Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-08-09

Capt. Stansbury, sent out by Govern
ment to make an examination Of the
Valley of the Salt Lake, writes home:
"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 one or two excursions upon it in
small skiff, am induced to believe that
its depth has been much overrated. That
it has no outlet, is now demonstrated be-
yond doubt; and am convinced, from
what have seen, that it can never be
OF the slightest use for the purpose of
navigation. The water, for miles out
from the shore. wherever have seen it,
is but few inches in depth; and if there
be any deep water, it must be in tho
middle. The Utah river for the Jour-
dan, as the Mormons call it) is altogeth-
er too Insignificant and too crooked to be
OF any use commercially. The greatest
depth of the Utah Lake that we have
found is sixteen feet; SO that, for the pur-
pose OF connected line of navigation,
neither the river nor the lakes can be Of
the slightest utility. Such, at least, is
my present impression. Further exam
ination of Salt Lake may, perhaps, mod
ify this opinion with regard to the latter.
The river connecting these two lakes is
4s miles in length.
He found that the whole western shore
of the lake consists of immense level
plains of soft mud, inaccessible within
many miles of the waters edge to the
feet of mules or horses, being traversed
frequently by meandering riIls Of salt
ana sulphur water, which apparently
sink and seem to Undue and saturate the
whole soil. rendering it miry and treach-
erous. These plains are, but little ele-
waited above the present level of the lake,
and have, without doubt, at one time,
not very long since, formed part Of it.
The plains are, for the most part, entire
ly denuded of vegetation, excepting oc-
casional patches of Artemesia and
"grease wood" In an estimated dis
tance Of one hundred and ffty miles, on
one part of the route, fresh water and
grass were found only In one spot.
"ln the latter portion of this FIRST des-
ert we crossed field OF solil,. salt, which
lay encrusted upon the level mud plain,
so thick that il bore up the mules loaded
with their packs 20 perfectly that they
walked upon it as if it had been sheet
OF solid ice, slightly covered with snow.
The whole plain was as level as floor.
We estimated this field to be at least ten
miles In length. by seven in width, and
the thickness of the saltat from one-half
to three-quarters of an inch. A strip of
some three miles in width had been pre-
viously 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 was
perfectly crystalized, and where il had
not become mixed with the soil, was as
white and fine as as the best specimen of
salina table salt. Some of it was collec-
ted and preserved.
"After crossing the field Of salt, we
struck upon fine little stream of rum
ming water, with plenty of grass lying at
the foot of range of mountains, which
seemed to form the western boundary of
the immediate valley Of the lake.
"We were, as | have every reason to
believe, the first party of white men that
ever succeeded in making the entire cir
cult of the lake by land. | have under
stood that it was once circumnavigated
by canoes. in early times, by some trap
pers, in search Of beaver, but no attempt
by land has ever been successful"