38 EEPOET UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 



Ejawlings Springs. This road is considered a better one than that through 

 Sandy Creek Pass, as it avoids much of the heavy soil which must there 

 be traversed. On the east side of the gap the Seminole Mountains pre- 

 sent a very rugged and torn appearance. Bare rocks, standing perpen- 

 dicular, project beyond the timber, and render travel there very difficult. 

 They owe their position and prominence to violent stratigraphical dis- 

 turbances. On account of the wind, which was blowing a perfect gale, 

 it was almost impossible to ride along the sunmiit of the ridge, and we 

 were obhged to seek shelter in the forest. After obtaining the informa- 

 tion we had sought, we returned to camp in the evening. 



FBOM WHISKY GAP TO EAWLINGS AND FOET STEELE. 



September 15 we left Whisky Gap. The wind was blowing more 

 furiously than even the day before. Eiding northward, we ascended a 

 narrow ridge, but were unable to maintain our footing and had to go 

 down on the other side. Selecting another which appeared to lie a little 

 out of the direct course of the wind we reached its summit without much 

 difficulty. Descending a little to leeward, we rode in shelter towards its 

 highest point. Having dismounted we found it impossible to stand 

 there, and were obliged to take our notes lying down flat. The Seminole 

 Hills present a very pretty apijearance from this side, if seen fr^om an 

 elevated point. Successive strata of varying color show nearly vertical 

 faces, arranged like terraces, one above the other. White, light yellow, 

 and reddish colors predominate, and are set off to advantage by the 

 dark green of the timber. Game appears to be abundant here, although 

 the country is more difficult to travel over than the hills farther west. 

 We were anxious to find a locality where Dr. Hayden in 1870 had 

 collected a number of highly interesting fossils. For the purpose of 

 finding this place we descended from the ridge and reached the wagon- 

 road leading westward to the Sweetwater. A sharp ride against the 

 strong head wind brought us rapidly nearer the river. Searching for 

 bluffs which might answer the descriijtion given, we finally found the 

 l^lace, not far fr-om Cloven Peak. Eegaining the wagon-road we hurried 

 back toward camp. Where the road makes a turn to enter the gap we 

 found a i)arty of English sportsmen encamped. Here we heard, for the 

 first time, the news that one of our exploring parties had been obliged to 

 leave the field earlier than they had intended on account of the troubles 

 with Chief Joseph. They had, but a short time before, passed through 

 Whisky Gap on their way to Eawlings Springs. Our camp was to be 

 located on one of the small streams flowing northward from the Seminole 

 Momitains, and we accordingly headed our mules eastward. Crossing 

 ridges and narrow gulches, both trending north and south, we met with 

 large quantities of game, mostly antelope. At this season of the year 

 they congregate in bands of considerable numbers, and are less shy than 

 earlier in the summer. A thin wreath of smoke curhng up out of a 

 narrow valley to the right of us revealed the presence of camp, and just 

 as the sun sank below the horizon we reached it, tired from our ride of 

 4G miles in a heavy wind-storm. It was decided that Clymer and I 

 should leave the party on the 17th and proceed to Eawlings, fr^om there 

 to go farther west by rail, while the main portion of our smaH personnel 

 would remain in the field a few days longer. 



On the day following we marched eastward along the northern slope 

 of the Seminole Mountains, contiQuing in the course of the day before. 

 We passed a nimiber of small streams containing beaver-dams of consid- 

 erable size. Near the mountains these animals appear to occur in large 



