report of mines, &c., see Dr. Loew's report,) and thence by excellent wagon-road down the mountain to Cerro Gordo landing, on Owens Lake. The country from Panamint to Cerro Gordo was without settlers, except the small garden in the cañon east of Panamint.

Skirting the northeastern shore of Owens Lake, we crossed the river by a bridge a few miles above the lake, and thence through Lone Pine to Camp Independence, arriving the 3d October, and remained until November, small parties being sent out from time to time to prosecute the work in the vicinity.

October 6, Mr. Nell occupied a triangulation-station on the eastern divide of the Sierras and nearly west of Camp Independence.

Careful observations were made to connect this post with primary triangulation points, and a series of sextant-observations taken for latitude.

October 9 we started to occupy Mount Whitney, the highest peak in this portion of the Sierras, and probably the highest in the range. The most feasible route was found by returning to Lone Pine and ascending the very steep eastern slope of the Sierras by the way of the Hockett trail, (from Lone Pine to Visalia, Cal.,) passing the divide by the headwaters of Cottonwood Creek, and then turning northward from the trail when in the basin of Kern River, which drains directly the western slope of the peak which we occupied October 13. The view from this peak is most grand and comprehensive, more than 11,000 feet above the Owens River Valley, overlooking it and the ranges to the east, and including almost in one view the two great ridges on either side of the basin of the Kern River and the rocky barrier at its head that separates it from King's River to the north and west.

In the Sierras we find the strata dipping to the west, just the opposite of what is found in the Amargosa range, (the eastern one of the uniform system heretofore remarked.) A close study of these ranges in connection with the intermediate ones, the Inyo, Argus, and Panamint, would I think, in this particular alone be very interesting. In the Inyo (next to the Sierras) the strata seem but little inclined from the perpendicular. This range has been considered remarkable from its height compared to its base, rising 7,000 to 8,000 feet from a base of scarcely more than 8 miles, both sides being at this point (Inyo Peak) about equally precipitous.

The glacier action to be seen on the western slope of Whitney's Peak is very grand; the immense size of the cañons and the smooth and polished surface of the rocks extending up their sides attest the action that once has taken place; the eastern slopes of the range observed near Camp Independence also bear evidence of this action, notably on Glacier Cañon, just north of Kearsarge Pass, and almost at any place along this slope may be found broken rocks worn and polished on one side, showing they were fixed in position when this abrasion took place.

Returning from Whitney's Peak, we were compelled to leave our pack animals at Lone Pine to recruit, while Mr. Nell and myself made a trip to occupy Cerro Gordo Peak and New York Butte, both of the Inyo range; then collecting the party, we returned to Camp Independence. Next a trip was made to occupy Wau-co-ba Peak, (Inyo range,) returning by the Eclipse mill and mine and crossing the river at the mill. A triangulation-station was also made upon one of the group of craters just south of Big

Pine.

The Owens River is scarely fordable within 20 miles of its mouth, but is crossed by three bridges. The banks, though low, are steep, and the river-bed soft or the approaches swampy. The sediment brought down by the river is deposited in bars in the lake, perpendicular to the thread of the current; behind them are forming lagoons. The bed of the river near its mouth is a hard-pau formation, in which deep and shallow places alternate, seemingly without reason.

In the valley is distinctly observable a fissure formed by the earthquake in 1872, when the ground sank in the valley and along the west bank of the river; and next to the foot-hills is observed the exposure of the west side of the fissure. There seemed a striking resemblance between this and a terrace formation, its position facing the valley also, and I think in a short time, when the bank shall have become rounded by the weather, it will be hard to distinguish from an old terrace.

On November 3, having completed as far as practicable the area assigned us, the party moved toward Caliente, Cal. Passing along the western shore of Owens Lake, the road keeps along the eastern base of the Sierras to Tehacapai Pass, and through this to Caliente, where we arrived November 12.

At Little Lake a halt was made to occupy a station in the Coso Mountain, and for me to visit interesting boiling springs that had been reported in the vicinity. Dr. Loew has analyzed the waters from these springs and reports upon them.

Supplies for the party were received at Los Angeles for forty days, at Panamint for sixty days, and at Camp Independence for forty-five days. Lieutenant Whipple and party arrived at Caliente also on the 12th, and Mr. Klett and party on the 15th. The parties were disbanded as soon as practicable, and the property inventoried and packed in cases. Lieutenant Whipple, in charge of train and property, left for Los Angeles on the 19th. Mr. Klett and myself left the last, on the night of the 19th, for Washington, D. C.

