The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-08-01

north side. Then comes the longest
ride without Eater-thirty miles
and over the toughest country on the
entire route, passing over TIE top OF
mountains of solid bare rock on
which the road can ouly be traced
by the light blue marks made by the
wagon tires; then into gulches filed
with Sand, where horses sink almost
to their knees; and bills 90 steep tba.
animals are either slipping and
scratching to get up, or sliding on
their launches down. We finally
came 10 an eucampment OF wagons
en- route for Texse. They were eight
miles from The ferry, and had been
three days and half in making that
distance, and had to send back the
animals TO the river every eight for
wator.
The Lake, an oasis il the desert,
thirty miles cut. Is the next water.
Il is about GOO yards long by 400
yards wide, depth unknown, and
situated between precipices of bare
rocks which extend downward into
the clear water as far as the eye can
see. There is no visible inlet or out
let. We saw a fish which appeared
to be as large as a man in the lake.
A beautiful view OF the San Juan
River, on the south, and the Canon OF
the Colorado on the north. is had
about fifteen miles out from the ferry.
Riding along a level plateau, we
came suddenly to the brink OF
precipice, and, far below, running
Through q rocky gorge, was the San
Juan in plain sight. We were
almost choking with thirst, and yet
that water might have been hundreds
of miles away, for ell the good We
ould derive from tit was utterly
impossible TO descend to it. Some
one said bid could not fly down to
lit.
Eighteen miles from the lake ia
: Willow Springs. Good water, but not
much of it. Heavy sand all the way
but not such steep climbing. From
Willow Springs water is to be found
in tanks IN the rocks every few miles,
, but one must be on the lockout &c
find them, and in soma long rope
is needed to draw the fluid out.
We are now entering the "Oedara,
the hest part OF the road on the route
6 For thirty miles. with the exception
of a few fine clsarings, one canno
see fifty yards from the road In any
> direction, on account CT the density
8 OF the forest OF pitch pine and cedsrs
: About eighty-6ve miles from TIT
. Colorado, in a southeasterly direction
from the ferry, is Grand Gulcb, witt
Is water tanks; and now, after havip!
crossed, we travel in a southeastern!
direction ABOUT forty miles, to Oh,
San Juan River. When we fret Sc,
the river the view is beautiful 1t i
about go yards wide, and come
:. rushing down around rocky point
th-n takes a gradual curve to tn
left and pours into a chasm will
q perpendicular rocks hundreds AIT
hundreds of feet high on either side
There are a few cottonwood tree
along the banks above this point.
We now have to pass over q verl
high point, called Comb Mountain
If and travel northeast again to &c
- around a deep gulch, called, l be
lieye, Buffers Gulch, and then turn
ing southeast, reach the San Jual
q River again about two miles iron
IT Smiths (Silas s. lower osnp, o
!, Bluff City, as some call it.
Is From here east as far as the stat
r line of Colorado, the river run
}. through what may be called DO.
}. cailon-high cliffs Of rock On eacl
u side. The valley will average abou
d three. quarters OF mile in Width.
6 There is no timber but cottonwood
n and the soil Ia nothing bat sand
6 Such wheat and corn as had been pu
d in was poor and backward; the pee
o pie we're out OF provisions, boots snl
d shoes, etc., but We cav train wit
e four tons OF flour on the road to them
b It is really a forsaken piece o
T county, not fit for whits men TO livt
d in, ard a number of men and womei
b who had gone there, told US the
/: stopped there because they could nc
6 get back. l. was their inteuIiOn /
90 farther but they could not, no
: having the means.
! The nearest timber to the settle
r ment is about seventy miles distant
D and that is dangerous to get st Oh
# account of Indians.
On June 21st We saw few NaVs J
! at the lower camp trading; the.
0 seemed friendly enough.
7 The settlers live in wagon boxes
Q tent, and brush boweries. We saF
j but four houses in course Of erection
g on the river. Auts and scorpion
= abound. 1t is hard road-wors
r than the lower route-snd should
D only be attempted in the early spring
or late fall months, when it Is to-
E rainy season. At the laat OF June tn,
E grass had dried up. and there Wa
scarcely water enough for five AM
I mails. III. ID.