EXDLicn.l ITINERARY. 23 



that they should certainly be regarded as having existed at a very recent 

 period. 



Looking beyond the foot-hills we saw the low country stretching out 

 in an unbroken expanse. Dark lines, produced by tind)er, indicated the 

 courses of streams ; and blutts, that liad given us some trouble in sur- 

 mounting, disappeared totally. To the west and north we saw the Green 

 Eiver Mountain and the famous Teton Eange, with its cuhninating point, 

 Mount Hayden. Far in the distance, too, the JMghorn mountains rose 

 in hazy form above the level of the plains, completing the northeastern 

 horizon. 



Having duly chronicled the date of our ascent on a piece of paper, and 

 intrusted it to the protection of the monument, we commenced the 

 descent. Upon reaching the snow-bank, which stretched for nearly a 

 mile before us, wo employed a method well known to school-boys for 

 rapidly accomplishing our downward course. Sitting down upon the 

 snow, which by this time had become a little softer than it was in the 

 morning, we " shd " dovm the steep incline. Going at a very high speed, 

 we had the satisfaction of accomplishing 500 feet of our descent within 

 a very few miimtes. This jjerformance produced a high degree of pleas- 

 ure in our dog, who cAidently seemed to think that it was accomplished 

 for his especial edification. Arriving at a convenient point we stoi)iied 

 ourselves and recrossed the snow-field. Our mules were somewhat rested 

 by this time, and we started on the journey to camp. Avoiding the 

 snow-fields which we had crossed in the morning we led them dov/n a 

 steep slope, and then returned by the same way we had come. About 

 six o'clock in the evening we arrived at camp very himgry. As this was 

 the highest peak we expected to climb during the summer, the success- 

 ful accomplishment of our ascent gave us great satisfaction. Had vre 

 entered this portion of the range earlier in tlie season oiu' work coidd 

 have been comj^leted only amid the greatest hardshijjs. 



Few mountain ranges, perhaps, present so typical an orographic struct- 

 ure, and from the summit of Snow Peak we had a particularly favorable 

 opportunity of studying it. Its relative position, and the commanding 

 view there obtained, render it one of the most conspicuous peaks of the 

 range. No one before Wilson seems ever to have ascended it, and our 

 party, therefore, was the second one that successfully made the attempt. 

 Taking leave of our companion of a few houis, Mr. Fosher, we spent the 

 evening in discussing the events of the day. 



July 28 we continued our march northwestward, along the slope of 

 the range, camping on a small stream. The day following we crossed 

 the Big Sandy Eiver, which, within the mountains, is a rushing stream 

 carrying a good supply of water. Full of bowlders, and very swift, it is 

 rather difBcidt to cross. We encamped that afternoon at the head of a 

 swampy meadow, at considerable elevation. It is about 2 miles long 

 and half a mile wide. Toward evening we saw a large grizzly bear ( Ursiis 

 horribilis) in the grass, and proceeded to kill him. Being obhged to fire 

 at very long range, because he took to flight, we missed him. Expect- 

 ing to fall in with him again, we followed his tracks for a considerable 

 distance, but darkness soon set in and we lost him. While endeavor- 

 ing to retrace our steps toward camp, we encountered a second bear. 

 Having shot at some other game, our stock of ammunition was so low 

 that we did not fire. During the day we saw several porcupines. One 

 of them was on a spruce-tree, about 16 feet from the groimd. We had 

 frequently observed that the bark was removed at varyuig lieights from 

 such trees, and we now found the porcupine engaged in this exercise. 

 Before we could leave the dense forest, where i)rogress was verj' much 



