96 CACHE VALLEY. 



whicli consisted principally of conglomerates overlaying some argil- 

 laceous sandstones and beds of white and red clay. The conglome- 

 rates on the lower hills were formed principally of dark limestone, 

 much worn. On the higher benches, large boulders of feldspar 

 were found. Albite and serpentine also occurred, and metamor- 

 phic sandstones, some of which were very beautifully veined, as if 

 the strata had been disturbed before they had hardened. 



Returning to the southern end of the valley, we again struck the 

 Muddy, and followed it up to where it forks, amid the hills forming 

 the " divide" from Ogden's Hole. The eastern fork makes an im- 

 passable canon, but we followed up the west fork about four miles, 

 whence we crossed the Wahsatch range, and descended into a beau- 

 tiful, level, circular valley, about a mile in diameter, hemmed in by 

 an amphitheatre of lofty and steep mountains. Several fine springs 

 head in this singular little hollow, which uniting and emerging on 

 the south-west side, form the head of Box-elder Creek, a tributary 

 of the Salt Lake. The pass or gorge through which this little 

 stream rushes down the mountain to the plains below is steep, 

 rugged, and very narrow, being in places scarcely passable for 

 mules. I had hoped it would afford a passage over the range for 

 wagons, but this I soon found to be impracticable. Descending 

 this wild pass for about two miles, we reached the lake valley, and 

 repaired to our camp on Bear Biver. 



In crossing the Wahsatch range at this point, the lower hills on 

 the eastern side were composed of broken conglomerate. Large 

 boulders of serpentine were met with on the surface, and also al- 

 tered sandstones and limestones. Ascending from Cache Valley, 

 the dark limestones were found cropping out, but the surface was 

 so completely covered with vegetable soil that no section could be 

 obtained. The limestones seemed to form the summits of the highest 

 elevation of the range, but as we passed through the deep gorge 

 of Box-elder Creek, this could not be positively ascertained. No 

 trap was observed, but large boulders of granite were seen in the 

 sides of the pass. The rocks had been so much worn, and the 

 surface was so covered by fallen masses, that no section of the 

 stratification was visible. 



