Show 89 they sighted the south west tip of Great Salt Lake the following day Smith was overjoyed at the sight of the lake his "home in the wilderness" march In Hidden Heroes of the Rockies Isaac K Russell makes the following statement concerning the crossing For years after Smith’s journey the Piute Indians of Skull valley Utah repeated the tradition that the first white men they ever saw were three who staggered almost naked in from the western desert and were half crazy from breathing the alkali dust Russell obtained this information many years ago from trappers who still remembered the stories of early exploration in the Great Basin and who were acquainted with the Indians of Skull valley Smith’s journal makes it quite clear that he followed the south shore of the lake to Jordan river where he lost his one remaining horse and mule while attempting to make a crossing He then traveled up the east shore to rejoin his fellow trappers at the rendezvous at Bear Lake This fact historians For example Chittenreach the rendezvous at Bear Lake by making a has been overlooked by some den has Smith 5 He also circuit along the west and north shores of the lake shows this on the map accompanying his great work American Fur Trade Even a huried reading of Smith s journal shows 1 4 Quoted from Charles Kelly 5 H M Chittenden Salt Desert Trails American Fur Trade I 284 25 |