I 



12 



when they were looking for places of refuge in case that our troops molested the quietude of their 

 mountain villages. Upon reaching the old camp, observations were repeated for time, wliicli gave 

 good results in determining the rate of the chronometers, which were found to have been runuing 

 with great regularity. 



PATTERSON DISTRICT, 



Lyiug in a natural pass ot the Schell Creek range, was discovered by parties driving cattle through 

 from Southern Utah to the vicinity of mining camps in and around Austin and Belmont. Noth- 

 ing was doue, however, till tbe spring of 1869, when a little excitement sprung up. The 

 showing of mineral appears upon the northern side of the pass, the leads having the general 

 northern and southern trend so noticeable in most localities visited during the trip. A slight 

 examination of these mines was made, and the general impressions derived were quite favorable. 

 Tbe leads are found mostly in limestone. The country rock is much disturbed, and in consequence, 

 until some deep developments are made, there appears no absolute certainty of finding a well- 

 defined fissure-vein, although one particular lode, the "Gray Eagle," has tbe outward appearance 

 of being the mother vein. There is a great absence of the base metals, and tbe ores will, in almost 

 every instance, work freely. Water is scarce on the western side of the summit of the pass, and 

 nearest to the best mines. Wood for fuel is in sufficiency, and lumber to be found on the eastern 

 slope of the range at a distance of seven or eight miles to the north. 



There is a sad lack of capital at this as well as most other of these remote mining locations 

 which want, coupled with remoteness, are serious drawbacks that now hold in aljeyance the develop- 

 ment of a vast amount of mineral wealth in Southern Nevada. 



The animals and men having recuperated, on the morning of the 1st September, camp was 

 broken for a start into a region comparatively unknown, and about which but little information 

 could be gleaned from either Indians or white men. The long marches both by night and day, 

 joined with constant labor, have been considered slight in comparison with the hardships expected 

 from climate and desert in our further progress to the Colorado. 



Lieutenant Lockwood was detached at this point, and sent with a small party with orders to 

 conduct his march via Pahranagat Valley, and reach some of the settlements on the Muddy. 

 This proved to be the most direct line to the southward. I was led to believe that by going still 

 farther to the east, a better route in regard to grass and water could be found for the train. 

 Ultimate results showed that this idea was a false one, although either route would have been 

 diflBcnlt for a number of wagons heavily laden — the nature of the road, tbe distances a^iart of the 

 watering places, and chances for grazing being in advance uncertain. 



Passing to the eastern slope of the Schell Creek Mountains, through Patterson, the road leads 

 along the foothills to the Ely Mining District, some ten or twelve miles above the head of Meadow 

 Valley, with only one spring of water intervening, and a stretch of forty-five to fifty miles of com- 

 parative desert. It was reported that Mormons were living to the east of the next range, named 

 Fortification Kauge, and by crossing over into the chain of valleys so settled that a good road could 

 be found well supplied with grass and water, upon which, by detouring a little, we could reach the 

 settlement at Meadow Valley. I was greatly desirous of continuing the topography as far as the 

 eastern line of the State, and this would give the opportunity ; moreover, we were all very curious 

 to see as much as possible of the Mormons and their settlements. Our experience in taking this 

 route was a sad one, but the extra amount of topographical and other information gained more than 

 repaid. Crossing Duck Lake Valley, we came to the pass in the Fortification Range, and for four or 

 five days labored faithfully to cross. This was called Pioneer Caiion, an appropriate name, as we 

 were all pioneers during its passage. Most of the wagons were upset while going through this 

 canon, although all possible care was taken, and everybody was at work from sun to sun. The 

 escort behaved remarkably well, showing a great deal of energy and endurance, both of which 

 qualities afterwards, in several instances, were called for, and at all times they did their duty faith- 



NoTE. — The locality reached was determined in 1872 to be the southern shore of Sevier Lake the reservoir of the 

 water coming from the Sevier River. Hence Preuss Lake is hypothetical. The valley lying to the eastward of the 

 Hawawah range, in which occurs an alkaline flat evidently overflown by water from Sevier Lake during seasons of 

 great freshet, has been called " Preuss Valley " upon the atlas-sheets to perpetuate the name ot" this most excellent 

 topographer connected with FriSmont's expedition. 



