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Show LETTER FKO.UKA.XAB. Kanab, July 25, 1S72. Editors Salt Lake Herald. It is very warm weather in this place, ror sometime vo have been favored with alternate showers and sunshine. Vegetation is clothed in that bright, beautiful green which indicates rapid growth and shadows forth an abundant harvest. In our humble way we commemorated commemo-rated the anniversary ef the entrance of tho Pioneers into Salt Lake valley. We trust wc duly expressed our portion por-tion of that gratitude which now flows from tho hearts of a treat nnnnln in the God of Israel, for providing a shelter for that forlorn hope of a persecuted per-secuted and shattered people. Professor A. H. Thompson, and Messrs. S. V. Jones, and W. I). Johnson, John-son, of the Powell exploring party, are in town, having lately returned from their visit to Potatoe Valley, and the neighborhood of Dirty Devil. They furnish some interesting information concerning this comparatively unexplored unex-plored region. Near the mouth of the Dirty Dovil are five volcanio mountain peaks, two of which are 10,000 or 12,-000 12,-000 feet in height. The country, viewed from one of these peaks, to the north, east, aud southeast, presented a barren sandstone appearance, to the south, west, and northwest, it looked open and inviting. The Indians say the Dirty Devil rises in Red Lako, in the Wasatch range. The party knows nothing more of this stream and its surroundings, except that thny have been where it empties into the Colorado. Colo-rado. On the 18th of June, when some of the party were on one of the volcanic vol-canic peaks near its mouth, they encountered en-countered a severe Bnow storm, during whioh the thermometer went down to 30 below zero. On the south slope of a spur of the Wasatch range, running east and west, they found a section of country, about fifty miles long and twentv wid well supplied with grass and water. Potatoe valley affords good facilities for settlement. The upper portion is frosty, water freezing in camp vessels during the night, about the 5th of June. The lower part of the valley is about the same altitude as Kanab, with abundance abun-dance of good land for cultivation, and water. Four of the party came down tho Colorado to the mouth of tho Paharia in a boat, which was left at the mouth of the Dirty Devil last season. Mr. Johnson, who was one of the party, says, they discovered many remains of houses between the mouth of the Dirty Devil and a point about seventy-five miles below. The walls of some, built ot stone, were in a very good state of preservation. In coming down the party par-ty run five rapids, one of which was pretty rough. They made the distance from the mouth of tho Dirty Devil to the Poharia, by the river, 150 miles. The distance from the mouth ol' the Poharia to Kanab, on the route now traveled is ninety mil-.s. I called at Prof. Thompson's tent, early iD the evening, and found Mrs. Ihompson busy in packing the results of her botanical researches, duriog the day in Kanab canyon. She appears much pleased with the success of her labors, having found a greater variety of plants and flowers in this region than she expected. She hopes to make some new discoveries in this department depart-ment of science. When speaking of the great variety of plants in this region, Mr. Thompson 1 remarked that there was much more in Utah than was supposed by casual observers. Among other things he imagined there were but few who were aware ol the great amount of timber to be yet made available for the uses of civilization. He thought tho Territory would compare favorably, in this respect, res-pect, with the State of Wisconsin. The company is awaiting the arrival of Maj Powell, in order to continue the exploration of tie Colorado river. A. weekly mail is now carried through here, via the Sevier river. James A. Little. |