The party was in the field one hundred and forty-three days. A system of triangles was closed over an area of about 8,000 square miles of territory, and the topography of this area, with about a third as much more obtained by running meanders exterior to the system, was, as far as practicable, carefully studied and can be mapped.

The parallel ranges of mountains, with but 15 or 20 miles between their crests, and these marked with well-defined points, afforded an excellent opportunity for carrying on the triangulation.

A base, 6.78 miles in length, was measured in Panamint Valley, where we were able to find a nearly level and favorable surface, and well-conditioned triangles enabled us to include two prominent mountain stations (Telescope and Malurango Peaks) in the first extension. This system was definitely connected with that of the Los Angeles base by the two parties occupying in common Whitney's, Olancha, and Owens Peaks. In the measurement of the base an instrumental line was laid out between the extremities and marked by small white flags planted at intervals of fifty paces, obstructions and irregularities of surface were removed, and the line carefully measured with a spring steel tape-line, compensated for temperature. The line runs a little west of north from the south end, which is near the center of the valley, and about one-fourth of a mile north of the direct road from Shepperds Cañon to Panamint Cañon.

This end is marked by a rough-hewn stone monument, projecting 15 inches above the surface, rectangular in shape, 6 by 8 inches, and 1875 inscribed on the side away from the base. In this valley our survey was also connected with the land-survey, a three-point station being made at section-coruer of ranges 42 and 43, township 20, sections 7, 18, 12, and 13. This section-corner is situated 5 miles, and bears north 70° west, from the northern extremity of the base, which is a monument of rough stones. A series of observations was made to determine the azimuth of the base, and of sextant observations for latitude at the south end. In addition to this, sextant observations were taken at sixteen other points, which were also connected by instrumental bearings with the triangulation. In all, thirty-six sextant latitude stations were made, and complete observations for azimuth of sides of triangles at four different points.

Magnetic variation was determined by observations on Polaris; thirty-nine results have been recorded, including those determined at the apices of triangles, where the difference between the magnetic and true azimuth of one of the sides was, whenever practicable, carefully determined, the true azimuth resulting from computations afterwards made.

Eighteen triangulation-stations and thirty-two topographical stations, including the eighteen triangulation-stations, were made.

At starting, the party was well supplied with instruments for taking the meteorological observations required; both our barometers were out of order by July 12, but new tubes being received at Panamint in August enabled us to use this instrument for the remainder of the season, good comparisons for error being made on our return.

The party was unfortunate in that, from breakage or loss, the full set of meteorological instruments was not carried throughout the season; and the results of the observations taken have been curtailed on account of this; the meteorological observations were taken throughout to conform to your written instructions, and, together with the odometer record, duplicated and compared in the field. Eighty-two cistern-barometer stations were made, and four hundred and sixty-two aneroid stations in addition.

The principal roads and trails were meandered, and a table of distances for these, with remarks as to wood, water, &c, prepared in the field.

Twelve hundred and sixty-one miles were meandered and 611 traversed but not meandered; thirty-three point-stations were made as checks, and six hundred and seventy-two other stations upon meander-lines.

The instruments used werethe sextant, Stackpole & Brother's, for latitude; Wurdemann theodolite, graduated to read to 10" of arc, for triangulation; Wurdemann graduated and Young & Son's small transit, for topography and meander work; cistern and aneroid barometer, with wet and dry bulb, and maximum and minimum and pocket thermometers, for meteorological observations; the compensated steel tape for accurate and the odometer for road measurements. Short meanders were sometimes made with the pocket-compass.

A number of mining-camps were visited, and everywhere the party met with the kindest treatment from the people of the country and a willingness to impart information that proved of great value to us in traveling. Especially are we indebted to Capt. A. B. MacGowan and the officers at Camp Independence, and Mr. Maclean, the superintendent of the Cerro Gordo Freighting Company, for assistance rendered us. The members of the party, with scarcely an exception at any time, worked with a unison and cheerfulness that is a pleasure for me to record. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Lieut. GEO. M. WHEELER,

Corps of Engineers, in charge.

R. BIRNIE, JR., First Lieutenant Thirteenth Infantry.

APPENDIX E.

EXECUTIVE AND DESCRIPTIVE REPORT OF LIEUTENANT C. C. MORRISON, SIXTH CAVALRY, ON THE OPERATIONS OF PARTY NO. 2, COLORADO SECTION, FIELD-SEASON OF 1875.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER Office,

GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS WEST OF THE 100TH MERIDIAN,
Washington, D. C., May 1, 1876.

