GENERAL SKETCH OF LINES EXPLORED. 



Shortly before the close of the session of Congress in March, 1853, an appropriation of 

 ),000 was made to defray the expenses of the survey of the various routes along which it 

 was supposed that a railroad might be constructed from the Mississippi river to the Pacific 

 ocean. For this purpose six parties were organized by the War Department for the survey of 

 four main routes ; and in a short space of time they were in the field. All the parties were 

 fitted out in the most complete manner ; the natural history apparatus and material prepared 

 under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, which also furnished the necessary instruc 

 tions as to the objects most important to be collected. In its efforts to secure the assignment 

 to these parties of persons capable of making collections and observations in natural history, it 

 was met by the hearty oo-operation of the War Department, through the heads of the different 

 expeditions, and Captain Humphreys, in charge of the Pacific Railroad Office. 



It is, of course, not necessary in this place to give an account of the personnel of these parties, 

 nor any detailed history of their routes or results ; but, as explaining the origin and objects of 

 the present report, a brief sketch of each, with a statement of the naturalists accompanying 

 them, will be required. The parties organized in 1853 were as follows : 



1. LINE OF THE 47TH PARALLEL, UNDER GOVERNOR I. I. STEVENS. This portion of the survey, 

 placed under the command of Governor I. I. Stevens, was most extensive in its organization, 

 and first in the field. It was divided into two quite distinct parties, one proceeding across the 

 country to the Pacific, the other starting at the Columbia river and moving towards the east. 

 The first division, immediately in charge of Governor Stevens, left St. Paul (where it was 

 principally fitted out) on the 8th of June, 1853, and proceeded directly to Fort Union, at the 

 mouth of the Yellowstone. Here it was joined by Lieutenant Donelson, who had embarked in 

 the Fur Company's boat at St. Louis. From Fort Union the party proceeded along the Missouri 

 to the mouth of Milk river, and up this stream to Fort Benton ; thence across the mountains to 

 the Mission of St. Mary's ; thence to Fort Colville, by the way of the Cceur d' Alene ; and finally 

 to Vancouver and Olympia. Collateral lines were also traversed at the same or different times 

 by Lieutenant Mullan, Lieutenant Donelson, Lieutenant Saxtou, and others. 



The western division of the line, under command of Captain G. B. McClellan, proceeded 

 from New York to San Francisco ; thence to Vancouver, and next explored both sides of the 

 Cascade mountains for some distance northward. The party met Governor Stevens at Fort 

 Oolville, and continued thence to the northern boundary line. 



The main party, under Governor Stevens, was accompanied by Doctor George Suckley, 

 United States army, as surgeon and naturalist, although collections were also made by Lieu 

 tenants Donelson and Mullan. Doctor Suckley's chief points in collecting were St. Paul's, Bois 



