HOME     INDEX

28

thing living, perfectly sterile, producing nothing but greasewood and sage. Some of the ground was completely barren - it was found to be salty.

This was a bad spot for every wagon train and as a result, many cattle died there from lack of grass, water and general exhaustion through the years of covered wagon history. It is interesting to note, that in l959, an exploring party traveling through this area, found the preserved remains of oxen that had been there for 100 years. It was very evident, this was a perfectly sterile environment.

Some of the travelers, to spare the lives of their stock, traveled the desert at night. They started at sunset; aimed directly at Black Rock; traveled until they no longer could see it; and then, took bearings by the stars and traveled the rest of the night. That may have been the way that our Davises made it through. We are not certain of their way but we know that they made it without a loss of a single animal. And when they reached the Black Mountain at the farther side and came to the Boiling Spring and some course grass, they were very happy to feed their stock and camp there. They had overcome one of their greatest difficulties.

The following morning, September 20, 1847, they yoked in the early hour; traveled about 5 miles to Double Hot Springs and then camped until four in the afternoon. Double Hot was a great place to catch up with the washing and so they probably did that chore. Then they pushed off late and traveled into the night, a distance of 15 more miles by moonlight.

The next morning, they moved only 5 miles but this brought them to grass and water. It was a good place to let the teams recuperate and so they tarried until about three o'clock and then moved on another five miles before nightfall. They camped at Mud Meadows (now called Soldiers' Meadow) where they found more grass and water. It was a short 10 miles that they traveled on this day but they were regaining some needed strength.

******************************
*    UP HILL AND DOWN AND    *
*  INTO SCENIC ROCK CANYONS  *
******************************

On September 22nd they left camp and began an ascending road that went on for five miles before reaching the top. Then they came upon a very steep 45 degree slope that traveled downward several hundred feet into a canyon below. (Fly Canyon) In order to make this rocky steep plunge, which seemed the only means of descent for our travelers, they tried locking their wagon wheels with rope to partially hold them back and then took off straight down the slope, hoping to make it safely to the bottom1 Most of the group made it through.

They moved on about 4 more miles that day and reached High Rock Canyon. Here was more grass and water so they made camp for the night. The distance for the day was only nine miles but it was over another hurdle. After passing through there, Jesse Applegate wrote: "The High Rock Canyon is a great natural curiosity, a good road, handsome little meadows and excellent water enclosed by beatling cliffs, rising in places hundreds of feet perpendicular".

Some large caves at the base of the canyon walls attracted many of the party. They found these to be the places of habitation of a very

(- 28 -)