The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-01
The great salt Lake Countsy---A solid
Isid Of salt for miles.

Capt. SALISBURY, who WIGS sent out
in the season of - to make c military
reconnaissance Of the Salt Lake region,
has transmitted very interesting des-
patches to w ashington, from which the
lntelligencer makes some eXtracts.-His
chief object was to make an exploration
of the west side of,the Great Salt Lake,
which has neveTbefore been done. Col.
Fremont, and all other explorers, have
traversed the country on the eastern
shore The west was literally terra
incogmta-and so far as discoveries had
extended, was known TO be the most I'M
inviting desert in America. In the
course of this terrible journey of 200
miles he relates:
In the latter portion Of this desert
we crossed field Of solid salt which
lay encrusted upon the level mud plain
SO thick that ii bore mp the mules loaded
with their packs So perfectly, that they
walked upon it as if it had been a sheet
of solid ice, slightly covered with snow.
The whole plain was as level as a 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-haf to three-quarters of an inch
Astrip of some three miles in width had
been previously crossed, but II 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 crystallized, and
where il had not become mixed with the
soil was as white and fine as the best
specimens of Salina salt Some Of i,
was collected and preserved.
After crossing the field Of salt we
struck upon a fine little stream of run
ming water, with plenty Of grass, lying
a. the foot of range Of mountains,
which seemed to form the western boun-
Diary Of the immediate valley of the
Lake. Here we were obliged to halt
for three days, to give our animals an
opportunity to recruit. The latter part
of the desert was about 20 miles in en-
tent and was passed in two days, by
proionging 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
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 acknowledged
by canoes, in early times, by some trap
pers in search of beaver, but no attempt
by land has ever been successful.
From the knowledge gained by this
expedition, am of the opinion that the
size of the lake has been exaggerated ;
have learned from the Mormons, who
have made one or two excursions upon
it in small skiff, am induced to be-
Iieve that its depth has been much over
rated. That it has no outlet IS now de-
monstratcd beyond doubt; and am
convinced from what have seen, that
II can never be Of the slightest use ior
the purposes 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
il must be in the middle. The Utah riv-
CIR Tor the Jordon as the Mormons call
IT. is altogether too insignificant and too
crooked to be of any use commercially.
The greatest depth ofthe Utah lake that
we have found is sixteen feet; SO that,
for the purposes of connected line of
navigation, neither the river nor the
lakes can be of the slightest utility -
Such al least, is my present impression.
Further examination of Salt Lake NAV
perhaps modify this opinion with regard
to the latter. The river connecting
these two lakes is forty-eight miles in
length.
For $50 miles they could not get a
drop Of fresh water. They had to car
nv water for their animals in india rub
Der bags. Had they not struck the lit
tie stream beyond the salt field, they
must ali have persisted. The Journey
was made in the month of October last
-lWis.