single portraits of persons and small groups, it dors \rr\ well; luit as, ( 



expeditions, the chief drshhratmn is to daguerreotype extensive monntaii 



other notable objects bavin- considerable extent, the camera has to he corr 



every object within the held of view, a blurred effect, as well as distortion of parts. 

 In my judgment, the camera is not adapted to explorations in the Held, and a good 

 artist, who can sketch readily and accurately, is much to be preferred. 



The contributions of Dr. ( leorge En-elmann upon the botany, 1 Wessor Spencer 



F. Baird on the ornithology, and of Mr. Theodore (Jill on the ichthyology of the country 



traversed by the expedition, will also command attention, on account of the well- 

 earned reputation of these gentlemen in their several special branches of scientific 



give his statements a value which I am pleased here to acknowledge. 



I must also express my thanks to Maj. Frederick Dodge, the General Govern- 

 ment agent of the Washoe and Pi-Ute Indians, for information in relation to these 

 Indians and the vocabularies of their languages, to be found appended to my report. 

 The courteous treatment of my party by this gentleman on our arrival at Genoa, in 

 Carson Valley, and afterward, was a cordial which can never be forgotten. 



I also present my grateful acknowledgments to Mr. Edward M. Kern for his very 

 valuable journal of his exploration of the Humboldt River, Carson Lake, and Owen's 

 River and Lake in 1845, under Capt. John C. Fremont, Corps Topographical Engi- 

 neers, now for the first time given to the public. The fact that this exploration under 

 the authority of the War Department was the original source of the information and 

 maps which we have of this particular portion of our country, gives it a peculiar value 

 which all must acknowledge. 



I would also draw attention to the map, synopsis, and extracts from the diary of 

 Father Escalante's journey from Santa Fe to Utah Lake, and thence back to Santa 

 Fe, by way of the Moqui country and the Indian jweblos of Zufii and Acoma, in 

 1776—77, by Mr. Philip Harry, of the Bureau of Topographical Engineers. Mr. 

 Harry, at my solicitation, has done good service in the cause of geographical history, 

 in translating the manuscript of this Spanish Franciscan monk, and now for the first 

 time presenting extracts from it to the public, with a sketch plotted by him from this 

 father's notes. The manuscript w r as kindly placed at my disposal for the jmrpose 

 stated by Col. Peter Force, of this city, whose well-stocked library has before been 

 drawn upon by officers of our corps for information in relation to the early history of 

 our country. In the introduction to my report, it will be noticed that, before giving 

 a general description of the physical characteristics of the Great Basin, I have gone 

 fully into the history of all the explorations that have been made in it from the time 

 of Escalante to the present period, which I trust will not prove unacceptable to all 

 who take an interest in such researches. 



