New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-17
WESTERN EXPLO RATIONS.
THE YALE COLLEGE EXPEDITION" OF
THIS YEAR.


SOME FEATURES OF LIFE IN ROUGH COUNTRY
THE MORMoSs FIND SUPPORT FOR THEIR FAITH
N SCIENTIFIC DIscovERY-ANCIESr OUTLETS OF
SALT LAKE WHEN IT WAS FREsH--A CASE FOR
BERGH-vALUABIE DISCOVERIES OF THE ExPE-
DITIoN.
iron THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUSE.l
NEw-HAvEN, Conn, Nov. 1.-THE return OF Proi'
Marsh AMI his exploring party from the west IL an
event of great interest here. The extraordinary
character of the discoveries made in Prof. marsts
expeditions, serving to I'LL many pages hitherto
blank IN our knowledge of bygone geological eril'
the value of the collections made, when are
presented to Yale College, aud the widespread
publicity which has been given TO these under
takngs and their results by the correspondence OF
THE TRIBUNE, afford ready explanation OF THIS
general interest To numerous inquiries respecting
the details of the trip the members OF tue party
give but slender replies. 1t is no part OF the pro-
Tamme of these expeditions TO hasten INTO PRINT
with crude and ill-digested statements as to the
resulting discoveries Nothing could be more
obnoxious to the true scientific investigator
than hasty announcements, made without time and
opportunity for study respecting the anatomicai
forms, the general characteristics and the appear
ance when living of the extinct animals whose
fossil bones are so recently exhumed. These are
a general knowledge of anatomy and
happy faculty of guessing. Mistakes in such
reservations throw odum upon induchye science.
and subject the entire class of discovery to whlch
they belong to doubt disparagemcnt and rldlcule
But upon one point there is little hesitation in an
swering. ave had hard time OF IT." says
one member of the party. 1T was rough
trip" says another. Prof. Marsh himself ex-
presses more than the usual feeling OF rele1 ana
thankfness at his safe return from those wild ana
dcsoate regions TO the comforts and security OF cav
izatiOn. There is no doubt that in danger and
hardship the expedition of this year exceeded its
predecessors, and Prof. Marsh thinks 1t Will be the
last of the series.
The letter to TIE TRIBUNE in June last, which
gave a summary of these undertakings to that tine
written when the expedition OF this year was
just under way. little incident at the start Is so
Significant of what was to be anticipated on the
trip that it seems worth recording. 1t may deserve
to go down into history with the story of Scottish
chleftain who noticed, while his followers were
sleeping the snow, that one of the younger men,
bers of the clan had rolled up ball of the
heecy material to serve a pillow Kick
ing the SNOWFALL from under the sleepers
head the chief addressed him, as be awoke,
in coarse and emphatic Gaelic, respecting the
demoralzing tendency of such Lowland luxurles
as pillows. Before starting, Prof. Marsh ild waineu
his followers against superfiuous attire. but wheh
they were assembled in the evening upon the ferry
boat crossing from New-York to jersey City, he
found one of them wearing high-crowned, fash
ionablc, silk hat. 1--WE may as well begin here"
said the Professor. "You can't 90 out III my party
with that hatn Ruefuly, bnt with u firm step, the
young man stepped ont Of the cabin and Hung the
offending stoye-ppe' over the rail into tue dark
waters of the Hudson; then. drawing cap from his
pocket and pulling it his brows, lac rejoined the
party Theirs was no holiday journey.
Two interesting letters have been published in
THE TRIBUNE describing the progress OF this years
expedition The last of these left the party at Salt
Lake Citv. There they remained several days rest
ing from the extreme fatigues of their trip from Fort
pr,doer Of which the hardships had been exeep-
tionarIv severe Preparations also had TO be made
to continue the explorations for month or two
lspcer. At salt Lake City they met sym
pathy and encouragement quite SURPRISING Their
previous experience during this expedition In pre-
yious years Brigham Young has invariably taken
great interest in Prof Marsh's explorations. Last
wear son Of Brigham Mr. John W. Young, offered
the party the Of steamer to assist IN exploring
along the shores of Salt Lake and it Is but simple
Justice 10 state that in all instances the
Mormons have rendered every facility III
their power toward Prof. Marshs under
takings But in the present instance there seemed
TO be more than the usual display of these atten-
tons. Prof. Marsh called by special appointment
upon Brigham Young, and found there assembled 10
meet him the prominent members OF The Mormon
Church. Ii should perhaps be mentioned that TINS
was shortly after the wide publicity gwen
by the press to the scientific discoveries OF the
Professor and after they had by such means
~
reached the reading public of Utah. After the con
versaton opened, Brigham Young bent his inquiries
particularly to the subject of fossil h0rses MS ID
terest III this matter seemed remarkable. lie made
it a point TO ascertain minutely the localities
where fossil remains of the horse family were
found; he asked particularly AS to the facts
developed respecting this peculiar group !;
he wanted exact information respecting
the different species the order of the formations in
which they were found aud the peculiar character
istics of the different Spes. When ut length his
curiosity ON all these points satisfied, Brigham
Young exploned its cause. Some years ago. during
q public discussion in London upon the merits of
the religion of the Saints, the point was raised
against the authority OF the Book of Mormons rs
revelation, that it spoke OF horses AZ existing
in America in the prehistoric era IN which 1T de-
scribes certain events. IL is well known that there
were no horses in this country ut the time OF lts dis
coyery, and that the Spanards were the first to in
| troduce these animals. SO it seems that while most
theoloeians are regarding the developments of the
natural sciences with fear and trembling the chiefs
of the Mormon religion prepared TO hail the dis
coveries Of palrontclogy as an aid in establishing
! their peculiar beliefs. Brigham Young descanted
with feryor upon the topic, and declared that upon
no other supposiiion than that the writer OF the
Book of Mormon WAS inspired, could he have known
when he wrote that there had been horses in Amer
lea in its earlier ages And thus Prof Marsh one of
the warmest siyocates of the development theory,
is raised 10 the rank of defender of tho faith.
At Salt Lake the party divided Their next field
of exploration was to be in Oregon. part Of