Rocky Mountain Trip 
from the ridge north, of the agency for Dr. Peale* The former 
will amount to nothing on account of the email quantity and tiro 
latter on account of the quality* 0ot a pleasant letter from Dr. 
Peale who had left with Gannett for Grand Bio several days before. 
Their trip to the Dolores had been successful. Met Dr. Made, who 
had been with the boys on the western trip. He seems a pleasant 
gentleman. Head mo an account of an Indian dan.ee which he had 
seen. Major Wheeler replaces Hr. 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 
widens here and is alkaline and sage covered. A herd of SGOO 
sheep is here in waiting for the ftmenaeb© mountains. 
Sept, BGthj Ilarehod 20 miles do?m *the Rio. Thor© are 
cottonwoods and willow with other trash. The bottom is whit© 
and often as hard as a floor. 
V -> . •* ' *' V ' V ; ' # 
Sept., 26th ; Followed fh© Rio some eight miles and struck 
across the low cretaceous terrace to the Gunnison 7 or B miles. 
%| ' > ' ' ' ’ 
The junction is as many miles below. The river Is a fin© one. 
Grossed and followed a trail that loads up a remarkable creek 
to the plateau. The 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 
©rat. end tertiary bed capped with basalt* and camped on a small 
creek tributary to the Grand and near the south base of the Mam.. 
