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Full text of "Narrative of the exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842 and to Oregon and North Carolina in the years 1843-44 [microform]"

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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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1.0     ^Ui  lii 

Ul  Uli    122 

U    Itt 


1.1 


S   lii    12.0 


liii  14^  -J^ 


I^iotographic 

^Sciences 

Corporalion 


L1>^ 


<> 


^, 


6^ 


'i3  WIST  MAIN  STMIT 

W3!BSTM,N-Y.  i45M 

(716.  r. ''2-4503 


'^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Coliection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  instituta  for  HtYtorical  Microraproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  hiatoriquaa 


Ttohnical  and  Blbllographio  Notaa/NotM  taohniquM  at  MbliographiquM 


Tha  Inatituta  ha*  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographioaily  uniqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  baiow. 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Colourad  covara/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


|~n   Covars  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andommagAa 

Covara  rastorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  raatauria  at/ou  paiiieulAa 


r~|   Covar  titia  miasing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 

Colourad  mapa/ 

Cartaa  gAographiquaa  an  coulaur 

Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  nolra) 


r~|   Colourad  plataa  and/or  iiluatratlona/ 


Planchas  at/ou  illustrations  an  coulaur 


Bound  with  othar  matariai/ 
Rail*  avac  d'autraa  documanta 


Tight  binding  may  cauaa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

La  r»  liura  sarrAa  paut  causar  da  i'ombra  ou  da  la 
diatortion  la  long  da  la  marga  intiriaura 

Blank  laavaa  addad  during  rastoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  poaaibla.  thaaa 
hava  baan  omittad  from  filming/ 
11  sa  paut  qua  cartainaa  pagas  blanchas  ajoutiaa 
iors  d'una  raatauration  apparaiaaant  dans  la  taxta, 
maia,  iorsqua  cala  Atalt  poaaibla,  caa  pagas  n'ont 
paa  4t«  fiimiaa. 

Additional  commanta:/ 
Commantalraa  suppMmantairaa: 


L'Inatitut  a  mIcrofilmA  la  malllaur  axampiaira 
qu'll  lul  a  At4  posslbia  da  sa  procurar.  Las  dAtaiis 
da  cat  axampiaira  qui  sont  paut-itra  uniquas  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua.  qui  pauvant  modlflar 
una  imaga  raproduita,  ou  qui  pauvant  axigar  una 
modification  dana  la  mAthoda  normala  da  f iimaga 
sont  indiquAs  cl-daaaous. 


|~~|   Colourad  pagaa/ 


D 
D 
D 
D 


Thia  itam  ia  filmad  at  tha  roduction  ratio  chackad  balow/ 

Ca  documant  aat  film*  au  taux  da  reduction  indiquA  ci*daaaoua. 


Pagaa  da  coulaur 

Pagaa  damagad/ 
Pagaa  andommagias 


|~~|   Pagaa  raatorad  and/or  laminatad/ 


Pagas  raataurAaa  at/ou  pailiculAaa 

Pagas  diacolourad.  stalnad  or  foxa« 
Pagas  dAcoiorAaa.  tachatAas  ou  piquAaa 

Pagaa  datachad/ 
Pagas  dAtachiaa 

Showthroughy 
Tranaparanca 


Fyl   Pagas  diacolourad.  stalnad  or  foxad/ 
r~~1   Pagaa  datachad/ 
rri    Showthrough/ 


Quality  of  print  varias/ 
Quallt*  inigaia  da  I'impraasion 

Includaa  aupplamantary  matariai/ 
Comprand  du  material  auppiimantaira 

Only  adition  availabia/ 
Saula  MKIon  diaponlbia 

Pagas  wholly  or  partially  obscurad  by  arrata 
alipa.  tissuas.  ate.,  hava  baan  rafiimad  to 
ansura  tha  baat  possibia  imaga/ 
Laa  pagaa  totalamant  ou  partiallamant 
obacurcias  par  un  fauiiiat  d'arrata,  una  palura, 
ate.  ont  AtA  filmAas  i  nouvaau  da  fa^on  A 
obtanir  la  maillaura  imaga  possibia. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

2BX 

30X 

y 

i 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

1 

Th«  copy  film«d  h«r«  .Sat  b—n  r«produc«4  thank* 
to  th*  ganarotity  of: 

Library  Oivtiion 

Provincial  Archives  of  Britiih  Columbia 


L'axamplaira  fllm4  fut  raproduit  grica  A  la 
g4nAroslt4  da: 

Lilnarv  Oiviuon 

Provincial  Archival  of  Brilith  Columbia 


Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
poaalbia  eonaldarlng  tha  condition  and  laglblllty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  In  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apaclflcationa. 


Laa  Imagaa  sulvantaa  ont  At*  raproduitaa  avac  la 
plus  grand  coin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  I'aKamplalra  fllmA,  at  mn 
conformitA  avac  laa  conditions  du  contrat  da 
fllmaga. 


Original  capias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
slon.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  capias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprasslon. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microfiche 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  — ^  (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  ▼  (moaning  "END"), 
whichavar  applias. 


Las  SMamplairas  originauK  dont  la  couvartura  mn 
paplar  ast  ImprimAa  sont  filmAs  on  common^ant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarmlrtant  salt  par  la 
darnlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'Imprasslon  ou  d'illustratlon.  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axamplairas 
originauii  sont  filmAs  »%  commandant  par  la 
pramlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'Imprasslon  ou  d'illustratlon  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darnlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 

Un  das  symbolas  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la 
darnlAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha.  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbols  -^  signlfia  "A  SUIVRE  ".  la 
symbols  V  signiflo  "FIN". 


Maps,  platas,  charts,  ate,  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  includad  in  ona  axposura  ara  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  corner,  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framas  as 
raquirad.  Tha  fallowing  diagrams  illustrata  tha 
mathod: 


Las  cartas,  planchas.  tablaaux.  ate.  pauvant  Atra 
filmAs  A  das  taux  da  rAduction  diff Arants. 
Lorsqua  la  document  ast  trap  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  mn  un  saul  cllchA.  11  ast  f  llmA  A  partir 
da  I'angla  supAriaur  gaucha.  da  gaucha  A  droita, 
at  da  haut  an  bas.  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagas  nAcassaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrsnt  la  mAthoda. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

V- 


/ 


^. 


' . '  •  '#  ( 


NARRATIVE 


or 


THE  EXPLORING  EXPEDITION 


to 


THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS 


IN  THE  YEAR  18454, 


AND  TO 


OJIEGON  AND  NOIITII  CALIFORNIA 


IN  TFTE  YEARS  18l:j-4.i. 


BT 


BREVET  CAPTAIN  J.  ('.  FHEMONT. 

or  THE  TOPOGn.\Piiir  i,  F.\aiNRKiti», 

UNDER  ™k  oKUKns  OP  coK.  ..  ,.  .„kkt.  ai.Kr  or  thk  roro.n  umixa.  nunr.At 


REPRINTED  FROM  tHK  OFFICIAI.  COPT. 


NEW  YORK: 
D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  200  UllOADWAY. 

PIlILADKhPnrA: 

GEO.  S.  APPLETON,  148  CHESNUT  STREET. 

CINCINNATI  :-DERBV.  BilADLEY,  t  COMPANY.  113  MAIN  STREET 

1846. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE. 


f 


i 


The  immense  ro^ioii  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  cxlcmiing  to  the 
P.irific  ocean,  and  I)oiiMiled  by  the  Russian  frontier  on  the  north,  and  CaU- 
furnin  on  the  south,  now  attracts  so  much  of  popular  regard,  and  is  com- 
iniiiirlod  widi  so  many  important  national  interests,  that  an  accurate  and 
niimito  ac(|uaintance  with  the  general  to])ic  is  essential  to  every  American 
cili/.L-n. 

Several  explorinif  tours  of  the  western  portion  of  our  continent,  within  the 
geographical  boundaries  of  the  wilds  now  commonly  known  by  the  title, 
()uF.(i(jN,  have  taken  place  during  the  present  century.  President  Jefferson, 
in  1804,  directed  the  first  scrutiny  in  that  country  under  the  superintendence 
of  Messrs.  Lewis  and  Clarke,  who  devoted  the  larger  part  of  three  years  to 
tiio  examination  of  those  trackless  forests,  and  who  were  the  pioneers  of 
the  movements  which  are  now  extending  the  limits  of  civilization,  where 
Indians,  or  deer,  bears,  or  buffaloes  only  roamed.  The  second  expedition  by 
Major  Pike  to  survey  the  West,  forty  years  ago,  was  restricted  to  the  eastern 
side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  consequently  communicated  little  direct 
intelligence  concerning  the  lands,  the  possession  of  which  is  now  the  subject 
of  controversy  between  the  United  States  and  Britain. 

The  other  subsequent  travellers  in  the  western  territory  confined  their 
researches  within  the  country  through  which  the  Upper  Mississippi  and 
Missouri  flow;  and  therefore  imparted  no  information  of  any  importance 
cuiiceriiing  the  Oregon  lands,  rivers,  and  other  topics  of  public  interest. 

J)uring  several  years,  however,  from  1833  to  1838,  Mr.  Nicollet,  a  scien- 
tific tourist,  explored  a  very  extensive  portion  of  the  western  country  beyond 
the  northern  branches  of  the  Mississippi.  At  the  close  of  his  amateur  travels, 
the  government  of  the  United  States  engaged  him  to  repeat  his  journey  in 
another  region ;  and  Captain  Fremont  was  united  with  him  to  assist  his 
efforts.     After  an  absence  of  two  seasons,  they  returned  and  e.xhibitcd  the 


27';  vi) 


Iv 


PUKKATOHY  NOTKI-: 


rcnitlt  of  llu'ir  (Iiscovohi-h  niul  iiHtrononiioil  oliMrrviitioiiii  iiiul  lopo^rnphirnl 
miinciiHiircnu'iilH  tt>  tlir  Kovoriunciil  at  ^Vaslllll^loll. 

It  luMi)^  ili'niraltli'  lor  the  I''eii«-ial  autlionticri  to  lircotiio  (iiliy  a('(|ii.-iiiilr(i 
wiili  ||i(«  Mtati!  of  tlir  territory  between  the  !»nnlliern  wco^rapliieal  l»oiwularv 
t'f  llin  riiitetl  Slalt'H  and  the  Hot  ky  MomilaiiiH,  around  the  head-waters  ;if 
the  Missouri,  Captain  Fremont  was  appointed  to  superintend  that  explorin:< 
Ifiir.  'rhiM  enlerjirisuiK  and  »<*ieiiti(ie  traveller  in  now  ahnent  on  his  f/iiid 
expedition  to  enlarge  our  ar(|u;ui)laii('*!  with  llu!  western  uninhahited  ilistriels. 

