> //i7 020 994 877 1 Holllnger Corp. pH8.5 ANNUAL REPORT CAPTAIN A. A. HUMPHREYS, TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, /' IK CHAHQB OF OFFICE OF EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS. WAR DEPARTMENT DECEMBEE, 1858. WASHINGTON: 1859. \>- S^3 „r|-l «u^ 16 ma REPORT FROM THE OFFICE OF EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS. War Department, Office Explorations and Surveys, Washington^ November 20, 1858. Sir: 1 submit the following annual report upon the operations of the department carried on under this office. I. — the experiment of sinking artesian wells upon the public lands. In my last annual report to the department (November 30, 185T,) it was stated that the expedition to continue 'the experiment of sink- ing artesian wells upon the public lands, assigned by the department to Captain John Pope, Topographical Engineers, under instructions of May 5, arrived at the former camp on the Pecos on the 2d of Sep- tember, 1857, and resumed work upon the well which had been bored to the depth of eight hundred and sixty-one feet the previous year. The operations at this point were carried on for a year, when they were terminated by authority of the department, it having been con- sidered that they had demonstrated that, with any reasonable amount of expenditure, artesian wells on the Llano Estacado, and plains of similar formation and position, are impracticable. The depth attained was one thousand and fifty feet. The work was continued during the winter, which, from its unusual severity, increased the labors and hardships of the party, exposed, as it was, in tents on the bleak plain. The difficulties encountered were far greater than had been anticipated by Captain Pope, but were constantly met with skill, zeal, and perseverance. The impracticability of carrying the boring to a greater depth with the means provided, is attributable to the incoherent nature of the soft sandstones, marls, and clays, which, throughout the whole depth of the well, fell in and packed so firmly around the tubing, that, in forcing it down, the threads of the connecting screws were stripped off, and the tubes themselves split and crushed. From the same cause, when it became necessary to withdraw the tubes upon the acci- dental loss in the Avell of the heavy iron rod connected with the cut- ting tools, and subsequently of the slips holding the cutters, long delays occurred; and in one of these cases the well could only be cleared by boring and spearing up a part of the tubing. Near the bottom of the well thin seams of hard limestone were met, the jagged edges of which cut the wooden rods in two, and bent the iron rods so that they speedily became worthless. The water used in the boiler of the engine contained material in suspension that formed in six days a hard incrustation half an inch thick, which could only be removed by chiseling. The fine sand in suspension cut away the valves, and the acids in solution rapidly de- stroyed the boiler and other iron work. Much time was thus lost, and new machinery could not be obtained nearer than New Orleans. Such, in brief, were the obstacles encountered in sinking the well 4 to the depth of one thousand and fifty feet; beyond that depth it could not be carried. Captain Pope expresses the belief that wells might be bored to a much greater depth on the Llano by using heavy cast iron tubes of large diameter, and suitable driving apparatus, but that the cost of transporting this heavy material would preclude its use. Upon this I can express no opinion, as the dimensions, weight, &c., of this tubing are not stated. The reports received from Captain Pope do not specify how many new supplies of water were met during the last operations. One new supply, described as a strong stream pouring into the well, is marked on the diagram as entering it twohundredfeet below the lowest water previously encountered, (in 1856,) which, coming from a source six hundred and seventy-six feet below, rose to within one hundred and ten feet of the surface. As it is not stated that the water from this new supply rose higher in the well than during the previous year, it is presumed that it did not. In Captain Pope's letter of the 4th of June, 1858, mention is made of powerful streams of water pouring into the well without rising to the surface. This would indicate that they find vent at lower levels than that of the surface of the Llano at the well, and would lead us to apprehend the same result for streams that might be encountered at greater depths, and to doubt whether the water would flow out at the surface even if the boring were carried to the depth originally intended. Captain Pope does not appear to entertain any such doubt, biit, on the contrary, explicitly states in his report of the 22d of August last, that his opinions about the certainty of getting water to overflow at the surface are unchanged. The suggestions of Captain Pope, in his report of the 4th of June, that the work upon the well near the Pecos should be discontinued, and the next experiment be made upon or near the route between Anton Chico and Albuquerque, were approved by the department, and instructions to that effect were sent him on the 10th of July. At the date of his last communication (September 28) the party had ar- rived at Galisteo, and commenced the experimenton the plain between Anton Chico and Albuquerque, at the intersection of the road between those two places with the road from SantJi Fe to Fort Stanton In order to exhibit the nature and extent of the operations of Cap- tain Pope, I submit herewith copies of his instructions and reports of progress. It is only by their perusal that his labors can be properly appreciated. II. — EXPLORATION OF THE BIO COLORADO OF THE WEST. The expedition for the exploration of the Rio Colorado of the West, commanded by First Lieutenant J. C. Ives, Topographical Engineers, has completed its field operations. Lieutenant Ives returned to Washington in August, and is now employed in preparing the report and maps. I submit herewith a communication from him, showing briefly a portion of the results of the expedition. In the last annual report it was stated that the expedition was at San Francisco, en route for the field. The supplies and property of the party, and also the materials for constructing a small iron steam- boat, were sent from San Francisco to the mouth of the Colorado in one of the government vessels. They arrived there on the 2d of December. Under serious disadvantages the steamboat was put together, and on the 31st of December the ascent of the river was commenced. On the 11th of March a point was reached nearly five hundred miles from the mouth, (in lat. 36° 06',) beyond which it was impracticable to proceed in boats. It was intended that the examina- tion of the river should be made in the season of low water, and during the progress of the party the river proved to be lower than had ever been known. In this worst stage the navigation was found to be difficult, but is pronounced entirely practicable, for the distance stated, for steamboats of suitable construction and of but two feet draught. The trip from the mouth to the head of navigation will requ?re from ten to twenty days, and the round trip from three to six weeks. There is an abundance of wood for fuel on the river. From the head of navigation to the nearest point on the Spanish trail, or Mormon road to Utah, the distance is forty miles; about one hundred miles to the point where that road crosses the Muddy river, a tributary of the Virgen; two hundred and twenty miles to the first Mormon settlement in the Great Salt Lake basin, and five hundred miles to the Great Salt Lake. The head of navigation is about seventy miles above the Mojave valley. Examinations should be made for a better route between the head of navigation and the Virgen, since, for the space of sixty miles before reaching the Muddy river, no water is found on the Mormon road. By using the Colorado as a channel for forwarding supplies, there would be "a saving in land transportation to Salt Lake of seven hun- dred miles ; to Fort Defiance of six hundred miles, and to Fort Buchanan of eleven hundred miles. The chains of mountains that cross the navigable portion of the Colorado were found, like those of California and Sonora, to possess great mineral wealth. Rich deposits of silver, copper, and lead were observed, and a great abundance of iron: but gold and mercury only in small quantities. After the completion of the reconnaissance of the river, explora- tions were conducted by land along the 36th parallel, on the plateau region through which the upper Colorado and its tributaries canon, the greater part of which was entirely unknown. Extending over a space of four degrees of longitude, these plateaus were found cut into im- mense chasms, thousands of feet deep, forming intricate systems of abvsscs many miles in width, and utterly impassable. Through these chasms the streams just mentioned ran, and, wherever seen, foamed and surged with the" rapidity of their descent. Near'the eastern border of the table lands, which extend from the Colorado to the mountains of the Sierra Madre, the Moquis towns are found. They were visited by the expedition, which arrived at Albuquerque about the 1st of June, and was there broken up. 6 The region explored is pronounced to bo of little agricultural value. Cretaceous coal was found near the Moquis towns. The examinations of Lieutenant Ives confirm the opinion of Captain Whipple as to the railroad practicability of the line from the Big Sandy to the Colorado river, which is shorter than the line down Bill Williams' Fork by ninety miles, and less costly by six million dollars. The changes effected by the adoption of this line, in the length and cost of the whole route, will be found on pages 36 and 37 of the con- clusion of the official review, volumeVII of the Pacific Railroad Report. This is the only modification of the railroad route of the 85th parallel introduced by the explorations of Lieutenant Ives and the examina- tions made by Mr. Bealo when opening the wagon road from Port Defiance to the Colorado river. The explorations conducted by Lieutenant Ives Avere attended by circumstances of more than ordinary difficulty, and the successful execution of the duties assigned to him is liighly creditable to himself and party. III. EXPLORATIONS IN NEBRASKA. The return, in November last, of the expedition commanded by Lieutenant G-. K. Warren, Topographical Engineers, after the suc- cessful execution of the duties intrusted to him of reconnaissance and exploration in Nebraska, has been already reported. The maps have been completed, all the necessary calculations of the astronomical and barometrical observations made, and the reports in relation to the different objects of the expodition are in an advanced state. The principal objects of the expedition were to ascertain the best route by which to continue to the South Pass the military road now constructing from the Mississippi river to Sioux City, on the Missouri, and to examine in this connexion the valley of the Loup Fork of the Platte, and that of the Niobrara, and to make such reconnaissance of the Black Hills about the sources of the Big Shyenne as circumstances would permit, to determine their character, especially Avith reference to the future military operations that may be carried on in this Terri- tory. In accomplishing these objects, the expedition would obt^un information of the character and resources of the country, its adapta- bility to settlement and cultivation, and would develop its geography and geology along the routes pursued, nearly all of which were pre- viously unexplored by Avhite men. The preliminary report of Lieutenant Warren is hereAvith pre- sented. The routes reconnoitred and mapped in 1857 are from Sioux City to the mouth of Loup Fork; thence up this stream to its source in the Sand Hills; and thence by the Niobrara to Fort Laramie. From this point the party proceeded north and carefully examined the Black Hills, and, returning to the Niobrara, explored this stream to its junction with the Missouri; and also a route from the mouth of Turtle Hill river to Fort Randall. Finally, the road from Fort Randall to Sioux City Avas surveyed. With the report on these routes Lieutenant Warren combines that of the routes examined by him in 1856, under orders from General Harney, of which examinations no report has heretofore been pre- sented. In that vear he made a careful reconnaissance of the Missouri river from the southern boundary of Nebraska to a point sixty miles above the mouth of the Yellowstone, and of this latter stream to PoAvder river. The routes explored, including those of 1858, (of which a report has been rendered and printed,) all lie east of the 106th meridian. They lead once through the Sand Hills north and south, and twice east and west, almost around the Black Hills, and through the valleys of the following rivers, viz: the Platte, Loup Fork, Niobrara, White Earth, Big Shyenne, Missouri, Yellowstone, and James rivers. The accompanying report of Lieutenant Warren is divided as follows: Part 1 is a statement of the routes pursued and main incidents which affected their direction and extent, and in connexion with this are given the objections urged by the Dakotas against the passage of the expedition through the Territory. This may prove valuable to any white men that may travel there. Part 2 contains a general description of the surface of Nebraska; an account of the general structure of the country; its principal geological formations and the character of the soil; and its adaptability in different parts to settlement. It confirms the statements heretofore made by explorers in otlier portions of the western prairies of the generally sterile character of the lands Avest of the 99th meridian, attributable to the absence of fertile elements in the soil in large tracts, like the Sand Hill region, and to the want of timely rains. The section in the mountains bordering these plains on the west is described as containing small fertile valleys, Avith streams of Avater and an abundance of building material, both of stone and wood, and an ample supply of the latter for fuel. The opinion is expressed that this section will be overspread by considerable settlements. Part 3 contains a general description of the rivers and routes through the Territory, Avith a discussion of the question as to the best route by Avhich to supply Fort Laramie and the interior. The conclusions arrived at in regard to this last question are, that the route up the Loup Fork is impracticable, and, besides, is less direct than the Platte route ; that the route along the Niobrara is barely practicable for Avagons, and that the difficulties to be met Avith on the road, together Avith the increased riA^er transportation of the route, render it less favorable than that up the Platte, Avhether the starting point be Omaha City or Nebraska City ; that a road from Sioux City to Fort Laramie, along the Niobrara, Avould only be about forty miles shorter than a road proceeding from the same point direct to tiie Platte, at the mouth of Loup Fork, and thence along the Platte route to Fort Laramie ; that the shorter length of the Niobrara route is more than counterbalanced by the great difficulties on that route, and therefore the route along the Platte is the better of the two ; 8 that the route from the mouth of White river west to Fort Laramie is probably practicable, and superior to that along the Niobrara ; that the route from Fort Pierre to Fort Laramie is likewise superior to the Niobrara route, but that the increased river transportation and absence of settlements along this part of the Missouri river render these routes at present inferior to those of the Platte valley; that above Fort Pierre, on the navigable part of the Missouri river, there are no routes leading from it to Fort Laramie or the South Pass that are as advantageous as those enumerated. It is further concluded that of all the routes explored the Platte valley is the best adapted for locating a railroad to connect the settlements to be formed in the mountains Avith those along the Missouri river; and that, as a national route for a Pacific railroad, leading to the South Pass or to Bridger's Pass, it is superior to any other in this latitude. These conclusions appear to be fully sustained by the facts advanced in their support. The 4th part of the report treats of the Indian tribes, their num- ber, location, &c. An approximate estimate of their strength is made, and routes by which to operate against them, in the event of hostili- ties, are discussed. Almost every part of the country examined is practicable for the operations of cavalry; and routes practicable for the wagons of a military expedition can generally be found, even in the Black Hills, to such points as would be used as depots from which supplies for brief periods could be furnished for military movements. The 5th part of Lieutenant Warren's report is a brief statement of the meteorological phenomena of the country, as observed during the explorations; the most prominent facts respecting which are the ex- treme variableness of the phenomena of moisture and temperature — tacts which confirm previous statements in regard to them. The report contains a catalogue of the fossils collected, with the localities of the specimens, and similar lists of the plants and the col- lections in the different departments of zoology. All these collections were made without interfering with the more immediate, practical ■objects of the explorations, and reflect credit on the labors of Lieu- tenant Warren and his assistants. These collections are esteemed to be of high scientific value; and among the discoveries due to the labors of the expedition are the discovery of the Potsdam sandstone, the oldest of the fossiliferous rocks, in the Black Hills, the first posi- tive proof of the existence in America of the formation corresponding to the Jurassic of Europe, and the discovery on the Niobrara of a new formation of the pliocene tertiary, containing the remains of an ex- tinct fauna resembling that now inhabiting Asia, from which at least thirty-two distinct species of vertebrates have been described by Professor Lcidy. The principal of these results have been published, by permission of the department, in the proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Accompanying one of these papers, prepared by Dr. Hayden, is a small geological map of Ne braska. A military map of Nebraska and Dakota, on a scale of tto oiro « prepared by Lieutenant Warren, and ordered to be engraved by the Senate at its last session, is now ready for publication. 9 The completion of the exploration of the interior of Nobnuska, about the sources of the Yellowstone, Lieutenant Warren thinks conld be most advantageously and economically made by an expedition organ- ized to remain at least two years in the field, and the cost of this he estimates at $G0,000. This exploration has been a favorite object with him, and his previous experience, and his knowledge of the Indians and character of the country, would enable him to accomplish the work with economy. The highly crcditiible manner in which the explorations heretofore intrusted to him have been conducted, under many embarrassments, dilBculties, and dangers, prove him to be peculiarly well qualified for the task. A detailed plan for the execution of the work will be found in the report. IV. — THE MILITARY ROAD FROM FORT BENTON TO FORT WALLA-WALLA. The opening of the military road from Fort Benton, on the Missouri river, to Fort "Walla- Walla, on the Columbia river, for which there was an appropriation of $30, 000, was assigned to Lieutenant John Mullan, 2d artillery, on the 12th of last March. On the 25th of May Lieutenant Mullan had organized his working party and left Fort Dalles, on the Columbia river, for Fort Walla- Walla, when intelligence was received by him of the commencement of hostilities by the Indian tribes occupying the regions through which the route he was about to open passes. The party was accordingly disbanded, and Lieutenant Mullan joined Colonel Wright's command, as topographical officer, and in that capacity, and in command of a party of friendly Indians, participated in the campaign upon the Spokane plains. The appropriation was entirely inadequate to the object for which it was designed, and to open a road of similar permanency of character with the military roads in the United States Territories would require a very much larger sum. No estimate of this has been made, but it mav be assumed that it will not be less than the amounts expended on equal lengths of route on the wagon roads to the Pacific in other latitudes, for which appropriations have been made. V. — OFFICE WORK. In addition to supplying the general map of the United States Territories for military purposes, special maps of the theatres of operations have been furnished to the troops engaged in the field. Maps of each of the military departments are being prepared. Upon the general map of the United States Territories west of the Missis- sippi, Lieutenant Warren has laid down the approximate boundaries of the various Indian tribes that occupy the country. Copies of this, printed in colors, so as to exhibit the location of each tribe, showing also the limits of the military departments, and positions of th« military posts, will, it is believed, be found useful to the War Depart- ment and the army, and will matorially aid those not familiar with 10 this region, in comprehending; the nature and extent of the military operations necessary to control the Indian tribes, In preparing this map, besides the information possessed in this office, much that was valuable was obtained from the Indian Bureau and United States Land Office, particularly in regard to the location of the Indian reserves. The attempt to define the boundaries of these Indian tribes is a difficult task, as they are not well established among themselves; and those that are friendly to each other, though using different languages, often mingle to such an extent as to have a common countr}^; as for instance the Crees, Chippewas, and Assin- niboins. It is for this reason, probably, that no map of this kind has ever before been produced. Upon returning to Washington, in December last, Lieutenant Warren resumed charge of the j)reparation of the maps, s, prepared the sketch of the river. As far up as the mouth of James river our advance had been quite rapid, the river being at a good stage ; but a short distance above that point we encountered a sudden and heavy freshet in the river, (produced by rains,) with a current so rapid that our boat was unable to advance against it. From this cause we remained tied up to the bank a whole day. As soon as the river began to fall, the velocity abated, and we proceeded on the voyage. So sudden, however, was the subsidence of the flood that, in five days after we had escaped the embargo of too much water, we found ourselves aground and drawing several inches more water than there was anywhere on the bar^ which stretched across the river. This occuired to us near the first Cedar island. Under these circumstances, being anxious to reach Fort Pierre as soon as possible, as was also Captain Frost, (who was sutler at the fort, and whose goods were the principal freight of the boat,) we determined to leave the boat and proceed on foot to the dragoon camp, at the mouth of American Crow river, about 80 miles distant. Our means of transportation were two horses, the property of Colonel Lee, 2d infantry, and Lieutenant Colonel Andrews, of the 6th infantry, which carried our blankets and provisions, and we were accompanied by a Mr. Moore and two men. On arriving opposite to the dragoon camp on the evening of the third day's travel, we were informed that there was no boat to bring us across. We stayed on the bank of the river that night, and the next morning renewed our signals to com- municate with the camp. These, however, failed to attract attention to us, and our provisions being short we were obliged, though much wearied by our journey on foot_, (there having been a cold rain one day and night,) to attempt to reach Fort Pierre, 80 miles distant. This we accomplished in three days, and arrived there on the 20th ot May, completely exhausted, having subsisted mainly on the birds killed with our shot guns. The journey gave me an opportunity of viewing the country and its appearances a few miles back from the Missouri. The steamboat having landed a portion of her freight at the place where we left her, reached Fort Pierre three days after us. On my arrival all the tribes of the Dakotas west of the Missouri, except the Sichangus and Ogalalas, were assembled in council, and a treaty of peace was made Avith them by General Harney, which terminated the Sioux war. Instructions were now given me by General Harney to proceed with my party in the American Fur Company's boat to the mouth of the Yellowstone, and as far above as she should ascend, and to return by 52 means of a Mackinac boat, and carefully examine all points on the river to determine their suitahility as sites for military posts, and to obtain such other information as we should be able with regard to the country. An escort of fifteen men and two non-commissioned officers of the 2d infantry were placed under my command. We left Fort Pierre in the American Fur Company's boat " St. Mary," Cap- tain Labarge, on the 28th of June, and reached Fort Union on the 10th of July.' The boat landed most of her stores, and then proceeded to a point about 60 miles above the mouth of the Yellowstone and discharged the balance. While ascending the river, tlie sketch of it was taken above Fort Pierre, as it had been below, by Messrs. Hutton and Snowden, and observations were made by me for latitude. At Fort Union a 16-inch transit was set up, and observations taken during a whole lunation; but owing to the cloudy condition of the nights during the time, and the shortness of the nights themselves, only two sets of observations were obtained on the moon and stars. The result of these gave the longitude of tViat post 101° 02', with a limit of error of about 10'. While at Fort Union we saw the Assinniboin Indians. Having ascertained that a Mackinac boat could not be prepared for me before the 1st of September, I determined to make an examination of the Yellowstone during the month of August; and in carrying this out I was fortunate in being able to purchase the means of land trans- portation from Sir St. George Gore, who was returning from an ex- ten ;ive hunting excursion on the waters of the Yellowstone and its br inches. We left the mouth of the Yellowstone July 25, and, trnvelling leisurely up the left bank, reached a point one hundred miles from its mouth, beyond which it was impossible to advance with wagons along the valley of the Yellowstone without crossing to the opposite banks. Here we made a camp with the main body, and with a party of seven I proceeded, with pack animals, over a very difficult country (known as the Bad Lands of the Yellowstone) to the mouth of Powder river, thirty miles further. This was the furthest point up the Yellowstone that I intended to proceed, and I was anxious to reach it and to fix its position, as being a good and certain point with which any future reconnaissance could connect. From the appearance of Powder river at the mouth, no one would suppose the stream to be of the length it really is, and I was not surprised at Captain Clarke not having done so on his voyage down the Yellowstone in 1806. On returning to our wagon camp, we all travelled a short distance down the Yellowstone to a convenient point, where we made a boat eighteen feet long and five feet wide, by stretching the skins of three buffalo bulls over a frame made of small cotton-wood and willow trees. With this vessel a small party navigated the Yellowstone to its mouth, carefully map- ping the islands and bends of the river. The wagons and land party returned to the Missouri by travelling over nearly the route by which they ascended. We enjoyed the greatest abundance of large game of all kinds while on the Yellowstone river. On reaching Fort Union again we found our boat nearly ready, 5H and, all our arrangements being completed, we left that place on the Ist of September. A small party conducted the animals along the snore oa our journey down the Missouri, generally camping each nigiit witli the boat party. Halts of two or three days were made at all interesting localities, and map sketches were made several miles up all the streams flowing into the Missouri ; and the map of the Mis- souri was also verified. These sketches, on a scale of one and a half inch to a mile, are on file and convenient for reference in this office. Thermometer and barometer observations were made throughout the period of the examinations of the year 1856. Dr. Hayden was indefat- igable in his efforts to develop the geology of the region traversed, and some of the results have already been published, by permission of the War Department, in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. A very extensive collection was also made in zoology. We reached Fort Pierre on our return on the 2d of October, at which place our animals were sold, and most of the soldiers returned to their respective companies. A few accompanied us as far as the mouth of the James river. We reached Sioux City on November 15, and fortunately ibiind a steamboat there, by means of which we pro- ceeded with our effects to St. Louis, and thence by railroad to Wash- ington. The cost of this expedition to the United States was about $10,000. No