61 



where ho is still livinfr. Starting out from Sierra Creek, and traveling nearly cine west, they wan- 

 dered over the mountain desert, tra%-eliug for the most part well down in the valleys, not realizing 

 that more frequently the water must be sought up among the foot hills. Sulfering soon arose, and 

 the large party broke up into several small ones, wandering hero and there until the men, exhausted 

 by thirst and fatigue, and the animals for the want of sustenance and water, the great Death Valley 

 of Southwestern Xevada made for them a grave. 



Chance parties of prospectors and explorers have found the bones of the men and animals and 

 remnauts of the wagons at desert points as far to the southwest as Death Valley proi>er, in Cali- 

 fornia. Iron tires taken from the old wheels were found by us at the mines in Meadow Valley 

 and at Las Vegas llanch. 



An old Indian once told our interpreter that he had followed after the parties, wishing to give 

 information in regard to the springs, but that they were nmcli afraid of liim and would not let liim 

 come within hailing distance, preferring to perish in the rough, wild desert rather than trust them- 

 selves in the hands of the treacherous Indians. Their loss is a sad example of the misfortunes of 

 mountain travel, where, with no one to lead, and no prior knowledge of the country, parties may 

 meet with the most intense hardship and sutTeriug, if not, as in the above case, the most wretched 

 of deaths. 



OLD SALT LAKE ROAD. 



This was crossed by us in the field of our explorations at two poiuts, one a little below AVest 

 Point, on the Muddy, the other at Las Vegas Ranch. 



This road, so much used at one time in the winter season by the Jlormous in freighting into 

 Southern Utah, is long, and sandy in the extreme. The stretches between waters from the Cajon 

 Pass to Saint George are long and tedious, and the camps, at which glazing and wood are scarce, 

 numerous. Its former uses no longer obtain, as it is found much cheaper to freight to the most 

 remote and southern settlements in Utah from the Central Pacific Railroad. 



Callville was established with the hope that water-facilities might lighten the extravagant 

 prices of all supplies freighted in by land from the California coast, but before the completion of 

 even a landing or a store-house, w^as abandoned. 



ROUTES TRAVERSED BY MORMONS IN 18.17. 



The ^lormons, looking forward to active operations with the troops ordered to their section 

 under General Johnston in 1857, and for secure shelter in case of being driven from their mount- 

 ain homes, sent out two expeditions to seek for fertile mountain retreats to the westward. 



Oue party, consisting of twenty-six wagons, leaving Beaver City passed west to Hawawah 

 Springs, then across Desert and Lake Valleys, until the pass where the Patterson mines now are 

 was found. 



Beyond this point the route was the same as the one followed by onr parties from Steptoe Val. 

 ley, which inviting valley having been found by them, they returned upon nearly the same route. 



The other party, leaving the settlements farther to the south along the valley of the Upper Rio 

 Virgen, made their way into what is now known as Meadow Valley, thence to Pahranagat Valley, 

 and, passing to the northward, reached Sierra Valley, an uninviting situation ; thence they found 

 their way to the tracks of the other parties, and made their return upon them. 



Our return trip from Hawawah Springs to camp in Cave Valley, followed their route very 

 nearly. 



MAPS. 



The maps, carefully compiled from the original data, giving details of the topography, will 

 appear, *one upon a scale of 1' to six miles ; another, upon a scale of 1' to twelve miles. 



The elevations along a line projected for a railroad to connect the Central Pacific Railroad with 

 the Colorado, are shown on a special profile map. 



Great care has been exercised in the topographical details, and the attempt has been made to 

 exhibit the light and shade as it actually falls upon the mountains when the sun occupies a position 

 * The map apon the scale of 1' to six miles has never been pablisbed. 



