Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-07-19
New Series-VOl. 4-No. 80.
The Great Salt Lake-.-Captain Stansbary's
Expedition.


Capt. Stansbury, sent out by Govern
ment 10 make an examination of the Val
ley of the Salt Lake, writes home:
"From the knowledge gained by this exped-
ton, | am of opinion that the size Of the lake
has been much exaggerated and from observa-
ton, and what | have learned from the Nor
mons, who have made one or two excursions
upon 1t in q small skif ! am induced to believe
that its depth has been much overrated. That
1t has no outlet, it is now demonstrated beyond
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
1t, is but few inches in depth; and if there be
any deep water, it must be in the middle. The
Utah river)or the Jordan as the Mormons call
IT. is altogether 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 purposes of con-
nected line of navg ation neither the river nor the
lakes can be of the slightest utility. Such, at
least, IS my present impression. Further exam
nation of Salt Lake may, perhaps, modify this
opinion with regard to the latter. The river
connecting these two lakes is 48 miles in length"
He found that the whole western shore
of the lake consists of immense level
plains of softmud, inaccessible within many
miles of the waters edge to the feet of
mules Or horses, being traversed frequent
ly by meandering rills of salt and sulphur
wafer, which apparently sink and seem to
imbue and saturate the whole soil, render
ing it miry and treacherous. These plains
are but little elevated above the present
level of the lake, and have, without doubt.
at one time, not very long since, formed
part Of II. The plains are, for the most
part, entirely denuded of vegetation, ex-
cepting occasional patches of Artemesia
and +" grease-wood." In an estimated dis
tance of one hundred and fifty miles, on
one part Of the route, fresh water and
grass were found only IN one spot.
{" In the latter portion of this first desert we
crossed field Of solid salt which Law encrusted
upon the level mud plain, so thick that it bore
up the mules loaded with their packs so perfect
ly 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 salt at from one-half to three-quarters of an
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 it into the mud at every step.
The salt in the solid field was perfectly chrystai-
lied, and where it had not become mixed with
the soil, was as white and fine as the best speci-
mems of salina table salt. Some of it was col
lected and preserved,
CATER crossing the field of salt, we struck
upon fine little stream of running water, with
plenty of grass, lying at the foot Of a range of
mountains, which seemed to form the western
boundary of the immediate valley of the lake.
We were, as have ever reason to believe,
the first party of white men that ever succeeded
in making the entire circuit of the lake by land
] have understood that il was once circumnavi-
gated by canoes, in early times, by some trap
pers, in search Of beaver, but no attempt by
land has ever been successful