SIR: I have the honor to render executive and descriptive report as follows of the operations of party No. 2, Colorado section, of the survey for field-season of 1875. Reporting in person to Lieut. W. L. Marshall, Corps of Engineers, in charge of the Colorado section, at the camp of organization, at Pueblo, Colo., on June 5, I found the personnel of the party completed as follows: First Lieut. Charles C. Morrison, Sixth Cavalry, executive officer and field-astronomer; topographical assistant, Mr. Fred. A. Clark; recorders, Messrs. W. C. Niblack and Anton Karl; general assistant, Mr. W. H. Rideing; packers, Alex. Harbeson and Samuel Abbey; laborer, N. Bascom; cook, Green Terrell.

The necessary supplies, record-books, &c., being received later, the party took the field June 12. Moving southward upon the Santa Fé stage-road, our objective point being Fort Garland, we crossed the Sangre de Cristo Pass June 15, and reached the post the following day. It is a military post for four companies, built of adobe or sun-dried brick, not very prepossessing in appearance, although very prettily located on the eastern edge of San Luis Valley, near the junction of Sangre de Cristo and Ute Creeks. From the latter of these the post draws its supply of water by acequias, or ditches.

My instructions were to carry the survey from Fort Garland westward, to cross the San Juan range north of the San Antonio Creek, to extend the triangulation on a portion of this range unfinished the previous year. Having completed this, to go to Fort Wingate by way of Pueblo Pintado, surveying a large section in that vicinity; to examine Washington Pass as to its possible use as a wagon-pass; thence to proceed down the Bonito Creek to the Puerco of the West; thence to Wingate, surveying the Zuni Mountains southeast of Wingate, and large areas on each side of the Wingate and Albuquerque wagon-road; to carry the survey from the Rio Puerco of the East to longitude 104° 7' 30", between latitudes 34° 50' and 35° 40'. Having finished this belt, to proceed to West Las Animas, Colo., the disbanding camp, reaching there by November 15, the return route being up Ute Creek to its head. The route followed was essentially as directed, and incurred traveling by this party of 4,627 miles. The area surveyed during the season was 11,300 square miles.

It became necessary to divide the party for a portion of the time to accomplish the survey of this great area. During such time Mr. Karl acted as assistant topographer to the main party, and did so very satisfactorily indeed. The ration-points used dur ing the season were: Pueblo, Tierra Amarilla, Fort Wingate, Albuquerque, Santa Fé, Anton Chico, and Stone Ranch, rations being distributed to those points from Santa Fé and Fort Wingate.

The triangulation was carried over nearly the whole area and profile lines run. Hypsometrical data were gathered by careful observations taken regularly throughout the season. Latitude-observations were made, when possible, at all camps not located by triangulation.

The examination of the country between Tierra Amarilla, N. Mex., and Fort Defiance, Ariz., developed two possible wagon-routes of communication to the latter place by way of Washington Pass; thence into Southern Utah or Northern Arizona. The one, striking west just south of Nacimiento, crosses the main divide not far from the eastern head of Chaco Creek, follows down this drain past Pueblo Pintado to where it passes out of the cañon opposite Mesa Techada; thence, a little north of west, crossing the Vaca Creek, nearly opposite the pass; thence over Washington Pass; thence, bearing to the south, skirting the Black Lakes, down the drain of the Bonito past Fort Defiance, nearly to the mouth of the creek; then crossing over to the main wagon-road from Fort Wingate to Prescott, Ariz.

The second route crosses the Atlantic and Pacific divide at the head of Cañon Largo, where the main wagon-trail crosses north of San José; thence running down Cañon Largo about 17 miles, it leaves the main trail, crosses over to the southwest to Ojo Nuestra Señora; thence running nearly due south it strikes the Chaco in the vicinity of Pueblo Pintado; thence it follows the same route as above.

On either route there would be a scarcity of water.

Little work would be necessary on the first route from Nacimiento as far as Pueblo Pintado; from there there would be some blasting, cutting, and filling in Cañon Chaco, as also in Washington Pass, particularly near the summit on the eastern slope; here the pass narrows, and a short, sharp rise around a point of rocks would require much blasting. A very careful selection of route would be necessary on the whole eastern approach; the rise is almost 3,000 feet. On the west little difficulty would be met

with; a little blasting would be needed about 200 feet below the summit, and some cutting and filling, with two or three small bridges, would be all required.

