CHAPTER I. 



DEAINAGB. 



» 



A. — WHITE KIVER DRAINAGE. * 



Four large streams flow into the White, heading on the Roan Moun- 

 tains or Book Cliffs, and following a course of about south to north. Of 

 these the first one (going Irom east to west) enters the White about 30 

 miles below the agency buildings. It is called Pi-ce-ance by the In- 

 dians, and we have retained the name. This stream has a length of 

 45 miles, and carries water during the entire year. Most of its tribu- 

 taries are dry, except early in spring and daring a portion of the rainy 

 season. Douglas's Creek, named after the head-chief of the White- 

 Eiver Utes, is the next stream of good size ; it flows into White River, 

 about 60 miles below the agency, having a general course west of 

 north. Shorter than this is Evacuation Creek, which joins the White 

 25 miles below Douglas's. The courses of the two last named are very 

 nearly parallel. Starting with two main forks, which join at Station 

 32, is Two Water Creek; while its east fork, Bitterwater Fork, con- 

 tains very unpalatable alkali water; the west one, Sweetwater Fork, is 

 fresh. Below the junction we found no water whatever. Both of the 

 last-named streams enter the White beyond the western border of Col- 

 orado, in Utah, 100 miles below the agency. 



Besides these more important streams, there are several smaller ones 

 worthy of mention. Between the agency and Pi-ce-ance is Cattle Creek, 

 4 miles below the former. It heads near Station 2, and after but a 

 short run joins the White, Another creek is found between Pt-ce-ance 

 and Douglas's, draining the low bluff country between the mouths of 

 the two larger streams. Asphalt Wash is a dry creek east of Two 

 Water ; it is but short, cutting deeply, however, into the sandstones 

 and shales of the region. 



Near the heads of all these streams we found more or less abundant 

 springs; many of them were flowing but feebly, during the time of our 

 explorations (the dry season), and a short distance only. In the morn- 

 ing, not unfrequently, the water was more plentiful, and camp couhl be 

 made at a point from which any flowing water would be removed for 

 some distance by evening. Evaporation during the day decreased the 

 emitted quantity, which received a fresh supply during the night, by 

 the cessation of this evaporation, and by the precipitation of moisture as 

 a copious dew. As has been observed in many arid regions through- 

 out the world, so here, too, certain strata of rocks were more abundantly 

 supplied with moisture than others. It was iff such strata, or imme- 

 diately below them, that springs had to be looked for. At almost 

 every locality where the lithological character of strata shows only 

 sandstone and shale, we will find the same occurrence. Requisite, of 

 course, are conditions favorable to the emission of water retained by 

 such " water-strata.'' 



B.— GRAND RIVER DRAINAGE. 



A small portion only of the drainage belonging to this river falls with- 

 in the limits of our district, south of the agency. The divide between 

 5g 65 



