Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-08-31
The Alkali Plains of Nevada.

The Humboldt Valley is from ten to twenty
miles wide, probably the latter, as the pure
atmosphere enables one to see at great dis
tances, and deceives the eye of the inexpe-
rienced. All is sHblin,ity, desolatiou and
grandeur. With the single exception of a
few rods from either bank of the Humboldt
there is no earthly sign or token OF vegetation
All the mountain sides are bare, covered with
stones, as if just thrown out Of volcanoes not
a tree, not shrub, save the sage grass not
bird, not living animal not sound save
the rattling of the coach. Ali is silence, des-
olation. Mighty mountains baSking in
burning sun, and a plain covered with a rib
bon of bright green, lying in the centre, while
its broad edges are deep yellow or dusty
brown. The soil is simply pulVerized alkai,
and the dust, in clouds, covers the stage,
blankets the horses, chokes and blinds and
stiles those inside, while we of the outside,
shielded by green wells and seIted high up,
escape in some measure its suffOnaiing and
binding power. We Leave Elcho at 10 o.
clock, lying 3 900 feet above the sea, and are
doomed for twenty-five hours to follow the
Humboldt until we climb gradually along up
and up to 120U0 feet above it. where now
write; and even here L look up Treasure HiH,
l 200 feet higher. | do not ezacgeraie at all
when.I say that this one days journey, for
positive discomfort, exceeds Guy other OF the
same distance on the earth, unless it be in the
centre of Africa. The silence and desola-
ton that everywhere meet the eye impress all
men, and they grow moody and finally sink
into utter dumbness. The mist thickcns aud
hangs in dark clouds like Il tropical thunder
storm the carriage and its inmates The
horses snort and cough as it fills their lungs;
it permeates the nose and eyes and ears of the
passengers it makes them blind, and deaf
aud dumb it permeates the clothes, crceps
under your under. clothing, thickens around
the eyes, makes them red like drunkard's
you eat it, drink it, breathe it, snuff it; it
clothes you, covers you, fills all the pores and
intcrstices of the body; and each man and
woman is living, moving mass of alkaline
dust, The horses, lost to sight, dash on, up
hill and down hill, at the rate Of seven miles
per hour, though the dust erumbles beneath
their feet at least ten inches in depth, and
they are actually blanketed with a!kali. Here
and there the Humboldt crosses the road, and
with its bright, laughing waters, gurgles along,
making the dust and thirst more sitting by
contrast The horses snort as we stop to give
them drink, and the passengers climb down
aud rush to the water like the camel of the
desert. a breathing moment, and away again
we 90 higher, yet higher, and still cnshroud
ed in the same dusty clcud The sun pours
down into the COACH and as it rises to It's me-
ridian height, it scorchGs and burns aud
with the alkali our passengers are soon like
dcvilcd ham "a dirty red) until all identity is
gone. Mems whiskers, moustaches, aud hair,
are all stiHcned with alkuli, aud the very
highest point of discomort and misery is
reached. AS we dash along no bird sounds
a note TO soothe us; not living moving
thing is seen save now and then, at long in
tervals, an Indian fishing for trout in the
Humboldt; not a house; not a sheep, not an
antelope not house or barn or field or fence
meets the eye as we drive onward.
Letter ia'CHjcago Post.