ust_ get into that beautiful oasis." It looked like field, park
and orchard, in one landscape; all fenced off from the desolate
surroundings by this wall of stone. Like Moses viewing Canaan from
Nebo's top, we looked down and yearned to be amidst its freshness.

It was not decreed that we should not enter in. A little distance to
the south, near the other ridge, we discovered another opening,
through which the animals could be driven down, but through which the
wagons could not pass. This was a narrow, crooked ravine, and very
steep; running diagonally down through the cliff; a sort of dry
water-way, entirely bridged over in one part by an arch of stone,
making it there a natural tunnel or open-ended cave; terminating at
the base of the cliff in an immense doorway, opening into the valley.

The teams were unhitched from the wagons, the yokes taken off the
oxen, and all the cattle, horses and mules were driven through the
inclined tunnel into the coveted valley. The women and children
clambered down, taking with them what they could of the camp things,
for immediate use, and soon were quite "at home" in the valley, making
free use of the little creek, for whatever purposes a little creek of
pure, cold, fresh water is good, for a lot of thirsty, dust-covered
wayfarers.

The puzzle of getting the wagons down next engrossed the attention of
our best engineers. The proposition to unpack the lading, take the
wagons apart, and carry all down by hand, appeared for a time to be
the only feasible plan. Captain John, however, suggested procuring
rope or chain about one hundred feet in length, for use in lowering
the wagons, one at a time, through the first-mentioned passage.
Sufficient rope was brought, one end fastened to the rear axle of a
wagon, the other end turned around a dwarf pine tree at the top of the
bluff; two men managed the rope, preventing too rapid descent at the
steeper places, while others guided the wheels over the stones, and
the wagon was lowered through the crevice, with little damage. Thus,
one by one, all the wagons were taken into the valley before the sun
set.

[Illustration: "The wagons were lowered through the crevice"]

It was a happy camp we had that night; though every man was tired.
There was wood for fire, and a supply of good water and pasture
sufficient for dozens of camps. Some one ventured the opinion that the
Mormon pioneers had overlooked that spot when seeking a new location
for Zion.