63 



first being from Cave Valley, near Patterson, to tbc Muddy Eiver via Hyko, and undertaken in 



obedience to tbe following order: 



Camp neajc Cave, Cave Valley, Nevada, 



Jugutl 31, 18C9. 

 Special Field Orders, ) 

 No. 10. S 



Lieut. U. W. Lockwood, United States Engineers, will proceed from the Cave in Cave Valley to make a careful 

 reconnaiH.sanco of tlio country duo .south, pasdinj; through Paliianagat Valley to Saint ThomaH, at junction of Virgin 

 and Muddy Rivers. Mr. Ivah.MkiiiilV will act as topographer. Thu auilmlance driven by Davis and the heavy wagon 

 driven by James Kelly will accompany him. The followiug-namcd soldiers will act as escort, &c. : Corporal Augustine 

 Myers, Company H, Eighth United States Cavalry ; Privates William Kauisay and Otto Behrcnd, Company 1, Twelfth 

 Infantry, and Marion Minnel, Kdward Leach, Kdnnind Wildenmuth, Charles M. Jones, James Smith, John Kelly, and 

 ITrancis Johnson, Comjiany II, Eighth United istates Cavalry. 



Geo. M. WiiKELEU, 



Lifulenanl of Eiitjineert. 



As directed, I left camp at the Cave on the morning of the 1st of September, 1869, and taking 

 a southeasterly course, crossed the Egau range of mountains through a somewhat high and dillicult 

 pass, entering Sierra Valley near Butterfield Springs, at which place the first camp was made, dis- 

 tant about twenty-one miles from the camp at the Cave. 



The SieiTa Creek takes its ri.se near this point, and is fed by a series of springs, .some cold and 

 others warm, which break in the foot-hills on the western slope of the Egau mountains. The warm 

 springs are about one mile south of the first camp. 



The couutry in this vicinity is of a very alkaline character, and the creek, after continuing for 

 tweuty-five or thirty miles down the valley, sinks ; its whole course being marked by a heavy 

 growth of tales. The sink varies in locality at difterent seasons of the year, being due to the 

 varying quantity of water supplied by the springs. The original bed of the creek extends for 

 some distance below where there are any indications of water Laving been within a recent time- 

 The road down the valley skirts along the foot-hills, and, crossing the dry bed of the creek, passes 

 over a low divide, entering Coal Valley. There are few indications of a road leading from the creek 

 to the divide, however, while a clear and distinct track leads t)lV to the left through a perfectly 

 desert valley, about thirty miles iu extent. By reason of some misunderstanding of tbe directions 

 given by the guide, the latter-mentioned road was taken, and tlu^ result was that, after making a 

 march of over thirty miles, a portion of the train was at liiitterlield Sjirings again, and the remain- 

 der at the .sink, having been compelled to turn back, the mules having given out, so that the heavy 

 wagon was left in the desert twenty-five miles away. This nutrch occupied two days, and was 

 made without forage or water for the aninuils. 



The next move was down the course of the creek, and from thence across couutry to the main 

 road leading to Simmond's Springs. This latter course is uudoid)tedIy the best one for wagons 

 not too heavily loaded, as the distance from Butterfield Springs to Simmond's Springs is tiK) great 

 a distance for one day's march by the regular road, and, althougli the way by the crerk is a trifle 

 greater, the distance between the watering-places is less. Simmond's Spring is of very little account 

 during the summer, as the supply of water is very limited and of poor quality. 



From this point the road turns otf somewhat to the west, and, crossing a broken range of mount- 

 ains by an extremely ditUcult pass, comes out iuto Pahranagat Valley, tiie upper portion of whi(;h is 

 nothing but a heavy sandy wash. 



Owing to the many delays that had already occurred, it was not until late in the night of the 

 flth of September that the whole party had arrived at Hylvo, which by regular marches, with every- 

 thing in good order, ought to have been accomplished iu four days. 



HYKO. 



The village of Hyko is situated near Hyko Spring, and contained at this time from two hun- 

 dred and fifty to throe huiulred souls, including the miners at Silver Canon. The population 

 varies continually with the mining excitements .si)ringing up in ditferent parts of the State. The 

 same might be said of the town itself, as at the breaking out of the White Pine excitement houses 

 were taken to pieces and transported entire to the latter place. 



The Hyko Silver Mining Company owns nearly all the mines in the district, and has erected a 



