F.NDucii.] ITINERARY. 11 



fii-mod our o^vn opinions as to its cliaracter, and we determined to follow 

 the railroad for a short distance before strikin.c: northward again. 



Oil fJnnc 20 we left lied Desert and uuirchetl eastward to Wash-a-kie 

 Station. \\\ addition Avas here made to our party by the acquisition of 

 a dog-. Tliough an unimportant member in himself, he subsequently 

 showed such remarkable endurance in travelbug and mountaiu climbing 

 that he is well worthy of being mentioned. 



FROM THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD TO CAIVIP STAIMBAUGH. 



Washakie Station is named after the venerable head chief of tlie 

 Shoshone Indians, who has always i^roved himself to be a staunch liic^nd 

 of the white man. Past this station leads the trail utilized by the North- 

 em Colorado Utes in making their annual visits to their friends and 

 allies, the Snakes. On June 21 we started upon this trail, travelling north - 

 ward. It led over several ridges until finally one main ridge was readied. 

 While the i)ack-train had disappeared from my sight, at a time that I was 

 about 3 miles east of it, I had occasion to observe a very striking mirage 

 effect. Where the train was at that time I did not know, having left it 

 a couple of hours before. Looking westward I saAv the i)rocession of 

 riders and pack-mules slowly filing along the summit of a high ridge 

 which gently sloped to the Avest. Wishing to satisfy myself as to tlie 

 truth of this appearance, I used my field-glass. Although the distance 

 at which the party appeared to be was about 3 miles from my point of 

 view, I could distinctly recognize each man. The forms seemed slightly 

 distorted, but not more so than might be expected at that distance on li 

 hot day. Finishing my examinations where I was, I, several hours later, 

 proceeded to find the trail and follow it. No trail was to be seen on the 

 ridge. Not until I had descended on its western slope about 800 feet 

 and ridden more than a mile, did I find the trail at a i)lace vfhere it Avonld 

 have been utterly impossible for me to see the men and animals some 

 hoiu-s before. 



On our march along the trail we passed a number of alkaM-flats. Dtit- 

 ing the wet season these are filled to a shallow depth with bad-tasting 

 water, but at the time we passed them they Y»^ere perfectly dry and hard. 

 From a distance thej^ may easily be mistaken for water. Ihe hot air 

 ascending from them produces a reflection of light, which, in timi, raises 

 the level of the bed, so ihat, apparently, grass and other plants can be 

 seen as if gTowing above the vv-ater-level. This particular feature adds 

 very much to the deception of a mirage. Along the trail Ave found the 

 remains of lodge-poles, and at several places, Avhere there had been 

 water early in the spring, AA-ere remnants of old camjDs. Ascending a 

 high divide, we sav,^, about 8 miles fi'om us, a large sheet of water. So 

 far as we could determine, the trail headed directly toward it. So often, 

 hoAvever, had we been deceived that we scarcely hoped to find oiu- ex- 

 pectations realized. About sundoAAai w^e obtained a near view, hoAvever, 

 and saAv a large lake, just beyond a belt of sand-hills. Upon reachhig 

 it Ave found that Indians had cami)ed there only a short time prcAious, 

 and we occupied the spot Avhich they had abandoned. Antelopes and 

 wild water-foAAi AAcre very plentifid near the muddy-loolcing Avater. 

 Although it contained a considerable amount of alkali, and h;id to bo 

 cooled before being fit to drink, citric acid rendered it quite ])iilatable. 



For tAvo days we remamed encamped at this lake, making excursions 

 from there for the inuposes of topographical nnd geological Avork. AVe 

 found that instead of u divide betAveen the Avaters of the Athsntic and 

 Pacilic Oceans, there Avas here a large tract of neutral groimd. Tern- 



