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Show 8H. K. PLANT- SPRING BAT. . ' . 1T5 v Beth are of a very close texture, and would make excellent build* # ing- stone.. / . Around the springs - was found, growing, in considerable quantity, a plant I had not before seen- called by some of the men silk-plant It somewhat resenibles the sumac in . appearance, and has at its top a cluster of long slender pods, which, when ripe, split open longitudinally, disclosing a . number of . seeds, each attached to a fascicle of long^ silky fibres; resembling very, fine threads ^ f. spun gl* s*. The bark is tough, strong, and very much like that of flax. The root andtjhe plant) whan broken, exudes a milky ' viscous substance-- that from the root is" intensely bitter. '- The N Ottoes and Omabas jnake lariats of the )> ark, which are said to be stronger^ and better, than. those made of hidtf. It is said to grow abundantly- near Council. Bluffs, in Missouri., Mjr'. Frenchman called it vacke & lait. The Mexican negro eook calls it capoU 4es acarte. He says that the Puteblo Indians call it noche. $ hey cut it 4° wn when ripe,, rub it so ad to separate the fibres, and make of it beautiful and very strong fishing- lines and fine sewing- thread. - . They also use. a decoction of the root fdr medicinal purposes- the root itself is put into liquor to make bitter*. - Beyond these springs the lake makes a wide, deep bay, stretch-' ing far to the northward, near the head of which the promontory range bounding it on. the east seems to. sink away. On the west,* , the bay is bounded by a low range, of rocky hills, stretching to the norths JJetweeh those hiUs the country is mtjch lower, and ascends northwardly, by a gentle rise, to * belt of low hills jar off in. the distance; over whiqh, farther, to'the north- west, is qOen. a range of- snow- capped mountains. ' Starting from the springs with the boats, we attempted to make our. Way to the'point where the eastern fange seemed to terminate? but found the water so ^ shallow that it was impracticable.;- After' many fruitless attempt^, the boat was brought as near the shore' , aa possible, part of the baggage loaded into the skiff, and pushed toward, the land. It was impossible* however, to bring even this ' light barque nearer than within, a quarter of a mile of. the beach,. and the luggage was transported to shore on otir shoulders. . Qh . landing, we found ourselves op the margin of an immense flat of *• sand, destitute of the. least sign of vegetation, and only a few inches above the level of the water, which covets a large. portion of it whenever, a fresh wind prevails from the south. Jt stretches across the head of the hay from, near the springs to the southern |
