count I call it the House range. Between it and the ridge tunning our point of view 

 is a very extensive valley, very generally white with alkaline enlorcscenec, and 1 hav< 

 therefore called it White' Valley. It is some 25 miles wide, and partially closed m.rtli 

 and south by low ranges, about IT) miles off. Sal areno-argillaceous. ' Small erease- 

 wood the characteristic, It is in the middle of this vallev we have encamped, and oi 

 account of the guides having- neglected to send back a man, a> he was wont, accord- 

 ing to orders, to point to me a camp of which he was persona!!// <-<>tjni;u>tt, the pam 

 is in its present uncomfortable situation. 



July 28, Camp Xo. 25, Whitr Valln,.— Elevation above the sea, 4,406 feet: ther 

 mometer at 5 a, m., 60°. Koenig, the dragoon, did not oome in from the guide partx 

 in the night, as was anticipated. ' I do not understand the guide's movement*. It wm 

 enjoined upon him over and over again to send us a man back daily, to guide the partx 

 with certainty to water and grass, and he has still Pen-. Lambert. Stevenson, anil 

 Private Koenig with him. It will be hazarding too much to persist in going fonv.-.nl 

 at a venture, though Sanchez, who was with the guide when he examined to the north- 

 east of the House range, on our outward trip, savs there is water on the east side oi 

 the House Mountains. The route to the water, however, IS not known to be practica- 

 ble, and it would consume nearly the whole day to have it examined, and in the mean- 

 time the animals are without grass and water, and we cannot afford to give them 

 another feed of forage, it being necessary for the desert stretch, which we may possi- 

 bly have to pass before reaching Hush Valley. I have, therefore, determined to fall 

 back to Plympton's Springs, where we can get grass and water, and await there the 

 arrival of some one from the guide's party. 



Leave at 7 a. m., ami retrace our steps to Plympton's Springs, where, at 2. we en- 

 camp. Journey, 18.7 miles. At 5 p. m. had a very severe hail and rain storm, the 

 severest I have experienced since I have bee*n in this region: hail as big as marbles, 

 and rain so copious as to flood the tents; thunder and lightning the accompaniments. 

 In these high regions the thunder and lightning, however, are infrequent, and not 

 severe. 



July 24, Camp Xo. 2G, Phjmptous ,S>W////.s.— Elevation above the sea, 4,814 feet ; 

 thermometer, at 6.30 a. in, H2 3 . Private Koenig of guide party has not yet returned. 

 Begin to feel verv uneasv, and have, therefore, directed Sergeant Burr. Private <\ ,11a- 

 mer, and Sanchez, the Mexican, to examine the country beyond where we encamped 

 night before last, in White Vallev, and see if we can get our wagons to the water re- 

 ported by Sanchez as lying to the east of House range. Should they meet Koenig, 

 and all is' right, they are to continue on to the water, and Koenig is to return and re- 

 port. Should they not meet him, then Sanchez is to return by the pass to the north 



afternoon. 



July 25, Camp Xo. 26, Plympton's Sprbiys.— Thermometer at 5.15 a. m.. 51 '. 

 Sero-eant Harr came in at 11 last night, having ridden 40 miles, and reports that 2 

 miles beyond our rain-puddle camp (Xo. 25) he found a note from the guide to me 