special report has yet been made by me on the results of this year's exploration. The maps were about completed, and the mate- rial in the process of elaboration, when I was assigned to the command of another exploration by the War Department, a brief account of which I shall now proceed to give. I received my instructions from the Hon. John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, May 7, 1857, the general terms of which were to make the necessary examinations to determine the best route for continuing the military road between Mendota and the Big Sioux westward to Fort Laramie and the South Pass. Thence to proceed northward and make such examinations on the Black Hills as my time and means would permit, and to return by the valley of the Niobrara, and make a careful examination thereof. I was assisted in the examination by Messrs. J. H. Snowden and P. M. Engel, as topographers ; Dr. F. V. Hayden, as geologist ; W. P. C. (Jarrington, as meteorologist ; Dr. S. Moffett, as surgeon ; and Lieut. Jas. McMillan, commanding the escort. The escort, numbering twenty-seven men and three non-commis- sioned officers, under Lieut. McMillan, all of the 2d infantry, was directed to meet me at Sioux City, transportation for it being fur- nished by the quartermaster's department. Transportation for the remainder of the party was assembled at Omaha City as soon as pos- sible ; and on the 27th of June, under the charge of Mr, Snowden, set out for the rendezvous at the mouth of Loup Fork. Accompanied by Mr. Engel, I then proceeded to Sioux City, where we found the escort had been awaiting us several days on the Big Sioux river. Through some misunderstand'lng there were no team- sters i'urnished for the wagons of the escort ; and the mules, from a 54 disease of the hoof, and the wagons, and especially the harness, from long use, were of very inferior quality. It occupied me six days in getting the train in travelling condition, which was only done by abandoning one wagon and a large supply of stores for the escort. During this time a rumor* reached there of a fight having taken place between the soldiers and the Shyennes at Ash Hollow, in which a hnndred of the former were killed. Twelve of the soldiers of the escort, tempted by the high prices of labor in this vicinity, and tired of the toils and privations of campaigning, deserted as we were about to set out, and some white thieves who infested the neighborhood of Sioux City carried off two of my best horses. These losses occurring in a civilized community, where we supposed ourselves among friends, were quite annojing, and gave rather unpleasant forebodings of what might occur to us when we should come among our enemies, the Indians. We set out from Sioux City July 6, and, taking a direct course, joined the other party on the Loup Fork, being 11 days in going 110 miles. The route was heavy from frequent rains, all the ravines being filled with water, and the most insignificant rivulet requiring preparation, on account of the soft nature of the soil, before a wagon could cross it. We had to make one bridge (over Middle creek) about 30 eet long, and construct a raft with which to cross the Elk Horn. The united party now set out on their journey westward on the Loup Fork, meeting with no serious difficulties on the route (except the quicksands in crossing the main north branch) till we came to within 50 miles of the source of the stream. Here the river became shut up in a gorge impassable for wagons, and we were forced out among the difficult sand hills which border the bluffs and which extend north to the Niobrara and south nearly to the Platte. They also extend much further east, but they occasioned us no diflSculties till we were forced to leave the bank of the stream. We finally came to the source of the Loup Fork, and from this point endeavored to proceed as directly as possible north to the Niobrara, for we were somewhat apprehensive of losing everything, for want of water, by endeavoring to push our way westward through the Sand Hills. These hills, however, were so impracticable for wagons that we were forced much more to the west than we desired, and one day we were unable to find water to camp by. There are numerous lakes in this Sand Hill country, but many of them are too much impregnated with salts to be wholesome. Some of these latter our animals drank out of without injury. On reaching the longitude of 102° 80' we had the good fortune to find an open stretch of country with a large well marked lodge trail leading between the Platte and Niobrara, which, in one day's travel northward, brought us to the Niobrara. We now proceeded rapidly over an easy route to Fort Laramie. During the journey there had been considerable sickness in the camp from fevers, and one of the men was so near the point of death that a halt of several days was made for his benefit. Dr. Moffett also became so ill as to require a delay of one or two days. These neces- * This rumor was without foundation, as it afterwards appeared. 55 «ary stoppages, the difficulties of the route, rainy weather, together with my being obliged to leave so much of our provisions behind at Sioux City, reduced our supplies to a small amount, and for nearly two weeks we were without sugar or coffee. We had also been very much disappointed in the amount ot game ; and though the country gave evidence of having recently been occupied by large herds of buffalo, only a few bulls were seen. During the early part of the journey mosquitoes were abundant, and allowed our animals no rest at night, and immense numbers of flies attacked them by day. These insects, combined, exhausted and worried the animals more than the labor they performed, and the lives of one or two were saved only by covering them with grease and tar to keep the flies and mosquitoes away. At Fort Laramie we entirely refitted the party, which took us a long time, on account of everything being required for the Utah expedition. It gives me great pleasure to state that the commanding officer. Colonel Hoffman, and the acting quartermaster, Lieutenant Higgins, gave me all the facilities at their command. Owing to the great number of animals that graze in the neighborhood the grass was nearly eaten off, and our animals recruited very little during our stay there. While there I succeeded in getting several sets of obser- vations for moon culminations, which determined the longitude to be 104° 30,' with a limit of error of about 4'. Dr. Hayden and Mr. Engel also made an excursion to Laramie peak, which they ascended. The party, on leaving Fort Laramie, was divided into two parts, as, owing to the lateness of the season, it was impossible to accom- plish all the objects of the expedition by keeping together. Tliough in doing this I subjected each portion to the possibility of being defeated by the Indians, I deemed the case to justify the risk. The wagons were, half of them, turned in to the quartermaster, and the remainder, with the escort under Lieutenant McMillan, were to pro- ceed down the Niobrara, and await me in longitude 101° 30'. Mr. J. H. Snowden went with this party to make the topographical recon- naissances; Dr. Moffett also accompanied it. My own party consisted of Dr. Hayden, Mr. Carrington, and Mr. Engel, and we had with us 17 men as packers, &c., and Mr. Morin as a guide and interpreter. •Our supplies were packed on mules. Setting out from Fort Laramie on the 4th of September, we pro- ceeded direct for the Black Hills, via Raw Hide butte. Old Woman creek, the south fork of the Shyenne, and Beaver creek ; up a branch of this last we entered the Black Hills. We continued north to the vicinity of the Inyan Kara, (or the peak which makes the mountain^) a remarkable high basaltic peak, one of the highest of these mount- ains, and so far to the north that we had a full view of the prairie beyond. Here we were met by a very large force of the Dakotas, who made such earnest remonstrances and threats against our proceeding into their country that 1 did not think it prudent for us, as a scientific expedition, to venture further in this direction. Some of them were for attacking us immediately, as their numbers would have insured success ; but the lesson taught them by General Harney, in 1855, 56 made them fear they would meet with retribution, and this I endeav- ored to impress upon them. We were at the time almost in sight of the place where these Indiana had plundered Sir George Gore in 1856,. for endeavoring to proceed through their country, and one of them was actually mounted on one of his best horses taken at that time. Sir George Gore's party was only about half as numerous as mine; but there were a number of my party which I had picked up at Fort Laramie on whom we placed very little reliance. The grounds of their objections to our traversing this region were very sensible, and of sufficient weight, I think, to have justified them in their own minds in resisting ; and as these are still in force for the prevention of the passage of any other party of whites not large enough to resist successfully, they are of sufficient importance to be repeated here. In the first place, they were encamped near large herds of buffalo, whose hair not being sufficiently grown to make robes, the Indians were^, it may be said, actually herding the animals. No one was permitted to kill any in the large bands for fear of stampeding the others, and only such were killed as straggled away from the main herds. Thus the whole range of the buffalo was stopped so that they could not proceed south, which was the point to which they were travelling. The intention of the Indians was to retain the buffalo in their neighborhood till their skins would answer for robes, then to kill the animals by surrounding one band at a time and completely destroying each member of it. In this way no alarm is communi- cated to the neighboring bands, which often remain quiet almost in sight of the scene of slaughter. For us to have continued on then would have been an act for which certain death would have been inflicted on a like number of their own tribe had they done it; for we might have deflected the whole range of the bufialo fifty or one hundred miles to the west, and prevented the Indians from laying in their winter stock of provisions and skins, on which their comfort if not even their lives depended. Their feelings towards us, under the circumstances, were not unlike what we should feel towards a person who should insist upon setting fire to our barns. The most violent of them were for immediate resistance, when I told them of my intentions ; and those who were most friendly, and in greatest fear of the power of the United States, begged that I would ''take pity" on them and not proceed. I felt that, aside from its being an unnecessary risk to subject my party and the interests of the expedition to, it was almost cruelty to the Indians to drive them to commit any desperate act which would call for chastisement from the government. But this was not the only reason they urged against our proceed- ing. They said that the treaty made with General Havney gave to the whites the privilege of travelling on the Platte and along White river, between Fort Pierre and Laramie, and to make roads there, and to travel up and down the ]\l^g80uri in boats ; but that it guaran- tied to them that no white people should travel elsewhere in their country, and thus frighten away the buffalo by their care^less manner of hunting them. And finally, that my party was there examining the country to ascertain if it was of value to the whites, and to di&- 57 cover roads through it, and places for military posts; and that having already given up all the country to the whites that they could spare, these Black Hills must he left wholly to themselves. Moreover, if none of these things should occur, our passing through their country would give us a knowledge of its character and the proper way to traverse it in the event of another war between themselves and the troops. I was necessarily compelled to admit to myself the truth and force of these objections. The Indians whom I first met were the Minikanyes, to the number of forty lodges, near whom, as they were very friendly, we encamped.* They were soon joined by the warriors of a large camp of Unkpapas and Sihasapas, and our position, which was sufficiently unpleasant in the presence of such a numerous party of half-avowed enemies, was rendered doubJy so by a storm of sleet and snow, which lasted two days and nights, and against which we had but little protection. A young Indian, who had accompanied us from Fort Laramie, con- sidered the danger to us so imminent that he forsook our camp and joined his friends, the Minikanyes. Under these embarrassing circumstances my associates evinced the most resolute bravery and determination to abide the result like true men. I consented to wait three days without advancing, in order to meet their great warrior, Bear's Rib, appointed first chief by General Harney's treaty, merely changing our position to one offering greater facilities for defence. At the expiration of the time, Bear's Rib not making his appearance, we broke up camp, and, travelling back on our route about forty miles, struck ofi" to the eastward, through the southern part of these mountains. The point where we turned back is well marked by the Inyan Kara peak, whose position was fixed by us. After we had proceeded two days on our journey eastward, we were overtaken by Bear's Rib and one other Indian who accompanied him. He reiterated all that had been said by the other chiefs, and added that he could do nothing to prevent our being destroyed if we attempted to proceed further. I then told him that I believed he was our friend, but that if he could do nothing for us, he bad better return to his people, and leave us to take care of ourselves, as I was determined to proceed as far as Bear butte. After a whole day spent in deliberation, he concluded to accompany us a part of the way, and he said he would then return to his people and use his influence to have us not molested. In return for this, he wished me to say to the President and to the white people that they could not be allowed to come into that country. That if the presents sent were to purchase such a right, they did not want them. All they asked of the white people was, to be lelt to themselves and let alone. That if the presents were sent to induce them not to go to war with the Crows and their other enemies, they did not wish them. War with them was not only a necessity but a pastime. He said General Harney had told them * I am much indebted to the influence jf Major TwisB, the Indian agent near Fort Laramie, for his efforts to give the Dakotas a favorable opinion of my expedition, and to secure \is a friendly reception. 58 not to go to war, and yet he was all the time goiag to war himself. (Bear's Kib knew that when General Harney left the Sioux country he had gone to the war in Florida^ and was at the time in command of the army sent against the Mormons.) He said, moreover, that the annuities scarcely paid for going after them; and that if they were not distributed to them while they were on their visit to the trading posts, on the Missouri, to dispose of their robes, they did not want them. (It is a fact, that for several years, owing to this cause, these In- dians have not come in for their goods at all.) He said that he heard that the Ihanktonwans were going to sell their lands to the whites. If they did so, he wished them informed that they could not come on his people's lands. They must stay with the whites. Every day the Ihanktonwans were coming there, but were always turned back. Whatever may have been Bear's Eib's actions after leaving us, it is certain we saw no more Indians in the Black Hills. We completed our reconnaissance along the eastern portion of these mountains as far as Bear peak, which forms another convenient and accurate point with which any future reconnaissance may connect with our own. We also visited the north fork of the Shyenne, in this vicinity. On our return we took a southeast direction, striking the south fork of the Shyenne at the mouth of Sage creek. We then proceeded up the south fork to French creek; thence southeast, through the Bad Lands, to White river ; thence along the sources of White Clay creek and Porcupine creek ; and thence to the Niobrara, striking it in longitude 102° 03'. We found the party under Lieutenant McMillan about forty miles below where we struck the river, and eighty miles below where we had first reached it on our journey westward in August. This inter- vening distance had been carefully mapped by Mr. Snowden, and he had made several excursions at diflterent places to examine the country, as I had directed. Lieutenant McMillan's march down the river thus far had not been made without much wordy opposition from the Brule Dakotas, much of the same kind as that I have related as having been said to me in the Black Hills. On finding that he was deter- mined to proceed, the chief, Little Thunder, sent four of his principal men to accompany them, which they did for some days. At a subse- quent time, twenty-two warriors charged into the camp, thinking the party was a trading expedition. Their insolence was checked by Lieutenant McMillan's threatening to fire on them ; whereupon they entered their usual protest against the party's proceeding further, and the next day all withdrew. The last twenty miles of Lieutenant McMillan's route was through difficult sand hills bordering the river, the stream itself being so shut in by high precipitous ridges that he was unable to travel along it. We now found the route exceedingly laborious for wagons on account of the sand hills, which continue to the mouth of Rapid creek. The character of the immediate valley of the Niobrara precluded the wagons from travelling along it ; so, while Mr. Snowden mapped the route of the train, Mr. Engel travelled along the river, sometimes on one side and sometimes on the other, and made a map of it. Even he. 59 though riding a mule, found it difficult to keep up in this way with the wagons, which slowly wound their way through and over the sand hills. Our camps at night were here always on the main river. After passing the Rapid creek the sand hills gave us no longer any trouble, (except for about twenty miles on the point between the Niobrara and Keya Paha,) but the ravines and precipices still pre- vented the wagons from travelling within from five to eight miles of the Niobrara, and here Mr. Engel continued the sketch as before. Dr. Hayden also travelled along the immediate banks of the river, examining the character of the rocks and collecting fossils. On reaching the mouth of the Keya Paha, the main party, with the wagons, proceeded direct to Fort Randall, and a separate party, under Mr. Engel, travelled down the Niobrara to its mouth, completing the examination of that stream. It was my intention for Dr. Hayden to accompany him, but on arriving at the place of separation we found the same geological ibrmation and characteristics as we knew to exist at the mouth ; and as the intervening distance was only sixty miles, he did not deem it necessa-y to go over it. Fort Randall was reached on the 1st of November, and the escort was returned to the regiment. We were most hospitably received by Major Day, commanding the post, and the other officers of the 2d infantry, and I take this occasion to acknowledge my indebtedness to this regiment for the aid and protection they have afforded me in all my explorations. Two sets of observations for moon culminations were obtained here, but cloudy weather prevented more. The longitude, as calculated from them, is 98° 34', with a probable limit of error of about 8'. The party set out from Fort Randall on the 7th of November, and surveyed the route to Sioux City, which was reached on the 16th. The season being far advanced, no steamboat was expected, and the river was full of floating ice. The weather, as we travelled on towards Fort Leavenworth, became very severe, and the river became frozen over as far down as St. Joseph's. During this time we made rapid progress, but a mild spell of weather coming on made the road so heavy that with the greatest exertion we hardly accomplished ten miles a day. During this time the health of the party suffered severely from influenza. We reached Fort Leavenworth on the 4th of December, and were fortunate enough to meet there with a steamboat, by which we proceeded to St. Louis, and thence by railroad to Washington. CHAPTER IT. Physical geography of Nebraska ; character cf the soil and resources of the country. Though my personal examinations have nowhere extended west of the 106th meridian, there are certain points west of it to which I would direct attention. The positions of the Missouri and Yellowstone west 60 of this meridian and north of the 46th degree of north latitude have been well examined by Lewis and Clark and under Governor Stevens, and the valuable information they obtained is widely known. The section, however, between the 46th parallel in the north and the 43d in the south, the 106th meridian in the eist, and the dividing line betv/een the waters of the Pacific and the Atlantic in the west, is com[)aratively unknown, except fro n the accounts afforded by trapping parties. The information given of it on the map of Lewis vnd Clark is derived from this latter source ; as is also that on Colonel Bonne- ville's map, published with "Irving's" work on "Adventures in the Rockv Mountains," &c.; and these are our most authe.itic sources of info'.mafcion. These maps have been generally disregarded by subse- quent map-makers ; and previous to the map I compiled for the Pacific Railroad Office, there have been no mountains represented about the fiource of the Yellowstone. From inquiries I made of trappers in 1855, I became convinced of the existence of these mountains, and represented them accordingly, endeavoring to combine the information on Lewis and Clark's map and Bonneville's map with that which I had procured from traders and trappers. In doing this, I represented the Big Horn mountains perhap? too far to the west, as they are per- fectly visible from the summit of the Inyan Kara peak, in the Black Hills. Leaving out of consideration for the present the smaller detached mountain masses, and beginning with the main range of the Rocky mountains, on the 49th parallel, we find their eastern base to have a direction nearly northwest and southeast, and the range crossing the Missouri at "The Gate of the Mountains." Continuing southeast, it crosses the Yellowstone near where Captain Clark reached that river in 1806, (latitude 46,) just south of which it forms high, snow-covered peaks. This line of mountains is broken through again by the Big Horn river, a id the mountains receive the name of Big Horn mountains. The southeast terminus of the Big Horn mountains sinks into the elevated table land prairie, and tae range perhaps reappears again as the Laramie mountains. (South of the latitude of Fort Laramie the line of the eastern front of the mountains is nearly north and south.) The Black Hills, whose geographical position we have determined, are the most eastern portion of what has heretofore been considered a part of the great mountain region west of the Mississippi ; and it ifs ■worthy of note that, if a line be drawn from them to the Little Rocky mountains, on the 48th parallel, which are the most eastern portion in that latitude, this line will be parallel to the line of the main front of the mountains which I have already traced. Wl,at is still more significant is, that if a straight line be drawn from the mouth of the Yellowstone to the mouth of the Kansas river, it will also be parallel to the lines before mentioned, and will have about an equal portion of the Missouri on each side of it. The line of the east base of the main mountain mass is the highest, of course, of any portion of the plains, and at Raw Hide peak, near Fort Laramie, is about 5,500 feet elevation, as determined by the horizontally stratified tertiary deposits, though owing to great, denuda- tion the average height there of this line of the plains will not be so great 61 The same line, near the 49th parallel, has probably a somewhat less elevation. The lowest line of the plains is that along the Missouri, and its elevation, taken near Bijou Hills, (a point about on the per- pendicular to it from Fort Laramie,) is about 2,130 feet, which does not differ materially from its height at the mouth of the Yellowstone. The slope of all this part of the plains (being in a direction perpen- dicular to the lines of equal elevation) has therefore its line of greatest descent in a northeast direction, and north of the Niobrara ; this is the direction in which a majority of the rivers flow till they join with the Missouri or Yellowstone. To the south of the Niobrara the greatest slope of the plains is to the southeast, towards the Gulf of Mexico, and this is the direction pursued there by nearly all the rivers of the plains. Thus the Niobrara would seem, as it were, to run along a swell or ridge on the surface. The average slope of the plains from the Mis- souri to the mountains make nowhere an angle greater than one-half degree with the horizon. A remarkable feature in regard to this change of slope which occurs in the neighborhood of the course of the Niobrara is the shortness of its tributaries, the surface drainage seeming to be away from and not towards its banks. A result of this is the absence of the amphitheatre- like valley which rivers generally have, and which enable us to look down at the stream often many miles distant. Through the greater portion of the middle half of its course you have scarcely any indication of it as you approach, till within close proximity, and then you look down from the steep bluffs, and catch, at the distance of two hundred to five hundred yards, only here and there a glimpse of the river below, so much is it hidden by the precipitous bluffs which at the bends stand at the water-edge. So strongly was I impressed with the fact that the surface drainage could never have been directed along its course so as to have worn out this channel, that I think a portion of it must have originated in a fissure in the rocks which the waters have since enlarged and made more uniform in size, and which the soft nature of the rock would render easy of accomplishmeiu. It is worthy of remark, in this connexion, that the bed of the stream in longitude 102° is four hundred feet higher than that of the White river at the point nearest to this ; White river having there cut its way entirely through the tertiary formation, flows along tlie creta- ceous, while the bed of the Niobrara is in the miocene tertiary, the pliocene forming the bluffs. The bed of the Niobrara is also, in two- thirds of its upper course, from three hundred to five hundred feet above the bed of the Platte river at corresponding points at the south. In the section of the country through which the Niobrara flows the soil is very sandy, so that what rain or snow falls sinks under the surface, and none is lost by evaporation. This is gradually all poured into the stream by the springs in the ravines, and in this way the river is mainly supplied in seasons of low water, at which times it is one of the largest streams of Nebraska. The question of the slope of the plains is a subject to which I have given much attention, from its scientific as well as practical interest. Our barometric observations have enabled us, in some measure, to till up the gap between those of Governor Stevens on the north an.! 62 Captain Fremont's on the south, and thus give us the connected levels over a very large area. The ohservations upon the great tertiary formation have developed the fact, that since the close of the pliocene period the eastern base of the mountains, which is the western limit of this formation, has been elevated from 2,000 to 3,000 feet above the eastern, and this without there being anywhere visible signs of upheaval, such as inclination of the strata. The only direct evidence is in the immense denudation which the tertiary has undergone probably while this elevation was in progress, and which causes of denudation must have been gradu- ally extinguished, as there is, at the present time, no force at work sufficient to have affected them. The evidence goes to show that the elevation which lias taken place since the close of the pliocene period has been in Nebraska remarkably uniform, and along a line in a general direction northwest and southeast, and nearly coincident with the ranges of mountains previously upheaved. The Black Hills received their last violent upheaval at the same period as the Laramie mountains, that is, at the close of the creta- ceous. The geological evidence goes to show that the j)liocene and miocene tertiary, south of the Shyenne, are fresh water formations; yet there are no ridges now standing to mark the northern boundary to this basin. In the present relative position of the different parts of these plains, the elevation of the pliocene tertiary formation is now so great that much of the Black Hills and the cretaceous on the Shy- enne should have been covered with it. This might, however, have been the case, and since have all been denuded away. North of the Shyenne the cretaceous ridges are probably sufficiently high to have separated the tertiary beds south of it from the lignite tertiary to the north. But still it is necessary to suppose that this last elevation of the tertiary has been somewhat greater near the 4 2d parallel than to the north of it. A most interesting problem could be solved in regard to these