The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1868-06-21
LETTER FROM REV. A. r. WHITE.


:
: On the morning of the Goth Mr.. Gus
tar returned from Cooper's Ferry. Mr.
Watson and l rode on before the train
westward, into a canon where we found
a peculiar geological development o.
great interest. We extended our exam
nations almost to the summit of the
mountains-expecting constantly to be
overtaken by the train. At last we
halted, built a fire, and let our mules
Craze upon the bunch grass which was
abundant. There was also small
stream of water, little hard as we
afterwards found, flowing down the
canon. An Indian and a boy, about
twelve years of age, came to our camp.
They were warmly clad, as the Indians
in this region are, with substantial cloth
ing obtained from the Whites. The
boy spoke few words of English: and
bad killed a small cotton tailed rabbit
and striped squirrel with his bow and
arrow; the man had an old rifle, which
had seen very long and hard service
but he had killed nothing. The boy
said white men were cutting wood in the
next canon south of where we were
We rode over the divide and descended
into the cauon designated, and met our
train. The men had taken the wrong
road and entered the mountains by way
of Trinity City. This village consisted
of twelve houses, now deserted and GO
ing to ruins. The altitude of our camp
was $3.50 feet.
The next morning Mr.. Cus.ar and
assembled to the summit and passed
about eight miles south over smooth
bills covered with bunch grass and wild
parsnip; with here and there a small
clump of juniper trees, which were fast
before the woodman' ak.
We assembled peak 6,4Ss feet high and
took observations trachite and mica
ceous states prevail. To the east, near
the valley, ridge lay north-west and
south east, about a mile from where we
were. crossed over to it, and found it
of granite, projecting almost
precipitous. From our position, in |
4 north-westerly direction, the peaks
Of the Black mountains were visible at |
. great distance they are covered with
snow. The Eugene mountains, north |
If the Hum boldt river, and extending in |
he same direction of the Star range, |
present q fine appearance, and are
crowned with fields of snow. As we
'eturned northward we saw frequent
edges of quartnite cropping out from
he SUBMITS of the lower peaks. When
We began 10 descend towards our camp,
which Mr.. Watson and l had assembled,
re saw the FIRST coyote seen on the
ourney, which fed from US in the direc-
ion we were travelling, and finally dis
ppeared down a rsvine aear the camp.
On the 2sth Of May Mr.. Gustav and
oIlowed the canon up to its source and
urued in a north-westerly direction
yer some high spurs. On a ridge we
,und six or eight squaws, with their
hildren, digging the Indian potato.
70 obtained specimens, and l after
ards dug quite a number, SO as to be
lmiliar with the plant. The top is a {
nall bunch Of sprangling leaves, lying ,
ose to the ground the flowers rise on c
ems from three to six inches in hight, E,
nd are ashy white and pale yellow; the 9
,ot extends from six inches to q foot q
to the earth, and consists of one prin- i
pal stock, from half an inch to an |
ch or more in diameter, gradually in q
easing in size until it terminates sud- =
.nly in a kind of bulb small, wire q
ze roots sprangle off from it. The h
lluous part only is used. A dark,
ugh bark of bitter taste is stripped :,
T; the inner substance resembles +,
,alI sweet potato, is full of starch, and +,
eaten either raw or cooked. When a
iled il has verv much the taste and "