The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-03-02
THE GREAT SALT LAKE.

QueHl 10 IL INDUCES US 10 give the I0llOW
ing account which we find in Bryant's journal of
tour through California. After describing
scenes of solemn desolaton and barrenness i'm
mediaely around the borders, the writer comes
unexpectedly upon the desert, which he thus de-
scribes.
We stood on the brow of steep precipice, the
descent from the ridge Of hills mme diately below
and hey ond which narrow valley or depression
in the surface of the plain, about five miles in
width displayed so perfectly the wavy and iIothy
appearance of highly agtaed water, that Col.
Russell and myself, who were riding together
some distance in advance, both simultaneously
exclaimed :-"We must have taken a wrong
course, and struck another arm or bay of the
Great Salt Lake" With deep concern we were
looking around, surveying the face of the coun-
try, to ascertain what remedy there might be for
this formidable obstruction to our progress, when
the remainder OF our party came up. The diff.
Guilty was present 10 them; but soon, upon d more
calm and scrutnzing inspection, " e discovered
that what represented SO perfectly the crushing
waters, was moyeess and made no sound The
illusion soon became manifest TO US all, and
hearty laugh at those who were the first to be
deceived was the consequence; denying to them
the merit OF being good pilots, or pioneers, sc.
Descending the preciptous elevation upon
which we Stood entered upon the hard
smooth plain we had just been surveying with SO
much doubt and interest, composed OF blueish
clay, incrusted with wayy lines, with white sa-
line substance, the first representing the body OF
the water, and the last the crest and froth OF the
mimic waves and surge. Beyond this we cross.
ed what appeared TO have been the beds OF sever
al small lakes, the waters of which have evapor-
ated, thickly incrused with SALT and separated
from each other by small mound -shaped eleva-
tions OF a white, sandy, or ashy earth, so impon-
derous that 1t has been driven by the action of
the winds into these heaps, which are const- ntly
changing their positions and their shapes. Our
mules waded through these ashy fluctuations,
sometimes sinking to their knees, at others to
their bellies, creating dust that rose above and
hung us like dense fog.
From this point on our right and left, diagon.
ally in our front, at an apparent distance of thirty
forty miles, high isolated mountains rise alb
ruptly from the surface of the plain. Those
from our left were as white as the snow-like face
OF the desert, and may be OF the same compost
ton, but | inclined to the belief that they are
composed OF white clay, or clay and sand inter-
mingled.
The mirage, beautiful phenomenon | have
frequently mentioned as exhibiting itself upon
our journey,here displayed its wonderful illusions
in perfection and with magniicence surpass
ing any presentation OF the kind | had previous.
ly seen.
observed that where these appearances were
presented in their most varied forms and with the
most vivid distinctness, the surface Of the plain
was broken, either by chasms followed out from
the action OF the winds, or by undulations formed
OF the drifting sands.
About eleven o'clock we struck vast white
| plain, uniformly level, and utterly destitute of
| vegetation or any sign that shrub or plant had
ever existed above its snow-lke surface Paus-
| ing few moments to rest our mules and moisten
| our mouths and Threats from the scant supnly Of
beverage IN our powder kegs, we entered upon
this appalling field of sulen and hoary desoation.
1t was scene so entirely new 10 u.s. so lrightfuI.
ly forbdding and unearthly In its aspects that ali
OF US, believe, though impressed with its SUBJ
Unity, telt slight shudder OF apprehension
Our mules seemed to sympathize with us in the
| pervading sentiment, and moved forward with
reluctance, several Of them subbornIy SETTING
their faces for counter march.
For fifteen miles the surface OF this plan is so
compact, that the feet OF our animals as we bur.
ried them along over it, left but little If anv i'm.
| preston Tor the guidance of the future traveller
| 1t is covered with hard crust OF saline and all
kallne substances combined, from one fourth TO
one-halt of an inch in thickness, beneath which
is stratum OF damp whitish sand and CLAW in.
terminged. Small fragments OF white shelly
rock, OF an inch and half in thickness, which
| appear as il they once composed crust hui had
! been broken by the action of the atmospher. or
the pressure of water rising from beneath are
strewn over the entire plain and imbedded in the
salt and sand.
AS we proceeded, the plain gradually became
softer, and our mules sometimes sunk to their
knees in the stiff composition OF salt, sand. and
clay. The travelling at length became so diff.
cult and tatiguing to our animals, that several o,
the party dismounted, (myselt among the mum.
ber,) and we consequently sackened our hitber.
to brisk pace into walk. About two O'clock A
M, we discovered through the smoky vapor the
aim outlines OF the mountains in front OF us At
the loot OF which was to terminate our davis
march, ii we were so fortunate as to reach it,
But still we were long and weary distance from
IL and from "grass and water which we ex.
| pected there to hnd A cloud rose from the
south soon afterwards, accompanied by several
distant peels of thunder, and furious wind
rushing across the plain and filling the whole A.,
mosPhere around US with the fine particles Of
salt, and drifting it In heaps like the newly fallen
snow. Our eyes became nearly blinded. and
our threats choked with the saline mater. and
the very air we breathed tasted OF salt.
"A SAD STORY. We have CHANGED. saws the
memphis Eagle, upon one of those singular and
melancholy episodes in domestic life, which are
not Inc less interesting from the fact that thew
seldom become public, though SO frequently oc.
curing. VI two brothers English OF this city.
nne looking, powerfully built men, one died sud.
denly Friday. He hup;ad -