creek, sandy shales, with ferruginous and silicious concretions and iron pyrites, were exposed, and below them a light-gray micaceous friable sandstone. Further on this sandstone had been found in digging wells, and a limestone quite made up of fusulina cylindrica, light colored, with ferruginous sections of the outside of these fossils much resembling some rocks from Grasshopper creek. On another creek, in a highly fossiliferous limestone, were noticed many stems of crinoides, fusulina, some gasteropodes, brachiopodes, and acephala. There were identified productus prattinianus, productus splendens, productus semireticulatus, and pecten occidentalis.

On the mouth of Big Blue river the top of the bluffs was formed by layers of a limestone with a whitish worn outside, hard and silicious, with an uneven, fine-grained, dull yellowish fracture, and many small holes. I found in it only some few columns of crinoides and fusulina; but most of the holes had the shape of the latter, and the rock seemed, therefore, once to have been full of them. The lower strata are less silicious, and actually contain many fusulina and signs of crinoides, brachiopodes, and bryozoa. The lithological character of the rocks near Blue river is very near the same as that of the last carboniferous limestones west of Fort Riley, and the strata noticed on the road to that place were similar. On Wild Cat creek, myalina subquadrata was found. Three miles east of Riley a limestone was quarried with an uneven, fine, granular whitish fracture, and many indications of organic remains, interstratified with nodules of flint; and near the fort are some prominent strata of a similar character, from which an excellent building stone is taken. It is a light buff-colored, fine-looking, somewhat chalky limestone, with an uneven, fine granular fracture, and without any signs of crystallization, except in the sections of fossils. Though porous like a tufa, it is strong, and gives a sharp, ringing sound under the hammer. The layers are split into large square pieces which are easily dressed. The upper portion is much more fossiliferous, and, therefore, more small, crystalline, and less chalky. Below these strata similar, but coarser, limestones were noticed; also flint and some sub-crystalline layers, interstratified with slates and argillaceous shales. Above the rocks described, there was also observed a layer of gray limestone, compact, with an even or splintery fracture in places full of shells. A great many traces of fossils were seen in the limestones and slates, but only productus æquicostatus could be identified, the others were too imperfectly preserved Similar rocks were found further up the Republican river; and of fossils, productus semirecticulatus, terebratula subtilita, myalina subquadrata, besides the columns of crinoides, some bryozoa and casteropodes, spinæ of paleozoic echinodermata, &c. Some of the limestones had a yellowish or impure gray color, and an uneven fracture with numerous little cavities. Thirty-two miles above Fort Riley, near the place where this formation was observed last, I noticed several fossils of the genus nautilus, but could not preserve any of them.

Such are the coal measures along the route. As the outcrops of rocks were too much scattered and the stratification nearly horizontal, I could not distinctly ascertain if that part of the formation near Fort Riley is, in the geological order, above or below that near Fort Leav

enworth. I am, however, from various reasons, inclined to believe that the rocks west of the Big Blue river a.e overlying the others.

In speaking of the coal measures, I have hitherto not mentioned that most useful mineral, the stone coal itself. The strata which I have described do not seem to contain much of it. It has been found at several localities, but only in small seams that would not warrant an extensive working; however, nothing can be stated with certainty until the country has been more closely examined, for strata of coal, like other rocks, change at different places in thickness and quality. In the State of Missouri, where this same formation is largely developed, hitherto no workable beds of coal have been discovered in the upper coal measures, but the middle and especially the lower series of them abound in good coal. I have no doubt that workable strata of it can be found at the depth of a few hundred feet, if not nearer the surface, provided that the middle and lower series of the coal measures extend so far west, (with their deposits of coal,) which we have no reason to doubt, if the following sandstone formation should not prove, against our supposition and against Captain Stansbury's statements, to be the same as the "Ferruginous sandstone of Missouri," which is underlying the coal measures.

Should the existence of workable strata of coal be ascertained in one place only, which might be done by boring, then we may be satisfied that they spread over an extensive area, and that any amount may be raised in the Territory for the use of railroads, manufactories, and for household purposes; and what is more, we may expect to find coal for many miles further to the west, within a depth accessible by well conducted mining. Of other minerals, only some bog iron ore has been noticed in the creeks of the eastern Kansas.

