352 REPORT UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



tions of it can be readily irrigated, and from the mild climate which it 

 must possess in the winter, it can easily be seen that it will prove availa- 

 ble for agricultural i^urposes, and that it will produce many crops that 

 it is impossible to raise in the valley of White River. The left-hand 

 branch of the trail continues southward on the east side of the hogbacks, 

 to fork again some six miles farther on, one branch leading through the 

 already-mentioned nearly dry pass to Cactus Valley, while the main trail 

 keeps on down the valley without interruption to the Grand. 



On the east side of the hogbacks and nearly opposite the dry pass, 

 lust referred to, a single family of "White River IJtes has made its home, 

 having occupied for many years the same sheltered nook. The family 

 consists of some ten or fifteen members, and the settlement is known at 

 the agency as the "Old Squaw's Camp," from the energetic old lodian 

 woman who seems to be its leading spirit. There is most excellent 

 hunting in the immediate vicinity of the camp, and from the location 

 the winter weather experienced must be mild. This family cultivates a 

 small patch of ground, and possesses a herd of 50 or 75 head of cattle 

 and an equally large herd of ponies. Although these people are still 

 housed in the traditional U]^ee or icich-e-up, they seem to have virtually 

 withdrawn of their own accord from the nomadic life pursued by most 

 of the tribe. 



On both sides of the Grand Hogback, along its entire extent, there is 

 good pasturage, but the amount of arable land is very limited. There 

 are but two points which seem to have been much used by the Indians as 

 camping places. The highest point on the trail leading from White 

 River to Grand River is 7,733 feet above sea-level. The highest measured 

 point in the Hogback Range is about 20 {uiles south of White River and 

 attains an altitude of 9,311 feet above sea-level. Seven topographical 

 stations were made along the Hogback Range and to the east of it. 



ROAN OR BOOK PLATEAU. 



Marching through the range near the headwaters of Pi-ce-ance 

 Creek, we entered the plateau region that stretches from tho hogbacks 

 westward. Where Pi-ce-ance Creek cuts through the hogbacks it is a 

 stream of five or six feet width ; but the amount of water rapidly dimin- 

 ishes as we follow its course, until, at a point some six miles from the 

 range, it entirely disappears. 



We had been able to learn absolutely nothing as to the character of 

 the district which we now entered. From the north and east it had 

 shown only as an undulating, yellow plateau, apparently treeless, and 

 cut by numerous deep washes or caSons, with sloping, grass-covered 

 sides of the same yellow hue. From the south no idea of it could be 

 obtained, since the summit of the plateau was entirely invisible from 

 the lowlands of Grand River, only its edge showing as a rugged, inac- 

 cessible, and apparently unbroken line of bluffs, upward of 2,000 feet 

 in altitude, which had long been known as the Roan or Book Cliffs. 



Unable to find any encouraging signs of water on the summit of this 

 unexplored plateau, but knowing that it was absolutely necessary to 

 our work that the party should visit it, we followed Pi-ce-ance Creek 

 until its bed was perfectly dry, and then, turning up one of the dry 

 gulches to the left, struck for the head in the hope of finding running 

 water or springs. For some miles we followed the bed of the stream, 

 but, toward the middle of the afternoon, were forced by the increasing 

 ruggedness of the caiion-walls to climb out and take our course along 

 the summit of the plateau, marching toward the head of this dry water- 



