The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-19

Alfred Lambourne, the artist-author
and who has achieved some more fame Of
late. owing to the fact that he has nome
steaded the pile of rocks in the Great
Salt lake known as Gunnison island, is
again in town. having returned from q
trip to his Robinson-Crusoe-like abode
He was absent for some time. and the
trip was not without its perils and hard
ships, which usually accompany those
who venture out on the bosom of the lake
at this season of the year. II would take
a page to enumerate il, but we will lei
Mr. I4ambourne tell the story IN ms own
words.
In answer to a Herald man yesterday,
who found him IN MS STUDIO On Sl4eh
street, he said:
I'm company with my brother, George
W., left Salt Lake with two teams heav-
lily loaded with lumber, stoves ana mousse
hold goods, and another with water, ped
ding and other things that We're caAcu-
lated to make life just little pleasant
on the now barren spot known as Gun-
nison island, which l homesteaded some
months ago. We first struck Grantsville,
from which point we went 10 iimpiS
springs. Pilot rock and Rideout wells, all
along the western shore OF the lake. untll
we reached the bay on the nortnWeSt
There may be some who will beg 20 diner,
but l have Travelled few miles IN Utan
and elsewhere, and l never oe1ore saw
such wild. desolate ana i9Tpiuo ~ Z
stretch of country in this state. why, the
desert between the Deep Creek country
and Tooele county is a veritable paradise
compared to il.
.sRsdeout wells Is the last place where
water can be secured on the desert, along
the shore The water IS saline ana I'M
pregnated with sulphur, but instead OF be-
ing warm as our local sulphur springs,
1t is deNcsously cool, and OF ratner
Ill M cfn in
every way, take IL, of many waters tnat
have achieved, through advertising,
worldwide fame. Some cay, and DO not
believe that ii will be very far away, rhe
springs will prove to be of great value and
will add to Utah another natural attrac-
ton. Now, however, they are IN the
midst of a bowling wilderness, ana ABOUT
the only visitors are the sneaking coy
otes. VINO are occasionally visited by a
raven or two, who circle around the spot,
alight on the edge of the springs and then
becoming aweary, circle away
ION the new map. there is mining
camp which l take it but few people nave
ever visited. Ii is called DunStein. ana
is located ten or u miles west OF the shore
of the lake. high. up in the mountains s9
of water which alone makes II possible
for even the hardy miners TO exist Inc
trip was made to Dunstein not FOR pleas
ure, but for the purpose OF securing
supply of water, Of which We had but a
little left There we found three men,
who had large quantities OF ore plled up,
heavy in lead and silver. and they seem
TO think that they have fortune within
their grasp. providing there is some way
in which it can be put upon the market
They are hopeful, however, and are work
ing away with even greater energy than
if the means of transportation were al
ready in sight. There are those who say
tFnt the ore is rich enough TO bear trans
! alton by team for a considerable dis
lance.
Our objective point. of course. was
GunnisOn island, which we expected to
reach by boat after leaving our camp on
the desert edge. and during the last 10
miles of the journey we could plainly see
the Cambria, with her white sails spread
and Captain d. l.. Davis in command.
who lett Garfield Beach about "A hours
later than we did. and which was to
meet us on the northwest shore Never
was a sight more welcome. 1t reminded
US of the fact that our weary Journey
was almost at an end. and that we should
soon be able TO exchange the hot and
burning sands of the desert for the cool
and bounding pillows of the Great Salt
lake. That night we built a huge bon
fire to guide the Staunch little vessel and
her gallant commander and crew into
port, where they arrived the next morn
ing about daxbreak.
1T began to look, however, the next
that we had bitten OF more
than we could comfortably chew. Gunni-
son island was yet p miles away, and 1t
was necessary that we should not only
get me luIlDeT there, DUL G4SO our HOuSt-
hold goods. The lumber was, of course,
to make our dwelling. and the household
goods TO be used in the ordinary way, so
gye made a virtue of necessity and used
our future rooftree for RATS, upon which
we loaded the other utensils which were
all toWed 10 the island by the Cambria,
a Drovidential wind having come from
the south. which waited us into east bay
1t sunset. where cargo and crew were
and all felt grateful that
the dreary part of the journey was over,
as our driver had already left for home
and our return trip was to be made in
the Cambria.
Island Villa as I have named my
new residence on the GunnisOn is now a
TACT 1t is of the rustic order. but is
good enough for king to live in. Ger
ain it is that 10 man, king or otherwise.
n whatever country he may be, ever
lad ! more romantic spot for home,
never saw more magnificent views than
hose discernible from the door of the
lew house in the middle of the Great
Salt lake"
There was a report that the giills. for
friendly feeling, have deserted the island.
IS that a fact?"
NO; they are there by tens and hun
ireds OF thousands; in fact, l can safely
say by the millions. The young gulls are
low trying their wings. and the din is
simply terrific The pelicans. however,
Which were so numerous and so pictures
,ue few years ago, have deserted me
entirely, and have taken uD their resi-
fence on Hat island, to which they
'eem to have acquired a homestead with
'ut the difficulties usually attending when
iuch move is attempted by that more
.ncUnbered creature man.
DO you want me to infer that this
rip you speak of is a sample of what
LII Will be compelled to go through If
hey visit the island?"
'Herdiy. l do not expect to ever take |
mother like II. l have now under con-
liberation a plan which will reduce the |
hangers and troubles in such a venture |
o a minimum. This getting the lumber /
N the island with the use of such a /
mall boat as the Cambria was my 1
hardest task; the rest will be easier
THE villa once erected we had a very
pleasant housewarming, 1t was pleasant 1
n more ways than one-it reminded us /
# the dangers and discomforts we had /
ust passed through, and also of the time l
o come when a portion. at least. of the /
but fertile. rock on the bosom /
4 the Great Salt lake would become a /
esorr, probably. for all people who love |
,randeur in nature. who are fond of the |
Wild and the rugged but who at the same |
ime are willing to have a few comforts /
brown in. That there is a great future |
n store for Gunnison island in more !
Ways than one. is just as plain to a man /
4 ordinary sense, as the beetling cliffs |
ne surging lake. and the millions of |
'ulls that make the place the one desir-
BILE island in the great wonder of the
Great Salt lake"