AMERICAN | 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &c. 
Arr. I_—Remarks upon the Geology, and physical features of the 
country west of the Rocky Mountains, with Miscellaneous facts ; 
by Joun Batt, of Troy, N.Y. 
I. Grotoey anp GrocRaPHy. 
Troy, November 27, 1834. 
TO PROFESSOR SILLIMAN. 
Dear Sir,—Ture article, communicated by Prof. Eaton, and pub- 
lished in Vol. xxv, No. 2, of your Journal, as being founded on a 
letter he received from me, written on the Columbia river, is found, 
in some respects to demand correction ; to do which, (in the mean 
time taking the liberty of stating a few facts, observed during the 
journey across the continent and a residence in that country,) is the 
inducement to make this communication. 
The route pursued was from Lexington in the State of Missouri, 
along the road of the Santa Fé traders, about thirty miles beyond 
the line of that State, thence N. W. to the Kanzas river at the gov- 
ernment agency, up that river to the village of the Kanzas Indians, 
then across the country, encamping on the Blue Creek, to the river 
Platte against the Grand Island. Soon after leaving the State of 
Missouri, the country becomes comparatively barren, with little tim- 
ber except along the streams, and the grass not of sufficient growth 
to carry fire over the undulating prairies. Sandstone and flinty 
limestone, both containing many shells were found in place, and 
granite, and red quartzose rock in bowlders. Ascending the Platte, 
over the bottoms of two or three miles in width, to its Forks, you 
pass no streams coming in from the sandy bluffs, and rolling barren 
country beyond. ‘The river is very broad and shallow, unfit for any 
kind of navigation, and sweeps along its due proportion of sand and 
mud to the main Missouri. At the forks of the Platte were met 
Vol. XXVIII.—No. 1. 1 
