472 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



peak Mount Oso, from the Spanish word for hear. As we neared the 

 top of the peak the clouds coming from the west began to touch the 

 summit, and we expected that the electricity would prevent any work. 

 As we came up into the cloud we felt no electricity, at which we were 

 much surprised. Setting up the instrument, we worked for about an 

 hour, getting sights through the clouds, for as yet the storm had not 

 fully commenced. The height of this point is 13,640 feet. 



A number of sharp, distinct peaks, all quartzite,rise up in this vicinity 

 from 2,000 to 4,000 feet above their bases, and all are very steep and rug- 

 ged, more like needles than mountains. A number of little lakes are dot- 

 ted here and there at the heads of the canons. To the west, across the 

 Vallecito, the view into the high quartzites was much obstructed by 

 clouds. To the northwest, at a distance of about six miles, in the center 

 of the group, was a high peak of vertical strata, and all the upper 

 portion formed of great vertical pillars of quartzite. It seemed to be 

 on the center of upheaval, as on the two sides of it the strata inclined 

 in different directions. Its elevation is about 13,783 feet. 



In the immediate vicinity of our station the strata dipped at every 

 possible angle, and appeared so complicated that only a very detailed 

 study could ever bring order out of the chaos. 



In our descent from the peak we got pretty thoroughly drenched, and 

 found our mules looking disconsolate. We had left them near the sec- 

 ond little lake northeast of Mount Oso. 



Crossing the pass near this lake, we passed over to our camp on Rio 

 Grande waters, encountering much miry ground on the way. The rain 

 continued falling steadily all day and all night. The next morning the 

 creek near our camp was flooded, as were also our little tents. Earn 

 continued next morning, and as the elevatfon of this camp was 11,600 

 feet, and the timber thin and scattering, it was a poor place to remain 

 during a storm. We remained in camp all day. By standing in the rain 

 before the log fire we succeeded in drying ourselves nearly as fast as we 

 got wet. Hoping that it would clear off, we did not start early the next 

 morning, but seeing no prospect of a change in the weather, we saddled 

 up early in the forenoon and departed for other scenes. Our supply of 

 provisions was getting very short, and we could not remain longer. 

 All our flour had already given out, while the dried apples, beans, 

 and even the bacon were beginning to draw to their close. With 

 all these solemn facts staring us in the face,' the caravan started about 

 10 o'clock a. m. Our course lay up the creek and over the pass we had 

 crossed the day previous. We found the whole country Hooded. Natu- 

 rally very boggy, the ground was now so full of water that it almost 

 floated. 



The next morning the rain still continued. As the supplies were get- 

 ting short so fast, we concluded to strike the nearest way for Howard- 

 ville. Moreover, we were getting disgusted with this part of the coun- 

 try, and wanted to find a better camping-ground. Accordingly, we 

 moved up the main branch of the Vallecito. It was running considera- 

 ble risk, as without a trail to guide us we felt doubtful about being able 

 to cross the divide. The rain fell fast, and we were soon soaked to the 

 skin . The grade bein g very steep, we rose in elevation very fast, and soon 

 found snow and rain falling together, and we nearly froze. We stopped at 

 one place and made a fire by which to warm our feet, but the wood was so 

 soaked with water that we found it a difficult task. The train was behind 

 and did not catchup ; so Wilson and I heaped all the logs that were lying 

 handy upon the fire, and, as we found later, the rest of the party made 

 good use of the fire. Near the head of the creek the slope became very 

 steep and rose up to the divide, which, at the point at which we 



