Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-04-01

lofty In the direction Of the Colorado
river. From Cottonwood Springs the
road takes down a wash and over a
succession Of ridres until the traveller
suddenly finds himself on the edge Of
n lofty mountain from the top OF which
he looks down uuon the Dixie country
lying west and north. This Il the
dreaded Hurricane hill, 80 wellkrown
to travellers In this part Of the county.
Down the steep incline q series Of dug
ways lead to the lower country, aud
at n certain Point about half
way down gateway has
been blasted through ledge Of solid
rock, through which the road passes.
rhis artificial gap is called tue DEVILS
| Gate, but II l. not known that the
/ individual In whose honor u has been
named took any active part IA making
the road. should Judge that for u
] distance Of something over n mile, IN
I going down Hurricane hill, the traveller
| desct uds at Least 900 feet, and Ne soon
~ he reaches the bottom he fluids him.
/ self In n warmer cline. While evtTy.
/ thing on the top Of the ridge and he.
yond II still has the appearance Of
early spring, the vegetation below has
already put on IT. mantle OF spring
green, aud the beautiful evergreen,
ferns, tlOgcrs ami grasses are Indeed
very pleasing b the eye. But we are
now also ia The DiAir sands, and our
hone- had to labor hard to pull our
vehicle through.
After passing the ruins OF old Fort
Pierce the roads are better, and alter
travelling down wash Tor several
miles We pass over quite an extensive
clay Hat, sloplng gently toward
the Rio Virgin, which stream
the road crosses about Two
miles from 81. George. Soon after
crossing the river nj this point the
st. George Temple suddenly bursts
into view, and rs we bcheld the beau
tiful white structure, "a II appeared IN
the bright moonlighLit caused swell
ing OF the heart and feeling OF thank
fulne-s to our Heavenly Father that
liz inspired HE servants 10 erect
houses to His holy name, anu Que OF
them In the midst Of thls droary desert.
Arriving Mt 81. George, the sight
was very pleasing indeed; the almond
trees were In full bloom; ilsO the peach,
apricot and other Minds OF orchard
trees were In blossom, thu lucern was
about foot high In places, and vcge-
tstlon generally was r0bed In its beau.
tilul spring mantle, In plain contrast
to the more northern and higher 10.
Gated settlements, where grim winter
~ yet had hardly let 20 III stern
grasp on everything out Of doors.
After attending the quarterly Stake
conference at 81. George, and perform.
Ing historical labors, prepared Cor a
trip 10 the Muddy, In southeastern
Nevada, and consequently In com
pany with Elder Emstus u. Snow,
Counselor In tho 81. George Stake
Presidency, left the temple city Of the
south on the morning OF March 18th.
After passing the temple the
road leads ovoE Hat whore the soil Il
somewhat preRuated with alkali, until
we reach the 81. George telds ut the
Junction OF tho Santa Clara with the
Rio Virgin, also passing the spot where
the old settlement known M rOnaquln'
OF early Dixie fame once stood. After
crossing the Santa Clara creek, about
two miles from -. George, we ascend q
ridge, from the summit Of which the
little settlements called respectively
Bloomington aud Price, lying on OPP
positc sides OF the Rio Virgin, are seer
la the centre Of a cOzy little village on
our LEFT, but We continue In NOR,
westerly course, crossing rocky ridges
deep ravines, aud following u sucoes
sion Of WASHES, until the vicinity o
Cave Springs, situated In deep, rocky
gulch, about twelve miles from st
George, reached. Fropp here We bcglr
10 ascend what are locally known a,
the West mountains, but ON VESTS maj
OF Utah designated rs the Beaver Dan
mountains, near the summit VI which
I we stopped TO feed our horses and watol
them from n pool OF rain water which
we found In very romantic looking
spot In n side canyon. When W,
reached the place. however, and lookeI
down into the crag or pocket between
two nearly perpendicular walls o
rocks, we were shocked ut finding tn
dead carcass OF a yearling steer In thu
water; the animal had evidently fallei
In while endeayofing TO get down 4
: get drink, and being unable to OK
tricato himself he persisted. In tue In
terpst OF the future traveller we dragged
, the animal out, with considerable ex
ertlon, 10 that this the only water io
: | many miicr aOuuu rnpulu ioN oetoiu'
. poisoned by decaying carcass.
t, After crossing the last summit Of til,
Beaver dam mountains, OF dislanc,
OF about twenty miles from St,George
b. we began 10 descend through n ruggei
4 canyon over very rocky and rougl
road; and on this western slope, rs w
. got further down, we found the vegeta
ton 30 entirely different to tina
I We had seen on the easter
Q slope, that nj once be-
2 came highly Interested, nm,
:, at the same time regretted very mucl
that YVES not both n botanist and
o geologist, In order to have derived tn
d FULL benefit Of tne strange landscape
~ The curious limestone formation
which here abound and OF which tn
/" whole mountain range chiefly consist
l. are covered with numerous kinds O
:, genuine desert vegetation. Here "
were Ia the midst OF u complete fotes
OF "Ioshuas,n which with their odd
sunshaped, prickly heads and gree
n. fantastic stems III the Landscape wit
- wild Grandeur. here also uIOMs ia