For agricultural purposes a better country than that of the coal measures can scarcely be found, the horizontal stratification of the limestones and shales making gentle slopes and rolling prairies. The soil, made by the decomposition and mixture of the materials of the different strata, is somewhat wet and cold in some places, from the great quantity of clay, but it is highly improved by a proportionate mixture with the arenaceous deposits of the quarternary system, which seems to cover the greatest part of the coal measures. The soil is, therefore, generally very good, and the settlers along the road are doing well and raise fine crops. They have nearly reached the western boundary of this district. The limestones of this formation make good building stones, especially those in the neighborhood of Fort Riley; most of them are easily quarried and dressed, and can be burned to quick lime or valuable hydraulic cements. The materials for bricks, and even the best fire-clay, are abundant.

Sandstone formation.

Further up the Republican river, we next came to a sandstone formation, mostly made up of coarse-grained, friable, dark brown, ferruginous sandstones, a very compact white and some light-colored shaly sandstones extending 42 miles up the river exclusively, but noticed capped by cretaceous strata as far as 48 miles between camps 7 and 8,

80 miles above Fort Riley, that is from longitude 96° 52′, latitude 39° 20′, to longitude 97° 30', latitude 39° 40', thence continuing for some distance near the surface.

Between camp 4 and Parson creek we had low rolling prairies without any exposure of rocks; the soil was poor, sandy, and thoroughly dry; the drains deep and in places filled with quartz sand. Towards the south I noticed, in the distance, some steep hills, which immediately struck me as being made up of sandstone, though I could only see their shape. Some bills of the same character were northeast of Parson creek, at the crossing of which the following section was observed. The tops were formed of a yellow and brown fine grained friable sandstone, with many ferruginous concretions. Below that was a stratum of gray sandy argillaceous shale, ten inches thick, and then several layers of an impure gray and white, very fine grained, and friable shaly sandstone, in banks of about three feet thick, forming a section of twenty feet. In places it was a rather pure white quartz sandstone; in others it was spotted red.

Further on I found several small outcrops of the ferruginous sandstone, light brown, dark brown, and nearly black, more or less coarse grained, made of globular grains of quartz, and similar materials, cemented by peroxide of iron, and in places containing many ferruginous concretions. It was generally very friable, and wholly unfit for building purposes. Some pieces were more compact, and would be valuable where great strength is not required, and it seems to become harder and more durable by exposure, and then to withstand well the action of water and the atmosphere. In many instances I noticed stripes in the rock variously inclined to the planes of stratification, indicating the lines of deposition, or the way the sand was deposited by the currents of water at the time of its formation. At Rocky Ford creek I found at the water level a hard and well cemented white sandstone, fine grained with somewhat splintery fracture, making a good building stone; and then again ferruginous sandstone; between camps seven and eight I found it capped by cretaceous strata; and the last I saw of it was about four miles below camp eight, near the water level. These rocks, though extending over so large an area, were not seen forming any good sections, and it was therefore impossible to ascertain much of their range, thickness, and interstratifications; they were in nearly horizontal position. No fossils being found in them, their precise location in the geological system cannot be determined. As they are confirmably capped by the cretaceous strata, they are older than those. Their relative position to the coal measures is not so evident, as rocks closely resembling them in mary respects have been observed below the coal measures in the State of Missouri, forming the upper part of the lower carboniferous formation, in which no more. coal is found. My impression from the first instant was that they held a higher position, because the high sandstone hills mentioned before seemed to overlie the carboniferous rocks described before, and because the dip of the strata though very slight, had all along seemed to be rather towards the west. Of an upheaving of the lower strata not the slightest indications had been seen. In Captain Stansbury's

report I find my opinion proved that the sandstones are overlying the coal measures.

Professor Hall, in his geological notes to that report, says: "The route from the Missouri westward shows a continuation of this (upper carboniferous) limestone as far as the Big Blue, (which is nearly north of the locality in question.) Here it disappears, judging from specimens and remarks in the notes. It is soon succeeded by strata of cretaceous age, which, from the specimens preserved, I have been able to recognize as extending for a considerable distance on the route between Turkey creek and Big Sandy." Captain Stansbury remarks. that near the blue the highest rock observed was ferruginous sandstone, extending further to the west, with a dip in that direction; and at another place he speaks of a sandstone formation consisting of white and red sandstones, principally the latter, above the carboniferous series. The white sandstone he describes as highly fossiliferous. Doubtless, then, these sandstones overlie the coal measures. Now, we must be satisfied with stating that in the geological order they range between the coal measures and the cretaceous strata described hereafter. From Professor Hall's remarks it seems that they are of cretaceous age, but he does not distinctly pronounce his opinion. From some of the fossils it might be easy more precisely to determine their position. Of the thickness of this formation I can give no accurate statement, as no sections could be observed, but from what I have seen I am rather inclined to think that it cannot exceed 200 or 300 feet to the utmost.

