khoda.] GEOGRAPHY — QUARTZITE PEAKS, 473 



crossed it, was nearly 13,000 feet in elevation. A keen, strong breeze 

 did not serve to add to our comfort in our present saturated condition. 

 While waiting here for the train, Mr. Wilson made station 24 on a 

 point east of that where we crossed the ridge. The elevation of this 

 place is about 12,700 feet — a little higher than the point where we 

 crossed the same divide a few days ago. We traveled down that branch 

 of the Rio Grande which heads between stations 24 and 25, and camped 

 in a splendid grove of pines. In the afternoon the sky had begun to 

 lighten up. Isolated clouds passed swiftly over us from the west, ever 

 and anon cutting off the sunlight, and producing the sudden chilling 

 effect always noticeable in the shadow of a cloud at high altitudes. The 

 great difference of temperature in the sun and in the shade at these alti- 

 tudes is very remarkable. At this particular time I thought I noticed 

 that whirls and gusts of wind always accompanied the fast-moving 

 shadow. Whenever a long space between clouds allowed the sun to 

 shine unobstructed, for some time the air would be quite still, but the 

 next cloud-shadow seemed to briug with it little whirlwinds and chang- 

 ing gusts of chilly air. By the time we had unsaddled our animals the 

 sun was shining brightly, and now, after four days and three nights of 

 incessant rain, we had a good opportunity to dry our clothes and blan- 

 kets, and every one made good use of the short time before sunset. In 

 the evening, instead of sitting down to a hearty meal, we had to make 

 our supper on bacon and dried apples alone, and very short rations at 

 that. We had a few beans left, but all the bacon and apples were used 

 up for supper ; but as we expected to reach Howardville the next day, 

 we did not mind it very much. Our bill of fare next morning pre- 

 sented only two articles — beans, which on account of our elevation could 

 not be well cooked, and sugar. We could take either or both as we chose. 

 Beans with other food are very strengthening, but alone we could 

 scarcely eat them at all. The pack-train started direct to Howardville, 

 while Wilson and I climbed the most northern of the quartzite peaks, a 

 point having an elevation of 13,576 feet above the sea. The day was 

 clear, still, and beautiful. After riding as far as we could, we still had 

 about a thousand feet to climb on foot over the steep debris slides before 

 reaching the top. We soon discovered that our breakfast of beans and 

 sugar formed a poor foundation for such hard work. Once on top, a 

 row of ten distinct peaks stretched in a nearly east and west line before 

 our eyes. Their ruggedness may be understood from the illustration of 

 "the Quartzite Peaks from station 38," the three or four on the left of 

 the picture being just in front of us from station 25. Being much nearer, 

 they appeared much more rugged than from station 38. The peaks in 

 this row range from 13,560 to 13,831 feet in elevation. Between them 

 we could seethe higher peaks to the south. 



The great and essential differences in the topography resulting from 

 the change in the geological formation is here so very marked and is so 

 interesting that I cannot pass it by without notice. The general differ- 

 ence in the appearance of the country in trachyte and quartzite forma- 

 tions is intended to be shown by the two large topographical sketches 

 presented in this report. The view of Mount Sneffels from station 29 

 shows nothing but trachyte rock, while the sketch from station 38 shows 

 quartzite only. But a mere sketch cannot show well the characteristics 

 of the two. I have tried to work out some of the features peculiar to 

 the topography of each of these two formations. These being derived 

 almost wholly from observations in Southern Colorado and for the great 

 part in this particular region, they may not have a very general appli- 

 cation. 



