"We passed on through miles of fertile farmland, and between us and the pretty lake were fine meadows, upon which sleek herds were grazing. A semi-circle of Mormon settlements lie at the feet of the encompassing hills, except upon the western side, where no water is found. Provo is the largest of the cities in this valley. A short ride, and we crossed the summit of a low mountain range, separating the valley, we had just passed over, from the the Great Basin. The train followed along the Jordan river which empties the waters of the Utah Lake into the Great Salt Lake. Salt Lake Valley lies before us, with the city of the Saints, and the wonderful saline sea to the north, the peaks of the Wasatch, to the north and the east; and about us, on every side, the marks of industry, thrift and prosperity, set in a framework of surprisingly beautiful scenery. "The valley is extremely pretty when seen at the best season of the year. In autumn, when Nature, by the early frosts, has delicately tinted the leaves with brilliant hues, the mountains and the hillsides are very attractive; the contrast between the vegetation of the hills and the colors of the valley, is an interesting feature in the panorama spread before the delighted observer. "Utah contains a population of about 200,000; it has an area of 85,000 square miles, much of which is mountains. The Great Salt Lake is about forty by ninety miles in size, and contains several islands. Fish abound in the numberless small streams that flow from and through the picturesque canyons of the Wasatch. "The sterility of the country was removed by a system of irrigation from the mountain streams which fertilized the earth, causing it to yield in abundance, and to 'blossom as the rose.' "When you remember the population and the area, it will readily appear that there is great room for more inhabitants, and yet it must be remembered that only a small portion of the ground is fit for cultivation, the greater part being wild hills or sandy desert. The numerous valleys are like fruitful oases in a wilderness of rugged mountains, which latter serve as reservoirs for the snows of winter, that supply the summer rills with water.