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Show GUNNISON'S ISLAND-- GULLS AND PELICANS. 191 of diamonds. The evaporation of the shoal water between the island and the main shore has left this beautiful deposite of salt, which must rapidly increase in extent as the season advances. Wednesday, May 29.- Before breakfast, all hands hauled up the yawl into a few inches of water, and turned her over to dry, preparatory to caulking and pitching. The survey of Dolphin Island was completed to- day. The summit is some seventy feet above the level of the water, and the island consists mainly of conglomerate in horizontal strata, and varying much in the size of the cemented stones. To day I made my first essay as a caulker:- caulked, payed, and painted the boat; and although it may not have been very artistically done, yet it fully answered the purpose. I found that the brine of the lake had acted very sensibly upon the iron fastenings of the boat, corroding them much more rapidly than ordinary sea- water would have done. This day one year ago the expedition left Fort Leavenworth. Of the original members of the party only four now remain: the rest having broken their engagements and gone to the gold- mines. Those that left last autumn by the Little Salt Lake route, were, as we heard, stripped by the Indians of all they possessed, and left to find their way to the land of promise as they could. Friday, May 30.- Morning calm and pleasant, all hands up early to move camp. The yawl was turned over and launched, and found, to our great satisfaction, to leak but little. As we were again short of water, I determined to run over to Gunnison's Island, and make a survey of its shores, while the boat crossed to the eastern side of the lake to obtain a supply. We landed at two P. M. upon the shores of the same beautiful little bay, with its rocky points and white- sand beach, which had so much delighted us when we first visited the island. Our friends, the gulls and pelicans, had by no means decreased in numbers; the former filling the air with their interminable chattering, which continued the whole night, and formed a most striking contrast to the chilling and deathlike silence of the surrounding shores. The little bay is covered with their forms floating lightly and gracefully upon ihe undulating waters, and unceasingly engaged in earnest conversation ; while flocks of the more dignified pelicans drew off in separate groups, as if in silent contempt of their more garrulous neighbours. The island is surrounded by bold, clear, and beautifully trans- |