44 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



ing the depressions of these slides at different elevations. The day that 

 we explored the valley, was quite warm, and the sides were covered with 

 banks of snow twelve to fifteen feet deep, from the edges of which were 

 flowing streams of water into these little lakes or pools. From the sides 

 of the valley issued beautiful springs also, which contributed their portion. 

 From these lakes flowed little streams, which gradually concentrated 

 into the main channel of Smith's Fork. The same description will apply 

 to the valley of Black's Fork, except that a portion of the east side seems 

 to be formed of the sloping side of one of the inclined ridges of sandstone, 

 thus showing that it is not altogether one of erosion. The west side reveals 

 all the quartzites and sandstones in their regular order of sequence, for 

 several miles, inclining at various angles from 20° to 40°. From the high 

 peaks of the crest of the range we can look down the deep, almost straight 

 valleys of Smith's and Black's Forks, southward into the plains, and 

 follow the remarkably tortuous course of the little streams that flow 

 down them. There are no real mountain torrents in this range, no 

 picturesque waterfalls or narrow gorges ; but the valleys are deep and 

 wide, with almost vertical sides, eight hundred to twelve hundred feet 

 high. Yet the lower portions below the quartzitic belt are covered thickly 

 with trees or grass, so that the underlying rocks are concealed. The 

 fall of the water is so slight in the streams that they are not only ex- 

 ceedingly tortuous, but frequently accumulate in little lake-like expan- 

 sions, which add much to the beauty of the scenery, especially as the 

 waters glisten when the morning sunlight falls upon them. In a volume 

 entitled " Sun Pictures of Bocky Mountain Scenery," illustrated with 

 photographs, I have included two views, taken at the head of the west 

 branch of Bear Biver, by Mr. A. J. Bussell, as types of Uinta Mountain 

 scenery. Sun pictures No. 1 and No. 14 exhibit Moore's Lake with 

 the quartzite mountain in the background. The stratification can be 

 seen perfectly. This work, though very costly, can be found in most of 

 our public libraries and can be referred to by those who may be inter- 

 ested in the scenery of the Uinta Mountains. Mr. Jackson, photographer 

 to the survey, has taken a large number of views in this range, illustrating 

 every variety of form which the texture of the rocks would admit of, in 

 the process of erosion or weathering. These views, I hope, will be given 

 to the world in some form at no distant day. As studies of the geologi- 

 cal and geographical features of the country they will prove of great 

 value, and their fidelity to nature cannot be denied. 



We descended the dividing ridge between Black's and Smith's Forks 

 by the same road we passed up, but nowhere below Photograph Bidge 

 did we see any of the rocks underlying the drift. I am confident that, 

 could the immense deposit of drift be stripped off, we should find the 

 regular series of formations, as triassic or red beds, Jurassic, cretaceous, 

 and older tertiary, and possibly coal-beds. Yet so thick a deposit of 

 drift and modern tertiary covers the sides and foot-hills of the range 

 that these formations do not probably affect the outline of the surface. 

 It is quite certain, however, that they will be found cropping out some- 

 where, even on the north side of the range, or perhaps on the south 

 side in the Uinta Valley. I regret very much that my time would not 

 permit me to make a thorough exploration of both sides of this most 

 interesting range. Some problems which now are obscure might thus be 

 made plain 



TRIP TO THE HEAD OF BEAR RIVER, UINTA MOUNTAINS. 



We left Fort Bridger on the morning of the 24th of September, 

 with a small pack train, and pursued a north course up the valley of 



