when assisted by the pure air of these high altitudes result in a race of men and women bordering on physical as well as intellectual giants? All we can answer is that the foundation has been laid for such a result. Time alone will answer the question.

The Wyoming of which I have written is bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the twentyseventh meridian of longitude west from Washington with the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, and running thence west to the thirty-fourth meridian of west longitude; thence south to the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence east to the twenty-seventh meridian of west longitude, and thence north to the place of the beginning.

While Wyoming is known and must forever be classed as a mountain State, it is in fact made up largely of broad plains, out of which rise mountain ranges of great beauty, and from these flow the headwaters of innumerable rivers. Commencing near the southeast corner of the State is the Laramie range which extends to the northwest, the highest point being Laramie Peak, located 84 miles in a direct line from the southern boundary of the State and 72 miles west of the eastern boundary. This range is made up of broken and detached mountain spurs which extend into vast plains on nearly all sides. West and south is the Snowy Range and further west are the Medicine Bow Mountains, a spur of the latter range; to the northwest of these is the Sweetwater Range, made up in part of Seminole and Green Mountains, and continuing northwest, is the Wind River Range, one of the main barriers of the Rocky Mountains, forming the Continental Divide. Beyond this are the Gros Ventre and Teton Ranges. To the south on the west border of the State is the Snake River Range, and south of this, the group of mountains known as the Salt River Range. Commencing again on the east line of the State and north of the Laramie range, are the Black Hills, which are properly a part of the latter, also the Powder River Range. North of the center of the State are the famous Big Horn Mountains, like the Wind River Range, a continuation of the main

chain of the Rocky Mountains; west of this range are the Owl Creek Mountains and to the northwest of the latter are found the Shoshone Mountains. The mountains above mentioned are divided into numerous groups which for my purpose need not be explained here.

The water courses of Wyoming are very numerous. Commencing in the southeastern portion of the State they are, the North Platte with its branches, the Big and Little Laramie and Sweetwater. These drain the southeastern portion of the State. The North Platte rises in Colorado, flowing generally in a northwesterly direction as far as Sage Creek, from which point it continues due north until it reaches the mouth of the Sweetwater where it takes a northeastely course around the end of Caspar Mountain, from which point it flows directly east for a distance of 50 miles and from thence takes a southeasterly course, receiving the waters of the Laramie River, and passes into the State of Nebraska. The Laramie River rises in the mountains of Colorado and after reaching Wyoming flows northeast for a distance of 25 miles and then north for 50 miles; it then takes a northeasterly course for a distance of 100 miles where it empties into the North Platte River, The Little Laramie rises in the Medicine Bow Mountains, flows northeast a distance of about 30 miles where it joins the Laramie River. The Sweetwater, rising as far west as the south end of the Wind River Range, flows eastwardly about 100 miles where it empties into the North Platte, Cheyenne River is located in the eastern portion of the State, about 100 miles from the northern boundary. Its tributaries are Beaver, Black Thunder, Bear, Walker, Twenty-mile and Hat Creeks, with a dozen other smaller streams. The Belle Fourche rises northeast of the central portion of the State and flows 100 miles to the northwest where it turns abruptly to the southeast for 20 miles and here enters South Dakota. Its principal tributaries are, Beaver, Miller, Inyan Kara, Wind, Buffalo, Horse, Donkey and Iron Creeks. The Little Missouri rises in the northeast part of the State and flows in a northeasterly direction and

