90 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



by human boinjjs. There was a circular inclosnre about seven feet in 

 diameter, formed by vertical slabs of rouuh jj^ranite, and about three 

 feet in heiyht, the interior of wliicli was half filled with the detritus 

 that long exposure to the elements had worn from these walls. It could 

 not have been constructed less than half a ceutury ago, whea Indians 

 only inhabited this region. 



The summit of the Teton is very small, not more than 30 by 40 feet 

 in diameter, with a precipitous descent on all sides. Its height, by tri- 

 angular measurement, is 13,833 feet. The view from it euibraces the 

 valley of the Snake Eiver and territory' contiguous, over a diameter of 

 at least one hundred and sixty miles. For grandeur, vastness, and va- 

 riety it is nowhere excelled in the region of the liocky Mountains. 

 Should the railroad to the Upper Yellowstone pass through this valley, 

 the Teton Range would form one of the attractive features of a visit to 

 that wonderful country. 



On our descent of the mountain, while yet at a height of 10,300 feet, 

 we crossed a lake, GOO yards long by 200 wide, of perpetual ice, which 

 in thickness was about three feet, not unlike in character the descrip- 

 tions given of the most elevated glaciers of the Alps. Passing over the 

 immense snow-lields which covered the plateau adjoining, we descended 

 into the grass-covered valley which bordered the Teton River, and pur- 

 sued the most direct course to the north or Henry's Fork of Snake 

 River. Along the margin of this stream we traveled over a solid na- 

 tural road-bed to its source in Sawtelle's or Henry's Lake. This part of 

 the country is peculiarly favorable for railroad improvements. The 

 grades would be very light, not exceeding 20 feet to the mile, and for 

 much of the distance very little, if any, excavation would be necessary 

 to prepare the ground for the track. There are some obstructions from 

 fallen timber along the entire route, which can be removed without dif- 

 ficulty. Doubtless in a country so full of irregularities of one kind and 

 another, the foot-hills and mountains would present occasional interrup- 

 tions to a direct course, but it surprises one, in passing over the country, 

 to see how few these interruptions are and how readily they may be 

 overcome; 



In our explorations from the Teton Basin to the north, we carefully 

 observed the four passes on the north, east, west, and south of Saw- 

 telle's Lake, each one of which will doubtless be particularly described 

 by Mr. Stevenson. These passes are equally favorable for all kinds of 

 road imi)rovements. Our company passed through the east or Tyghee 

 Pass, entering the valley of the Madison. No person unacquainted with 

 the topography of the country would believe- while crossing this pass 

 that he was crossing the summit of the Rocky Range. The same may 

 be said of the other three passes in the immediate vicinity, each point- 

 ing to a separate point of the compass. From the point of entrance 

 into the valley of the Madison, dov/n that river to its junction with the 

 Jefferson and Gallatin at the Three Forks, there are no serious 

 obstructions to a railroad. Two of the cailims would require, perhaps, 

 to be shelved for a roadway, in all, for a distance of about twenty-live 

 miles. No more direct route for a railroad iroin Utah to the settled 

 portions of Montana can be found than that from the junction of the 

 Union and Central Pacific Railroads to Fort Ilall ; thence up Snake 

 River to the head of the North Fork ; thence by eitlier the Sawtelle or 

 the Targee Pass, down the Madison to th^, Three Forks, passing 

 within twelve miles of Virginia City, the capital of Montana; thence, 

 through the valleys of the JMissonri and Prickly P<'ar, to Helena ; and 

 there are no engineering difdcullies which cannot be easily overcome. 



