Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-05-09
MISCELLANY N Y
Great Salt Basin.

Extracts from letter of Edward Bigelow,
an overland emigrant to California, commu-
nicated for publication in the Cincinnati Ga.
zette:
'The principal deserts are two in number,
one of fifty miles, the other of seventy; upon
the first no water but in one place, and a lit
tie tough grass; the second not spear of
grass, and in only one place water, and this,
a spring of boiling bitter brine, which our al-
most exhausted cattle, to our CONSERVATION,
refused TO drink. The latter desert is what
is called the Great Salt Basin. There for the
first time in my life, beneath scorching,
blistering, fervid sun. whose heat was made
the more intense by its reflection from the al
most polished salt and sand surface, upon
which the trail wound, did feel the anguish
Of thirst. For the entire distance was to be
seen scarcely trace of vegetable life, occa-
sionally solitary slash Of wild sage, with its
crisped leaves, slrove, but in vain, for life
No trace of animal life, save man and his
brutes, no chirping of insects, not even the
broad winged vulture came with his black
pinion, TO ceave the molten element and re-
lieve the awful tedium.
1t was wrong perhaps SO to think, but
could not divest my mind of the fearful idea,
that here might have been displayed the ven-
geance of an Almighty God, and that per-
chance, beneath the broad and arid expanse
Of salt and sand in confusion, were engufed
cities and towns, teeming with Gomorrah. like
men, and Gomorrah-like sins, there was
much to inspire the belief that this was an
accursed spot. The absence OF animal or veg
etable life, the dread and vast expanse of salt
and sand, to gaze upon which filled the eyes
with n a tho
ering in its own heat, the broad red sun,
whose disc seemed never so large, so malig.
nant in its intensity of heat. The frighfuly
unnatural appearance of the almost copper
colored sky; the heated earth, and more aw>
fuI still, the solemn and awe inspiring, death
like silence of all nature, broken only by the
crispIng sound of the wheels upon the blis-
tered ground, and the hollow, cavernous
tread Of the oxen, and mules, all, all conspired
to mark it in my mind acc,used of God.
The trail was strewn with dead and dying
animals, upon either side-failhfuI creatures,
serving the caprices of man until they sunk
exhausted in the yoke or harness, and then
abandoned TO die of thirst. Still onward
pressed presumtive man, the dropping cattle
with almost glazing eyes dragging along
their burthen, their low means their only
complaint. walked behind the wagon ; the
blood gushed from my nose, stopped it as
best could; it came to my mouth-shall l
confess the act?-I drank it, and was revived.
BY some sad chance our wafer keg had been
insecurely stopped, and its contents lost
Never shall forget the seventy mile desert
nor shall soon forget the irresistible impulse
with which sprang into fuckers river, and
my real ecstacy Of delight, as 1 drove in its
rapid current, aod swan in its limpid water.
Sing poets and temporary minstrels, sing on
your praises and thanks TO a beneficent Prov
idence for this, its gift to man-dear, cold,
crystal water. May never vitiated taste rem
der ausht to my palate SO acceptable