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Show 92 NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. dead and dry stalks of the wild sage will now be your fuel. Your next grand point to make is the Sweet Water river, and it should be reached in just two days drive from the Platte; distance, 50 miles. You must now look out for alkali an~ poisonous wa.ters. No really good water for twenty-six miles. The ascent of Rattlesnake Hill is easy, though a little sandy for seven miles ; the ascent of the hill for three miles rough and crooked, to LITTLE ALICALI CREEK . . . . . . . . . . ............... 10 This at some seasons is not very bad water ; but should be a.voidcd, if possible ; it is not considered poisonous, except in its alkaline properties. SPRINGS AND ALI{ALI LAKE .................... 2~ Though apparently clear and pure, keep your stock from this water, for when disturbed by the feet of cattle, turns black and is poisonous. You will pass a number of alkali lagoons, if not dried up ; look out for your loose stock. RO Cl{ A VENUE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 There is no mistaking this point. ALK..t\..LI SWAMP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Make no stop here, water all poison. Look to your distances, and make camp as far ahead as you think you can well drive, for the last alf of to-morrow's journey will be a hard one, if you reach the Sweet Water. SPRING CREEK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 W atcr good, but not much grass. . SULPHUR SPRING. .. . . . . . .. ...................... lYz Water good. Some bunch-grass here. WILLO\V SPRINGS ..... , .......................... 3 These are found along the road for some distance, and form a little creek in places, which is rather miry ; but grass is abundant, and a very fair place to camp. You ' NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. now cross Prospect Hill, from which you get an extended and beautiful view. 93 sA GE CREEK . . . . .................. " . . . . . . 4 ~ , ., . . . . . . . . . This creek is fifty rods to . the left of the road. Good camping here. DRY CREEK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 3 At titnes but little water. Good grass. . GREASE\VOOD CREEK ........ · .... ·· .. ··· ........ 2 But little grass; abundance of good water. From this to the Sweet Water, most of your way will be through a deep, heavy sand. ALI\:ALI SPRINGS AND LAGOONS ... ·....... . ... 6 There are several of these, keep your stock from them. As you approach the Sweet 'Vater, you will see upon the plain around you large isolated masses of rock. The most noted of these, for its shape and position, being directly upon the road and bank of the riYer, is INDEPENDENCE ROCI{ .... · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 4 INDEPENDENCE ROCK. This rock derives its name f rom the f:a c t that some of the earlier emiarants of this route reached this point on 0 • |