REPORT OF PROFESSOR POWELL ON THE SURVEY OF THE COLO- 
RADO OF THE WEST. 
Smithsonian Institution, 
Washington , D. 0., May 1, 1S74. 
Sir: I have tlio honor to present a third preliminary report, made in 
accordance with the acts of Congress, approved March 31, 1871, June 
10, 1872, and March 3, 1873, u appropriations for sundry civil expenses 
of the Government,” &e., for the survey of the Colorado River of the 
West, and its tributaries, by Prof. J. W. Powell. 
This survey was placed under the direction of the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution by Congress, without solicitation on the part of the Institution. 
It has, however, endeavored faithfully to discharge the duty imposed 
upon it • has given due attention to the plans and execution of the work 
intrusted to it, and has received and prepared for exhibition in the 
National Museum the valuable collections in ethnology and natural 
history which have been obtained by Professor Powell. 
The region embraced in this survey, as I have stated in a previous 
report, is one of the most interesting, in a geological point of view, in 
this or in any other country. The Colorado of the West and its tribu- 
taries traverse a series of remarkable chasms, in some instances of more 
than a mile in depth below the general surface of the region, presenting 
in several places, at one view, sections of the greater number of the 
known geological formations of America. 
In the report herewith submitted, a general summary is given of the 
entire work. It exhibits a great amount of labor, and a series of results, 
not only of importance to science, but also to a knowledge of the coun- 
try in its relations to agriculture and mineralogy. The report embraces 
a statement of what has been accomplished in the way of, first, Topog- 
raphy, as based on triangulation, including a description of the arable 
valleys, the supply of water, the extent of timber and of pasture-land ; 
second, Geology , including economic mineralogical products, such as 
coal, salt, and other minerals ; third, Ethnology , comprising tribes, po- 
litical organization, languages, manners, customs, mythology, poetry, 
arts, &c . ) fourth, Natural History , including mammals, birds, reptiles, 
insects, and plants. 
Professor Powell in his last year’s survey completed the work for 
which the appropriations by Congress have been made. He now sug- 
gests the propriety of a further appropriation for one year, to enable 
him to connect his surveys with those of Clarence King on the north, 
and those of Dr. Hayden on the east. 1 have no hesitation in saying 
