208 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



of the Yellowstone Park, between 109 and 112 W. long., 

 covering an area of 13,500 square miles, mostly drained by 

 the branches of the Shoshone, or Snake River, a tributary of 

 the Columbia. This was familiar ground to the chief of the 

 party, since he had already partially surveyed the region in 

 1872. In its western portion the party made thirty topo- 

 graphical stations in an area of about 10,000 square miles. 

 Considerable timber was found, with a fair average of arable 

 and grass land, and streams never dry. The eastern and 

 northern portion is far more rugged and inaccessible than 

 any other part of the country covered by this year's survey. 

 It finds its culmination in the snow-covered Teton and Wind 

 River Mountains, in the latter of which the highest eleva- 

 tion is Fremont's Peak, 13,700 feet high. A comparison 

 of Fremont's account with the observations of the party 

 shows, however, that he did not ascend this highest peak 

 (now bearing his name), but a lower summit, whose altitude 

 he estimated to be 13,570 feet. In one sense, Fremont's Peak 

 may be considered the centre of the continent, since from its 

 summit may be seen in close proximity the head-waters of 

 streams which feed the Columbia, the Colorado, and the Mis- 

 souri. While engaged in the exploration of this district, the 

 party received notice from the military commander at Camp 

 Brown, through Indian scouts, to leave the country, on ac- 

 count of the danger from hostile Indians. Nearly a month 

 of valuable time was thus lost, abridgringr somewhat the re- 

 suits of the season's work. Notwithstanding the various 

 difficulties encountered, the party surveyed an area of about 

 0000 square miles of the most rugged mountain country in 

 the northwest, and made over one hundred barometrical ob- 

 servations. Throughout his district, Mr. Bechler personally 

 observed 7340 horizontal and 5700 vertical angles; and as 

 they were repeated backward and forward, and checked by 

 good barometric readings, they must give satisfactory re- 

 sults concerning the altitude of that extremely mountainous 

 country. 



Each of these three topographical parties was accompanied 

 by a geologist. In the desert region careful notes were taken 

 of the grazing facilities, timber, and irrigability of the coun- 

 try. It was estimated that in the least favored region that 

 to the east only five eighths was desert land, one fourth be- 