changes of level, if a locality could be found where the lignite tertiary north of the Shyenne would be in contact with the pliocene or miocene beds to the south of it, as well as the more important one of the age of the first relative to the two latter. During the time of these changes since the formation of the pliocene tertiary, the soft sandy material of which it was composed has been crushed and separated by denuding forces, and an area of no less than 20,000 square miles, called the Sand Hills, has been covered with barren sand, which, blown by the wind into high hills, renders this section not only barren, but in a measure impracticable for travel. The Niobrara river, lying on a most desirable line of communication, and direct in its general course, has 100 miles of its banks obstructed with these difficult hills, and the communication between this stream and the Platte greatly obstructed and in some places entirely cut off. The subject of routes and communications I shall hereafter take up in detail. For nearly all of the knowledge of the age of the geological for- mations of the portions of Nebraska developed by my explorations, 1 am indebted to the services of Dr. F. V. Hayden and Mr. F. B. Meek 63 and Professor Joseph Leidy, whose papers, published in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, have already made known some of the principal discoveries and results due to their labors. Dr. Hayden was the only one of those mentioned who accompanied me in the field. In the paper by Dr. Hayden, accompanying the geological map, pub- lished in June, 1858, Dr. H. observes that " A much larger surface might have been colored on the map with a good degree of confidence, but I have preferred to confine myself, for the most part^ to the results of my own observations in the field." The northeast portion of the boundary of the tertiary formation between the White and Niobrara rivers is there placed too far west, according to my own observations in 1855 and 1857. The line between this and the cretaceous is not west of a straight line between the mouth of the south fork of the White river • and the mouth of the Keya Paha. A small portion of tertiary should also be shown on the north side of the south fork of the Shyenne. The great lignite tertiary formation most probably extends almost to the base of the Big Horn mountains. It is of course impossible to give correctly the relative extent of certain of the formations on a map of this scale. The width of the upheaved sedimentary formations which encircle the igneous rocks of the Black Hills are much more developed on the western than on the eastern slopes, owing to their difference in dip — on the western being quite gentle, but steep on the other, causing them soon to disappear under the cretaceous rocks ; and this is one of the most important features in the configuration of these mountains. From what has been said it will be seen that the surface of Ne- braska presents two great sections — that of the plains, and that of the mountains. The plains in this latitude are composed of nearly horizontal strata of the tertiary and cretaceous formations, except in a small portion of the southeast corner, where the carboniferous is developed. Though the plains are much diversified by the effects of denuding agencies, and present in different portions striking characteristics, yet they are, as a whole, a great uniform surface gradually rising towards the mount- ains, at the base of which they attain an elevation varying between 3,000 and 5,500 feet above the level of the sea. The plains have three distinct portions as determined by their geological formation : 1st, the pliocene and miocene tertiary : 2d, the cretaceous ; and 3d, the lignite tertiary. The first section extends from the southern boundary north, nearly continuous to the 44th parallel, and contains a large portion of the valleys of the Platte, Loup Fork, Niobrara, and White rivers. Here, except in the immediate valleys of the streams, which are composed of good soil, naturally irrigated by springs from the bluffs, or suscep- tible ot irrigation, much of the country is sandy and unfit for culti- vation. No valuable mineral or good building stone have been dis- covered in it. Here are to be found the Sand Hills, which occupy an area north ot the Platte of not less than 20,000 square miles. These hills on the north begin between the White and Niobrara rivers, and extend south probably beyond the Arkansas. Where we have visited 64 them, they vary in height from 10 to 200 feet, and in the western portion are ranged in ridges running east and west ; but in travelling you are frequently obliged to cross them, as the intermediate valleys, •which are also sand, are not continuous. About the sources of Loup Fork many of the lakes of water found in them are impregnated with salts and unfit to drink, and our sufierings in exploring them will always hold a prominent place in our memories. The present form of these hills is mainly if not entirely due to the wind. Where the grass protects the surface the sand does not drift ; but if this is re- moved, the wind whirls the sand in the air, and often excavates deep holes. I therefore look upon them as utterly impracticable for any line of railroad ; for should any attempt be made to grade the surface, which would be necessary, the wind would fill up the cuts with sand as with drifting snow. In this section is also to be found the Bad Lands, or Mauvaises-Terres, of White river, so celebrated for their vertebrate remains. The locality to which this name (Bad Lands) has been applied is in extent about one hundred and fifty miles long, in a direction northeast and southwest, and about sixty miles wide. The term Bad Lands was given to this section by the traders, on account of the difiiculty of getting a road through a portion of it. The extent of the geological formation to which these Bad Lands belong is very great, and, as the name is an improper one to be applied to the whole of it, I shall not use the term except in speaking of the portion occupied by it along the middle course of the White river. In this part of White river some as beautiful valleys are to be found as anywhere in the far west, though, like other parts, the majority of the country is barren. These Bad Lands of the White river country have frequently been spoken of as a vast grave or sepulchre, from the amount of bones found there; and this figure of speech has somewhat tended to give a gloomy idea of the place which it does not especially deserve, as it abounds in the most beautiful and varied forms, in endless variety, giving the most striking and pleasing efiects of light and shade. It has also been described as having sunk away from the surrounding world, with the country rising like steps to the Black Hills, which is not the case, many portions of these Bad Lands being higher than all the intervening country between them and the Black Hills, from which the portions on White river are distant about thirty miles. The formation to which this ])ortion belongs extends almost uninterrupt- edly east to the mouth of the Keya Paha, and south beyond the Platte ; and an instance of the striking appearance which it some- times makes is exhibited in Court-house rock and Scott's bluffs. The word " Bid Lands" is generally applied by the traders to any sec- tion of the prairie country where roads are difficult, and in this way to parts of many distinct geological formations; and as it is generally calculated to mislead, should not be used. When I shall use it occa- sionally, I use only the name of the country, as it was originally given to mean bad land to travel through. The second section is the cretaceous formation, forming the level country at the base of the Black Hills, the valley of the Shyenne river, and the immediate valley of the Missouri river, from Heart river to 65 the Bip: Sioux. In this section tlie soil is clayey; and wherever there is a sufficiency of rain, or streams can be found to irrigate the land, it will he productive. The great drawback to its fertility is a want of timely rains. A portion of this formation, from the Big Bend to the Shyenne, is composed of black shale, and contains much saline matter, which renders the water in places unhealthy, and adds to the sterility •of the soil along the bluffs of the streams, where saline springs are common. In this section, too, there are no valuable minerals or good building stone, except that furnished by the boulders. The tJiird section, or lignite teiiiary, extends north and west to the British line. The want of rain, which is felt in this area even more than in the one to the south of it, renders it nearly barren. Every- where, through this formation, beds of lignite are to be found, some- times of a thickness of six and seven feet. The burnt appearance of earth, along the banks of the streams, shows that in former times these beds have been on fire over large areas_, and in places are entirely burned out, and those on Powder river are said to be on fire at this time. There is every reason to believe that in places this lignite will be found of quality good enough for fuel. In this section the boul- ders furnish the only good building stone. In nearly all parts of Nebraska good clay for making brick can be found. The carboniferous formation is developed in a small part of the southeastern portion of the prairie of Nebraska, and I will quote from the report of Dr. Hayden in relation to the coal of this section : "The town of De Soto is the highest point known on the Missouri where these limestones are exposed Ascending the valley of the Platte river we find them quite well developed as far as the mouth of the Elk Horn, where they pass beneath the bed of the river, and the sand- stone No. 1 occupies the country, " Several small seams of coal have been found in these limestones at Bellevue and other localities, and in the valley of the Platte. About ten miles above its mouth I noticed a bed of very dark carbonaceous shale, two feet in thickness, cropping out near the water's edge. This was considered by the inhabitants as a sufficient proof of the existence of a workable bed of coal in the vicinity. The evidence now points to the conclusion that though these limestones belong to the true coal measures, they hold a position above tl e workable beds of coal, and that it is not probable a valuable seam of coal will be found north of the southern line of Nebraska. A bed of coal, of inferior quality, has been wrought near Leavenwortli City, Kansas Territory, but it holds a lower geological position than the limestones of the southern portion of Nebraska, the dip of the strata being toward the north- east." As our examinations were always somewhat hurried, there is room to expect that workable beds of coal may yet be found here, but at present we know of no facts against the opinion given by Dr Hayden. The seam of very inferior lignite found in the neighborhood of Sioux City in the cretaceous rocks may possibly, in some places, furnish fuel of value, but where seen by us as exposed it gives but little promise. In this case, as well as the coal seams in the Platte, mentioned above, 5 H 66 it may be that on penetrating to the interior portions of those beds they will improve in quality. The section of Nebraska which is now being occupied by settlers has fertile soil, not surpassed by any portion of the prairies of the Mississippi valley. In this eastern section will be found the fertile and wooded, valley of the Elk Horn river, and all the wooded parts of the valley of the River Platte. In the southern portion of it good building stone is furnished by the carboniferous rocks. After passing to the west of the 97th meridian we begin to meet with sandy tracts, especially near the 42d i)arallel, in which latitude the sand hills ex::end the tiirthest east. In my former report I said that but a small portion of Nebraska which I had visited is susceptible of cultivation west of the 97th meridian. I did not mean to imply that good land on these prairies would not be found west of it, for there are fertile tracts as far west as the 99th meridian, in the neigh- borhood of streams that are valuable, and contain wood enough to support settlements. In stating that the Territory is overspread by powerful tribes of roving savages, and is only adapted to a life such as theirs, I did not mean to imply that white men could not occupy it, but that if they ever did they would have to lead a life similar to that of the Indians, depending mainly for subsistence not upon the buffalo, but their own herds and flocks for support ; and this is most emphatically true of the region between the 99th meridian and the base of the mountains. There is one thing concerning the longitudes of places west of the Missouri river which causes many persons to deceive themselves, and is worthy of mention here. A common idea is that the course of the Missouri is nearly south from Sioux City to Leavenworth City, and that settlers may go as far west of the one place as the other and find fertile lands. But the course of the Missouri between these points is so much to the east that Sioux City is only fifteen miles east of the meridian of Fort Riley, and Fort Randall is as far west as the western limit of the Cross Timbers on the 35th parallel. Though the western portion of the prairies of Nebraska is not much inferior to that of corresponding meridians in Kansas and northern Texas, there is no disguising the fact that a great portion of it is irreclaimable desert, with only a little wood and cultivable land along the streams. The reasons for this are, 1st, an insufficiency of timely rains ; 2d, over large areas the soil does not possess the proper constituents ; 3d, the severity of the long cold winters and short summers ; and a 4th might be included in the clouds of grasshoppers that occasionally de- stroy the useful vegetation. They are nearly the same as the locusts of Egypt, and no one who has not travelled on the prairie and seen for himself can appreciate the magnitude of these insect swarms. Often they fill the air for many miles of extent so that an experienced eye can scarce distinguish their appearance from that of a shower of rain or the smoke of a prairie fire. The height of their flight may be somewhat appreciated, as Mr. E. James saw them above his head as ar as their size would render them visible while standing on the top of a peak of the Rocky Mountains, 8,500 feet above the level of the 67 plains, and an elevation of 14,500 above that of the sea, in the region where the snow lies all the year. To a person standing in one of these swarms as the.y pass over and around him, the air becomes sen- sibly darkened, and the sound produced by their wings resembles that of the passage of a train of cars on a railroad when standing two or three hundred yards from the track. The Mormon settlements have suffered more from the ravages of these insects than probably all other causes combined. They destroyed nearly all the vegetables cultivated last year at Fort Randall, and extended their ravages east as far as Iowa. It must be observed, however, that good grass will generally be found all over these plains, varying in quantity and kind with dif- ferent localities, and that the desert character of the country is not like that found in the deserts on Green river and Snake river, west of the South Pass, where even a sufficiency for animals cannot be found. A very different condition of soil, water, and building material of stone and wood, exists when we reach the mountain region. The Black Hills, or more properly mountains, lying between the forks of the Shyenne, on the 44th parallel, between the 103d and 105th meridians, cover an area of 6,000 square miles. Their bases are elevated from 2,500 feet to 3,500 feet, and the highest peaks are about 6,700 feet above the ocean level. The different rocks which compose these mountains, as determined by our exploration, are — I. Metamorphozed azoic rock, including granite. II. Lower silurian, (Potsdam sandstone ) , III. Devonian? IV. Carboniferous. V. Permian. VI. Jurassic. VII. Cretaceous. Ail the rocks below the silurian are igneous and metamorphic, and tiie stratification which they exhibit stands every v/here nearly vertical, with a strike varying between northeast and northv/est. So constant is this vertical dip, that it may not in reality indicate primary stratifi- cation, but some mechanical arrangement due to the molecular forces brought into existence during its cooling from the heated state. All the rocks, from the silurian to the close of the cretaceous, ajjpa- rently lie conformable to each other. The shape of the mass is ellip- tical. The direction of the longest line of this or major axis being about north 20° west. On the west the rocks dip, as a whole, very gently, and at a distance of five miles from the foot of the hills the cretaceous is apparently undisturbed, though at tlie base these rocks In some places stand at an angle of 45°. The manner in which this rock lies suggests the idea that the cretaceous probably forms a con- siderable portion of the elevated plateau between the Black Hills and Big Horn mountains. The dip of the upheaved rocks on the west side is as a whole very gentle, not amounting to more than from 5° to 15°, and consequently they are considerably developed, and form more than one-half the mountain mass composing some very high ridges. These rocks have a much greater inclination on tlie east side of the moun- 68 tains, and soon disappear under the cretaceous, forming a compara- tively narrow belt. The east base of the mountains is from 2,000 to 3,000 feet below the western. The rocks seem also to dip much more suddenly down on the south than on the north side. The strike of these upheaved strata is in almost every direction corresponding on the exterior nearly with that of the tangent to the outline of the mass, and on the interior being more nearly coincident with the direction of the major axis. A result of this formation is that the upturned rocks break ofif abruptly on the side towards the interior of the mass, and leave an open valley in many places between this steep slope and the gentle one which succeeds it as we approach the interior. In these valleys the best roads are found, and one, which nearly encircles the Black Hills, is known among the Indians and traders as the Eace Course or Running road. The Inyan Kara Peak is basaltic, and the appearance through a powerful spy-glass of those to the north, known as the "Bear's Lodge" and "Little Missouri Buttes," indicates that they are also of this forma- tion. More recent volcanic action is visible at Bears' Peak, and two circular spaces to the west of this peak, now occupied by muddy lakes, indicate the existence here in former times of volcanic forces. The highest mountain masses, such a?; Harney's Peak, on the east side, are all granite, the rocks, as seen at a distance, appearing in the same unmistakable form as those on the Raw Hide and Laramie Peaks, namely, coarse granite or gneiss, standing in layers and slabs, indi- cating a vertical stratification. A full description of these mountains must be left for the final report. They derive their name from being covered with pine, whose dark green gives them a black appearance. In reference to the carboniferous rocks in these mountains, Dr. Hayden says : ' ' The exact positions in the carboniferous system to which the limestones around Fort Laramie and in the Black Hills belong, is not sufficiently clear from the evidence yet obtained. They do not seem to be the equivalents of the beds above described along the Missouri, though they may be. The texture of the rock is quite •ualike any of the limestones of the coal measure with which we are atcxjuainted, and there seems to be an absence of the fossils character- istic of the coal measure limestones on the Missouri, and in north- eastern Kansas. The latest opinion, however, of my associate, Mr. Meek, is that they belong to the true coal measures." In these mountain formations, which border the great plains on the west, are to be found beautiful flowing streams, and small rich valleys covered over with fine grass for hay, and susceptible of culti- vation by means of irrigation. Fine timber for fuel and lumber, lime- stone and good stone for building purposes are here abundant. Gold has been found in places in valuable quantities, and without doubt the more common and useful minerals will be discovered when more minute examinations arc made. I think it exceedingly desirable that something should be done to encourage settlements in the neighborhood of Fort Laramie. The wealth of that country is not properly valued, and the Indian title not being extinguished there is no opportunity to settle it. Those who 69 live there now support themselves by trade with the Indians, which being already overdone, it is to their interest to keep others away. If the Indian title were extinguished, and the protection of the ter- ritorial government extended there_, so as to be effectual, there would soon spring up a settlement that would rival that of Great Salt Lake. The Laramie river is a beautiful stream, with a fine fertile valley, and there are such everywhere along the base of the mountains. Pine timber, of the finest quality, in abundance grows there, easy of access, from which the finest lumber can be made ; building stone of good quality abounds. The establishment of the military post, and the constant passing of emigrants, have driven away the game, so that the Indians do not set a high value on the land, and it could easily be procured from them. The 2:)eople now on the extreme frontiers of Nebraska are near the western limit of the fertile portions of the prairie lands, and a desert space separates them from the fertile and desirable region in the western mountains. They are, as it were, on the shore of a sea, up to which population and agriculture may advance, and no further. But this gives them much of the value of places along the Atlantic frontier, in view of the future settlements to be formed in the mountains, between which and the present frontier a most valuable trade would exist. The western frontier has always been looking to the east for a market, but as soon as the wave of emigration has passed over the desert portion of the plains, to which the discoveries of gold have already given an impetus that will propel it to the fertile valleys of the Rocky mountains, then will the present frontier of Kanzas and Nebraska become the starting point for all the products of the Missis- sippi valley which the population of the mountains will require. We see the effects of it in the benefits which the western frontier of Mis- souri has received from the Santa Fe trade, and still more plainly in the impetus given to Leavenworth by the operations of the army of Utah in the interior region. This flow of products has, in the last instance, been only in one direction, but when those mountains become settled, as they eventually must, then there will be a recipro- cal trade materially beneficial to both. These settlements in the mountains cannot be agricultural to the same extent as those on the Mississippi valley, but must depend greatly upon the raising of stock. The country furnishes the means of raising sufficient quantities of grain and vegetables for the use of the inhabitants, and beautiful, healthy, and desirable locations for their homes. The remarkable freedom here from sickness is one of the at- tractive features of the region, and will, in this respect, go far to recom- pense the settler from the Mississippi valley for his loss in the smaller amount of products that can be taken from the soil. The great want of suitable building material which now so seriously retards the growth of the west will not be felt there. How far the fine timbers in the interior of Nebraska can be relied upon to supply settlements on the Missouri is a question upon which I am not qualified to give a very positive opinion. The pine extends along the Niobrara and its side ravines for about 120 miles, and there is nearly an equal extent of it on White river ; but on TO both streams it is of inferior quality and difficult of access. That at the Black Hills is much better timber, and covers an area of about 1500 square miles; but this is also in situations where there would be much labor in getting it out, and an Indian war would probably attend the first attempts to do so. 1 think the Niobrara, White, and Shyenne rivers could be used to bring the logs to the Missouri, down which they could be rafted. The great want of timber which is felt along the settlements on the Missouri, and the high price which this material commands, may probably overcome all the difficulties I have stated to exist ; and, having done this as faithfully as I can, I must leave each one to form his own opinion on the subject. CHAPTER III. jRemarJcs on the climate — meteorology . The seasons I have spent in Nebraska have, as I am informed by those who have resided there a long time, been favored with an un- usual supply of rain. With this caution as to the inferences which may be drawn from our observations, I will give a short account of some of the meteorological phenomena observed by us. In the year 1855 we left Fort Leavenworth on the 15tli of June, and reached Fort Pierre on the 16th of July. During the passage up the river we had 13 days of nearly calm weather; 10 days of south or southeast wind, sometimes very strong; seven thunder-storms, some of them of great violence, with much rain, the amount diminishing as we ascended the river, (there being no heavy rain after the 29th of June, all of which time we were above the mouth of the Niobrara.) The highest temperature observed was on July 15, at 2 p. m., at which time the dry thermometer gave 102° in the shade, and the wet bulb thermometer 69°. When we reached Fort Pierre we were in- formed that there had been no rain or snow there for more than a year. The appearance of the vegetation confirmed this statement, as scarcely a green spot was anywhere to be seen. Hourly observations on the wet and dry bulb thermometers and ba- rometers were made at Fort Pierre from July 17 to 25, and at the hours of 7 a. m., 9 and 2 p. m., till August 7. The mean height of the barometric column at this place is (reduced to 32°) 28.436; the altitude above the sea, 1,500 feet. The highest temperature observed during this time was, at 3 p. m., July 22, dry thermometer, 86°; wet bulb thermometer, 64°; the barometer, reduced to 32°, reading 28.310. On the same evening we had a heavy fall of rain, with thunder and lightning, about 5 miles south of the fort; this was the first rain ex- perienced in the neighborhood. From July 22 to August 7 there were three violent thunder-storms from the west, one of which was attended with a heavy fall of rain. An abundance of rain continued to fall here during the summer. While on the journey from Fort Pierre to Fort Kearney, between 71 August 7 and August 22, we had much overcast and misty weather nearly all the time, and on seven of tlie days rain fell in small quantities. From August 25 to September 12 we were on the road along the Platte river between Fort Kearney and Fort Laramie ; during this time we had two heavy thunder storms, attended with a large fall of rain. While at Fort Laramie, we had heavy frost about the 25th of September. Fort Laramie has an elevation of 4,200 feet. From September 29 to October 19 we were on the road to Fort Pierre. The weather at times was very cold, and snow fell to the depth of four inches on the night of the 3d of October; for several days in the first part of this month the thermometer stood, at day- break, at 29°. On the 20th and 2l8t of October we had a violent storm of rain^ sleet, and snow, with high winds, which covered everything with ice. We were quite surprised, on reaching the neighborhood of Fort Pierre, to find the grass green and abundant, for it was such a contrast to its appearance in August, when every- thing seemed to have perished for want of rain. Much snow fell here during the winter, and in the spring there were heavy showers of rain, so that a more beautiful prairie country could not be found than this, as it appeared in May and June, 1856. At the same time the previous year the grasses scarce gave an indication of life. We left Fort Pierre on the 28th of June, 1856, and reached Fort Union on the 10th of July; on the passage the weather was compara- tively clear, with light winds. Up to this time no rain had fallen there, and in many places there was a great scarcity of grass. On the 15th a heavy storm of rain and wind commenced at 9 p. m., and continued till 10 p. m. on the 17th. The wind for several days previous had been light, and came from the north. On the 15th, at 2 p. m., the thermometer was at 90°, the barometer (reduced to 32°) reading 27.827. At 9 a. m., on the 16th, the barometer read 27.735; thermometer 58°. The wind blew with great violence from the north all day on the 16th, so that it was with great difficulty we kept our tents standing ; and a portion of the enclosure of the American Fur Company's fort was blown down. This storm was not accompanied by thunder and lightning. On the 17th the weather was again clear ; wind light from the northeast ; ther- mometer, at 2 p. m.