98 GEOGRAPHIC WORK BY THE 



mometers.* The barometer had been especially prepared and 

 was supposed to be in the very best condition. These observa- 

 tions were carefully computed by Professor E. H. McAllister, of 

 the University of Oregon, in connection with synchronous baro- 

 metric readings at Seattle, Portland, Fort Canby, and Walla 

 Walla, these points occupying positions approximately north, 

 south, west, and east of Rainier. The result was 14,528 feet 

 above sea-level. Major E. S. Ingraham, of Seattle, had previ- 

 ously determined and published the altitude of Rainier, as a re- 

 sult of readings of mercurial barometers, as 14,524 feet. 



In 1895 Mr S. S. Gannett, of the U. S. Geological Survey, de- 

 termined the height by angulation, in connection with triangu- 

 lation in the Cascades, to be 14,532 feet.t In 1896 Mr G. E. 

 Hyde, also of the U. S. Geological Survey, while making a topo- 

 graphic map of the country to the northeast of Rainier, secured 

 about forty angles of elevation to the highest point of the moun- 

 tain from various points, the distances averaging about 25 miles, 

 the mean of all these results being 14,519 feet. 



Eecapithlation : „ ± 



Feet. 



Barometric determination, McClure and McAllister. ... , 14,528 



Barometric determination, Ingraham 14,524 



Angulation determination, U. S. Geological Survey, Gannett 14,532 



Angulation determination, U. S. Geological Survey, Hyde 14,519 



Mean 14,526 



In addition to the above, the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey 

 determined the height of Rainier by angulation to be 14,440, but 

 the distances used were so great that the result was considered 

 merely approximate. 



GEOGRAPHIC WORK BY THE BUREAU OF AMERICAN 

 ETHNOLOGY* 



The germ of the Bureau of American Ethnology was an ex- 

 ploration of the canyons of Colorado river, begun in 1867 by 

 Major J. W. Powell. At first an amateur exploration, the work 

 was gradually refined into a survey fostered and afterward sup- 



*In descending the mountain Professor McOIure lost his life by falling over a prec- 

 ipice on July 27. 



|Xat. Geoo. Mao., vol. vii, p. 150, April, 1„896. 



% Extract from one of the replies (signed by W J McG-ee, Ethnologist in Charge, Bu- 

 reau of American Ethnology) to letters of inquiry for information to be incorporated in 

 a paper on geographic research in the United States for presentation before the British 

 Association for the Advancement of Science at the Toronto meeting. 



