480 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



Bruin afc last, some of the tribe had suddenly jumped up uot far from 

 us and taken to their heels over the loose rocks. Mountain sheep we 

 had beaten in fair competition, but the bear was " one too many for us." 



After stopping a few moments to draw our breath, we had a little 

 leisure to look around us. Looking back we could see the clump of trees, 

 3,000 feet below us, in which camp was situated; while in front of us, and 

 behind us, and around us, appeared nothing but miles and miles of loose 

 rock, with rocky peaks everywhere. Immediately in front of us was a 

 curious depression, which, at its lowest point, was about 2,000 feet below 

 us, although we were standing on the lowest point of the ridge surround- 

 ing it. It covered several square miles in area ; it seemed to be com- 

 pletely closed up, as no outlet could be seen. It was apparently walled in 

 on all sides. On our right a bluff ran clear around to the great mountain, 

 and was very nearly vertical for full a thousand feet, at some points more. 

 For three miles from this pass, along the ridge on the south side of the 

 amphitheater, no point is less than 13,500 feet in elevation, while several 

 peaks rise above 13,700, and one above 13,800 feet. Just to the south of 

 Mount Sneffels was another comparatively low gap, which we felt was 

 passable for good foot-climbers. This and the pass on which we stood 

 were the only visible outlets; excepting these two, which were only just 

 passable to men on foot, we could see no break in the great Chinese wall 

 around this little empire of desolation and death-like stillness. We knew, 

 of course, that there must be an outlet, and we knew where that outlet 

 must be, but we saw none ; we knew that the wall around the south 

 side from us to the great peak, was continuous, and we could see that 

 there was no break in the north wall for a considerable distance. The 

 only point we were not sure of was at the northeast corner of the basin, 

 just west of the peak. We were certain the outlet must be there, merely 

 because we knew it could be nowhere else ; however interesting it might 

 have been from a geological point of view, it made our hearts sink within 

 us to look at it. In making the ascent of a mountain, there is nothing 

 more painful than to find a deep gorge or sink crossing your path ; you 

 know that all the distance you go down must be climbed up again before 

 you reach once more your present level. We did not remain on the pass 

 long enough to think half that I have written, for it has always been a 

 maxim with us that every minute saved in the morning brings us back 

 to camp so much earlier iu the evening, and we can never tell how long 

 a climb is going to take us. We find sufficient time w r hile climbing to 

 observe the scenery around us iu a very general way, but the romance 

 of our work is not fully appreciated by us till we reach civilization, where 

 we can find leisure to think over what we have seen ; at the time no 

 romance is visible. 



Almost due east of us and across the sink, at a distance of three miles, 

 was Mount Sneffels, the end and aim of our labors. We traveled over 

 the sunken area a considerable time, as it is several miles across. As 

 we went on, it became more and more evident that the " fallen-in " ap- 

 pearance of this depressed area was not mere appearance. Evidence 

 presented itself on all sides to prove that this great area had actually 

 sunk in one mass several hundred feet. After a time the descent became 

 much steeper, and we were much surprised on looking back to see be- 

 hind us a peak rising up to a considerable height. The truth was, that 

 it was only a ridge the same height as the main part of the amphitheater, 

 and only presented the appearance of a peak from below. Near this 

 point we were joined by Ford, one of the packers, who had concluded 

 that he wanted to climb a peak, too, and had chosen this one, the hardest 

 climb of the season. The lowest point of the amphitheater was the head 



