220 HEADS OF THE TIMPANOGAS, WEBER, AND BEAR RIVER.' 



seven wide, and extending north-west and soutli-east from the Tim- 

 panogas to the Weber. At the south-eastern end of the prairie, 

 the Timpanogas breaks forth from a range of lofty mountains, and 

 skirts the edge of it, passing near the base of some high hills on 

 the south-east ; while from near the same point, the most southerly 

 branch of the Weber issues also and crossing to the western end 

 of the same prairie, discharges its waters into the main stream. 

 This latter, coming through a deep canon from the north-east, 

 bounds the prairie on the north-west, and winding its sinuous 

 course through a wilderness of willow and cotton-wood thickets, 

 pursues a north-western direction for about fifteen miles to the 

 point where it is crossed by the road. 



The pass made by the Weber through the mountain, although 

 narrow, is said to be practicable by one of the guides, who passed 

 thi'ough it in former years with a train of pack-mules. 



Several little streams of pure, clear water wind through this fer- 

 tile prairie, cutting small, deep channels for themselves in the rich 

 alluvial soil ; their existence being only discernible from the in- 

 creased height and luxuriance of the grass upon their borders, and 

 occasional clumps of willows flourishing along their edges. The 

 prairie, from one end to the other, from the Weber to the Timpano- 

 gas, is one level plain, covered with a heavy growth of rich grasses, 

 and affords a passage from one stream to the other as perfect as 

 could be desired. Bear River is said by our guides to take its rise 

 in the same mountain with the Weber and the Timpanogas. Should 

 such be the case, (and there is no reason to doubt it,) an easy com- 

 munication can be obtained by means of the valley of that stream 

 into this prairie, and thence down the valley of the Timpanogas 

 into that of the Utah Lake. 



The grade down the Timpanogas is described to be easy, and 

 the canon through which it descends to the level of the Salt Lake 

 basin to be sufficiently wide for the construction of a road. Such a 

 route would obviate many difficulties which must be encountered in 

 descending either of the only other two practicable canons through 

 the mountain in the vicinity of Salt Lake City, or in going 

 through that of the Weber River. When once the level of the 

 basin is attained, the way from Utah Lake, either north or south, 

 appears to be open. 



In the event of any exploration for a railroad to California or 

 Oregon, upon a route so far north, a careful examination of the 

 country from the point where the main emigration-road strikes 



