afternoon having made very good time to depot. Ox train also started W. at same time. Campbells waggon train expected in from W. to load up & go W. again.

The valley of the White [Mud] R. is here very broad but the banks much reduced in height as compared with where it crossed the line. Also not of same precipitous character but mostly covered with sparing growth of grass. Bottom of valley a great clayey flat of usual character covered with bunches of Artemesia [Sage] & with lower parts & old river channels drassy.

Geol. Ravine 6 3/4 m. W. of camp (Say 51 3/4 W. of Wood Mt shows where upper parts of banks a [If there is a word or two or a whole page missing at this point, it does not appear on the micro-film - Ed.] all bare; yellow colour almost too definite for drift. Perhaps indicates presence of yellow upper sands of Cretaceous.

At nine m. W. of camp on high ground a small exposure occurs showing yellowish & greyish strat. Sandy clays more resembling lig. Tertiary than Cret. Could find no fossils. May be a tounge of Tertiary coming from the S. if yellow sands really appear in valley to East. Or if appearance of yellow sands disregarded may be about the Western edge of the lig. ert. basin.

In large valley 12k m. W. of camp & about same distance from White Mud Depot, where stopped for lunch, found characteristic exposures of Sombre Clays with same colour, gypsum in crystals, the peculiar fibrous mineral in one place forming a discontinuous layer nearly a foot thick, associated with impure ironstone; & all usual conconittants [sic]. The Ironstone (? how much iron) filled with bacculites & many other fossils.Collected quite a quantity. They resemble exactly the fossils I have seen from the Missouri in appearance & mode of preservation. The nacre of the Cephalopods &c. well preserved. The stone enclosing easily split & leaves fossils cleanly. Altogether the best locality for collection of fossils yet found & deseving of more investigation.

About this place the country again begins to be very arid & the grass poor. This does not come on suddenly so as to show definite edge of Sombre Clays, as there is a considerable coating of drift. The same cause may operate in preventing the Long R. &c. beds which I at present correlate with these from giving bad character to country there.