The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-02-16

resort oi small tribe. The abundance md
excellence Of the fish, in most oftheSe lakes,
Is a characteristic; and the fishing season
Is to the Indians the happy season o: the
! year.
! Climate ofH,e Great Basia.-The climate
OF the Great Basin does not present the rig
orous winter due to its elevation and noun
famous structure. Observations during The
last expt dition, show that around the south
ern shores of the Salt lake, latitude 4to so,
! to Az, for two weeks of the month of Octo-
Der, 1885, from the 18th to the 9th, the
mean temperature was 40o at sunrise, zoe
atnoon, and 54o at sunset; ranging at sun
rise, from 2S0 to ST. at noon from Go 10
16'; at four in the afternoon, from $50 to
ID: and at sunset, from 470 to 80.
! Until the middle ofthe month the weather
remained fair and very pleasant. On the
| 10Th, 1t began to rain in coca siUnal showers,
which whitehed with the snow the tops Of
the mountains on the south eastern side OF
the valley. Flowers were in bloom during
all the month. About the 18th, on one OF
the large islands in the south of the lake,
hsl0nHius, several species of aster, erodiun,
cicHarium, and several other plants, were
in fresh and full bloom; the grass Of the
second growth was coming up finely, and
veget alton, generally, be.okcned the length.
I ened summer of the climate.
The 10th, 17lh, and 18th, stormy with
rain; heavy at night; peaks Of the Bear
river range aud tops OF the mountains GOV.
cred with snow. On the 18th, cleared with
weather like that Of late spring, and con.
tinued mild and clear until the end Of the
month, when the fine weather was again in
tcrrnpted by day or two of rain. No snow
mithin 1000 feet above the level Of the val
ley.
Across the interior, between ATTITUDES AZ
aud $50, during the month Of November,
10Th to the 18th, the mean temperature was
29' at sunrise, and 400 at sunset: ranging
al noon INV detached observations between
il0 and Coz. There was a snow storm be-
tween the 4,h and 7h, the snow falling
principally at night, and sun occasionally
breaking out in the day. The lower hills
aud valleys were covered few inches deem
with snow, which the sun carried Oft in a
few hours after the storm was over.
The weather then continued uniuierrnp,.
eddy open until the close Of the year, with
oct rain or snow; and during the re mainder
Of November, generally clear and beautiful
nights aud mornings calm, light breeze
rare occurrence. Snow remained only on
the peaks of the mountains.
On the western side ofihe basin, along
the Lase Of the Sierra Nerada, during two
weeks. from the. 18th November TO the lth
December, the mean temperature at sunrise
Wa lie and at sunset $40; ranging at sun.
rise from zero TO II , at sunset from 23o 10
az. Forte consecutive days Of the same
period, the mean temperature al noon wa.
45o, rang ing from 33o tn 560.
The weather remained open. usually YER
yclear, and the rivers were frozen.
The winter of'i3-'44, within the basin.
was remarks able for the same open, pleas.
ant weather, rarely interrupted by rain OF
snow. In fact. there is nothing in the eli
mate NJ this great interior region. elevated
as il is, and surrounded and traverscd by
snowy mountains, 10 prevent civilized man
from making it his home, and finding in its
arabic parts the means Of comioria BILE sub.
sistence and this the Mormons will proba
bly, soon prove in the parts about the Great
Salt lake. The progress Of their settlement
is already great. On the frs, Of April Of
the present year, they had 5000 acres in
wheat, seven saw and erist mills. seven
hundred houses in fortified Enclosure oi
sixty acres. stock. and other aGcompani-
men's Of flourishing establishment.
Such is the Great Basin, heretofore char
ac,erized as desert, and in some respects
meriting that appellatien; but already de.
mandpg the qualific alton Of great excep-
lions, and deserving the full examination of
a thorough exploration.