AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES OF WYOMING TERRITORY. 553 
perienced. From this point the river bends round to the northeast, 
passing among the hills, and is flanked by alternate bottoms of small 
extent. 
To the south of the river, forming a chord to its circular bend, runs a 
singular valley, ten to twelve miles wide, the general appearance of 
which is that of the bed of a stream which had been wide and shallow, 
although its surface looks exactly like the plateaus of this section. If 
the water of the river can be brought upon this level, as much land can 
be irrigated as the river can supply. 
Where the road again strikes the river, going east, there is a con- 
siderable expanse of arable land ; and, although there is very little im- 
mediate bottom, the second level is quite broad and of moderate ele- 
vation, and might be irrigated by cutting a ditch a few miles in length. 
Below this, near the three crossings, the Granite Hills commence, and 
flank the valley as far as Independence Rock. Near the west end of 
this irregular range, for seven to eight miles, the river breaks through 
it, and is closely walled in by lofty bluffs, with here and there a level 
plat of a few hundred acres of fertile soil. There is an open plain run- 
ning around the south side of these bluffs, several miles in width, which 
probably might be reached by a ditch twelve to fifteen miles in length. 
After passing through the gorge here, the river enters a broad and 
beautiful valley, the upper portion of which is thickly covered with 
chenopodiaceous shrubs, the lower part bearing a tall thick growth of 
grass. From a hill at this point, looking eastward down the river, the 
valley can be seen for twenty or thirty miles, while southeast runs a 
higher valley, which is crossed and dotted with elevated plateaus, and 
flat-topped foot-hills. The mountain which, some distance east, runs 
along the south side a short distance from this point, terminates yest- 
ward, while from the southeast, running northwest, comes another range 
which forms the southern boundary of the plain. At this place the soil 
is rich and light, and, with irrigation, would produce good crops. The 
immediate bottoms are of little value, being quite narrow, but the second 
level, 10 to 12 feet above the water, could be reached by a ditch a few 
miles long. It is probable that an area of eighty to one hundred square 
miles could be rendered suitable for farming purposes, and timber may 
be obtained from the neighboring hills. 
In the vicinity of Hayden’s Peaks the granite hills on one side and 
the bluffs on the other approach the margin of the river for a short dis- 
tance, then recede in a cireular sweep, and again come together a few 
miles beyond, forming a beautiful circular area, containing twenty to 
twenty-five square miles of rich and fertile bottom land which, slightly ele- 
vated above the stream, can beirrigated without difficulty. Passing under 
the overhanging cliff of yellow sandstone, through the gate-like open- 
ing of the little park first described, we enter upon a broad valley which 
continues without interruption to the “ Devil’s Gate,” about four miles 
above Independence Rock. 
The soil of this valley, though covered in part with “ grease-wood” 
and sage, is very fertile, and will produce good crops. Muddy Creek, 
which comes in here from the south, has a considerable margin of level 
land, but affords hardly sufficient water for irrigating purposes. The 
breadth of land here is probably equal to the supply of water. Around 
Independence Rock, and for several miles above and below it, are fine 
irrigable bottoms. Between the river and Horse Creek there is a broad 
delta with an average elevation of twenty to thirty feet above the bed 
of the river, but less than that above the bed of the creek. Irrigating 
ditches could be made to reach this plateau, and also a considerable area 
