116 EXPLORATIONS ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN OF UTAH. 



latitude, 39° 32' 53"; elevation above the sea, 7,057 feet; thermometer at 9.30 a. m. 

 72°. The guide and Stevenson left this morning early to find water, if possible, about 

 10 miles ahead, and if they return in time, we are to move that distance to-day. Mr. 

 Engelmann and myself left at 8.30 o'clock to make some observations from some high 

 points to the south of camp. After a hard struggle attain top of bluff (Black Head) 

 and get views of country from 60 to 100 miles around. West of north, far distant, where 

 are the high snow-clad summits of what, doubtless, is the Humboldt range. To the west 

 the We-a-bah range appeared quite near, though quite 30 miles off. To the southwest 

 could be seen, evidently, the Antelope range, at the foot of wdiich w r e encamped July 

 8, seven days ago. To the south, for 60 miles, mountain-range after mountain-range 

 appeared running in every variety of direction; and to the east, some 30 miles off, a 

 number of parallel ranges trending generally north and south. Between the east and 

 west ranges there seems to have been an upheave of igneous rocks breaking the sedi- 

 mentary rocks and causing the irregularity of trend of the ranges, and this seems also 

 to have been the case to the south of us. These rocks are of a brown porphyrinic 

 character. To the north of our camp the formations are the same yell. .wish limestones 

 of Carboniferous age which were before found on both sides of Long Valley. As far 

 as the eye can reach to the south of us the mountains are covered with cedars, which 

 is almost a sure indication that water and grass also exist in that region. Got back to 

 camp at half past 11. At about 5 the guide, Pete, and Stevenson, returned to camp, 

 and reported water 12 miles ahead, and also 3 miles, beyond that. 



July 16, Camp No. 18, Summit Spring, Too-muntz Mountain range. — Thermometer 

 at 4.40 a. m. 53°. Move at 5, and continue eastwardly down canon to Butte Valley. 

 In 1 mile from camp pass a fine gushing spring, which issues from foot of bluff, and 

 gives rise to the small stream referred to before, which, after running a third of a mile, 

 sinks. This spring, creek, and canon I call after Pete, the Ute Indian, who has been 

 of so much service to us in our explorations. The bottom-grass along it, as also the 

 bunch-grass in the vicinity, is abundant. 



The grasses I have noticed along the route at different times and in different locali- 

 ties are as follows: First, the very fine mountain-grass, the fruit of which is very small 

 and pretty. This grass attains a height of 1J to 2 feet. Second, the slightly coarser 

 mountain-grass, existing, like the other, in bunches, but showing larger fruit. This 

 attains a height of about two feet. These two kinds are found chiefly on the mountain 

 benches and slopes and in the ravines. Third, the rye or wheat grass. Fourth, the 

 large high bunch-grass which is principally found on benches along streams, and attains 

 a height of from 3 to 4 feet. Fifth, the sage-grass, very seldom seen, but found among 

 the artemisia, or wild sage; and which grows about 1| feet high. Its fruit resembles, 

 in the husk, the wild wheat. Sixth, the desert-grass, small, fine, and presenting a glossy 

 kind of blossom or fruit. Its height is about 8 inches. The animals prefer the 

 mountain-grass or the first two kinds to all others, and these abound generally on both 

 our routes. 



In three-quarters of a mile from Pete's Spring reach mouth of canon by gentle de- 

 scent, and 10.9 miles more cross Butte Valley, (6,268 feet above the sea,) with low range 

 of mountains, 5 miles off, limiting it at the south, and strike a stream of pure cold water 