The  ciiMuin:^  narratives  include  th(^  Ki:i>oUT8  of  the  two  tours  whit  h  have 
already  l>een  made  l)y  Caplain  I'renjonl,  as  they  were  pri'senled  to  ihe  Con- 
gress of  the  I'nited  tStates,  and  urigitially  puMished  liy  their  eonunund  ;  cx« 
eluding  only  the  ]iortions  which  nro  altogether  asiionomieal,  seienlifie,  and 


pluiosophual,  and  llieretore  not  adapted  tor  gr'ueral  ulilMy.  (  aplam  rremont 
Htates  that  (he  whoh;  of  the  ilelineations  hoth  *' in  the  narmlive  anil  in  the 
ma])s,"  which  constitute  the  uflleial  publication,  txrv.  "  the  result  tif  jtositivc 
observation."  From  a  survey  of  the  researches  thus  presented,  it  appt'ars, 
that  the  entire  nutp  of  Oregon  lias  been  amply  drawn  tail,  so  far  as  at  present 
IS  re(|iusitj!  for  all  tin'  purposes  of  geographical  iu'juirv  and  national  arrange- 
ment. ^^'ith  these  claims  on  |)idilic  attention,  and  the  deep  interest  which 
the  subjeel  itself  now  olb  is,  iliiit  authenlic  edition  of  C'ajilain  Fremont's 
e.vlensive  and  prolrac!'  d  researches  in  the  western  dominions  of  the  United 
f-'lates,  is  c(  i.(:(!cnl!y  n con.meiidetl  to  the  peru.sul  iT  our  fclluw-cilizcnii. 
Nfcw  \ unK,  Surrmkri  II,  HT*. 


4 

9 

I 


w 


«i; 


A    RKPORT 


AN    EXPLORATION    OF  THE   COUNTRY 


LTina  »iiTw«iiii  TUB 

MISSOURI    RIVER    AND    Till]    ROCKY    MOrMWINS, 

ON  Till  Lim  or 
THE    KANSAS    AND    (HIKAT    PLATTE    RIVERS. 


VV'asiiincto.n,  March  1,  1813. 

To  Colonel    J.  J.  AllKKT, 

Chu-f  of  ihf  Corji^  »f  Top.  Kmr : 
Sir  :  Ajjr(!('iil)ly  to  yniir  itnlcrH  to  explore 
anil  rc[)ort  niMni  tlio  country  Iwtwccn  llio 
frontier)*  of  Miflnonri  aiitl  the  Soiiili  Vnt"*  in 
the  Iliie.ky  nioiiiitaiii.-',  ami  on  the  line  of  the 
Kansas  and  (Jreat  IMiitte  rivers,  I  tn't  out 
from  VVacliinpton  city  on  the  'Jil  day  of  May, 
IS  13,  anti  arrived  at  St.  EouiH,  hy  way  of 
New  York,  the  UlM  of  .May,  where  the  nc- 
ccsHary  |)re|>arations  uereconipleteil,  and  the 
expedition  commenced.  I  proceeded  in  a 
«teani!)oat  to  CliotiteanV  landing,  alimit  four 
iiundred  miles  l)y  water  from  St.  I.oui!<,  and 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas  river,  whence 
we  proceeded  twelve  miles  to  Mr.  Cyprian 
Chouteau's  tradinjj  house,  where  we  com- 
pleted our  linal  arrangements  for  the  expedi- 
tion. 

Had  weather,  which  interfered  with  a.xtro- 
uojnical  oliscrvationo,  delayed  us  neveral 
Jays  in  the  early  part  of  June  at  this  poht, 
which  is  on  the  ri^rht  bank  of  the  Kan^aH 
river,  ahont  ten  miles  almvc  the  mouth,  and 
six  iK-yond  the  western  boundary  of  Missouri. 
The  sky  cleared  off  at  length,  and  we  were 
enabled  to  determine  our  position,  in  hmgi- 
tude  nU' 2.'i'4fi",  and  latitude  39*  6' 67  . 
The  elevation  alMJvo  the  sea  is  about  700 
feet.  Our  camp,  in  the  meantime,  presented 
an  animated  and  bustlin)r  scene.  All  were 
busily  occupied  in  completinjj  the  necessary 
arrun<rements  for  our  campaign  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  profiting  by  this  short  delay  on 
the  verpe  of  civilisation,  to  provide  ourselves 
with  allthe  little  essentials  to  comfort  in  the 
nomadic  life  we  were  to  lead  for  the  ensuing 
summer  months.  Gradually,  however,  every- 
thing— the  materiel  of  the  camp,  men, 
horses,  and  even  mules — settled  into  its 
place,  and  by  the  10th  we  were  ready  to  de- 


part ;  but,  before  we  mount  our  horses.  I  will 
pive  a  short  description  of  the  [arty  with 
which  I  performed  this  service, 

I  had  collected  in  the  neighborhood  of  St. 
I/niis  twenty-one  men,  principally  Crtole  and 
Canadian  loi/atrcur!',  who  had  Ih'coiim'  fami- 
liar with  prairie  life  in  the  service  of  the  liir 
companies  in  the  Indian  country.  Mr. 
Charles  I'reuss,  a  native  of  (Germany,  was 
my  assistant  in  the  tonogni|ihical  part  of  the 
survey.  I..  Mnxweil,  of  Kaskaskia,  had 
k'en  eii|:aged  as  hunter,  and  Christopher 
Carson  (more  familiarly  known,  for  his  ex- 
ploits in  the  mountains,  as  Kit  Carson)  was 
our  puido.  The  persons  engaged  in  St. 
liOiiis  were : 

Clement  Lambert,  J.  B.  I/Esperance,  J. 
n.  Ix;f4vre,  IJenjamin  I'ofra,  Louis  (Jonin, 
J.  B.  Diimis,  Basil  Lajeunesse,  I''rH!i9riiij 
TeHsic,  Benjamin  Cadotte,  Joseph  Ciiiiienf, 
Daniel  Simonds,  Leonard  Benoit,  Michel 
Morlvi  Baptistc  Bcrnier,  Ilonore  Ayot.Fran- 
9ois  liatulippe,  Franfois  Badeau,  Louis  Me- 
nard, Josepn  Ruelle,  Moise  Chardonnais, 
Augustc  Janisse,  Raphael  Proue. 

In  addition  to  these,  Henry  Brant,  son  of 
Col.  J.  B.  Brant,  of  St.  I^uis,  a  young  man 
of  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  Randolph,  a 
lively  Iwy  of  twelve,  son  of  the  Hon.  Thomas 
II.  fienton,  accompanied  me,  for  the  develop- 
ment of  mind  and  body  which  such  an  expe- 
dition would  give.  We  were  all  well  armed 
and  mounted,  with  the  exception  of  eight 
men,  who  conducted  as  many  carts,  in  which 
were  packed  our  stores,  with  the  baggage 
and  instruments,  and  which  were  each  drawn 
by  two  mules.  A  few  loose  horses,  and  four 
oxen,  which  had  been  added  to  our  stock  of 
provisions,  completed  the  train.  We  set  out 
on  the  morning  of  the  lOlh,  which  happened 
to  be  Friday — a  circumstance  which  our  men 
did  not  fail  to  remember  and  recall  during 


CAIT.  FRKMONTH  NAKU.VMVK. 


[1B49. 


th<>  linrilKliliiD  mill  vexullnnii  of  tlic  rnmilni; 

{•iirtiry.  Kir  ('y|irian  CliHuirnti,  to  v\Ii<)m> 
iiiiliiofi,  iliiriiiK  uiir  nlay  Ht  Iiin  hi>iiM>,  we 
v^iTt'  iiiiirh  iiidrlilotl,  nrninipniiii'il  uh  nrviTiil 
milt'M  on  our  way,  iiiilil  w«>  iimI  hii  liitlian, 
wlioni  lii<  liail  «>iitrn([iMl  lo  cniuliKt  im  in  Iht' 
lifft  lliirty  or  lorty  uiiU'n,  wli»<n'  lie  wrni  U> 
('<<n>i;;ii  im  to  llii<  oci'nn  of  pmiri«>,  uliit-li,  ui< 
uiTi'  Inlil,  »tri'tt-lii*«l  without  inli'rrii|ili<in  al- 
liio"!  In  iliv  tmH<>  of  llio  Uorky  mmintninii. 

I'riini  tli<>  Im'II  of  wimnI  w'  irli  lioiilcrM  tlit> 
KnhfiiK,  in  wliicli  wi'  linil  puxHnl  vrvcml 
('iiiHl-liHikin^  Inilion  fHrnii*,  wo  hiulili-nly 
t-nirrijiMl  on  tin*  prairim,  which  riTi'ivrd  uii 
lit  ihr  (iiitfiOt  with  Home  of  thr  r  Mrikiiiff  cha- 
rHrifrii«tic(« ;  for  hrri'  nnd  thire  riK!o  iin  In- 
iliim,  nnil  hut  a  fuw  mili'i  ilihtant  hi>ii\  v  rloudu 
of  Hnniki>  were  rollinif  ln'fore  ihi*  (iro.  In 
ulmiit  li'n  niilei*  wo  ronohod  tho  Santa  Fe 
nmd,  nU>uf  uliicli  wo  cuntiiiuod  for  a  hhort 
tinn',  and  oncani|i(>d  early  on  a  Hinall  vtroiim  ; 
l.avini;  tnivi'llod  aliuut  rlrvrn  niilcH.  Dur* 
in^r  our  journey,  it  waH  the  cuhlmmry  prac- 
tico  to  rncump  an  hour  or  two  iKfuro  Nuncot, 
wlion  tho  oartH  woro  dinposod  k)  an  to  form 
a  Hort  of  Imrrioade  around  a  circlo  fi  mo 
eighty  yardij  in  dianu-tor.     Tho  tontrt  wire 

fiitrlit'd,  nnd  the  horROH  hobhlod  luul  turiu-d 
iKMO  to  (rrazo ;  niui  hut  a  fow  minnton 
olapxod  Ix'foro  iho  ctK>k»  of  tho  moHnOi*,  of 
which  thor»  four,  were  hunily  t  ii^>nj;od 

in  preparing  veiiiiij,'  mini.     At  nijjht- 

fall,  the  horson,  .  iule^,  and  oxen,  were  driven 
in  and  picketed — that  in,  secured  hy  a  halter, 
of  which  one  end  wan  tiod  to  a  funall  htoel- 
filiod  picket,  and  driv'Mi  into  the  |;round  ;  Iho 
halter  leiu}.' twenty  or  thirty  foot  long,  which 
eiiiiMcil  liicni  to  obtain  a  little  fiNMi  during' 
the  ui(,'lit.  When  we  had  reached  a  part  uf 
the  I'ountry  whore  such  a  precaution  became 
necessary,  the  carts  lieing  regularly  arnin{jed 
fur  defending;  the  camp,  guard  was  mounted 
at  eight  o'clock,  consisting  of  three  men, 
who  were  relieved  every  two  hours;  the 
morning  watch  being  horse  guard  for  the  day. 
At  davbreak,  tho  camp  was  roused,  the  ani- 
mals turned  loose  to  graze,  and  breakfast 
generally  over  betw  cen  six  and  seven  o'clock, 
when  we  resumed  our  march,  making  regu- 
larly a  halt  at  noon  for  one  or  two  hours. 
Such  was  usually  the  order  of  the  day,  ex- 
cept when  accident  of  country  forced  a  varia- 
tion ;  which,  liowevcr,  happened  but  rarely. 
We  travelled  the  next  day  along  the  Santa 
Fe  road,  which  we  lell  in  the  aflcrnoon,  and 
encamped  late  Ik  tlie  evening  on  a  small 
creek,  called  by  the  Indians  Mishmagwi. 
Just  as  wc  arrived  at  camp,  one  of  the  iiorses 
set  off  at  full  speed  on  his  return,  and  was 
followed  by  others.  Several  men  were  sent 
in  pursuit,  and  returned  with  the  fugitives 
about  midnight,  with  the  exception  of  one 
man,  who  did  not  make  his  ap|)camiice  until 
morning.     He  had  lost  his  way  in  the  dark- 


neiiii  of  the  utf>\A,  nnd  ulcpt  on  the  prairli>. 
Shortly  Hitrr  niidni(;hl  it  het:nn  to  ruin  I  ea- 
\ily,  Hiid,  an  our  lenlMWore  of  light  hmiI  thin 
cloth,  they  ollired  but  little  oUlriiilion  In 
rain  ;  we  w ore  all  w ell  noaked,  and  (;liid  w hen 
mirninir  came.  We  hud  u  rainy  inuii  h  i  n 
Iho  I'.'lh,  but  the  wenlhir  grow  tine  mm  iho 
day  advanced.  N\'oencam|i«'d  in  a  rniiiirLi- 
blv  Ixniitiful  oituation  on  tiio  KHn!<ur<  bintls, 
which  coiiimanded  a  line  \iow  ol  iho  riser 
Milley,  hero  fiom  throe  to  lour  iiiiUs  wide. 
The  centrni  |Mirtion  was  occupied  hy  a  broad 
bolt  o|  hiavy  tiiul)4>r,  and  nearer  Iho  hills  tho 
|,rnirioH  wore  of  tho  richeiit  verdure.  One 
of  Iho  o\.  n  was  ' H'ed  here  for  foinl. 

