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Show 233 This put the company in Pine Valley, a" broad desert plain fifteen miles wide and covered with scrubby sage brush. Although we have no actual account of Bean's activities in this region, he must have spent some time exploring the Wah Wah Mountains. Ten days were spent covering the distance between Cave Valley and Beaver City about 170 miles away. This pace would have allowed for several days to fathom the prospects of settlement in the Wah Wah Mountain region or other desert ranges. Bean found the Wah Wah Range an uninviting place, however, and the area was passed up. Bean reported "finding grass and water at convenient distances on the mountains, also plenty of wood; but no land suitable for far- „,•!.,,» »'3 ming. Giving up all hope of finding a place to settle the Beaver company, Bean proceeded "in the nearest possible direction for Beaver Canyon." Lieutenant George M. Wheeler of the U.S. Army Topographical Engineers, who explored this region eleven years after Bean, apparently uncovered evidence of Bean's trail or was informed of his route. In his Preliminary Report upon a Reconnaissance through Southern and Southeastern Nevada, published in 1875, Wheeler stated: The Mormons, looking forward to active operations with the troops ordered to their section under General Johnston in 1857, and for secure shelter in case of being driven from their mountain homes, sent out two expeditions to seek for fertile mountain retreats to the westward. One party, consisting of twenty-six wagons, leaving Beaver City passed west to Hawawah Cwah Wah] Springs, then across Desert and Lake Valleys, until the pass where the Patterson mines are now found ^Patterson Pass].... Our return trip from Hawawah Springs to Cave Valley, followed their route very nearly. Although Wheeler had the company traveling east to west rather than west to east over this route, this document sheds considerable light on Bean's movements in |