46 STEPPES AJJD DESERTS. 



between the states on the Atlantic Sea Board opposite 

 Europe, and the new settlements on the Oregon and 

 Columbia opposite China. The itinerary distance from 

 Boston to Astoria on the Pacific at the mouth of the 

 Columbia, is, according to the difference of longitude, 

 2200 geographical miles, or about one-sixth less than the 

 distance of Lisbon from the Ural near Katharinenburg. 

 From the gentleness of the ascent of the high plateau which 

 leads from the Missouri to California and to the basin of 

 the Oregon, (from the Biver and Fort Laramie, on the 

 northern branch of the Platte Biver, to Fort Hall on the 

 Lewis Fork of the Columbia, all the camping places of 

 which the height was measured were from upwards of 

 five to seven thousand, and at Old Park even 9760 

 French, or 10,403 English feet) ; it has not been easy 

 to determine the situation of the culminating point, or 

 "divortia aquarum." It is south of the Wind Biver 

 mountains, nearly midway between the Mississipi and the 

 coast of the Pacific, at an elevation of 7027 French, or 

 7490 English feet; therefore only 450 French, or 480 

 English, feet lower than the Pass of the great St. Bernard. 

 The immigrants cali this point " the South Pass." (Fre- 

 mont's Beport, pp. 3, 60, 70, 100, 129). It is situated in 

 a pleasant district, in which the mica slate and gneiss rock 

 are found covered with many species of Artemisia, particu- 

 larly Artemisia tridentata (Nuttall), asters, and cactuses. 

 Astronomical determinations give the latitude 42 24', and 

 the longitude 109 24' W. from Greenwich. Adolph Erman 

 has already called attention to the circumstance that the 



