Valley of the Great Salt Lake

Monday, October 22, 1849
"Thermometer at sunrise 25 degrees. Morning clear and calm. The Salt Lake, which lay about half a mile to the eastward, was covered by immense flocks of wild geese and ducks, among which many swans were seen, being distinguished by their size and the whiteness of their plumage. I had seen large flocks of these birds before, in various parts of our country, and especially upon the Potomac, but never did I behold any thing like the immense numbers here congregated together. Thousands of acres, as far as the eye could reach, seemed literally covered with them, presenting a scene of busy, animated cheerfulness, in most graceful contrast with the dreary, silent solitude by which we were immediately surrounded."



Wednesday, April 3, 1850
"The parties were fully organized; and every preparation being made, teams were despatched to the eastern shore of Antelope Island, with the camp and provisions intended for that division of our force assigned to the survey of the west side of the lake. It was my purpose to form here a small depot, accessible by water, and also to herd the mules and cattle during the summer. Before commencing the actual survey, I designed to make a thorough reconnaissance of the entire lake by water, and to erect stations upon the prominent points of the shores and islands, sufficient to enable me to cover the whole surface with a series of triangles, which would verify the work.
"After starting the teams, we embarked on board of our new craft, to descend the Jordan to its mouth, where it enters the lake. The stream being much swollen by the melting of the snows, the current was extremely rapid. ... The day was bright and warm, and all felt the exhilaration of spirits occasioned by release from a four months' confinement to weary and monotonous quarters, and were filled with the eager anticipation of ranging over the mysterious waters of this far-famed sea! The grass was becoming green, the waters began to flow in little rills, and the air was vocal with the music of myriads of frogs set free from their icy fetters and exulting beneath the genial rays of an April sun. Everything betokened the opening of spring, although the surrounding mountains were yet covered with snow, many of them quite down to their bases.

Thursday, April 4, 1850
"After a row of some twenty miles, we reached the mouth of the river, which here spread out into innumerable shallow channels, the intervals between them consisting of soft, shiny mud, nearly level with the surface of the water, and rendering it impossible to find where the mouth actually was. ... After six hours of severe labour, we at length succeeded in readhing water that would float our little craft. ... took once more to the oars, directing our course for Antelope Island, to rejoin the shore party that had approached it by passing over a sand bar which unites it with the mainland. For several miles the water was not more than a foot in depth, but gradually increased to six and eight feet.
"After a heavy row of six hours we reached the island, and found the camp already pitched near the beach. The driftwood was abundant along the shore, and a fire was very grateful, as we had been pulling in the teeth of a raw, cold, west wind, which had sprung up in the afternoon. ... Innumerable flocks of ducks, geese, white swans, and long legged plovers, were seen during the day, congregated around the shallows at the mouth of the Jordan.

Friday, April 5, 1850
"The water being here very indifferent, we moved about five miles to the northward, and encamped on a rocky point near some large springs of tolerably good water, breaking out from the hills above. ...
"Antelope Island is the largest of the islands in the lake. It is about sixteen miles in length and five miles in its widest part. Like all the other islands in the lake, and, indeed, all the prominances observed west of the Wahsatch range and within its valley, it consists of a long rocky eminance, ranging from north to south, rising abruptly from the water, and attaining an elevation of about 3,000 feet above the level of the lake. A party was sent up the mountain to erect a triangulation station upon the highest peak. The officer charged with that duty describes the view ... as grand and magnificent."

Saturday, April 6, 1850
"Camped on Antelope Island. The night was windy, and the morning cold and raw. Left camp in the boat for an island distant about ten miles to the northward, called by the Mormons "Castle Island", for the purpose of erecting a station upon its summit.
... "Upon the side of a large and singular mass of schistose rock, with three large holes worn entirely through it by the disintegration of its softer particles, we found a cross cut into the stone, apparently with a chisel. From the highest table of the island rises an oblong rocky eminence, resembling, from some points of view, ruins of an ancient castle, whence it had received from the Mormons its name of Castle Island. Fremont called it Disappointment Island. I deemed it but due, however, to the first adventurous explorer of this distant region to name it after him who first set foot upon its shores, and have therefore called it Fremont's Island.
"The island is fourteen miles in circumference; has neither timber nor water upon it, but its sides are covered with luxuriant grass, abound in prodigious quantities of the wild onion, wild parsnip, and sego (Calochortus luteus). The latter is a small bulbous root, about the size of a walnut, very palatable and nutritious, and is much used by the Indian tribes as an article of food. It abounds on hillsides and in stony ground in great quantities. Near the summit of the island, the sage (Sarcobatus vermicularis) grew in great profusion, and to an extraordinary size, being frequently eight feet high, and six or eight inches in diameter. Could fresh water be obtained by boring, (and it is worth the experiment), a more admirable range than this for sheep and goats could not be desired. Being surrounded by deep water, the protection from wild beasts is absolute; an object in this country of no small importance, where wolves abound in great numbers. The wild parsnip is already up several inches, and its vivid green presents a cheerful contrast on the sunny slopes with snow-clad mountains which surround us. A single ground squirrel was seen; but how he got here, and where he obtained water to sustain life, is somewhat of a mystery. In all our subsequent examinations, not the least indication of a spring was discovered. Our men picked up quite a number of the eggs of the blue heron, now just beginning to lay, in the tall grass along the shore."

Utah Nature Study Society NATURE NEWS/NOTES (Various Issues 1970/71)

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