38 o 
The Colorado River 
as the Grand Wash the knowledge of the canyons as already 
pointed out was vague in the extreme. The altitude of Green 
River Station, Wyoming, was known to be about six thousand 
feet above sea level, and that of the mouth of the Virgen less 
than one thousand. How the river made up this difference 
was not understood and this problem was what Powell now 
confronted. His fortitude, nerve, courage, and war experience 
served him well in this endeavour upon which he started, as 
previously described, in the spring of 1869. The War Depart¬ 
ment and perhaps the Smithsonian Institution, furnished some 
instruments. This expedition met with so many disasters that 
Powell deemed a second descent in the interest of science 
desirable, and for a continuation of his explorations. Congress 
voted in 1870 an appropriation of ten thousand dollars. This 
second expedition was successful, performing its work in the 
years 1871-72-73. At the Session of 1871-72 another appro¬ 
priation was made by Congress for proceeding with the topo¬ 
graphical and geological survey of the country adjacent to the 
river. These appropriations were expended under the super¬ 
vision of the Smithsonian Institution and were continued 
annually for work under the titles. Exploration of the Colorado 
River and its Tributaries, and Survey of the Rocky Mountain 
Region, up to 1879, when the work was consolidated largely 
through Powell’s endeavour, with two other surveys, Hayden’s 
and Wheeler’s. The latter thought all this work ought to be 
done by the War Department, but Powell believed other¬ 
wise and his view prevailed. Out of these grew by the con¬ 
solidation the Geological Survey, of which Clarence King was 
made director, Powell, because of the earnest efforts he had 
made to bring about the consolidation, refusing to allow his 
name to be presented. The new Geological Survey was under 
the Interior Department, and in 1881, when King resigned the 
directorship, Powell was immediately appointed in his place. 
The results of Powell’s original field-work were topographic 
maps of a large part of Utah, and considerable portions of 
Wyoming, Arizona, and Nevada, constructed under the direc¬ 
tion of Powell’s colleague. Prof. A. H. Thompson. There 
were also many volumes of reports and monographs, among 
