Year: 1869

ulfough the Back kOck range OF the noun
taiuS OF Southern Utah


TIE VALLEY OF DEATH.


While riding slowly ahead with Nick and
our Indian guide, my attention was attracted
TO small valley in the gorge of the noun
tans. light, blush looking vapor was seen
ascending from it in little eddying whirlpools
and jetsot mist This vapor proceeded from
a large number of hot springs The valley
was not particularly inviting, but rs the men
and animals We're tired, thought we would
camp in it for the night. The guide, however,
assured me that it was certain death to breathe
the deathly vapors. We went into camp else
where, but the next morning the whole party
started slowly down the slope toward the val
ley, feeling as well as smelling our way
cautiously. The doctor had provided himself
with couple Of Indian dogs and several live
rabbits forthe purpose of making experiments
Alter scramblmg down some 200 yards, the
doctor, who was in advance, detected an ab-
sence OF oxygen in the air by the sudden
change OF temperature and the increased diff
Guilty he experienced in respiration A nau-
seous, su1ocating smell was also perceptlble
every time the wind blew toward us The
valley was about a quarter of mile in cir
cumferehce and oval in shape. Not even a
Dladc OF grass, or single sage bush, or any
living thing was to be seen within it but a
ghastly human skeleton, perfectly white, lay
beside one of the nearest springs Scattered
around were the skeletons of butfaloes. deer
and other wild animals. The bottom of the
valley appeared to be a hard sandy soil. dry
and cracked, as if by heat, in various places
One OF the Indian dogs was fastened to the end
OF the lariat and lowered down. while some
Of the party, watches in hand, observed the
effect. In fourteen seconds the dog fell down
motionless, and in three minutes was dead
The other dog, which now trottcd down to
his companion, was motionless in twelve sec
ondS and lived only five minutes. rabbi t
thrown IN died in a minute and a half, and
second lived a minute and twenty seconds
Our guide informed us that the existence of
the valley had been known to tribe for sever
al Years Two of their braves perished in it
While endeVoreng to carral some antelope. all
OF which died too. The springs in the valley
generate sucha body .of carbonic acid gas as
to completely poison the whole surrounding
atmosphere. We had no opportunity Of OBJ
tanning any of the water for subsequent chem
zeal examination. AS the place is entirely
out OF the way Of overland emigration and
IS anything but inviting, there is not much
danger that it will be trequented by bands of
pioneers or pleasure parties. We named
this canon on our field book the valley of
the Shadow ofDeath, and while some of the
men We're erecting stone pyramid on COM
handing position, we cut from an old pair of
saddle-bags Il stout piece Of leather burnt in
the warning, death Valley Enter not"
and securely fastened ito the pillar.


MNEHH SPRINGS.


Near our camp was a large number of hot
and cold mineral springs. From one the water
was elected from a single crevicc in a rock,
Kissing and ioamng with powerful effervcs-
cence like soda water from Il fountain 1t
had pleasant sub-acid flavor was highly
charged with carbonic acid gas, and with the
addition Of a little sugar made an agreeable
and palatable drink. Across the entire val
ley = some five miles s. there were several
hundred of these springs, large and small,
few cold as ice, while others, not more than
four or five feet distant were almost at boil
ing heat. From one hot spring was a con-
tinual discharge Of white polished stones
about the size of a duck shot, perfectly round,
and presenting somewhat the appearance of
pearls found in oysters, though rather Opaque.
The quantity of these small pcarly pebbles
was very great. They could be gathered by
bushels, and are well adapted to manufactur-
ing paste jewclry and would also form quite
an interesting subject Of investigation for the