The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-07-19

THE GREAT SALT DESERT.
Perhaps tho most rcmarkab feature Of
the grcat West is the great Salt Desert,
which lies nearly in tho centre Of tho Con-
,lnent. The frequent illusions To il in the
westcrnecws, induces us TO give the follow.
ing account, oft, which We find in Bryan,'s
journal Of a tour through California.
Alter describing scenes ii solemn dcsola-
ton and barrenness immediately around the
borders, the writer Comes unexpectedly
upon the desert, which he thus Describes:
We st"h IN the brow of steep prcci-
pcc. The descent from the ridge of hills
Immediately below and beyond which a mar
row valley or depression in tho surface Of
the plain, nbou, five miles in width, displnys
50 perfectly tho wavy and fro,hy appear
nnce M highly sgi,aicd water, that Col.
Russell! and myself, who were riding iogc,h-
CT some distance in ndvnncc, both sinu!,a.
neously exclaimed: ave must have taken
q wrong course, aud struck, another arm
or bay Of the Great Salt Lake. With
deep concern, we were looking around,
survc, ing the face Of the co,n,ry 10 asccr-
tain Whit remedy there might be CIR this
formidable obstruction to our progress,
when tho remainder "f our party came up.
The difficulty was presented 10 them; but
soon, upon n more calm aud scrutinizipp
inspection, we discovered TINT what rcpre.
scented so perfectly the crushing waters"
was mnvclcss and made no sound! The
illusion soon became manifest 10 Us all, n nd
N haaF In,snl. M th,sn L.. a e
deceived was tho consequence; deny ing
them tbs merit u being good pilots or pio.
necrs, Sc.
Descending tho PERCEPTIONS elevation
upon which We stood, we entered upon the
hard, sin"'th plain, We had just been sur
vcying with so much doubt and interest,
composed oi' BLUSH clay. incrusted, in wavy
lines, with white snline substance, the
first representing the body Of the water.
nnd the last the crest md iro,h of the mimic.
waves aud surge. Beyond this VIC crossed
what appeared To have been the beds al
several SIN Ill laker, the waters Of which
have esap"ratet, thickl, incrusted with sal,
snd separated from each other BY small
'aoand-shaped elevations, of white, san.
dy, nshy earth, SO inpondcrous rs 10 be
driven by tho action Of the winds into these
heaps, which are constantly changing their
positions aud their shapes. Our mules
ws''cd through these sshy fluctuations,
sometimes sinking 10 their knees, and al 9th.
ers 10 their bellies, creating dust that rose
above mud hung over us like dense log
From this point, on our right md left
diagonally 10 our front, nj m apparent dis.
lance 81 thirty or forty miles, high isolated
mountains rise abruptly from The surface Of
the plain. Those from our left wcro a.
white as tho snow-like face of the desert,
aud may he Of the same composition, bu,
! am inclined 10 tho belief that ,hev arc
composed "f white clay, or clny aud sand
in'erninglcd.
The mirage, beautiful phenomenoA
have frequently mentioned as exhibiting
itself upon our journey. here displayed lie
wonderful illusions in perfection md with a
mngnificcncc surprising my presentation
Of the kind had previously seen.
observed TIM. where these appeara noes
were presented in their most varied forms,
and with the most vivid distinct ness, tho
surface of the plain was broken, either by
chas,ns followed out BY The action Of the
winds, or by undulst,ons formed Of the
drifting sands.
About II o'clock we struck a vast white
plain, uniformly level, and utterly destitute
Of vegetation or sny sign that shrub or
plant had ever existed above i.s snow-liks
surince. Pausing few moments to rest
our mules and moisicn our mouths and
throats from the scant supply of beverage
10 our powder keg, We entered upon this
appalling field u sullen and hoary desoln-
,ion. Il WINS scene 80 entirely new 10 us,
so frightfuIly forhidding md nnsarthly in
i,s aspec.s. that all &c ~, believe iho.eh
impressed with iis sublimily, gave slighl
shudler Of apprehension. Our mules
seemed 70 sympathize with us in tho pr.
vading sentiment, and moved forward with
reluctance, several o( them siubbornly ses-
ting their faces los countermaSch. For
fifteen miles The surface If this plain 10 90
compact, TINT tho feet Of our animsls. %
~ hurried them slong over il. !sA but little
ifsny impression IL the guidance o. ths