5H 



and, all our arrangements being completed, we left that place on the 

 Ist of September. A small party conducted the animals along the 

 snore oa our journey down the Missouri, generally camping each 

 nigiit witli the boat party. Halts of two or three days were made at 

 all interesting localities, and map sketches were made several miles 

 up all the streams flowing into the Missouri ; and the map of the Mis- 

 souri was also verified. These sketches, on a scale of one and a half 

 inch to a mile, are on file and convenient for reference in this office. 



Thermometer and barometer observations were made throughout the 

 period of the examinations of the year 1856. Dr. Hayden was indefat- 

 igable in his efforts to develop the geology of the region traversed, 

 and some of the results have already been published, by permission of 

 the War Department, in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences in Philadelphia. A very extensive collection was also made 

 in zoology. 



We reached Fort Pierre on our return on the 2d of October, at 

 which place our animals were sold, and most of the soldiers returned 

 to their respective companies. A few accompanied us as far as the 

 mouth of the James river. We reached Sioux City on November 15, 

 and fortunately ibiind a steamboat there, by means of which we pro- 

 ceeded with our effects to St. Louis, and thence by railroad to Wash- 

 ington. The cost of this expedition to the United States was about 

 $10,000. 



No special report has yet been made by me on the results of this 

 year's exploration. The maps were about completed, and the mate- 

 rial in the process of elaboration, when I was assigned to the command 

 of another exploration by the War Department, a brief account of 

 which I shall now proceed to give. 



I received my instructions from the Hon. John B. Floyd, Secretary 

 of War, May 7, 1857, the general terms of which were to make the 

 necessary examinations to determine the best route for continuing the 

 military road between Mendota and the Big Sioux westward to Fort 

 Laramie and the South Pass. Thence to proceed northward and 

 make such examinations on the Black Hills as my time and means 

 would permit, and to return by the valley of the Niobrara, and make 

 a careful examination thereof. I was assisted in the examination by 

 Messrs. J. H. Snowden and P. M. Engel, as topographers ; Dr. F. 

 V. Hayden, as geologist ; W. P. C. (Jarrington, as meteorologist ; 

 Dr. S. Moffett, as surgeon ; and Lieut. Jas. McMillan, commanding 

 the escort. 



The escort, numbering twenty-seven men and three non-commis- 

 sioned officers, under Lieut. McMillan, all of the 2d infantry, was 

 directed to meet me at Sioux City, transportation for it being fur- 

 nished by the quartermaster's department. Transportation for the 

 remainder of the party was assembled at Omaha City as soon as pos- 

 sible ; and on the 27th of June, under the charge of Mr, Snowden, 

 set out for the rendezvous at the mouth of Loup Fork. 



Accompanied by Mr. Engel, I then proceeded to Sioux City, where 

 we found the escort had been awaiting us several days on the Big 

 Sioux river. Through some misunderstand'lng there were no team- 

 sters i'urnished for the wagons of the escort ; and the mules, from a 



