WATER SUPPLY OF RAPID CREEK. 269 



deposits of gravel, including both the high bars and narrow flats in the 

 canon, are known to be valuable, resembling those of the Spring Creek 

 district, so closely as to render it unnecessary to again minutely describe 

 them. Geologically, Rapid, Castle, and Spring Creeks belong to one dis- 

 trict, as they are characterized by the same prevailing rocks and quartz 

 veins, and the gravel deposits, being formed by rapid streams, with consid- 

 erable volumes of water and heavy grades, naturally resemble each other. 



Reports from Rapid Creek, December 31, 1875, state that "the canon 

 is located from head to mouth, and 10 cents to the pan is considered a low 

 average prospect in the pay streak." The water supply is ample for work- 

 ing purposes; at least double that of Spring Creek. The current is so rapid 

 that it is difficult to estimate the volume of the stream without making 

 accurate measurement. It varies somewhat with the season, probably 

 between 1,000 and 2,000 miner's inches; being greatest in May and least 

 in the fall and early winter months. 



The descent of the valley, omitting minor bends, is from 70 to 80 feet 

 to the mile, measured in straight lines. In places the grade is fully 90 feet; 

 a most advantageous circumstance in working the placers. 



Rapid Creek emerges from the canon in the limestone at the edge of 

 the plains, and flows through the most beautiful valley in the Hills. Long 

 flats, covered with a rank growth of bottom grass, line its banks, which are 

 .lotted by groves of oak and elm. The side gorges and ravines cutting 

 through the Red Beds and the variegated sandstone of the top of the Car- 

 boniferous expose cliffs several hundred feet in height, pictured with sand- 

 stone of all shades of color from yellow through pink to the darkest red. 

 A trail known to the Indians as the "Race Course," following the Red 

 Valley, and completely encircling the Hills at the edge of the plains, crosses 

 Rapid Creek a mile below the canon. At this point several large springs 

 of cold water, free from even traces of gypsum, emerge from the Triassic 

 limestone, and pour each from 50 to 100 miner's inches of water into the 

 creek. Three miles farther down a small branch enters Rapid Creek from 

 the north, formed by a number of fine springs of water issuing from the 

 foothills about two miles north of the stream, and affording about 39 miner's 



