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FEATURES OF WESTERN SLOPES OF MOUNTAINS. 38 
June 1.—Two miles and a half, by an easy ascent for wagons, brought us to the proper 
summit of this pass, to conduct us to which, one of the Indians constituted himself guide, run- 
ning before my horse and pointing out every stone and bush that he was to avoid, while several 
others were occupied in catching rats along our path ; but the main body preceded us a short 
distance, and appeared in great haste, which excited my curiosity, and I rode forward to dis- 
cover the cause of it, from which it appeared that, as a matter of poliéy, or a precaution to pre- 
vent being despoiléd by robbery of their wardrobes, in visiting us the previous evening, they 
had, each for himself, made a cache of his effects under separate bushes, and for the same 
reasons they were now hastening to remove them from where we were about to pass. It was 
indeed a novel and ludicrous sight of wretchedness to see them approach their bush and 
attempt, slily, (for they still tried to conceal from me what they were about,) to repossess 
themselves of their treasures, one bringing out a piece of an old buckskin, a couple of feet 
square, smoked, greasy, and torn; another a half^dozen rabbit-skins in an equally filthy con- 
dition, sewed together, which he would swing over his shoulders by a string—his only blanket 
or clothing ; while a third brought out a blue string, which he girded about him and walked 
away in full dress—one of the lords of the soil. With these simple wardrobes they were all 
soon reclothed, and we arrived at the same time at their lodges, deserted by their women, 
and upon the top of the pass—that is, to where a respectable stream rose and flowed to the 
west. But owing to the formation peculiar to so many of the mountains in the Basin, and upon 
our continent generally, we had but just commenced the ascent necessary to its passage in its 
natural state. For, though the streams continue to flow to the succeeding valleys, which are 
open and easily descended, frequently for miles, the mountains still continue to rise to the 
west, and the valleys are again closed up by their close proximity, and the streams break 
through the last and highest ridges in deep, narrow, rocky ravines and cañones, which termi- 
nate abruptly to the west. This was the case in this instance, and we were obliged to ascend 
a thousand feet higher before commencing the descent, and were then obliged to encamp, and 
put all our well men—for we had several sick with rheumatic fevers—to work to level down a 
roadway on the side of the ravine we were descending. From the top of the valley the view was 
extensive. To the west a small valley, containing small ponds of water, sweeps off to Hum- 
boldt river, and is succeeded by numerous mountain ranges of limited extent, and by two 
large ranges upon which there are still large banks of snow. This mountain is characterized 
by large masses of beautifully colored quartz, and we therefore gave it the name of Quartz 
mountain, although it is chiefly composed of dark metamorphic rocks. To the pass, Dr. Shiel, 
geologist, gave the name of Agate, that stone being profusely scattered about in large blocks. 
Day's march, 6.83 miles. a 
June 2.—Owing to sickness among the men, with new cases of rheumatic fever daily occur- 
ring, it was necessary to remain in camp to-day, during a heavy fall of snow, from 6 a. m. until 
noon, when we proceeded to the foot of the pass, 2.65 miles, and encamped ; but during this short 
march we were thoroughly wet by a shower of rain, and a second swept over us after we had 
encamped. This pass, though easily ridden up, would be in some parts very difficult to ascend 
with wagons. The valley in which we encamped does not exceed nine miles in width where we 
entered it, but a little to the north the mountains trend to the east and west, and it becomes 
broader, but again becomes narrow before joining the main Humboldt valley. Several small 
streams descend into it, forming the grassy ponds already described. Two or three varieties 
of artemisia constitute its chief vegetation. Its soil is very light and friable; the track of a 
single Indian crossing it being plain and distinct. 
June 3.—A cool and pleasant morning. Crossing the valley of our morning camp, we ascended 
a range of low hills of altered rocks, which could be easily passed around to the south, and 
then crossed another small valley, from which a creek flows into the one first crossed, and 
passed over a second range of hills, as easily turned, and encamped on a creek which descends 
to a small pond two miles distant. Scattered over the hills there are a few bunches of wheat- 
5b 
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