Letter to Sir Archibald Geikie from Capt Clarence Edward Dutton, 21 July 1884

Letter to Sir Archibald Geikie from Capt Clarence Edward Dutton telling him that he is undertaking field work in New Mexico. He is concentrating on the plateau country aided by good topographic maps of the region. He tells Geikie that there are landforms and cliffs similar to those in Utah and Arizona with exposures of Triassic, Permain and Cretaceous strata. These are overlain with evidence of volcanic activity, ancient basalt of 50-200 feet depth on the plateau. Young basalt, in vast lava sheets, can be found in the valley regions, although there is no trace of their originating vents or any fragmented ejecta. The ancient basalts originate from the volcano, Mount Taylor and its vents, and signs of its activity spread as far as 45 miles from the core. The lava beds have been eroded and volcanic chimneys can be seen on the valley floors. Similar occurances are observed 100 miles to the north-west. He concludes that the whole western, southern and south-eastern rim of the plateau country is characterised by basaltic eruptions.