^ 67°; barometer, 28.179. Fort Union has an elevation of 1,900 feet above the sea. While at Fort Union and in the neighborhood we had after this abundance of rain, so that the whole landscape in August and Sep- tember wore a beautiful green, and grass was plenty in places where, in July, there was not a blade of it. The highest temperature we experienced here was on the 20th of July, the thermometer, at 2 p. m., reading 93°. The earliest frost ever recorded to have occurred here was in the month of August of 1855. We left Fort Union the first of September and reached Fort Pierre on the fifth of October. We were again struck with the variable nature of the climate on finding that but little rain had fallen here during our absence and the grass had all dried up, though at this place the same period of the previous year it was everywhere green. 7> In the year of 1857 we started from Omaha the 28th of June, in the midst of the rainy season, and reached Fort Laramie August 20. During this journey we had fifteen rainy days, or about in one four, and on many other days there were showers with thunder and lightning near us that are not included The highest temperature was 100°,, 2 p. m., August 11. Prior to our arrival at Fort Laramie not much rain had fallen there ; but on the 22d it commenced, at 11 a. m., to rain hard and continued, with but little intermission, till the 24th. This storm was not accom- panied by violent wind, and the barometer gave very little indication of its approach, preserving about a reading of 25.980. No one there remembered to have ever seen so much rain fall at one time at that place. I left Fort Laramie on the 4th of September ; we had one heavy rain on the 10th, at the base of the Black Hills. While in the Black Hills we had a storm that lasted from G a. m. on the 16th till 9 p. m. on the 17th. As we were travelling and changed our altitude during this storm, and while it was coming on, the indications of the baro- meter are not of any value. Our elevation was about 5,500 feet. The storm began with a cold rain, thermometer 54°. The temperature gradually fell till the rain changed to snow during the night of the 16th, and the thermometer went down to 32°. There was a strong wind a portion of the time from the north. During the latter part of this storm we were enveloped in the clouds, and as it cleared up these gradually rose, as we could see by the line they made along the sides- of the high peaks and ridges. We experienced a very violent storm, of about twenty-four hours*^ duration, on the 8th of October, while on White river, and had a fall of about six inches of snow on the Niobrara on the 18th of October. From the 18th of October to the 31st we had four storms of rain and sleet. I have not attempted here to give the direction of the wind during the period, as it could only be done satisfactorily by copying the daily register. The prevailing wind through the year is from the north, as is fully established by the sand hills along the Niobrara. The wind has blown these up to the brink of the precipices along the north bank, and on the south has removed them to the distance of about half a mile. October is generally a very windy month. In 1856, fifteen days of this month, while we were travelling down the Mis- souri in a Mackinac boat, from Fort Pierre to Sioux City, it blew sO' we could not proceed. The prevailing wind at this time was from the south, and we had one violent rain storm, with a south wind. A true indication of the nature of the climate of Nebraska is to be found in the character of the j^lants which grow there. Certain kinds, unable to live through the long periods of drought which occur, are rarely to be seen, and those which flourish best are such as require but little moisture, or whose roots, penetrating deep into the soil, enable them to draw a sufficiency of moisture from below. In the high prairies, where there is a good soil, we find the bunch grass growing in tufts, but in many places interspersed with patches of cacti. The bottom lands of many of the streams support no trees but 73 the Cottonwood and willow, and some of tliera produce rank growths of the wild sage. The absence of trees on all the prairie regions is another evidence of the dryness of the climate, and even in places where they can grow, as in the ravines, the excessive cold of the winter winds prevent them from reaching their full development, as is proved by the dead tops of nearly all the trees which extend their branches above the level of the prairie. The prairie fires have done much towards preventing the growth of trees in places adapted to them, but it is not a sufficient cause to account for the general absence of forests. An interesting instance of the effect of climate on the growth of trees is to be seen in the cedar as you ascend the Missouri. At the first Cedar island, in latitude 43, these trees grow in the bottom lands of the river, and are large and straight, those growing on the bluffs being of an inferior quality. The cedars diminish as you ascend, and the last of these in any num- ber together is to be seen in the blufis opposite the mouth of the Little Shyenne^ in about latitude 45, and here they are exceedingly crooked and twisted. Along the Missouri and Yellowstone, in the lignite tertiar}' formation, we find the cedar unable to support itself above the ground, and, spreading itself over the surface, presents the appearance on the hill sides of grass or mo8S. During the time I have been in Nebraska I have found everywhere an abundance of grass, except in places near the posts and others, where it had been eaten off" by the buffalo. A considerable quantity of a small variety of corn is raised by the Mandans, Eees, and Gros Ventres, near the 47th parallel, on the Mis- souri, and it is probable that this corn can be raised along the base of mountains as far north as the 46th parallel. The entire mountain section of Nebraska will produce good wheat, where the land can be ir- rigated, and the abundance of grass for pasturage will permit of the raising of immense herds of stock. This western portion of Nebraska may, therefore, in the future be valuable for occupation for a people partly engaged in agriculture, but relying mainly upon the raising of stock. Many valuable inferences in regard to the climate may be drawn from an examination of the catalogue of plants growing in Nebraska, prepared by Dr. Hayden, and appended to this report. It is my intention to give tables of the meteorological observations in a subsequent report. These, besides the indication they afford of the climate of Nebraska, will be useful in aiding the determinations of the progress and limits of storms over large areas in connexion with extensive investigations on this subject carried on by the Smithsonian Institution, under the direction of Professor Henry. The thunder storms, so far as we have observed them, have a great uniformity. The day after one has passed over is generally cold, with a light north wind and high state of the barometer. This condition lasts from one to three days, when the wind changes to the south and gradually increases in force during the day, and sometimes falling al- most to a calm at night. The barometer falls during the time, and cumulus clouds besrin to form. After the south wind has blown three 74 or four days, a thunder storm comes from the west, generally in the night ; the south wind often blowing a hurricane all the time the storm is approaching from the west. This storm is again succeeded by cool weather and a high state of the barometer, and in general we found a sure indication of the approach or termination of a storm in the fall- ing or rising of the barometric column. These storms as seen on the prairie have a number of independent centres, so that they often pass ■across the landscape to the north and south without your receiving any of the rain. They are frequently accompanied by a fall of hail and violent gusts of wind. CHAPTER IV. Description of principal rivers and discussion of the merits of different routes. In giving a description of the character and importance of the rivers examined, it will perhaps be best to discuss at the same time the sub- ject of routes, as they are intimately connected. The Missouri, therefore, claims our first attention, and though it has been so repeatedly described by others, a few of its general features may be enumerated here. A detailed account of the various points we examined as locations for military posts must be reserved for the final report. This great stream has generally a uniform width from the junction with the Yellowstone to its mouth, varying from ^ to ^ a mile when the banks are full. In low water the width is much less and dry bars of sand occupy portions of the bed, from which the water has withdrawn. In the upper part of the river where the trees do not destroy the force of the wind, the sand is blown about in the most astonishing manner, and the clouds of sand can be seen for many miles. Sand banks are thus formed, generally at the edges of the trees on the islands and points, and which are often many feet above the level of the highest floods. The force of these winds may be inferred from this, and from their constancy during certain months, especially in October, are of them- selves one of the greatest obstacles to the navigation of the river. The plans which these sand banks exhibit are those of the perime- ters of the islands and points on which they were formed, and not un- like those of the Indian mounds in the Mississippi valley, which are supposed to be the remains of ancient fortifications. These banks along the Missouri have, therefore, been considered as the works of the aborigines, such, for instance, as those described and figured by Lewis and Clark, as existing at Bon Homme island. I have con- clusive evidence, from personal examination, that these were formed by the wind, and are not the work of the ancient Toltecs as some writers have supposed. The river has generally, in the same stages of the floods, about as good navigation on account of the depth above James river as it has 75 at that point, but an improvement takes place below this point, in the depth of the water on the sand bars in low stages, as you descend to its mouth. Along the banks of the ]\Iissouri the bluffs are generally clothed with various species of trees as far up as the mouth of the Platte ; above this point the timber is generally confined to the ravines and bottom lands. These bottom lands attain a width of from ten to fifteen miles after we get above Council Bluffs, which is almost continuous to the mouth of James river. Throughout this section the edges of the banks are lined with heavy cottonwood and other trees, and fuel for steamboats can now generally be found cut up and prepared for their use. At James river the bluffs close in so that the general width of the space between is only from one to two miles all the way to the Upper Big Bend, near the 48th parallel. Here again the bottom lands become wider, and continue at a width of from three to six miles to a point about fifty miles above the Yellowstone. In this last section there is also an abundance of large cottonwood timber, and the appear- ance of the river is quite similar to what it is at Sioux City. After passing the Niobrara the steamboat's crew will have to cut the wood required for generating steam, and the only scarcity will be in finding- dead trees at such points as the boat can land at. Abundance of fuel exists everywhere, if the'wood was cut beforehand and hauled to suit- able landings. The portion of the river most deficient in wood is between the mouth of the Little Shyenne and Cannon Ball rivers, but even here there is an abundance for the purposes of navigation for years to come. One of the greatest obstructions to the navigation of the Missouri consists in the great number of snags or trees, wh<.se roots, imbedded in the channel by the caving of the banks, stand at various inclina- tions pointing down the stream. These obstructions are, compara- tively, quite rare above the mouth of James river, but from this point down to the Mississippi it is a wonder often how a steamboat can be navigated through them. As it is they cause the boats to lie by during the night, and thus occasion a loss of nearly half of their running time. But this is not the only delay, for often on account of the wind the bends filled with snags cannot be passed, and the vessel is fre- quently detained for days on this account. This effect of the wind is much more seriously felt as you ascend above Council Bluffs, for the protection afforded by the trees on the banks is constantly diminishing. Our examinations extended but sixty miles above the mouth of the Yellowstone, but the portion between this and Fort Benton was examined carefully by the parties under Governor Stevens in 1853, and the results are given in his report on the Pacific railroad explorations. It is the almost universal opinion of those who have examined this portion of the river that it would be navigable in its best stages for light draught boats. From our reconnaissance in 1856, I feel convinced that, notwithstand- ing the difficulties to navigation which exist, the Missouri is a supe- rior river to any in this country, except that portion of the Mississippi which is below their junction. The navigation is generally closed by ice at Sioux Citv bv the 10th of November, and at Fort Leavenworth 76 by tlie 1st of December. The rainy season of the spring and summer commences in different years between the 15th of May and the 30th of June (in the latitude of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and southern Ne- braska) and lasts about two months. During this period the tribu- taries of the Missouri in these latitudes maintain this river in good boating stage. The floods produced by the melting snows in the mountains come from the Platte, the Big Shyenne, the Yellowstone, and the Missouri above the Yellowstone, and reach the lower river about the first part of July, and it is mainly to these that the navi- gator of the Missouri above the Niobrara depends. The length of time the flood lasts is in proportion to the quantity of snow in the mountains, which varies greatly in different years. On the average it may be said to last a month, but a steamer starting from St. Louis on the first indication there of such rise would not generally reach the Yellowstone before it was nearly past this latter point. Rivers like this, whose navigation depends upon the temporary floods, are greatly inferior for ascending than descending boats. The rise at the Yellow- stone would be about ten days reaching St. Louis, and any good sys- tem of telegraphing along the stream, which would apprise those below, would more than double the advantages to the upward navi- gation. If a miscalculation is made by taking a temporary rise for the main one, the boat has to lay by in the middle part of the river till the main rise comes. From this cause I, starting on the 16th of April, was thirty-seven days in getting to Fort Pierre, 1,250 miles from St. Louis. Again, if the boat starts too late the main rise may all pass the upper river before she reaches it, and her progress will then be slow and tedious. By starting June 6, 1855, (which was too late, it being an early season,) we were forty-one days going to Fort Pierre. The American Fur Company's boats are of the largest class of freight boats now navigating the Missouri. They are ably managed, and the company possesses information by expresses sent from its trading posts near the mountains as to the amount of snow that has fallen and the probable extent and time of the rise produced by its melting. The boats are loaded and time of starting fixed accordingly. Their boats carry from one hundred and fifty to two hundred tons to the Yellowstone, a distance of 1,900 miles, drawing from three to three and a half feet of water, and make the passage up in from twenty-two to thirty-five days, Considerable freight is taken out for the post of Fort Union, and they generally ascend wiih that for Fort Benton to about sixty miles above the mouth of the Yellowstone, and have on one occasion gone to Milk river, one hundred miles further. The quantity of water is, on the average, about equal from the Yellowstone and Missouri at their junction, and above this point steamboats venture with caution. The great risk in proceeding further of having the boat caught in the upper river during the win- ter more than counterbalances the prospective gain. The freight is then taken on board of ]\Iackinac boats, and cordeled by hand, aided generally by sails. These boats are from sixty to seventy feet long, drawing fifteen to eighteen inches, (regulated somewhat by the cordeling force,) though twenty to twenty-four inches draught could 77 be used. The time from Fort Union to Fort Benton varies from forty to eighty days, depending on various causes, of which wind is the most important. The river distance from Milk river to Fort Benton is about five hundred miles. The interests of the general government would be much advanced b}' making appropriations to remove the snags which obstruct the river below James river. The Yelloivstone. — For the first one hundred miles above the mouth the bottom lands are nearly all on the left bank ; and the first forty miles are from four to five miles broad_, with beautiful, soft, rounded bluffs to the west ; the banks of the river are clothed with large cotton- wood trees, and the country presents one of the finest locations for a military post and Indian reservation anywhere to be found. After you advance about forty miles up the left bank, the bluffs begin to come on this side almost to the river, and the bottom lands narrow and the timber diminishes. A good route for wagons, however, exists on this side for one hundred miles above the mouth. Having gone thus far you meet with verv impracticable bluffs, barely permitting of the passage of pack mules, to get around which with wagons, with- out crossing the Yellowstone, you must travel out into the prairie one or two days' journey, so as to head the difficult ravines. Bluffs similar to these exist on the right bank all the way from the mouth to this place, but here the river suddenly changes its position in the valle}^ so as to leave the open valley on the right bank, and causes the difficulty which exists on the other. This point is also the highest point navigable for steamboats, and those even of very light draught cannot, except at high water, go further than about fifty miles from the mouth, as, in the next space of fifty miles, the channel is so very much divided up by wooded islands and obstructed by gravel bars. But at the point before men- tioned as the head of steamboat navigation, ledges of rock begin in the bed of the stream, and about one- half mile below Powder river we encounter a dangerous rapid, called by Captain Clarke "Wolf rapid." Two miles above Powder river Captain Clarke describes another serious rapid, which he calls "Bear rapid;"' and twenty miles above this another, which he calls "Buffalo shoal," and which he speaks of as being " the most difficult part of the Yellowstone river." All these rapids are passed every year by the ]\Iackinac, boats of the American Fur Company on their way to Fort Alexander Sarpie, and there are probably no obstacles sufficient to prevent them from reaching the point where this river debouches from the mountains. The valley, all the way to the mountains, is said to be practicable for wagons. Above this point the river is said to be much enclosed by the mountains, which are rugged and difficult, and covered with pine forests. From Fort Union to Fort Alexander ^Sarpie, on the Yellowstone, the Mackinac boats are from 50 to 60 feet long, drawing from 15 to 20 inches water, and make the distance, 225 miles, in from 15 to 30 days. None of the tributaries of the Yellowstone, (Clark's Fork, Big Horn, 78 Tongue, and Powder rivers,) above their mouths, have ever been visited by any exploring expedition, except those of trappers and hunters. The Big Horn river is by far the most important of those streams, and has been navigated by the traders in skin boats, carrying their peltries, from the point where it debouches from the Big Horn moun- tains to the Yellowstone, a distance of perhaps 150 miles. Above where the stream escapes the mountains it is not navigable for any- thing but the smallest boats, and the gorges by which tlie stream passes the mountain range is impracticable for any kind of land transportation ; a considerable detour being required even for pack animals. The portion navigable will, perhaps, according to the opinion of Colonel Robert Campbell, of St. Louis, furnish a depth of water for Mackinac boats, in high stages, of about ]8 inches, but he thinks the navigation of this stream for ascending boats could not be used to any advantage. An undue importance has been given to the navigability of this stream from the erroneous position of the Yellow- stone, as laid down on nearly all recent maps, except those from this office, as they make its position nearly 100 miles too far south. The manner in which I have been able to correct this is given in my report on the compilation of the general Pacific railroad map. Poiuder river. — This stream rises near the southern point of the Big Horn mountains, and flows a little east of north. The route from the Platte to the Yellowstone along the stream is practicable, but as a route \'ov wagons it is difficult, requiring the stream to be frequently crossed, and the banks are very muddy, and the bed is occupied in places by quick sand. The Little 31issouri river rises near the North Fork of the Shyenne in longitude 105°. I have seen the country near its source, where it forms the northern part of the upheaved stratified rocks of the Black Hills, and at the mouth where the lignite tertiary exists. Its general direction is northeast, and its course through the main portion must be in this lignite tertiary formation. From the statements of mem- bers of Sir George Gore's party, which travelled up the stream in 1856, I infer that the route along or near its valley is practicable for wagons, though difficult. The valley is one of the great buffalo regions. The Knife river, Heart river, CMinon Ball river, Grand river, and Moreau river, all rise in the prairie ridge east of the Little Missouri, and they contain but little water in the winter and latter part of sum- mer. I have never seen any of them, except at their mouths, and their lengths on my map indicate their comparative size. The Big Shyenne is a most important river, and has its extreme sources west of the Black Plills, which its two main branches enclose. These forks are supplied by numerous streams from the mountains, and they unite in about longitude 102° 20', the river flowing into the Missouri in latitude 44° 48'. In its lower course I am informed there is fertile land on its banks, and there are considerable areas in and around the Black Hills. The Shyenne river can probably be rafted, and the streams that come from the hills could be used to drive the logs down to the river. It must be borne in mind that the pine grow- ing on the Black Hills is difficult of access, and the expense of getting 79 it out may render this fine supply of timber unavailable to the lower Missouri. The Missouri at the mouth of the Shyenne is in the centre of the Dakota country, and along its valley we have the shortest and best route by which to reach their strongholds. Bad river, TFakpa Spicha, (sometimes called Teton river,) receives its name from the unpalatable state of its water in low stages, and the difficulty of travelling along it in wet weather. It lies throughout in the black shale bed of the cretaceous formation. It is along the sources of its northern branches that the road from Fort Pierre to Fort Laramie is located. Whiie river, or White-earth river, (Mankisita Wakpa, or Smoking- earth river,) has generally an open, well-wooded valley, with a fine soil and luxuriant grass. The road between Forts Laramie and Pierre follows the valley from its source to the Bad Lands, where the river enters a difficult section bounded with precipices like those on the Niobrara. The Bad Lands extend continuously down the stream to the South Fork, a distance of about seventy miles. Below this, the river winds through a handsome, well-wooded valley of the Mis- souri. Any one who travels in NelDraska will always feel rejoiced when he reaches the banks of this beautiful stream. It is much resorted to by the Brules. It has numerous branches, the largest of which is called the South Fork. The pine on White river and its tributaries is nearly equal in extent to that on the Niobrara. This- stream has been used by the traders to float down their peltries by means of skin boats from their former trading-house near Butte Cache. I believe it can also be used to raft down the pine timber on the South Fork. The Niohj^ar a heing a stream heretofore unknown, auvd one in which the people of Nebraska feel much interest, I shall describe it in detail. This river is about three hundred and fifty miles long. From its source to longitude 103° 15' it is a beautiful little stream of clear run- ning water, of a width of from ten to fifteen feet, gradually widen- ing as it descends. Its valley furnishes here very good grass, abounding in rushes or prele, but is for the most part destitute of wood even for cooking. After flowing thus far it rapidly widens, till in longitude 102° 30' it attains a width of sixty to eighty yards ; its valley is still quite open and easy to travel along^ but destitute of wood, except occasional pines on the distant hills to the north. In longitude 102° 30' it enters between high steep banks which closely confine it, and for a long way it is a complete canon ; here, however^ wood becomes more abundant and pine is occasionally seen on the bluffs, while small clusters of cottonwood, elm, and ash occupy the narrow points left by its windings. In longitude 101° 45' the sand hills come on the north side close to the river, while on the south side they are at the distance of from one to two miles off, leaving a smooth road to travel on along the bluffs. The blufl"s gradually appear higher and higher above the stream as it descends until they reach the height of three hundred feet. The sand mostly ceases on the north side in longitude 100° 23'; but it lies close to the stream on the south side nearly all the way to the Wazihonska. Throughout this section, lying be- tween longitude 102° 00' and longitude 99° 20', a distance of one hun- 80 dred and eighty miles, the Niobrara is in every respect a peculiar stream, and there is none that I know of that it can be compared with. It flows here between high rocky banks of soft white and yellowish calcareous and silicious sandstone, standing often in precipices at the water's edge, its verticality being preserved by a capping of hard grit. It is here impossible to travel any considerable distance along its immediate banks without having frequently to climb the ridges which rise sometimes perpendicularly from the stream. As you approach from the north or south there are no indications of a river till you come within two or three miles of the banks, and then only by the trees whose tops occasionally rise above the ravines in which they grow, so completely is it walled in by the high bluffs which enclose its narrow valley. It seems as if it had resulted from a fissure in the earth's crust, and now flows at a depth of about three hundred feet below the general level of the prairie. The soft rock which forms the bluffs is worn into the most intricate labyrinths by the little streams, all of which have their sources in beautiful gushing springs of clear cold water. In these small deep valleys the grass is luxuriant ; pine, ash, and oak are abundant. To the agriculturist this section has, however, comparatively little attraction, and that between longitude 09° 20' and the mouth, an extent of about ninety miles, is perhaps far more valuable. Here the bottoms will probably average a width of a quarter of a mile, are susceptible of cultivation, and cottonwood, oak, walnut, and ash will furnish settlements with all the timber and fuel they will need. The river banks seem to present no good building stone, nor did we, though searching diligently, discover any signs of coal or other valuable minerals. In describing the tributaries to the Niobrara, I shall begin at the mouth and take the north side first. The Ponka river, which has a very fine, well-wooded, and fertile valley, runs into the Missouri about five miles north of the Niobrara, in latitude 42° 48' north. Its course is parallel and near to that of the Niobrara as far up as the mouth of Turtle Hill river. Turtle Hill river (Keya Paha Wakpa) is the main branch of the Niobrara, and is about one hundred and twenty miles long. Prior to the publication of my report and map of reconnaissances in 1855 this branch was represented erroneously as being equal to the main river, in size, above their junction. I crossed it in 1855, 60 miles below its mouth, and it has a very fine valley one-half to three-quarters of a mile wide, with good soil and a limited quantity of cottonwood timber. The bed of the stream is sandy, and its waters are clear and sweet ; width at the mouth fifty yards. The first 20 miles of the space between this branch and the main river is occupied by sand hills. The next northern branch which joins tlie Niobrara, in longitude 100° 23', is named Mini-cha-duza- Wakpa, or Ptapid creek. At its mouth it is about eight yards wide, with a valley about a quarter to half a mile wide, and a soil quite fertile, the banks are scantily fringed with small trees. It forms about the eastern border of the sand hills on the north side of the Niobrara, as far as we could see. Its length is about 50 miles. 