TO JUNCTION OF GRAND AND GREEN RIVERS. 7 



reliable water until the San Jose spring is readied, abrmt thirty miles farther to the 

 southeast. From the last-named water \ve followed down' the vallev of the Puerco (a 

 branch of the Rio del Norte) for about fort}- miles, when we crossed the southern spur 

 of the Nacimiento Mountain and came to the old pueblo of Jemez, about fifty-six 

 miles to the west by south from Santa Ft'. The route has been passed over by 



<J J 



wagons from Santa. Fe to a point, a short distance to the westward of ,Iemex>, and also 

 from Santa Fe to the upper valley of the (,'liama, a short distance above Abiquiu, but 

 on the remainder of the route passed over by my party there is no evidence of a 

 wagon having- ever been seen, and a suitable road for wagons could only be made al 

 a heavy cost for construction, and it would doubtless meet with much opposition on 

 the part, of the Navajos and Utahs, whose country it would pass through. 



During the expedition my time was taken up with the astronomical observations 

 requisite for laying down the route. In these observations 1 was assisted by Mr. F. I'. 

 Fisher, who noted the; time and kept the record for me with accuracy and neatness. 

 Mr. Fisher also carried a barometer throughout the march. All computations required 

 for the astronomical observations were necessarily made by myself. 



Mr. C. H. Dimmock made an excellent sketch of the route, which he has drawn in 

 one large map upon a, scale of half an inch to the mile. This map I have tested by the 

 results of my astronomical observations and computations with very great satisfaction. 



Messrs. Dorsey and Vail carried barometers and thermometers, and kept daily 

 records of the indications of those instruments, chiefly from the readings of Mr. Vail. 

 Mr. Dorsey also assisted the geologist in making some of the collections of natural 

 history specimens. 



Dr. J. S. Newberry, the geologist, of the expedition, was particularly zealous and 

 energetic in his examinations of the country, and I expect from him a report, setting 

 forth whatever there may be of interest, in the route either to the public at large or to 

 the man of science. 



I am now engaged, under your direction, in preparing for publication, upon a scale 

 suitable for ordinary use, a map of the region visited by my party, which will exhibit 

 with all requisite minuteness and accuracy of detail the features of the country, cover- 

 ing an area of some twelve thousand square miles, which has heretofore been indicated 

 upon the maps under the head of "unexplored." 



The expedition was accompanied by a detachment of infantry under the command 

 of Lieut. M. Cogswell, of the Eighth Regiment, to whom we are indebted for our safe 

 escort through a wild and inhospitable tract of country, partly occupied by hostile and 

 treacherous Indians. 



I was directed, on my return to Santa Fe, to reduce my party and come in to 

 Washington to prepare my report, and, on my way, to stop at the southwest corner of 

 the Territory of Kansas, to set up a new monument at a point some two and a, quarter 

 miles to the east of the one originally placed there. I accordingly diverged from the 

 usual route across the plains from Fort Union and went up the Cimarron to the point 

 indicated, and retraced that part of the thirty-seventh parallel from the old monument to 

 the merdian of 10,'5, as laid down upon the map accompanying my instructions, and at 

 the intersection of these two geographical lines I erected a rough stone monument. The 



