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Washburn
Report Index
YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION OF 1870
Page 38
In one special and important particular a thorough survey of this region
would be of use. It is the apex of the greatest water-shed in the northwest
Territories, and such a survey would locate correctly the sources of a large
number of streams, including the Missouri, Yellowstone, Big Horn, and Snake
Rivers. The existing maps are all far from correct in the bearings of all
these rivers near their sources, the upper Missouri being located several
miles west of its true position, and too much space being left between the
heads of all these great streams, thereby shortening all their channels. By
correctly locating their sources, the labor of tracing their channels would
be greatly simplified, as the successive trends of the streams could then be
worked up from either of two known points -- the head or the mouth.
Accompanying this report are appended a table of meteorological
observations taken at different points along the route, a geological profile
of the country traversed, and a general map of the country. This latter has
been compiled from our observations, together with those of a surveyor who
went around by the north side of the lake last year. It connects on the west
side with lines of territorial survey, as a base, and is believed to be as
correct as a map of so large a district can be made in the absence of actual
measurements of the ground traversed.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. C. DOANE,
Second Lieutenant Second Cavalry.
First Lieut. JAMES E. BATCHELDER,
First Lieutenant Second Cavalry, Post Adjutant.
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