The Shasta courier., 1869-12-25
SHASTA COU RIER.
The Valley of Deaih.

Aic bdAAey Oh bealA.
A correspondent OF the New York Trib-
une, who is writing for that paper sketches
Of a trip through the south eastern portion
of Nevada and southern Utah, gives tn,
annexed account Of a remarkable country
near the eNonolimbo Pass through the Black
Roek=range OF flle- mountains OF southei n
Utah:
While riding slowly ahead with Mex
and cur Indian guide, my attention was
attracted to small valley in the gorge OF
the mountains A light blueish boxing
yapor was ascending from large number
Of hot springs. The valley Was not par
ticularly inviting, but as the men and
animals were tired | thought would camp
in it for the night The guide, however,
assured me it was certain death to inhale
the deadly vapors. We went into camp
elsewhere but the next morning the
whole party started slowly down the slope
toward the valley, feeling as well as smell
ing our way cautiously. The doctor had
provided himself with a couple of Iudian
dogs and several live rabbits, for the
purpose of making experiments After
scrambling down some two hundred yards,
the doctor, who was in advance, detected
an absence of oxygen in the air, by the
sudden change in the temperature, and the
increased difficulty he experienced in
respiration. A nauseous, suffocating smell
was also pefceptibie every time the wind
blew toward u.s. The valley was abou1
quarter of mile in circumference and
oval in shape. Not even blade of grass
not single sage brush, nor any livin-
thing was to be seen in it but ghastly
human skeleton lay beside one of the nearest
springs Scattered around We're the skele-
tons of buffalo, deer, and other wild animals.
The bottom of the valley appeared to be a
hard, sandy. soil, dry and cracked, as if by
heart, in various places One of the Indian
dogs was fastened to the end of lariat,
and lowered down, while some of the party,
watches in hand, observed the effect In
fourteen seconds the dog fell down motion
less, and In three minutes was dead The
other dog, which now troited down to his
companion, was motonless in twelve sec
onds, and lived only five minutes Our
fsnide latarnled n5thatthe- existence of the
valley mad been known to his tribe for
several years. Two Of their braves pershed
in it while endeavoring to corral some
antelope, all Of which perished too. The
springs N the valley generate such large
volume Of earbonic acid gas as to completely
poison the whole surrounding atmosphere
We had no opportunity of obtaining any of
the water for analysis. As the place is
entirely oat of the way of overland emf
grafton, there is but little danger that it
will ever be frequented by bands OF pion-
eers or pleasure parties We named This
canyon on our Textbook the Valley Of the
Shadow of Death While some of the
men were erecting stone pyramid on
commanding position, we cut from an old
pair of saddle bags a stout piece of leather
burnt in tie warning, death Valley,
Enter Not" and fastened it to the pillar.
MINERAL SPRINGS.
Near our camp was a large number Of
mineral springs From one of the rocks
the water was elected from single crevice,
kissing and foaming with a powerful
eHefvescence, ike soda water from fOun-
tain. 1t had a pleasant, sub-acid flavor,
was highly charged with carbonic acid gas,
and with the addition of a little sugar,
made an greeable and palatable drink.
Across the entire valley some five miles,
there are several hundred of these springs,
large aud small, few as cold as ice, while
Others, not more than four or five feet
distant, were almost at boiling heat
From one hot spring was a continual
discharge of white polished pebbles, about
the size of duck shot, perfectly round and
presenting somewhat tie appearance of
pearls found in oysters, though rather more
opaque They could be gathered by bush
lels, and are well adapted to the manufacture
of paste jewelry, and would also form an
interesting subject of investigation for the
,geologist.