Wo  n  ached  the  li>i>4  of  the  Kansaa  lato 
in  Iho  aftpriuon  of  the  Mth,  where  the  river 
waw  two  hundred  and  thirty  yards  wide,  and 
coiiiiiieiiced  imiiiediately  prenarulionH  for 
crushing.  I  had  expect*  d  to  find  tho  river 
fordublo  .  hut  it  had  i>een  swollen  hy  the  late 
rains,  and  was  swooping  bv  with  an  angry 
current,  \ellow  nnd  liirbid  as  the  Mit>souri. 
('|i  to  this  point,  the  road  wo  had  travelled 
was  a  remarkably  ("no  one,  well  henton,  and 
level — the  usual  roud  of  a  prairie  country. 
Ily  our  route,  the  ford  was  one  hundred 
luili's  Inin  the  mouth  of  tho  Kansas  rive  . 
SeMHil  mounted  men  lid  the  way  into  the 
stream,  lo  swim  ncrons.  Tiie  animals  were 
driven  in  after  them,  and  in  a  few  miHutes 
nil  had  reached  the  opposite  bank  in  safety, 
with  the  exception  of  the  oxen,  which  swam 
some  distance  down  the  river, nnd,  returning 
to  the  right  bank,  were  not  got  over  until 
the  next  morning.  In  the  meantime,  the 
cart.s  liad  been  unloaded  anddismnntlod,  nnd 
an  India-rubber  boat,  which  I  liad  brought 
with  me  for  the  survey  of  the  I'lntle  river, 
placed  in  tlie  water.  The  boit  was  twenty 
feet  long  and  five  broad,  a -id  on  it  were 
placed  the  bo<ly  and  wheels  of  t  c:iit,  with 
the  load  belonging  to  it,  and  three  men  with 
|iaddlcs. 

The  velocity  of  the  current,  and  the  incon- 
venient freight,  rendering  it  ditlicult  to  bu 
managed,  Basil  linjounesse,  one  of  our  best 
swimmers,  took  in  his  teeth  a  line  attached 
to  the  boat,  and  swam  aliead  in  order  to 
roach  a  footing  as  soon  as  possible,  and  as- 
sist in  drawing  her  over.  In  this  manner, 
six  passages  Imd  Leon  successfully  made, 
and  as  many  carts  with  their  contents,  nnd 
a  greater  portion  of  the  party,  deposited  on 
the  left  bank  ;  but  night  was  draw  ing  near, 
and,  in  our  anxiety  to  have  all  over  before 
the  darkness  cloired  in,  I  put  upon  the  boat 
the  remaining  two  carts,  with  their  accom- 
panying load.  The  man  at  the  helm  was 
timid  on  water,  and,  in  his  alarm,  capsized 
the  boat.  Carts,  barrels,  boxes,  and  bales, 
were  in  a  moment  floating  down  the  current ; 
but  all  the  men  who  were  on  tlie  shore 
jumued  into  the  water,  without  stopping  to 


Ml 

).l| 
I. 


b| 

s'l 

VI 

t;l 


[1849. 

Ilio  pr«irii». 

to  rum  lea. 

k'lil  mimI  liiiii 

r'lriKlinn    Id 

>  IIIUkIi  III 
tilK*     IIH     till' 

I  0  rt  iiiiirl.i. 
>n»UK  lilnlfh, 
I'l  till-  river 
null  H  w  iilo. 
I  liy  H  brtiiij 
i>«>  IiiIIh  tlic 
^••ro.     Olio 

VIIIIHIIM  llto 

■p  the  rivrr 
'  wide,  and 
utiiiiiK    for 
I  tin'  river 
liyilir  late 
'in  iinjfry 
'  MibHuuri. 
I  truvrllcd 
OHtiMi,  and 
f  rountry. 
s  liiindri-d 
fAn  rivf  . 
y  into  tlie 
rimlR  wore 
V  iniNiitrs 
in  rafety, 
it'll  Hwain 
rolnrninjr 
•vor  until 
timp,  tliti 
itl<'d,  nnd 

luoiiglit 
llo  rivor, 

tvvj'iity 
it  were 
It,  Willi 
icii  with 

e  incon- 
It  to  bo 
our  best 
It  Inched 
rder    to 

Ullll  UH- 

unnner, 

made, 
Im,  and 
iled  on 
e  near, 

before 
le  boat 
nccom- 
in  was   . 

p.-'ized 

bit  leu, 
"rent ; 

f'hore 
intr  to 


18 IJ  J 


r.M'T    FIIK MONT'S  NAIIU ATIVK. 


Il.ink  if  they  roiild  Mwim,  iiml  iilmont  every- 
thing -even  hiM  y  artuteH,  mirh  an  U^n» 
tmlliinl  — vv.iit  reciisert'd. 

Twn  iif  the  riH'ii,  Mill)  I'ouiil  not  xwiin, 
Clinic  liiiii  iM'ili;;  drowned,  mid  nil  the  Nii^iir 
bpton^ill^  to  Olio  of  the  iiiCHiteM  wnNted  ilK 
aweeli*  nil  the  iiiiiddy  watern ;  but  our  hea- 
vicMl  hMH  vvui  it  linjr  of  euU'ee,  which  cmi- 
taiui'd  iieiirly  till  our  proviMimi.  It  wan  a 
hifM  wiiiili  iiiiiic  but  n  traveller  in  :i  Mtran(;e 
and  iuh<»-|iitiihle  cDiiiitry  run  a|i|ireciate  ;iiiid 
ot'li'ii  urtiTvviirii,  v\heii  exci-Miiive  toil  mid  loiiu 
iii-irchin^  had  (ivercontu  iia  with  ruti;;u(>  and 
weiiriiicHH,  we  reiiieinlN'rcd  and  nuMirtied 
over  our  Ihih  in  the  Kivnsii!*.  Cnrxoii  nnd 
Muxwcll  Imd  been  much  in  tho  water  yen- 
tt'rdiiy,  and  JHith,  in  coiitei|ucnce,  were  lakeii 
ill.  The  roriuer  conlinuiu};  no,  I  remained 
ill  cituip.  A  nuinlirr  of  Kmii<art  ludiann 
vinited  uh  to-thiy.     (iiiin^  up  to  one  ol  the 

1»rr»ii|»H  who  were  tcattered  niniui;;  tho  trecu, 
found  ono  tiillini;  on  the  (rrouiid,  iimonir 
Hiuiie  of  the  men,  gnively  nnd  thiently  !«|H>nk- 
ing  French,  with  an  much  fitcilily  and  at. 
little  embarniHHiuent  uk  any  of  my  own 
|)arty,  who  were  ■early  all  ol'French  oriirin. 
On  nil  nidoa  wan  heard  the  Ntrnn(;c,'  Vnn- 
gnngu  of  hid  own  people,  wild,  and  liannon- 
izing  well  with  their  appearance.  I  liHtnied 
to  him  tor  some  time  with  feclingH  of  strange 
curiosity  and  intorent.  He  wan  now  appa- 
rently ihirty-fivo  years  of  ago ;  and,  on  in- 
(|uiry,  I  learned  that  he  had  been  at  St.  Ixiuin 
when  a  boy,  ami  there  had  learned  the 
Freiuli  language.  From  one  of  the  Indian 
women  I  obtained  a  fine  cow  and  calf  in  ex- 
change for  a  yoke  of  oxen.  Several  of  them 
brought  UH  vegctablen,  pumpkins,  onions, 
beand,  and  lettuce.  One  of  them  brought 
butter,  and  from  a  lialf-breed  near  the  river 
I  had  the  good  fortune  to  obtain  Home  twenty 
or  thirty  iMiuiida  of  cotFee.  The  dense  tim- 
ber in  which  we  had  encamped  interfered 
with  aHtronomical  observations,  and  our  wet 
and  damaged  Ftores  re(|uired  exposure  to  the 
Bin.  Accordingly,thc  tents  were  Btruck  early 
the  ne.\t  morning,  and,  leaving  camp  at  six 
o'clock,  we  moved  about  seven  miles  up  the 
river,  to  a  handsome,  open  prairie,  some 
twenty  feet  above  the  water,  where  the  fhie 

frrasa  afforded   a   luxurious  repast  to  our 
lorses. 

During  the  day  we  occupied  ourselves  in 
making  astronomical  observations,  in  order 
to  lay  down  the  country  to  this  place ;  it 
being  our  custom  to  keep  up  our  map  regu- 
larly in  the  field,  which  we  found  attended 
with  many  advantages.  Tlie  men  were 
kept  busy  in  drying  tlie  provisions,  painting 
the  cart  covers,  and  otherwise  completing 
our  C'luipagc,  until  the  afternoon,  when  pow- 
der '<ts  distributed  to  them,  and  they  spent 
8o  hours  in  firing  at  a  mark.  We  were 
u<i\  r  &irly  in  the  Indian  country,  and  it  be- 


gnn  to  lie  tiiiie  to  prepare  for  tlie  chaiicea  of 
the  wilderne»«, 

t'riiliii/.Jiiiir  17. — Till' weather  yesterday 
had  not  |M'riniUed  uh  Io  miike  the  nlixervit- 
lioiiM  I  vva>«  dcHiroiiM  to  oblain  litre,  and  I 
therefore  did  not  move  to-day.  The  people 
continued  their  target  tiring  In  the  fleep 
hank  of  the  river  here,  were  iieNtx  nl  iniiii- 
meralile  awallowo,  into  mie  of  vvbu  h  a  Jnruo 
prairie  nnnke  had  got  about  half  Iiih  hoirv, 
mid  wan  occupied  in  eating  the  young  bird*. 
The  old  oiu'H  were  ttying  about  in  greiit  dii«< 
treuM,  darting  at  him,  and  vainly  endeavoring 
to<lrive  him  off.  A  shot  wounded  him,  and, 
being  killed,  he  was  cut  ojien,  and  eighteen 
young  Hwallows  were  fouml  in  bin  Uidy.  A 
Hudden  storm,  that  biirht  upm  us  in  llie  af- 
ternoon, cleared  away  in  a  brilliunl  minset, 
followed  by  a  clear  night,  which  enabled  us 
to  determine  our  position  in  longitude  iKt^ 
as  05",  and  in  latitude  lit)    li(>'  40 

A  party  of  emigrants  to  the  Coliimbiii 
river,  umfer  tho  charge  of  J)r.  While,  an 
agent  of  the  (iovernment  in  Oregon  Terri- 
tory, were  alwut  three  weeks  in  advance  of 
UH.  They  consisted  of  men,  women,  and 
children.  There  were  sixty-four  min,  and 
sixteen  or  seventeen  funiilics.  They  had  a 
considerable  number  of  cattle,  and  were 
trans|Hirting  their  household  furniture  in 
large  heavy  wagons.  I  understood  that  ihero 
had  l)een  much  sickness  among  them,  and 
that  they  had  lost  several  children.  One  of 
the  party  who  had  lost  his  child,  and  whose 
wife  was  very  ill,  had  left  them  aUnit  ono 
hundred  miles  hence  on  the  prairies;  and  as 
a  hunter,  who  had  accompanied  them,  visited 
our  camp  this  evening,  we  availed  oiimdvea 
of  his  return  to  the  States  to  write  to  our 
friends. 

