Soda Lake
In the vicinity was some gravelly hills on which there was a little grass where I turned my horses. The next day started early steering W N W crossing some ridges and passing some hills on our left. Just before night at the foot of a small hill we found a little spring or rather hole of water furnishing a verry inadequate supply for after taking out some to cook with I let the horses to it and they drank it all. As there was no grass I was under the necessity of tieing my horses to keep them from running away. The next morning starting early a N W course about 1 O Clock I came to a little ravine in which was some grass and a spring here I encamped. The country since leaving the Colorado has been a dry rocky sandy Barren desert. As my guides informed me that we had a hard days travel to make 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 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 brackish making some new holes I found the water some better The Salt Plain I had passed during the day was about 15 miles long and from four to six miles wide, entirely Level and destitute of vegetation. Presenting a surface of sand the most beautiful Salt was found in many places and within two or three inches of the surface. I ascertained that although the salt was found in a Layer it did not extend throughout the plain. In passing the plain pieces of the salt were frequently throw out by the feet of the horses. The Layer was about 3/4 of an inch thick and when the sand was removed from it I found the salt pure white with a grain as fine as table salt.
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