CHAPTER V. 
From Blue River crossing to Green , White , and San Rafael rivers and the eastern foot 
of the Wahsatch Pass.—September 20 to October 13, 1853. 
Purchase of Indian horses—Indian veracity.—.Soil.—Salt creek.—Indian trails to the Uintas.—Coal hed.—Canones of Grand 
river.—Kocks.—Coal —Daily change of temperature.—Aqueous deposits and barrenness of the valleys.—Climate.—Scarcity 
of cultivable lands.—Leroux returns to New Mexico.—Details of the country between Grand and Green rivers.—Best position 
for railroad indicated: grades, &c.—Fanciful forms of mountains.—Beach the noted Spanish trail.—Disheartening view.— 
Ash-heap character of the soil.—Scarcity of water.—Difficulty in the construction of a railroad from Grand to Green river.— 
Crossing Green river.—Utah Indians.—Character of Boan mountain on Green river.—Spanish trail followed to Akauaquint 
spring.—Grades.—From Akanaquint spring to White river: rocks, soil, water, and grades.—Ascent of the valley of White 
river to Clever creek.—Return to White liver—San Rafael river.—Return to the Spanish trail.—Course of this trail, and 
character of the country traversed by it from Akanaquint spring —Indicated line via the San Rafael.—Improved soil.—Indians 
subsist on buffalo-berries.—The country between Green river and the Wahsatch mountains: valleys, hills, and rocks. Oak 
springs.—Indian guide.—Weak condition of our animals.—Grades. 
September 20.—Captain Gunnison, for the first time, succeeded in purchasing horses from 
the Indians with the public goods which had been brought for that purpose. 
The horses were small, but hardy, and we were much in want of them. Our camp was 
moved down the river but 9.10 miles, as the Indians informed us that we could not reach grass 
beyond that point before night—an artifice to retain good customers; for there was better grass 
two hours’ march ahead, and our animals fared badly on the gritty blue-grass at our camp. Lati¬ 
tude, 39° 0?' 24"; descent, 4 feet 4 inches per mile. 
September 21.—The clay soil yesterday and this morning was often very smooth and dry, and 
so hard that our shod horses scarcely left a mark on it. Seven miles below camp the river 
again enters a canon, near which we filled our canteens for the night, and continued on for 7.30 
miles over the same greasewood plain to Salt creek, which we found a mere rivulet of miserably 
brackish water, the sands of the bed being covered with incrustations of salt, which also 
effloresces widely over the plain. Near this creek the plain is washed into little valleys, leaving 
small knolls and ridges standing, which give it a rolling appearance; and our men find much 
labor in cutting down the banks of gullies for the passage of our wagons. Bunch-grass is scat¬ 
tered over the hills towards the river, and our animals drink the creek water freely. Many 
trails lead up this creek, and the Indians inform us that they are used in visiting their neighboring 
band, the Uintas. Latitude, 39° 13' 12"; average descent per mile during the day, 9 feet 7 
Inches. 
September 22.—Captain Gunnison found a bed of coal on a ridge bearing north-northwest 
from Salt creek canon, and a mile from it, which he describes as being “ 100 feet long by 
20 broad, and about one foot thick. It is exposed to the weather, but appears to be a good 
bituminous specimen.” Evidences of coal, by the burrows of animals and blackened clay banks, 
are frequent. Latitude by noon observation, 39° 14' 15". 
We left Salt creek without a guide—Leroux having gone forward some four days since to 
examine the route, and show those who accompany him the best road to the Spanish trail, and 
not yet returned. We determined, therefore, to keep up the broad, rolling valley between Roan 
mountain on our right, and the canon bluffs of the river on the left. The day was very hot 
and oppressive, and the soil friable, with the usual amount of sage and an increase of cacti, with 
numerous gullies to cut and fill. We found no point at which we could approach the river 
until too late an hour in the afternoon to reach it with our train, for it was impossible to travel 
