Across the Mojave

It was a considerable objective for me to procure a guide. No means were left untried, and finally, I succeeded in engaging two Indians who had lived near the Spanish settlements. Waiting for the stolen horse, I remained at the Amuchabas for several more days. I then crossed the river in another attempt to traverse the desert to California.

On the first day, I traveled the same course as the initial attempt and encamped at the same spring.

The next day on the same route till I came to where I had before lost the trail, then traveled a little north of west and passed some detached hills on the right and left. Just before night, we came to a mountain of rocks and, at its foot, a small spring where I encamped.

Soda Lake

In the vicinity were some gravelly hills on which there was a little grass where I turned my horses.

The next day we started early, steering W N W crossing some ridges, and passing hills on our left. Just before the night, at the foot of a small hill, we found a little spring or rather hole of water furnishing a very inadequate supply. After taking out some to cook, I let the horses to it, and they drank it all. There was no grass, so I needed to tie my horses to keep them from running away.

The following day, starting the early N W course at about one o'clock, I came to a little ravine with grass and a spring. I encamped.

Since leaving the Colorado, the country has been a dry, rocky, sandy barren desert. As my guides informed me that we had a hard day of travel, I moved off early, keeping west down the ravine 5 miles. Then S W and W S W till one O Clock when I came to the border of a salt plain and at this place found some holes of brackish water. After crossing the salt plain, I found a place where there was water and some grass and encamped. The water was in holes dug about two feet deep and quite salty. Making some new holes, I found the water some better.

The salt plain I had passed during the day was about 15 miles long, four to six miles wide, entirely level, and destitute of vegetation. Under the surface of the sand, there was pure salt in many places and within two or three inches of the surface. I ascertained that although the salt was in a layer, it did not extend throughout the plain. In passing the plain, pieces of the salt were thrown out by the feet of the horses. The layer was about 3/4 of an inch thick, and when the sand was removed, I found the salt pure white with grain as fine as table salt.