New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-30
we worked during tho trip 1t will DO '"@'
the fossils OF the Nobrara expedition were fhoco"''
THE BUTrEs.

we worked during tho trip. 1t will be remembered '"s'
the fossils Of the Nlobrara expedition were rno'o"'
THE BUTTEs
Tho Buttes or Bad Lands among which we Worhou a'o
o,. NJ almost absolute sterity, where tho SOIL rock
underlying the whole country Is intersected ny nun
berless cations, between which rise 0uns OF ou''o0
every possible size and shape, some so gently rouu
that a wagon may be driven over them otherS 81 Sop
as 10 be inaccessible or with oyerhanging sides
Exoept upon the sleeper slopes they are coVered WIN
from two to six inches OF disintegrated rocS, "hou
containing large amount OF clay, Is quite muddy wnon
wet but when baked by the sun affords very toeIa-
BILE footing. As this material contains also mucn SON.
Il is very hard on boot leather and utterly desuuc '
OF blackng. The general color Ia light gray WIN
faint tnge OF green, but In many OF the layers t'
color deepens 10 pure olive, or Is replaced by req yer
Low or other colors These colors alternating with each
other and with white layers and stretching III ION
hands cross the buttes, produce IN many places avery
pleasing effect.
All these butes lie in the great Eocene lake basin as
covered and partly explored by Prof Marsh In 1917 anu
which has proved such reservoir Of tertiary He I'M
agine letter to DO laid upon the map with the cross
bar on the Uintah Mountains, running east ana west
and the two uprghts on the Rocky and Wahsatch Mouu-
tans on the east west respectively aud Fancy the
upper part TO be basin Of vast lake with great
portion OF the bottom deposits washed away, ana an
idea OF the locality may gained The bottom OF TINS
River and its tributaries through the Colorado 10 INC
ocean. -
The way In which fossils came TO be discovered mere IS
worthy OF mention. An old settler called Uncle Jach'
the original "Jack Robinson" to Fort Bridger one
day with the story that he had found petrhed grizzly
bear out in the buttes His story was received win
rdicue but after repeating it several times ana Deng
ioked aboutit long enough he took packmue 10 tne
buttes loaded him with the bones OF MS petilneu
grizzly" aud brought them into the fort. Ihey lay
about the fort for some time. until Prof Marsh had '
attention directed the locality to which he gave he
name Grizzly Butes in honor OF Uncle jacks discovery
day,, work OF our party has been somewhat as FOL
lows We sunrise, and an hour latcf were III Vne
saddle and off for the working grounds. haf hours
hard riding brought us to point wherc we couu con
yenIently divide distribute ourselves over the OuS
Oar first care was TO picket our horses ana paco our
oanteens and uncheons under the shade OF sage bush
or projecting rock; thep with paper cotton tTine' ha
mers and chisels we were ready to scatter ourselves
over tie bluffs and make the most OF our time unt'I
noon when half hour or so was taken tor unc' anu
the work began again. At last tho party returned Oy
tgos and hrees o'clock dinner In camp, AFTER Wmch
the OF the days work examined by the Proes
sor and then carefully packed Then came the camp ire
of sage brush and grease wood which Hare up INTO
glorious blaze and afford most grateful warmth IN inc
now cooled air, for the nights always cool at
this elevation OF seven or eight thousand feet
EXTREMES OF HEAT AND COLD.
The climate hero is remarkably dry and perspration
unusual except after ram. on the hottest days
This fact seems 20 explain why could bear he neat
of the day aud keep uninterruptedly 90 work. The
change in the temperature IN single day was OFTEN
very great We would start from our blankets at sun
rise to find wet clothing Of the preceding day frozen ana
frost ON the grass while by noon in the Bad Lands the
Thermometer would stand above 1902 and even some
times would reach 1909 Fnot in the shade, indeed for
there was none The butes seemed to be worn away AT
inst such an angle as to afford shade and we were
forced to s in the shadow OF horses or construct
temporary awning by spreading saddle nanbet over
thrifty sage brush, thus obtaining slight protection
from the intense glare OF the MONDAY sun. It's nten
sity was greatly heightened by the nature of tho earth
around US which was nearly white quite so In come
places and smooth enough 10 reflect the heat and light
so strongly "a to be almost unendurabe. THIS glare
from the ground was the greatest annoyance we en-
countered and yet the strongest light seemed some
times necessary TO bring to view the minute VerteDr1
and teeth that We 50 eagerly sought after.
After working nearly fortnight In the Grizzly
Buttcs, we moved camp 20 miles to very pleasant
site on Henry's Fork, another stream fod BIZ the SHOWS
OF the Uinahs. Here we lived the fat Of The land
Elk veusOn trout, and frequently sage hens and raD-
bits lay before This could not last always how
ever for fossils must be dug and time too precious
TO be spent hunting. Tie proximity OF gametracks
10 our tents occosioned very little anxiety after
the first day OF two, aud the notifying fact
that We could not, had at first supposed,
sit In our tents and kill game any morning
before breakfast. came home TO US. Fishing
through the thick underbush and leaving fresh bear
tracks on banks with at least chance OF surprise
from some hungry grizzly gave the delightful sport
serious aspect that every accessible tree served 10 essen
Tue fishing remarkably fine, both here and al
Beaver Creek blythe trout being OF large size aud
delicious favor. The species is quite distinct from the
trout OF Eastern Prof Marsh, enthusiast at
this sport took q single afternoon, with an IL ounce
fly rod l37 trout Weighing in the aggregate over so
pounds. 49,. - ..., ,.,...,,,
Some 80 miles north of camp. tho lofty peaks OF
the Untah Mountains with their broad patches OF per-
onnial snow presented most inviting appearance for
Inspection beside Offering fine opportunity for hunt
ing We determined to visit them, and divided into
two parties one 20 20 week and the other the next
Each party was accompanied by Sam. Smith, of
guides a typical mountaineer and most humorous
character Not little Of the pleasure OF the trip due
TO him. We followed up one OF the mountain streams
to source, immense cave under limestone bluff
thence on through dele between towerngrock
TO lovely lake high up In the mountains, and without
visible outlet We found the soft mud OF the lake fairly
honeycombed with game tracks. and at,ouce decided to
make our camp here and hunt instead OF attempting 10
work our way through the thick pines and underground
to the summit We scattered Off in various directions
following the the game, but had the expert
ence necessary for success In hunting and Sam killed
the only game-two fine elk They killed some
seven miles from camp. and had TO be packed back
our horses, much Of the way requiring path TO be
cut with our knives through the thick underground
We returned TO Henry's Fork the day. to gladden.
the camp with fresh meat. The lake which we
camped being nameess we called it Yale Lake. The
second party made ascent Of the mountains and
were fortunate enough 10 gain from the summit
superb view of the whole surrounding country, stretch