THE WYOMING FOSSIL FIELDS EXPEDITION 457 



Most of the explorers were b}^ this time beginning to feel anxious 

 lest tlie Canon of the Platte, the objective point of the expedition, 

 would not be reached within the time available. The field-work was 

 therefore curtailed and a march was made that followed the railwaj^ 

 to Medicine Bow Station, be3'ond which the Medicine Bow River and 

 the Little Medicine River were forded, and after one camp the Freeze- 

 out Hills were reached, which is a new locality for dinosaur collecting. 

 Here the geologist and paleontologist found' unbounded opportuni- 

 ties. The various bands forming the great fold in the Freezeout Hills 

 were all uncovered, so that it was possible to study the entire section 

 in minutia. Here were also the quarries of the National Museum, the 

 Field Columbian Museum, and the universities of Kansas, Minne- 

 sota, and Wyoming. This being a comparatively new field and the 

 dinosaur beds being exposed for a distance of 10 miles on each side 

 of the camp, dinosaur hunting was the order of the day. Ijong before 

 sunset on this never-to-be-forgotten 29th of July, men were returning 

 to camp from every direction loaded down with bones ; others were 

 seeking teams to haul their heavier loads to camp, and though the^'' 

 worked diligently, it was nearl}^ 10 o'clock before the last load of fos- 

 sils was brought in. The next day's work unearthed a still larger 

 quantit}'', the entire shipment from this point amounting to several 

 tons. 



The next camps were made in Shirley Basin, on Dry Creek, and 

 the following one on Cottonwood Creek, which is only two or three 

 miles east of the Grand Canon of the Platte, and is the nearest camp- 

 ing ground convenient for a large party. The canon had been the 

 principal topic of conversation for several days, and now that we were 

 approaching it, anticipation was at its height, and arrangements were 

 hurriedly perfected for an early morning start. Every man was up 

 in good time, and it is needless to say that no cameras were left be- 

 lli nd. After less than an hour's walk the gorge was reached, and the 

 party scattered, each bent upon the discovery of more magnificent 

 views than were found by his neighbor. On that day not less than 

 500 plates and films were exi)osed. 



This magnificent canon has never been described, it is hard to 

 account for so perfect an example of a canon having been passed l)y, 

 alike l)y adventurer and scientist, when it is really the grandest piece 

 of scenery to be found near the overland trail l>etw(!en Fort Laramie 

 and Salt I^ake. One of the famous camping grounds on this trail is 

 not mor(! than half a day's travel from the gorge, and many pioneers 