8 There are numerous ravines with steep rocky banks, containing springs and running streams, extending out from five to seven miles between this branch and the Keya Paha, at the heads of which occa- sionally good camping places may be found. The mouth of the next stream is in longitude 101° 18'; it has scarcely any appreciable valley, flows between high rocky bluffs diffi- cult to ascend and descend ; it is about five yards wide, with clear, deep, swift-running water, and is probably about 35 miles long. The mouth of the next northern tributary is in longitude 101° 30', and is called White Earth creek ; it is about three-fourths the size of Rapid creek, which it resembles in every particular, and is about 25 miles long. The next, in longitude 102°, is a small spring rivulet about 26 miles long, and above this the branches are all small runs coming from the bluffs, generally dry except after rains, with scarcely any valleys to speak of. On the south side of the Niobrara there are numerous small branches coming in between its junction with the Missouri and the point where it receives the waters of the Turtle Hill river. Three of these are of considerable size, probably 35 miles long, the bluffs along nearly all of them being more or less covered with scattered pine, and their valleys occupied with clumps of cotton wood, oak, ash, &c. The position of the Elk Horn river, about 30 miles south of the Niobrara, prevents any of these southern branches having a length greater tlian I have stated. From the mouth of Turtle Hill river to that of the Wazi-honska there are still a greater number of short southern branches, all containing springs of water, and abounding in pine and beautiful oak groves. Wazi-honska means, in the Dakota language, "the place where the pine extends far out;" and this stream, whose mouth is in longitude 100°, is probably 40 miles long, and all its bluffs and side ravines are green with pine. Its valley, though not so wide, is very similar to that of the Niobrara in this part, which has been described. Snake river, whose mouth is in longitude 100° 45', is quite a large stream, some 30 yards wide, its bluffs covered with pine, with a nar- row valley like the Wazi-honska. Above this there is scarcely any branch coming in from the south deserving mention. Niobrara is a very shallow and "swift flowing stream," as the Canadians say "I'Eau qui Court," abounding in rapids in two-thirds of its upper course, and in its middle portion filled with small islands. In the lower portion its width exceeds that of the Missouri river, and is spread out over sand bars. The bed in the broad portions is quick- sand and difficult to ford. Its waters rapidly increase in volume through its middle portion, from the multitude of springs and stream- lets that constantly flow into it from the foot of the bluffs and out of the ravines. The traders of the American Fur Company have navigated it with skin boats, carrying peltries from their former trading house near Snake river, and the stream might permit of rafting if the timber should be found of quality and quantity, and accessibility to defray the expenses. I cannot, however, look upon it as capable of furnish 6 H 82 ing timber for the country on the Missouri, for the reason that much of the pine is too small, crooked, and knotty, and grows in places difficult to transport it from. The species is what is called the Rocky mountain pine, has a yellowish-white appearance, and abounds in resin. The distance on the Niobrara over which these pine ravines extend is about 120 miles. A road could not be made on the bottom lands of the Niobrara ; it must keep out on the high prairie so as to head the ravines. From the mouth to Turtle Hill river it would take the narrow divide be- tween the Niobrara and Ponka rivers. It should remain on the north side of Turtle Hill river from 20 to 30 miles further, and then cross that stream, as it would thus avoid the sand at the junction of the Niobrara and Turtle Hill rivers, and cross the latter where there is a better ford or narrower stream to bridge. Turning then towards the Niobrara, this river must be crossed in longitude 101° 20' to avoid the sand hills, and the route must continue on the south side to about longitude 102°, when it should again cross to the north side. These crossings for a wagon road could easily be made at a ford or by bridg- ing, but a proper bridge for a railroad crossing at these places would be a stupendous undertaking ; for, on account of the nature of the banks and ravines, good approaches could not be found so as to de- scend to the level of the stream, and the bridge would have to be built very high. From longitude 102° west there are no difficulties beyond a scarcity of wood in reaching Fort Laramie, or continuing direct to the South Pass, and in this course abundance of excellent pine would be found near Rawhide Peak. A preferable road might be found by continuing up Turtle Hill river to its source, and then along the divide between Niobrara and White rivers, striking the former stream in longitude 102°; but these- divides are generally bad for wagon routes, on account of scarcity of water, and it is not certain that we would by that route avoid the sand hills. I consider the north side of the Niobrara superior to the other for a road for the first 90 miles above the mouth, as the greater number of streams coming in at the south side would occasion considerable detours in gaining good crossing places and approaches. The portion of the river flowing through the sand hill region has the sand on the south side generally for one-half a mile blown away by the wind, leaving a smooth route. On the north side these hills are crowning the very edges of the precipices that rise from the river, and cannot be avoided. The evidence that this difference between the two sides "was due to the wind i^ very complete, and shows that the prevailing winds blow much more from the north here than from the south. The Elk Horn river rises in about longitude 99°, about 25 miles feouth of the Niobrara river. Its general course is southeast, and it empties into the Platte. As far up as I have seen it, which is in latitude 42°, it has a broad, fertile, and well wooded valley. Where crossed by Lieutenant Smith in 1855, nearly south from Fort Randall, it is described by him as "a beautiful creek of clear water, with well timbered banks and firm sandy bottom." The valley of tJie Loup fork is broad, fertile, aad well wooded up as 83 far as the old Pawnee villages, a distance of about 80 miles. Above this the valley begins to grow sandy and wood more scarce, and about the meridian of 100° becomes worthless. An occasional farm site could, however, be found almost to its head. Near its source it flows through high rocky precipices similar to those on the Niobrara ; but its source is in the open and desolate sand hills, a miserable region, impassable for ordinary wagon trains, and by all means to be avoided. The same remark is true of its main north branch and of Calamus river, and probably of the south branch. The Platte river is the most important tributary of the Missouri in the region under consideration, and its broad and grass-covered valley, leading to the west, furnishes one of the best wagon roads of its length in America. From its mouth to the forks the bluffs are from two to five miles from the water, making an intermediate bottom valley of from four to eight miles wide. From the forks to Fort Lara- mie the bluffs occasionally come down to the water's edge, and the road has to cross the points of the ridges. From Ash Hollow to Fort Laramie the road is sometimes heavy with sand. Fine cottonwood grows along the banks an'^ on the islands, from the mouth to Fort Kearny ; from here up it is scarce and of small size. Cedar is found in the ravines of the bluffs in the neighborhood of the forks and above. The river is about a mile wide and flows over a sandy bottom. When the banks are full it is about six feet deep throughout, having a re- markably level bed ; but it is of no use for navigation^ as the bed is so broad that the water seldom attains sufficient depth^ and then the rise is of short duration. The streams of the prairies of Nebraska, below the Yellowstone,, flowing into the Missouri river, are none of them navigable to any^ reliable extent^ and as most of them run from west to east their greatest practical value is in affording the land route of communication between our present western settlements and those to be formed in the mountains. Their valleys furnish us the only routes by which to traverse the intervening desert, for here only are such supplies of water to be found as are required, and here, too. is the only soil that can be cultivated, and such scanty supplies of wood as the region produces. Of all the valleys of rivers running into the Missouri that of the Platte furnishes the best route for any kind of a road leading to the interior, and the best point of starting is the vicinity of Omaha City. An appropriation of $50,000 has been expended on bridges, &c., on the eastern portion of it, and the only important improvement remain- ing to make it far superior to any route on the south side of the J^^te i8-»fek8«#ift1»aiblishment of a good crossi|ig*of Loup Fork, either by bridge or ferry, both •©i^which are difHcult ; the first on account of the wi4(l^ of the stream — 1,000 yards — and the latter on accountof theshoals and shifting sand bars. The ford is bad, by reason of quicksands. Twenty-five thousand dollars would probably make a good crossing to this stream, as the place is within the limit of the settlements. No road improvement in the west would be of greater value to the emi- grant or to military operations ; and this once done the route would 84 not only be the shortest 6ne in this latitude from the Missouri to the mountains, but would not throughout have one serious obstacle all the way to the South Pass. Any route that takes the south side of the Platte river has the South Fork to cross, (which is about as difficult a stream as the Loup Fork,) at a point where bridging it or establish- ing a ferry is, at this time, impracticable ; the road then, along the North Fork, has bad places at Ash Hollow and Scott's bluifs, and has to cross the Laramie river and the North Fork of the Platte by bridges, over which the emigrant must pay toll. The route by the north side of the Platte crossing the Loup Fork is, therefore, of particular value, especially i'or early travel in the spring, when the streams are gene- rally high. I have spoken of the locality of Omaha being, in my opinion, superior to any other as a point from which to supply the interior portions of the country along the Platte. This in a measure depends upon the improvements being made of the crossing of Loup Fork. At present Nebraska City is a point })resenting almost as short a road, which could be made quite so if bridges were placed over a few small streams, and which could be done at an expense to the general govern- ment of not more than $20,000. A considerable distance of river transportation would also be saved to stores brought from St. Louis by selecting Nebraska City instead of Omaha. Besides, the tirst men- tioned must always be a 8U])erior point from which to supply Fort Kearny. The cost of river transportation to this point is about 75 cents per 100 pounds. The distance from Nebraska City to Fort Laramie, by the proposed improved route, is about 525 miles. From Fort Leavenworth to Fort Laramie it is about 645 miles. The price paid for transportation, by the Qnanermaster's Depart- ment, on these roads, is about $1 50 per hundred pounds per hundred miles. It will thus be seen that the transportation of stores to Fort L ii n luie, by the route from Nebraska City, would be a saving over that irtirii Fort Leavenworth of about $1 55 per hundred pounds. The tot«l expense from St. Louis via Nebraska City would thus be $8 62^ per hundred pounds, and I shall use this route in making a comparison of the advantages offered by any route to the north of it. The first place which apparently offers a superior route is the neigh- borhood of Fort Randall. Stores can be delivered at this point from St, Louis at a cost of about $2 25 per hundred pounds. The distance to Fort Laramie is about 380 miles, which, at the rate of $1 50 per hundred pounds per hundred miles, would give a total cost of about / IWW per 100 pounds, which would ap})arently indicate a saving over / the Nebraska City route of $2'0iH^ per hundred pounds, o i '» c » 1mw iti8 wc - / «iiiilM". There are two reasons, however, why this gaeert advantage is ])ractically not now attainable: First, the neighborhood of Fort Rfia- dall, as a depot for supplies, men, and animals, is not to be compared with Nebraska City ; the former being in a comparatively barren country destitute of inhabitants, and where the necessary storehouses can only le constructed at an expense not less than $100,000. Second, the great difficulties of the route from Fort Randall west. That it is 85 practicable to take wagons along the Niobrara is shown by our expe- dition in 1857. The wagons were loaded with about 2,000 pounds, and drawn by eight good mules to each. Our time of travelling from Fort Laramie to Fort Randall, counting the days necessary to stop to rest the animals, was thirty days. About 100 miles of this route was through sand hills, where I do not think the ordinary transportation trains could have travelled except in the slowest and most fatiguing manner. The route I have already indicated on the south side of the Niobrara, in my description of that stream, would be preferable to the one we travelled, on account of the sand, but the difficulty of crossing the river would counterbalance the advantage gained by so doing. The route between Sioux City and Fort Randall is a very good one, and an appropriation of $10,000 should be made to bridge the Ver- milion, for the use of the troops at the fort in hauling supplies from the settlements in Iowa. This route, and that by the Niobrara, would seem to be the most direct and proper one by which to continue the military road from Mendota to the mouth of the Big Sioux, westward to the South Pass. But the great difficulties of the Niobrara route, and the impractica- bility of any between it and the Platte, determine me to advise its location direct from Sioux City to the mouth of the Loup Fork. The road this way, and thence along the Platte valley, will only be about 40 miles longer than by way of the Niobrara. A bridge is required over Middle creek, at a cost of $5,000; one over the Elk Horn, at a cost of $20,000 ; and one over the Loup Fork, at a cost of $50,000. A good crossing for the Loup Fork could be made for $25,000. The next point on the Missouri which claims attention, as one from which to supply Fort Laramie, is the vicinity of old Fort Lookout. A route from this point should keep north of the White river, and intersect the present road from Pierre to Laramie. The eastern por- tion of the route I have only examined in part, but feel confident that it is a good one, except for about 30 miles through the Bad Lands, in which I have no doubt a route could be found that, with some im- provement, would be equal to the corresponding part of the Pierre and Laramie route. The route west of this would then be the excellent one along the valley of White river, at the head of which a difficult section of about twelve miles needs considerable improvement. This route would be about three hundred and sixty miles from the Missouri to Fort Lara- mie, and deserves especial consideration as being the proper continu- ation of the route located between the Missouri and Fort Ripley under the Interior Department, with the design of being continued to the South Pass. Stores can be delivered at Fort Lookout for about three dollars per hundred pounds. The route from Fort Pierre to Fort Laramie is one that has long been in use, and is about three hundred and twenty-three miles long. Stores can be delivered here for about |3 50 per hundred pounds. I think it probable, as settlements advance up the Missouri, and 86 Nebraska and Iowa and Dakota become populated, this route, or the one starting from Fort Lookout, will claim attention. At Fort Pierre the navigable portion of the Missouri is at its nearest point to Laramie and the South Pass, and above it, of course, there are no competing routes for supplying this section. Neither does the nearest navigable point for steamboats on the Yellowstone or its tribu- taries offer any route whose diminished length would compensate for the increased river transportation. It is believed that any route which keeps east of the Big Horn mountains is practicable for wagons between the Yellowstone and Missouri, and that the direct route between Fort Laramie and Fort Benton is favorable to military movements. In consideration of the best routes for supplying the interior, I have mainly had in view the wants of present occupation of the coun- try. When the habitable ])Ortions of Nebraska become occupied, as they eventually will, other routes will become important from causes not now operating and that cannot bo foreseen; but I believe that those which are now niost important will still maintain the ascendancy from the effect of natural causes and the structure of the country. The same routes now most used and best adapted to the wants of military occupation were long before used by the trader, the Indian, and the buffalo, as best adapted to their wants; and when future re- quirements shall demand increased facilities of transportation and locomotion and railroads shall be built, then they, too, will be found near the main routes now travelled by the trains of the emigrant and the army. As I before stated, an irreclaimable desert of 200 to 400 miles in width separates the points capable of settlement in the east from those on the mountains in the west. Without doubt these mountain re- gions will yet be inhabited by civilized men, and the communication with the east will require railroads, independent of the want of an interior overland route to the Pacific. For this purpose the valley of the Platte offers a route not surpassed for natural gradients by any in the world, and very little more is to be done west of the Missouri than to make tlie superstructure. A- cheap road for light trains and en- gines could easily be built, and when settlements are formed in the mountains will become profitable; and the gold that has been discov- ered there in valuable quantities may produce this result much sooner than we anticipate. The Niobrara apparently presents a more short and direct route to the interior than the Platte, but its natural features are not so favorable. The direct route from Sioux City to Fort Lara- mie by the Niobrara would be, for a railroad, about forty miles shorter than by way of the Platte and Fort Kearney. I do not, however, consider the route by the Niobrara as impracti- cable, but think that the difficulties in the way of constructing it will overbalance the advantages of being a shorter route from the Missouri. If the route be considered as starting at the city of Chicago, thence via Kock Island, Omaha, and the Platte valley, the distance is about the same as that by Dubuque, Sioux City, and the Niobrara; the one large bend which the former makes at Fort Kearney being counter- balanced by the number of small ones of the latter. 87 A route for a railroad to the Pacific from the neighborhood of St. Paul, by way of the South Pass, would keep on or near the general course of the wagon road latel)'' laid out by Colonel Nobles to the Mis- souri, at Fort Lookout, and thence along the north side of White river, as before indicated. Should a route ever be required from the west shore of Lake Supe- rior to the South Pass, it could be located on a very direct and prac- ticable line, via Fort Ripley, Lake Traverse, and the Big Shyenne, and deserves examination. But a route from Lake Superior west to the South Pass would prob- ably not compete in advantages with that examined by Governor Stevens near the forty-ninth parallel. It may, however, be question- able whether one of equally as many advantages could not be found by proceeding directly west from the Bois de Sioux to the Missouri at Fort Clark; thence by way of Knife river to the Yellowstone river at the mouth of Powder river. The valley of the Yellowstone then offers a direct route west to the mountains, where Capt. Clark crossed them in 1856, and thence near the route he pursued to the Bitter Root valley. The more direct route would be down the valley of the Salmon river; but the information we possess of this stream indicates its character through the mountains to be one of great difficulty,. CHAPTER V. Indians — Military posts — Routs for 7nilitary operations, dec. I shall here repeat, with some additions, the account of the Dakotas given in my report of explorations in 1855. The Dakotas are scattered over an immense territory, extending from the Mississippi on the east to the Black Hills on the west, and from the forks of the Platte on the south to Devil's Lake on the north. They say their name means " leagued or allied," and they sometimes speak of themselves as the *' Ocheti Shaowni," or " Seven Council Fires." These are the seven principal bands which compose the nation, viz : 1. The Mde-wakan-tonwans, meaning " village of the Spirit Lake." 2. Wah-pe-kutes, meaning " leaf shooters." 3. Wah-pe-tonwans, meaning " village in the leaves." 4. Sisi-tonwans, meaning " village of the marsh." These four constitute the Mississippi and Minnesota Dakotas, and are called by those on the Missouri " Isanties." They are estimated at 6,200 souls. Some of these on the Mississippi have long been in contact with the white settlements, and having sold much of their lands to the government have abandoned many of their former habits and cultivated the soil. Communities have been formed which have made some approach towards civilization ; others of them still live 88 principally by the fruits of the chase in their primitive wildnesSy and have of late years occasioned much trouble to the settlers of northern Iowa. It was they who committed the murders last winter on Spirit Lake, 5. Ihanktonwans, (Yanktons,) '' village at the end." These are sometimes called Wichiyela, meaning "first nation." They are found at the mouth of the Big Sioux and between it and the Missouri river, as high up as Fort Lookout, and on the opposite bank of the Missouri. They are supposed to number 360 lodges. Contact with the whites has considerably degenerated them^ and their distance from the present buffalo ranges renders them comparatively poor. A treaty has been made with them, by which they have ceded most of their land to the United States. 6. Ihanktonwannas, (Yanktonnas,) meaning one of the "end vil- lage " bands. They range between James river and the Missouri, as high north as Devil's Lake, number about 800 lodges, and are spirited and warlike, and will give much trouble to the settlers in Dakota territory. They suffered severely from the ravages of the smallpox in the winter of 1856 and 1857. A small portion, under a chief called Little Soldier, live in dirt lodges during the summer. From the Wazikute branch of this band the Assinniboins, or Hohe of the Dakotas, are said to have sprung. 7. The Titonwans, " village of the prairie," are supposed to consti- tute more than one-half of the whole Dakota nation. They live on the western side of the Missouri, and extend west to the dividing ridge between the Little Missouri and Powder rivers, and thence south on a line near the 106th meridian. They are allied by marriage with the Shyennes, but are enemies of the Pawnees and Crows. The Titon- wans, excejit a few of the Brules, on White river, and some of the families connected with the whites by marriage, have never planted corn. They are divided into seven principal bands, viz : 1 . Unkpapas, "they who camp by themselves. ' ' They roam from the Big Shyenne up to the Yellowstone, and west to the Black Hills ; to this band Mato Chiqukesa, or the Bear's Rib, belongs, who was made by General Harney the first chief of the Dakotas. They number about 365 lodges. 2. Sihasapas, Blackfeet. Haunts and homes same as the Unkpapas. They number 165 lodges. These two bands have very little respect for the power of the whites. 3. Itazipchos, (Sans Arc,) No bows. Roam over nearly the same territory as the Umkpapas. They number about 170 lodges. It is difficult to say how these bands received their present names. The Itazipchos being as well provided with bows as any other band, and use them as skillfully. 4. Minikanyes or Minui-kan-jous, (meaning they who plant by the water.) They number about 200 lodges, and roam principally from the Black Hills south to the Platte. They are generally w^ell disposed towards the whites. 5. Ogalalas or Okandandas. They number about 460 lodges, and are generally to be found on or near the Platte near Fort Laramie. 89 They are the most friendly disposed towards the whites of all the Titonwans. 6. Sichangus, (meaning Burnt Thighs,) Brules. They number about 380 lodges, and live on the Niobrara and White rivers, and range from the Platfe to the Shyenne. They include the Wazazhas, to which belonged Matoiya, (the Scattering Bear,) made chief of all the Dakotas by Colonel Mitchell, of the Indian Bureau, and who was killed by Lieutenant Grattan. 7. Oo-he-non-pas, two boilings, or two kettle band. These are now very much scattered among other bands. They number about 100 lodges. Some of them are generally to be found in the neighborhood of Fort Pierre. The Dakotas, on and west of the Missouri, which includes all but the Isanties, are the only ones I have heard estimated. I should think that eight inmates to a lodge, and one-fifth of them warriors, an ample allowance. We would then have — Name of band. Ihanktouwans, (Yank tons) — Ihanktonwannas, (Yanktonais) Unkpapas Sihasapas, (Blackfeet) Itazipchos, (Sans Arc) Mini-kan-jous - C^alalas Sichangus, (Brule's) Oo-he-non-pas, (two kettles)-. Lodges. Inmates. Warriors. 