VOLUME OF WATER IN SALT LAKE. 65 



mer, sweeping over the barren sand that in the daytime is 

 heated up almost to the burning point, becomes so hot and 

 thirsty that, when it sweeps over this valley, it just takes a 

 shaving of water from that lake and carries it over the moun- 

 tains, to be deposited on the other side or carried further 

 north. That process is carried on all summer, and it is so 

 rapid that water enough never falls there to cause the lake to 

 rise so that it can roll over the high ridges of the mountains 

 and be emptied into the ocean. 



When the Mormons came into Salt Lake Valley, the evap- 

 oration from the valley was just equal to the water that 

 gathered in it from all sources, so as to leave as a residuum the 

 old original Salt Lake, which was nearly one hundred miles 

 long by forty wide. And it was salt as salt water could be ; 

 for the reason that the streams that come down into that valley 

 formerly flowed over salt beds— some of them perfectly solid 

 masses of salt, so that it can be quarried as you do granite. 

 You may take out immense blocks of salt, in some places, and 

 look through them as you do through window glass, so clear 

 and beautiful are they. Salt Lake having no outlet, the water 

 and salt which are carried down there remain in the lake, 

 except as the water evaporates; and although to-day Salt Lake 

 undoubtedly contains nearly twice as much water as it did 

 when the Mormons went there, it is still so very salt, that in 

 the spring of the year when the water flows into the shallow 

 places on either side, and afterwards dries up, you can shovel 

 up just as much as you please of the most beautiful salt. 



Now I have touched upon a point upon which I must enlarge 

 right here. I say that Salt Lake contains nearly or quite twice 

 as much water as it did when the Mormons came through 

 Emigration Canon, and, coming in sight of the lake, burst out 

 into the song — " Now Zion's banner is unfurled," thinking 

 they were led there by God, and determined to fix their homes 

 there. This valley presents a problem in physical geography ; 

 and I want to make a statement respecting it, because the 

 experience of the Mormons will perhaps serve to correct some 

 of our opinions in regard to physical geography, and will sug- 

 gest some problems for us to study upon. I do not pretend to 

 explain all the changes that have taken place in this valley ; 

 but I will give the facts. That great lake, one hundred miles 

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