Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-17

the water vas brackish, and we did not
follow il far until it sank in the sand.
After following this ravine some distance
we turned southwesterly over a plain
into another bottom, but no water. Aiter
travelling thirty miles we nad 10 camp
without water, little feed, and stunted
sage brush for fuel.
Saturday, July I'VE started at day
light, Travelled eight miles, wnen We
came to fine patch of grass near the
mountain where we stopped for breakfast.
1t was a mile to water, and that was
brackish. Leaving here we travelled
over a fairly good road and some tine
soil, CLAW with loan, that must be valu-
able for grain growing. After travelling
eighteen miles we found fine grass, some
water, and plenty of sagebrush for
cooking.
The patches of grass one finds through
this section are much like the red-top
used for hay. AS the seed extends one
third down the stalk, it is very nutri-
tious. When we could find camping
place on this feed We did so ii we had TO
drive some distance from the road. The
mules soon filed themselves and lay
down to rest, whereas with the ordinary
feed it takes most of the night to satisfy
their appetite, and they have little time
for rest, as we usually have them up by
the wagons ready for Harvesting up soon
after daylight. As we had now
been out sixty odd days, and it had been
constant tramp, it was beginning to
tell on the mules. One does not notice
it 90 much in loss of flesh as in their
movements they chow they are tired.
/ had kept up timing them by stepping a
mile and seeing how fast We travelled by
the watch. When we FIRST started We
travelled something over three miles an
hour, then two and three-fourths, and
now two and half.
July S.-We started at a. m. In one
mile we reached boiling spring. so hot
it would cook meat. 1t was none OF
your halfway hot springs, but the gen.
uine article. One living there would
want no fuel for cooking or heating dish
water. The hot water was very strong
with sulphur, but near by was water as
clear and pure rs any and cold as one
would want to drink. Taking it all in
all, it is the greatest natural curiosity We
had seen. After travelling over a
diversified country of bottom and
relling lands, We found fine feed at
noon.time by going off the road some
three quarters of a mile. We travelled
twenty-six miles during the day, arriv-
ing at the wells, the head of the south
branch of the Humboldt. or, as it is gener-
ally called, Mary's river. This was a
singular place. There were several acres
Of what at distance looked like a
meadow or bottom of rank grass. There
were hundreds of pools of clear water,
with sod surrounding them, that would
bear a PERSONS weight, but it shook as
though it might give way, and if it did.
no telling where one would 60 to, as the
pools or holes looked to be very deep.
It required great caution to keep our
mules away from this place, as the grass
was tempting, but if they had got into
one of these pools, there would have
been no such thing as getting them out.
Monday, July 9-We started at $50
q. M, travelling down the valley westerly
for four miles, then across q point of
higher land, until we came to the river
again, when it had been increased to q
stream about eight feet wide and four
feet deep. After travelling twenty-five
miles, we encamped on the main stream,
which had become quite large-say one
and half rods wide and two and half
feet deep. Here we had pleasant camp
plenty of grass and water, and willows tc
cook with, and just warm enough to be
enjoyable; we had little weather
that has been warm enough of night te
be pleasant. The road today had been
fairly good, except very dusty.