6 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI STUDIES [14^ 



of the Ashland bridge, Hinkson creek turns abruptly westward 

 and for some distance the valley winds back and forth, across 

 a belt about half a mile wide, in a series of very symmetrical 

 meanders, with cliffs on both sides of the valley, the maximum 

 steepness alternating between the right and left sides according 

 to the position in the meander. An especially striking bow of 

 cliffs stands directly south of Columbia. The region between 

 this point and Columbia is broken into hills. South of Hinkson 

 creek there are several deep valleys with streams fed by never 

 failing springs. A barren hill of red clay forms a bold tongue 

 in one of the meanders of Hinkson creek just across Black's 

 Mill ford. 



5. The Hinkson region southwest. — West of the 

 Providence bridge Hinkson creek again turns south and shortly 

 afterwards bends toward the west, and after several similar 

 bends it empties into Roche Perche creek a mile beyond Turner. 

 The bluffs for the most part stand on the south side of the 

 stream, but they are seldom high. The valley to the north is 

 an alluvial flat, whose outer rim consists of low hills, which 

 connect it with the upland plain. Flat Branch flows from the 

 western part of the city southward into Hinkson creek, and 

 through its valley the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad 

 takes its course southwestward to McBaine. The Hinkson 

 valley terminates in that of Roche Perche creek, which con- 

 tinues southwestward till Brushwood lake is met. At this point 

 the valley is just above the level of the Missouri, and after a 

 few horseshoe-like curves, it enters the Missouri valley. 



6. The Roche Perche region west.— The country to the 

 west consists of the upland plain, scarcely any of which is left 

 in forest. At the covered bridge on the Rocheport road Roche 



