illustration of this point I here give a copy of the petition of the citizens of El Dorado county, in California, to Congress in respect to the central overland mail, with the prefatory remarks of the editor of the Valley Tan, a "Gentile" newspaper published in Salt Lake City, from which I extract the memorial:

"Central Overland Mail.

"Our Placerville correspondent sends us a copy of the subjoined petition to Congress, and informs us that it is now being generally circulated through El Dorado county, and will probably receive the signature of everybody who sees it.

"We commend the petition to the attention of the citizens of the State, especially those of the central portion of it, who are more particularly interested in the central road across the continent."(Valley Tan.)

"To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America:

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'The undersigned, citizens of - in the State of California, deeply impressed with the imperative necessity of an intimate and speedy mail connexion with our friends in the Atlantic States, and believing as we do that if your honorable bodies will increase the mail service between St. Joseph, in the State of Missouri, and the city of Placerville, in this State, so as to give a tri-weekly mail each way between these places, this laudable end can be accomplished, therefore respectfully and earnestly petition your honorable bodies to take such action in the matter as the exigencies of the case may demand.

"It is a well known fact that for the last nine years the central route to the Pacific, via Salt Lake City, has been, and still is, the great thoroughfare of immigration to California. That in addition to its being the best natural road, for the same distance, on the globe, it is also supplied with a continuous meadow of nutritious grasses, upon which countless thousands of animals subsist during the annual hegira.

"Moreover, the counties of El Dorado and Sacramento have appropriated and expended 50,000 dollars in the construction of a good wagon road over the Sierra Nevada, from Placerville to Carson Valley. That work is now completed, and is probably one of the best mountain roads on the continent. Already a magnetic telegraph line is being rapidly constructed along the route to Salt Lake City. Comfortable stations and resting places are being established at proper intervals on the road; and although the present mail contractors have had an extremely limited period in which to prepare for the service, the weekly mails now reach California with surprising regularity.

"For the above reasons, and from a knowledge of what has already been accomplished, we are convinced that in less than two years from the present date the mail can be carried over the route in fifteen days travelling time. We therefore earnestly solicit that you may increase

the speed, so as to run through in twenty-five days, and thereby assist in preparing the way for a more expeditious transit at an early day.

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'Believing that your honorable bodies will perceive and appreciate the great national importance of a more speedy and frequent communication between our widely separated possessions, we respectfully urge the foregoing upon your early and favorable consideration; and your petitioners will ever pray, &c."-Alto California.

A just tribute.

In closing my report in relation to the last reconnaissance, I cannot forbear bearing this testimony to the zeal which Lieutenant Chapin displayed in continuing in command of the escort of the expedition when the impaired state of his health on the morning of his departure from Camp Floyd evidently made it advisable for him to go on the sick report. Before starting upon the expedition I warned him of his imprudence, but he said he had been detailed by his colonel for the duty, and as he considered it a compliment he could not withdraw, it is a pleasure to me to record, as I do, the efficiency with which, notwithstanding his illness, he conducted his portion of the expedition, and the courtesy which I ever received at his hands.

Indians.

My instructions gave me authority to employ an interpreter for the purpose of communicating through him with the Indians I might meet, and thus obtain from them information respecting themselves and other Indian tribes. We saw but three Indians, (Tuilla Goshoots,) and they escaped us before the guides had an opportunity of conversing with them. I have, therefore, nothing to communicate from anything I saw or was personally cognizant; but Mr. Bean, who has been in this country since 1849, and has frequently passed through the various tribes between this and California, and who was employed at various times by Governor Young in the Indian department, has from time to time given me some facts in relation to the Indians, which it might be of interest to communicate. He has also furnished me with a vocabulary of words in the Ute, and a few in the Sho-sho-ne and I-at languages, which, although not as extensive as I could wish, will be of interest to the ethnologist. It will be found in the appendix, marked "E."

Goshoot and other Indians.

The Goshoots are an offshoot from the Ute Indians, and left their tribe about two generations ago, with their leader or chief, Goship. Their proper name is Gosha-Utes, which has become contracted into Goshoots. They are little esteemed by the original tribe from which they have sprung. They number probably about two hundred, and live principally in the Goshoot mountains. Male and female go naked

in the summer, except a breech-cloth in the case of the former, and a short apron-skirt in that of the latter, are worn as the only covering. In the winter the males wear leggings and a kind of coat made of rabbit skins. The women dress as in summer, except that they wear leggings, and their aprons are made of rabbit skins. Thus dressed, they sit crouching closely together before the fire, and endeavor to keep warm. Their only shelter against snows and the rigor of winter is a kind of wall three or four feet high, made of sage bushes packed together and curved over a little at the top. Sometimes they get into caves or holes in the rocks for protection. They live on grass-seed, flag-root, tuilla (three-corner rush) root, mice. lizards, snakes, grasshoppers, crickets, &c. The grasshoppers and crickets they roast in the summer, and thus preserve them for winter On being brought to childbed, Mr. Bean says, no one is allowed to be present with the woman, she being her own midwife. They use the primitive mode of generating fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together.

use.

