CHAPTER V. 



CLIMATE AND RESOURCES. 



By Walter P. Jenny, E. M. 



SECTION I. 



CLIMATE. 



It is extremely difficult, in fact almost impossible, to determine defi- 

 nitely the climate of the Black Hills from observations extending over a 

 portion of a single year, especially as we were continually changing our 

 location and altitude during the progress of the exploration, never being in 

 any place more than a few weeks; but I have tried to give the facts as I 

 observed them, with all the possible collateral evidence based on the growth 

 of plants and trees and the experience of previous explorers in this region. 

 Naturally many obvious contradictions will be noticed, which I have in 

 some cases tried to reconcile. In most instances I have given simply all 

 the information that was collected concerning the climate and rain-fall of 

 the Hills, that others, who have had greater and more extended experience 

 than myself in the Western country, might digest my data and judge for 

 themselves, should they not feel inclined to concur with my deductions. 



During the growing season heavy dews were of regular occurrence at 

 night, especially in the low bottom-lands along the streams, where the grass 

 in the morning would be as wet as if it had rained hard for an hour. By 

 experience we found it best to locate our camps on some slight elevation 

 above the flats of the valley, to obviate the annoyance of having tents and 

 camp equipage saturated with dew on breaking camp early in the morning. 



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