The national wagon road guide, from St. Joseph and Council Bluffs, on the Missouri River, via South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, to California

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108 NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. tion, when, after a long unpleasant drive, you at last reach COLD SPRING ........ o • • • •• • • • • • • • • • · • • • • • • • • • • ••• 14 There are numerous springs in this vicinity, and much good grass. You will now pass over a low ridge, Jo HOT SPRING VALLEY. . . ........................ 5~ Here are springs that are certainly an interesting fea­ture of the emigrant route; they are situated close to the road, and con~ist of a great number of bubbling pools, from two to ten feet in diameter, between w·hich are por­tions of tolerably solid ground, covered with a short coarse grass, the water is clear, and though not boiling hot, we found it impossible to hold the hand in some of them, even for a fourth of a minute ; and would raise the n1crcury of the thermometer to 190 degrees. A SMALL CREEl{.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 You follow up this creek and ravine, to a SPRING.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ . . . . . .. • . . • . 4 Some grass here, and sage for fuel. FORKS 0 F ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Here are two roads, and there is but little to choose be­t, veen theu1, the right may be a little the shortest, but it is the roughest, as it passes through a very rocky canon. Either are very fair routes, we give them both. ~RIGHT HAND ROAD. From the forks to ROC!{ CREEl{. ........ · ................. 0 • • • • • • • • • • • 6 Good camping. TO CROSSING OF ROCI{ CREEK .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You now pass through a very rocky canon, following the bed of the creek in places. 1~ ~'fOlJTH Olr CANON . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . ......... 2~ .! • ) ! . . .. () : ' ~ , ; t I ) I NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. 109 BRANCH OF HUMBOLDT RIVER. . . . . . . . • f • • • • • • 9 As you follow down this branch you will find the finest of grasses and wild clover in abundance, and willows for fuel. HUMBOLDT RIVER ................................ I o We will now go back to the forks, and take the [G? LEFT IIAND ROAD. From the forks to A SMALL CREEK.............. . .................. 5 VALLEY SPRINGS ................................. 5~ ANOTfiER VALLEY........ . . . . . . . . .............. 7 Some water here on your left, and towards the further ~nd of the valley are the natural \vells ; very good ·water, but dangerous for animals to approach. Here the Hum­boldt mountains with their snowy sun1mits, loom up to the south of you. Now a good road to a beautiful val­ley, that lies a little off the road to the right. BEAUTIFUL vALLEY.. . ..... I • • • • • • • • • .. • • • •••• 5 It is indeed beautiful, if any landscape can really be, without trees ; but it has not a tree nor even a willow. The upper part, to your right, has no water, and the grass there is not very good; but follow down a mile or more to near the middle of t~e valley, and there is one of the largest and finest springs of water on the whole route to California; thirty feet in circumference and ten deep, with a host of little fishes in it. It is the head of a small branch of the Humboldt. You follow down the valley to a creek, or turning to the main road on your left, reach by an easy drive HUMBOLDT RIVER. . . . . ......................... 13 Here the two roads that forked some thirty-five miles back, come together again. You are now about to travel over SOJDe of the worst portion of the whole overland rontr, or it mn~r he quite pfl~~nhlr., clepending npon the