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Show • 52 NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. stream of water, making it necessary to cross it, from side to side of the canon, a great number of times, in the distance of a few miles. Of this description are the canon entrances to Great Salt Lake va.lley on the east. (See title page.) A canon differs from a ra-vine in this: that while the former can only be entered at the ends, on account of the walls of rock that rise on either hand, the ravine, though equally narrow at botto1n, and with perhaps extremely steep banks, is nevertheless, to some extent, accessible from either side, at almost any point. SAGE PLAINS AND SAND PILLARS. Although for the greater part of the way, the traveler over the plains, courses along the banks of rivers or at . ' Intervals. crosses many a mountain strean1, or finds fair camping in the vicinity of springs of pure cold '\Vater, surrounded by luxurious grasses, still there are many places where he is compelled to cross either directly over, or along the borders of sterile, dusty plains, that oftentimes, in one or more directions, seem boundless. They are usually what are termed " Sage Plains," beeause on most of tbem, the only vegetation is a stinted growth of a species of Artemisia, or "wild sage"; but often for thousands of acres, you see little else than ~otally barren, dusty clay plains, or blowing sands. It IS upon those sterile tracts that the phenomena of sand pillars is observed. They are but the effect produced NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. 53 . by whirlwind more or less violent, that raises the dust and sand into columns or pillars, moving swiftly in their circuits, but slowly along the plain, and often from three hundred to one thousand feet high. Their diameter being unequal for their entire length, gives them an infinite variety of forms. Sometimes three or more are seen at a time, upon the same plain, a mile or more apart, and moving slowly on with the general direction of the 'v-ind. It is then easy to in1agine them, the genii of the place, giant monsters stalking over the plains. They seem to have no connection with clouds, for not a cloud is visible above the upper portion of the moving pillar. vVhen passing directly over you, all the effect produced is that of a somew·hat violent 'vhirl of wind ' dust and fine sand; but with nothing of the violence of the hurricane; they seem, however, always accompanied by more or less of electrical effect ; a cutting, prickling sensation is felt upon the skin, with other effects, usually attendant upon electrical action, to which agency, they r doubtless to a gt~eat degree, owe their origin. DID'Nl' WET liER FEET. We were a.t one of the crossings of the S \Veet Water, near Independence Rock, and were about to encamp for the ~io t, though only about 4 o'elock, P.M., when along came a ~ind of family passenger wagon, carrying little or no freight, an~. fitted up with seats. At this time, • |