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Show ,104 RECONNOISSANCB AROUND GREAT SALT LAKE. with the gum of the mountain pine, by which it was rendered perfectly water- tight. I afterward saw some similarly shaped vessels, and made of the same material, that would hold nearly two gallons. As nothing was to be " gained by rigidly following the lake- shore, I determined to cut across the projecting points, keeping the general features of the lake in view. At this point we came upon a low range of basaltic hills, extending some miles west of the mountains which* continued to the northward, and presenting a steep escarpment on the lake, where we again struck it. This lower series of hills extended also to the north, and we followed along their base for many miles, the range gradually falling off to the « ast as we advanced. The general soil was white clay, formed from the decomposition of the rocks.' ' At three o'clock, having travelled eighteen miles without. water, we halted, removed the packs from the backs of our weary beasts, ana served out from our scanty store a'pint of water to each mule; which the famished creatures eagerly drank from . a tin pan: We remained here a couple of hours, to allow them to grase on some tolerably good bunch- grass, when we again saddled up at sundown, and continued our journey, determined to' go on till water should be found, or at least as long as the animals could travel. At ten o'clock we reached a small slug- * gish stream, containing some water entirely too salt for our use, but which the poor animals drank with great avidity, having been without for more than twelve hours. Here we lay down for the night, both, man and beast much fatigued with the day's march* The country passed over to- day has been barren, desolate, and forlorn to the last degree. Artemisia has prevailed to the exclusion of all other vegetation. Not the note of a bird nor the chirp of ail insect was to be heard. A solitary crow and one grasshopper were the only living things seen during the whole day's march. Thursday, October 25.- Ther. at sunrise, 24°. We had an opportunity this morning of seeing fully the ground over which we had passed the night previous. It consisted of an oval flat of clay and sand, some four or five milefe broad from east to west, and extending double that distance toward the north; bounded on both sides by lofty hills, with high mountains in the background; North of the flat the ridge was much lower, and it appeared asr if there were a pass or depression through it, leading to an6ther valley or plain beyond. Three streams came down from this tow ridge, and, flowing to the southward, either sank into the sand or discharged themselves into the lake, which we now judged, to be some six or |