= 
towards which a broad trail led along the ridge; and this appearing to 
_ afford the most practicable route, I determined to continue our journey in 
ae ey 210 
still abundant, and made a good halting place to recruit our animals ; and 
we accordingly encamped here for the remainder of the day. I rode ahead 
several miles to ascertain if there was any appearance of a watercourse en- 
tering the lake; but found none, the hills preserving their dry character, 
and the shore of the lake sprinkled with the same white powdery substance, 
and covered with the same shrubs. There were flocks of ducks on the 
lake, and frequent tracks of Indians along the shore, where the grass had 
been recently burnt by their fires. 
We ascended the bordering mountain, in order to obtain a more perfect 
view of the lake in sketching its figure ; hills sweep entirely around its 
basin, from which the waters have no outlet. ers 
December 22.—To-day we left this forbidding lake. Impassable rocky 
ridges barred our progress to the eastward, and I accordingly bore off to- 
wards the south, over an extensive sage plain. Ata considerable distance 
‘ahead, and a little on our left, was a range of snowy mountains, and the 
country declined gradually towards the foot of a high and nearer ridge im- 
mediately before us, which presented the feature of black precipices, now 
becoming common to the country. Onthe summit of the ridge, snow was 
visible ; and there being every indication of a stream at its base, we rode 
on until after dark, but were unable to reach it, and halted among the sage 
bushes on the open plain, without either grass or water. _ The two India- 
rubber bags had been filled with water in the morning, which afforded suf- 
ficient for the camp ; and rain in the night formed pools, which relieved the 
thrist of the animals. Where we encamped on the bleak sandy plain, the 
Indians had made huts or circular enclosures, about four feet high and twelve 
feet broad, of artemisia bushes. Whether these had been forts or houses, 
or what they had been doing in such a desert place, we could not ascertain. 
December 23.—The weather is mild ; the thermometer at daylight 38° ; 
the wind having been from the southward for several days. The country 
has a very forbidding appearance, presenting to the eye nothing but sage 
and barren ridges. We rode up towards the mountain, along the foot of 
which we found a lake, which we could not approach on account of the 
mud ; and, passing around its southern end, ascended the slope at the foot 
of the ridge, where in some hollows we had discovered bushes and small 
trees—in such situations, a sure sign of water. We found here several 
springs, and the hill side was well sprinkled with a species of festuca— 
a better grass than we had found for many days. Our elevated position 
gave us a good view over the country, but we discovered nothing very en- 
couraging. Southward, about ten miles distant, was another small lake, 
. 
that direction. . es 
December 24.—We found the water of the lake tolerably pure, and en- 
camped at the farther end. There were some good grass and canes along 
the shore, and the vegetation at this place consisted principally of chenopo- 
diaceous shrubs. a 
ecember 25.—We were roused, on Christmas morning, by a discharg 
from the small arms and howitzer, with which our people saluted the day ; 
and the name of which we bestowed on the lake. _ It was the first time, per- 
haps, in this remote and desolate region, in which it had been so commem- 
crated. Always, on days of religious or national commemoration, our voy- 
i 
aAAmMm m pee ae Bl 
Le aes 
