212 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



the Green River a short distance, and then, making a 

 right angle, ascends the bluffs bordering the valley of 

 the stream, in nearly a west course. The country 

 then becomes still more broken and barren, and the 

 trail ascends gradually to the summit of a ridge, from 

 ■which it descends to the banks of the Black Fork, a 

 tributary of the Green River. This Black Fork is 

 crossed several times upon the route, but is not more 

 than sixty yards wide and is very shallow. The trail 

 leaves it to cut off the bends and then returns to it. 

 The scenery along this part of the route is interesting, 

 but the soil is frightfully sterile. Diverging from the 

 stream the trail passes over a barren plain with no 

 vegetation upon it except the wild sage, so common 

 even in the most sterile country, and then passes 

 through a bottom of grass, offering a good place for 

 an encampment. 



Near this place is Fort Bridger, a small trading- 

 post established by a Mr. Bridger. The buildings 

 are two or three rudely constructed log cabins, and 

 they are situated in a handsome fertile bottom, on the 

 banks of a small stream. This fort is about eleven hun- 

 dred miles from Independence, Missouri. From Fort 

 Bridger, many parties anxious to explore the country, 

 take the route by way of the south end of the great 

 Salt Lake. But the scarcity of water and the other 

 difficulties encountered in crossing the sterile plains 

 and the great Salt Desert should be sufficient to deter 

 emigrants with families from taking that direction. 

 Oxen could not travel fast enough from one watering- 

 place to another, and must necessarily perish from 

 thirst. Besides, the route is but poorly defined, and 

 may be wandered from very easily. 



The trail of fhe old route, and the one taken by 



