Show 126 his visit is a cross carved on a peculiar rock formation near the summit Stansbury was the first to notice it when he visited the island in 1850 and entered the following in his report: "Upon the side of a large and singular mass of schistose rock with three large holes worn entirely through it by the disintegration of its softer particles we found a 20 a with chisel" apparently Speculation concerning the wielder of the chisel who cut this crucifix has been about as extensive as the search for the spy glass cap Some believe that Catholic priests visited the island at an early date others contend that However it is some of the early Mormons carved the cross cross cut into the stone not probable that any Mormons other than the 'Mud Hen" crew visited the island before Stansbury's survey in 1850 There is absolutely no evidence that Catholic priests vie re ever in the vicinity Some Peter Skene Ogden promoters believe that if his missing journal is ever found it will reveal him as the carver of the cross However the matter is definitely settled by Kit Carson himself In Kit Carson ' s Own Story dictated to Colonel and Mrs D C Peters Carson makes the following statement: "We ascended the mountain and under a shelving rock cut a large 20 Stansbury Exploration of the Valley of the Great Salt Lake 159 |