220 2B. Silliman on Gay-Lussite from Nevada Territory. 
Art. XXXIII.—On Gay-Lussite from Nevada Territory ; by 
B. SILLIMAN. | 
In September, 1864, I “ipnas the body of saline water known as 
Little Salt Lake, situated near Ragtown, about a mile and a half 
south of the main emigrant dea to Humboldt. It fills the bot- 
tom of a deep funnel-shaped depression in the Desert plain. The 
form and other peculiarities of this depression suggest a volcanic 
origin. It is distinctly crater-shaped, with the outline a double 
ellipse, made apparently ia the “aoe of two craters; the 
larger is to the north, an sa diameter of about a mile and a 
half. The whole length paid and hs is somewhat greater than ° 
that from east to west in the larger division. The water- surface 
is about 200 feet below the lip of the crater, mebie is elevated 
somewhat above the general level of the plain. The slope of 
the converging sides is steep, varying from 25° to 45°; the ap- 
proach to the water is therefore difficult, except at one or two 
points where an oblique footpath has been worn. There is a 
narrow margin or beach, varying from a few yards to a hundred 
feet or so, covered with shoal water, and the shore then plunges’ 
off to v eep water. There is a small island in the northern 
or large division of this lake, also surrounded by shoal water. 
The section of the slope shows a series of beds of volcanic ma- 
terials, lapilli and ashes, mixed with boulders or masses of black 
t, and concretions from thermal springs. The shores on 
the west side are also skirted with calcareous matter, and there 
is a steady flow of water from numerous small springs of fresh 
water into the lake. One of these springs is a copious fountain 
of excellent drinking water. The water of the lake is very 
saline. Its taste is salt, bitter, and decidedly alkaline. Its 
effect on the skin in bathing i is that of a solution oe an alkaline 
carbonate, and its odor is strongly marine. The $ are en- 
epee with saline matters resulting from the scaporstion of 
e 
Bride picetien of the lake swarmed with srnall ducks; and divers 
prac e cranes and other aquatic birds were on its shores. 
of larve of a Species of fly (equally abundant at Mono 
tate) swarm in the shallow waters of the shore, but no fish ap- 
pear to live in it. The water is so dense that a swimmer floats 
on it like acork. There are no thermal springs now active in 
ohare the bois erature of which is normal. 
Se eg ee ea RENAL Ee ne ae eT oe 
