The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-20

ness which lies between the frontiers of Missouri
and the shores of the Pacific, almost every camping
station being the scene of astronomical or baromei-
rical observations, furnish the materials out of
which This may has been constructed. Nothing
supposititious has been admitted upon il; so that,
connecting with Captain Wlkess survey of the
mouth Of the Columbia, and with the authentic
veys Of the State Of Missouri, il fills up the vast
| geographical chasm between these two remote
points, and presents connected and accurate view
OF our continent from the Mississippi river to the
Pacific ocean.
To this geographical map, deneating the face Of
the country over which travelled, there is added
another IN pronlc, showing the elevations, or the
rise ana a OF the country from the Mississippi to
the Pacific East of the Rocky mountains, two Of
these profile views are given,--one from 81. Louis
TO the South Pass the other from the mouth of the
Great Platte to the same point. The latter is the
Shortest and following, as it does, the regular de-
scent of the river, and being seven hundred miles
west of the Mississippi II may be that the eastern
terminus ofthis line may furnish the point at which
the steamboat and the stean-car may hereafter
and exchange cargoes in their magic flight across
this continent. These profile views, following the
travelling routes, Of course follow the lowest and
eveest lines and pass the mountain at the point Of
It's greatest depression; but to complete the view, and
to show the highest points as well as the lowest
levels, many lofty peaks are skctched at their
proper elevations towering many thousands OF feet
above the travelling line 1t may here be excusable
to suggest that these profile maps here exhibited are,
perhaps the most extended work of the kind ever
constructed, being from ST. Louis (according to the
route we traveed) near sixteen hundred miles to the
South Pass; from the mouth of the Great Platte to
the same Pass, about one thousand more; and then
another sixteen hundred from that Pass to the tide
water Of the Oregon; in all, about four thousand
miles of profile mapping, founded upon nearly four
hundred barometrical positions, with views sketch
ed and facts noted in the field as we went.
In the departments of geological and botanical
science hare not ventured to advance any opinions
on my own imperfect knowledge of those branches,
but have submitted all my specimens TO the enlght-
ened judgment of DR.. Torrey, of New Jersey, and
DIR. Hall, of New York, who have kindly classified
and arranged all that was able to submit to them.
The botanical observations Of DR., Torrey will be
furnished In full hereafter there not being time to
complete them now. The remarks Of DIR. Hall, on
the geological specimens furnished 70 him, will be
found in an appendix 10 the report, and 10 his pa-
ontoogical skill am indebted for the discovery Of
ootc formation in the region west of the Rocky
mountains, which further examination may prove
TO assmate the geology of the New TO that Of the
Old World in rare particular, which had not be-
fore been discovered in either of the two Americas.
! Unhappily much of what we had collected was
lost by accidents Of serious import to ourselves, as
well as to our animals and collections. In the gorges
and ridges of the Sierra Nevada, of the Alta Cali
fornia, we lost fourteen horses and mules, falling
from rocks or precipices into the chasms OF rivers,
bottomess to us and to them and one of them load
ed with bales of plants collected on a line of two
thousand miles of travel, and, when almost home,
our camp on the banks of the Kansas was deluged
by the great food which, lower down, spread ter
ror and desolation on the borders of the Missouri
and Mississippi, and by which great damage was
done to our remaining perishable specimens, all wet
| and saturated with water, and which we had no
time to dry. Still, what is saved will be some re-
spectablc contribution TO botanical science thanks
| to the skill and care of Dr. Torrey; and both in
seolopv and botany the maps will be Of great value,
the profile view showing the elevations at which the
1 specimens were found and the geographical map
showing the localities from which they come.
The astronomical observations, taken with good
instruments. have been tested, where they were
4 most imnortsnt bv a three-fold computation--one
bv Professor Walker. of Philadelphia, whose as
| Economical reputation is so great another by Mr..
c c;ap from Connoct;c. the th;rd ~ 40 that
The correctness of the Iongtudes and atitudes NAV
we'll be relied upon. 4
In sketching the typographical features OF the
Opofa.sS;,",lI,, sdca,sd NJ cbariss Prsmsa h.s
been nv assistant in both expeditions; and to his
extraordinary skill, supported by the pleasure he
ei' IN lne eAecu'on OF ms uu.es a .s
| the cohuhuous 'oPosiaPhie'i sno.oi'c " ote6o.'1
through which we passed, and which were never
, ,;np " any 'N'e's = ~ p'A
uo III L....;o., .ad ,,.,oor,,,,;o,, ,,,s.rv.,or,
were carefully made with good instruments, and
admit of no material error beyond the minute deva-
| ,;ons ;nsenarabIe from, s,cb operations
IONS lhse parable .ioni suoli opo,as .;n d.
Inc thlrd expeuluon, now commencing, ID uhuer
taken with more ample means then the two former
lie ~ e. 49,, - s.;.nco con hardly fail IN re-
SCI, ar" 81 now " Io'oh'o, Isn iy 'AA "
quite the enterprise which exploresN.
/ The report or narrative of this extended expedi
ton like The mans which illusraeit, will be strict
,'o', Nno 'o ''"p 49," .1' ~ - -. ~ 49,.
4 cohhheu 70 what was seen, anu ~ wnal 10 hcoe'
sary TO show the face and character OF the country
and IN add Something IN science while fulfilling thu
;r.,rr,,;o,,s ~ o rov.rnroent ,,hcb cbieav con-
.'stluouu'' Vi ne sove'nlpon h., I".A S 80
templated miiitaTy Typographical survey a S'cap
er degree of popular interest might have been I'M
parted to 1t by admitting greater latitude OF uetali