EGG ISLAND — WATER-FOWL — CAERINGTON ISLAND. 161 



we moved along in all tlie dignity and complaisance of a first-rate^ 

 persuaded that no other craft of equal pretensions had ever floated 

 on the bosom of these solitary waters. After no little consulta- 

 tion, she was finally called '' The Salicornia^'' or (-'Flower of Salt 

 Lake^' which euphonious appellation the men very soon dispensed 

 with for the more homely but more convenient one of ''The 

 Sally." A small skifi" had been procured as a consort to our 

 frigate, and after being fitted up and caulked, proved a very valu- 

 able addition to our marine. 



Tuesday^ April 9. — Morning very cool. Heavy blow all last 

 night from the north. Sent a team to the city for an additional:' 

 supply of provisions and equipage. Started with the boat and 

 nine men to explore and erect stations on the islands in the west- 

 ern portion of the lake, taking two days' provisions and water, and 

 a blanket for each man. 



Rounding the northern point of Antelope Island, we came to a 

 small rocky islet, about a mile west of it, which was destitute of 

 vegetation of any kind, not even a blade of grass being found upon 

 it. It was literally covered with wild waterfowl; ducks, white 

 brandt, blue herons, cormorants, and innumerable flocks of gulls, 

 which had congregated here to build their nests. We found great 

 nuiiibers of these, built of sticks and rushes, in the crevices of the 

 rock, and supplied ourselves, without scruple, with as many eggs 

 as we needed, principally those of the herons, it being too early 

 in the season for most of the other waterfowl. 



Having erected a station on this island, we started for another, 



apparently about twenty miles to the westward. The wind was 



fresh, and we carried away the step of one of our masts in the blow. 



The crew were all entirely unaccustomed to the water, and were 



no little alarmed at the heavy swell caused by the gale, which was 



much greater than I had anticipated, and made most of them quite 



sea-sick. We arrived at the desired point without accident, and in 



time to erect a station upon the summit of the island before dark. 



The island was between six and seven hundred feet high, and six 



and a-half miles in circumference. As we ascended the slope of 



the hill, which is much more gentle than that of any other island 



in the lake, small rolled stones, sand, and gravel are first met 



with, then slate, covering the ground in broken laminae ; and the 



summit consisted of ledges of excellent roofing-slate, of which any 



quantity can be obtained. The latter was filled in places with 



cubes of bisulphuret of iron, which frequently penetrated several 



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