78 
TERMINATION OF THE FIELD WORK OF 1853 . 
November 6 .—We passed Lehi settlement on Dry creek, and, eight miles from Lake City, 
ascended a small ridge, along the side of which, towards the river Jordan, the load is cut in 
gravel banks, passing from the valley of Utah lake to that of Great Salt lake. 
For the description of this valley I beg to refer you to the survey and able report of Captain 
Howard Stansbury, of the corps of Topographical Engineers, made in the years 1S49 and lb50. 
On the 8th of November our party arrived in Great Salt Lake City, and on the 12th the 
animals were sent to graze for the winter, in charge of a strong guard, in Cedar valley, a few 
miles west of Utah lake. 
The season of the year was so much advanced, and the condition of our animals—especially 
of the American grain-fed horses, upon which the escort was mounted—was such, after our long 
summer’s labor, that it was Captain Gunnison’s intention, had he survived, to have terminated 
his field operations for the present season by the examination be was engaged upon at his death, 
ahd by a recoiinoissance, more or less minute, of the canon of the Timpanogos river. He would 
then have taken up quarters for the winter, ai,d have prepared and submitted a report of the 
explorations of the summer. The expediency of this course will be manifest, and its necessity 
evident, from the fact that our train animals for subsistence transportation were unfit to leave this 
valley without a rest of several weeks on fine pasturage, and that several snow storms had already 
occurred in the Wahsatch mountains directly on our course east, and that it is impossible to cross 
these mountains, where there is no road, with wagons, while they are covered with a heavy fall 
of snow. To avoid the loss of time, therefore, in recruiting the animals, and the risk of crossing 
the mountains with our train in winter, Captain Gunnison had determined upon the course I have 
indicated. 
The severe labor performed immediately after the disaster resulted in the loss of several of 
the escort horses, and further reduced the condition of all of our animals; and in this connexion 
it may be proper that I should add, that, in my opinion, (formed upon observation,) the service 
which horses, which for any considerable time have been accustomed to feeding on grain, are 
capable of performing west of the Plains , soon after crossing them , is trifling. Such horses require 
several months’ rest, and grain forage, to recover from their weak and emaciated condition. 
The horses of Captain Morris’ command entered this valley in fine condition for the service 
they had performed; but a forced march of twenty-five miles only, succeeded by one of thirty 
or thirty-five miles, was more than many of them were capable of performing, and was equal to 
the 1 endurance of the best of them. 
It was too evident after our loss that the hostile condition of the various Indian bands, in 
and about this Territory, was such that it was necessary to be fully informed of its extent and of 
their numbers before prosecuting further explorations. I therefore determined to go into winter 
quarters at once, that no time might be lost in submitting a report of the explorations to this 
point. 
