92 FROM GREAT SALT LAKE CITY TO FORT HALL. 



of these strata and also of the crystalline sandstone was about 

 E. S.E., at an angle of from 60° to 70°. • 



From the junction of the two forks, the valley changes its direc- 

 tion to the N. N. W., which it maintains until it merges in that of 

 the Port Neuf, a distance of eighteen miles ; it becomes broader, the 

 bottoms are high, hard, very level, and entirely covered with arte- 

 misia. Coarse red metamorphic sandstone was found on the side 

 of the valley at this point, with a considerable dip to the north-east. 

 Clayey shales also occurred ; and, from the appearance of the soil, 

 a great deal of argillaceous rock, must exist in the vicinity. Five 

 miles below the forks, a remarkable isolated hill stands on the 

 western side of the valley, called by the traders the " Windmill 

 Rock." Here a dike of trap was met with, running north-east and 

 south-west, forming the axis of a chain extending across the valley, 

 and of which the isolated hill seemed to form a part. The dike 

 constituted the summit of a high hill on the east side of the river : 

 on the west side, the same rock was found, but not so high. Meta- 

 morphic sandstone (red) was found overlaying the trap, and what 

 appeared to be porous basalt was found in considerable abundance : 

 no section of the stratification of the sandstone could be obtained. 



Beyond this point, the valley of the Pannack gradually sinks 

 down into that of the Snake River. The hills that enclose it are 

 not high, and seem formed almost wholly of white clay ; at least, 

 this was the only soil exposed, even in some very deep ravines. 

 The same character of soil is found on the whole country this side 

 of Snake River. 



Twelve miles from the forks, we leave the Pannack, which there 

 makes a curve to the westward, around the point of a ridge which 

 is quite low, and the ascent gentle and regular. Upon reaching 

 the level of the table-land, nothing was to be seen, as far as the 

 eye could reach, but the eternal artemisia, which had taken com- 

 plete possession of this barren, dreary waste, and extended quite 

 to the Port Neuf. Upon reaching this stream, we struck upon 

 the emigrant road by Fort Hall to California ; and descending a 

 bluff, or rather a cliff, two hundred feet in height, and composed 

 entirely of argillaceous soil, we crossed the Port Neuf and en- 

 tered the valley of the Columbia. From the top of the bluff, an 

 extensive level plain, clothed with grass, is spread out before us, 

 like a beautiful picture ; while the fringe of heavy timber, stretch- 

 ing far away to the north and west, indicates the position of 

 Lewis's Fork of the great river of the West. Five miles to the 



