k in the years 1871-72-73. At the
Session of 1871-72 another appropriation was made by Congress for
proceeding with the topographical and geological survey of the country
adjacent to the river. These appropriations were expended under the
supervision of the Smithsonian Institution and were continued annually
for work under the titles, Exploration of the Colorado River and its
Tributaries, and Survey of the Rocky Mountain Region, up to 1879, when
the work was consolidated largely through Powell's endeavour, with two
other surveys, Hayden's and Wheeler's. The latter thought all this work
ought to be done by the War Department, but Powell believed otherwise
and his view prevailed. Out of these grew by the consolidation the
Geological Survey, of which Clarence King was made director, Powell,
because of the earnest efforts he had made to bring about the
consolidation, refusing to allow his name to be presented. The new
Geological Survey was under the Interior Department, and in 1881, when
King resigned the directorship, Powell was immediately appointed in his
place. The results of Powell's original field-work were topographic maps
of a large part of Utah, and considerable portions of Wyoming, Arizona,
and Nevada, constructed under the direction of Powell's colleague, Prof.
A. H. Thompson. There were also many volumes of reports and monographs,
among them the account of the expedition of 1869, entitled The
Exploration of the Colorado River of the West, 1869 to 1872; The Geology
of the Uinta Mountains, by Powell; Lands of the Arid Region by Powell;
Geology of the High Plateaus of Utah, by C. E. Dutton of the Ordnance
Department, U.S.A.; Geology of the Henry Mountains, by G. K. Gilbert;
and four volumes of Contributions to North American Ethnology, one of
which contained Lewis H. Morgan's famous monograph on "Houses and House
Life of the American Aborigines." Early in his Western work Powell
became interested in the native tribes. In the winter of 1868, while
on White River, he studied language, tribal organisation, customs, and
mythology of the Utes and from 1870 to 1873 he carried on studies among
the Pai Utes, the Moki, etc., being adopted into one of the Moki clans.
On his journeys during these periods he often took with him several of
the natives for the purpose of investigating their myths and language.
Eventually he became the highest authority on the Shoshonean tribes. In
1874 he was one of the commissioners to select and