oe BME e. oo gut. & Eee Coy at oO, Nes, Lo ee L O “GEORSE = Prescr 3065 Olive Street, ~ Carr; 2 ae & oe ee eo as i oo a rrrt—“OtisSCi“‘i‘aCsi‘“C“‘“C(;‘CW fies EO © coe oe Gog ee Ce S. fon Av. S%: your oe ee ibed by DR. GEO. I MN. W.C eee ee: Lea ene (Ga aa ; oe Pecans oe ee ie bie, oe o Se ea sue Sg waeet Pe pees Poe es ma Aes : S re oo S 5 os ee : é a : i Cs : ee ee ¢ e : ne : po ale we Suen ae es . As es ae STRESS Gir de oe Aeron Senta Maat ers ES Re S me : a oo cio roe oe eS < SRE ay . a a : : : s 164 “ ?RANS. OF THE ACAD. OF SCIENCE. ’ energy of his character, and with but a single man as his escort, and no other guide than his compass, he determined to continue on his course. After a wearisome travel of many days, and having encountered many privations and dangers, he and his companion, Cadotle, arrived safely, but in almost a slarving condition, at the Flathead Village, situate on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. In accomplishing this part of his arduous task, Dr. Evans passed directly through the heart of the Blackfeet conntry, and travelled a distance of more than two hundred miles in the main chain of the Roeky Mountains before he succeeded in finding a passage to the valley beyond. It is mach to be regretted that the credit of the discovery of this important pass, which unquestionably belongs to the subject of the present sketch, has been unjustly transferred to another. It should have been named in honor of Dr. Evans instead of Cadotte, since it is well known that the latter person had no knowl- edge of such a passage, and, in fact, had not even been in that region before he went there under the guidance of Dr. Evans. After a few days’ rest at the Flathead Village our traveller resumed his Journey, and without encountering further difficulties, reached Oregon city with much valuable information eoncerning the extensive district of country through which he had passed. ) ae In the prosecution of the geological survey of Oregon and Washington, Dr. Evans was actively engaged for nearly five years, during which period his travels extended over a large portion of those Territories. The results of his important labors, embracing a large amount of infor- mation relating to the geology, topography, geography and natural his- tory of that interesting portion of the American continent, are embodied in his large report submitted to, and ordered to be printed by Congress alits last session. [It was placed in the hands of the Pablic Printer only a few days previous to the death of its lamented author, and if is a matter of deep regret, that, owing to some informality, its publication must be delayed to await the further action of Congress. [1 is earnestly hoped that Congress will, at an early peried, make the necessary pro- vision for the printing of this important document, the preparation of which has cost such a large expenditure of labor and money, and which prom- - Ises to be of the highest value to science and the people for whose benefit the survey was ordered. September 2, 1801. The President, Dr. EnGe~Mann, in the chair. Seven members present. | The following donation to the library was received: Bull. dela Soc. Imper. zool. d’Acclimatation, Paris, No. 7, Juillet, 1861, from the Society. — : : Mr. Hlolmes presented from Dr. B. F. Shaumard the follow-. ing skulls from Texas: Jelis pardalis, Linn. (Tiger-cat), from Travis Co.; Melis onzc, Linn. (Jaguar), from Hays Co., and Diecotyles torquatus (Peecary), trom Travis Co. = Dr. Engelmann made some remarks on the temperature and humidity of the past three summer months. June and August were by more than two degrees warmer than the averages for these months, while July was cooler. The quan- tity of rain for each of these months was below the average Rie ee a JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 168 so much interest among scientific men.* And such was his energy that, almost unaided, he gathered in a few weeks the extensive collection of fossil bones which furnished to Dr. Leidy the materials for his splendid memoir on the ™ Extinct Fossil Fauna of Nebraska.”’? At the same time he collected a large and elegant series of Cretaceous fossils, some of which were described and figured by Dr. Owen in his final report on the Geology of lowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The notes made by Dr. Evans on the geological features of that remarkable region were likewise of the highest interest, and from these Dr. Owen has compiled one of the most instructive and beautiful chapters to be found in his valuable report, In addition to his scientific duties, Dr. Evans nad almost exclu- sive control of the business department of Dr. OQwen’s survey, which of liself involved an immense deal of labor. The satisfactory manner in which he discharged these onerous duties, often in the midst of dis- heartening privations and even danger, commanded the highest esteem and confidence of Dr. Owen and his associates, while his goodness of heart, uniform courtesy, and self-sacrificing disposition, secured to him their warmest friendship. After the completion of the field work of the North-west Survey, (1850,) Dr. Evans received the appointment of U. 8. Geologist for Oregon, which he accepted, and immediately entered upon the duties of his new office with his usual energy and zeal. The survey was organized by the appointment of Dr. B. F. Shumard to the position of Principal Assistant, who shortly after embarked for Oregon, by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Dr. ivans determined to revisit Nebraska, and thence pro- ceed overland to Oregon by an unexplored route, with the view of deter. mining the general geological and topographical features of a vast region, then almost unknown to science, and of ascertaining if there existed a nearer way from the Upper Missouri to the Oregon coast than that usually travelled. He proceeded to St. Louis, and there spent a few days in making preparations for his journey. He then took passage for Fort Pierre Chouteau, on board a steamer belonging to the American Fur Company. During this passage, which occupied nearly a month, cholera to an alarming extent prevailed among the passengers and em. _ ployees of the Tur Company on board, several of whoin died, and the — mortality would have been far greater but for the kind attention of Dr. Evans, who, though himself laboring under an exhausting diairbea, allowed himself no rest, but in the triple capacity of physician, nurse and companion, was ever at the bed-side of the sick, administering to their Wants, and encouraging them by his cheering words. From Fort Pierre, Dr. Evans again visited the Mauvaises Terres, where In a short time he succeeded in obtaining a large collection of the fossil fauna of that region, even more extensive than his former one, and embracing a considerable number of new and interesting species. On his return to the Fort he set about preparing for his long journey, which from the hostility of the Blackfeet and other Indian tribes, to- gether with the difficulties incident to the route, was regarded by the indian traders as extremely hazardous; hence it was exceedingly diffi- eult to find either guides or hunters willing to accompany him. After much persuasion, however, he succeeded in procuring the services of two hunters and a half-breed guide, they agreeing to go with him as far as the Flathead Village. With this meagre escort he started from Fort Pierre, but scarcely had he reached the borders of the Blackfeet country ere his hunters became alarmed, and unceremoniously left his camp during the night and returned to the Fort. Under these discouraging circumstances a person less courageous than Dr. Evans wonld hava turned backs; but difficulties served only to develope the indomitable * To Dr. Hiram A. Prout ig justly due the credit of having first called attention to the existence of such remains in that region by his excellent memoirs of Palesotheroid and other bones, published in Silliman’s Journal. haeer com ee ae ae ere ey wes ie