Show CHAPTER HI JEDEDIAH SMITH BLAZES A TRAIL ALONG THE SOUTH SHORES the West's greatest characters was Jedediah Smith Besides being one of the first to view the waters of Great Salt Lake certainly the first to skirt its southern shores Smith was one of the most active explorers Among e the Rocky Mountain Men As we have already seen it was he who led the reconnaissance expedition into the Snake river country and to the Hudson’s Bay Flathead Post in 1824 From his observations in the Snake country Smith vas able to among give his ovn company valuable information concerning the number of English trappers in the vicinity the value of the quality of the pelts etc When there was exploring to be done Smith was right out in front leading the party He no doubt played a major role in exploring the As he approached that eastern shores of the lake in 1825-2- 6 body of water from the Salt Desert in 1827 he was able to truthfully record: "I had traveled so much in the vicinity of Salt Lake that it had become my home in the wilderness" Jedediah Smith was the first to explore the Salt Desert southwest of the lake and blaze a trail across that barren vaste in 1827 In a letter to General William Clark annual catch 1 Maurice Sullivan Jedediah Smith 105 |