American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-11-05

Sea. and into which empties an Ameri
can Jordan. A beautiful lake, hemmct
in by craggy rocks of broad surface
incrusted with white salt, superb
sheet of water which formerly covered
larger space; but in time, its shores
rising by degrees, reduced its super
fetal area and increased its depth.
The Salt Lake, about seventy mile
long. and thirty-tive wide, is situated
three thousand eight hundred feet abov,
the level of the sea. Very difieren
from Lake Asphaltitc, whose depres
sion is twelve hundred feet below the
sea, it holds considerable salt in solu
| ton, and one fourth The weight of the
water is solid matter. Its specific gray
ity is l, 40, that of distilled water be
ing 1000. Fishes can not live in it
Those that the Jordan, Weber and 9th.
er creeks carry into it soon perish; but
it is not true that the density of its
waters is such that n man cannot dive
into it.
Around the lake the country was adj
mirably titled; for the Mormons under
stand agricultural pursuits; ranches and
corra's tor domestic animals; fields OF
wheat, corn, sorghum, luxuriant prai-
rics and everywhere hedges of wild
1 y,
such would have been the appearance e
of this country six months later; but at
this moment the ground was covered
with a thin sheet of snow, descending
lightly upon it.
AT two o'clock tho Travellers got out
at Ogden. The train stopping :f6r six
hours, MIR. Fogg, Mrs. Aouda, and their
two companions had time to repair to
the City of the Saints; by the short
branch from Ogden.
AT three o'clock the travellers were
promenading through the streets of the
town. built between the banks of the
Jordan and the first rise of the Wah-
satch Mountains. They noticed there
few or no churches, but as monuments,
the prophets house, the court house,
| and the arsenal; then houses of blush
bricks with verandas and porches,
surrounded by gardens bordcred with
acacaS, palms and locusts- A wall OF
clay and pebbles, built in 1888, sur
rounded the town In the principal
street, where the market is, were some
hotels adorned with pavilions, and
among others Salt Lake House.
Mr.. Fogg aud his companions did
not find the town thickly peopled. The
streets were almost deserted, save per-
which they reached only after having
traversed several quarters surrounded
by palisades. The women were pretty
numerous, which was explained by the
singular composition of Mormon house
holds. 1t must not be supposed, how
ever. that all MOrmonS are polyGamists.
They are free, but it is well to remark
that all the females in Utah are anxious
to be married: for, according to the
religion of the country, the Mormon
heaven does not admit to the possession
of its beatitudes the unmarried of the
fem nine sex. These poor creatures
neither seemed well off nor happy.
Some, the richer ones, doubtless, wore
a short, low cut black silk dress, under
hood or a very modest shawl. The
others were dressed in Indian fashion.
Passepartout, in his position as one
convinced, did not regard, without a
certain fright, these Mormon women,
charged, in groups, with making Il sin.
gle Mormon happy. With his good
sense, it was the husband whom he !
specially pitied. 1t seemed to him ter
rible to have to guide so many wives
at once through the vicissitudes of life. |
them, as it were, in body to
the Mormon paradise, with the prospect |
VI W HlLy III the |
of the glorious Smith, who |
was to be the ornament OF this place oil
delights. Certainly. he did not feel
called, and he neutrality-suspicious. he was
the women of Salt Lake
City cast rather embarrass looks at
his person.
Very fortunately, his stay in the City
81 the Saints was not prolonged. At a
lew minutes past four the travellers were
again at the station, and took their seats
n the cars.
The whistle sounded; but at the mo-
nent that the drivingwheels of the To-
slipping upon the rails, COM
10 impart some movement to
he train, the cry, Stop! stop" was
heard.
They do not stop trains just started.
The gentleman who uttered the cry
vas evidently Mormon behind time.
He was breathless from running. For
for him the station had neither
rates nor barriers. He rushed, then,
III the track, jumped upon the steps of
he last car, and fell, out of breath. ON
me of the seats.
Passepartout, who had followed with
emotion the incidents of this gymnastic
eat, went to look at the tardy one, in
whom he took a lively interest, when
lie learned that this citizen of Utah had
hus taken flight in consequence of a
household scene.
When the Mormon had recovered his
'reath. Passepartout ventured TO ask
i'm politely how many wives he had to
from the manner in which
e had just run away he would suppose
hat he had at least twenty of them.
Zone. STRIP replied the Mormon.
aisinS his arms heavcnward-" OnA
nd that was enoughT'
CHAPTER XVIII.
v WHICH PAssEPARTOUr Guild NOT sUCCEE.
IN MAKING ANY ONE LIST ~ TO REASON ,
The train leaving CHEAT Salt Lake
nd the station at Ogden rose for an
our towards the north. as far as Weber
liver, having accomplished about nine
undred miles from San Francisco.
'eaving this point. it resumed the east {
rly direction across the rocky hills of {
ne Wahsatch Mountains. 1t is in this ,
art of the Territory cOmpriSed ba- ,