The  morning  of  the  18tli  was  very  unplea- 
sant. A  tine  rain  was  falling,  will',  cold 
wind  from  the  north,  and  mists  made  the 
river  hills  look  dark  and  gloomy.  We  left 
our  camp  at  seven,  journeying  along  the  foot 
of  the  hills  which  border  the  Kansas  valley, 
generally  about  three  miles  wide,  and  ex- 
tremely rich.  We  halted  for  dinner,  after  a 
march  of  alwut  thirteen  miles,  on  the  banks 
of  one  of  the  many  little  tributaries  to  the 
Kansas,  which  look  like  trenches  in  the 
prairie,  and  are  usually  well  timbered.  Af- 
ter crossing  this  stream,  I  rode  ofT  some 
miles  to  the  led,  attracted  by  the  appearance 
of  a  cluster  of  huts  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Vermillion.  It  was  a  large  but  deserted  Kan- 
sas village,  scattered  in  an  open  wood,  along 
the  margin  of  the  stream,  on  a  spot  chosen 
with  the  customary  Indian  fondness  for  beauty 
of  scenery.  The  I'awnecs  had  attacked  it 
in  the  early  spring.  Some  of  the  houses 
were  burnt,  and  others  blackened  with 
smoke,  and  weeds  were  already  getting  pos- 
session  of  the  cleared  places.    Riding  up 


CAPT    KKKMONTS  N.MIRAIIVK 


flMt. 


Dm  Vcnnilllon  riv«»f,  I  rpn.liwl  ihr  fonl  in 
llm<'  «n  mt'H  tin'  (•i»rt>',  ntnl,  rntfiHff,  en- 
rKmiN'il  oil  It*  wi»<»l<Tn  iti(li»  Tin'  w«'»lln'r 
rnnliniM'il  ri)ol,  llic  llicrnn>iin*ti'r  Wmg  tliU 
pvrnmif  «•  low  n*  l!»^;  l>iH  lli«>  r\^^\^  w»» 
oiilticii'iitlv  rlour  liir  i»»'tri>ne>niiial  olworvt- 
lii»n«,  wliirli  pliiri'il  im  in  liiitilnilf  (Ml"  or 
07  .  iii).l  lntitii.li.  -Mf  l.V  l!»".  At  nun-fl. 
till'  lHiriiiiii-'i>r  wa*  ill  'JK.HI.V  tin  mioiiiolpr 
« I". 

W)'  liri'iikiNnttHl  till*  next  morning  ut  Imlt' 
]in>-t  I'lM',  'Mill  Ifll  iiiir  i>nruMi|iiiM'iit  rariy. 
Till'  iimniiiiK  wnn  nml,  tin'  tin  rmoiiirliT 
lieiiitf  ut  Ift*.  Qiiitliii;:  tlii'  riMT  l>Htli<iii. 
the  riijiil  run  alonj;  llu'  ii|il.nnl>*,  i>vit  n  r<i||- 
Inu  roiiiiti y,  (fiMUTtiliy  in  vii'W  of  tin'  Kiin- 
pntt  from  lijjlit  to  Iwflvc  inilt'H  i!i->tiiiit. 
IVlMny  liiri;i'  UhiMck,  oI  »  M-ry  rompnrt 
«:iii(lntoni',  (if  vnrioii*  uliuiicn  of  ml,  foiiic  of 
llinii  four  or  livi'  loim  in  wri^'lit,  wi-ro  fiiil- 
trri-il  uUmu  tin'  liilU;  iiml  mnny  ln-iiiitiful 
lilnnli  in  II.>wiT,  niiioiiir  wliicli  the  ami>rf>h<i 
r<iii<  frni  wim  u  (•llllrll^t(•^i^ti^•,  iiilivttu'il  fiti' 
Ijrrun  of  tin*  priiirii'.  At  tin'  In  tnls  of  tin* 
rnviiHf  I  ri'inurki'il,  occm-iDimlly.  lliifkrtH 
of  fiilir  li>niiij'o!iiif  tin-  iiiont  rriiiimi>n  willow 
of  the  iouniry.  W«'  'riivclli'l  nli.i  ircn 
inili'K,  mill  |iiiclii'<l  our  tci.ti  iit  ivniiii';  on 
tlin  lit  ail  SMitcr^  ol  II  ffiii:ill  nit'k.  iiiu  n*  iiily 
ilry,l)i:l  liiivin;;in  itn  !hi|  m  \i'-!il  liiii' -jiriii::)*. 
Tilt'  liiiroiniMiT  imliiMi'  tl  a  rn.i.-itlciiilili'  rii»»' 
in  till'  rouiitry — lirrt'  nlnuit  fi>  tfoii  liiinilri'ii 
fppt  oIhivi'  till'  Bi'i — unil  till'  inor»';MP(l  i-U'vii- 
tion  iijiwMrril  iilrotiiiy  to  liini»  KiMiir  .'!ij;lit 
intliinitt'  iipiii  till'  vi';;ft;itiitn.  'J'iio  iii;;l!t 
wild  fold,  Willi  n  liiMiv  \  (I'.'w  ;  llir  tlu'rinoim>. 
trr  at  1  i  p.  in.  Htaiuiin;;  Ht  Ui^,  li.iriimvti>r 
'.'S.  |H H.  Our  |Hni(i(in  wnn  in  l"iii;;itiiili'  1)6° 
If  I!)",  ami  liilitii.!.'  30'  ;10    I'l  . 

'rill'  iii'iruiiij;  of  till'  I'Oili  wri!,  liiio,  willi  a 
Houtlier'y  lirft'Zf  ami  a  liri^lit  pky  ;  iiml  at 
tU'Von  o'riuck  we  vvcri'  on  lli'-  niari'li.  Tlu" 
country  to-i!iiy  was  rallii'r  in'ri'  Im-krii,  rin- 
iiip  Hlill.  ami  cowTpil  cvfrywiu'ri'  wiili  iVa;,'- 
niPiitu  of  Kilicpoiis  Iiinci'tdiiP,  pcrticiihrlv  on 
tliP  Hiitiiniif.-,  will  re  tli»'y  were  small,  ami 
thickly  Ftri'wi'il  as  pchhlps  on  tin'  ^!lorl'  of 
tlip  sea.  Ill  ihr.xp  Pxpo!=i'il  siliiatinji-t  i^ri'vv 
hut  fi'w  plants;  tlioujjh,  whoncvpr  llic  8oil 
was  pood  and  protected  from  tlio  wind.-i,  in 
the  crock  bottoms  and  raviiipn,  and  on  the 
slopps,  tlipy  Ilourislied  abundantly;  amon^j 
thpm  tlip  nmnrphn,  Htill  rotaininp  its  charac- 
teristic plarp.  \Vp  croii>-Td  at  10  a.  ni.,  the 
Bip  V'-riiiillion,  wliirli  has  a  rich  liottom  of 
about  ono  inilo  in  breadth,  ono-third  of  which 
la  occupied  liy  timber.  Makinsx  our  usual 
haltnt  noon,  after  a  day's  manli  of  twenty- 
four  milpfi,  wo  reachod  the  \\\\t  Blue,  am' 
encamppd  on  tlie  nplnnds  of  the  Wf.^'rn 
aide,  near  a  small  creek,  where  w's  a  line 
large  spring  of  very  cold  water.  Thix  '«  u 
clear  and  handsome  stream,  about  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feel  wide,  running,  witli  a 


rapid  fftrrrnl.  lhroui;h  a  wcll'timlierpd  vaN 
|py.  To-day  nnirlo|M'  were  neen  running 
ivcr  the  liilU,  ami  at  evening  <  'amon  liroiiglit 
na  u  tine  derr  Lingitiide  of  the  camp  iMI* 
3-J  Mi  ,  hititude  3(1**  46  DM  'i'liermome* 
ler  at  wun'i't  lb".  A  iilpaaxnl  »iMithprljf 
hree/e  and  liiii'  niornin^r  liad  (.'iviii  place  tu 
a  i;nlc,  with  indicatiniiii  ol  Uid  xM'iither; 
vsIkmi.  after  a  march  ol  ten  milci*.  we  liallrd 
to  noon  on  n  fuiall  creek,  where  the  water 
htiNwl  III  d'-e|i  potiN.  In  the  linnk  of  the 
crii'k  liiiie>toiie  made  itn  ap|M-ariitice  in  a 
xtMliim  aiNiiit  one  ftHit  thick.  In  the  ufier 
noon,  the  |H'i>i<le  Kicmcd  to  siillir  for  want 
ofwaicr.  Tl.c  road  Jul  ulmi;;  u  lii^'li  dry 
tid}.'e;  dark  linen  of  timber  indicated  tlio 
headi  of  htri  aniH  in  the  pl.iiiiA  below  ;  bill 
there  was  no  watc"  near,  iind  the  day  wr^ 
very  ii|.|.,.  •'ive,  .vith  a  hot  wind,  and  tho 
tlicriiiomeler  ui.  i)i)*'.  Along  our  ruiit"  the 
iinuiri'ha  has  iM'en  in  very  abundant  hut  va- 
riable Itlooin— in  Moine  places  lieiniiiig  In>- 
maili  tin'  wiight  ol  purple  cliifterH  ;  in  oth- 
ers without  a  lliiwcr.  It  seems  to  Ionc  lit'Ht 
the  Miiiny  hIo|m's,  with  a  dark  soil  and  :<outh- 
ern  »'X|m  i.nre.  I'.verywiiere  the  roM!  is  met 
with,  ami  reinimU  us  of  cultivated  (;iii'den.s 
ami  ciNili'.ition.  It  is  scattered  over  the 
prairit'S  in  ^nl.lll  Ixniipiets,  and,  when  (>lilter- 
m^r  ill  till'  dews  and  wavin„'  in  the  piea^unt 
brce/t'  of  the  early  inorniii;;,  is  the  most 
Uaiilifil  of  the  prairie  (lowers.  The  «r/r- 
miniit,  a'isinthe,  or  prairie  sage,  as  it  is  va- 
riou-ly  ci.lled,  is  increasing  in  size,  and  glit- 
t^-rs  like  silver,  as  the  southern  brei/.e  turns 
lip  its  leaves  to  the  sun.  All  these  plants 
have  their  in^ect  inhabiiants,  variously  cidor- 
ed  ;  taking  generally  the  hue  of  the  tlower 
on  which  they  live.  The  artrtnixiit  has  its 
small  Hy  accoiiijanying  it  Ihniugh  every 
cliaii;;e  of  elevation  and  latitude  ;  and  wher- 
ever I  lia\e  yeeii  the  asclijiius  liil>'ii).\ii,  I 
have  always  remarked,  too,  on  the  liower  a 
lirge  butterlly,  co  nearly  resembling  it  in 
color  as  to  he  distinguishable  ut  a  little  dis- 
tance only  bv  the  motion  of  its  wings.  Tra- 
V  Hill};  on,  tiie  fresh  traces  of  the  (Jregon 
emigrants  relieve  a  little  tho  loneliness  of 
till'  roiid ;  and  to-night,  after  a  march  of 
twenty-two  miles,  we  halted  on  a  small 
creek,  which  had  been  one  of  their  encamp- 
ments. As  we  advance  westward,  the  soil 
appear*  to  l.e  getting  more  sandy,  and  the 
surface  riick,.an  erratic  deposite  ol  sand  and 
gr.ivel,  rests  here  on  a  bed  of  coarse  yellow 
and  grey  and  very  friable  sandstone.  Kven- 
iiijr  closed  over  with  rain  and  its  iipual  at- 
tendant hnriles  of  inusqiiitoes,  with  which 
we  were  Hiinoyed  for  the  first  time. 

