Litchfield enquirer., 1853-03-24
TOUR OVER THE CONTINENT.
CHAPTER VI.

| 0'on Io nOW o0AOFe EoACulnS tu0 OCeAh OI some other large body of water, is one oi the most remarkable phenomena in the physical world. For day or two's jour ney above the sink, the ground is so sof that it is difficult to get water from the river without sinking in the mud. Some htty miles above the sink, some oi our men had swam the river to get some wild rye that grew in abundance on the south side Ofthe river. In attempting to follow them. plunged in and swan some hali dozen rods; but being carried down by a strong current succeeded in reaching some small willows on the south side of the river, which was not strong enough to support me. Being completely exhausted, l let down my feet for the bottom, but found none, andbut for the precious life : should have been swept down into the dark ocean of eternity, as some others were, of whom I have heard. At .this place suppose the river was deep enough to float tirst-raie steamer-perhaps the largest that swims the ocean.
 Two miles above the sink is narshy place. Holes were dug in the ground, ! where sulphur water was obtained, which h relished tolerably well after drinking the water of the Humboldt for eleven days.- At this place several trains had stopped and were making preparation, as best they could, for forced march of fifty niles across desert, destitute of grass or fresh water. Among these, some were in a state of starvation. Never shall forget the pathos with which one poor fellow ex. claimed, e. I have one hundred and sixty acres of the best land in Wisconsin, and here am starving to death i" and he was not alone in hio distress.
 1 JUNE 30TH.-At l o'clock, P. M, with tardy steps aud melancholy hearts, we left the sulphur springs and commenced our march across the desert. Half dead with fatigue and hunger (for we had been on short allowance for week or two. ) the voice of the angel to Lot seemed sounding in my ears, Escape for your lives aud look not behind you" As nigh, drew on its sable but welcome shade we quickened our pace, occasionally inter- mingliDg with other trains, all pressing on with eager haste. like pilgrims to the shrine of their saint.
 | Thus, we continued our course due south until about midnight, when one of our men. from ilI health and fatigue, was unable to proceed further. We halted 1: I unpacked my mule, and the next thing kcew, some one said. they're eoing.'- 1 had been asleep on the gre und. and if no one had disturbed me should have slept sweeIly till morning. By this time all our water was exhausted, and we had to travel the remairder of the night, suffer ing severely from thirst. We saw some holes dug by the way side, but the water in them was salt. Our trail led some. times across those vast floors, which have before dee cribed, when tue t1ayel> ing was the best imaginable-again, over a section of country. somewhat broken. and a few Shrubby bushes--aIong the base of mounta lns-and the last part of the trnil was very sandy and hard travelling. Just as the sun arose espied the waters of the 
 Karson River. No sight could have been more welcome. Here we lay in camp one day. and drank, ba'hed, and slept on the banks of the river, recruiting our- selves somewhat from the fatigue of the preceding night. Most trains occupy a whole night and most of day. in crossing this desert, as itis better for both man and beast, than to encounter the extreme heat of . whole day. As the sun arose, the naked, desert mountain and plains which we had just passed. seemed 10 glow like red hot oven. or fallow ground when fIes had just done smoking. The waters of this river come, down from the snows of the Siera Nevada (sreat snow mountains) aAd eastern line oi California pass off to the east towards the Salt Lake and are probaly lost in tEe deserts of tha most dSsolate region. q ss;T5 -, Al the point where we first struck lh' river were some Indians, naked. except filthy reg about their waists. What tue! subsisl upon I could not imagine, unles i. were musquitoes, which l watched will greet interest as they were trying theil little proboscis on the sunburnt hides E.be natives. which experiment. they seem ed too willing to relinquish that they m'gh try dig on the more delicate counsenan : ces of their strange visitors. There seem , cd 10 be very few fish in the river or gam
 on the land. i'5a .' '" -.'' ~ .'''o .-'' 7
 For three days we travelled slowly '