Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-06-28

about the country. etc, he said If we
would turn off here and camp he would
stay With us TIN morning. a camping
place was consequently selected and
we turned of from the road about a
quarter of a mile. and formed our en-
campment near the Sandy al o'clock
p. M, having travelled this afternoon
Ia miles and during the day l5h
miles.
soon after forming our encamp-
ment, the twelve and several others had
an interview With Nh Bridger. the OBJ
ject being to make Inquiries concerning
our future route, and the country
ahead, but II was impossible 10 form n
correct idea Of either owing to the
very imperfect and irregular way in
which he gave his description but the
general items are in substance as fol-
lows.
1--WE will find better grass us we pro-
coed; there is no blacksmith shop al
his fort al present: there WAS one but
it was destroyed. Nearly a hundred
wagons have gone over the Hastings
route through Weber's Fork. They
crossed the Blacks Fork. and Went a
little south of west from his place It
is impossible for wagons to follow
down Green river. Neither can it be
followed In b, is. . From BridEer's
Fort 10 the Great Salt Lake, Hastings
said, was about 100 miles. Bridger HIM
self had been through so times. but
could form no correct idea of the dis
lance. Atr. Hastings route leaves the
Oregon road at Brdger's. We could
pass over the mountains further south,
but in some places we would meet with
heavy bodies of timber and would have
to cut our way through. In the Bear
River valley there Is oak timber, sugar
trees, cottonwood and pines. There is
NuUafaa NaHfT
plenty of beautiful pines. There is
no timber on the Utah lake. but some
on the streams emptying into it. Into
the outlet Of the Utah Lake three well
tilnbered streams empty, In the val
levs southeast OF the salt Lake there
is an abundance of blue grass and red
and white clover The outlet of the
Utah lake does not form a large river,
neither a rapid current. but the water
is muddy and the banks of the river
low. Some of his men have been around
the Salt Lake In canoes. But while
they went out hunting, their horses
were stolen by the Indians They then
spent three months going round the
lake In canoes hunting beavers, the
distance being $50 90 miles. The Utah
tribe OF Indians live around the lake
and are Il bad people; II they catch
man alone they are sure to rob and
abuse him. u they don't Kill him, but
parties of men are In no danger These
Indians are mostly armed with guns.
There was man who had
opened farm IN Bear River val
ley where the soil Is good and likely to
produce grain, were II not for the eS-
cesslve cold nights. There is good
country south of tho Utah Lake or
southeast Of the Great Basin Three
rivers unknown 10 travellers enter into
the Sewer lake. There IL also splen-
did country north OF the Callfornh
mountains calculated to produce ev-
cry kind Of grain and fruit ana mere
are several places where man might
pass from Il over the mountains TO the
California settlements in a day
Tho great desert extends from the SAT-
Lake TO the Gulf of California, which IL
nerfectly barren. Mr.. Brldser sup
poses IL 10 have been an arm Of the
sea. There Is a tribe of Indians in that
country who are unknown 10 either
travellers or geographors. They make
farms and raise an abundance or gram
of various kndy. He can buy any
quantity OF the vey best wheat from
them. This country lies south
OF Salt Lake. distant about 20 days
travel. but the country through which
one would have 10 90 ~ reach u ~
bad and there would be m grass Tor
animals to subsist ON. he suppohfs
there might no access 10 IL iloiH iNN"''
He never saw any grapes on.
the Utah lake, but there are plenty OF
cherries and berries OF several kinds
He thinks the region around the Utah
lake is the best country IN the Ncinlty
of the Salt Lake ana the country y
still better the further south one goes
until the desert Is reached which Is
upwards OF 200 miles south Of the utahh
lake. There ls plenty OF timber on az
Tho streams and mountains and an
abundance Of fish IN the streams
no PASSED through the country a year
ago last summer IN the month OF Jhlyi
there Is generally one or two showers
of rain every day. sometimes very
heavy thunder storms but not accom-
panied by strong winds. Ho
said we would ind plenty of wafer
from here 10 firldgers Fort except
after crossing Green river when We
have 10 travel about 20 miles without
water, bur there ~ plenty ~ grass.
we need not fear the utah maj
ans, for we could drive the whole OF
them IN "A hours. MIR. Brldeer'H theory
was not 10 kin them. but make slaves
% them. The Indians south OF the ulah
lake raise as good corn, wheat and
nnmnflns az was ever raised Ia old
KentuCky