As these stones readily decompose into sand, the country is a rather gradually rising prairie. The surface is generally covered with the finest deposits of the extensive western drift formation, which are found further east over many miles of the country, under the name of bluff or loess formation. It is of arenaceous character, made up of the detritus of various rocks. Though not much productive by itself, this loess is very apt to make good soil by a proportionate mixture with clay, lime, vegetable humus and other materials, and indeed in that mixture it makes some of the best lands in Kansas and Missouri. Here, however, it rests upon the loose, coarse sand, the detritus of these sandstones, and is mixed with it, in consequence of which it is so thoroughly drained as to form a most dry and sterile country. Only a few places seem to be improved by the influence of the rocks of the cretaceous formation above these sandstones. The injurious influence of the sand may be felt even within the limits of the cretaceous formation, higher up the river, as long as it is near the surface.

In this sandstone country the creeks do not run freely, but form mere stagnant water holes, there being no medium which might force the water into springs and creeks, as it has an easy passage everywhere through the sand and sandstones.

This section of the country therefore does not seem at all fit for agriculture, though it may sustain the growth of some useful plants. Building materials are scarce, and, as has been stated above, limestones are not found in this district.

The cretaceous formation.

The cretaceous formation succeeded the other, and was first observed in the upper parts of the bluffs of the Republican river, between camps 7 and 8, about 74 miles above Fort Riley, where it capped the ferruginous sandstone, near longitude 97° 25', latitude 39° 38'. It was seen up the river for about a hundred miles, to near camp 92-longitude 98° 45', latitude 40° 5'-and along our route between Republican and Little Blue rivers, the last place being near longitude 98° and latitude 40° 20′.

As far as could be observed it was made up of light colored, fine grained, mostly chalky limestones, marles, slates and shales. I first found on the bluff loose pieces of limestones, similar to those I soon after noticed in position. Those pieces apparently form the outcrop of strata covered by the soil, containing some fossils, inoceramus cripsii and amonites peracultus. On some of the following hills the rocks could be seen in position. The top was formed of a white granular limestone and another more impure yellowish variety, full of inoceramus. Below there seemed to be a sandy clay, probably from the decomposition of arenaceous and argillaceous slates and then a stratum of gray, compact, sub-crystalline limestone in thin layers, full of inoceramus cripsii. In the lower part of the hill the ferruginous sandstone was exposed. Some miles from there, on the opposite side of the river, I observed the following section: There were 20 feet of white and yellowish limestones, somewhat chalky, with an uneven granular fracture, containing many impressions of inoceramus. The layers were only from 4 to 10 inches thick, interstratified with others of soft shaly or marly limestones, from 6 to 15 inches thick. In the lower part of this section the shaly layers were prevalent, assuming the character of a soft, very fine-grained, chalky white limestone, some indeed being a true chalk, which, by a chemical analysis, gave 11.2 per cent. of insoluble matter, clay, &c., the remainder being nearly pure carbonate of lime. Below these limestones 25 feet of gray sandy argillaceous shales were exposed, the base of the bluff, to a height of 20 feet, being concealed by a talus. There I did not notice any amontes, but, nevertheless, the strata seem to be the same as described before. Some miles further up the river, near camp 98, the upper part of this section was well exposed. The limestones, interstratified with soft layers of the same nature, were there compact, white or light yellow, mostly fine granular, some even sub-crystalline, others chalky. Some layers were nearly made up of inoceramus cripsii. Nearly all these cretaceous limestones show in the fracture a great many small white spots, in fact, these particles seem to form a main part of most of these rocks.

The same was observed of all the cretaceous limestones in this section of the country, as far as they came under my observation, and proves a close connexion between them all. These spots probably originate from the exuvia of microscopic animals. The cretaceous strata being rather soft and easily decomposed by the action of water and the atmosphere, and thickly covered by younger deposits of Vol. ii-32