ranges of central Colorado. In 1875 he was given charge of the 
party assigned to the Survey of the San Juan Valley in hew Mexico 
and Arizona* It happened that this region was the home of the 
ancient Cliff-dwellers and he examined and reported on the remark 
able ruins encountered at nearly every turn, thus making his 
entr^se into the fascinating realm of archeology. At this 
period the region was infested by bands of thieving Indians and 
on one occasion the party 1 s entire herd of animals was driven off 
at midnight, but fortunately by the prompt pursuit of the head 
packer, Thomas Cooper, all were recaptured before morning. (See 
detailed account of the episode herewith. ) 
The winter months of 1875-76 were spent in Washington, 
preparing reports of the previous field season on the geology 
and- archeology of the Cliff House Region of Southern Colorado, 
and the spring months in preparing extensive exhibits for the 
Museum to be shown at the Philadelphia Centennial. The summer 
was spent in a remarkable tripaclth A. D. Wilson on the primary 
tri angulat i on o^ the great mountain systemsof Colorado. During 
tne season eleven peaks, 14,000 feet in height or approaching 
that height were climbed, among these are Longs, Pikes, G-rays , 
Culebra, Torrey, Evans, Sopris, Lincoln, Grizzly, White Rock, 
Powell, Italian, Blanca, Herperus and the quartzites. Holmes 
was the first to reach the summit in every case. 
The survey of the Colorado region continued through 
1877, but Holmes remained in Washington in charge of the preuara- 
