The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-29
From ne National Intelligence.
The Great jaIt Lake.-Capt. stansbury''
Reconnaissance.


From ne National InteIhgsncer.
The Great jaIt Lake.-Capt. sta1sbury's
Reconnoissance.
After an intrval Of ak months, during which
he party wererompletely isolated by the impene-
trable SHOWS ofthe surrounding mountains, intel
igence has attength been received from Captain
sTAssBuRy, ofthe Typographical Engineer Corps,
who is engageein an examination OF the valley OF
the Great Salt AXE, and photographic survey OF
that singular meet of water The last previous
news of the whreabout of his party was dated IN
October last. Che present dispatches come down
to as late as thel6th of March. Capt STANsBURy
says:
ssThe winter eason here has been long and very
severe, commenting about the middle OF Novem-
Der. To-day, February 26,) the mountains are
white with snow and in many Of the canons (pro-
nounced 'kanyos) it is upwards OF fifty feet deep
reaching to the bps of the tallest trees Although
only in the latitude Of 400 46', it has more than
equaed in severity the winter of last year in Phila
delphia, which vas an unusal one, and it is even
now quite uncertain when II will terminate
Again, he says,writing the 10th OF March
"The mountail passes are fuller OF snow than
ever. Yesterday morning we found that five inches
of snow had fallen during the night, and last night
nearly as much. This is on the plains; in the
mountains the falls from four TO six times greater
the condensation Of the atmospheric vapor being
there much more rapid and complete. AT this mo-
ment, while tho sul is shining brightly on the
plains, it is snowingfurousy among the peaks"
"After completing the reconnaissance of Cache
valley, we returned to our camp on Bear river.
When Colonel Porter returned TO his post the pro-
vision train was despatched down the east shore OF
the Salt Lake, under Lieutenant Rowland, OF the
Rifles with orders to report to Lieutenant Gunni-
son, whilst l. accompanied by DR.. Blake, with a
party of four men and sixteen mules, addressed
myself to make the tour around the western side OF
the lake. This trip was, by many OF the old noun
taincers, considered rather hazardous especially at
that late of the year. Many of them had
tried it, but none had ever succeeded in achieving
it. The country represented to be barren in
the extreme and almost, if not entirely, destitute
OF fresh water. In addition to which, some dis
turbances and ill feeling had taken place between
the whites and the Snake or Shoshonee Indians,
arising out of gross outrage which had been wan
tonly inflicted upon the latter by band OF unprin-
cipled cmigrants, in which several of their men
were killed, and women violated and murdered
was determined however, to proceed; and, having
provided ourselves with some India rubber bags
for packing water, in case OF necessity, ON the
18th of October we commenced our journey. we
were also provided with one soldiers tent and one
wall tent-hy, for protection from rains; but they
were of little use, as but in two instances
could poles be procured for stretching them ut
tery destitute of timber the region through
which We passed The journey occupied us until
the 9Th of November.
1--WE foundthat the whole western shore Of the
lake consists of immense level plains OF soft mud,
inaccessible within many miles Of the waters edge
quenty by Incandcrng rills of salt and sulphur
water, which apparently eink and seem to Undue
and saturate the whole soil. rendering it miry and
trcacherous. These plains are but little elevated
above the present level of the lake. and have with
out doubt at one time, not very long since formed
a part of it, for it is evident that rise of but few
inches will at the greater portion of
these extensive areas of land with water again. ]
do not think hazard much by saying that rise Of
foot in the lake would nearly if not quite double
it's present area
1.-The plains are, for the most part, entirely de-
nuded Of vegetation, excepting occasional patches
Of Artemesia and grease and they glitter
in the sunlight presenting the appearance of water
perfectly that il is almost impossible for to
convince himself that he is not the immediate
shore of the lake itself This is owing to the crys
utilization of minute portions of salt the surface
of the mud, and the oozy slime occasioned by the
complete saturation Of the soil with moisture. From
this cause, also, arises mirage, which is greater
here than ever witnessed elsewhere; distorting
objects in the most grotesque manner, and giving
rise to optical illusions almost beyond belief. !
ticipate serious annoyance from this cause in max
ing the triangulahon."
ssIn an estimated distance of one hundred and
fifty miles, on one part OF the route, fresh water
and grass were found only IN spot, about mid
way of this stretch, and obliged to subsist
our animals, that is, to keep life in them, by
ing them out pint Of water EACH night and morn
ing, taken from the india rubber bags packed upon
their backs The first part of this desert was about
seventy five miles in extent, and occupied two
days and half 10 cross il, travelling all day and
the greater part OF the night; walking great
portion of the way to relieve the mules, which be-
gan to sink under the want of sustenance and
water.
"In the latter portion OF this fret desert We
crossed field Of solid salt, which lay encrusted
upon the level mud plain, thick that il bore up
the mules loaded with their packs so perfectly that
they walked upon il as if II had been sheet of
solid ice, slightly covered with The whole
plain level floor. We estimated this
field to be at the least ten miles in length by
md he ckne IF Inc NJ
half TO three quarters of inch. strip of some
three miles in width had been previously crossed.
but it was not thick, nor hard enough TO prevent
the animals from sinking through il into the mud
at every step. The salt in the solid field per-
fccuy crystalized, and, where it had not become
mixed with the soil, white and fine the
best specimens of salina table salt. Some of il
collected and preserved.
s'After crossing the field of salt we struck upon
fine little stream of running water, with plenty
of grass, lying mt the foot of a range Of mountains,
which seemed 20 form the western boundary of the
immediate valley Of the lake. Here we
obliged TO halt for three days to give our animals
opportunity to recruit. The latter part of the
desert was about seventy miles in extent, and was
passed in two days, by prolonging our marches far
into the night Had we not found grass and water
midway Of this barren waste, both animals and
men must have persisted.
eve were, AS have every reason to believe, the
fret party Of white men that ever succeeded in
making the entire circuit Of the lake by land. |
have understood that IL was once circumnavigatcd
by canoes, in carly times by some trappers, in
search of beaver, but no attempt by land has
been successful.
"From the knowledge gained by this expedition,
am OF opinion that the size of the lake has been
much exaggerated; and from observation, and
what have learned from the Mormons, who have
made or two excursions upon il in small skif.
am induced to believe that its depth has been
much overrated. That il has outlet, is now dc
Inonstrated beyond doubt; and ! arm convinced,
from what have seen, that IL can never be of the
slightest use for the purposes OF navigation. The
water, for miles out from the shore, wherever
have Il, is but few inches in depth; and il
there be any deep water, IL must be in the middle.
The Utah river Tor the Jordan, the Mormons
call i is altogether too Insignificant and too crook
cd to be Of any use commercially. The greatest
depth Of the Utah Lake that we have found is six
teen feet; that, for the purposes Of connected
line of navigation, neither the river the lakes
can be Of the slightest utility Such al least is my
present impression. Further examination of Salt
Lake may, perhaps, modify this opinion with re-
gard TO the latter. The river connecting these two
lakes is forty eight miles in length"
The delays and difficulties encountered by Cap
tain stansbury's party in conducting their triangu-
laion Of a district Of country extending two de-
grees IN latitude and more than degree in longi-