94 RECONNOISSANCE OF CACHE VALLEY. 



The supply-train from Fort Leavenworth, with my provisions, 

 had not arrived at the post, as I expected, and I was consequently 

 detained until the 6th of October, when, having obtained them, I set 

 out on my return. The frank and generous hospitality we received 

 during our stay at the post demands a grateful acknowledgment. 



Returning, I was accompanied by Colonel Porter, with a small 

 escort, as far as the crossing of Bear River. He was desirous 

 that we should make conjointly a reconnoissance of Cache Valley, 

 to ascertain its fitness for the location there of a permanent mili- 

 tary post. 



Following the same route which I had taken when coming up, 

 we arrived at Bear River on the evening of the 11th, and en- 

 camped. The examination of Cache Valley occupied several days. 

 Crossing over the range of low, rounded hills through which Bear 

 River has cut a passage, we entered this beautiful and picturesque 

 valley, which was then covered with a profusion of rich green 

 grass, and adorned and diversified by numerous clumps of willows. 

 Our attempt to cross it directly was frustrated by meeting with a 

 deep, quiet stream, called the Muddy, which rises in the hills 

 dividing the southern end of the valley from Ogden's Hole, and 

 winds through the tall grass without banks, until it discharges its 

 waters into Bear River, just before that stream enters the valley 

 of the Salt Lake. We were in consequence driven some eight 

 miles to the south, and effected our crossing where the valley is 

 full of swampy springs, affording abundance of good sweet water, 

 and excellent grass. Speckled trout of large size abounded in the 

 streams. After crossing the Muddy, we skirted the eastern side 

 of the valley for thirty-five miles in a northerly direction, crossing 

 successively Blacksmith's Fork, Logan's Fork, High Fork, Gros 

 Bois, and Rush Creek, all tributaries of Bear River, which latter 

 stream traverses the valley from the north, until it breaks through 

 the range forming its western boundary and enters that of the 

 lake. The streams on the east side take their rise in a heavy 

 range running to the north and constituting the eastern limit of 

 the valley, which has an average width of about ten miles. The 

 canons which they form before leaving the mountains abound in 

 timber, consisting principally of cotton-wood, with some maple. 

 They afford desirable facilities for irrigation, presenting at the same 

 time advantageous sites for the erection of mills. These ravines 

 abound in fine timber in quantities sufl&cient for fuel and building 

 purposes. 



