60 S. Mis. 53. 



to clear up the obscurity which prevails in regard to the geography of 

 the great Central Basin. The discovery of a new route and pass 

 through the Rocky mountains is also one of very great importance. 



4. Department of the Interior. 



United States and Mexican Boundary Survey. — During the past year 

 the operations on the boundary line between the United States and 

 Mexico, under John R. Bartlelt, esq., and Major William H. Emory, 

 have been prosecuted with great vigor. The survey of the river Gila 

 has been completed from its confluence with the Colorado to the point 

 where it is struck by the western boundary of New Mexico. The Rio 

 Grande has also been surveyed from the initial point agreed upon, to 

 the Laredo, with the exception of a strip between San Vicente and the 

 mouth of the Pecos. The connecting link between the two lines has 

 also been surveyed provisionally. It is probable that, should Congress 

 make suitable appropriations, the whole field work will be completed 

 in 1853. In addition to the exceedingly numerous and accurate obser- 

 vations in astronomy, geography, meteorology, and terrestrial magnetism, 

 the collections in geology, mineralogy, zoology, and botany, made by 

 Messrs. Parry, Wright, Clark, Bigelovv, Thurber, and Webb, have been 

 of great extent and value, supplying us with almost as thorough a 

 knowledge of many forms of organic life in this country as of the 

 long-settled portions of the United States. The perseverance of the 

 gentlemen of the commission has been rewarded by the acquisition to 

 science of a large number of undescribed and rare species. 



5. Land Office. 



Geological Survey of Oregon, by Drs. Evans and SJmmard. — Dr. Evans 

 left St. Louis in the month of June, and ascended the Missouri to the 

 mouth of the Yellowstone. From this point he crossed over to the 

 Pacific coast, pursuing an entirely different route from that traversed 

 by other explorers. His route passed through the very centre of the 

 Black Feet country, and over the Rocky, Blue Range, and Cascade 

 mountains, terminating at Oregon City; which he reached about the 

 middle of October. In this journey, though accompanied a gi-eat por- 

 tion of the way by only a single man, he explored the main chain of the 

 Rocky mountains for a distance of nearly two hundred miles, without 

 a guide, or even a trail, and discovered a pass several degrees farther 

 north than that usually travelled. The observations made along the line 

 of his route will enable him to construct a geological section from the 

 Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean. Many geographical facts were 

 collected of the highest value, which will constitute a very important 

 addition to our stock of knowledge in relation to a portion of country 

 hitherto almost entirely unknown. 



The assistant geologist. Dr. Shumard, embarked from New York in 

 the latter part of June of the same year, and proceeded, by way of 

 the isthmus of Panama, to San Francisco, and thence to Oregon, where 

 he arrived early in August, and shortly after began his explorations, 

 following the main lines of survey, and locating his observations, as far 

 as practicable, by townships and sections. 



In addition to the materials for accurate geom-aphical determinations, 