June  'i'i. — We  enjoyed  at  breakfast  this 
morning  i  lu.xiiry,  very  nnusual  in  I  it 
country,  in  a  cup  of  excellent  eoiree.  w  '\ 
cream  fnm  our  cow.  Being  milked  it 
night,  cream  was  thus  had  in  the  'noniing. 


riA4t. 

tnhorrd  vaN 
*ii  niiining 
•nil  hruii|f|it 
•  niiiii)  W" 
rii<<riiiiinie. 
I  •iMithi'rIy 
I'll  (iliiro  tu 
J  ut'ullior; 
,  ui>  Imlird 
'  tilt'  wiilor 
ink  (if  iho 
riiii(*<>  III  ■ 

I  llii>  ufii'r 
r  lor  want 

II  lii^-li  dry 
ii-ntnl  tlio 
w'low  ;  bill 
(<  (l;iy  Wta 
I,  and   (ho 

Mil!"  Ihu 
lilt  tail  VII- 
'lidJii);  Im<. 
H  ;  ill  iitli. 
)  lovr  licxt 
and  Miiiitli* 

l>M!   i-*   IIH't 

il  {;iiid«'ii.'* 

nvi'r  the 

pii  (ililti'r- 

■  (ik'u^uiit 

tliu   riioitt 

'VUv  arte- 

\  it  in  va- 

uiid  ^lit- 

zc  tiiriiM 

t   |iliiiili« 

y  iiiliir- 

(Idwer 

llllH   it8 

every 

id  wlicr- 

iiiMi,   I 

fliiMcr  a 

i:  it  in 

ittio  (lis- 

Tra- 

(Jrogon 

less  of 

ircli  of 

Hinall 

ncninp- 

lio  soil 

and  tlio 

lid  and 

yoIIoMf 

Kvcn- 

ll:il   at- 

u  liich 

1st  this 

in     J  l^ 


1S42.) 


CAIT.  KKKMONT'tt  NARRVI'INK. 


r'' 


IV 


jrtiing. 


Our  ml«i-<Uv  Imlt  -vm  ftt  Wyi«fh'«  etPtik,  In 
IIm'  U*d  III  vvliirli  uiTi'  lUMiirnMi't  iNnildi'ni 
of  dark  li'rrii({iiiiiii<  >>itiid«li)ii>',  iiiiiiuIimI  wiih 
othvr*  ol  tli(>  ri'd  mtiiijiluiio  Hlri'Hdy  nn'ii- 
(ii>n«<l.  lleri'  n  |Kick  of  ciird^,  lyintr  l<H>f>i< 
•11  tlii>  ffrn*',  iiiiirki'd  mi  <'nriiiii|Mii(Mit  ol  mir 
Ori'Knii  iMiii^riiiitn  ;  und  it  wn«  iit  tin  i'lo«i* 
1)1  (lii>  diy  mIumi  \sv  iiumI*'  <>iir  liaoiiur  in  tlit' 
iiiidit  III  Hiiiiii>  v\idl(iiiilx-rcd  mviiu'i*  iii'.ir  liit* 
Liitit!  Illu«>,  tMi'iily-loiir  inili*>«  trmn  mir 
rump  or  till' |)ri'ci'diii>(  nijjlil.  ('ri»H<«iM|;  ||m> 
nuvt  niorniiiK  u  iiuiiilM>r  nt  liiiiiiUoiii<>  rrcok*, 
Mitli  I'l'iir  wiitfriind  Nuiidy  IxmU,  wi'  r)Mrli«>d, 
Mt  IW  .t  Ml  ,  •  very  iM-aiililtil  wixNlcd  Hlnani, 
m\n>ul  tlurty-Hvc  fi'it  wide,  mili-d  Sandy 
cn-i-k,  and  Hoiiictiiiicx,  ii4  tlio  (>(toi>it  In'- 
fjin'iitly  winter  lliere,  tlie  Otto  fork.  'I'lio 
I'liunlry  Ii:h  h<'ciiiii<<  vi-ry  xaiidy,  and  tin* 
pluntx  lenH  varied  and  alMind.ini,  widi  llie 
oxi'r|itii.n  of  tliu  (jm(iryt/i<<,  wliii'li  rivnix  Ilie 
ifr.is-*  ill  (jiiuntity,  tlnMii^ii  iMt  hu  forward  aa 
It  tiii>4  Ix'iMi  fiiiiiid  to  (lie  I'it^tward. 

At  iht'  \l\g  Trceii,  wlnte  we  Imd  intended 
to  noun,  no  water  wum  to  lie  fniind.  'I'lie  U'd 
of  lin'  little  rroc'k  wu-t  |M'rlecily  dry,  and,  o'l 
tlie  uil.iueiil  Kiiiidy  botioin,  rti'i,  lor  lite  liriit 
time,  inado  tlieir  a|>'M'iir.ini'e.  Wo  made 
lu-re  a  Hlior(  delay  in  Meari'li  ol  water  ;  and, 
alt-r  a  hard  duvM  iiiarcli  ol  twcnly-ei^lit 
unlet:,  uiM'aiii|ieil,  at  6  o'llock,  on  tlie  l.iltle 
Itliie,  w'liero  our  arrival  inadi'  ii  nceiie  ol  the 
Araliiaii  desert.  Ah  fant  as  they  arrived,  men 
and  liiiiwes  rn^lled  into  the  blreain,  where 
they  bathed  and  drank  tof^other  in  coininoii 
eiij-iym'-iit.  Wo  wore  novv  in  the  raiinc  of 
tiiu  I'awneeM,  who  wore  accustomed  to  interit 
this  put  ol  the  (-oiintry,  Ht<!alin;r  liorseM  from 
coinpnnieri  on  their  way  to  the  mountains, 
and,  when  in  Hullicient  force,  o|MMily  utt>tck- 
in;;  and  plunderin^r  them,  and  Hiibi)  ctin^; 
them  to  various  kindn  of  insult.  For  the 
first  time,  therefore,  jjuard  was  mnnnted  to- 
niifht.  Our  route  tin?  ne.vt  morning  lay  up 
the  valley,  which,  bordered  by  hills  with 
Kriiceful  s!()|»c«,  looked  uncommonly  ^reen 
ami  be.intiful.  The  stream  wa«  aUiut  lifty 
feet  wide,  iind  throe  or  four  dee|),  frinj,'ed  by 
cotton  woihI  and  willow,  with  fre(|uont  proves 
of  oak  tenanted  by  Hocks  of  turkeys.  (Jame 
liere,  too,  made  its  a|)|)oaranco  in  greater 
plenty.  KIk  were  frequently  ceen  on  tlio 
mils,  and  n<nv  and  then  an  antelope  iMiunded 
across  our  path,  or  a  doer  broke  from  the 
proves.  Till!  road  in  tho  afternuun  was  over 
the  U|)per  prairies,  several  miles  from  the 
river,  and  we  encamped  at  sunset  on  one  of 
its  small  tributaries,  where  an  abundaiice  of 
prele  {iifniselum)  aillirded  tine  forage  to  our 
tired  animals.  We  had  travelled  thirty-one 
milea.  A  lieavy  bank  of  black  clouds  in  the 
west  camo  on  us  in  a  storm  lielwecn  nine 
and  ten,  preceded  by  a  violent  wind.  Tlio 
rain  fell  in  such  torrents  that  it  was  ditTicult 
tn  breathe  facinff  the  wind,  the  thunder  rolled 


inc#«a«nlty,  arxl  (hn  wholA  ikv  w*«  trfmii* 

lou«  With  li<rhtninir:  now  uiid  then  illiiinin. 
n'<'<|  by  a  blni  Iiiik  llit>h,  xiicceeded  In  pitt  liy 
darkiM'M.  Carbon  hud  the  wal'h  ir<'iii  (en 
to  inidniifhl,  a)id  to  liim  had  h"<<ri  imi  i|?ni<t 
our  young  i-.imixi^iitititn  i/c  tni/iici',  Mi'itunt, 
llruiii  and  U  Heiilon.  'I'lii*  was  (heir  lir»l 
iiit;ht  lui  guard,  and  'Uch  an  iiitrixlin  (ion  did 
no(  iiu;;ur  very  au^puio  mly  i>t  the  pleamiren 
III  the  ex|ie<|ition,  .Miiiiv  tlnn  :M''tii«pire<l  tii 
rnider  (heir  Hitiiiition  uii.'oiiiiortab!e  ;  Niorieii 
of  deMiM'rate  and  bbxxly  iiiliiin  li^'hli*  were 
rile  III  the  camp;  our  |)o»ilioii  wa*  biidly 
clioNen,  mirroundeil  oii  all  hides  1>,'  limlN'n  d 
hollow*,  mil  occiipvmi  an  iiriu  >i|  several 
hundred  feet,  mi  that  necosiirilv  the  guards 
were  tir  a|Kirl  ;  and  niw  and  then  I  nitilj 
hear  Kamloliih,  ai  if  relieved  by  th.>  muind 
ol  b  voice  III  (lie  tlarkness,  culling  out  (o  (htf 
H(>ri:eaiit  ol  ilie  giinnl,  to  direct  Ins  attention 
to  some  iuriifiniry  Hlarm  :  but  tl  ey  h1o<h|  it 
out,  Htid  liNik  their  (urn  regiiiarly  al\i>r> 
ward. 

I'iie  next  morning  wo  had  a  Mp<  ciiuen  of 
the  laUe  alarms  to  which  all   purlieu  in  theic 

wild    regions  are   subject.       I'n -.Iiiig   ii|i 

the  valley,  o' jei  (s  were  seen  on  the  e'ipiu 
site  bills,  which  disnpix'ared  Is'lore  a  glii>s 
could  be  broiiglit  to  Immp  ii|Hin  lliem.  A 
man,  who  w:im  a  short  di  t  mce  in  the  rear, 
came  spurring  up  in  great  liiis(i>,  hh<iiiiin<; 
Indian'* !  Indians!  lie  lind  been  near 
enough  (o  hei>  and  <  oiiiil  them,  ncconlmg  to 
his  report,  and  had  inadc  out  twenty  ••even. 
I  immediately  halted  ;  arms  wer(>  examined 
and  put  in  order ;  the  usual  preparations 
made;  niul  Kii  Carson,  s|)riniring  upon  ono 
of  the  hunting  horses,  crosiied  the  river,  and 
galloped  olV  into  the  op|Misite  prairii>s,  (o  ob> 
tain  some  certain  inlelligcncu  of  their  move* 
iiientH. 

