23 



served as supports for our various articles. We have very 

 little trouble with our camp-fire. A few feet behind us there 

 is an unlimited supply of old pine stumps, which can be cut 

 away with a few skilful strokes of an axe, and when one is 

 set on the camp-fire, after supper is over, it gives a splendid 

 heat and light all night. 



AUGUST 8, WEDNESDAY. 



Last night it was fearfully cold ; our little stream being cov- 

 ered with a two-inch coat of ice. We devoted the whole morn- 

 ing to laying out a base-line. Having chosen two open places 

 on the long ridge which we had come over as the position for 

 it, we levelled our stakes by the transit, and measured both 

 by steel tape and levelling-rod (the transit having stadia wires 

 for this purpose). We were pleased with the results, as we 

 came within -f$ of an inch. We were forced to cut a line 

 through a small strip of timber which separated our two open 

 plateaus. These places were almost on a level, and were not 

 only easily seen from all the mountains of the valley, but were 

 beautifully marked out for us by the ring of open ground 

 around each station. They were so plain that missing them 

 was impossible. In the afternoon we fixed our station, No. 3, 

 on the ridge back of the camp, on the other side of the West 

 Branch, and thus closed our first triangle. Held a consulta- 

 tion in the evening, and decided on the plan of going up one 

 side of the valley of the East Branch, and after we had gone 

 as far as we could, to change our camp to the middle of the 

 valley, and come down on the other side. We still mourn the 

 mosquitoes. 



AUGUST 9, THURSDAY. 



M. and Joe set off with the mules up the ridge. They 

 fixed stations Nos. 4 and 5, measuring both the triangles and 

 the barometric height. They met an Indian, who told them 

 that there were plenty of Shoshones, Snakes, and Bannocks 

 in this part of the country, hunting and setting the woods on 

 fire. L. started the meteorological journal to-day, making ob- 

 servations every fifteen minutes. We had broiled grouse for 

 supper. 



AUGUST 10, FRIDAY. 



The same programme was followed to-day. M. and Joe 

 set off up the ridge and fixed Nos. 6 and 7. L. continued the 



