The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-01-06
REVIEWS OF BOOKS
THE COLORADO DESERT.

The Wonders of the Colorado peser
(Sou,hern California;. its Rivers, IL, IL,
Mountains its Canyons, It's Springs ~
Lie and its History. Pictured ana pc
scrlhed, Including an Account OF a re
cent Journey made down the OreTnoN
Of the Colorado River 70 The Mystuerlou: !. U,
lanes With upwards of Three Hundred
Pen-and Ink Sketches from Natnrc o!
Carl Eytcl In Two Volumes. FuolshSo .'
nv Little. Brown, and Company, Boston
Fine. large. sumptuous volumes, these
dealing with the country on the lower
Colorado river, and having the lates,
information from the great overflow
which makes the Salton Sea, shown In
text and picture.
First. general view of the desert Is
oiven, in boundaries, topography, and
routes Of travel; then the physical ms
tory of the desert, desert Surprises
turns from the well-told horrors, perils
and sufferings Of desert travel, and
seeks TO find pleasure spots and sources
of delight, and this with good deal
of success. ESThe Rivers of the Des-
ert'' comprise. first and foremost, the
great Colorado, and the New and the
Alamo. which convey the Colorado over
flow into Salton Sea. "The Mountains
of the Desert has views and text on
the striking mountain scenery OF that
region. with the beautiful canyons and
the refreshing plateaus. Explorers
and Pathfinders" is review of the
historic and legendary trips made by
famous men and their parties, all we'll
told, and full of the iveliest interest.
"The Colorado River Ferry considers
the old means OF crossing the river, and
gives the fact that the first ferry was
run by Indians. Storms, Mlrages,
and Desert Illusions is vivid dcscrp.
tion Of those phenomena on the desert.
''The Colors of the Desert = is an ar
tistic and poetical account OF the high
coloring. the agreeable shadings, and
the decorous tints of the desert, which
can be picture and panorama, as well
as 8 scene of desola ton ''Some Wild
Animals of the Desert - depends mainly
on the hill country for its material and
excellent use is made of thc fauna, Com
panion chapters are Some Desert
Birds and 'Reptiles and Insects Of
the Desert The chapter ''Plaut Life
on the Desert makes a surprisingly
varied and noteworthy presentation
from material which must be admitted
20 be comparatively scant. 'The In
dians of the Desert treats the abort
gines with frank and cordial sympathy,
and shows many undeniable abuses per
petrated upon them. The first volume
closes with the chapter or THE Stage
Line Acros the Desert, - and sum
ming up Of the resources of 'Water on
the Desert which is admittedly scan
" away from the great river.
Volume ii. opens with statement of
an old plan by DR.. Widney for re-
flooding the Colorado desert, which the
overflow into Salton Sea has practically
realized An agreeable oasis, Palm
Springs. is enthusiastically described.
Prospecting and Mining on the
Desert tells many an ancient tale of
hardship and disappointment, with
some brilliant successes; and the tra-
ditions OF stupendously rich finds are
not neglected ''Siguboards on the
Desert "The Tragedies of the
Desert Ga narrowing chapter), - The
Camp-Fires of the Desert are ali full
Of interest "The Reclamation of the
Desert, in the Imperial and Coacheila
Valleys is q story of enterprise and
pluck, well worth the telling. . Horti,
cultural Possibilities of the Desert
and Date-Palm Culture on the
Desert point out great possibilities in
ing insect pests have so far appeared;
and il is a story which, while enthusias
tic, looks emiDentIy practical. The
Burro on the Desert is just tribute
TO the services of an animal which mas
made many things possible. A TramI
from San Diego to Yuma is a vivic
record of a foot journey, and il is fol
lowed by "A Tramp from Yuma VI
the Colorado River to Palo Verde, ther
by the Chuckwalla Trail to Salton,
another gem Of an itinerary. "Out tC
. -, = r. .
trip full of interest, not without con
siderable difficulty; and it is followed
by Cup Martinez Canyon Into Coahuil5
and Carlo Creek. - Through Mes
quite Land 80 From Pines to Palms, )
and GA Pasear from the Garden o.
Eden by Way of Morongo Pass anc
Twenty-nine Palms 10 Indio.' Among
so much that is fine and enhancing, i
may be invidious to discriminate, bu
we found in the reading the highes
trip by water "F'rom Yuma Down tn,
Overflow of the Colorado to the Saltol
Sea-" it is full Of adventure and o
strange things. portrayed so as to Civ
the reader a life-like view of the Who'll
Journey.
Its discussions of the Salton Sea, o
the desert phenomena, Of the health
bringing, stimulating atmosphere, of tn
possibilities of other beauty spots il
the general barrenness. of the palms
of the hills, and the frequent rccur
rences to the Salton Sea, with specu
lations as to how it might modify th
climate if IL were to become perma
nent body Of water, are all of the fines
character. The author is evidently
lover of the desert and its surround
iDgs, and is honestly enraptured by il
And all through IL is clear that he
deeply and thoroughly informed upo
all phases Of the desert, and is abl
to catch and portray it in every MOOD
He has done IN excellent service to hi
country in writing so well and wit
such thorough knowledge Of the desert
and he should be awarded in tho pub
lie mind the highest possible praise 70
excellence in the production of thcs
large and profusely illustrated volume!
FOR HIGHER IDEAL.