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Show 42 The party, as organized under your direction at the rendezvous- camp, Pueblo, Colo., consisted of F. A. Clark, principal topographer; W. H. Bo we, assistant topographer ; A. C. Ladd, meteorological observer; J. W. Kurtz, odometer- recorder; two packers, one herder, and one cook, making, with myself, a total of nine persons. We left camp at Pueblo, July 29, and our operations during the month of August carried us as far as old Fort Lowell, N. Mex., first occupying Cuemo Verde and the western of the two Spanish Peaks, thence along the eastern base of the Spanish range, crossing or meandering the course of the Cucharas and Purgatory Rivers, Ver-mejo and Costilla Creeks, and occupying peaks of the range for triangulation and topographical purposes. We crossed the range by the Red River Pass, through which runs a very direct" trail from Elizabethtown to San Antonio, N. Mex. A halt of several days was made in the vicinity of San Antonio to obtain the topography of the adjacent country. The party-was then divided, and crossed the Rio Grande and its valley by two routes to San Antonio Peak, and then again dividing proceeded to old Fort Lowell; Mr. Clark crossing the headwaters of the streams that flow into the Chama on the north; the Ojo Caliente Creek, El Rito, Cangilon, Cebolla, Nutrias, and Nutritas Creeks. Trips to the adjacent country were made in several directions from Fort Lowell. A snpply of rations for forty days was received, and the party moved to Hediondo Lake, about twenty miles west, where the plotting of the routes meandered and the duplication of field- notes taken to this point was accomplished. The party was divided to proceed to the San Juan River; Mr. Clark with Mr. Ladd and one packer by way of tho Gallinas Mountains and Cafion Larzo, while with the remainder I pursued nearly a westerly conrse, meanderiug the Cafion Cenesal and making'topographical stations upon prominent mesas. The course of the San Juan was followed for about sixty miles, when we turned to the southward along the eastern base of the Tuni- Cha range to the villages of the Navajo Iudiaus on Pena Blanca, Tuni- Cha, and Vaca Creeks. A trip was made by Mr. Clark and myself to the highest points of the Cariso Mountains, being the most western point reached by us. Returning eastward, the party was divided at the villages ; with one part I followed op the Cafion de Chaco, recrossing the Atlantic and Pacific divide into La Jara Valley a few miles north of Naciuniento, N. Mex., while Mr. Rowe, with two others, kept along the divide to the north of the Cafion de Chaco, passed by the springs Nuestra Seilora and San Joee\ Gallinas, Capulin, Punco, and Cannonus Creeks to Abiquin, where the parties joined. Several points were occupied in this vicinity for triangulation and topography, and the meander of the Chama completed from Fort Lowell to near its junction with the Rio Grande. Some time was also spent in this camp to allow our animals, that were in a very poor condition, to recuperate, as for nearly six weeks they had had nothing but grass, and that often very scant; the supply of water also being very insufficient. The notes and plats of the party were put in order here, and a supply of rations received. The party next moved by trail to El Rito, while Mr. Rowe meandered Ojo Caliente Creek, meeting us at the Ojos Calientes. The Rio Grande was recrossed at the month of the Hondo by Mr. Clark, while the rest crossed at Embuda, passing over the unfinished portions of Lieutenant Rtiffuer's new road, and meandering or crossing the waters of Embuda, Pefiaseo, Picuris, Rio Grande, and Frijoles Creeks, visiting the towns of Ojo Salado, Chemisal, Peilasco, Llano, Santa Barbara, Picuris, and Los Ranch03, and joined Mr. Clark on the Rio Pueblo near Taos. In crossing the range from Taos to Elizabethtown, we failed in attempt to occupy a high point lying between these towns, encountering a snow- storm, high winds, and extremely cold weather. The road through Taos Pas s to Elizabethtown and Cimarron was meandered, and a barometric profile of the pass made. At Elizabethtown, our meander- line was connected with that made early in the season, and thence the Moreus and Cienazilla Valleys and the Cimarron Cafion were passed through to Cimarron. At Cimarron, a base was measured, and extended to connect the astronomical station established there by Dr. Kampf with the system of triangles carried over the area surveyed by the party. On November 23d Mr. Clark was left at Cimarron to complete the measurement of the angles about the base, while the party took, nearly a direct route to Pueblo, meandering the route through Cerososo Cafion and Van Brimmer Park, and crossing the Vermajo Creek, thence returned by the same route it had pursued going out, and arrived at Pueblo Novembor 28, and was disbanded within a few days. A great portion of our area was poorly adapted for triangulation, on account of its mesa character. Sixteen peaks wore occupied for primary triangulation and topography, and twenty- five others for topography and secondary triangulation, with about seven hundred stations en route, at which bearings were taken, together with barometric readings for altitude. The triangulation was made with an 8- inch- plate theodolite, Stackpole & Brothers |