INTRODUCTION. 



.In preparing this Eeport of the Exploration of the 

 Valley of the Great Salt Lake, I have occasionally availed 

 myself of the notes and journals of the other members of 

 the expedition, where they tended to elucidate facts of 

 which I was not personally cognizant. Generally, those 

 here given are the result of my own observation. It is a 

 subject of much regret that the exigencies of the service so 

 hastened our departure, as to give but little time for prepa- 

 rations so necessary to the proper outfit of a party about to 

 engage in an extensive exploration. The instruments that 

 could be obtained upon so short a notice, were not of a 

 character suited to the purposes for which they were 

 required ; and the want of such facilities proved the occasion 

 of no little vexation and delay. The pressure upon the 

 Bureau of Topographical Engineers would allow of the 

 detail of but a single officer to aid me — a force entirely 

 inadequate to the satisfactory performance of the multi- 

 farious and arduous duties required in the course of so 

 long, and so widely-extended, an examination. The ill- 

 ness of that officer, during the whole of the journey from 

 the Missouri to Green Kiver, deprived me altogether of his 

 much-needed services, and threw upon myself, alone, the 

 whole burden of that portion of the reconnoissance. 



In a part of the Survey of the Utah Valley, we were 

 aided by Lieut. G. W. Howland, of the regiment of Mounted 

 RifleS; who was detailed from the command at Cantonment 



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