.MountiMJ  on  a  fine  horse,  without  a  paddle, 
and  scouring  bareheaded  over  the  prairies, 
Kit  was  one«tf  the  linest  pictures  of  a  horse- 
map  I  have  ever  seen.  A  short  time  ena- 
blid  him  to  discover  that  the  Indian  war 
party  of  twenty-seven,  consisted  of  si.v  elk, 
who  had  been  gnzing  curiously  at  our  cara- 
van as  it  passed  by,  and  were  now  8cain|M»r- 
ing  oil'  at  full  sjM'ed.  This  was  our  lirst 
alarm,  and  its  excitement  broke  agreeably 
on  the  monotony  of  '.he  day.  At  oii'-  iiik)Ii 
halt,  the  men  were  e.vercised  at  R  target ; 
and  in  the  evening  w(>  pitched  our  touts  at  a 
Pawnee  encampment  of  last  July.  Th*ey 
had  apparently  Killed  builiilo  here,  as  many 
bones  were  lying  about,  and  tho  frames 
whore  tin*  hides  had  been  stretched  were  yet 
standing.  The  road  of  tho  day  had  kept 
tho  valloy,  which  is  sometimes  rich  and  well 
timbered,  though  the  country  is  generally 
sandy.  Mingled  with  the  usual  plants,  a 
thistle  (carduus  leucii^raphus)  haci  for  the 
last  day  or  two  made  its  appearance ;  aad 


10 


CAPT.  FREMCNT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1849. 


Hi' 


along  the  river  bottom,  Iradcscatttia  (virijini- 
ca)  nnil  milk  plant  (afclei>iits  stjriaca*)  in 
conBidembie  quantities. 

Our  march  to-day  hail  l)oen  twcnly-onc 
miloB,  and  the  aBtronomical  observations 
gave  us  a  chronometric  I'  n^itndeof  98°  23' 
VI",  and  latitude  40«  20  SO'.  We  were 
moving  forward  at  seven  in  the  mominf^.and 
in  about  five  miles  reached  a  fork  ot  the 
Blue,  where  the  road  leaves  that  river,  and 
crosses  over  to  the  Plaltc.  No  water  was  to 
be  found  on  the  dividing  ridge,  and  the  casks 
were  filled,  and  the  animals  here  allowed  a 
short  rejKJse.  The  road  led  across  a  high 
and  level  prairie  ridge,  where  were  but  few 
l>iants,  and  those  principally  thistle  (carduiis 
kuc6graphu!t),  anil  a  kmd  of  dwarf  artemi- 
sia.  Antelope  were  seen  frequently  during 
the  morning,  which  was  very  stormy. 
Squalls  of  rain,  with  thunder  and  lightning, 
were  around  us  in  every  direction  ;  and 
while  we  were  enveloped  m  one  of  them,  a 
flash,  which  seemed  to  scorch  our  eyes  as  it 
passed,  struck  in  the  prairie  within  a  few 
iiundred  feet,  sending  up  a  column  of  dust. 

CiDssing  on  the  way  several  Pawnee 
road:^  to  the  Arkansas,  we  reached,  in  about 
twenty-one  miles  from  our  halt  on  the  Blue, 
what  is  called  the  coast  of  the  Nebraska,  or 
Platte  river.  This  had  seemed  in  the  dis- 
tance a  range  of  high  and  broken  hills ;  but 
on  a  nearer  approach  were  found  to  be  ele- 
vations of  forty  to  sixty  feet,  into  which  the 
wind  had  worked  the  sand.  They  were  co- 
vered with  the  usual  fine  grasses  of  the 
country,  and  bordered  the  eastern  side  of 
the  ridge  on  a  breadth  of  about  two  miles. 
Change  of  soil  and  country  appeared  lierc 
to  have  produced  some  change  in  the  vege- 
tation. Cacti  were  numerous,  and  all  the 
plants  of  the  region  appeared  to  flourish 
among  the  warm  hills.  Among  thcin  the 
amorpha,  in  full  bloom,  was  remarkable  for 
its  large  and  luxuriant  purple  clusters. 
From  the  foot  of  the  coast,  a  distance  of  two 
miles  across  the  level  bottom  brought  us  to 
our  encampment  on  the  shore  of  tne  river, 
about  twenty  miles  below  the  head  of  Grand 
Island,  which  lay  extended  before  us,  cover- 
ed with  dense  and  heavy  woods.  From  the 
moutk  of  the  Kansas,  according  to  our  reck- 
oning, we  had  travelled  three  Tiundred  and 
twenty-eight  miles ;  and  the  geological  form- 
ation of  the  country  we  had  passed  over 


*  "7..ig  plant  is  very  odoriferous,  and  in  Canada 
efaarms  the  traveller,  especially  when  passing  through 
woods  in  the  evening.  The  French  there  eat  the  lender 
shoots  in  the  spring,  as  we  do  asparagus.  The  naUvea 
make  a  sugar  ol  the  flowers,  gathering  them  in  the 
morning  when  they  arc  covered  with  dew,  and  collect 
the  cotUm  from  their  pods  to  All  their  beds.  On  account 
of  the  silkiness  of  this  cotton,  Parkinson  calls  the  plant 
Vinrinian  tilk."— Loudon's  Eneyelopadia  of  Planti. 

The  Sioux  Indians  of  the  Upper  Platte  eat  the  young 
pods  of  this  plant,  boiling  them  with  the  meat  of  the 
bM&lo. 


consisted  of  lime  and  sandstone,  covered  by 
the  same  erratic  ilr|K)sitc  of  sand  and  gnivcl 
which  forms  the  surface  rock  of  the  prairies 
between  the  Missouri  and  Missisnippi  rivers. 
Except  in  some  occasional  limestone  bould- 
ers, I  hud  met  with  no  fossils.  The  t;l<'Ta- 
tion  of  the  Platte  valley  above  tlio  sea  is 
here  about  two  thousand  feet.  The  astro- 
nomical observations  of  the  ni^hi  placed  ns 
in  longitude  1)8°  46'  49",  latitude  lOoll' 
06'. 

June  27. — The  animals  were  somewhat 
fatigued  by  their  march  of  ycstordny,  and, 
after  a  short  journey  of  eighteen  miles  along 
the  river  bottom,  I  encamped  near  the  head 
of  (Jrand  Inland,  in  longitude,  by  oliserva- 
tion,  99*'  05'  24",  latitude  40"  39'  32". 
The  soil  here  was  light  but  rich,  though  in 
some  places  rather  sandy ;  and,  v/ith  the  ex- 
ception of  a  scattered  fringe  along  the  bank, 
the  timber,  consisting  principally  of  poplar 
{populus  mnnilijera),  elm,  and  hackberry 
(celt is  crassi/olia),  is  confined  almost  entirely 
to  the  islands. 

June  28. — We  halted  to  noon  at  an  open 
reach  of  the  river,  which  occupies  rather 
more  than  a  fourth  of  the  valley,  here  only 
al)out  four  miles  broad.  The  camp  had  been 
dis|)osed  with  the  usual  precaution,  the 
horses  grazing  at  a  little  distance,  attended 
by  the  guard,  and  we  were  all  sitting  quietly 
at  our  dinner  on  the  grass,  when  suddenly 
we  heard  the  startling  cry  "  dii  monde !"  In 
an  instant,  every  man's  \.  eapon  was  in  his 
hand,  the  horses  were  driven  in,  hobbled  and 
picketed,  and  horsemen  were  galloping  at 
full  speed  in  the  direction  of  the  new  comers, 
screaming  and  yelling  with  the  wildest  e.\- 
citement.  "  Get  ready,  my  lads  I  "  said  ihf 
leader  of  the  approaching  party  to  his  men. 
when  our  wild-looking  horsemen  were  dis- 
covered bearing  down  upon  them  ;  "  nour 
allons  atlraper  aes  coups  de  baguette."  They 
proved  to  l^  a  small  party  of  fourteen,  under 
the  charge  of  a  man  named  John  Lee,  and, 
with  their  baggage  and  provisions  strapped 
to  their  backs,  were  making  their  way  on 
foot  to  the  frontier.  A  brief  account  of  their 
fortunes  will  give  some  idea  of  navigation  in 
the  Nebraska.  Sixty  days  since,  they  had 
left  the  mo-'h  of  Laramie's  fork,  some  three 
hundred  miles  above,  in  barges  laden  with 
the  furs  of  the  American  Fur  Company. 
They  started  with  the  annual  flood,  and, 
drawing  but  nine  inches  water,  hoped  to 
make  a  speedy  and  prosperous  voyage  to  St. 
Ix)uis ;  but,  after  a  lapse  of  forty  days,  foand 
themselves  only  one  hundred  and  thirty 
miles  from  their  point  of  departure.  They 
came  down  rapidly  as  far  as  Scott's  bluf&, 
where  their  difficultiee  began.  Sometime* 
they  came  upon  places  where  the  water  was 
spread  over  a  great  extent,  and  here  they 
toiled  from  morning  until  night,  endeavoring 


M 


[1849. 


1S49.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


11 


le  three 
II  with 
mpany. 
and, 
)cd  ti) 
to  St. 
foand 
thirty 
They 
hluffi, 
etiines 
T  was 
'  they 
raring 


to  Ang  thoir  boat  throufrh  the  Hands,  making 
only  two  or  thrcu  miles  in  an  many  days. 
Sometimes  they  would  enter  an  arm  of  the 
river,  where  there  apjieared  a  tine  channel, 
and,  a.\\tit  desccniiing  pntsporously  for  eight 
or  tt>n  miles,  would  come  suddenly  upon  dry 
hand-i,  and  he  compelled  to  return,  dragging 
tlioir  lioat  fur  days  igaiust  the  ninid  current ; 
and  ut  others,  they  came  u|ton  places  where 
tiiu  water  lay  in  holes,  and,  getting  out  to 
tluat  oil'  their  boat,  would  fall  into  water  up 
to  their  necks,  and  the  next  moment  tumble 
over  against  a  sandbai  Discouraged,  at 
leufith,  and  fmding  the  IMatto  growing  every 
day  more  shallow,  they  discharged  the  prin- 
cipal part  of  their  cargoes  one liundrod  and 
thirty  miles  below  Fort  I^aramie,  which  they 
secured  as  well  as  pos:)ible,  and,  leaving  a 
few  men  to  guard  tliem,  attem|)ted  to  con- 
tinue their  voyage,  laden  with  some  light 
turs  and  their  personal  baggage.  After  fif- 
teen or  twenty  days  more  struggling  in  the 
sands,  during  which  they  made  but  one  hun- 
dred and  lorty  miles,  they  sunk  their  barges, 
made  a  cache  of  their  remaining  furs  and 
property,  in  trees  on  the  bank,  and,  packin_ 
on  his  back  what  each  man  could  carry,  ha 
commenced,  the  day  before  we  encountered 
them,  their  journey  on  foot  to  St.  Louis. 

