6th. Drove about 11 miles and stopped to bait at a pretty little brook.
We should have taken in water at this place, as we had to drive 18
miles to get water again. After baiting we entered a canon which we
followed about eight miles to the top of a mountain. It furnished us
with an excellent road, although so narrow that but one wagon could
pass for most of the way, the walls rising on either side hundreds of
feet. The ascent is gradual, so much so that the traveler hardly
perceives any. We called this the Emigrant's Pass. It seems as if
nature constructed this inclined plain expressly for the benefit of us
poor mortals, but if dame Nature was moved by any such kindly feelings
towards us when she was engaged on this excellent natural road, she
must have got sadly miffed when she got it completed to the top of the
mountain, for we had one of the most tremendous descents to make on the
other side, that we have had on the journey. The descent was probably
one thousand feet within the first mile, steeper than the roof of a
house. It is said of an ancient Spartan, that he commenced by lifting a
kid, and by continuing to add weight, soon got so that he could lift an
ox. This is somewhat the case with us; when we commenced the journey,
trifling hills were considered great obstacles, but now we lock our
hind wheels and slide down a thousand feet, over rocks, and through
gullies, with as much sang froid as a school boy would slide down a
snow bank. After descending, we traveled down a valley a few miles and
turned up to the foot of the mountains, and just after dark found
water.