456 EEPOET UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



part of tlieir ronte from the Snake River Plains to the Wind River Valley 

 and the buffalo range, as the broad and deeply-cut trails testified. But 

 for many years the route had been deserted, as we found large trees 

 growing across the trails and completely obstructing them. The caiion 

 is narrow, with precipitous walls, and in some places dif&cult and dan- 

 gerous for pack-animals. I am inclined to believe that only war and 

 hunting parties were in the habit of using it, as lodge-poles and the 

 other bulky paraphernalia of an Indian village would find the passage 

 through these defiles both difficult and dangerous in the extreme. It 

 was through this canon that Mr. Hunt and his companions made their 

 way in ISil to the banks of the Snake or "Mad" River, in their terrible 

 journey to Astoria. 



Hoback's River enters the Snake a few miles below the head of the 

 caiion of the latter stream, but above its mouth the canon is not at all 

 difficult to traverse. 



Turning northward, on reaching the Snake, my party followed up 

 this stream through the broad valley known as Jackson's Hole, passed 

 Jackson's Lake, at the head of the valley, and left the stream only at 

 the point where the Lewis or Lake Fork joins it, at the southern 

 boundary of the Yellowstone Park, where we arrived on August 9. Here 

 the work began. At this point we turned westward, following up a small 

 branch of Lewis Fork. This little stream, heading in springs at the 

 base of Pitchstone Plateau, we left on our right, and, crossing a low 

 divide, in a gap between the Teton Range and Pitchstone Plateau, we 

 struck Falls River, here a good-sized stream. This river we followed down 

 to the border of that great marshy valley known as Falls River Basin. 

 We then skirted this valley to the point of debouchement of Bechler's 

 Fork from the high plateau. Here we turned our backs upon Falls 

 River Basin, climbed the plateau on the northwest side of Bechler's 

 Fork, and followed its general course, keeping on the high plateau, 

 near its caiion. Reaching its head, we struck over a low divide, and 

 descended to the Shoshone Geyser Basin, on Shoshone Lake. This was 

 on August 14. At this point I remained, detained by rainy weather, 

 until the 21st, occupying myself in the intervals between the showers in 

 surveying the Basin. 



On the 20th I started, accompanied by a packer, on a trip to the Red 

 Mountains for the prosecution of the topographical work in and about 

 them, leaving the balance of the party at Shoshone Lake. 



From the west end of Shoshone Lake I traveled on a direct course to 

 the west end of the mountain group, then climbed the range at this 

 end, and traveled along the crest to Mount Sheridan, being obliged to 

 leave the top only once, and then for only a short distance. 



On the 21st, while still in the mountains, I was joined by Mr. Holmes, 

 and together we completed the trip, surveying the country in reach 

 from the Red Mountains and Flat Mountain. Returning, we touched 

 the northeast corner of Lewis Lake, crossed Lewis Fork at the outlet 

 of Shoshone Lake, and thence skirted the latter around to camp. 



Immediately after returning from this trip, on the 26th, my whole 

 party went over to the Firehole River, and down it to the Upper Geyser 

 Basin. Delaying there a day, we moved down to the Lower Basin, 

 having left Messrs. Peale and Mushbach behind to carry on their work. 

 While on this march we learned for the first time that the hostile Ban- 

 nocks were in our vicinity. As the reports were very indefinite as to 

 the extent of the danger, we decided to remain where we were until 

 more information should reach us. Meanwhile we located oui- camp in 



