62 



PROM FORT LARAMIE TO FORT BRIDGER. 



fossils. Among these were perfectly rounded masses, fully a foot 

 in diameter, and others of stone apparently contorted like a rope 

 tied into knots ; they all appeared to have been attached to a 

 stem. The formation, on the left side of the river, consists of 

 sandstone with some beds of clayey shales and slaty shales. Salt 

 was found efflorescing on the rocks in two or three places, and this 

 was the case also on the opposite side, at the coal-beds on Deer 

 Creek. Artemisia was almost the only vegetation, and great dif- 

 ficulty was experienced in obtaining enough grass to subsist our 

 animals. The soil appears very barren, more from the absence 

 of moisture than from the character of its constituents ; as even 

 the alluvial bottoms exhibit the same destitute and naked features. 

 The road, since crossing, has been through deep sand, making the 

 travel extremely slow and fatiguing. Day's march, fifteen and 

 a-half miles. 



Thursday^ July 26. — Early this morning we passed a small 

 island in the river, promising a welcome supply of grass for our 

 wearied animals, which for the last three days have had very little 

 to eat, and begin to exhibit the effects of this want of nourish- 

 ment. Having afforded them a hearty meal, we continued up the 

 valley to a high bluff running to the river : we crossed it and 

 encamped in a deep valley beyond, where some pools of standing 

 water afforded drink for our stock. The grass was quite sufficient. 

 Some of the pools were so highly impregnated with salt as to be 

 quite unpleasant to the taste. 



The general character of the formation is the same as that of 

 yesterday — sandstone and shales : coal was found in two places, 

 the first near the island where we nooned, and again about five 

 miles beyond. In both cases the overlying strata were shales and 

 clay ; and that beneath, sandstone. The dip has been mostly to 

 the north ; but, where the coal was last seen, the strata were found 

 dipping to the south-west, at an angle of about 20°. They then 

 became horizontal, and in about half a mile the dip was again to 

 the north. Some specimens of shale, with impressions of leaves, 

 were collected, and also some crystallized carbonate of soda. 



Friday^ July 27. — Morning bright and cool. The road for the 

 greater part of the day has been through deep, heavy white sand, 

 of which the hills seem to be chiefly composed. Turning off from 

 the river, we left the road for the purpose of finding grass, and 

 encamped directly behind the Red Buttes, five miles distant from 

 the river, on the margin of a small lake or pond, formed by nu- 



