vache_ for a fire, there being no wood; and I amused myself with
hunting for plants among the grass.

It will be seen, by occasional remarks on the geological formation, that
the constituents of the soil in these regions are good, and every day
served to strengthen the impression in my mind, confirmed by subsequent
observation, that the barren appearance of the country is due almost
entirely to the extreme dryness of the climate. Along our route, the
country had seemed to increase constantly in elevation. According to the
indication of the barometer, we were at our encampment 5,440 feet above
the sea.

The evening was very clear, with a fresh breeze from the south, 50 deg. east.
The barometer at sunset was 24.862, the thermometer attached showing 68 deg..
I supposed this to be a fork of Lodge Pole creek, so far as I could
determine from our uncertain means of information. Astronomical
observations gave for the camp a longitude of 104 deg. 39' 37", and latitude
41 deg. 08' 31".

14th.--The wind continued fresh from the same quarter in the morning; the
day being clear, with the exception of a few clouds in the horizon. At our
camp, at six o'clock, the height of the barometer was 24.830, the attached
thermometer 61 deg.. Our course this morning was directly north by compass,
the variation being 15 deg. or 16 deg. easterly. A ride of four miles brought us
to Lodge Pole creek, which we had seen at the mouth of the South fork;
crossing on the way two dry streams, in eighteen miles from our encampment
of the past night, we reached a high bleak ridge, composed entirely of the
same earthy limestone and marl previously described. I had never seen any
thing which impressed so strongly on my mind a feeling of desolation. The
valley, through which ran the waters of Horse creek, lay in view to the