The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-10-27
sTRoUDsBURG, MONROE COUNTY, Pa OCTOBER q, 1852

unsatisfactory. even to those who would
seem to have been seasoned to the like
by passage across the Plains and the
Rocky Mountains. Fish Springs are just
so miles from living water on either sides
and the stages have to run at least ten
miles out OF their course to strike them
There is some coarse grass here,
July 23d.-We have travelled this
forenoon over plain nearly surrounded
by mountains. Said plain is very level
to the eye, but the rapid travellers sense
Of feeling contradicts this. for he finds it
full Of dry water courses, which give bin
most unsom Portable jolts. Before noon,
we came to the spot where the stage
mules are turned out to feed and rest. by
the side of sink or depression in the
plain, which is covered with coarse grass
and reeds or bulrushes. By digging in
the side of this sink, water has been easi-
ly obtained, but so su!phurous and geper-
slly bad as to be barely drnkablc. Even
the mules, think. practice great mod
GRAFTON in the use of it. At l, We bar
messed up and soon we're rising over
long mountain pass, hardly less than ten
niles from the level plain to its summit,
where light thunder -shower-that is
light rain with heavy thunder--overtook
US We drove rapidly down its western
declivity, and, little after 5 p. ~. reach
ed our next station in pheasant Valley"
a broad ravine which descerds to the
south west. Here we found water
bright, sweet, pure, sparkling, leapins
water-the first water fit to drink that
we bad reached in hundred miles; if
Simpsons Spring ever dries up, the dis
tance will be at least hundred and twen-
'ty. We were now across what is here
technically known as "the desert that
is 10 say We bad crossed the northeast
corner of it, believe it extends at least
900 miles south from this point, aud is at
least as far from east to west across its
center. If Uncle Sam should ever sell
that tract for one cent per acre, be will
swindle the purcha aser outrageously.
Let NE endeavor, on quitting it to give
clear idea of this desert. and thus of
about half the land inclosed between the
Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada
the other ball being mainly covered by
mountains and the narrow rsvines or can
ons which separate them.
The plains or valleys of Utsh, then,
have generally soil of white clay, some
tiaes rocky, at others s:rcaked BY sand or
graveli but usually pure clay. save as it is
impresnated BY some alkaline substance
usually saleratus, but in places inter,
in others, salt or sulphur. Sometimes
hut rarely, considerable areas Of this al
kali in nearly pure state are exposed
on the surface; in many places, it covers
the beds OF shallow, dried-up lakes, aud
even streams, with wbitish incrustation;
but it is more generally diffused through
the soil, and thus iupregnates the springs
and streams. Irrigating piece of ground
strongly imbued With alkali will often
bring an incrustation of it to the surface,
after which no trouble from it is expert
enced in that place. think the greater
proportion of these plsius or valleys
which could easily be cleared of their
Greasewood and p!owed-would produce
large crops OF Wheat. and of almosty any
thing else, if they could be irri ated-
But they can never be. But little rain
falls 10 Summer, and that little is speedi-
ly evaporated fron the hot earth, leaving
the c'sy as thirsty as ever. | fear it is
mainly doomed to perpetual barrenness.
The mountains which divide these
plains exude very little water. Where.
ever range is single-that is, with a
troad valley each side of tit is apt to
be not more than one to three thousand
feet high. and so to be early denuded of
snow; its springs are few aud generally
feeble, and their waters are often dried
up before tricklipg half way down their
sides. If spring is so copious. or SO
many are speedily combined, as to form
considerable stream, they may reach
the plain; but only to be speedily drank
up by It's scorcbed surface. Cultivation,
therefore, save 10 very few narrow spots,
seems here impossible.
But wherever a chaos or tumble Of
mountains is presented--still more, where
mountains rise behind mountains, range
behind range, rank above rank, till the
SUN mits OF the furtbest that may be seen
are hecked with sDow-there the case is
altered. Springs are there more abund-
ant and more copious; the gradual melt
ing of the SHOWS swells the rivulets form
ed By the speedy meeting of their waters;
and thus considerable brooks are formed
and poured down upon the suhjacent
plains, as we observe in and around Salt
Lake City, aud north and west of Lake
Utah. Thus are formed Bear and Web
er Rivers; such, believe. is the origin of
the Humboldt. But such instances are
far too rare in Utah. From the Jordan
to the Humboldt is about $50 n,iles by
the route | travelled. and in all that dis
tance the brooks and rills | crossed or
saw, could they be collected into one chan
Del, would barely form decent mill
stream | thence travelled down the
south side of the Humboldt for 225 miles,
and in all that distance not more than
t,po tributaries come in on that side and