New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-09-11

at that time particularly interested in the geological
formations. He describes the beautiful display Of
flowers with which the valley was covered near :
the dividing summit between the Platte and the Ar
kansas waters. These IN the variety and brillisncy
of their colors seemed tn yie with each other;
and upon the Platte SIDE vast fields of blue
fax presented magnificent appearance, the
plaut. growing 20 the hight Of four feet.
About the Forth and east sides Of Pixies Peak.
the branch of the Arkansas called Foaiairc-qai-
bout. or Boiling Spring River. was traced
.. source where were found the bubbling springs
which gave il lis name These proved 10 be- of cold
water. snd the basins which contained them were
restores of the crctaceous formation. The strata
Of these. nesr the mountains were found IN near,
vertical postinns. The rocks of the mountain
were not particularly examined. High precipces
Of reddish colored rock. also in vertical LAYERS,
were observed: snd when crossing the cham
further north reddish elspathic granite was ire-
ouertly noticed. much of which was IN decon-
posing condition. The specimens preserved proved
Ia he of reddish granite Though this Is often the
character Of many of the rocks OF gold country, We
miss any mention of the mcsceous tacose and other
states which are always found associated with The
GRANTEES. and in which the gold is commonly more
likely to be- met with than in the granite. In 1913
little interest was felt IN these subjects and We
doubt not if Fremont We're again to visit the range,
his observations would b. especially minute upon
the geological formations, particularly if they were
found to bear any resemblance to those OF Mari
poss.
But after sll perhaps the most favorable feature
of the Mountains is the fact that they contIn-
ustion of the range near Santa Fe which Is only
about 200 miles diStan, toward the southeast Tins
is well known TO be rich mineral district and the
more general formations, no doubt continue along
the chain producing here aud there their develop
ments of precious metals snd stones. There Is
good reason therefore. for having some confidence
in these rImors and it wond not be- strange, judg-
ing from the contour of the Utah range, that IT, too,
should prove anotherfed for future gathering OF the
treasures of the rocks. Ii appears to liz IN the
course of the metalerous ranges of chihuahua, as
Pixies Peak does of the Eastern chain of the Rocky
Mountains past Santa Re into Coahuils. The great
elevation of the country OF Western Kansas De-
speaks cold climate in the mountains which rise
far above its general level; and the extension OF
the cretaceous formation up to their very bases,
places the only locality for gcldbearing
rocks in the midst of the mountains
themselves. though the ayial deposits may be
spead along the bottoms of the streams over the
strata of the cretaceous group and thus extend
the area Of surface washing, as il is extended in
California westward over the plains of the Sacra-
mento similar association of the rocks of this
formation with the granite is exhibited at Bogota,
in New Granada, region distinguished for It's
mineral riches Pixies Peak, or at any rate,
the higher mountains back of il, must reach
the elevation of perpetual snow. On the 10th
of July Fremont found the greater portion of
the mountain covered with snow from heavy fall
of the preceding night. In the sketch he gives il
has the appearance of granite mountain, its lower
portion only covered with forest growth. This
is described principally of pine, the other trees
noticed being birch willow and oak similar to the
white oak Currant bushes abound along the water
courses bearing fruit of peculiar piney flavor.
The explorations now in progress will no doubt
develop many interesting details respecting the
climate and resources of the region, unless the
proximity of the Indian tribes brings them to
sudden termination