1877. | Explorations in Colorado. 83 
more undulating and thickly covered with sage. Between the 
Yampah and White rivers, a distance of fifty miles, the country 
is mountainous; and on the divide between the Yampah and 
White rivers the elevation is eight thousand to nine thousand 
feet. Mr. Bechler, after having formed the geodetic connection 
with the work of previous years, concluded to finish the more 
mountainous portion of the area assigned to him, which began 
in the longitude of the White River agency and extended west- 
ward to about 108° 10’. Here the party found water and grass 
in abundance, with one exception. 
The plateau country, however, was so destitute of water and 
so cut up with dry gorges or cafions with scarcely any grass or 
timber of any kind, that traveling was rendered very difficult. 
The party therefore made White River its base of supply for 
water and grass, making side trips among the barren hill-tops 
or plateaus in every direction. 
From the Ute Agency, which is located approximately in lati- 
tude 88° 58’ and longitude 107° 48’, the White River takes an al- 
most due west course for fifteen or eighteen miles, most of the 
way through an open valley with here and there narrow gorges. 
About fifty miles from the agency, the river opens into a broad 
barren valley, with only here and there scanty patches of vege- 
tation. Soon after, the river enters a deep cañon with vertical 
walls one thousand feet or more in height which continue to 
increase in depth until the river flows into the Green River. 
The Yampah or Bear River occasionally deviates from a west- 
erly course only for a few miles. Like White River it flows 
through a plateau country which rises gently from the river, 
back for a distance of about eight miles. South of the river lie 
the Williams River Mountains, which have a gradual slope to 
the north. Williams Fork, flowing from a southeastern direction, 
joins the Yampah River. West of the junction, the Yampah 
traverses the country more or less in a cañon, occasionally emerg- 
ing into an open grassy valley, then enters a deep cañon, cuts 
through the Yampah Mountains, when it joins with the Snake 
River. The place of junction resembles a fine park surrounded 
on all sides with eroded terraces and plateau spurs, that rise by 
steps to the divide on either side. This park is about eight 
miles in length from east to west. 
After leaving this park the river enters a huge fissure in the 
mountains, where it remains until, completing its zigzag course, 
it joins the Green River in longitude 109° 40’ and latitude 32° 00’. 
