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.  Go to next page