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Show 1 2 7 8 REPORT OP THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. Pintada and Cation Blanco. From Cafion Blanco the route was through the plateau country, extending north to the Dry Cimarron, all of which, to Fort Lyon, was described in your annual report of 1876. I desire to take this opportunity to tender my thanks to the members of the party for their cordial co- operation in the work, as also to the officers of the military posts visited for their uuiforni courtesy. I am, sir, very respectfully, CHAS. C. MORRISON, First Lieutenant Sixth Cavalry. Lieut. GEO. M. WHEELER, Corps of Engineers, in charge. APPENDIX F. EXECUTIVE AND DRSCTTriVE REPORT OF LIEUTENANT M. M. MACOMB, FOURTH AR-T1LLEKY, OX THE 01% ERATION8 OK PARTY^ NO. 2t CALIFORNIA SECTION, FIELD SEASON OF 1876. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS WEST OF THE 100TH MERIDIAN, Washington, D. C, April 30, 1877. SIR : I have the honor to submit the following executive report of the operations of part v No. 2, California division, of the survey under your charge during the held season of 1876. The party rendezvoused at Carson City, Nev., during the latter part of August and the first part of September, being one of the parties organized there under your supervision. It was composed as follows: Lieut. M. M. Macomb, Fourth Artillery, executive officer and field astronomer; Frank Carpenter, topographer; Alfred Dubois and Sergeant G. W. Ford, Twelfth Infantry, recorders; H. W. Henshaw, naturalist; A. R. Coukling, geologist; W. H. Rideing, general assistant; two packers, one teamster, and two cooks. During the first few days of September, Mr. Carpenter was employed iu working up the topography of Eagle Valley, in which Carson City is situated. On the 7th, he was sent out with a small party for the purpose of making, if f^ und advantageous, a primary triungulation- station on Spanish Peak, north of the Central Pacific Railroad, at the same t mefsurveying a line through country that would not be traversed by the other parties, the trip to occupy seven or eight days. Meantime arrangements were made tor the storage of all surplus property, the purchase of forage for use during the season, and the supplying of parties in the field. For this latter purpose it was found necessary to iu crease the means of transportation, and, accordingly, on the 13th, six team- mules were purchased by telegraphic authority from the Quartermaster- Genera!. While at the rendezvous, Messrs. Henshaw and Conkling fouud ample employment for their time in tbeir respective brauches, the former in making collections iu zoology, the latter in visiting the various mines and mineral and thermal springs in the vicinity. Besides these duties, both rendered assistance to the other members of the party in keeping up the hourly series of meteorological observations commenced Augost 26, a detail being constantly employed day and night. The work especially assigned to my party was the survey of Lake Tahoe and the neighboring country, the line of the Central Pacific Railroad being the northern limit. Part of this area lies in Nevada, part in California, and when mapped will appear upon Atlas- sheets 47 D and 56 B. A short description of its general topographical features will be given here. £ Beginning with the peaks just north of the well- known Carson Pass in the Sierra Nevada, there is a well- marked bifurcation, the main ridge here sending out a bold and lofty spur to the northward, itself continuing on, but with diminished height, to the northwest. This spur is loftier than the main ridge, having an average altitude of 9,800 feet. It culminates to the south in Freel's Peak, and to the north in Mount Rose, in whose vast muss it terminates. Both of these points are over 10,800 feet above sea- level. It is called the Eastern Summit, in contradistinction to the in » in ridge, which is known as the Western. Sou th west ward ly from Monnt Rose runs a long spur, reaching almost to the western summit, between which and itself it leaves a narrow valley. There is thus formed in the bosom of the Sierras a triangular basin with a length of about 37 miles and a base of perhaps half that dimension. At the southern apex of this triangle the Upper Truckee takes rise, and meanders its way for about 15 miles through the beautiful and fertile Lake Valley, finally expanding into Lake Tahoe, which occupies the northern part of the basin. Vastly increased in volume, it issues from the lake, through the narrow valley above referred to, a heavy and rapid stream. Flowing west a short distance, it changes its course to the north, and then- making a grand |