90 ELDORADO 



Carson valley, there intercepting the old emigrant road. 



After obtaining all the information possible, and hav- 

 ing only pack animals, we decided to take the cut-off, 

 thereby, as we were told, saving both time and dis- 

 tance. In the meantime others who were camped in 

 our vicinity came to a like decision, and organized a 

 small company, hiring two of Fremont's old guides, 

 who happened to be stopping in the valley, to conduct 

 them across the desert to what was known as Pilot's 

 Peak, the blue top of which could be seen 150 miles in 

 the distance. Crossing without a guide was considered 

 very dangerous, as the trail from various causes was 

 liable to be quickly obliterated, and travelers deceived 

 and led astray by the deceptive mirage, whereby many 

 lives have been lost on the hot desert. 



Brigham Young said all of those who took the cut- 

 off would go to h — . P>ut it was claimed, and believed, 

 that his motive was to preserve the feed for the Mor- 

 mon travel to the mines in California. It was now the 

 middle of August, and we were anxious to be filling 

 our pockets with the gold nuggets in the "diggings." 

 The party to whom I have referred preceded us by one 

 day, with Shambo and companion for guides. 



The following morning, after their departure, we 

 gathered up our traps, packed our animals and bid 

 good-bye to the few friends we had made and our 

 pleasant temporary home under the cottonwood trees, 

 and soon struck the trail of those who had left the day 

 before. Our first halt, at noon, was on the shore of 

 the lake. The day was warm and we could not resist 

 the desire for a plunge in its clear, cool waters, which 

 we greatly enjoyed. On account of the saline density 

 of the water we were enabled to float without danger 



