ON THE GREAT SANDY DESERT. 165 



caravan, anxious to have a bath in the celebrated " Aquada 

 Caliente de las Vegas," three miles distant. Bidding adieu 

 to the ruined fortress and the associations and thoughts which 

 thie sight of it called up, we proceeded on our way over a level, 

 barren plain. We at length came to the Bethsada of the desert : 

 a circular spring five yards in diameter and of unfathomable 

 depth, the water of which was at precisely the right tempera- 

 ture for a warm bath. Divesting ourselves of our habiliments 

 we plunged into the refreshing pool, below whose sparkling 

 surface it was impossible to sink; not on account of the den- 

 sity of the water, but of the strong current that boiled up from 

 the bottom. One of our number, Fisher, the lazy man, who 

 had not been known to wash since leaving the " States," was 

 seized and stripped by rude, though well-wishing, comrades, 

 and cast headlong into the healing and cleansing waters. The 

 fellow, who could not swim, was afraid for his life; but he 

 arose like a naiad, if such a comparison is admissible, and 

 spouting and barking like a seal, paddled ashore. We dis- 

 ported in this delightful bath until the caravan came up, 

 when we resumed our journey. 



We were now reduced, by those leaving who had joined 

 us on the Santa Clara, to the three teams and twenty passen- 

 gers which left Salt Lake in company. While more than a 

 match for the Diggers who had lately annoyed us, we put up 

 with their doings, dreading loss of stock. The waterless stretch 

 reached from thirty to sixty miles sometimes, and we dreaded 

 being left almost helpless on these desolate journeys. 



We had now a thirty mile jornado to cross. Passing over a 

 tract of country almost entirely destitute of vegetation, and 

 covered with beds of sand, gravel and stone, we reached late 

 in the night the noted camping place of, Williams' Ranch. 

 " Old Williams," a hunter celebrated for his daring exploits 

 and recklessness, once ventured here with a drove of horses 

 and mules which he stole from the Mexicans, and after him 



