The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-09-22
XVIII.
South Pass to Bridger.
Big SANDY, Oregon, July 6, 1859.

D1G OAND1, OIeEob, cuiy ", iOoo'
wrote last from the Mail Company's
station-tent in "Quaking Asp Canon" at
the East end of the South Pass. three
miles off the direct and and weIl-beateD
road from the Missouri to Salt Lake, and
so to California, which was formerly the
road to Oregon as we'll But Col. Lam
der, at the head of a U. S. exploring and
pioneer party, has just marked and near
ly opened a new road through the Canon
aforesaid, which makes Northern cut
of, and, strikes the old Oregon trail some
fourteen miles south of Fort Hall saving
sixty miles on the journey to Oregon,and
striking through to California on north
erly route, which think pushes through
to the north of Honey Lake, and thence
over the Sierra down one of the forks of
the Yuba. | cannot, of course, say that
this is better than the old route, but it
can hardly be more destitute Of grass,
while the naked fact that it divides the
travel affords cheering hope of mitiga-
ton of the suferings and hardships ofthe
long journey. ] missed seeing Col. Ian.
der to my regret; but am sure be is do
ing good work, for which thousands
will have reason to bless him. At all e.
vents, great majority of the California,
with all the Oregon emigration, is turn
ing off on the new route, and pray that
they may find on it food for their weary.
famished cattle, and safe journey to
their chosen homes.
Though the elevation of the Pass is near.
ly 5000 feet above the ocean level, new
er endured heat exceeding that of yester-
day in and about the station.tent. The
sun rose clear, as it almost always does
here in Summer, soon dispeling the chill
which attends every night in this region,
and by 8 O'Clock the heat was most in
tense. But the afternoon brought clouds,
and petty rain-squall, and the following
night was cold enough to still any mos
quitoes but those of the Rocky Mountains.
| suspect these would sing and bite even
with the mercury at zero.
Toward evening, | climbed the bill on
the east of the Canon, and obtained from
its summit wide prospect, but how des-
olatc These hills are of volcanic for
no alton, kind of coarse slate, the strata
upheaved almost perpendicularly, the
surface shattered and shingly, with veins
of hard Quartz running across them
There is scarcely bushel of soil to each
square rod, and of course no grass, and
little vegetation of any kind. To the
north, say ten or twenty miles away, is a
snow -streaked range of the Rocy Noun
tans; to the south, some miles across the
/ Sweetwater, are lower and less barren
hills, with some snow-banks and come
wood-Quaking Asp and Yellow Pine
on their northern slopes. The Sweetwa.
ter heads among the mountains to the
north northwest There is little we'll
gnawed grass on its immediate banks and
! on those tributaries-ou the high rolling
land which fills all beside of the wide
space between the mountains north and
those south, there is not mule feed te
each acre. Some Grease wood at inter
vals, the eternal Sagebush, and few
weeds, with the QuakiDg Asp aud yellow
Pine aforesaid, aud thick taugle of Bit
ter Cottonwood (which is bad caricaturs
of our Swamp Alder thatching portion.
of few of the smaller streams, sompris
the entire vegetation of this forlorn re
gion.
We started at this morning, CAM
down to the old Salt Lake, Oregon, ant
California trail at the Sweetwater, cross
ed and left that creek finally, and trav
ersed slightly rolling country for seve
miles to the "Twin Buttes," two low, clay