GEOGRAPHICAL WORK OF 1814. 219 



quakes, volcanic disturbances, floods, cyclones, etc., he alluded, in 

 passing, to the geography of the sea-bottom as made known by the 

 recent examinations of the Challenger Expedition, and then took up 

 the geographical work in our own country, as carried on by the United 

 States Engineer Corps, and other explorers. The explorations of 

 Lieutenant Wheeler show that every State and Territory west of the 

 Plains is crowded with the products of volcanic action, ancient and 

 modern, the connected beds of lava in Arizona and New Mexico cov- 

 ering an area of 20,000 square miles ; and the conclusions of the geolo- 

 gists of the expedition are, that volcanic disturbances and eru2:)tions 

 in our Western teri'itory will be resumed, and may occur at any 

 day. They have occurred so recently, geologically speaking, that it 

 is extraordinary there is no human record of them. In the Depart- 

 ment of the Platte, a new route to the Yellowstone Park has been 

 discovered by Captain Jones's exploring party. The Black Hills 

 country was penetrated by General Custer's military expedition, and 

 explored by Captain Ludlow. Prof. Hayden's geographical survey 

 has confirmed the discovery of 18Y2, that Colorado is the great centre 

 of elevation in the United States, having fifty peaks that are about 

 14,000 feet high. In the Pacific Ocean, soundings have been made for 

 ascertaining a practicable route for a telegraph cable between Japan 

 and Puget Sound, and for one from San Francisco to the Hawaiian 

 Islands. 



The separate researches and explorations of M. Pinvart and Mr. 

 W. H. Dall, in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, were next reviewed. 

 M. Pinvart is of the opinion that the Esquimaux of this region are of 

 the same stock as those of Greenland and Bafiin's Bay, and concludes 

 from their legends and traditions that they came originally from Asia 

 across Behring's Straits. The probability of this conclusion is doubted 

 by Mr, Dall ; moreover, many American ethnologists think that Green- 

 land and vicinity were peopled from Europe. 



Prof J. W. Putnam, of Salem, Mass., has been engaged in re- 

 searches respecting the ancient inhabitants of North America. He be- 

 lieves that the southern Indians (the Mound-Builders of Ohio, Indiana, 

 and other parts of the West) were not connected with the northern or 

 eastern tribes, but were of the same stock as the ancient inhabitants 

 of Mexico, though diversified by immigration and by mixing with 

 other races. 



In Central and South America specialists have carried on explora- 

 tions in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and tlie lower part of South America. 

 A French expedition has been exploring Tierra del Fuego. 



The arctic event of the year has been the return of the officers and 

 crew of the Tegethof, of the Austrian expedition, and the important 

 discoveries made by them. This expedition, in the difficulties it en- 

 countered, the perseverance displayed, the discipline maintained, and 

 the success achieved, is about as heroic as anv thing that has occurred 



