24 



wbat the Indians have called " bullets," and the Mormons " lead," will pi-ove, under the hand of 

 true American industry, to contain large amounts of that power that rules the prosperity of peoples 

 — money. 



A hasty return to our camp at Quinn Cafiou is mide, which we reach on the 9th of November. 

 The animals are resting, and parties are out among the hills gaining information. Uere we find 

 barley that had been placed on store in August last, and which proves remarkably acceptable, con- 

 sidering the worn-out condition of the team animals. 



The road from Crescent Mill to Quinn Caiion has been more than an average of fair mountain- 

 road. Xot so the one from Indian Spring to the first-mentioned place, which was a succession of 

 washes, sand stretches, and alkali fiats. The bunch-grass, that is still found in spots, more fre- 

 quently higher among the hills than the ordinary traveled route, had become so very dry that it 

 seemed almost worthless for the animals when they could get it. The occasion for this has resulted 

 from the extreme dryness of the season. This grass, however, appears to retain its saccharine and 

 uourishiug qualities, no matter what the degree of dryness. 



From Quinn Canon Lieutenant Lockwood took a small party to make a detour via Reveille and 

 Hot Creek, and thence return and meet us at Monte Christo Mill, opposite White Pine; while the 

 wagons approached the same point by following up Railroad Valley. This is a long, wide, sterile 

 and alkaline valley, stretching far to the south from where we debouched into it opposite Quinn 

 Canon. The laud that is fit for ranching is extremely small in amount, the greater iiart of which 

 is in the vicinity of Duck Water, on the western side, while our line of travel was nearer to the 

 eastern side. To the west of the valley extends the Pancake range, that merges about opposite 

 White Pine into the Diamond range, that follows farther on to the railroad, making a natural trend 

 of valleys, with almost insensible divides, from Peko, on the Central Pacific Railroad, to far below 

 the Reveille District. This avenue, as a natural route for a railway, cannot be surpassed ; but 

 where the railroad would go, in case of its being built, after leaving Railroad Valley, is a subject 

 worthy of close investigation. 



Rapid marching was made, and Monte Christo Mill reached on the evening of the 16th Novem- 

 ber. We had couie to what appeared to us as considerable civilization, when we were within a few 

 hours' travel of the White Pine settlements— having been so long without receiving letters or much 

 of any sort of intelligence. Here letters and friends were found, and newspapers, too. No one who 

 has not tried the mountains for a long and tedious time can tell how acceptable all these are. Lieu- 

 tenant Lockwood and his party arrived late on the evening of the ISth. 



Telegraphing for the rate of the chronometers, conducted in a similar manner as in the pre- 

 cediiig season, was consummated during the night of the 19th. 



On the succeeding morning the train moved out on the stage-road to Elko. Hasty marching 

 was made to the telegraph station on the old overland road, from which point a surveying party 

 was detached to go through Ruby Valley to Camp Halleck, to get i)Osition of the road and ranches 

 along the valley, and as much further topography as possible, while the teams, hugging the 

 western side of the Humboldt range, follow for awhile the stage-road, and then a road that 

 detours by Lamoile Creek, reaching Camp Halleck in a severe snow-storm on the evening of the 

 25th of November. 



The next day everything was packed, the property turned over, and, during the succeeding 

 night those of us who were to return to San Francisco reached Halleck Station, where, taking the 

 westward train on the morning of the 27th, San Francisco was reached on the eve of the 2Sth of 

 November. 



KECAPITULATION. 



By reference to the accompanying map, the extent of the reconnaissance is easily traced, and 

 its area found to embrace, approximately, 2G,.500 square miles. Of this no accurate mapping had 

 been made below the latitude (39^ 15') of White Pine. The length of the reconnaissance-line in all 

 its detours is 2,210 miles. 



The final map, will be completed upon a scale as large as one inch to eight mih's. 



The astronomical observations, taken altogether at some fifty stations, have been of such a 



