Show 106 never followed it as far as Bear Lake Much time was also river country and along the Snake but spent in the Salmon he did not get inside the Great Basin In spite of the fact that he never saw the lake Bonneville (or Irving for him) did not hesitate to describe and pass opinions concerning it as though he had real facts at his disposal: 5 Captain Bonneville gives a striking account of the lake when seen from the land As you ascend the mountains above its shores says he you behold this immense body of water spreading itself before you and stretching further and further in one wide and expanse until the eye wearied with continued and strained attention rests in the blue dimness of distance upon lofty ranges of mountains confidently asserted to rise from the bosom of the waters Nearer to you the smooth unruffled surface is studded with little islands where the mountain What extent of lowsheep roam in considerable numbers land may be encompassed by the high peaks beyond must remain for the present matter of conjecture though from the form of the summits and the breaks which may be discovered among them there can be little doubt that they are the sources of streams calculated to water large tracts which are probably concealed from view by the rotundity of the lake's surface At some future day in all probability the rich harvest of beaver fur which may be reasonably tempt adventurers to reanticipated in such a spot will duce all this doubtful region to the palpable certainty of At present however destitute of the a beaten track means of making boats the trapper stands upon the shore and gazes upon a promised land which his feet are never to tread Such is the somewhat fanciful view which Captain Bonneville gives of this great body of water He has evidently taken part of his ideas concerning it from the representations of others whoo have somewhat exaggerated its features Or did Irving over-dit himself? It is reported to be far-reach- ing 5 Irving Rocky Mountains I 132-1- 34 |