We  laughed  then  at  their  forlorn  and  vag- 
abond ap|>«'arance,  and,  in  our  turn,  a  month 
or  two  afterwards,  furnished  the  same  occa- 
sion for  merriment  to  others.  Even  their 
stock  of  tobacco,  that  si^iie  qjid  non  of  a  voy- 
ageiir,  without  which  the  night  tire  is  gloomy, 
was  entirely  exhausted.  However,  we 
shortened  their  homeward  journey  by  a  small 
supply  from  our  own  provision.  They  gave 
us  the  welcome  intelligence  that  the  buifalo 
were  abundant  some  two  days'  march  in  ad- 
rance,  and  made  us  a  present  of  some  choice 
pieces,  which  were  a  very  acceptable  change 
irom  our  salt  pork.  In  the  interchange  of 
news,  and  the  renewal  of  old  acquaintance- 
ships, we  found  wherewithal  to  till  a  busy 
hour ;  then  we  mounted  our  horses,  and 
they  shouldered  their  packs,  and  we  shook 
hands  and  parted.  Among  them,  I  had 
found  an  old  companion  on  the  northern 
prairie,  a  hardened  and  hardly  served  veteran 
of  the  mountains,  who  had  been  as  much 
hacked  and  scarreii  as  an  old  moustache  of 
Napoleon's  "  old  guard."  He  flourished  in 
tlie  sobriquet  of  La  Tulipe,  and  his  real 
name  I  never  knew.  Finning  that  he  was 
going  to  the  States  only  because  his  compa- 
ny was  bound  in  that  direction,  and  that  he 
was  rather  more  willing  to  return  with  me, 
I  took  him  again  into  my  service.  We 
travelled  this  day  but  seventeen  miles. 

At  Oil'  evening  camp,  about  sunset,  three 
figures  were  discovered  approaching,  which 
our  glasses  made  oat  to  be  Indians.  They 
proved  to  be  Cbeyennes — two  men,  and  a 


boy  of  thirteen.  About  a  month  since,  they 
had  left  their  people  on  the  south  fork  of  the 
river,  some  three  hundred  miles  to  the  west- 
ward, and  a  party  of  only  four  in  number 
had  been  to  the  Pawnee  villages  on  a  horse- 
stealing excursion,  from  which  they  were 
returning  unsuccessful.  They  were  miser- 
ably mounted  on  wild  hordes  from  the  Ark- 
ansas plain*,  and  had  no  other  weaiMins  than 
bows  and  long  spears ;  and  had  they  been 
discovered  by  the  Pawnees,  coi;!d  not,  by 
any  possibility,  have  escaped.  They  were 
mortitied  by  their  ill  success,  and  said  the 
Pawnees  were  cowards,  who  shut  up  their 
horses  in  their  lodges  at  night.  I  invited 
them  to  supper  with  me,  and  Randolph  and 
the  young  dlieyenne,  who  had  been  eyeing 
each  other  suspiciously  and  curiously,  soon 
became  intimate  friends.  After  supper,  we 
sat  down  on  the  grass,  and  I  placed  a  sheet 
of  paper  between  us,  on  which  they  traced 
rudely,  but  with  a  certain  degree  of  relative 
truth,  the  watercourses  of  the  country  which 
lay  between  us  and  their  village.^,  and  of 
which  I  desired  to  have  some  iii'orniation. 
Their  companions,  they  told  us,  li  >  taken  a 
nearer  route  over  the  hills;  but  i!i'>y  had 
mounted  one  of  the  summits  to  spy  out  tlie 
country,  whence  they  had  caught  a  glimpse 
of  our  party,  and,  confident  of  good  treat- 
ment at  the  hands  of  the  whites,  hastened  to 
join  company.  Latitude  of  the  camp  40° 
39' 61". 

We  made  the  next  morning  sixteen  miles. 
I  remarked  that  the  ground  was  covered  in 
many  places  with  an  efflorescence  of  salt, 
and  the  plants  were  not  numerous.  In  the 
bottoms  were  frequently  seen  iradescanlia, 
and  on  the  dry  ienches  were  ranliius,  caclus, 
and  amorpha,  A  high  wind  during  the 
morning  had  increased  to  a  violent  gaiefrom 
the  northwest,  which  made  our  afternoon 
ride  cold  and  unpleasant.  We  had  the  wel- 
come sight  of  two  bufliiloes  on  one  of  the 
large  islands,  and  encamped  at  a  clump  of 
timber  about  seven  miles  from  our  noon  halt, 
after  a  day's  march  of  twenty-two  miles. 

The  air  was  keen  the  next  morning  at 
sunrise,  the  thermometer  standing  at  44o, 
and  it  was  sufficiently  cold  to  make  over- 
coats very  comfortable.  A  few  miles  brought 
us  into  the  midst  of  the  buffalo,  swarming 
in  immense  numbers  over  the  plains,  where 
they  had  left  scarcely  a  blade  of  grass  stand- 
ing. Mr.  Preuss,  who  was  sketching  at  a 
little  distance  in  the  rear,  had  at  first  noted 
them  as  large  groves  of  timber.  In  the 
sight  of  such  a  mass  of  life,  the  traveller 
feels  a  strange  emotion  of  grandeur.  We 
had  heard  from  a  distance  a  dull  and  con- 
fused murmuring,  and,  when  we  came  in 
view  of  their  dark  masses,  there  was  not  one 
among  us  who  did  not  feel  his  heart  beat 
quicker.    It  was  the  early  part  of  the  day. 


la 


CAl'T.  FRKMONTS  NARRATIVE. 


[1849. 


il 


when  the  hcrdH  are  ffi'diii;? ;  and  cvory- 
wlien-  llit'V  wore  in  motion.  Here  and  tliorc 
a  hui;c  old  bull  was  rollin}r  in  tlio  (rrnnrt,  and 
cloutL  of  diiMt  rose  in  llie  iiir  from  variouH 
|)artrt  of  tlio  hiindrt,  «>aoli  the  ncotw  of  j^omo 
ol):<tiiiatt>  Ijirht.  lndi:iii.-4  and  htitllilo  make 
(lie  |M>oiry  ami  lift'  ol  llif  prairio,  and  o\ir 
camp  was  full  of  llu'ircxliilarution.  In  placo 
of  llio  fjuii't  monotony  of  the  ma/ch,  ri'lievtd 
only  by  the  cracking  of  the  whip,  and  an 
'•  niiiiirr  ditnc  !  eiifitiil  dr  i^urc:  !  "  hIioiiIh 
and  sonjrs  ii'soimdod  from  ivory  part  of  the 
line,  and  our  eveninjr  camp  was  always  the 
oonnnoncenifnt  of  :i  I'e.ist,  which  terniinuted 


II. 


only  with  t)ur  tlepuriiire  on  the  ful.'owinir 
mornin;:.  .At  any  time  of  tiie  niplit  tnijilit 
bo  Hcen  pieces  of  llie  most  delicate  and 
choicest  meat,  roa^itinp  in  iipjixhis,  on  slicks 
around  the  tire,  and  the  frujird  were  never 
without  company.  With  pleasruit  w  eather 
and  no  enemy  to  fear,  an  abundance  of  the 
most  excellent  meat,  and  no  scarcity  of 
bread  or  tobacco,  they  were  eiijoyin;,'  thi' 
o.isiri  of  a  voyai;eur's  lite.  Three  cows  were 
killed  lo-d:iy.  Kit  (.'arson  had  shot  rue,  and 
was  continuin^r  llie  char-e  in  the  midst  of 
uiiotlier  herd,  when  his  horse  leil  headlonjr, 
but  Bpran;;  up  and  joined  the  (lyini;  kind. 
Th-iiiir!i  considerably  liurf,  ho  had  tl.e  ^ood 
fortune  to  Itreak  no  iHines;  and  Afaxweil, 
who  was  mounted  on  a  fleet  hunter,  cap- 
tured the  runaway  alter  a  hard  chase,  lie  j 
was  on  the  point  of  .^bootinjj  him,  to  avoid  i 
the  !o.-s  of  his  bridle,  (a  liaiidsiMnely  numnt-  j 
cd  Spanish  one),  when  he  found  that  liis  I 
hor.'^e  was  able  to  come  up  wilh  him.  Ani-  ; 
mals  are  freipiently  lost  in  this  way ;  and  it 
is  necessary  to  keep  close  watch  over  them, 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  buflUlo,  in  the  midst  of  | 
which  they  scour  oil"  to  the  jdains,  and  are 
rarely  retaken.  One  of  our  mules  took  a 
sudden  freak  into  his  head,  and  joined  a 
ncighborinff  band  to-«Iay.  As  we  were  not 
in  a  condition  to  lose  horses,  I  sent  several 
men  in  pursuit,  and  remained  in  camp,  in 
the  hope  of  recoverinjj  him ;  but  lost  the 
afternoon  to  no  purpose,  as  we  did  not  see 
him  again.  Astronomical  observations 
placed  us  in  longitude  lOOo  06'  47",  latitude 
40O49'  65". 

July  1. — Along  our  road  to-day  tlie  prairie 
bottom  was  more  elevated  and  dry,  and  the 
hills  which  border  the  right  side  of  the  river 
higher,  and  more  broken  and  picturesque  in 
the  outline.  The  country,  too,  was  belter 
timbered.  As  we  were  ridinsj  quietly  along 
the  bank,  a  grand  herd  of  bullalo,  some  seven 
or  eight  hundred  in  number,  came  crowding 
up  from  the  river,  where  they  had  been  to 
drink,  and  commenced  crossing  the  plain 
nlowly,  eating  as  they  went.  Tlie  wind  was 
favorable ;  the  coolness  of  the  morning  in- 
vited to  exercise ;  the  ground  was  apparently 
good,  and  the  distance  across  the  prairie  (two 


or  three  miles)  gave  uh  a  fine  op|iortunity  to 
change  them  before  they  could  get  among  the 
river  hills.  It  was  t(H)  tine  a  proB|M'ct  for  a 
chase  to  Im;  lost ;  and,  Imltinfr  for  a  few  mo- 
ment?, the  hunters  were  brought  pn  and  sad- 
dled, and  Kit  Car.^on,  Maxwell, ami  I,sfa:fed 
togi'ther.  They  were  now  somewhat  lesi 
than  half  a  mile  distant,  and  we  rode  easily 
along  until  within  about  three  hundred  yards, 
when  a  siuldeii  agitation,  a  wavering  in  the 
hand,  and  a  galloping  to  an<'.  fro  of  some 
which  were  scattered  along  the  skirts,  gave 
us  the  intimation  that  we  were  discovered. 
We  (-tarled  together  at  a  ha  ml  gallop,  ridiii;; 
steadily  al)rcii>t  of  each  other,  and  here  the 
interest  of  thech'se  became  .«(>  engrossingly 
intense,  that  we  were  sensible  lo  nothing  else. 
We  were  now  closing  upon  them  rapidly,  and 
the  front  of  the  mass  was  already  in  rapid 
mofiiin  for  the  hills,  and  in  a  few  sectuids  the 
movement  had  communicated  itself  to  the 
whole  herd. 