On the second route little additional difficulty would be experienced, except south of Ojo Nuestra Señora. A line of bluffs running nearly east and west would necessitate a very careful selection of route in this vicinity. One of these, in connection with a proposed wagon-road from Fort Garland, crossing the Rio Grande at Colonas or Myers Ferry, thence to San Antonio, from there by the southern or Brazos branch of the Chama to Tierra Amarilla, would make a very direct route to Northern Arizona.

The distances on these routes will be found in tables of distances to be published from this office. It is not intended to convey the idea that these routes are now practicable, for they are far from being such; but that they are possible routes, necessitating work. There is at present a good road as far as San Antonio, Colo.; from there but a horse-trail; in many places not even that.

No traverse-line was run from Pueblo to Garland, as that portion of the country had already been surveyed in previous years by your parties.

From the summit of Sangre de Cristo Pass the San Juan range was seen enveloped in smoke of burning forests; and upon leaving Fort Garland there was still no more than a few snow-capped points visible. It certainly was not encouraging for triangulation, as we were dependent upon Banded Peak in the center of this section for the developing of the work to the south and west, the connection with Mount Taylor being very necessary, and only to be well obtained with a clear horizon.

Two miles out from Garland, June 19, we crossed Trinchera Creek, a clear mountainstream, as yet but little utilized for irrigating purposes, but capable of supplying water for quite a tract of land now almost barren. Further on, the Culebra was reached, with its Mexican ranches scattered along its banks. Flowing through low ground, with several channels, it makes much marshy land in its broad valley which could be easily reclaimed and cultivated.

As we approach the Rio Grande the bare basalt crops in places, and a few hundred yards below Myers or Colonas Ferry the cañon of the Rio Grande heads, here but a few feet deep, gradually increasing till it reaches 800 or 1,000 feet in depth-a narrow black gorge in the eruptive rocks-the great outlet of what has once been a large lake, gradually drained by its outlet cutting deeper, till finally the sandy plain of disintegrated lavas was left, rich in soil but unproductive for the want of rains or economic distribution of its present waters. The ferry is a small flat-boat swung from a cable stretched from bank to bank, the boat being propelled by the action of the current. At this point, or possibly a little farther north, would be the best railroad-crossing for a route to follow the Rio Grande, forced as it would be, in order to be built at a reasonable cost, to follow the plateau on the west bank, to come down the river again by the Ojo Caliente Creek and Rio Chama.

The route of the party from Myers Ferry was up a short valley, thence passing over a low divide down into the drainage of the San Antonio Creek. Here the country had been overflowed by the San Antonio and Conejos Creeks, which unite a few miles below where we made our camp, having between them a large marshy flat which could easily be drained, and quadruple the land now under cultivation could be devoted to agriculture had the people the necessary enterprise. At the southern end of this valley the San Antonio Mountain, a great wooded dome of eruptive rock, rises high above the surrounding country. Isolated as it is it would be a fine natural triangulation-point were it not for its wooded crest. A built station on the tree-tops would make it a fine central point to carry the triangulation from the eastern or main rocky range to the

west.

The Conejos, up which lay our route for the morrow, is a broad mountain-stream, at this season difficult of crossing, swollen as it was by the melting snows of the mountain. Several promising Mexican plazas attest the appreciation of the agricultural advantages of the section, and the many sheep in the valleys near the mouth of the cañon speak well for the grazing. The Prospect Peaks, standing as sentinels over the entrance to the country beyond, rise up from the plain just north of the mouth of the cañon. The forests were still smoking, giving promise of much waiting. We left the main road 4 miles above the town of Guadalupe, and commenced our work in the mountains. Without the serrated outlines of granite-formations the range is none the less beautiful in its many inclosed valleys and cañons. Originally a great plateau of eruptive rock over the Cretaceous sandstones, it falls gradually, with trend to the southeast, extending from the main San Juan range in the northwest till it disappears in the foot-hills and low mesas in the vicinity of Ojo Caliente. Broken up by many cañons and small valleys which have been carved out in long ages, there is left in this section but a system of narrow tables, here and there a half-mile across, generally but a few hundred feet, frequently but a ragged edge along which a man cannot pass. It is not a mountain-system, but a succession of steppes, narrow flats, and small basins with vertical rims. With summit above timber-line, bare of vegetation, in the day-time warm and pleasant, at night freezing, the year round, with slopes covered with snow, stands Banded Peak in the center of this region, the southern prominent point

of the range. Dimly outlined on the southern horizon, 158 miles away, is Mount Taylor. Nearly as far away to the southwest and west are the Tunicha range, the Carrizo Peaks, and the Sierra Lata; to the northwest and north, white with snow, the innumerable peaks of the San Juan range, like the spires of the churches of a wide-spreading city, are seen. Springing from its sides flow the Los Pinos Creek with its heads on its northeast slope, the Navajoe from its northwest slope, and the two northern heads of the Chama from its southern sides. Divided here by the narrow, nearly vertical wall, but thirty feet across its top, waters of the Atlantic and Pacific take rise, the one to find outlet by the Rio Grande in the Gulf of Mexico, the other to seek the Pacific by the Colorado River and Gulf of California.

