368 EEPORT UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



broken by canon-like fissures which the main as well as intersecting 

 streams have carved. 



The most valuable bottom or basin area existing on the "White Eiver 

 is that of Simpson's Park, near the agency, and this area without irri- 

 gation applied would be reduced by obstacles of diversified character, 

 perhaps, to but two or three square miles of land fit for agricultural 

 purposes. 



The basin next largest in size to Simpson's Park is about 10 miles 

 down the river, and to it the name of Powell's Park has been given. As 

 it is far less extensive than the Agency Park, and, except a small strip 

 along the river, lacks many conditions necessary to render it useful, 

 little value is attached to it. 



In travelling beyond Powell's Park and down the stream, we pass two 

 more basin areas of lesser extent. In this region, as well as in many 

 places farther down, the stream frequently impinges on the bluffs on 

 both sides, making travelling toilsome, as frequent crossings become 

 necessary. Very often the banks are abrupt and had to be cut in order 

 to effect a crossing or to enable us to reach water for our animals and 

 ourselves. 



The general appearance of the country along the White Kiver is of 

 the most desolate character; there are but few, if any, redeeming feat- 

 ures in it. There are few places along White River that are not lined 

 with bluffs, terraces, or high banks, most of the time approaching the 

 river margin very closely, and only where the plateau shows a basin do 

 the embankments or bluffs recede to the rear. 



The nearer the White River approaches the Colorado and Utah line, 

 the higher the plateau rises above the river. When 16 miles east of 

 the point where the river leaves Colorado it reaches about the meridian 

 of the most eastern portion of the Great Yampa Plateau, which about 15 

 miles to the north rises above the lower mesa like huge walls of gigan* 

 tic fortifications. Along the whole front of the Great Tampa Plateau, 

 the lower mesa, coming close to the river, is higher than elsewhere. In 

 Raven Park as well as in its surroundings (referring to the lateral 

 caiSons that enter Ravens Park above) we have a clear demonstration 

 of the powerful and at the same time curious effect of water operating 

 on a flat area, in the wearing down and gashing, as in this case, of a 

 district of, perhaps, 40 square miles. There are left the strangely 

 moulded remnants of a former level surface. 



A few miles below Ravens Park White River enters a canon caused 

 by an additional covering of stratified rocks. The general height of the 

 caiion at a point about 7 miles west of the Colorado and Utah boundary 

 was found to be from 1,200 to 1,500 feet, but there is no doubt that as 

 the river descends in its course toward Green River, the caiiou walls 

 may attain a height greater than 2,000 feet. 



It will be necessarj^ here to describe only briefly the country across 

 and north from the White River extendiog toward the Yampa River 

 as well as to the western extremities of the Yampa Plateau. In refer- 

 ring to this portion of the area I have to mention that, like the eastern 

 half of the Yampa Plateau, it belongs politically nearly in its totality, 

 to Utah Territory. It bears all the characteristics of bad lands, a term 

 used very often in the descriptions of Western countries, where aridity, 

 sterility, and sparseness of vegetation prevail. The highest portion 

 of this plateau country is a strongly expressed line of hogbacks, run- 

 ning diagonally from the point near the. White River, west of Ravens 

 Park, to the high and conspicuous bluffs that form the extreme south- 

 western walls of the Great Yampa Plateau. The d!stance across is 24 



