Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-07-15

Capt F. thus describes it:
eWe continued short distance down
tfhe creek, in which our guide informed -
that the water very soon disappearc4, and
tnfrcd directly to the southwark along the
To- of the mountain; the trail on which
50 rode appearing TO describe the eastern
limit OF travel, where water and grass ter.
ed. crnssing losvspnr. 9lich hor
dered The creek, we descened IN a kind Of
plain among the lower spurs; the desert
icing IN full view on our left, apparently
illlmitable. A hot mist lay over il to- dsy,
through which 1t had a white and gliSten-
ing appearance; here and there a few dry
looking buttes and isolated black ridges
rose suddenly upon it. There said our
guide, stretching out his hand towards IL.
there are the great nGnos. (plainS; } no bag
aqua; no hay zdc1te-nGdd: there Is nei-
Their water nor grass-nothing; every ami
NAL that goes out upon them dies Il was
indeed dismal TO look upon, and hard 10
conceive so great q change 10 81 short a
distance. One might travel the world
over, without finding valley more fresh
and Verdant-more floral and sylvan
more alive with birds and animals--mnre
bOunteousely watered-lhan we had lel
IN the San Joaquin: here, within a few
miles ride. vast desert plain spread be.
fore US, from which the boIdest traveller
turned away in despair"
Their course was now necessarily south,
for this impossible desert lay on The east,
and the Sierra on the west; bat on the l7th
they arrived at little salt lake, IN about
lat. 3i4 deg N, where thew turned to the
east. travelling some distance through a
beHutllul country Of flowers and green wi
legs. The route cotinued eastward, close
at the foot of lofty mountains. over rocks
and sand, with the great desert on their
lett Vegetation was scarce, and \ slffi-
cheney OF grass obtained with difficulty.
On The 18th of April they struck the great
object OF their search, the Spanish Trail
the track which was TO lead them TO the
United States Ever since December
icy had been prevented from moving
eastward, first by the Sierra Na.sda, uu-
'fi they found their way over u BY the pass,
and afterwards by the desert, which lay
between them and the Spanish Trail
This long desired object they a, las, al
tained after passing quite around the soath-
ern extremity Of the desert. AT the time
of reaching the trail its coruse was nearly
north, and it being hard beaten track
they made rapid progress. The gener"l
course Of the trail is northeast. This traII
Is the route from Pueblo de- los An geles,
near the Pacific, to Santa Fe. Capt. F.
SAYS "we found it he toughest and rock.
test road we had seen in the country, and
Il nearly destroyed our band Of fine mules
and horses. Many animals are destroyed
on it every year, by disease called the
foot evil and traveller should never ven-
ture on it without having his animals well
shod,a and also Carrying extra shoes" Much
of this route is almost destitute If wafer
or grlss, there being many intervals oi
from 40 to 80 miles entirely without wa
ter. The risks of these intervals are suf-
ficently marked, by the bones of animal:
that strew the way.
On the 22d, they were in about lat. 81
deg. 81 min. and lon. III deg. w. on the
banks of river running north, hut which
was found TO be entirely swallowed up
often a short distance in the hot sands d
the plains. Instead of growing larger
as usual, in It's course, It grew smaller
until, from a stream Sky feet bruad snc
several feet deep, it disappeared in the
sands. The route was mountainous Con.
tinuing on in the direction of the lost river
after an interval of sixteen miles the wa
ter re-appeared in low places where there
was timber. This river, which finally dis
appears entirely, Is called, on Capt. Ere
mont's map, the MOhaAre. On the 25lh
the country had assumed the character o
an elevated mountainous desert, ITS gene
raj features being black rock ridges, balC
and destitute Of timber, with sandy BASIN
@@etween. Through these sandy basin
there struggled occasionly, scanty stream
or occurred hole of water. The noun
tain tops were covered with SHOWS and tn
road was rough with stones of various sizes
washed down from the ridges. The nake'
barren aspect OF the route was relieved D,
many beautiful plants and Towering shrubs
Day after day, the party suffered extreme
~ for want of water. Often when toun
il was salt. To avoid the heat they ira
yelled sometimes during the night an
Emoistened their mouths by chewing JUG.
roots and vegetables. Like the camels u
the deserts OF Arabia, their mules scenie
t water at the distance Of two or three miles
and ran with all their strength nll The
arrived att
The party were much ANNOYED by tn
!, predatory ha bis OF the Pah- utah Indian
? who occupy the country between lat.
: deg. and 81 deg. n. These Indians CROW
ded about the party in large num- or
D and a strict guard was required II b
bort Thaxy fraouantlv inznltad The cant