The nearest prominent points to the north are Meigs and Monument Peaks. The country between is broken into small flats and basins, in which cluster many little lakes from the melting snows. The more protected of these are bordered by a dense growth of quaking aspen, which, with its silvery bark and bright green leaves, contrasting with the somber foliage of the pine, is far more beautiful to the eye than enjoyable to him who has to pick his way through these groves, dense as cane-brakes. At times crowded into the lake by the impenetrable growth, the pack-mule mires. There is no escape. Standing knee-deep in water of melted snow, you must take off his pack and pull him out by ropes. The delay has so belated you that in the approaching darkness you can no longer trail the mules that have gone on before, and are compelled to make camp without shelter and nothing to eat. At this season of the year it was impossible to travel over the country, on account of snow and water. The drifts to be crossed had not a crust strong enough to bear the mules, and they were in constant danger of being wedged in between hidden masses of rock. Around the entire horizon the forests were still burning as they had been for over a week; there seemed no prospect of its abating, and we were constrained, by our rations running short, to postpone the occupation of Meigs and Monument Peaks till later in the season.

In September the topographer returned, and accomplished this. Although loath to do so, (for it would have required but four more days had the horizon been good to finish the work here,) we turned our backs on Banded Peak and followed down the middle branch of the Chama. Taking its head immediately under this peak in two lakes, which find their outlet in falls some 600 feet high, the Chama gathers these waters into a bright stream 10 feet wide and 2 deep. With quite a volume of water where they flow over the rim, these falls are but spray before they reach the basin or amphitheater, inclosed on all sides by nearly vertical walls, excepting the narrow cañon through which the stream finds outlet.

This whole region abounds in game. The elk, black and white tailed deer, grizzly, black, and cinnamon bears are numerous. The banks of the stream are lined with aspen, spruce, and fir, while higher up the bare rocks give silent testimony of the colder air where even the grass is refused a living.

Following the stream down we emerged from the mountains and entered the flats of the Upper Chama, in the section known as Tierra Amarilla of Northern New Mexico. On the east the spur continues to the southeast; on the west we see the mesa-country bordering the great barren Bad Lands of the Territory. Near the point the trail leaves the mountains the middle fork makes junction with the western fork of the Chama, and together they flow to the south, bearing slightly east. We soon passed through the towns of Los Ojos and Los Brazos, and camped a little above the town of Nutritas, the agency for the Jicarilla Apaches. It being issue-day the Indians had come in for their supplies and were encamped about the town. Nearly all of them were Utes and Apaches, although some few Navajoes were easily picked out from among them by their straight, slight figures and intelligent faces; they had come over to trade with the other tribes and were willingly taking advantage of issue-day to obtain supplies. Our camp is in a forest of pine trees which grow in this flat as upon the mountains. Such is the elevation of Tierra Amarilla that in winter the snows are very heavy, but in summer the grazing is fine and the country cannot be excelled in that season as a cattle-range. A very undemonstrative Fourth of July was here passed, posting records and recuperating our animals for the hard stretch of plain country to be surveyed.

With no guide but our instruments and the information that we shall probably find but one spring of water permanent in its flow, we start for Fort Defiance. About 4 miles from Las Nutritas the Chama is crossed at the Mexican town of La Puente, so named from the fact that formerly there was a bridge across the Chama near this point. Moving nearly due south we strike the Chama again and camp for the night. Čretaceous sandstones crop along our route during the day. The grazing is good, but after we passed La Puente no cultivated land was seen, although numerous small flats along the Chama might have been reclaimed, and much land on the right bank might be devoted to agriculture did the people partially drain the Chama and throw its neverfailing water on the sage-brush plain extending towards the Gallinas. Our camp was near the crossing of the old Santa Fé and California trail, now entirely unused.

From here we pass to the west of the Gallinas Mountains, a low range much broken by short cañons, but having no marked distinctive features other than the point at its