472 BUFFALO LAND. 



THE ARKANSAS RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. 



The Arkansas, passing through the southern portion of the 

 plains, has wide, rich bottoms, with a more sandy soil than is 

 found on the streams north. Its small tributaries have con- 

 siderable timber. All these valleys are being settled rapidly. 



Again consulting Prof. Thomas' report, we find that " the 

 Arkansas River, rising a little north-west of South Park, runs 

 south-east to Poncho Pass, where, turning a little more toward 

 the east, it passes through a canyon for about forty miles, 

 emerging upon the open country at Canyon City. From this 

 point to the Eastern boundary of the Territory it runs almost 

 directly east. 



" The mountain valley has an elevation of between seven 

 and eight thousand feet above the sea, while that of the plain 

 country lying east of the range varies from six thousand near 

 the base of the mountains to about three thousand five hundred 

 feet at the eastern boundary of the Territory. From Denver 

 to Fort Hays, a distance of three hundred and forty-seven 

 miles, the fall is three thousand two hundred and seven feet, or 

 a little over nine feet to the mile. 



" The Arkansas River, from the mouth of the Apishpa to 

 the mouth of the Pawnee, a distance of two hundred and six 

 miles, has the remarkable fall of two thousand four hundred 

 and eight feet, or more than eleven feet to the mile. 



" The headwaters of the Arkansas are in an oval park, 

 situated directly west of the South Park. The altitude of this 

 basin is probably between eight and nine thousand feet above 

 the level of the sea ; the length is about fifty miles from north 

 to south, and twenty or thirty miles in width at the middle or 

 widest point. At the lower or southern end an attempt has 



