OCR Text |
Show 286 BITTER CREEK- EXTENSIVE COAL BEDS. the trace, heretofore unexceptionable, rather more unfavourable. Frcm the lake we followed the right bank of the eafit fork of the creek for six miles, when we again crossed it, akd one mile beyond we broke out, from a bed twelve feet thick, some beautiful specimens of excellent bituminous coal, which burned in our eamp- fires with a clear yellow flame. In the sides of the ravines putting into the valley are abundant beds of this mineral. The rock is very much of the same character as that observed below- red, white, and yellow sandstone, with a slight dip to the east and north- east. la some places, nodules of rock, deeply tinged with oxide of iron, were frequent; The rock is very porous, and rapidly disintegrating under the action of snow and frost, and is washed down into the valley by the spring rains in great quantities, so that vegetation, except grease- wood and salt- grass, is very sparse. ^ Continuing up the left bank seven miles farther, we encamped in the forks, after a journey of twenty- five - miles,! near two- cold sulphur springs which issue from the base of a cliff of light- gray coarse- grit sandstone, having fragments of eoal interspersed, so as to form something like a pudding- stone of coal and cemented sand. Near the northern spring some beautiful white lichens were growing on the rocks over which it flows; and under the projecting cliff, some highly coloured ones, with variegated hues, like the neck of a mallard. Currant- bushes were quite plentiful, and the plain near the springs has a dense growth" of broad- leafed blue-joint tad wire- grass, among whieh I observed some purple asters. A mile and a- balf north of the camp, on the North, or Evans's Fork, is an outcrop of coal, ten feet thick; but most of that in sight appeared to be but imperfectly mineralized. Indications were also observed of the presence of iron- ore near the campl. Lat. of the camp, 41° BO' 51". 4. Long. 108. 50' 34". Monday, September 16.- Our route to- day continues up the east or left fork of Bitter Creek. Sandstone cliffs bound the valley on the north side, in which I observed a stratum of coal, which. was exposed for a hundred yards, and was at least ten feet in thickness. During the whole day's march this mineral was met with in every favourable locality, and in quantities apparently without limit. The formation was the same as lower down the dtream, except that the dip was north- easterly, at an angle of from 5° to 10°. |