Photographer: Roy D. Tea Copyright: Copyright © Roy D. Tea Date: 1994/08/06 Date Added: 2008/07/24 Location: Utah

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• Bidwell-Bartleson Trail

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Caption

This is the view from the east that Bidwell saw on Friday August 27. Quoting from his diary: "Thursday 26th. Traveled all day over dry, barren plains, producing nothing but sage, or rather it ought to be called wormwood, and which I believe will grow without water or soil. Two men were sent ahead in search of water, but returned a little while before dark unsuccessful."

"Our course intersected an Indian trail, which we followed directly north towards the mountains, knowing that in these dry countries the Indian trails always lead to the nearest water. Having traveled till about 10 o'clock p. m., made a halt, and waited till morning. Distance, about thirty miles."

"Friday, 27th. Daylight discovered to us a spot of green grass on the declivity of the mountain towards which we were advancing; five miles took us to this place, where we found, to our great joy, an excellent spring of water and an abundance of grass; here we determined to continue till the route was explored to the head of Mary's River [Humboldt], and run no more risks of perishing for want of water in this desolate region."