'm 
tacky fountain Trip 
from the- ridge north of the agency for Dr. Peale. The former 
will amount to. nothing on account of the small quantity and the 
latter on account of the quality. Got a pleasant letter from Dr. 
Peale who had left with Gannett for Grand Rio several days before. 
Their trip to the Dolores had been successful. Llet Dr. hack, who 
had been ith the boys on the western trip. lie seems a pleasant 
gentleman. Head me an account of an Indian dance which he had 
seen. Major Aheeler replaces Mr. Bond at the agency. Saw a 
number of Indians. Ouray is in the east. Received papers from 
Pierson and letters from Scott Paris and Gr. B. The valley 
J 
Widens here and is alkaline and sage covered. A herd of 3000 
sheep is here in waiting for the V/emenache mountains. 
Sept. 25th : Marched 20 miles down the Rio. There are 
cottonwoods and willow with other trash. The bottom is white 
and often as hard as a floor. 
Sept. 26th : Followed the Rio some eight miles and struck 
across the low cretaceous terrace to the Gunnison 7 or 8 miles. 
The junction is as many miles below. The river is a fin^ one. 
Grossed and followed a trail that leads up a remarkable creek 
to the plateau, fhe peculiarity of the creek is that it does 
not follow what seems the natural and appropriate bed or valley 
near the base of the plateau, but runs down the sloping terrace 
in a shallow ditch. This the trail follows to camp 12 or 18 
miles up.. 
Sept. 27th : Crossed the plateau which Is of the upper 
cret. end tertiary bed capped with basalt, and camped on a small 
creek tributary to the Grand and near the south base of the Mam 
Mesa., 
