Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-09-09

nt the north aroused no curiosity. lie
ala not go back and no other Spunlard
followed IN his earlier footsteps.
FINDS IT on a WAGER.
Nearly nifty years passed before
white man stood upon the shore and
tasted the water 10 prove that the In
dian legend was true. The man was
james Brllgur, an American trappcr
AMI hunter Whose party had been en-
chmpcd Tor the winter u ik2t-2i al Bear
Lake iIidEcr had heard tho Indians
tel % the bitter water and perhaps
had paid some attention 10 them. Ills
discovery was the result OF wager
that he could follow Hear river to the
body into which IL pmptled. He hardly
would have made the bet had he be-
licvcd HE journey would be a long one.
lie left hlH friends ana went down the
river In company with Indian guides.
When nc length he returned he told his
white companions he had discovered
branch OF tho ocean. lie held 10 his
conviction until the following year.
when he and three other members of
the party clrcumnavlgutcd the lake IN
skin boats, finding that II had no outlet.
Skeen ogden, another hunter. whose
name remains na that ~ the important
railroad Junction point north ~ Salt
Lake city, led party Of Hudson Bay
company trappcrs 10 the shore OF tho
INV AA hllAA NAlllN NNANH an AIANI tnalt
IL was frequently visited by the meme
beers Of this hardy wandering ciaaA
FINDS PREHISTORIC SEA.
II WINS not until 1889 that Captain
bonneville a second La Hontan. came
upon the lake. lie was 30 anxious TO
magnify himself that he was not con-
tent with giving his own name to the
actual lake. but bestowed Il also upon
the prehistoric sea, which he was tho
iirst TO see must have existed. WASH
ington Irving paid the ndyenturcr the
undeserved tribute Of keeping the title.
Lake bonneville.
General John c. Fremont. tho path.
nndcr,' showed as much vanity as
bonneville. He spent several months
Ia the Salt Lake basin In isa3. navigut-
ing the lake In a rubber boat. In his
published work he afterwards claimed
his boat was the first TO cut tho heavy
waters. He landed during his first trip
on one ~ the numerous small Islands
In the lake, evidently expecting 20 be
rewarded for his stin climb to the SUM
NIT u the rock by the sight which he
would sec there. He found nothing 10
satisfy him, and he rave to the island
the name Disappointment. II held the
tue until the Mormons changed II To
Castle Island.
MoRMoNs' PROMISED LAND.
Fremont went on his way. and the
lake again was left " solitude.
on Friday morning In ii7 two men
rode through a canon Clofo 10 where
Fort Douglas now stands and from the
helghlH OF the plateau gazed over tho
wide oNpanse Of lake and valley below.
one Of them threw wide HE hands. both
barred their heads,and the elder OF them
spoke.
The Lord be praised" he said. "He
has led us to tho promised land"
The dcyoteca wero Oraon Pratt and
Erastus Snow, Mormon Elders. who had
left brigham Young and HIS pioneer de-
Wehmont and ridden days march
ahead TO nee what was beyond tho
mountains at their front. T'wonty-f four
hours later a nag was floating from
Ensign peak, the name Of Immigrant
canyon had been bestowed upon the
pasa, and the men Of Youngs dctach-
mcnt were making camp. The follow
lng day Brigham Young bathed In the
lake, and on emerging from the plunge.
gave II the name Great salt Lake.
Hitherto, except by Bonneville, Il had
been referred to only as the salt lake.
LAKE GuLLs SACRED.
Tho happening which has made the
lake next 20 sacred IN the estimation OF
Mormon people was that OF the follow
ing year, after brigham Young had
gone bdck 10 the Mississippi valley ana
returned with the rest OF the men. the
women, and the children. The crope
were planted and We're coming up when
plague OF black crlcketa descended
upon the valley The invading army
marched In from tho west, a solid
phalanN with miles OF front All vege.
tntion disappeared before it, advance
In vain the immigrants plowed bitches
ahead OF the column, pouring into themi|
oil and innammable brush. which they
fired as the head Of the cricket army
tumbled down the dccllvltioa. Mllllona
" the insects died. but the fires burned
themselves out, and the undaunted re-
mnindcr or the ravenous throng trod
over their acorched bodies 20 tho green
fields beyond.
Al the ond OF thlrty-aix honrp OF con.
flct when the settlers were In despair.
the iiutter Of wings We're heard from the
direction OF the lake. In a moment the
air was as white as the earth was black,
and thousands OF great gullB were set