WESTERN INCIDENTS.

on the morning of the 19th eight inches deep—icicles on the eaves two
feet long, and the thermometer only sixteen degrees above zero.
West of the mountain range, the snow fell to the depth of two feet, com-
pelling Mr. Brown’s engineer party to abandon the survey, for the time
’ being, and cross the range for subsistence for the mules, after dividing
with them the rations for the men. At Denver there was but a
sprinkling of snow. Such are the varied meteorological effects caused
by difference of elevation, and the influence of the mountain range, in
arresting and precipitating the moisture.

Passing north to the Black Hills; and beginning the ascent of this
range at the Cache-la-Poudre, the largest tributary of the South Platie,
which takes its rise in the snowy heights of Loug’s Peak, we followed
on horseback to this place, another of the experimental lines run for
the Union Pacific Railroad, crossing at Antelope Pass. Our party in
this most interesting reconnoissance consisted of Gen. Dodge, Chief
Engineer of the U. P. R. R., Col. Silas Seymour, Consulting Engineer,
and Mr. Evans, the engineer who made the surveys. Travelling in a
northwest direction, we had the snow-capped peaks of the grand snowy
range always in view twenty to thirty miles to the left. The highest
altitude reached on this survey is 8,050 feet above the sea. The tran-
sition from the sedementary rocks forming the slope near the base, to
the granite which everywhere composes the central and higher parts
of these mountain ranges, is plainly marked. In the secondary forma-
tion, and lying geologically next above the granite, is observed near
the base of mountains on both slopes, what our geologist decides to be
the veritable “ old red sand-stone” of Hugh Miller; which the genius
of that distinguished devotee of geological research invested with so
much interest in the scientific circles of Europe.

The valley of the Laramie river,in which we have travelled for
twenty miles,on the western side of the mountain, is a vast plain
without a shrub. It is twenty-five to thirty miles wide. The groves
of pine on the Medicine Bow Mountains, forming its western bound-
ary, and on the Black Hills to the east, is a relief to the view.

Fort Buford, from which I write, is a newly established U. 8. mili-
tary Post, now in the course of erection, taking the place of both Forts
Halleck and Collins, which are to be abandoned. It is on the Laramie
Plains, 125 miles northwest of Denver, on the road to Salt Lake. The
name is in honor of the distinguished Cavalry General, who defeated
the rebel General Stewart in Virginia, but died soon afterwards.
Col. Mizner, of the 18th U. 8. Infantry, who hails from Detroit, is in