting sun, flowed, with many windings, through the prairie. A little further on lay Fort Union, on a verdant plain, with the handsome American flag, gilded by the last rays of evening, floating in the azure sky, while a herd of horses grazing animated the peaceful scene. As the steamer approached, the cannon of Fort Union fired a salute, with a running fire of musketry, to bid us welcome, which was answered in a similar manner by our vessel. When we reached the fort, we were received by Mr. Hamilton, an Englishman, who, during the absence of Mr. Me Kenzie, had performed the functions of director, as well as by several clerks of the Company, and a number of their servants (e?igages or voyageurs), of many different nations, Americans, Englishmen, Germans, Frenchmen, Russians, Spaniards, and Italians, about 100 in number, with many Indians, and half-breed women and children. It was the seventy-fifth day since our departure from St. Louis, when the Assiniboin cast anchor at Fort Union. The Yellow Stone, being one of the principal affluents of the Missouri, receives several considerable streams, of which the following are the chief:- 1. The Bighorn River (La Grosse Come). 2. The Little Bighorn River (La Petite Grosse Come). 3. The Tongue River (La Riviere a la Langue). 4. The Powder River (La Riviere a la Poudre). The Yellow Stone is called, by the Canadians, La Roche Jaune. Warden calls it Keheetsa, but I do not know where he got this name. Lewis and Clarke say it has no name. The names given it by most of the Indian nations signify Elk River. |