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Show LAKE- WATER A PRESERVATIVE OF MEATS. 171 and, sought repose in the bottom of the boat, while I guided ottr little craft daring the night, until, at the break of day, I sank down, benumbed by the cold and overcome by the fatigues of the preceding day, followed by an incessant watck'of more than twelve hours. We were, however, not far from our encampment, having tun during the night nearly thirty miles. • The party under Iflr. Carrington returned: to Jbe camp in the afternoon from Br& nont's Island, having- completed its detailed survey durjng my absence. They were almost famishedtfor water, and had " laid^ out/' or bivouacked, for four successive sights The fresh provisions ai* d vegetables I brought with me were received . with much Satisfaction* ' - . % » J > ^' Before leaving Black Bock, I made an experiment upon the. properties of the wa, ter of the lake for preserving . meat.' A large piece of fresh beef was suspended by a cord and immersed in the . lake for rather more than twelve hourq,. when. it was found to be tolerably well corned. . After this, fill the beef we wished! topre^ serve while operating upon the lake, was packed into barrels with* out aay salt whatever, * nd the vessels, were then filled up with the x . lake- water. No further care or preparation was"' necessary; and the meat kept perfectly sweet, although constantly exposed to the ' sun. I hav$ no doubt that meats put up in thig water would ';. remain sound and good as long as if prepared after the moat ap-* proved methods. Indeed, we were obliged to mix fresh water with this natural brine* to prevent our meat from becoming too salt for ' present use- a very few dayp' immersion changing its character from corned beef to / what the sailors call " salt junk." Monday, April 29.- Moving camp from Promonotory Point. The morning was bright and clear, but the wind blew a gale from the west, by- which the boats, being deeply laden, were so much . retarded that with all our. exertion we could nqt~ get. farther- than '• seven, miles around the. western side of the Promontory,. when, to , . $ void being driveii ashore by the violence of the gale, we Were obliged to land and'encamp for the night. The baggage, as tisual, had to be carried about half a mile to obtain ground upon, which to pitch the tents. This was foumi under a high cliff of quprtzree rock, with masses among the detritus, of nearly pure feldspar.. In the cliff, was . quite a large cave, which had been used as a shelter by Indians-- the mark* of their fires being still visible , within it. Our men took possessionof. . it, buify a large fire, and/ consoled themselves for the fatigues of the day with a dance to |