360 2,880 576 800 6,400 1,280 365 2,920 584 165 1,320 264 170 1,360 272 200 1,600 320 460 3,680 736 380 3,040 C16 100 800 160 3,000 24,000 4,800 In the summer the Dakotas follow the buffaloes in their range over the prairie, and in the winter fix their lodges in the clusters or fringes of wood along the banks of the lakes and streams. The bark of the Cottonwood furnishes food for their horses during the winter snows, and to obtain it many streams have been thinned or entirely stripped of their former beautiful groves. Their horses are obtained by traffic with the Indians further south, who have stolen them in New Mexico, or caught them wild on the plains towards the Rocky mountains; considerable numbers are also raised by themselves. The nation is one of the most skilful and warlike, and most numerous in our Territory, and could they be made to feel more confidence in their own powers, would be most formidable warriors. In single combat on horseback they have no superiors, a skill acquired by constant practice with their bows and arrows and lances, with which they suc- ceed in killing their game at full speed. The rapidity with which they shoot their arrows, and the accuracy of their aim, rivals that of a practiced hand with the revolver. Notwithstanding the destruction of their numbers by small pox and cholera, it is the opinion of some 90 that they are increasing in numbers rather than diminishing, except where they mingle with the settlements on the frontier. These Dakotas formerly all lived around the head waters of the Mississippi and Red River of the North, and in their migration to the southwest have been preceded by the IShyennes, (with wliom they are on friendly terms,) who have given their name to the Shyenne of Red river, to the Big Shyenne of the Missouri, and to the section of country they now occupy between the Platte and the Arkansas. The Dakotas then lived on much of the land now occupied by the Chip- pewas, and the Chippewas at that time inhabited the region between the Sault Ste. Marie and Lake Winnepeg, the Crees, their allies, occupying that from Lake Winnepeg and other lakes as far as Kis-is- kad-ji-wan (Saskatchawin river) and towards the Assiniboin river. The plains to the south of the last stream were the scene of many contentions and bloody combats, nevertheless, oftener the residence of the Dakotas than of the other two tribes, until that nation was divided into two bodies, originating in jealousy of the women, which ended in their being irreconcilable enemies to this day. The less powerful and flying party took refuge in the rocky precipices of the Lake of the Woods, and received from the Chippewas the name of Assiniboins or Dakotas of the Rocks, under which name they are now generally known to the whites. They however retain, among them- selves, the name Dakotas and speak that language. The other Dakotas, in speaking of them, always call them hohe, or enemies. The Assiniboins then allied themselves with the Chippewas and Crees and forced the Dakotas to abandon all the country north of the Sheyenne, which is now regarded as the boundary between these tribes. The Chippewas, Crees, and Assiniboins are friendly to each other and united in their liostility to the Dakotas, and it is improbable that any lasting peace can ever be effected between them. The common war ground is the region about Lake Minniwaken to which they all repair to hunt buffalo. The Assiniboins and Crees may yet occasion us no little difficulty, as a large portion of their lands is in the British territory, they both are now well disposed and friendly. I saw them while at Fort TTnion in 1856, and they were particular to inform us that they did not Avant to sell their land and could not spare any of what they now occupy. These Indians have comparatively few horses, and rely largely on dogs, of which they have great numbers, for transportation. The flesh of these animals also serves them as food. The Assiniboins number about 450 lodges or 3,600 souls. They suffered severely from the small pox in 1856-'57. Their country extends from the Red river west, along the Missouri as far as the mouth of the Milk river. The Absarakos, or Crows, occupy the country about the Yellow- stone and its branches, being bounded on the east by the Dakotas, south by the Platte, and west by the dividing line between the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific. Their country abounds with everything Indian life requires, and 91 they are generally well disposed towards the whites, but have as yet seen little of them in their country since 1830, when the trappers were so numerous. They were then much dreaded by these adven- turers. The Crows are fine warriors ; have plenty of horses, mainly derived from traffic with the Flatheads. They live generally in skin lodges, and number about 600 lodges, or 4,800 souls. Minnetarres, or Gros Ventres. This is a small band of the Crow nation, living in a village of dirt lodges, surrounded by a rude stock- ade, near Fort Berthold. They raise corn, beans, pumpkins, &c. They number now about 800 souls, but, from a variety of causes, are diminishing. The Arricarees, or Rees, aire a branch of the Pawnee nation, from which they have become separated by the migration of the Dakotas, and by these latter they are both known by the same name, Fedanis. The Rees live in a village near Fort Clark, in a manner exactly similar to the Gros Ventres, and number about 840 souls. Formerly they were numerous and powerful, and occupied a large village at the mouth of Grand river. This was destroyed during the expedition under Colonel Leavenworth, sent there in 1825 or 1826 to chastise them for the attack on the trading party of General Ashley. The remains of dirt lodge villages all along the Missouri attest how numerous the Indians of this tribe must have been before the invasion of their lands by the Dakotas. The Madans live in a village, six miles above Fort Clark, in the same manner as the Gros Ventres. They seem to be the last remnant of a distinct tribe from any of those around them. They have, through the agency of the small pox, rapidly diminished since they were visited by Lewis and Clarke, and now number about 250 souls. They live in constant dread of the diseases which white men have been at times introducing among them, and the main and oft repeated request which they made to the Indian agent when I was there in July, 1856, was that he would keep sick white men away. When I returned there in September, and saw them again a victim of that scourge, the small pox, brought among them that year by the steam- boat of the rival company to the American Fur Company, and saw the despair depicted on every countenance, it made me feel heart sick to think what wrongs these poor savages have sufi'ered from the cupidity of my own race. The authors of this calamity, which visited all the tribes in this region, are fully exposed in the report of the Indian agent. Colonel Vaughan, in 1856-'57. Bear's Rib, the Unkpapa, gave me the following list of persons that died of this disease, from this cause, in 1856 and 1857, that he had heard of, though the disease was still at its work of death in some parts of the Crow country : PersoBS. Rees 166 Hohes 1,500 Big Head's baud of Ihanhtonwans , 30 Sihasapas 136 1,832 92 It would be safe to assume the following as probable deaths in tribes not included in this list : Gros Ventres and Mandows 160 Absarakos 1,000 1,160 Making a total of at least 3,000 souls. Betore such blows as this the red race would soon disappear ; no war could be so fatal to them. The government should, by all that is humane, employ some competent person, at a proper salary, to visit them yearly, and vaccinate these Indians, and thus arrest the violence of these scourges. These three little bands, the Gros Ventres, Mandans, and Rees, are fast dwindling away. They never can work much harm to the whites, and their mode of life at a fixed abode requires them to be peaceful. They exist now rather by sufferance of the Dakotas than by their own power, for the Dakotas could soon destroy them if they chose, as they did the villages of the Pawnees, on the Loup Fork, in about the year 1836. The Dakotas find it convenient for themselves to permit the existence of these villages, as their produce of corn, &c.j, forms a valuable commodity of trade between them. The Ponkas are the small remnant of a once powerful tribe, and now live near the mouth of the Niobrara. They are on friendly terms with the Dakotas. The government agents have lately efi'ected a treaty with them, by which a right to most of their lands has been purchased, and a reserve marked out for their location on the Nio- brara and Ponka rivers, near Fort Randal. The treaty has, 1 believe, not yet been ratified by the Senate. They number about souls. The Paivnees were formerly one of the most numerous and power- ful and warlike of the Indians of the prairie. They have, through the agency of the small pox and their constant wars with the Dakotas and Shyennes, been greatly reduced, and their numbers now do not probably exceed 4,000. They occupy the country on the Platte below Fort Kearny, and on Loup Fork, A treaty was made with them in the winter of 1857, by which they ceded a large portion of their lands to the United States, and agreed to retire to a reserve on th^ Loup Fork, where were their villages which were destroyed by the Dakotas. This treaty has not yet been ratified. The Shyennes occupy the country between the Platte and Arkan- sas rivers, and number about souls. These Indians have always been friends with the Dakotas, and associate much with them. During the summer of 1857, while the vigorous expedition conducted by Col. Sumner was operating against them, a number to the amount of 40 lodges took retuge among the Dakotas, in the neighborhood of the Black Hills. They will probably unite with the Dakotas, in the event of any general war. Though it is believed, from the great moral efiect pro- duced by the march of the Utah expedition through their common 93 country, that they must see the futility of ever being able to contend against the power of the United States. Of all the aborigines in the Territory under consideration, the Da- kotas are probably the ones that have undergone the least material diminution of their numbers since their discovery by the whites. They are still numerous, independent, warlike, and powerful, and contain within themselves means of prolonged and able resistance to further encroachments of the western settlers. Under the present policy of government, which there is no reason to believe will ever be changed, these encroachments will continue and new wars will result. I do not mean to say that a peaceable advance of the settlements westward might not be effected, but under the operation of present causes it will not. All of these conflicts end in the discomfiture of the native races, and they are fast melting away. It is not, as many suppose, that those dispossessed retire further west ; this they cannot do, for the region to the west of one tribe is generally occupied by another with whom deadly animosity exists. Hence, when the white settle- ments advance their frontier, the natives linger about, till disease, poverty, and vicious indulgence consigns them to oblivion. The present policy of the government seems therefore the best calculated, that could be devised for exterminating the Indian. The advance of the settlements is universally acknowledged to be a necessity of our national development, and is justifiable in displacing the native races on that ground alone. But the government, instead of being so constituted as to prepare the way for settlements by wise and just treaties of purchase from the present owners, and proper protection and support for the indigent race so dispossessed, is some- times behind. its obligations in these respects ; and in some instances Congress refuses or delays to ratify the treaties made by the duly au- thorized agents of the government. The result is, that the settler and pioneer are precipitated into the Indian's country, without the Indian having received the just consideration promised him ; and he often, in a manner that enlists the sympathies of all mankind, takes up the tomahawk in defence of his rights, and perishes in the attempt. It is frequently the case that the settlers are unjustly charged with bringing about these wars, and though I feel for the Indian, I cannot but sympathize with the pioneer whose life is liable to be sacrificed to the Indian s vengeance. The western settlers are now fighting the battle of civilization ex- actly as our forefathers did on the Atlantic shores, and under circum- stances that command an equal amount of our admiration and approval. We are in the habit of looking on the power of the United States as invincible, but it is far from being so regarded by the savages on our frontier. Many of them have never seen or felt it. There the Indians far outnumber the whites, and if our sympathies must go with the weak they should be with the settlers, who are only able, after a^^«,'»td maintain their ground by the aid of the army. One of the chiefs of the Dakotas told me that they had a grand council in the summer of 1857, on the North Fork of the Shyenue, and that their hearts felt strong at seeing how numerous they were ; that if they went to war again they would not yield so easy as they did 94 before. At that council they solemnly pledged to each other not to permit further encroachments from the whites, and he fully believed they were able to whip all the white men in the world. In truth, they are not without reason in thinking so. They have never seen the whites, except in small parties, stealing through their country, unable to resist them or protect themselves from insolence ; or they find them shut up in little trading posts, where for days they dare not, at times, open the gates or show their heads above the enclosure, and where, whenever a band of young warriors wish to have a frolic, they go and shoot their dogs, chickens, cattle, &c., break the windows, and commit any other outrage their fancy may suggest, as a diversion. They have seen the Indian agent, (their father, as he is called,) the direct representative of the President, insulted and abused with impunity by their own race and sometimes in dread of losing his Hie, and they, many of them, entertain no respect for the power of our government. Numbers of them have never seen a soldier of the United States army, and scarce credit their existence. Bear's Rib (a great friend to peace with the whites and the moe^t influential warrior in his nation) said his people could not be controlled by him, and that if he should attempt it in some cases his own life would be the forfeit. There are so many inevitable causes at work to produce a war with the Dakotas before many years, that I regard the greatest fruit of the explorations I have conducted to be the knowledge of the proper routes by which to invade their country and conquer them. The Black Hills is the great point in their territory at which to strike all the Teton Dakotas, except the Brules and Okandandas. Here they can assemble their largest force, and here I believe they would make a stand. In the event of another outbreak, a post should be estab- lished at the mouth of the Shyenne, on the north side, from which to operate simultaneously with troops irom Fort Laramie. From both of these ])oints wagon trains could move with ease, and supplies could without difficulty be sent thus to the troops in the field. These operations would undoubtedly bring on a battle, where the superiority of the weapons of civilized warfare would secure a victory to us. They will not, I think, permit the occupation of the vicinity of these hills without oftering a determined resistance. Driven from these they must go north towards the Missouri, where a still better field to operate against them will be found, as this region is every where practicable. In this event it might become necessary to establish a temporary post above the Shyenne, and a most suitable and efi"ective location is to be lound near Long Lake, on the Missouri. Those who may take refuge in the ravines and iastnesses along the Niobrara, or in the sand hills, could be operated against from forts Randall, Kearny, and Laramie. Should the Isanties and Ihankton- a wm i ti be hostile at the same time as the Titonwans, they should be operated against from Fort Ridgeley. It will be perceived that in this plan ^ have considered a war witii all the Dakotas to be on our hands, which at no distant day is proba- ble, and that there will be required a number of columns and a very large force to successfully operate over so much country. These 95 columns need not exceed in any case a strength of 400 men^, and these should be subdivided so as to beat up the country as much as possible, and endeavor to draw the Indians into an engagement where they may have some hope of success. With proper troops and commanders we need not even then fear the result. The movement of large compact columns is necessarily slow and they can easily be avoided, which the least military skill teaches the Indians to do. The war once begun should not be stopped till they are effectually humbled and made to feel the full power and force of the government, which is a thing in which the northern Dakotas are entirely wanting. I believe a vigorous co"urse of action would be quite as humane as any other, and much more economical and effectual in the end. With proper arrangements the Assiniboins and Crows and Pawnees could be made most useful allies in a war with the Dakotas. I see no reason why they should not be employed against each other, and thus spare the lives of the whites. In giving my opinion of the best way of bringing the Dakotas to submission, in the event of a war, I think it my duty to state that I believe many of the causes of war with them might be removed^ by timely action in relation to the treaties, which are from time to time made with them, and a prompt and faithful fulfillment of our own part of the stipulations, and it is to be hoped that Congress will afford the means of carrying into effect the treaty made by General Harney in 1856, and those made by the Indian bureau in 1857 with the Ihank- tonwans and Poncas, and that it will provide liberally for those who have been dispossessed of their lands or impoverished by having their game driven off by the approach of the whites I have always found the Dakotas exceedingly reasonable beings, with a very proper appreciation of what are their own rights. What they yield to the whites they expect to be paid for, and I never have heard a prominent man of their nation express an opi'-ion in regard to what was due them in which I do not concur. Many of them view the extinction of their race as an inevitable result of the operation of present causes, and do so with all the feelings of despair with which we should contemplate the extinction of our nationality. 96 Washington, D. C, January 31, 1858. Sir : I submit a report of the most important cases of sickness that required medical treatment in the party under your command, from June 15 until December 4, 1857. After the party reached the Loup Fork it was necessary to remain in camp for a number of days awaiting the arrival of the escort. The mouth of that stream was reached July 4, and we encamped near the river not far from the town of Columbus. It was in this locality that the most serious cases of illness which occurred in the party were generated. In passing up the Platte we travelled principally at some distance from the stream. Near the river, and along some of its tributaries, swampy districts of country exist which might endanger the health of persons living in their vicinity during the summer and autumn. I noticed long marshy tracts of tliis kind overgrown with heavy vegetation along the Loup Fork at this point. Soon after our encampment a good deal of bilious derangement prevailed in the party, and the presence of mia'^niatic poisons was soon made apparent in the occurrence of a number of cases of intermittent fever. Nearly all of the party experienced unpleasant disturbances ot health here. The season had been unusually wet and the heat was extreme. Vege- tation was consequently developed very rapidly, and it was, therefore, not difficult to account lor the early appearance of disease among us. Under ordinary circumstances I would consider this region as healthy as most prairies, but the past seasons were particularly favorable to the development of malaria. All of the cases, however, that were treated here yielded readily, and when we commenced our joutiiey up the Loup Fork no complaint was heard. We seemed, however, peculiarly unfortunate in the start ; for, a few days after we had got finally under way, the mosL serious case of sickness which we had to encounter during the trip commenced. On July 23, May, a teamster, exhibited tlie symtoms of lever, and it soon became apparent that this man must suffer a long and severe illness ; under the most favorable circumstances his chances for recovery would have been considered few, and the circumstances under which we were of necessity placed tended greatly to diminish those chances. Delay was out of tlie question, as his case, if it resulted favorably, would require at least a fortnight, and we therefore placed him in the best situation that was possible in travelling and did all in our power to promote his recovery. This case was an interesting one to the medi- cal practitioner ; it was one of those in which the signs and sym[)ton8 of typhoid and of remittent bilious fevers were intimately blended. Delirium commenced early, with stupor, diarrhoea, and that peculiar condition of the tongr.e and mouth noticed in typhoid fever ; with these some of the common symptons of remittent fever were exhibited, and although the attack could not be cut short by quinia, its violence was greatly modified by that agent. The sickness of this man embarrassed our progress seriously, but after nearly three weeks of trouble and anxiety with his case we were gratified to note his con- valescence. A halt of three days during the most excited period of his disease tended greatly to promote a favorable termination. May 97 was hauled the entire distance to Fort Laramie, not being able to per- form any duty until we reached that point. On the 8th of August I was attacked with bilious remittent fever myself^ and can testify from experience to the inconvenience from being sick on the prairies. My attack was not severe, and yielded in eight or ten days. These and the cases of intermittent were the on!}'' cases of tiever that occurred in the party during the season. The country through which we passed up to this point was along the Loup Fork. That portion of it most favorable to the production ot fever is near its mouth ; as you approach the sources of the river there are fewer wet tracts near the stream, and the country generally is not so flat. I notice the marshes particularly, as that is the only condi- tion observed which could interfere with the health of the population, if the country were inhabited. These are not numerous after you leave the mouth of the river some distance, and there is nothing to warrant the inference that the country is not highly favorable to health. Indeed, in most respects, this region, so far as health is concerned, may be considered as highly favored. As you approach the elevated regions near the mountains the atmosphere is exceedingly dry and pure. Much has been said of the favorable effects of a residence in this region upon persons laboring under pulmonary diseases. As this far western region becomes more generally known, I think the subject will attract greater attention. I think the rational explanation of the improvement in consumptive cases that has been noted in this quarter is found in the dryness of the atmosphere. Sudden cli tinges of temperature here, if not less frequent than in some of our eastern States, are certainly not productive of the same bad consequenc38 to the invalid. The lungs of those who are suffering with phthisis are here free from that constant irritation to which they are subjected in an atmosphere loaded with moisture. And the feeling of buoyancy and strength that is imparted encourages the invalid to make new exertions to promote recovery. A residence in such an atmosphere, combined with habits of active exercise, and constant living in the open air, might, in some cases I am sure, be productive of the best results. An intelligent friend, now residing at Fort Laramie, in- formed me that in his youth he was attacked with phthisis, that hor- rible disease being hereditary in his family ; he was rapidly declining_, and went to this far western region in the hope that the climate might prove beneficial ; he made his home amongst the wandering bands of Indians, and avoided none of the exposure incident to such a life ; he laid constantly in the open air and took as much exercise as possible ; his health improved, and in a year or two he was entirely restored, and is now residing at Fort Laramie a strong and healthy man. I have heard of many other cases similarly restored. In New Mexico con- sumption is unknown, I am informed, as a disease originating in the country where the climate has the additional advantage of being warm. During the extremely hot weather that continued during our jour- ney up the ' oup Fork, our party suffered very little wich diarrhoea or ajsentery. A number of cases of the former occurred, but only a few required any treatment, and but a single case qf dysentery, which 7h 98 was mild. After reaching Fort Laramie those who had been sick rapidly recovered, and when we left that post all of the party were in excellent health. During the fine weather that continued for a few weeks in the be- ginning of the fall no cases of sickness occurred. In October the weather became inclement, and was very cold and wet. During our trip down the Niobrara no complaint was heard, except in some chronic cases, which were somewhat aggravated by the bad weather and exposure, and when the party reached Fort Randall all were in good health. Several of the soldiers had suffered from scurvy du- ring the summer, these improved during the trip down the Niobrara, along which stream we found an abundance of plums and grapes. After leaving Fort Randall (November Tlh) the members of the party were attacked with influenza, and this disease prevailed during the entire trip from Randall to Leavenworth, and only four or five mem- bers of the party escaped an attack. Some of the men, who were much exposed to the inclement weather that we exjjerienced on the trip, suffered severely, and at times a sufficient number were not off of the sick list to carry on the train properly. All recovered, how- ever, and when we reached Leavenworth the party was in good health. Below is an enumeration of the most important cases treated during the season. Many trifling cases occurred of which no note was taken. Diseases. Intermittent fever Bilious remittent . Diarrliea Dysentery Gonorrhea acute Orchites Gleet Chronic cystitis Diahetes Granular confuncteritis Tarsal opthaimia Influenza No. cases. Results. 5 Recovered. 2 Recovered. 5 Recovered. 1 Recovered. 3 Recovered. 1 Recovered. 3 Recovered. 1 Recovered. 1 Improved. 1 Improved. 1 Recovered. 11 Recovered. Respectfully, SAMUEL H. MOFFITT, ^ Physician to expedition. jjjeutenant G. K. Warren, Topographical Engineers. EXPLORATIONS IN NEBRASKA AND DAKOTA. CATALOGUE OP THE COLLECTIONS GEOLOGY AND MTUEAL HISTORY, OBTAINED BY THE EXPEDITION UNDER COMMAND OF LIEUT. G. K. WARREN, TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, F. y. HAYDEN, M. D. Washington, D. C, Novemler 28, 1858. SiK : In compliance with your request I have prepared a catalogue of the collections in geology and natural history, obtained in Ne- braska and portions of Kansas, during several expeditions to those Territories under your command. The list cannot be made out at this time as complete as could be desired, but it will be at once evident to all that the amount of new and valuable material thus secured, will, when properly studied and illustrated, form a large and positive addition to science. Of the fossil mollusca collected most of the new species have been indicated in scientific journals by my associate, Mr. Meek, and myself, and about 100 ^ seven hundred figures prepared, making, when arranged for the en- graver, about fifty quarto plates. The fossil plants from cretaceous formation No. 1 will also be included in the volume, and consist of eighteen species, all of which are supposed to be new to science. The fossil plants of the tertiary era, of which there is a large series, re- markably well preserved and of great beauty, have not yet been studied to any extent. We simply know that they comprise about fifty species, all of which are supposed to be new, and would alone form a good-sized quarto volume. Descriptions and suitable illustra- tions of these plants will be made during the winter or spring. The fossil mollusca are arranged in their stratigraphical order, thus bringing at once before the geologist the characteristic fossils of each formation known in the northwest, from the carboniferous to the ter- tiary, inclusive. The work will thus form a standard of reference for those who may wish to study the geology of the west, and will enable the explorer, even though but moderately versed in the science, to determine the age of the formations over which he may be travelling. The fossil vertebrata, which are very numerous in species, a large proportion of which were entirely new to science, have been placed in the hands of Dr. Leidy, the great comparative anatomist of Philadel- phia, who informs us that the drawings are nearly ready for the en- graver. The following is a list of the memoirs already published in the transactions of scientific societies on the geology and paleontology of Nebraska and Kansas, by F. B. Meek and F. V. Hayden. 1. Descriptions of sixty-three new species of Acephala, Gastero- poda and Cejyhalopoda from the cretaceous formation of Nebraska Ter- ritory. — (Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadel- phia, March, 1856, p. 16.) 2. Descriptions of new species of Acephala and Gasteropoda from the tertiary formations of Nebraska Territory, with some general re- marks on the geology of the country about the sources of the Missouri river. — (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pa., June, 1856, p. 16.) 3. Descriptions of new fossil species of mollusca, collected by Dr. F. v. Hayden in Nebraska Territory, together with a complete cata- logue of all the remains of invertebrata hitherto described and iden- tified from the cretaceous and tertiary formations of that region. — (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pa., November, 1856, p. 22 ) 4. Descriptions of new species and genera of fossils collected by Dr. F. v. Hayden in Nebraska Territory, under the direction of Lieut. G-. K. Warren, U. S. Topographical Engineers, with some remarks on the tertiary and cretaceous formations of the northwest, and the parallelism of the latter with those of other portions of the United States and Territories. Communicated by permission of the Secretary of War —(Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pa., May, 1857, p. 34.) 5. Descriptions of new organic remains from northeastern Kansas, indicating the existence of permian rocks in that Territory. — (Trans- action of the Albany Institute, vol. IV — read March 2, 1858.) 6. Descriptions of new organic remains collected in Nebraska Ter- ritory in the year 1857, by Dr. F. V. Hayden, geologist to the ex- 101 ploring expedition under the command of Lieut. Q. K.Warren, Topo- graphical Engineers, U. S. A., together with some remarks on the geology of the Black Hills and portions of the surrounding country. — (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pa., March, 1858, p. 19.) By F. V. Hayden : 7. Notes explanatory of a map and section, illustrating the geo- logical structure of the country bordering on the Missouri river, from the mouth of the Platte to Fort Benton in latitude 41° 30' N., longi- tude 110° 30' W.— (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Pa., May, 1857, p. 10.) 8. Notes on the geology of the Mauvaises Terres of White river. — (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Pa., June, 1857, p. 8.) 9. Explanations of a second edition of a geological map of Nebraska and Kansas, based upon information obtained during an expedition to the Black Hills, under the command of Lieutenant Gr. K. Warren, topographical engineers. United States army. — (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Pa., June, 1868, p. 22.) Dr. Leidy's descriptions of the new vertehrata, collected from time to time, are distributed through various numbers of the proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy for the years 1856, 1857 and 1858. The principal paper was published in March last, and bears the fol- lowing title : "Notice of remains of extinct vertehrata from the valley of the Niobrara river collected by Dr. F. V. Hayden, geologist to the expedition, under the command of Lieutenant G. K. Warren, topo- graphical engineers. United States army, by Joseph Leidy, M. D." The details of the geology of the regions explored will be reserved for your final report. The following is the number of species comprised in the collection from each department of natural history as far as they have been studied, up to this time. The catalogue includes none of the insects of which there are many species, nor the cryptogamic plants which have not yet been identified. Number of species of fossil vertehrata • 77 Number of species of fossil mollusca 251 Number of fossil plants 70 Number of minerals and geological specimens 423 Number of species of recent mammals 47 Number of species of birds 186 Number of species of recent mollusca 65 Number of species of fishes 24 Number of species of reptiles 28 Number of species of recent plants 1,500 Of the fossil mollusca named in this catalogue 186 species were new to science, upwards of 50 of the vertehrata and all the fossil plants are supposed to be new. A number of rare or entirely new species were discovered in all departments of natural history. 