The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-16
IN DEATH VALLEY.
Or. C. Hart Merriam Describes
the Immense Rayine.
The Expedition of the Biological Survey Over
the Mojave Desert-An Abundance Of
Animal Life There

DR.. G. Hart Merriam, Chief of the Bio
logical Survey, attached TO the Department
of Agriculture. was at the Palace last night,
having just returned from Death Valley,
where number of surveying parties under
his directions have been conducting series
Of investigations extending over the past
few months.
DIR. Merriam's assistants in his recent
PERSONAL expedition to the valley were
Theodore Palmer, Vernon Bailey, botan-
ist, natur alist and trapper, both OF whom
are in the city preparing report of their
survey, also F. Y. Coville and Dr. A. K.
Fisher.
They explored the valley thoroughly, and
Will present to the department some very
interesting data regarding the great rayine
on the edge of the Mojave Desert.
MISTAKES ABOUT DEATH VALLEY.
''There has been great deal of misappre-
hension regarding Death Valley" said DR..
NJ Terrain in the course of an interview, land
he published accounts have been greatly
exaggerated and often misstated
"At the northerly end of the valley is
Mount Magruder, rugged peak, below
which are canyons extending on either side
Of the valley. Tho principal canyons are
termination, remarkable for its seven i'm
mense mounds OF sand blown through the
valleys and forming gigantic bridges, while
on the opposite side is the northwest arm,
or Mesquite Valley, where an emigrant train
persisted miserably through lack of water.
he greatest width of the valley. which,
speaking roughly and without data, is prob
ably 100 feet below the level of the sea. is
eighteen miles, the average width being fiji
teen miles. The ravine is surmounted by
Lofty mountain ranges on the eastern side
the Funeral Mountains, whose average
height IS IO00 feet, and on the west the Pan
amlnt Range, whose average height is 5000
feet and whose highest point is Telescope
Peak, Il, goo feet from base TO summit The
south end of the valley opens on the Mojave
Desert, and the Armargosa River, a saline
stream, flows between the Funeral Noun
talns and Mount 1vanivaeh, through the
southern entrance to the valley, where it
loses Itself IN the sand.
PLENTY OF ANIMAL LIFE.
The southeastern end of the valley is
saline basin, and among the wonders of the
great ravine may be mentioned the self
rising ground, an alkaline aud salt forma-
ton pulling up like bread after the addition
of yeast. The pinnacles of crystalIized salt,
salt earth as distinctive from salt fiat, sand
and unlimited quantities Of borax are also
to be found here.
THE story that no animal life exists in
Death Valley is myth. Our party found
200 specimens of mammals and sixty kinds
OF reptiles, obtaining suecimens which have
been forwarded to Washington as COL
lected. We had biologists. b0tanists, sur
veyors and photographers in the party, and
will be able 10 prepare an accurate map of
the entire valley"
THE SONORA ZONE LOCATED.
Surveying parties under Dr. Merriam's
direction have located the Sonora zone, so
called because of its similarity to the atmos-
pheric and physical conditions of the Next
can province of Sonora, between California,
Arizona. Nevada and Utah. Many thousand
biological specimens have been collected by
the various parties, and much information
compiled for the benefit OF future settlers.