13 



fully. On the suiuiuit of the Pass, as inrlootl on every snmniit stiiBciently hi£;li, cnconntered in onr 

 travels, as far as the t'ye could reach in all directions, one sees only eliaiii alter chain of mountains 

 in every variety of contour, hiding from view valley after valley, found to exist only after a nearer 

 approach. Descendin<!; the grade, a ravine is followed for iVmr or five miles, where a camp is made 

 for tlie night. The next day's march commtiiiced througli dense cedars reaching far into the foot- 

 hills of the northern end of a valley known by the Mormons as Spring Valley, and named Cedar 

 A^alley, when it was found that it came within the limits of Nevada. After a march of seventeen or 

 eighteen miles, the first .Mormon .settlement is reached, a little place called llomer, built in the shape 

 of a fort, and settled with a number of people of the Mormon persuasion. The coming of so large 

 a party, with -several wagons and numerous animals, stirred up quite a commotion among these 

 people nestled among the mountains, who are unaccustomed to seeing a strange face except at 

 rare intervals. 



These outer settlements have been formed from time to time when the excess of population 

 crowds them farther and farther away from the central point. Salt Lake City. The one above 

 mentioned is among the most remote and inaccessible, situated, however, in a fine mountain 

 valley, containing a limited amount of good land. We made a call upon the Bishop, or acting 

 business man of the colouy, and were well received. Some knowledge was gleaned as to their 

 character and habits in that and also at other settlements. 



In Spring or Cedar Valley is the source of a creek known, for the greater part of its course, as 

 Meadow Creek, that flows through Eagle, KovSe, Dry, and Bound Valleys to Meadow Valley, often 

 tiirough tortuous cafious, but traceable in all cases. Following down Jleadow Valley, these waters 

 pass tlirongh a very dithcult canon, known as Sleadow \'alley Canon, and thence through Long 

 N'alley, until within about thirty -five miles of the Mnddy River, when they sink to ri.se again within 

 twelve miles <bf the above river, and flowing for a little distance, are lost again in the sandy wash, 

 and do not re-appear. Without doubt this water must come into the Muddy before the latter 

 reaches the Virgin, showing in reality the Jleadow Creek to be the eastern branch, and that (juite 

 a section to the northeast of I'ahranagat lies in the basin of the Colorado, inst:ead of the Great 

 Interior, or Salt Lake Basin. Where this water comes out, its temperature is quite warm, reach- 

 ing as high as 76° Fahrenheit; similar waters are found in I'ahranagat Valley, that also flow 

 eventually into the JIuddy, through a subterranean source or transit for these waters. 



The canon leading directly from Cedar to Eagle Valley was not passable for any except hoi'se- 

 inen; couseciueiitly a detour, first to the .south and east, and then south and west, was made, 

 bringing us to the i)lace after a march of fourteen miles. 



This is a little valley entirely surrounded by blufi" mesas, and not distant mountain-peaks, and 

 appears as if by magic, as one emerges from the steep walled caiion, thickly studded on either side 

 with cedars leading to it from the east. In the mountains there is an abundance of fire-wood on the 

 mountaiu-sides, but not always near the places most eligible for settlement. Timber is, however, 

 very scarce. Eagle Valley produces fine croi)S, which were in full growth at our arrival. The liaj-- 

 makers were at work, and the extreme pieturesqueuess of the .scene brought great relief to tlie eye, 

 accustomed to^ok ahead daj- after day, with rough mountain-peaks in advance and only the calcu- 

 lations of the imagination to estimate the decrease in distance from them. ^Ve have been traveling, 

 as it were, in the dark since leaving our eanq) in Cave Valley. Our guide had never been over this 

 part of the route up to this point. The Indians and Jlormons were both taciturn as regards informa- 

 tion. The day's march was continued, and night found us at a little valley some two miles in length, 

 called Bose Valley, full of stock, and completely hemmed in, a little basin in the mountains. 



Our marches have been tedious to both men and animals, as the wagons were heavily laden. 

 The roads, at some points, were very rough and winding, making distances seemingly great. It 

 was thought best to let the animals remain for twenty-four hours, as the grazing was good. Only a 

 few Mormon randnnen in this valley. 



The amount of land in the three valleys mentioned will not exceed 2,500 acres, if it were culti- 

 vated to its greatest limits, and at least half of this is only fit for grazing and hay. 



The .soft, saccharine bunch-grass, so valuable for the animals, is still found on the foot-hills, and 

 in many ca.ses extends high in altitude. 



The topographical parties continue on, winding through Dry Valley ; then detouring, first to 