'The specimens are now deposited in the museum of the Smithsonian Institution, and in behalf of the expedition I would return my grateful thanks to the 102 distinguished Secretary of that Institution for the numerous facilities he has very kindly afforded for their investigation. F. V. HAYDEN, Geologist and Naturalist. Lieutenant G-. K. Warren, Topographical Engineers, U. S. A. GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY. In order to render this catalogue something more than a mere list of species, I have attempted to present a summary of the geological formations, as far as they are at present known, in Kansas and Ne- braska. This will render more clear the geological relations of the fossils from the Potsdam sandstone to the pliocene tertiary. The rocks of Nebraska, as far as they are at present known, are referrible to the following geological systems: 1. Metamorphosed azoic rocks, including coarse granite. 2. Lower Silurian. (Potsdam sandstone.) 3. Devonian. 4. Carboniferous. 5. Permian. 6. Jurassic. T. Cretaceous, Upper, Middle and Lower (including Wealden?) 8. Tertiary. 9. Post Pliocene or Quaternary. Passing over the granitic and azoic rocks, we find that the Potsdam sandstone or the lowest member of the silurian period is quite well developed in the Black Hills. It is there brought to the surface by the upheaval of the igneous rocks and forms a narrow belt around the most elevated portion of the Black Hills. This formation^ though well Icnown and studied in many parts of the United States, had not been discovered in the region of the Rocky mountains prior to Lieu- tenant Warren's exploration of the Black Hills, during the summer of 1857. So far as is yet understood, this member of the geological series has revealed the first indications of organic life on our planet. The following species of fossils,, belonging to what Barrande, the great paleontologist of Bohemia, has called the "Primordial Fauna," have been identified from the Potsdam sandstone of the Black Hills and suitable illustrations prepared. Lingula antiqua, (Hall ;) a species of Lingula very similar to L. prima, .(Conrad,) occurs in vast numbers, forming layers several inches in thickness ; a species of Oholus, very closely allied to 0. oppolinus, as figured by Muchison and De Verneuil in their work on the geology of Russia, and fragments of a trilobite, apparently identical with one of the forms figured by Dr. Owen from the Potsdam sandstone of Minnesota. 103 The discovery of this formation in the far west is a matter of the highest geological interest, and its existence in the Black Hills being now well established, we may look for its discovery in many other parts of the west, and it will undoubtedly be found holding a similar position all along the eastern slope of the Rocky mountains. No well marked fossils have yet been obtained from the supposed devonian period in Kansas or Nebraska, and its existence there is, with our present evidence, quite problematical. A large collection of fossils was secured from the carboniferous group, in the Black Hills, near the Laramie range of mountains, in the southeastern portion of Nebraska, and in various parts of Kansas. A large and fine collection of carboniferous and permian fossils were collected by Mr. F. B. Meek and the writer, in Kansas, during the past summer. These fossils are now being investigated at the Smith- sonian Institution. I will therefore omit a catalogue of the car- boniferous fossils until our results are more complete. The organic remains from all the localities above mentioned, as well as from many other parts of the west and southwest, have several species in common, and the others are of the same types ; so that the evidence seems to be conclusive that these limestones are all of tlie same geological age, and belong to the true coal measures. One of the most interesting series of rocks in the west are best developed in Kansas, but most probably exist near the Black Hills also. These rocks were at first supposed to be the American repre- sentatives of the permian group of Europe ; but much more study will be required to give them their exact position in the geological scale. A large collection of fossils from these rocks has been studied with considerable care by Mr. Meek and the writer, and they seem to warrant the conclusion that by far the greater portion of the strata of the so-called permian in the west hold an intermediate position between the carboniferous and the permian of the Old World. A thorough and clear solution of this problem becomes, therefore, the most interesting feature in American geology at the present time.* The following species, most of which are of permian types, have been described by Mr. Meek and the writer, and published in the Transactions of the Albany Institute. The larger part of them were obtained by Mr. Hawn and Dr. Cooper in Kansas, and the remainder were collected by the writer in Nebraska, opposite the northern boun- dary of the State of Missouri, and in the Black Hills, while attached to Lieutenant Warren's party : 1. Blonotis Haioni ; Meek and Hayden. 2. Myallna {3Iytilus) perattenuatus ; Meek and Hayden. 3. Bakevellia parva ; Meek and Hayden. 4. Edmondia ? Calhouni ; Meek and Hayden. 5. Fleurophorus f occidentalis ; Meek and Hayden. '-"' Tlie upper portion of the so-called permian iu Kansas seems to be destitute of true carboniferous fossils, but contains an abundance of those belonging to permiuu types. We are therefore of the opinion that the upper two or three hundred feet of the*e rocks are probably on a parallel with the permian of Europe, and that the intermediate group which we have mentioned fills up the hiatus between the carboniferous and permian of the Old World. 104 6. Pleurophorus (Gardinia) subcuneata ; Meek and Hayden. 7. Lyonsia [Panopaea) concava ; Meek and Hayden. 8. Panopaea Cooperi ; Meek and Hayden. 9. Nautilus eccentricus ; Meek and Hayden. 10. Leda (Nucula) subsrMula; Meek and HayJen. A fine series of fossils, which we have supposed to be of Jurassic age, were obtained Irom the Black Hills during the summer of 1857. None of the species, so far as examined, seem to be positively identical with those found in the jura of Europe^ but the}'^ all belong to the same genera, and^^many of the species are closely allied to forms which are characteristic of that period in the Old World. In order to render more clear our opinion that these fossils are Jurassic, I will repeat, in connexion with the names of each species, the evidence derived from the study of the fossils, which has already been pub- lished by Mr. Meek and myself, in March, 1858 : 1. Lingula hrevirostris , Meek and Hayden. 2. Avicida (Monotis) tenuicostata, M. and H., a closely allied rep- resentative of the liassic species Monotis suhstriata, Munster. 3. 3Iytilus pertenuis , M. and H. 4. Area (CucuUea) inornata, M. and H. Very similar to O. Munsteri (Leiten) from the Lias. 5. Panopaea (3Iyacites) subelHptica, M. and H. Very similar to the liassic formSj M, liassensis and 31. Alduininus of Quensted. 6. Ammonites cordiformis, M. and H., may be regarded as the American representative of the European liassic species, A. cordatus of Sowerby. 7. Ammonites Henryi, M. and H. 8. Belemnites densus, M. and H. This species is so closely allied to the oolitic B. eccentricus, Blainville, that we are in great doubt whether it is really distinct. It is also allied to the B. panderianus of d'Orbigny, from the lower oolite. 9. Pentacrinus asteriscus, M. and H., so closely resembles the P. scalaris, Golfuss, that it was with considerable hesitation that it waa described as new. From the above evidence we think we may safely consider the group of rocks from which the fossils were collected as the American repre- sentative of the Jurassic rocks of the Old World. We have still in the collection several undescribed species, which are all of Jurassic types. There is, also, at the base of No. 1, in the Black Hills, a fresh water deposit, which we are in doubt whether to place with the Jurassic or lower cretaceous. The fossils are a species of Unio, (U. nucalis, Meek and Hayden,) and a small Planorbis. Near the mouth of the Judith river, on the Missouri, is a most interesting series of strata, deposited in a basin-like depression in cretaceous formation, No. 1. These beds are composed of sand, sandstone, clays, and very impure lignite, wich remains of fresh water_, land, and a few estuary shells ; also, remains of saurians, turtles, fishes, &c. The exact age of this deposit has not yet been determined, the mollusca pointing to the conclusion that it belongs 105 to the tertiary period, while the vertebrata are considered by Dr. Leidy to belong to Wealden types and allied to those forms, discovered by Dr. Mantell, in the Wealden strata of England. With evidence so conflicting before us, it will be necessary to make a second exploration of that region before we can come to any positive conclusion as t3 its age. The following section, in descending order, will represent the different beds with sufficient accuracy and detail for our present purpose. Section of fresh water and estuary deposits near the mouth of Judith river. B. D. E. F. G. 80 feet..! Yellow arenaceous marl passing downwards into gray grit, with small seams uf lignite ; contains great numbers of Ostrea sublrig- 1 ^ 1, ■ V i- 1 CI 1 I Bend. Extends to Big enngabove to a yellowish tmt. Scales 1 „• • . , ,, . ^ f. , /-> , ; Sioux river, and oc- and other remains of fishes — Ostrea 1 , Ii , . . 1 J • i. curs along the latter congesta — passing downwards into . ° •^ ^ ^ stream. Light gray or yellowish limestone, containing great numbers of Inocera- mus problematic us, fish scales, and Ostrea congeda. Dark gray laminated clay scales and other remains of fishes, small Ammonites, Inoce- ramus problematicus ?, Serpula, small oyster- like 0. congesta, &c , &c. Along the Missouri Bluffs, from ten miles above James river to Big Sioux river. o "5 lello-vish and reddish friable sandstone, x- „ ii i.\ c .,, ,, .. ^ , , J 1 -i.- I 1 Is ear the mouth of withalternalionsof dark and whitish clays. I T>. o- • j o ] 1 1 r • 1- -i. f -1 I Big Sioux river, and Seams and beds of impure lignite, fossil , ° xu j , . . r 1- X 1 J 1 between there and wood, impressions of dicotyledonous leaves; L-, ., t,, a- -wt eiD, 1 r< ■ e t I Council Blufis. Near bolen, Pectunculus, Cypnna, &c. Lower ere- t j-xi • o . < jf ' Judith river.? taceous. I 2 a 108 rormation No. 1 seems to constitute paleontologically an indepen- dent division, none of its organic remains ranging in other formations above or below. Nos. 2 and 3 seem to form one group_, the Ostrea congesta and Inoceramas prohlematicus passing from one to the other. Divisions 4 and 5, which are the most fossilliFerous formations on the Upper Missouri, contain many species in common, especially of the Cephalopoda, and therefore form a third group. The cretaceous system, as developed on the Upper Missouri, there- fore forms lithologically five well marked subdivisions, while paleon- tologically it admits of separation into three independent groups. The age and geological position of divisions 2, 3, 4, and 5, have been sufficiently attested by the numerous species of organic remains which have been published, from time to time, by my associate, Mr. Meek, and myself. In regard to the age of No. 1 much doubt existed, until we had an opportunity to examine a fine series of Dicotyledonous leaves, which I had discovered in this formation near Blackbird Hill, on the Missouri, while attached to Lieutenant Warren's party, in the spring of 1857. These leaves proved to us that the formation under consid- eration could not be older than cretaceous, and this conclusion was published by us in several of our later papers. Although the evidence that it is of lower cretaceous age was perfectly satisfactory to us, some writers have considered it triassic, while others have regarded it as Jurassic and even miocene tertiary, in a late pub- lication addressed to Mr. Meek and the writer, Professor Marcou says: " Allow me respecttuUy to suggest to you that I cannot see anything of cretaceous in what you call No. 1 of your Nebraska section. It appears to me that you put in your No. 1, or lower cretaceous, all sorts of strata of different ages, except true cretaceous rocks." That the rocks in question are not newer than cretaceous I will endeavor to prove, both from stratigraphical and paleontological evidence. Evidence from stratigraphical position. Near the old Otoe village, on the Platte river, about five miles above its mouthy No. 1 rests directly upon limestone strata of the true coal measures ; and at this point I found a species oi Laurus, apparently identical with a plant obtained near the mouth of the Big Sioux, and at Blackbird Hill. Near De Soto, about twenty miles above Omaha City, the carboniferous limestone ceases to appear, and No. 1 rests with concordant stratification upon it. There is not the slightest dis- turbance of the strata in this region, but they dip gently toward the northwest. I traced No. 1 with great care to Blackbird Hill, about sixty miles above De Soto, and found a few plants at different locali- ties. At Blackbird Hill an extensive quarry had been opened to pro- cure stone for building the large mission establishment at that place. From this quarry I collected the fine series of dicotyledonous leaves, before mentioned, I then directed my course toward the mouth of the Big Sioux, about forty miles further up the Missouri, and examined the country with great care. The red sandstone, No. 1, was the prin- cipal rock in that region, but upon the summits of the bluffs, resting 109 upon the sandstone apparently, I often found layers of a yellowish, white rather soi't limestone, fully charged with Inoceramas problemati- cus and fish remains. Near Sioux City, about two miles below the mouth of Big Sioux river, is a vertical section of No. 1, rising about thirty feet above the water's edge. At the base of this vertical cut I col- lected a number of leaves, similar to those observed at Blackbird Hill. From the high bluffs, bordering upon the Missouri, the inhabitants of this region obtain immense quantities of the calcareous rock of No. 3, composed almost entirely of /. problematicus, and convert it into lime. On the Big Sioux river, about six miles above its mouth, I took the following section of the strata from a vertical cut with consi'derable care. Yellow marl, a recent deposit. No. 3. Shaly limestone, gradually passing into bed below, with an abundance of Inoceramas prohlemaiicus, and fish remains. No. 2. Dark plastic shaly clay, with ferruginous concretions. No. 1. a — Yellow friable sand. h — Earthy lignite, 6 inches. c — Variegated sandstones and clays, extending to water's edge, with Dicotyledonous leaves. Section near the mouth of Iowa creek. No. 3. Gray and yellow marl, with immense numbers of /. prohle- maficus, Osfrea congesta, and fish remains. No. 2. Dark plastic clay with Am7)ion{fes resting concordantly upon the bed below. No. 1. Sandstone just above water edge. At this last locality I found in No. 1 the plant which Prof. Heer refers to, Laurus primigenia, and a bhell which we have described as Solen Dakotaensis. Here No. 1 passes from sight beneath the well known cretaceous bed No. 2. With regard to our No. 1 holding a position beneath well marked cretaceous beds, I think I need not say anything further. Poleontological evidence. The fine series of fossil plants from No. 1, which I collected on the Missouri, as well as those obtained by my friend, Mr. Meek, and my- self, during our recent trip to Kansas, were placed in the hands of our friend. Dr. J. S. Newberry, the well known authority in fossil botany, and from him we received the following notes :* "They include so many highly organized plants, that were there not among them several genera exclusively cretaceous, I should be disposed to refer them to a more recent era." " A single glance is sufficient to satisfy any one they are not triassic. tip to the present time no angiosperm dicotyledonous plants have been found in rocks older than cretaceous, while of the eighteen species which comprise your collection, sixteen are of this character." The species of y ur fossil plants are probably all new, though gen- * Dr. Newberiy' s remarks will appear in the January number of Silliman's Journal with our joint paper. no erally closely allied to the cretaceous species of the Old World. From the limited study I have given them, I have referred them to the followJDg genera : Sphe/iopteris, Abieiites, Acer, Fagus, Fopulus, Cornus, Liriodendron. Fyrus, Alnus, Salix, Magnolia, Credneria, Ettingshausinia , "Of these the last two are exclusively cretaceous and highly characteristic of that formation in Europe." From the evidence which we have given, we think we are war- ranted in regarding our No. 1 as cretaceous, and probably of lower cretaceous age. This matter will be discussed more fully hereafter. The red sandstone at the mouth of Big Sioux is the type of our No. 1, and its relations to the sandstone strata, near the Judith river, are not positively determined. Table showing the stratigraphical position of the cretaceous fossils hitherto identified from Nebraska Territory. Formations in ascending order. 1. GENUS CALLIANASSA. 1 . Callianassa Danai, Hall & Meek 2. GEN. BELEMNITELLA. 9. 10. 2 . Bdemnitella mucronaia, Sclilotheim 3. Belemnitella'i ftalhaser, Meek & Hay den , 3. GEN. NAUTILUS. 4. 'Nautilus Be Kayi, Morton 4. GEN. AMMONITES. 5. Ammonites placenta, De Kay 6. Ammonites lobatus, Tiiomy 7 . Ammonites c/fialus, wen Ammonites complexus, Hall & Meek Ammonites percarinatus, Hall & Meek A'nmonites llaUi, Meek & Hayden.-.. 5. GEN. TUNILITES. 11. Turrililes Nebrascensu, Meek & Hayden 12. Turnlites Cfteyennensis, Meek & Hayden 13. Turrililes umbilicatus, Meek & Hayden 14. Turrilites {Helkoceroi) cockleaius, Meek & Hayden. Ill TABLE— Continued. Formations in ascending order. 1 2 3 4 5 6. GEN. ANCYLOCERAS. 16 o Ifi 17 7. GEN. PTYCHOCERAS. 18 i". 8. GEN. HELICOCERAS. 1^ ?0 Htlicocerus ? tortus Meek & Hayden ..... ...... 9. GEN. BACULITES. ?1 Baculites ovatus, Say ...... . .......... .-.. ?? c- 2,S Baculites grandis, Hall & Meek «- 10. GEN. SCAPHITES. ?4 Scaphites Conradi Morton Sp .. . . ■s ?*> Scaphites Mandenensis Morton, Sp -. . G- ?fi S. Nicolletti Morton Sp ....... ... o c- ?7 /S nodosus, Owen . . . ?8 S larviformis Meek & Hayden ....... .. Q 11. GEN. SCALARIA. ?9 S. ceTitkiformis Meek & Hayden .. . ........... - 12. GEN. TURRITELLA. '^O T. ? cwivexo Meek & Hayden . . • c- 31. T. Moreaumds, Meek & Hayden - * 13. GEN. ACTEON. 37 A. , concinnus Hall & Meek . . o o 0- 3S 34 -:;;- 14. GEN. AVALANA. 35 A . svbglobosa, Meek & Hayden .... .... -. -:;- 15. GEN. NATICA. 36 I^^. Tiu/myana Meek & Hayden . .. o 37 38 N. cocinna Hal l&VIeek . .. . . ......... 1 39 N. paludincifoTmis , Hall & Meek ...._ ....... 1 40. N. ambigua, Meek & Hayden - 1 -■ 112 TABLE— Continued. Formations in ascending order. 12 3 4 5 15. GEN. NATiCA. — Continued. 41. N. suhcrasm. Meek & Hayden 42. N. occidenialis, Meek & Hayden 43. N. Moreaumsis, Meek & Hayden... 16. GEN. SOLARIUM. 44. S. fiexuislriatum, Evans & Shumard.. 17. GEN, TURBO. 45. T. Nebrascensis, Meek & Hayden. 4(). T. tenuilineaiiis, Meek Si, Hayden . 18. GEN. ROSTELLARIA. 47. R. Nebrascensis, Evans and Shumard. 48. R. fusiformis, Hall & Meek 49. R. biangulata, Meek & Hayden 19. GEN. FUSUS. 60. F. 51. F. 52. F. 53. F. 54. F. 55. F. 56. F. 57. F. 58. F. 59. F. ■60. F. 61. F. Shumardi, Hall & Meek tenuilineaiiis , Hall & Meek Dakotaensis, Meek & Hayden Galpinianus, Meek & Hayden . contorlus, Meek & Hayden Oulhertsoni, Meek & Hayden Jlexuocosiaius, Meek & Hayden Neicherryi, Meek & Hayden . Vaughani, Meek & Hayden suhturritus, Il^eek and Hayden inierteztus, Meek & Hayden (Fieurotoma) Scarboroughi, Meek & Hayden. 20. GEN. BUSTCON. •62. B. Bairdi, Meek & Hayden 21. GEN. FASCIOLARIA. 63. F. CTdacea, Meek k Hayden... •64. F. biuxinoides, Meek & Hayden. 22. GEN. BUCCINUM. '65. B. ? vinculum, Hall & Meek . 66. £. condrktum, Hall & Meek. 23. NEW GKN. psEUDOBucciNt'M, Meek & Hayden. ■67. P, Nebrascensis, Meek & Hayden 113 TABLE— Continued. Formationg in ascending order. 1 2 3 4 5 24. GEN. CAPULt's, Hall & Meek. 68 C. occidentcdts, Hall & Meek .. .. . o 60 G. fragilis, Meek & Hayden .. Q 25. GEN. UELCION. 70 //. borealis, Morton, Sp. .. o o 71 7? //. paielli/armis, Meek & Havden - 73 //. alveolus, Meek & Hayden . 74 H. subovatus, Meek & Hayden . .. 75 H. carinatus, Meek & Hayden . 26. GEN. DENTALIUM. 7fi D. gracilis, Hall & Meek .. - ............ is 77 D. fragilis, Meek & Hayden ...... 27. GEN. BULLA. 78 B. volvaria, Meek & Hayden _. C- 79 B. minor. Meek & Hayden .... o 80 B. occidentalis. Meek & Hayden ... . o 81 B. subcylindricus, Meek & Hayden ...... .. ... 28. GEN. XYLOPHAGA. ft? ^. deganiula, Meek & Havden ...... .. «- 83 X. Siimpsoni, Meek & Hayden . ....... 29. GEN. PHOLAS. 84- P. cuneata, Meek & Hayden . . ... a 30. GEN. TEREDO. 85, T. globosa, Meek & Hayden « 31. GEN. SOLEN. 86, S. ?■ Dakolaensis, Meek & Hayden . . o 32. GEN. PHOLODOMYA. 87. /'. elegaiUula, Evans & Shumard -- c- 88. r. {Gonomya) Americana, Meek & Hayden . • 89. P. undata. Meek & Hayden s;s 90. P. fibrosa. Meek & Hayden o 91. P. subventricosus, Meek & Hayden o 33. GEN. PAXOPEA. 92. P. occidentalis. Meek & HavU'ii o . . - - .. .. 8 H 114 TABLE— Continued. 34. GEN. SOLEMTA. 93. S. mhplicata, Meek & Hayden 35. GEN. MACTRA. 94. M. formosa, Meek & Hayden 95. M. Warrenana, Meek & Hayden. 96. M. alta, Meek & Hayden 36. GEN. TELLIXA. 97. T.? cheymnmm, Meek & Hayden. 98. T. equilateralis. Meek & Hayden... 99. T. scihila, Meek cSt Hayden 100. T. svhdliptica, Meek & Hayden ... 101. T. Proiiti, Meek & Hayden 102. T. mbtortuosa, Meek & Hayden 37. GEN. CYTIIEREA. 103. C. Missouriana, Morton 104. C. orhkulcUa, Hall & Meek 105. C. tenuis, Hall &Meek 106. C. Deimji, Meek & Hayden 107. C. Nehra&censis, Meek & Hayden. 108. C. pelliccula, Meek & Hayden 109. C. Owenana, Meek & Hayden 38. GEN. VENUS. 110. V. ? circularis, Meek & Hayden 39. GEN. LEDA. 111. L. ventricosa, Meek & Hayden. . 112. L. Moreauemis, Meek & Hayden Formations in ascending order. 3 4 40. NEW GEN. COREULAMELLA, !\Ieek & Hajdcn. 113. C. (jregaria, Meek & Hayden 41. GEN. THKACIA. 114. T.f gracilis, Meek & Hayden 42. GEN. ASTARTE. 115. A . gregaria, Meek & Hayden -_ 43. GEN. CRASSATELLA. 116. C. Evansi, Hall & Meek , 115 TABLE— Continued. 44. GEN. LVCINA. 117. L. mlumlata, Hall & Meek 118. L. ocadentalis, Meek. & Hayden 45. GEN. HETTAXGIA. 119. //. Americana, Meek & Hayden 46. GEN. CYPRINA. 120. C. arenaria, Meek & Hayden . 121. C. cordata. Meek & Hayden .. C. compr&ssa, Meek & Hayden C. mala, Meek & Hayden C. subtumida, Meek & Hayden. 122 123 124 47. GEN. CARriOI. 125. C. Sjjeciosim, Meek & Hayden 48. GEN. NUCULA. 126. y. 127. N. 128. N. 129. .¥. 130. X. 131. N. 132. y. 133. y. 134. N. sulnasida, Hall & Meek - - ventricosa, Hall & Meek scitula, Meek & Hayden Evansi, Meek & Hayden equilaieralis, Meek & Hayden subplana, Meek & Hayden cancellata, Meek & Hayden planorrutrginata , Meek & Hayden. obsolelastriata, Meek & Hayden.. 49. GEN. PECTUNCULUS. 135. P. parvida, Meek & Hayden 136. r. subimlricatus, Meek & Hayden 50. GEN. CUCCLLEA. 137. C. Nebrascenm, Owen 138. C. cordata, Meek & Hayden ... 139. C. Shumardi, Meek & Hayden 140. C. ezigiut, Meek & Hayden 51. GEN. MYTILUS. 141. .1/. eittmuatus, Meek & Hayden 142. i/. Galpinianus, Evans & Shiimard. 143. M. subarciudus, Meek & Hayden . . . 52. GEN. AVICULA. 144. A. triangidark, Evans & Shumard... 145. A. linguiformus, Evans & Shxnnard.. 146. A. Haydmi, Hall & Meeli Formations in ascending order. 116 TABLE— Continued. Formations in ascendin g order. 1 2 3 4 5 53. GKN. GEBVIUA. 117 G suhtortuosa, Meelc & Hayden ...... ............ o 54. GEN. IN0CERAMU3. M8 'r' yroblemalicus, Sol 3arabini, MortoD ilothein ..... .... o 140 TiO 1. K I 2 ^agensis, wen . . 151 Vphrfixrpn.iix. Ovvp n .. . . . ^'^'> I. mhleavis, Hall & Meek ^'\^^ Meek .. 154 /. tenilineaius, Hall 1. Cmradi, Hall & 1 /./ra^fZw, Hall&M /. vetitricosus, Bleek I.perienuis, Meek & 7. incurms, Meek & /. icmbonahis, Meek & Meek _ 1'i'i VTeek c- ISfi eek . . .......... 1*17 & Hayden o c- TiS Hayden ...... Tip Hayden . 160 & Havden 55. GEN. PECTEN. Ifil r. rigida, Hall & W i'. NeltTascensis, Mec [eek ■;:s 1fi'> k 8. GEN. LINGULA. lfi8 Lingula subspatidala, Hall & Meek 35 59. GEN. SERPULA. 1(59 Serpda? tenuicarinata, Meek & Hayden .. o 60. GEN. HEMIASTEE. 170. Hemiasler? Ilumpkreysianm, Meek & Hayden C- 61. VEKTEBRATA. 171. Mosagarus Missouriensis, Leidy .... C .... There are still in the collection several undescribed species of mollusca, also remains of fishes from Nos. 2, 3, and 4. 117 The great lignite tertiary "basin differs from the tertiary basin of White river, "by its numerous beds of lignite, more or less pure, and by the extent and beauty of its fossil flora. Some of the beds of lignite are seven feet in thickness, but they usually vary from two to four feet. The collection of fossil plants from this deposit is very fine, consisting of nearly fifty species, all of which are as yet un- described, but are supposed to be new to science. Many of the leaves strongly resemble those of existing forest trees, and seem to belong to the genera Platanus, Acer, Ulmus, Alnus, Populus, Betula, Shulex, &e. The mollusca consist of land and fresh water, with a few estuary shells. These have all been described, and drawings made. Five species of vertebrata have been discovered in this deposit. The following species of organic remains have, up to this time, been described from this basin. VERTEBRATA. 1. Thespesius occidentalis, Leidy. 2. Ischyrotherium antiquum, Leidy. 3. Mylognatlius priscus, Leidy. 4. Compsemys victus, Leidy. 5. Emys obscurus, Leidy. MOLLUSCA. 6. Cydas formosa, Meek and Hay den. 7. Cydas fragilis, Meek and Hay den. 8. Cydas suhellipticus , Meek and Hayden. 9. Cyrena moreauensis, Meek and Hayden. 10. Cyrena intermedia, Meek and Hayden. 11. Corhula mactriformis, Meek and Hayden. 12. Unio priscus, Meek and Hayden. 13. Bulimus teres, Meek and Hayden. 14. Bulimus vermiculus, Meek and Hayden. 15. Bulimus limneaformis, Meek and Hayden. 16. Bulimus Nehrascensis , Meek and Hayden. 17. Pupa helicoides, Meek and Hayden. 18. Limnea tenuicosta, Meek and Hayden. 19. Pliysa longiuscida. Meek and Hayden. 20. Pliysa rhomhoidea, Meek and Hayden. 21. Pliysa Nehrascensis, Meek and Hayden. 22. Planorhis suhumbilicatus, Meek and Hayden. 23. Planorhis convolutus, Meek and Hayden. 24. Planorhis fragilis, Meek and Hayden. 25. Velletia (Ancylus) minufa, Meek and Hayden. 26. Paludina multi lineata. Meek and Hayden. 27. Paludina Leai, Meek and Hayden. 28. Paludina rctusa, Meek and Hayden. 29. Paludina peculiaris. Meek and Hayden. 30. Paludina trocliiformis, Meek and Hayden. 31. Paludina Leidyi, Meek and Hayden. 118 32. Valvata parvula, Meek and Haydeu. 33. Melania oninutula, Meek and Hayden. 34. 3Ielania Antfionyi, Meek and Hayden. 35. Melania multistriata, Meek and Hayden. 36. Melania Nebrascensis, Meek and Hayden. 37. Melania Warrenana, Meek and Hayden. 38. 3Ielania tenui carinata, Meek and Hayden. 39. Cerithitim Nebrascensis, Meek and Hayden. The tertiary basin of White and Niobrara rivers forms one of the most interesting and remarkable fresh water deposits on our continent. It differs, both lithologically and paleontologically, from the two basins previously alluded to. It contains no fossil plants, no lignite beds, and not one of the numerous species of organic remains which have been collected from it is identical or allied to species found in other portions of the tertiary of the northwest. Two distinct faunas are represented by the collections from this deposit. The fauna of the miocene period from the region of White river, and the fauna of the pliocene period from the Niobrara. The latter fauna has enabled Dr. Leidy, the distinguished comparative anatomist, to arrive at some important conclusions. He says : " The extinct fauna of the Niobrara is especially rich in remains of ruminating and equine animals. Among the former are several pecu- liar genera, of which two are closely allied to Oreodon and Leptauche- oiia, of the miocene deposit of the Mauvaises Terres; one is allied to the musk-deer and another closely approaches the camel. Besides the remains of a true species of JEquus, the collection contains those of two species oi Hipparion, and several peculiar genera of the equine family. There are also remains of several species of canine and feline animals, of a small species of beaver, and of a species of porcupine more nearly allied to that of the old world than to our own recent one. The col- lection further contains remains of a rhinoceros, resembling those of India, those of a new species of mastodon, and those of a large elephant. " One of the most remarkable circumstances in relation with this extinct fauna is, that it is more nearly allied to the present recent one of the old world than to that of our own continent. From a com- parison of our recent fauna and flora with that of the eastern continent, the deduction has been made, that the western continent is the older of the two, geologically speaking, whereas, the Niobrara fauna would indicate just the reverse relationship of age. A number of similar instances show that totally different fauna and flora may be cotempo- raneous, and do not necessarily indicate different period of existence." 