KEPORT AND JOUBNAL. 59 



directly across Steptoe Valley to Egan Canon. This valley, trending about north and 

 south, is bound by the Un-go-we-ah Mountains on the east, and the Montim* Moun- 

 tains on the west, and is open at either end as tar as the eye can reach. Its breadth 

 is about twelve miles, and, like all the wide valleys we have crossed, is flatly concave 

 in cross-sections. At the benches the soil is gravelly. In the bottom it is areno-cal- 

 eareo-argillaceous, and on the west side of the valley, in wet weather, must bog a 

 great deal. Greasewood is the characteristic: ordinary height, .'> to 4 feet (See 

 minute description of this shrub by Dr. Engelmann, in Appendix M). Along the 

 axis of the valley a stream runs northwardly, which, at the present time, is twenty-five 

 to fifty feet wide; bottom miry; depth, in places, three feet; current moderate. It is 

 said to dry up in the summer. Curlew, ducks, and other aquatic birds frequent it. 

 There is a considerable margin of salt grass along it, which would be poisonous to 

 animals, though the water does not taste alkaline. This is a poor, arid valley, perfectly 

 useless for cultivation where we cross it; but farther south, where 1 crossed it on my 

 return, as my report will show, there is a great deal ot good, available pastural and 

 cultivable soil. Altitude above the sea, 5,816 feet. Small streams, however, of pure 

 water course down from the mountains and sink generally before reaching the middle 

 of the valley; and on the mountain-sides and in the ravines is to be found a great deal 

 of grass. 



On account of the marshy approach to the bridge we constructed yesterday over 

 this creek, we were detained three-quarters of an hour. Several of the wagons were 

 taken over by hand. At noon, 6.8 miles from bridge, we reached the mouth of Egan 

 Canon, down which a fine, rapid stream runs, and on which We encamp. Grass on 

 the side of the mountain. Journey 13.3 miles. Road good to the bridge; and from 

 there, a part of the way, the soil is light and porous, and cuts up easily. After reach 

 ing camp-ground, I examined, with Lieutenant Murry, Egan Canon, which had been 

 reported as requiring considerable work to enable the wagons to pass, but find little 

 will be necessary. We have had to-day with us, from Steptoe Valley, one of the mail 

 company's men, who joined us at my request and by direction of Mr. Egan. 



This afternoon the astronomical transit was set up' for observations of the transit 

 of the moon and moon-culminating stars. We were successful in the evening with our 

 observations. Also observed as usual for time (or longitude) and latitude. Also took 

 four sets of lunar observations for longitude with sextants and artificial horizons, two 

 sets being on each side of the moon. Lieutenant Smith observed for double altitudes 

 of the stars; Lieutenant Putnam, for double altitude of the moon; and I, for lunar dis- 

 tances, Mr. Lee noting audibly the time. The observations, being simultaneous, are re- 

 garded as quite satisfactory. I would ask, ''Are you all ready ?" If so, each would reply, 

 "Ready!" I would then say, "Count!" While Mr. Lee was counting, Lieutenant 

 Smith would be keeping up the superposition of the reflected and direct image of the 

 star in the artificial horizon; Lieutenant Putnam, the tangential contact of the reflected 

 and direct image of the bright limb of the moon, also in an artificial horizon; and I, 

 the tangency of the star and bright limb of the moon directly. At the proper instant, 

 I would call out the time, a nd if the other observers would respond, "All right!" to 



* The meaning of this word I have not le^n able to ascertain. 



