15 



wonld be to follow the waters of Meadow Oreek, and the washes below the main eauon should at 

 last bring us to the desired point. The distance on this route would have been abont ninety-live 

 miles. A road leads from Panacea to Hyko, and.from thence to settlements on the Muddy, a dis- 

 tance of one hundred and fifty miles. Again, by detouring to Clover Valley, a little to the east, 

 and coming into the same wash below .Meadow Canon, the above point could be reached in about 

 one hundred and ten miles. None of these routes seemed especially pleasing. It was oidy neces- 

 sary to select the one productive of the best results. The Mormons said, " Go by the cafion." Tliis 

 would have been the shortest route, but in my own mind I liad concluded that tlie heavy army 

 wagons, with large loads, could never go through a cafion having here and there quicksands, and 

 the whole surface, for the greater part, covered with water. Accordingly, it was considered best to 

 detour by way of Clover Valley. Although this proved a sorry route— almost as good as imprac- 

 ticable — yet we afterwards learned from good authority that it would have been impossible on 

 account of the miry platres to have taken the train through the caiion. 



On the morning of the 11th September a start was made to continue the route to the sontii- 

 ward, but, mistaking the road, one was followed down the valley. We were stop])ed at the mouth 

 of the canon, some of tlie wagons having mired, and finding out that we were on the wrong track 

 for Clover Valley, had nothing left us but to return to the old camp, not a little disappointed. We 

 encountered an old ^lormon gathering hay near the head of the canon, and having had experience 

 with a light wagon through the eaiiou, told us that, in his opinion, it was impassable for us. This 

 only confirmed preconceived ideas. 



The succeeding day we got fairly otf, and continued the inarch for thirty miles, coming in at 

 night to a?iother little mountain valley, having passed over rolling country, principally covered 

 with nut-pine and cedar ; road good, but very crooked. The wash from this valley enters Meadow 

 Creek Canon, and therefore how far to the northeast of this position the dividing line of the great 

 interior basin. from that of the Colorado passes, it is somewhat ditficult to say. However, it is 

 judged not to be very far distant. Clover Valley is a small Mormon settlement, comprising some 

 seven or eight hundred acres of arable land. 



The next tlay we followed a wash leading to the southeast ; which followed higiier up to the foot- 

 hills, develops some fine timber-patches— this at a distance of seven or eight miles from where we 

 left the ravine. There is a small saw-mill at this place that furnishes timber for all the outer 

 Mormon settlements, sending some as far to the south and west as the settlements on the Muddy. 

 This is the only i)atch of large and fine pine timber for a radius of fifty miles. In fact, such areas 

 are seldom found in the section of the State traversed. 



From Clover Valley a rough and tortuous road is followed to a summit, descending from which 

 a large wash joining Meadow Valley Creek below the cailon is entered. No laden wagons had ever 

 passed through this ravine, and upon fairly getting into it, I began to despair of ever bringing the 

 train through. At noon the wagons had just begun to descend ; at 6 p. m. they had only succeeded 

 in gaining two miles, ^leanwhile every one in the party was hard at work making a road. Some 

 of the advance parties, by accident, found two or three little water-holes some four or five miles 

 distant from the summit, and the animals are driven to this point, but get only a small allowance. 

 A little bunch-grass is found nearly one mile from this place. Appearances indicate that bunch- 

 grass is disappearing, as also everything in the shape of vegetation — a sure sign of a near ai)proach 

 to the Colorado Desert. 



The next morning pioneering is again commenced, and continued until nightfall, when the 

 wagons reaeh the little water-holes mentioned, which, b careful cleaning out, have, by the next 

 morning, gathered nearly enough water for all the animals, that are now every hour getting worse 

 fagged and worn. The surveying party pushed ahead, and late at night succeeded in threading 

 out the labyrinth, which will be called Clover Valley Canon, and made camp upon Meadow Creek 

 at the point where it comes out from a steep canon. The whole case was taken into consideration, 

 and the conclusion arrived at that the horses and mules, in their worn condition, with hardly any 

 grass and infrequent supplies of water, would not be able to get through to the settlements on the 

 Muddy without losing njauy valuable animals. Accordingly, in company with Mr. Wm. M. Ord, a 

 start was made to reach those settlemeuts, hardly knowing the distance, the dangers, or necessities 



