Page 323 - 1915, Springs of CA.

SALINE SPRINGS. 303

forms a pass between the Kingston Range and the Avawatz Moun-
tains, but desert travel has been mainly north of it, through the
canyon of the main branch of the river. It has been said that the
water contains arsenic, as several people have perished from drink-
ing it, but the fatalities have probably been due rather to the effect
of such a strong solution of Epsom and Glauber salts on persons who
were nearly delirious with thirst.
GARLIC SPRING (SAN BERNARDINO 10).
There are a few other saline or alkaline springs in the southeastern
portion of the State that may here be mentioned because of their
notably mineralized character. One of these is Garlic Spring, which
is on the road between Daggett and Death Valley, about 35 miles
northeast of the former place. It yields a small supply and has been
used as a camping place, but its water contains a large amount of
sodium, magnesium, and sulphates.

BITTER SPRING (SAN BERNARDINO 11).
Bitter Spring is about 12 miles east of Garlic Spring and near the
southeast side of a small intermittent lake. It formed a watering
place on the emigrant road between Salt Lake City and San Bernar-
dino as early as 1852 and has been a camping place since that time,
but the water contains large amounts of sodium and sulphates.

DEADMANS HOLES (SAN BERNARDINO 41).
There are small pools, known as Deadmans Holes, in the playa
surface at the northwest side of Mesquite Dry Lake, near the road
between Victorville and Dale mining camp. These pools or springs
are sometimes used as watering places, but their water contains large
amounts of alkaline material, probably sodium, magnesium, and
sulphates.
SODA SPRINGS (IMPERIAL 3).
Soda Springs are about 25 miles south of Mecca, on a road along the
western side of Colorado Desert. They yield a small amount of
water that is too strongly saline to be suitable for drinking, but
travelers are sometimes obliged to use it.
The springs are situated at the base of a low barren knoll of Ter-
tiary sediments, and the saline constituents of the water are probably
obtained directly from these marine deposits. An analysis that is
given among the carbonated springs under the heading of McCain
Springs (p. 248) shows the general character of the alkaline saline
springs of this part of the State.