218 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



cause they are any less definite, but because the water-sheds at some 

 points are not prominent, and have received no well-known and fixed 

 names. The following lines will designate the area embraced in the dis- 

 trict with sufficient accuracy for present purposes : 



Commencing at Long's Peak, it runs west, and then north, leaving 

 the North Park to the right; from thence northwest, by way of Bridger's 

 Pass and Creston Station, it crosses over the plaius to South Pass. 

 Prom this point it runs northeast between Little Popoagie and Sweet- 

 water, and passes round the Eattlesnake Hills between Bad- Water and 

 Poison Spring Creeks. From here, turning east, it passes along an 

 irregular range of hills to the southern extremity of the Big Horn Moun- 

 tains; then, turning southeast, passes between the waters of the Chey- 

 enne and North Platte Eivers to the eastern boundary of the Territory. 

 Following the boundary line of the Territory southward, we may prop- 

 erly include Lodge Pole Valley, as its upper portion appears to belong 

 more to the North Platte slope than that of the South Platte. 



These boundaries embrace an area of about twenty-five thousand 

 square miles, and, exclusive of North Park, nearly one-fourth of Wyo- 

 ming Territory. With the exception of a few small sections, they in- 

 clude the most desirable portions of the Territory, and the greater part 

 of the arable lands. 



This district is not only very irregular in its outline, but bears the 

 same varied and irregular character interiorly. The mighty convul- 

 sive force which heaved up these vast Eocky Mountain ranges seems to 

 have obtained slight breathing places for its imprisoned energies at the 

 parks of Colorado, while here, with one terrific throe, it has scattered 

 the mountains and hills in wild confusion as a giant would scatter 

 pebbles. In the eastern portion, stretching north and south, is a range 

 of rough and lofty mountains, which, at its northern extremity, is rent 

 into fragments and scattered in decreasing peaks and ridges to the 

 northwest. Along the southern border, turning in nearly every direc- 

 tion of the compass, are lofty ranges whose summits wear crowns of 

 perennial snow. Westward the mountain ranges trending northwest 

 sink beneath the immense deposit of local drift, which here covers the 

 mighty chasm, but they show themselves further north in the granite 

 peaks, which, like islands, shoot up from the Sweetwater Plains, and 

 further on emerge in the Wind Eiver range. Between these irregular 

 surroundings lie the broad Laramie Plains, which might appropriately 

 be called the Great Park of Wyoming. Entirely east of the Black Hills 

 we enter upon the plains which slope toward the Missouri Eiver. 



The area west of the Black Hills, as shown by the course of the 

 streams, and also by the barometer, slopes north and east, pouring its 

 waters through the northeast angle of the district. The average level 

 of the entire district is higher than that of either of the others of this 

 division, the western portion being on an average about six thousand 

 five hundred feet above the level of the sea. The difference of level be- 

 tween the North Park and the mouth of the Sweetwater is about two 

 thousand feet ; and between South Pass and the mouth of the Sweet- 

 water about one thousand five hundred feet. The area east of the moun- 

 tains varies from four thousand four hundred to six thousand feet above 

 the sea level. 



On account of its altitude, and the direction and force of its atmo- 

 spheric currents, the temperature of this district is lower than that of the 

 other districts east of the divide, within the bounds under consideration. 

 And as a general thing only those products adapted to a cold climate 

 and short seasons can be raised to any advantage. Yet it is exceed- 



