166

Lake, but only during high water, when
the streams flowing into them cause them
to spread far over the low, sandy waste
around them.

Returning to Winnemucca, we resume
our journey. Theroad bears away tothe
southward, skirting the low hills which
extend from the Winnemucca Mountain
toward Humboldt Lake. The general
aspect of the country, is sage and alkali on
the bottoms, and sage and bunch-grass on
the bluffs.

Rose Creek—comes next, 8.88 miles,
and 10.2 more,

Raspberry Creek—Both the last
named are unimportant stations where pas-
senger trains seldom stop. They are each
named after creeks near the stations, but
why one should be Rose Creek and the
other Raspberry Creek, we never could
learn. Wesaw no indication of roses or
raspberries at either creek. But they do
have queer names for things in this
country. Where they call a Jack rabbit a
“narrow gauge mule,” we are prepared to
hear sage-brush called roses, and grease-
wood raspberries.

Mill City—is 7.49 miles from Rasp-

berry, and has some good buildings, among
which is a fine hotel, close to the track on
the right—and large freight warehouses;
also cattle pens and shutes for shipping
cattle, great numbers of which roam over

the bottoms and adjacent bluffs. Stages
leave this station on arrival of the cars for
Unionville, a thrifty and promising silver
mp ane town, 18 miles distant to the south-

ward.

Hum boldt—i1.7 miles from Mill
City,is a regular eating station where
trains for the West stop 30 minutes for
supper, and those for the East the same
time for breakfast. The meals are the best
on. the road.

Here will be found the clearest, coldest
mountain spring water along the road, and
viewing it as itshoots up from the fountain
in frontof the station, one quite forgets the
look of desolation observable on every
side, and that this station is on the edge of
the great Nevada Desert.

It is worth the while of any tourist who

wishes to examine the wonders of nature |

to stop here and remain for a few days at
least—for one day will not suffice—although
to the careless passer-by the country ap-
pears devoid of interest. Those who wish
| to delve into nature’s mysteriescan here find

pleasant and profitable employment. The!

CROFUTT'S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

whole sum of man’s existence does not con-
| sist in mines, mills, merchandise and
|money. There are other ways of employ-
| ing the mind besides bending its energies
| to the accumulation of wealth ; there is still
another God, mightier than Mammon, wor-
shiped by the few. Among the works of
His hands—these barren plains, brown
hills and curious lakes—the seeker after
knowledge can find ample opportunities to
| gratify histaste. The singular formation
of the soil, the lava deposits of a by-gone
age, the fossil remains and murine evi-

| dences of past submersion, and, above all

else, the grand and unsolved problem by
which the waters that are continually pour-
ing into this great basin are prevented from
overflowing the low land around them, are
objects worthy of the close attention and
investigation of the scholar and philoso-
pher. From this station, the noted points
of the country are easy of access.

Here one can observe the effects of irri-
seme on this sandy, sage-brush country.

he garden at the station produces vege-
| tables, corn and fruit trees luxuriantly, and
yet buta short time has elapsed since it
was covered with a rank growth of sage-
brush.

About seven miles to. the northeast may
be seen Star Peak, the highest point in the
Humboldt Range, on which the snow con-
tinues to hold its icy sway the whole year
round. Twoand one-half miles southeast
are the Humboldt mines—five in number—
rich in gold and silver. The discovery of
a borax mine near the station has been re-
cently reported. Five miles to the north-
west are the Lanson Meadows, on which
are cut immense quantities of as good
aa as can be found in the country.

hirty miles north are the new sulphur
mines, where that suspicious mineral has
been found in an almost pure state, and so
hard that it requires to be blasted before it
can be got out of the mine, and in quanti-
ties sufficient to enable those operating the
mine to ship from 20 to 30 car-loads a
week to San Francisco. Leaving Hum-
boldt, about one mile distant, on the right
jnear the road, is another sulphur mine—
but nothing has been done with it.

. Bye Patch—is 11.23 miles from Hum-
| boldt, named for a species of wild rye that |
| grows luxuriantly on the moist ground
| near the station.

| To the left of the road, against the hill-
| Side, is another hot spring, over whose sur-
face a cloud of vapor is generally floating.