119 Veriical section, shoiving the order of superposition of the different beds of the Tertiary basin of White and Niobrara rivers. Si BDIVI3I0XS. Localities. ^5 o o (— c 1-5 P-i 2 1 Yellow silicious marl, similar in its char- acter to the loess of the Rhine, passing down into variegated indurated clays and brown and yellow fine grits ; contains re- mains of extinct (juadrupeds, mingled with j those identical with recent ones ; also a 1 few moUusca, mostly identical with recent species so far as determined. Most fully developed along the Missouri river, from the mouth of the Niobrara to St. Joseph ; also in the Platte valley and on the Loup Fork. o o •o _o o o CO Pi < 8 1st. Dark gray or brown sand, loose, \ incoherent, witli remains of mastodon, elephant, &c. 2d. Sand and gravel, inco- ■ lierent. 3d. Yellowish white giit, with many calcareous, arenaceous concretions. 1 4th. Grey sand with a greenish tinge ; . 1 contains the greater part of the organic ^ i remains. 5th. Deep yellowish red arena- % ceous marl. 6th. Yellowish gi'ay grit, ^ sometimes quite calcareous, with numerous , layers of concretionary limestone from two to six inches in thickness, containing fresh , water and land-shells, Succinea, Limnea, ' Paludina, Helix, &c. , closely allied and perhaps identical with living species ; also much wood of coniferous character. Covers a very large area on Loup Fork, from the mouth of North Brancli to source of Loup Fork ; also in the Platte valley. Most fully developed on the Niobrara river, ex- tending from the mouth of Turtle river three hundred miles up the Niobrara. Also on Bijoux Hills and Medicine Hills. Thinly represented in the valley of White river. o o o O o o j Usually a coarse grained sandstone, sometimes heavy bedded and compact ; -sometimes loose and incoherent ; varies much in different localities. Forms im- '^ ' mense masses of conglomerate ; also con- 's ' tains layers of tabular limestone with in- ^ distinct organic remains ; very few mam- malian remains detected, and tliose in a fragmentary condition. Passes gradually into the bed below. Most fully developed along the upper portion of Niobrara river and in tlie region around Fort Laramie. Seen also on White river and on Grind- stone Hills. O o o o oo l-t 1— 1 A dull reddish brown indurated grit, with many layers of silico-calcareous con- cretions, sometimes forming a heavy-bed- ded fine-grained sandstone ; contains com- paratively few organic remains. Niobrara and.Platte rivers ; well developed in the region of Fort Laramie ; also in the valley of White river. Con- spicuous, and composing the main part of the dividing ridge between White and Niobrara rivers. ID o o o o CO 120 VERTICAL SECTION— Continued. Subdivisions. LocAunES. Very fine yellow calcareous sand, not differing very materially from Bed D, with numerous layers of concretions and rarely organic remains, passing down into a va- riegated bed, consisting of alternate layers of dark brown clay and light grey calca- reous grit, forming bands, of Avhich I counted twenty-seven at one locality, vary- ing from one inch to two feet in thickness. White river. Bear creek. Ash Grove spring, head of Shyenne river. Most con- spicuous near White river. A deep flesh colored argillo-calcareous indurated grit ; the outside, when weath- ered, has the appearance of a plastic clay. Passes down into a gray clay, with layers of sandstone ; underlaid by a flesh colored argillo-calcareous stratum, containing a profusion of mammalian and chelonian remains. Turtle and Oreodon Bed. Light gray fine sand, with more or less calcareous matter, passing down into an ash-colored plastic clay, with large quanti- ties of quartz grains disseminated through it, sometimes forming aggregated masses like quartzose sandstone cemented Avith plastic clay ; then an ash-colored clay with a greenish tinge, underlaid at base by a light gray and ferruginous silicious sand and gravel, with j^inkish bands. Immense quantities of silex in the form of seams all through the beds. Titanotherium Bed. Cretaceous beds 5 and 4, with their usual lithological characters and fossils. Old Woman's creek, a fork of Shyenne river ; also on the head of the South Fork of the Shyenne ; most conspicuous on Sage and Bear creeks, and at Ash Grove spring. Well developed in numerous local- ities in the valley of White river. Old Woman's creek ; also in many localities along the valley of the South Fork of Shyenne. Best development on Sage and Bear creeks. Seen at several localities in the valley of White river. Exposed underneath the tertiary beds on the South Fork of Shyenne and its southern branches, also in White river valley near its source. 121 Catalogue of all the fossils hitherto described, from the tertiary forma- tions of White and Niobrara rivers, ivith a table shoiving their strati- graphical position. Beds in ascending order. A. B. C. D. E. F. KUMINANTIA. 1 . Orecdon gracilis, Leidy . ..... .. .... G o o 3 . Oreodo7i major, Leidy . ... . 6 Foebrotherium VTihoni, Leidy . ...... .... •:;> 8. Lcpiauchinia decora, Leidy.. . ... .. 10. Protomeryx Haiti, Leidy .. . 1 1 . Merycodus necaius, Leidy ...... -s 12. Megalomeryx niobrahensis, Leidy ...... -::s 1 3. Meryckochcerus proprius, Leidy .... - o 14. Procamdus occidenlalis, Leidy _. jl... ...... ■::s 15. Procunielus robusttis, Leidy ............. ■is 16. Procamelus gracilis, Leidy . . _. o 1 7 . Merychyus elegans, Leidy ... a 18 . Merychyus ijiedius, Leidy , .......... .... ... o 19. Merychyus major, Leidy . ........ '..i 20. Cervus Warreni, Leidy .... . .... o MULTUNGULA, o 22. Ente^odon Morioni, Leidy ........... . o 23. ErUelodon ingens, Leidy . . 24. Titanotherium Prouii, Leidy . . .... ..... o ---- o 27. Leptochoarus spectabilis, Leidy . . 28. Rhinoceros occidenlalis, Leidy ...... . 29. Rhinoceros (Hyracodon) nebrascensis Leidy.. c- 31. Mastodon (Tetralophodon) merificus Leidy . .. . o c- SOLIDUNGULA. s c- o 36. Anchiiherium (Hypohippus) afflnis Leidv ... o 38. Merychippns insiynis, Leidy ... .. o 39. Merychippus mirabilis , Leidy . o 40. Equus excelsus, Leidy ..... . ..... •5 4cl.'' Eqiius (Protokippus) perditus, Leidy . o RODENTIA. 42. Steneojlber nebrascensis, Licidy ....... ... . .. ..... Q o 43. Ischyromystypus, Leidy .... . . . . • ...- 122 CATALOGUE— Continued. Beds in ascending order. A. B. C. D. E. F. KODENTiA — Continued. 44. Palceolagus Ilaydeni, Leidy . .... o o 46. Hijstrix (Uyslricops) venusius, Leidy. . . o .... o 47. Cast&r (^Eucastw) tortus, Leidy........... (^ CARNIVORA. 48. Ilijccnodon horridus, Jje'uly - ..... ... ■::i c- 49. Ilycenodon criientus , Leidy . . 50. Hyamodon crucians, Leidy .. . .. 52. Amphicyon gracilis, Leidy . 53. Leptardus primus, Leidy ... Q 54. Deinictis fdina, Leidy . .. s> 55. Machairodus primcBvus, Leidy ... . . .56. Felis {PseudaiuTus) intrepidus, Leidy....... 6'7. JELurodcm ferox, Leidy. .............. * 58. Canis savus, Leidy ... . . O 59. Canis ianerarius, Leidy . . ...... o 60. Canis vafer, Leidy ss •OL Canis {^Epicy on") Ilaydeni, Leidy . c- CHELOXIA. 62. Testudo nehrascemii, Leidy ..... . o c o <6 3 . Testudo ( Styleniy s) niohrahtnsis, Leidy ...... o MOLLUSCA. -64. Helix Leidyi, Hall and Meek ■65. Planorbis nebrascensis, Evans and Shumard <66. Lymnea diaphana, Evans and Shumard .... . .... 67 . Lymnea nebrascensis, Evana and Shumard ■68. Physa secalina, Evixns and Shumard . CRUSTACEA. € 9 . Oijpris Leidyi, Evans and Shumard .... .»., 123 MINERALS AND GEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 53 24 25 26 127 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 58 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 I. IGNEOUS AND METAMOUPHIC KOCKS. Gneisa ferruginous Mica elate - Mica, more micaceoua Granite, coarse — — Mica slate, with silvery mica Grauite, pulverulent - Felspar, flesh-colored from No. 6 Granite, fine grained, micaceous Granite, gray - Quartz, white Hornblende slate - Hornblende rock Mica slate Hornblende rock in granite Red felspar from 14 Crystalline quartz from 14 Flesh-colored felspar from 14 Mica slate, with garnets Mica slate, with garnets Mica, containing iron Flesh-colored felspar in large crystals Chlorite slate Mica slate Granite, coarse, over No. 23 Felspathic granite, pink Quartz veins in 25 Hornblende rock, masses in granite Granite, fine grained Hornblende rock Hornblendic granite Hornblende, with crystals of felspar Mica slate, hornblendic Mica slate, hornblendic • Mica slate, with large plates of mica Granite, white felspathic Quartz, veins in 35 Silicious limestone, silurian or devonian do ...do.. highly crystalline do do do Syenite, pink, under 39 Metamorphic silicious limestone do do purplish Quartz, in granite Metamorphic limestone, gray Mica slate Micaceous granite....- do Mica slate, fine gr^ned Metamorphic limestone, crystalline .-..do do purplish — do do similar to 43 Talcose slate Felspathic granite, flesh-colored Mica slate, with garnets do very fine grained Talcose slate, dark - , do light Porphyritic trap - -. 12 miles northwest of Fort Laramie do do. . do do Laramie peak 4 miles north of Fort Laramie .... Raw Hide butte do do Laramie hills....... do .do. .do. .do. -do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. do Raw Hide butte. , do , do. do. do. do. do. do. .......do. , do. , do. do. do. , do. do. do. , do. Black hills 124 Minerals and geological specimens — Continued. 55 59 60 61 62 63 G4 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 63 84 85 86 87 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 it7 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 Hornblende elate Felspathic granite, pink Plates of mica from 59 , Quartz vein in chlorite slate.-.. Chlorite slate Trachyte Quartz veins in 63 do Chlorite slate Hornblende rock, underlying tertiary series Schorl in quartz from clay slate do do .- Augite Quartz, with felspar Porphyritic trap, columnar do do , do do Trachyte , Vesicular trap , Trachyte Silicious limestone Porphyritic trachyte , Compact trachyte, with scales of mica do do. Gray basaltic trap ...... . . , Porphyritic trachyte do . Quartzite..... Gray trachyte Metamorphic sandstone ]I. SEDIMENTARY ROCKS. Silurian and devonian. Potsdam sandstone, red, with Lingula antiqua. do gray, fine, with Obolm do porous, with Trilobites .. Metamorphic, conglomerate over granite ...do.. . with cherty pebbles do do Argillaceous limestone, devonian Metamorphic conglomerate Carboniferous. Limestone, with spirifer Blue cherty limestone, with Spirvjera suhUlita .do do with corals ..do do with Spirifer lineaiiis Rhyncondla mormoni . ... do do with Cyathophyllum.. .. .do ..do .. with Zaphrentis ...... do .do v!iihSyringapora.... do do . Poriies .. . . Yellowish do. over 98, with Spirifer rockymontana . . do do Spirifers cameratus and lineaius Cherty nodules in 98 Arogoniie in 98 Coarse, granular limestone, with crinoidal columns Black hills , do., do. do., , do., do. do., , do.. Raw Hide butte, west side do do Black hills do do Laramie hills Stone butte. Black hills . do do... do do... do do... do do... do do... Raw Hide butte . Stone butte, Black hills. Bear peak, Black hills . . do do... .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. do.... do.... do Laramie hills do.... .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. Black hills do. do. do. do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... Fort Laramie 125 Minerals and geological specimens — Continued. Blue, compact, limestone, Productus and Terehratula subtilUa do ...do .do corals , do .- do with Spirifer lineatus Yellowish cherty limestone, with Productus .. .. White limestone, with Spiriftr rockymoniana . .. Terebratula subtllita from 110 Panopaea . .. Allorisma . . ...... Productus ... . . Spirifer cameraius . Terebratula subtilita.... Bdlerophon .. Chonetes .. .. . Chaetetes Pernio-carboniferous and permian. Fort Laramie do do Warm spring near Fort Laramie. Near Fort Laramie Near Tecama, Nebraska Bellevue, Nebraska do .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. Black hills do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. Arenaceous limestone, foliated with baktvellia . Red sandstone, soft, very fine grain, under 125 Pink sandstone, over 126 Limestone, (125,) with Orthoceratite do with Bellerophon .... do . .with Pleurotomania... ,. do with Spirifer do with Allorisma \ Big Blue, Kansas Territory Yellow magnesiaa limestone, with Nautilus, 3Ionotis, Bakevellta, Myalina . . do compact, with Mytilus ... Magnesian limestone, with Monotis do with Avicula. Chertz rock, gray, with Avicula and Myalina do (Burch stone,) with criaoidal columns Sacarhoid gypsum, over 133 Monotis from 136 Blue limestone, porous, with fenestella , Cellular calcareous rock do do.... more compact , do do with spherical cavities . do do. ...more argillaceous . Jurassic. Smoky Hill fork Banks of Mo., south line of Neb. Big Cottonwood 12 miles west Big Blue Black hills do Smoky Hill fork do Big Blue Smoky Hill fork do do Near Cottonwood creek Arenaceous limestone, light brown, with Avicula ienuicostata Black hills do bluish, over 146, with Avicula do. Ferruginous limestone, with Cypricardia ,...do. do red, with Avicula. . do. Yellow arenaceous limestone, with Serpula do. Limestone bored, with lithophagous mollusks do. Red marl, overlying 141, containing snowy gypsum do Snowy gypsum from 152 ! do Crystalline gypsum from seams in 152 do Fibrous gypsum do do do. Blue compact limestone, (fresh water,) in 158, con- taining Unio nucalis and Planorbis Arenaceous limestone, same as 150, containing pen- tacrinus, with serpula and ostrea attached to surfaces Yellowish argillo-arenaceous limestone, with os- trea. Upper Jurassic Gray shell limestone, containing Ammonites, Bele- mites, Sf-c, interstratified with 158 . . .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. 126 Minerals and geological specimens — Continued. 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 2(12 203 204 205 206 Snowy gypsum, with n.> stains, equivalent of 153.. Gypsum, with crystals of selenite Snowy gypsum . CRETACEOUS. Formation Ho. 1. Conglomerate and sandstone, with Unios Conglomerate do fine,wich Melanias and Cyclas Gray arenaceous limestone, with Melania and helix . Conglomerate, same as 165 .. Arenaceous limestone, (166,) with leaves of cred- neria, melanias, &fc . Indurated ferruginous clay, with melanias Ferruginous sand, with tmio danai Indurated clay, with Melanias nnd scales of Lepido- tus above 166 . Shell limestone containing Melanias Impure sandy lignite (stratum D of section) Shell limestone, same as 172 Cream colored shale, burnt from over lignite beds. Compact argillaceous limestone, with Cijiherca oweni (marine,) beneath fresh water beds Ferruginous sandstone, with J'ellina subtorluosa..... Rough, gray, limestone, with Ostrea glabra Ferruginous sandstone, with Inoceramus peeienuis, upper marine strata Lignite, over 179 Carbonaceous sand from decomposition of lignite bed over 179 Impure shaly lignite, with selenite Limestone, with Cypris, lower part of formation No. 1 \ Silicified wood, ferruginous do coniferous Bone of saurian do or cetacian Dense ferruginous sandstone Quartzose sandstone, bluish Big Horn river . Near sources of Yellowstone Bad lands of Judith do do do do -do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. -do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. Rocky Mountain creek. Near Ammel's island .. Black hills, east base . do do . , do do .. do do.. do do -. Black hills, west base. ....do do .. Conglomerate from junction of cretcaeous and carboniferous rocks Coarse ferruginous sandstone, with pebbles, over 199 Platte valley. Dark ferruginous sandstone over 192 do containing much iron do do — do Feri'uginous sandstone - do fine grained Dark, coarse, sandstone, very ferruginous Red, ferruginous sandstone, with many species of dicotyledonous leaves do do Light gray quartzose sandstone, with balls of sul- phate of iron over 199 do with dicotyledonous leaves Whitish puverulent sandstone over 199 do fine grained under 199 Indurated clay, bluish do yeliow .do. .d(i. .do. .do. Blackbird hill Mouth of Elk horn do , Black hills Black hills .... do Sioux City Blackbird hill.. do Decatur 127 Minerals and geological specimens — Continued. Indurated clay, yellow Deaatur. .. Ferruginous sandstone, with striated bivalves and Oytherea arenaria . Big Sioux. Indurated clay, with dicotyledonous leaves do. — do sand, fine, yellow, with leaves of salix ..| do. Ferruginous sandstone Mouth of Iowa creek , do do fine grained, with im- pressions of dicotyledonous leaves Mouth Big Sioux , do do with Solen dacotahenm do Lignite under 809 do Silicified wood, bored by teredo Big Sioux do do Blackbird hills , do do - — Smoky Hill fork do do i Republican fork Coarse, ferruginous sandstone, with leaves of Credneria Smoky hill Sandstone, very ferruginous do Cellular, ferruginous, rock do. Formation No. 2. Masses sulphuret iron, with sulphate Mouth of Vermillion Crystallized do do do do gypsum do do do ! do do in plates ' do Large crystals selenite in black clay do. , do do do do. Ferruginous shale, with remains of fishes do. do shell limestone do. Yellow clay, with gypsum _ do. Conglomerate, with green silieious pebbles do. do with shark's teeth do. Gray arenaceous limestone, with Cytherm orbiculala. do. do do with fish scales do. Dark gray indurated clay, with fish scales , Arenaceous limestone, (•234,) with Serpula , Conglomerate, with fish teeth Arenaceous limestone, gray, with Inoceramns proble- m&ticus I Black hills, west Black hills, east base Dixon's bluffs - do , Formation No. 3. Big Sioux Mouth James river. do do Durions hills . Soft, yellow, limestone, with Fnoceramus prohlematicxis Gray marl, with Oatrea crnvjeata, and fish remains (base of No. 3) , do do Scale of Cydocladus in 242 .. . Fibrous carbonate of lime, with Ostrea congesta at- tached to surface Yellow marl [ do do I Bijoux hills do lighter I do Crystalline carbonate of lime, seams in marl I do do greenish in marl do Black plastic clay, upper part of No. 3 Near Bijoux hills Shale, argillaceous, with fish remains over 250 : do ...do calcined by combustion of 250. | do Formation No. 4. Blue clay, with Ptgclwceras mortoni Great bend of Missouri 128 irvnerals and geohgkal specimens — Continued. Yellow clay, with crystals of gypsum ...I Great bend of Missouri . Whitish alum clay, seams in 253 ' Bijoux hills Hyd. silicate of magnesia, masses in formation No. 4 do Crystals sulphate baryta - - do White aluminous earth in seams . — I do Aluminous clay (255) - | do.... Ferruginous concretions throughout F, No. 4 j do - Crystalline argillaceous limestone (Cone in cone) .| Shyenne river Crystals of selenite in clay beds ; Fort Pierre Selenite and fibrous carbonate lime ...! Mouth Shyenne Yellow clay, with selenite ...j 12 miles above Fort Pierre. Dark, argillaceous, shale, witb Iiwceramm [ Mouth of Cannon Ball river Blue concretionary limestone, with Rosidlaria 1 Long Lake, Missouri Indurated clay I do Decomposed shale (253) Fort Pierre. Brown hematite do moreearthy Dog tooth spar — Gray arenaceous limestone do with carbonized matter, and shells. Soft argillaceous shale Concretions of compact blue limestone, contain- ing great numbers of fossils do containing large crustacean (un- described) Crystallized carbonate of lime, yellow, forming nucleus of concretions. — Crystals of selenite Blue indurated clay, with fibrous gypsum Dove colored laminated shale Petrified wood bored by Teredo bisinuata " Cone in cone" (241) Indurated clay, with shells v { Grand river Soft micaceous sandstone, thin seam in clay bed ..' Fort Pierre Vertebra of Mososaurus .. . \ do ... Wood bored by Zylophaga stimpsoni Mussel shell river White aluminous clay Fort Lookout Big Shyenne do Mussel Shell river. Milk river .., Cannon Ball river. Yellow Stone river .do. .do. Forks of Shyenne. do do Grand river Cannon Ball river Formation Xo. 5. Yellow arenaceous limestone, with Venus do softer Yellowish calcareous sandstone, with Oyprina. do do decomposed . . Soft, fine, sandstone, with Rostellaria . . . Ferruginous sandstone, with Cytherea Silicified wood, with bark do bored by Teredo globosa.. .. A. lignite basin. Yellow arenaceous clay on cetaceous rocks Yellowish indurated clay, with fresh water shells over 296 Gray sand, fine, over 297 Coarse, gray, calcareous sandstone, with fossils... Soft argillo-calcareous shale, with fossil shells Ferruginous shale, with coniferous plants Dove colored sandstone, with eilicified wood Head of Little Missouri. do Cannon Ball river do — do do Long Lake do Long Lake do Top of Square butte. Thunder Butte do do 129 Minerals and geological specimens — Continued. Yellow indurated sand, with estuary shell of genus, Cyrena . Light colored indurated clay, base of section Dark carbonaceous clay, over 304 Lignite, over 305 Dark argillaceous shale, over 306 Yellow indurated sand, with Paludina and Melania . Grayish indurated sand Dove colored calcareous shale, with Unios and other fresh water shells - Argillaceous limestone, with fossil plants Fine light colored marl, under lignite bed Lignite, bright and compact Drab indurated clay Light colored marl, with impressions of dicoty- ledonous leaves Earthy lignite Lignite do more impure Concretions sulphuret iron, common throughout tertiary series Septaria, spherical Carbonaceous indurated clay, charged with vega- table remains, fresh water, and land shells, Buli- mus, Physa, Pupa, &iC Mineralized wood Carbonized wood from lignite bed Light sandy marl Shell marl, containing fresh water shells Impure lignite Light colored, fine, clay, under lignite bed Brown shale, with vegetable impressions Silicious shale, containing much vegetable matter . Gray shell limestone, soft Carbonaceous clay, with Unio, Paludina, Sfc Coarse, gray shell, limestone Compact, bluish, limestone, with fresh water shells. Gray calcareous sandstone, with Unio, Paludina, Sfc Soft argillaceous limestone, with Paludina rochiformi Crystallized carbonate of lime in concretions Dove colored argillactous limestone, with impres- sions of ferns, over 315 Brown calcareous shale, with Taxites Silicified wood do partially carbonized do do do do do do do do do do with cavities lined with drusy quartz Dove colored clay, metamorphosed by burning out of lignite beds . . Cherry creek Fort Clark do. do. ...do do ...do do . . . do -do ...do do -.-.do. ...do Brownish shale do Scoria, black, formed by . . . do . . . yellowish - . do - . do . . black compact . . do . . green vitreous . . do do do . . do . . red, very porous ..do. -brown, very porous do do . Shal6 burned red, with vegetable impressions. do bright red do do .. do Vermillion, with gj'psum... 9h Eed spring FortBerthold do do High butte. Little Missouri. Fort Union. do.. Yellowstone do.., do.. Fort Union. do do do do do do do Milk river do do Yellowstone Elk Horn prairie. Red spring Yellowstone Pardu river Fort Union do... Yellowstone do... do... do.-, do... do... Fort Union . Mussel Shell river do Yellowstone ...... do ,.. do do do do do do do do , 130 Minerals and geologiecd specimens — Continued. Shale, burned, black ferruginous Calcareous pumice from burning of limestone. B. WHITE BIVER BASIN. Bed A. Red, sandy, clay, containing pebbles, base of TUan- oiherium bed..,.-.. Teeth of Titanotherium prouti ^ Coarse, whitish, sandstone, above 358 , do concretionary Soft, whitish, calcareous sandstone, with scales of mica Greenish plastic clay do upper part Plates of chalcedony do do Fibrous carbonate lime - Dark chalcedony Magnesite . Calcareous concretion separating bed a from bed b. Bed B. Pinkish, indurated, marl Whitish do from over 372 . Pinkish calcareous concretion Decomposed marl from 372 and 373. .. ,- do do with Oreodon. Bed D. Cream colored marl Silicious limestone, with fresh water shells, Planor- bis, Limnea, \2. Carex stenopliylla, Walil. Upper Missouri. 513. Carex /estiva,? J) evi. (Too old to decide.) Near Fort Leaven- worth. §514. Carex DougJasli, Boott. Before credited to arctic regions. 515. Carex leporina, Linn. Before credited to arctic regions. 516. Carex ohtusata, Lily. Upper Missouri. 517. Carex Nanda, Dew. Near Fort Clark. 518. Carex anceps, Schk. Near Fort Clark. 519. Carex Jtysferieina, Wild. Eagle-nest creek. 520. Carex grisea, Wahl. Near Fort Leavenworth. 521. Carex marginata, Muhl. Missouri, near Fort Pierre. 522. Carex arctata, Boott. Missouri, near Fort Pierre. 523. Carex cranei, Dew. Missouri river. 524. Carex sfeudelli, Ktli. Missouri river. 525. Carex moodii, Dew. Missouri river. 526. Carex eburnea, Boot. Missouri river. 527. Carex lamiginosa, Michx. Yellowstone, &c. 528. Carex arisfcda, K. Br. "Bad Lands." var. longodanceolcda, Dew. "Bad Lands." 529. Carex riparia, Good. Along Missouri. 530. Carex trichocarjxr, Muhl. Along Missouri. 531. Carex vesicaria, Linn. Along Missouri. 532. Carex longirostris, Torr. Along Missouri. 533. Carex JiUformis, Good. Eagle-nest creek. 534. Carex acida, Linn. Eagle-nest creek. 535. Carex vulgaris, Fries. Eagle-nest creek. 536. Carex stricta. Lam. Eagl:e-nest creek. 537. Carex strictior, Dew. Eagle-nest creek. 538. Carex recta, Boott. Near Fort Pierre. 539. Carex davisii, Torr. Yellowstone river. 540. Carex shortiana, Dew. Along Missouri. NOTES BY PROF. DEWEY. * C. vulpina, Linn. First found in our country in Ohio, several years since, and cannot be confounded witli C. slipata, Mulil. It seems to abound in Nebraska, large and fine. t C. j'dasaia, Dew. Collected first in Arctic America, and is abundant in Nebraska. \C. stenophyUa, Wahl. A northern carex in Europe, and first published by Dr. Boott among the "Carices of British North America" as common there, and is abundant in Nebraska. §C. DauglMsi, Boott. First described in Dr. Boott's work just mentioned, but now found in Nebraska, which seems to have strayed, like C, Richardsoni, into our latitude. 172 541. Carex ampullacea, Good. Along Missouri. 542. Carex monile, Tuckerman. Along Missouri. 543. Carex curia, Good. YelloAvstone river. 544. Carex Ja.custris, Willd. The folhivinfj sjxcies seem to be new : 545. Carex Nebrascensis, Dew. Missouri river, near Fort Pierre. 546. Carex Haydeni, Dew. Missouri river, near Fort Pierre. 547. Carex Bleehii, Dew. Yellowstone river. 548. Carex leavi-comca, Dew. Yellowstone river. 549. Zlzania aquatica, Linn. Along Missouri, wet ponds near Coun- cil Bluffs. 550. Alopccurus geniculafm, Linn. Near low wet spots on Missouri near Big Sioux and mouth of Loup Fork. 55L Vilfa cuspidafa, Torr. Along Missouri river; also on high hills along White river. 552. Sporobalus heterolepis, Gray. Along Shyenne river in Missouri. 553. Agrostis micliauxiana, Torr. Bottoms of Kansas, also on James and Shyenne rivers, upper Missouri. 554. Agrostis cryptandra, Torr. Banks of Little Sioux river. 555. Middenbergia glomerata, Linn. Abundant on prairies of upper Missouri; wood lands, &c. 556. Calamagrostis Canadensis, Beauv. Lower Missouri. 557. Calamagrostis longifolia, Henk. Sandy bottoms. 558. Calamagrostis stricta, Nutt. Along Missouri, moist places. 559. Stipa spartea,' Linn. Prairies of upper Missouri. 560. StijM capiUata, Linn. 56L Stipa memhranacea. Pursh. Sandy banks of Shyenne river. 562. Aristida jxdlens, Nutt. Sterile liills along Missouri: also on the Platte. 563. Spartina cynosuroides, AVilld. Low situations on Missouri. 564. Bouteloua oUgostachya, Torr. Upland prairies of Missouri. 565. Sesleria dactyloides, Nutt. This is one of the most abundant as well as useful grasses on the Upper Missouri. It grows in low matted tufts, covering the prairies oftentimes for many miles, and furnishing a most nutritious and palatable food for the buffVilo, deer and other game: also for the horses of the Lidian and voyageur. 566. Festuca tenella, Willd." Yalley of the Missouri. 567. Festuva nidans, Willd. Along bottoms of Kansas. 568. Kaleria cristata, Linn. 569. Eatonica Pennsylvanica 570. Poa pratensis, Linn, 571. Poa annua, Linn. Sandy bottoms along Missouri. 572. Poa nervata, Willd. On the Kansas. 573. Poa nemoralis, Linn. Shady woods and ravines on Missouri. 574. Arnndo phragmifes. Abundant in moist places around Council Bluffs. 575. Ehjynus Canadensis. Linn. Wooded banks to mountains. 173 57G. Bruchmannia cruci/onnis, Jacq. A beautiful grass, growing in low moist places. I have not seen it above Fort Pierre. 577. Uniola sfricta, Torr. Hills of the Upper Missouri. 578. Uniola panlcidata^ Linn. Near Fort Leavenworth, K. T. 579. Triticuni rejjois, Linn. Abundant along Missouri river. 580. Hordemn pratense. Above Missouri river. 58L Hordemn pnsiUuin^ Nutt. Above Missouri river. 582. Hordeuni jidxduni^ Ait. Above Missouri river, 583. Aiva laiifolia. Above Missouri river. 584. Aira elongafa. Above Missouri river. 585. Ccratochloa gramlijlora. 586. Cenchrus fribidoides, Linn. Yery common in Kansas, and seen on sand bottoms in the valley of Yellowstone. 587. Andropogonscoparius, Michx. Sandy bottoms of Missouri. 588. Eragrostis poaoides, Beauv. Along sandy bottoms, Lower Missouri. 589. 3Ionroa squarrosa, Torr. in Whipple's Report. Great Bend of the Upper Missouri. 590. Equisetuni arvense, Linn. Sandy bottoms along Missouri. 591. Equisetum hyemale, Linn. Covers large areas on sandy bet toms of Missouri and tributaries. 592. Adi'anfum pedatum, Linn. Council Bluifs. 593. Bofrychium Virgiiiicum^ Swartz. Mouth of the Platte. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS iiiiii Hill uiii Mill mil mil ii"! S!!!! i!||| j"!' !■!!' {!!! {!! 020 994 877 1 %