| OCR Text |
Show In the summer of 1867, with a small party of naturalists, students, and amateurs like myself, I visited the mountain region of Colorado Territory. While in Middle Park, I explored a little canon, through which the Grand River runs, immediately below the well-known watering-place, " Middle Park Hot Springs." Later in the fall I passed through Cedar Canon, the gorge by which the Grand leaves the park. The result of the summer's study was to kindle a desire to explore the canons of the Grand, Green, and Colorado Rivers, and the next summer I organized an expedition with the intention of penetrating still farther into that canon country. As soon as the snows were melted, so that the main range could be crossed, I went over into Middle Park, and proceeded thence down the Grand to the head of Cedar Gallon, then across the Park range by Gore's Pass, and in October found myself and party encamped on the White River, about a hundred and twenty miles above its mouth. At that point I built cabins, and established winter quarters, intending to occupy the cold season, as far as possible, in exploring the adjacent country. The winter of 1868-?69 proved favorable to my purposes, and several excursions were made, southward to the Grand, down the White to the Green River, northward to the Yampa, and around the Uinta Mountains. During these several excursions, I seized every opportunity to study the canons through which these upper streams run, and, while thus engaged, formed plans for the exploration of the caiions of the Colorado. Since that time I have been engaged in executing these plans, sometimes employed in the field, sometimes in the office. Begun originally as an exploration, the work has finally developed into a survey embracing the geography, geology, ethnography, and natural history of the country, and a number of gentlemen have, from time to time, assisted me in the work. II COL |
