Randolph B. Marcy: The Prairie Traveler

V.—From Salt Lake City to Sacramento and Benicia, California.

Miles.
	From Salt Lake City to
18.	Hait’s Ranch.—Good road, and grass abundant until Bear River is crossed.
17 1/4.	Ford on Weber River.—Good road, and grass abundant.
15.	Point of Mountain.—Spring water warm but pure.
12 3/4.	Box Elder Creek.—Excellent water; grass and fuel abundant in the cañons.
23.	Ferry on Bear River.—Four miles above the usual crossing. Excellent grass.
3/4.	West Bank.—Grass not good on the west bank.
6.	Small Spring.—Cross Bear River below the mouth of the Mallade.
17 1/2.	Blue Springs.—Water and grass scarce, and of poor quality.
21 1/4.	Deep Creek.—Heavy sage, but good grass on the right of the road, near sink.
20 1/2.	Cedar Springs.—Good grass on the hills, with fine water and wood; rolling country.
10.	Rock Creek.—Plenty of grass to the left of the road; good camping-place.
14 1/2.	Raft River.—Good camp.
22 1/2.	Goose Creek Mountains.—Grass, wood, and water abundant; rough and mountainous country. Road from Fort Bridger comes in here via Soda Springs.
17 3/4.	On Goose Creek.—Rough, borken country, with a good road, which runs along the creek for several miles.
28 1/2.	Head of 1000 Spring Valley.—Road runs over a rolling, barren section, with but little water except on the river far to the right.
25 3/4.	Spring Valley.—Meadow grass; good fuel scarce. Camps can be found at short intervals along the road.
14.	Head of Humboldt River.—Find camping-places, and road generally good, running over a rolling country.
23.	Sough of the Humboldt.—Extensive bottoms of good grass.
20.	Humboldt River.—Along the entire course of the Humboldt good grass is found in the bottoms. The road, which follows the bottom, is hard and smooth, but can not be traveled in seasons of very high water, as the bottom overflows. It is then necessary to take the road on the bluffs, where the grass is scarce. The river, when not above a fording stage, can be forded at almost any point, and good camps can be found at short intervals. There are spots along the river bottom where alkaline ponds are frequent. These are pisonous to cattle, and should be avoided by travelers. It is well along this river not to allow animals to drink any water except from the river where it is running.
20.	Humboldt River.—The foregoing remarks apply for every camp on the Humboldt River.
22.	Humboldt River.—Good camps along the Humboldt Valley.
23.	Humboldt River.
13 1/2.	Humboldt River.
16 1/2.	Humboldt River.
25.	Humboldt River.
13 3/4.	Humboldt River.
24.	Humboldt River.
24 1/2.	Humboldt River.
20 1/4.	Humboldt River.
18 3/4.	Humboldt River.
13 1/2.	Humboldt River.
18 1/4.	Lawson’s Meadows.—The road here forks, the left going by the Carson Valley and Sacramento route, and the right via Goose, Clear and Rhett lakes, Applegate’s Pass of the Cascade Mountains, into Rogue River Valley, Fort Law, Oregon Territory, Yreka, Fort Jones, Fort Reading and Sacramento River.
33 1/2.	On Humboldt River.—Grass and water poor all the distance to the Sink of the Humboldt.
19 1/2.	Sink of Humboldt River.—The water at the Sink is strongly impregnated with alkali; the road genrally is good. Travelers should not allow their stock to drink too freely of this water.
26.	Head Sink of Humboldt.—Road good.
45.	Carson River.—Road crosses the desert, where there is no water for stock, but there is a well where travelers can purchase water for dringkin. This part of the road should be traveled in the cool of the day and at night. Grass good, also the water.
2.	Carson River.—Good bunch-grass near the road.
30.	Carson River.—26 miles of desert; poor grass.
14.	Eagle Ranch.—Good grass and water.
13.	Rees’s Ranch.—Good grass and water.
12.	Williams’ Ranch.—Very good water and grass.
15.	Hope Valley.—Road rough and rocky.
3.	Near Sierra.—Good camp with water and grass.
7.	First Summit.—Road rough and rock; good water; grass scarce.
2.	Second Summit.—Road mountainous and very steep; snow nearly all the year.
10.	Lakes.—Good camp.
12.	Leek Springs.—Good grass near the road.
10.	Trader’s Creek.—Grass and fuel scarce.
12.	Sly Park.—Grass and fuel near the road.
	Forty Mile House.—Water plenty; grass scarce.
	Sacramento Valley.—Water plenty; purchase forage.
	Sacramento City.—Water plenty; purchase forage.

At the Big Meadows, 23 miles from the Sink of the Humboldt, travelers should make a halt of a day or two to rest and recruit their animals and to cut grass for crossing the desert, as this is the last good camping-place until reaching Carson River. The ground near this place is boggy, and animals should be watered with buckets. The camping-ground here is on the right bank of the river, and about half a mile to the left of the main road. The water is in a slough, near its head, where will be found some springs which run off a short distance, but soon sink.

The road across the desert is very sandy, especially toward the western extremity. Twenty miles from the Sink of the Humboldt there are four wells. About half a mile east of the mail station the road leading to the wells turns to the right, where water can be purchased for from one to two shillings for each man and beast.

At 9 1/2 miles beyond the mail station, on the desert, a road turns off from the main trace toward a very high sandy ridge, and directly upon the top of this ridge is the crater of an extinct volcano, at the bottom of which is a salt lake. Upon the extreme north end of this lake will be found a large spring of fresh water, sufficient for 1000 animals. From thence to “Ragtown,” on Carson River, is three miles.

I would advise travelers, when their animals become exhausted before reaching this water to take them out of harness and drive them to this place to recruit. There is some grass around the lake.

This desert has always been the most difficult part of the journey to California, and more animals have probably been lost here than at any other place. The parts of wagons that ar continually met with here shows this most oncontestably.