Those

They, as well as the Utes. frequently bury their dead in springs, by attaching sometimes a stone to them, and sometimes by pushing and keeping them down with a stick. Mr. Bean accounts in this way for the skulls which are found in Skull valley, and which has given it its name. It is somewhat difficult to credit this, but the guide, who bears the character of a reliable man by all who know him, and bas never shown me that he is any thing different, says he has actually seen several buried in this way near Provo, where he resides. they bury in this mode are not persons of any distinction. The chiefs they bury under a pile of stones. Wacca, sometimes called Walker, a renowned Ute, and chief of all the tribes called Utes, Pawans, Pieds, and Goshoots, died early in 1855, and was buried on a high mountain twelve miles southeast from Fillmore. Mr. Bean informs me that four Pied prisoners (three children and one squaw) were buried with him. Three of the prisoners were first killed and then thrown into the grave; the other was thrown in alive. Ten horses were also killed and thrown into the pile; also ten blankets and ten buckskins.

His people lamented over him some twenty days, all the while crying and singing Mr. Bean was sent by the superintendent, Governor Young, to comfort them and give them provisions. He represents that it was with the greatest difficulty they got the horses up the mountain. The successor of Walker is his brother Arrapene, whose Indian name is Sempoch; he lives in San Pete valley, near Manti. Mr. Bean informs me he recovered a ring belonging to Mr. R. H. Kern, the assistant of Captain Gunnison, and who was massacred by the Indians at the same time with that officer and his party. He says it had his name inside of it, and that he gave it to ex-Governor and Superintendent Young. He presumes it has been returned to Mr. Kern's friends. He was at the time interpreter to the Indian agent, Mr. Rose, who recovered a portion Captain Gunnison's property, They recovered two ponies, a revolver, and a piece of the odometer. it having been taken apart by the Indians. Some citizens of Fillmore

got the two-wheel odometer carriage, and, he believes, turned it over to Governor Young.

The Snakes (Shoshonees) are more united than the Utes, and, according to Mr. Bean, a nation of more principle. He considers them more powerful, though not as numerous, as all the Utes combined. Their chief is Wasshekick, and he lives on Green river.

The Utes have been guilty of aiding and abetting the stealing of the children of the Pah-utes, although a branch of themselves, and selling them to Mexican traders. This dealing in human flesh has been a traffic which has been carried on from time immemorial with these Indians. The Pah-utes, who are an inferior branch of the Utes proper, and are called Pah-utes from their living mostly on watercourses and subsisting on fish, (pah meaning water,) are very much disorganized and open to the incursions of other tribes.

The Pawants are a branch of the Utes, mixed with the mongrel breeds of California, and speak the Ute language. Kannosh is their chief. They occupy the Parran and Beaver valleys, and the valley of the Sevier. It was a portion of this tribe, Mr. Bean says, that killed Captain Gunnison's party. These Indians he represents as a clever people, more to be depended upon than the others, and the only outrage they have been known to commit is that of massacreing Captain Gunnison and party.. Kannosh, their chief, Mr. Bean thinks, is the most gentlemanly bearing Indian he has ever met, and an excellent subject for civilization.

Arrapene, the chief of the Utes, is of a vindictive, unstable character, and thinks nothing of shedding blood when enraged. His habits are good in reference to temperance, in eating, and drinking; but he cannot govern his temper. He does not rate as a chief as high as his predecessor, Wacca.

Wacca was very successful in levying tribute from the Mexicans who traded between New Mexico and California. These Mexicans would buy children stolen from the Pah-utes, giving horses and buckskins in exchange, and sell them in New Mexico and California.

The Pieds live adjoining the Pawants, to the south of the Beaver mountains, down to the Santa Clara river and upper branches of the Rio Virgen. Quanarrah is the chief of the upper Pieds, and Tatsigobbets of the lower Pieds. Their language differs from the Ute, though similar in some respects.

Geology.

I have said but little of the geological aspect of the country over which I have passed in my several reconnaissances, for the reason that I have left this portion of the expedition to my assistant, Mr. Henry Engelmann, upon whom, from education in his native country, Germany, in this branch of physical science, and his previous expeience in geological exploration upon the plains with Lieutenant Bryan, pographical Engineers, I would prefer to depend than upon my own flu. rstanding and observation. I therefore refer you to his report, provis "A" in the appendix, which will be found instructive, not

more on account of the speciality with which he goes into the composition of geological formations, than the range which his observations and reading have enabled him to take in the classifying and arranging of the different formations and their several epochs. His report has the merit also of being of a practical and economical character.

Astronomy.

Observations were made by me at proper intervals with a sextant and chronometer, for latitude and time, or longitude along both of the routes reconnoitered; but as the call for my report is a pressing one, I have been obliged, for want of time and any one to assist me in my labors, to leave them to be reported on another occasion. My assistants, Lieutenants J. L. K. Smith and H. S. Putnam, Topographical Engineers, have only within a day or two arrived from Fort Bridger, where they have been surveying the military reserve, and therefore have been so situated as to be incapable of rendering any assistance in the mode needed. I must, however, express my acknowledgments to Captain Thomas H. Neill, 5th infantry, who has courteously relieved me of the labor of taking a tracing of my map.

Meteorology.

Barometric and other meteorological observations have been taken all along the route reconnoitered, but the apology for the non-introduction of a profile of the routes in this report is that given above, in respect to the astronomical observations, and it must be presented in another report.

The thermometric observations, however, require no computation, and will therefore be found in appendix "D."

Itinerary.

For an itinerary of both the outward route from Camp Floyd to Short-cut pass, and the return route, which is the nearest and best. with all necessary remarks in relation to wood, water, and grass, see appendix "C."

Respectfully submitted.

J. H. SIMPSON, Captain Corps of Topographical Engineers.

Brevet Major FITZ JOHN PORTER,

Assistant Adjutant General U. S. Army.

Anore