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Show 26 A TRIP ACROSS THE PLAINS, ' ficiently large externally; but the accommodations at pres-ent are rather slim. The road from Salt Lake city, comes in about three miles from the "rocks." We encamped near a small stream one mile fart~e~.Plenty of red cedar wood, also good grnss. Prov1s1ons were now becoming rather scarce, and we began using as a substitute_, a weed or ''greens" that is very abundant·Though not aa nutritious as a great many other things, we could at least "fill up" on it. Permit us -now to stop a short time, while we pen a few words in reference to the "Salt Lake Valley," after which ''e will resume the thread of our narrative. At the junction of the Oregon and Salt Lake roads, eighteen miles weS~t of the South pass, the latter strikes off in n south west direction, cros5ing Big Sandy, Green River, Ham's Forlt, nnd Black's Fork, f1·om thence over the dividing ridges, separating the waters of the Gulf of California from those of the Great Basin. There are a great tnany streams to cross, and the country gene1·a1ly is vet·y mountainous.The city is situated between the Salt and Utah Le.kes, and very well watered, artificially, by n small stream from the neighboring mountains. Though hemmed in by mountains the valley is very fe rtile, yielding go0d crops, of wheat and other· grain. Mechanic Shops and mills have been built, and are in operation, and every thing seems to be in a vet·y flourishing condition. 1 t is settled principally by the Latter DRy Satnts or 1\Iormons. There are 1arge quantities of rock salt and other minerals in the neighboring mountains. Near the city there are hot, cold, and tepid springs within a few feet of each other, which affo1d great facilities for bathing establishments. The Great Salt Lake north of the city is of considerable extent, but from late l'eports is very shallow, its greatest depth being but a few feet. It has no outlet but by evaporation. Its waters are strongly impregnated with saline matter; five gallons in the month of Scptem ber or October yields fourteen pints of salt, being almost if not altogether, a saturated solution. 'fhe country west ofthe lake is barren and sandy, producing nothing in many places. but salerat~ s. There is a t1·ail Jea.ding west from the city, intersecting the road from Ft. Hl\11 on Humboldt river, but the AND LIFE IN CALIFORNIA. 27 country is so inhospitable, that few travel it. The ordinary road leads north from the city, intersecting the other, ninety rniles below Ft. Hall. We will now resume our narrative. . CHAPTER Vlll. ~nttle ~unke Ri-ver-llot Springs-Humboldt River-SinkLnwaon Route-Rabbi& Wells-Desert-Hot Spriua•-lYiud Lake. Next day sixteen miles travel brought us to Rattle Snake river; and, after travelling fifteen miles, we encamped nea1· the stream. In the next forty-five miles, we found the road gPneral- 1y pretty good and water and g1·ass plenty. At thi& point we pased a number of hot springs. ,.£emperature near that of boil ing water. The soil in this part of the route is strongly charged with alkaline salts. We were detained near the &prings two or three hours, by a marshy piece of 1·oad. The fo1·d of Humboldt River is forty miles farther. We crossed several marshy streams a few miles east of this ford. We a1·dved here June 8 th, about noon. The river here is about thi t•ty feet wide and si ." feet dee p. We ferried it in a wagon bed, After loading up, and travelling half a milo, we were again detained by a very swampy branch of the 1·iver. We took the mules and horses ft·om the wagons and assisted them across, a fter which we pulled the wagons through ourselves. This consumed tlte balance of the afternoon. and we therefore encamped.About dad{ we were visited by a sto1·m of rain for which we were well prepared, having already thrown away tents, wagon covers, and extra clothing. We had supposed these things, would be no longer required, as a "guide" we had with us, containea the expression, "it seldom rains here." Next morning we crossed another branch nbout a mile from camp. This was not so miry as the other. There is another branch about twen~ miles farther, about one hundred feet wido and three feet deep. Not difficult to ford. Encamped near ti,e 1·iver seven miles farther. We had some g•·ass here, but did not, as yet, see the line of , |
