The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-06-21
From Col. Fremont's Reports.
The Great Basin.


il and the Rocky mountains, is that anoma-
!ous feature in our continent, the Great Ba-
sin, the existence of which was advanced as
a theory after the second expedition. and is
now established as geographical fact. Ii
is n singular feature: basin Of some five
hundred miles diameter every way, between
four and five thousand feet above the level
of the sea, shut IN all around by mountains,
with It's own system Of lakes and rivers, and
having no conneXion whatever with the sea.
Partly arid and sparsely inhabited, the gen.
eral character of the Great Basin is that Of
desert, but with great exceptions, there being
many parts Of it very fit for the residence OF
civilized people; and Of these parts, tho
Mormons have lately established themselves
IN one OF the largest and best. Mountain is
tbe pfedomlnating structure of the interior
Of the Basin, with plains between - the
mountains wooded and watcred, the plains
arid and sterile The interior mountains
conform to the law which governs the course
of the Rocky mountains and Of the Sierra
Nevada, ranging nearly north and south, and
present a very uniform character Of abrupt
ness, rising suddenly from a narrow base Of
ten TO twenty miles, and attaining an eleva>
ton of two to five thousand feet above the
level of the country. They are grassy and
wooded, showing snow OF their summit
peaks during the greater part of the year,
and atinrding small streams of water from
five to fifty feet wide, which lose themselves,
some IN lakes, some in the dry plains and
some in the belt OF allGyiai soil at the base
for these mountains have very uniformly this
belt Of atluvion, the wash and abrasion of
their sides, rich IN excellent grass, fertile,
and light, and loose enough to absorb small
streams. Between these mountains are the
arsi plains which receive and deserve the.
name of desert. Siici. Is the general struc-
ture of The interior of the Great Basin, more
Asatic than American in its character, and
mach resembling the elevated region be-
tween the Caspian sea and northern Persia.
The rim of this Basin is massive ranges of
mountains, of which the Sierra Nevada Oil
the west, and the Wah satch. and Tiupano-
Cos chains on the east, are the most conspic-
nous. On the north it is separated from the
WATERS ot the Columbia by branch OF the E
Rocky mountains, and from the gulf Of
California, on the south, by a bed of noun
famous ranges, of which the existence has
been only recently determined Snow a.
bounds on them all; on some, In their Ioftier
parts The whole year, with, wood and grass;
with copious streams of water, sometimes
amounting 20. considerable rivers, flowing
inward, and forming lakes or sinking IN the
san'is- Bells or benches &c good aiIuvon
are usually found at their base.
LAKES IN THE GREAT BAs.N.-The great
Salt lake and the Utah lake are in this Ba-
sin, towards its eastern rim, and constitute
rs most interesting feature--one, saturated
solution of common salt, the other fresh
the Utah about one hundred feet above the
level of the Salt lake, which is itself four
Thousand two huntired above the level &C
the sea, and connected by u strait, or river,
thrty-fipe miles long.
L hese lakes dram an area Of ten or twelve
thousand square miles, and have, on the east.
along the base OF the mountain, the usual
bench OF aluYion, which extends to n dis
lance of three hundred miles, with wood
and water, and abundant grass. The Nor,
mons have established themselves on the
stca!t between these two lakes, and will find
sufficient arabic land COR a large settlement
important from It's position as intermediate
between the Mississippi valley and the Pa
cliic ocean, and on the line of communion
ton TO California and Oregon.
The Utah is about thirty-tiye miles long,
and is remarkable for the numerous and bold
streams which it receives, coming down
from the mountains on the southeast, all
fresh water, although large formation Of
rock salt, inbsdded in red clay, is found
within the area on the southeast, which it
drains. The lake and its affiuents afford
large trout and other fish in great numbers,
which constitute the food Of the L tab In
dams during the fishing season. The Great
Salt lake has Il very irregular outline, grent-
ly extended at time OF melting SHOWS. tits
about seventy miles in length; both lakes
ranging nearly north and south, in conform
iy to the range Of the mountains. and is re-
markabe for its predominance Of SALT
The whole lake waters seem thoroughly
saturated with it, and every evaporation Of
the water leaves salt behind. The rocky
shores of the islands are whitened by the
spray. which leaves salt on everything it
touches, and a covering like ice forms over
the water, which the waves throw among
the rocks. The shores of the lake in the
dry season, when the waters recede, and
especially on the south side are wbtened
with organisations of fine white salt: the
shallow arms Of the lake, at the same time,
under slight covering of briny water, pre-
sent beds Of salt for miles, resembling soft
ened ice, into which the horses feet sink 10
the fetl0ck. Plants and bushes, blown by
the wind upon these fields, are entirely en-
crusted with cysta.llzed salt. more than an
inch in thickness. Upon this lake Of sal,
the fresh water received, though great in
quantity, has no preceptihle effect. No
fish, Or animal lif. of any kind is found in
1t; the tarrae OH the shore being found to
belong to winged insects. A geological ex-
animation of the bed and shores Of this
lake is of the highest interest
Five gallons OF water taken from this
lake in the month of September, and rough.
~ evaporated over fire. gave fourteen pints