Panoramic view of plains with mountains in background. Full caption reads: "Panoramic view of the irregular plain through which passes the Hieroglyphic defile, and Creek; scene sweeping round from E.N.E. to E.S.E."; Top notes read: "North Part" and "(wants tinting and dashing)"; Notes on sketch read: "The Hieroglyphic Creek is supposed to go thro' this gorge, & empty into L. Derby" and "Hieroglyphic defile & ck."; Notes under sketch read (L-R): "plain covers with broken volcanic rock - hard and angular", "{Extinct crater on top this mountain, at the rear - overlooking Lake Derby}", and "Camp for 24 hours". Joseph Goldsborough Bruff is best known as a topographer, journalist, and artist of the gold rush era. Bruff was born in Washington, D.C., on October 2, 1804. He attended West Point from 1820 until his resignation in 1822. From 1827-1836 he worked as a topographical engineer, predominantly at Gosport Naval Yard in Norfolk, Virginia. He returned to Washington, D.C., in 1837 and from 1838-1849 worked for the U.S. Bureau of Topographical Engineers. Bruff then organized the Washington City and California Mining Association, which he accompanied to California. While in California he produced extensive journals and drawings of the mining camp experience. In 1853 Bruff returned to Washington, D.C., where he worked in office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department until his death on April 14, 1889.
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