DEATH VALLEY

an arid valley between the Panamint and Funeral Mountains, in California. It is cro ed by the A margosa River, which, however, is almost always a dry channel, though undoubtedly at one time it was filled with water. The surface of the valley is covered with salt which is supposed to have been brought by floods from the surrounding desert and left there by the evaporation of the water. Death Valley is the hottest and the dryest portion of the United States. Temperatures of nearly 125° F. have been registered here. A party of emigrants perished while cro ing the desert in 1849, hence the name, Many other person have perished in attempting to penetrate and cro this region. It is rich in borax and extensive plants have been established there to iy this commodity for the market. various parts of the desert, gold has been found in considerable quantities.