BEGINNINa OF TROUBLES — ANTELOPE ISLAND. 157 



were yet covered witli snow, many of them quite down to their 

 bases. 



April 4. — After a row of some twenty miles, we reached the 

 mouth of the river, which here spread out into innumerable shallow 

 channels, the intervals between them consisting of soft, shiny mud, 

 nearly level with the surface of the water, and rendering it im- 

 possible to find where the mouth actually was. The channels were 

 only a few inches deep, although the current through them' was 

 quite rapid, owing to the great body of water coming down from 

 above. The boat soon grounded, and all hands were overboard 

 and commenced dragging her forward by main force. On reach- 

 ing the broader expanse of water, the channels became less defined 

 and more shallow as we advanced. We were therefore obliged to 

 unload the boat entirely, and to pile up the baggage upon a plat- 

 form constructed of oars and tent-poles, placed upon camp-stools, 

 buckets and camp-kettles. After six hours of severe labour, we 

 at length succeeded in reaching water that would float our little 

 craft ; and, returning to the platform for the baggage, reloaded her, 

 and took once more to the oars, directing our course for Antelope 

 Island, to rejoin the shore party that had approached it bypassing 

 over a sand bar which unites it with the mainland. For several 

 miles the water was not more than a foot in depth, but gradually 

 increased to six and eight feet. 



After a heavy row of six hours we reached the island, and 

 found the camp already pitched near the beach. Drift-wood was 

 abundant along the shore, and a fire was very grateful, as we had 

 been pulling in the teeth of a raw, cold, west wind, which had 

 sprung up in the afternoon, and which had chilled those not warmed 

 by exercise, to the very bone. A hot stew and plenty of hot 

 coffee soon restored circulation and cheerfulness, and we retired 

 to our blankets and buffalo-skins, spread upon the ground, well pre- 

 pared by twelve hours of incessant toil for deep and welcome re- 

 pose. Innumerable flocks of ducks, geese, white swans, and long- 

 legged plover were seen during the day, congregated around the 

 shallows at the mouth of the Jordan. 



Friday^ April 5. — The water being here very indifferent, we 

 moved about five miles to the northward, and encamped on a 

 rocky point near some large springs of tolerably good water, 

 breaking out from the hills above. It is worthy of remark that 

 the quality of almost all the springs in this region is dependent, 

 in a great degree, upon the season of the year. In the spring and 



