Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-07
EXPLORING DEATH VALLEY.
First News Of the Exploring Expedition That
IL Investigating Its Wonders.

First New. Of the Exploring Expedition That
IL Investigating Its Wonders.
Tie first news from the exploring expedition
sent by the government to Death valley, as de-
scribed in The STAR some thine ago, has Just
reached the Department Of Agriculture.
Originally the expedition was divided into
two partes-one led by DR.. Palmer and start
ing from San Bernardino, CAL, and the other
in charge of Vernon Bayley, which has been for
some time in the neighborhood of Owen Lake.
to the west Of that region of PERCEPTIONS noun
tain ranges and intermediate valleys of awful
desert.
These two parties have met at Lone Willow
Springs, at the south end of the Panamint
range, which is the west wall Of Death valley.
its highest peaks towering II 900 feet into the
sky. Together they form the best-equipped
and most capable expedition by naturalists ever
set on foot; the personnel including some of
the ablest mammalogists ornithologists, botan-.
lists, entonlologists and desert explorers living.
Upon ehectinS junction the parties made
their way mp the Valley of Death sixty miles to
the nearest water. the lack OF which desidera-
turn in that region has cost hundreds of lives
and strewn the awful alkali plain with dried
mummies of human beings preserved to all eter-
nifty 1t took two days to accomplish this march
to Dennetts Wells. and. to keep off thirst, one
Of the wagons carried barrels Of water upon
outriggers. The expedition has two wagons
and one blackboard for light work, besides extra
mules bearing packs.
At Benefits Wells the expedition divided mp
once more, part OF IL remaining at the wells
and the other part journeying northward to the
mouth OF Furnace creek. which flows into
Death valley from the Amargosa mountains
that form the east wall of the great hot sink.
From Benefits Wells and Furnace creek the
explorations are at present being conducted.
OBJECT OF THE EXPEDITION.
The object and purpose Of these explorations
is mainly to procure specimens Of the NAM
mails, birds and plants which inhabit Death
valley and the deserts on either side of it. Even
tn G insects are not neglected. This region is
m ost extraordinary one from the point of view
OF the geologist, its contour having been pro-
duced by volcanic agency in such manner
that series OF valleys running north and
south literally fell in, leaving PERCEPTIONS walls
OF heaven-scaiing mountains between. To the
west of the great Amargosa desert is The Amar-
gosa range, between which and the Pana mint
range Death valley lies. West of the Panamnt
mountains is another valley. hemmed on the
further side by the Argus and Wasatch ranges,
and beyond to the west still further Owen Lake
and the lofty Sierra. its peaks covered with
eternal SHOWS and glaciers. In the Owen valley,
in 1872, occurred a wonderful earthquake. which
killed large part of the population of the vii
lage of Lone Pine and caused the valley to sink
twenty feet. 1t was in the same way that Death
valley fell II ages ago. 50 that its plain is now
much below the level of the sea.
THE TEMPERATURE.
When Capt. Bendire Of the Smithsoni an In
stitution visited Death valley, more than ten
years ago, the month was May and he did not
attempt 20 cross its burning plain, contenting
himself, as he expresses it, with skirting around
1t like a cat on the edge of hot plate of mush."
But at this wlntry season, the expedition re-
ports. the climate there is the most delightful
imaginable neither too warm no- too cold.
Water has been located at comfortable reach
ing distances in the canyons, and. in fact we're
it not for the necessity of bringing food and
fodder from affair Death valley might be Justly
advertised desirable winter resort. But
when summer approaches the expedition will
retreat to the lofty mountains for comfort and
safety.
COLLECTING SPECIMENS
While the wagons are left near water and
used as bases for operations, the na.uralists go
out in various directions by twos, with a pack
mule carrying food and a specimen chest, and
make their collections, shooting the birds, trap
ping the small mammals in cute little spring
traps, grabbing the reptiles, netting the insects
and plucking the plants. The expedition re-
ports that twenty-Ope species of mammals were
secured in the PanaInint valley and soma of
them will undoubtedly be new to science. When
Death valley has been explored the expedition
will tackle the Amargosa desert to the east,
from which q river mile in width flows around
by the south end of the Amargosa range and
northwarG through Death valley in times of
Hood to be wholly swallowed up in the thirsty
plain Of crusted alkali slush.