enters Montana. Its principal tributaries are, North Fork, Prairie and Thompson Creeks. The Little Powder River rises west of the Little Missouri and flows north into Mon tana, where it joins Powder River Its principal tributaries are Horse, Wild Cat, Buffalo Hide and Cottonwood Creeks. Powder River rises east of the Big Horn Mountains, nearly opposite their southern end, flows north about 100 miles. into Montana where it becomes a tributary of the Yellowstone. Its principal tributaries are, Clear, Crazy Woman, Nine Mile, Meadow, North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork. The Big Horn River is one of the large streams of the State. It takes its rise in the Wind River Range and flows north over 150 miles. Its principal tributaries are the Stinking Water, Grey Bull, Wind, Little Wind and Popo Agie Rivers with numerous creeks, among which the largest are Shell, No Wood, No Water, Kirby, Poison, Beaver, Owl and others. Green River takes its rise on the west side of the Wind River Range and flows in a southerly direction and passes into Utah. It is a noble stream and has numerous important tributaries, among which are the following creeks: Bitter, Big Sandy, New Fork, Lead, Horse, Marsh, White Clay, Bitter Root, Piney, Le Barge, Fontenelle, State, Ham's Fork, Pacific and Black Fork. The Snake River rises in the Yellowstone National Park, flows south into Jackson's Lake and continuing its southerly course passes out of the State through the Grand Canon at the south end of the Snake River Range. Some of its branches are Lewis River, Buffalo Fork, Elk Horn, Gros Ventre, Hoback's River and John Day's River. The Yellowstone River rises on the west side of the Shoshone Mountains and flows northwest into Yellowstone Lake, from which point it takes a general northwesterly course and enters Montana, having passed entirely through the Yellowstone National Park. Its tributaries are too numerous to mention, but not one of these in the State of Wyoming is large.

CHAPTER II.

SPANISH OCCUPATION.

THE CLAIMS OF THE SPANIARDS REGARDING THE NORTHWEST-What DIFFERENT WRITERS SAY-WHERE DID THE WHITE BLOOD OF THE MANDANS COME FROM?-RELICS OF IRON TOOLS FOUND IN NORTHERN WYOMING AND MONTANA EVIDENCES OF MINING AND AGRICULCULTURE CARRIED ON PROBABLY IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURYTHE SUBJECT Referred TO FUTURE HISTORIANS.

It has long been claimed and generally believed that during the latter part of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth century, one of the numerous Spanish expeditions which left Mexico penetrated as far north as the Missouri River and reached the Yellowstone country. I can find no positive evidence of this, but the wild scramble for wealth by Spanish adventurers about that time and the over-running of the country from Santa Fe north and northwest into Kansas and Colorado would leave the impression that it is not at all unlikely that some of these expeditions came into Wyoming and went even farther north. The Franciscan Friars never tired of talking about cities of fabulous wealth which were located, they said, near the great mountains. These, they claimed, contained storehouses, filled with precious metals, in such quantities as were never known before. I can readily understand that these Franciscan Friars were anxious to spread their religious teachings among these strange people, who were reputed to be possessed of great wealth but destitute of religion. The sword of the Spanish conqueror and the Cross of Christ had for a century been carried into new provinces to the south of us and the people subjugated, duly robbed, often murdered and christianized, according to true Spanish civilization. These are the claims made by the nation which Columbus taught the art of discovering new worlds, and who rewarded his services by sending

In

him home in chains when he was no longer needed. support of the Spanish claims, of having sent expeditions into the northwest as far as the headwaters of the Missouri and having taken back rich furs and gold, I will group together a few of the evidences of Spanish occupation of the country. When the American trappers came to the Rocky Mountains and reached the Seeds-Ke-dee River, they were told that the Spaniards had lived on this stream It was therefore promptly called by the trappers Spanish River (Green River). There is evidence that the Indians had a knowledge of the Spanish people. Lewis and Clark, in passing through the country at the head of the Missouri, found Spanish saddles and bridles in use among the Indians. It is a fact known to all writers who have made investigation among the Indians that they acquired the horse from the same source. Washington Irving, in his Astoria, in speaking of the Indians of the Northwest, says on page 164 "The Spaniards changed the whole character and habits. of the Indians when they brought the horse among them."

I have sometimes thought that it was not impossible that the Indians may have learned from the Spaniards the art of horse stealing. The student of history will, upon reflection, discover quite a number of Spanish peculiarities among some of our Rocky Mountain Indians. In some instances it is possible that the Spaniards are in no way. responsible for the evidences of civilization among our Indian tribes and yet they lay claim to this distinction. Lewis and Clark describe the Mandans as the most civilized tribe they found in their travels. Their domestic habits were nearer those of white people, they lived in permanent villages, slept on bedsteads with buffalo robes for mattresses, pillows and blankets, and cultivated the corn, squashes and pumpkins upon which they lived. Many of them were remarkable for the whiteness of their skin and the light color of their hair. Vaughn says that they always received the whites with graceful and dignified hospitality, and that a stranger in a Mandan village is first struck with the different shades of complexion, and various colors of hair,