We started with three days' rations, and on the third day in the
afternoon we struck the valley, just at its mouth on the desert,
but the water was warm, and we traveled some distance up the
valley, finding the springs numerous, but all warm. We also found
an abundance of grass and plenty of Indian sign, but not fresh. It
appeared that a large number of Indians had wintered there. After
looking the valley over we returned to camp, but by a different
route from the one we came. We saw no Indians or fresh sign of
them until the second day of the return trip, but about two
o'clock we came in sight of four Indians traveling eastward. We
tried to attack them, but our horses being much jaded, the Indians
outrode us, so we had to give up the chase. We were of the opinion
that the four Indians were scouts for a big band making its way to
winter quarters.
A short distance north we secreted our horses in a ravine, and
watched for the Indians from the top of a high hill until noon the
next day, but all in vain, for we did not see an Indian. We
returned to camp, our horses worn out and half starved. The part
of country we passed over on this trip is now the most
northeastern portion of Nevada, and just what it is good for I
have never been able to learn.
After lying around here watching for emigrants about two weeks
longer, and making two different trips east on the emigrant trail,
Capt.
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