A  crowd  of  bulls,  as  usual,  brought  np  the 
rear,  and  every  now  and  then  some  of  them 
laced  about,  and  then  dashed  on  aOer  the 
band  a  short  distance,  and  turned  and  looked 
again,  a^  if  n.ore  than  half  inclined  to  stand 
and  tight.  In  a  few  moments,  however,  du- 
ring which  we  had  been  quickening  our  pace, 
the  rout  was  universal,  and  we  were  going 
ovi-r  the  ground  like  a  hurricane.  When  at 
about  thirty  yards,  wo  gave  the  usual  shout 
(the  hunter's  /vls  de  charge),  and  broke  into 
the  herd.  We  entered  on  the  side,  the  maw 
giving  way  in  every  direction  in  their  heed- 
less course.  Many  of  the  bulls,  less  active 
and  less  fleet  than  the  cows,  paying  no  at- 
tention to  the  ground,  and  occupied  solely 
with  tlie  hunter,  were  precipitated  to  the  eartli 
with  great  force,  rolling  over  and  over  wilh 
the  violence  of  the  shock,  and  hardly  dis- 
tinguishable in  the  dust.  We  separated  on 
entering,  each  singling  out  his  game. 

My  hor.se  was  a  trained  hunter,  famous  in 
the  west  under  the  name  of  I'roveaii,  and, 
with  his  eyes  flashing,  and  the  foam  flying 
from  his  mouth,  sprang  on  after  the  cow  like 
a  tiger.  In  a  few  moments  he  brought  me 
alongside  of  her,  and  rising  in  tiic  stirrups,  I 
fired  at  the  distance  of  a  yard,  the  ball  enter- 
ing at  the  termination  of  the  long  hair,  and 
passing  near  the  heart.  .She  fell  headlong 
at  tl.o  report  of  the  gun,  and,  checking  my 
horse,  I  looked  around  for  my  companions. 
At  a  little  distance,  Kit  was  on  the  ground, 
engaged  in  tying  his  horse  to  the  horns  of 
a  cow  which  lie  was  preparing  to  cut  np. 
Among  the  scattered  bands,  at  some  distance 
below,  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  Maxwell ;  and 
while  I  was  looking,  a  light  wreath  of  white 
smoke  curled  away  from  his  gun,  from  which 
I  was  too  far  to  hear  the  report.  Nearer, 
and  between  me  and  the  hills,  towards  which 
they  were  directing  their  course,  was  the 


\ 


rl 

ol 


[1849. 

opjiortunity  to 
[,M-t  amuiifr  th(> 
•rosprct  tor  a 
for  a  few  mo- 
it  i>n  mill  Hiid- 
ami  I,Ntii-ti>d 

llllCU'llUt    ICRf 

e  rod(>  caeily 
undrt'd  yards, 

Prinnr  ill  tlio 
("ni  of  Hcino 
'  nl(irtH,  piivp 
s  tliscovrrcd. 
,'iilloj),  ridiii" 
iiid  iurt<  Ili(> 

C'lli:r08.sill(r|y 

iiiitliirif,'  else. 
I  rapidly,  and 
iuly  in  rapid 
I  seconds  tlio 
itself  to  tli(> 

aiiglit  lip  tliP 
OHIO  of  lliom 
in  after  tlie 
1  and  looked 
ncd  tu  stand 
lowever,  du- 
ng our  pare, 
were  goiiii: 
.     When  at 
nsiml  slioiit 
broke  into 
Je,  the  maw 
their  heed- 
less active 
t'm^  no  nt- 
pied  solely 
theearlli 
over  with 
lardly  dis- 
la  rated  on 
tiie. 

fainons  in 
■can,  and, 
jam  Hying 
le  cow  like 
rought  me 
stirrups,  1 
ball  enter- 
hair,  and 
headlong 
eking  my 
inpimions. 
e  ground, 
(  horns  of 
}  cut  lip. 
e  distance 
well ;  and 
1  of  while 
om  which 
Nearer, 
rds  which 
was  the 


1843.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


It 


to 


)V 


body  ol  the  herd,  and,  giving  my  horse  the 
rein,  wo  danhed  after  them.  A  thick  cloud 
of  dust  hung  U|)on  their  rear,  which  tilled 
my  mouth  and  eyes,  and  nearly  smothered 
me.  In  the  midst  of  this  I  could  see  nothing, 
and  .he  butfalo  were  not  distingnishalilc  until 
within  thirty  feet.  They  crowded  together 
more  densely  still  as  I  came  iipf)n  them,nnil 
rushed  along  in  such  a  compact  body,  that  I 
could  not  obtain  an  entrance — the  horse  al- 
most leaping  u|)on  thorn.  In  a  lew  moments 
tho  mass  Jivided  to  the  right  and  lott,  the 
horns  clattering  with  a  noise  heard  above 
everything  else,  and  my  horse  darted  into 
tho  opening.  Five  or  six  bulls  charged  on 
us  as  we  dashed  along  tho  lino,  but  were 'eft 
far  iiehind  ;  and,  singling  out  a  cow,  I  gave 
her  my  fire,  but  struck  t(K>  high.  She  gave 
a  tremendous  leap,  and  scoured  on  swift(>r 
than  before.  I  reined  up  my  horse,  and  tlie 
band  swept  on  like  a  torrent,  and  loft  tho 
place  quiet  and  clear.  Our  chase  had  led  us 
into  dangerous  ground.  A  prairio  dog-vil- 
.agc,  so  thickly  settled  that  there  were  three 
or  four  holes  in  every  twenty  yards  square, 
occupied  the  whfde  bottom  for  nearly  two 
miles  in  length.  Looking  around,  I  saw  only 
one  of  tho  hunters,  noarFy  out  of  sight,  anil 
the  long  dark  line  of  our  caravan  crawling 
along,  three  or  four  miles  distant.  After  a 
inarch  of  twonty-four  miles,  we  encamped  at 
nightfall,  one  mile  and  a  half  above  tho  lower 
end  of  Brady's  Island.  Tho  breadth  of  this 
arm  of  the  river  was  eight  hundred  and 
eighty  yards,  and  the  water  nowhere  two 
feet  in  depth.  The  island  bears  the  name  of 
a  man  killed  on  this  spot  some  years  ago. 
His  party  had  encamped  here,  three  in  com- 
pany, and  one  of  the  number  went  off  to  iinnt, 
leaving  Brady  and  his  companion  together. 
These  two  had  frequently  quarrelled,  and  on 
the  hunter's  return  he  found  Brady  dead,  and 
was  told  that  he  had  shot  himself  accitlont- 
ally.  He  was  buried  here  on  the  bank ;  but, 
as  usual,  the  wolves  had  torn  him  out,  and 
some  human  bonea  that  were  lying  on  the 
ground  we  supposed  were  his.  Troops  of 
wolves,  that  were  hanging  on  the  skirts  of 
the  buiiklo,  kept  up  an  uninterrupted  howling 
during  the  night,  venturing  almost  into  camp. 
In  the  morning,  they  were  sitting  at  a  short 
distance,  barking,  and  impatiently  waiting 
our  departure,  to  fall  upon  the  bones. 

July  2. — The  morning  was  cool  and  smoky. 
Our  road  led  closer  to  the  hills,  which  here 
increased  in  elevation,  presenting  an  outline 
of  conical  peaks  three  hundred  to  five  hun- 
dred feet  high.  Some  timber,  apparently 
pine,  grows  in  the  ravines,  and  streaks 
of  clay  or  sand  whiten  their  slopes.  We 
crossed  during  the  morning  a  number  of  hol- 
lows, timbered  principally  with  box  elder 
{acer  negundo),  poplar  and  elm.  Brady's 
island  is  well  wooded,  and  all  the  river  along 


which  our  ro.id  led  tcwiay  may,  in  general, 
Imj  called  toleraitly  well  timhorod.  Wt;  pass- 
ed near  an  encampment  of  the  Oregon  emi- 
grants, where  they  appeared  to  have  n'|K)scd 
several  days.  A  variety  of  household  arti- 
cles wore  scattered  aliout,  and  llioy  Iml  pru- 
liably  disbiirdonod  thomselves  here  of  ininy 
things  not  alisolutoly  necessary.  !  Iiad  h-it 
the  usual  road  Itefore  the  mid-day  halt,  an  I 
in  the  afternoon,  having  sent  sovi  nil  men  i  i 
advance  to  reconnoitre,  marched  dirccily  lor 
the  mouth  of  tho  South  fork.  On  our  .irn- 
val,  the  horsemen  were  sent  in  ami  siMtli-n  J 
aix>ut  the  rivor  to  search  the  Ix'sf  f<iriliii..j 
places,  and  the  carls  fidlowed  ininiediately. 
riio  stream  is  here  divided  by  an  i-land  into 
two  channels.  The  southern  is  four  hiindreci 
and  lifty  feet  wide,  having  eighteen  or  twenty 
inches  water  in  tlie  «lee|H'st  places.  Willi 
the  exception  of  a  few  dry  bars,  the  bed  of 
the  rivor  is  generally  quicksands,  in  wliiih 
the  carts  began  to  sink  rapidly  so  soon  as 
the  mules  halted,  ho  that  it  was  necessary  to 
keep  them  constantly  in  moticm. 

Tht»  northern  cliannel,  two  thousand  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide,  was  somewhat 
deeper,  having  froq'ieiitly  throe  feet  water  in 
the  niiinerotis  small  chamiels,  with  a  Ix'd  of 
coarse  gravel.  Tho  whole  breadth  of  tho 
Nebraska,  immediately  below  the  junction,  is 
five  thousand  t'lreo  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 
All  our  efpiipage  had  reached  the  leu  bank 
safely  at  (]  o'clock,  having  to-<lay  made  twenty 
miles.  We  encamped  at  the  point  of  land 
immediately  at  the  junction  of  the  North  and 
South  forks.  Between  the  streams  is  a  low 
rich  prairie,  extending  from  their  confluence 
eighteen  miles  westwardly  to  tho  bordering 
hills,  where  it  is  five  and  a  half  miles  wide. 
It  is  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  grass, 
and  along  the  banks  is  a  slight  and  scattered 
fringe  of  cottonwood  and  willow.  In  the 
bultalo  trails  and  wallows,  I  remarked  saline 
efflorescences,  to  which  a  rapid  evaporation 
in  the  great  heat  of  the  sun  probably  contri- 
butes, as  the  soil  is  entirely  unprotected  by 
timber.  In  the  vicinity  of  these  places  there 
was  a  bluish  grass,  which  the  cattle  refuse 
to  eat,  called  by  the  voyageurs  "  lierbe  snlie  " 
(salt  grass).  Tho  latitude  of  the  junction  is 
41°  04"  47",  and  longitude,  by  chronometer 
and  lunar  distances,  100"  49'  43".  The  ele- 
vation above  the  sea  is  about  two  thousand 
seven  hundred  feet.  The  hunters  came  in 
with  a  fat  ccw ;  and,  as  we  had  labored  hard, 
we  enjoyed  well  a  supper  of  roasted  ribs  and 
bnudins,  the  chef-d'muvre  of  a  prairie  cook. 
Mosquitoes  thronged  about  us  this  evening  ; 
but,  by  10  o'clock,  when  the  thermometer  had 
fallen  to  4'.'°,  they  had  all  disappeared. 

July  3. — As  this  was  to  be  a  point  in  our 
homeward  journey,  I  made  a  cache  (a  term 
used  in  all  this  country  for  what  is  hidden  in 
the  ground)  of  a  barrel  of  pork.    It  was  im* 


14 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1843. 


I 


pORHiblo  to  conceal  iiicli  a  |)ro«"i'o»linjr  from 
the  Hliarp  eyoH  i»f  our  (.'lit?yeimo  com|)anionn, 
and  I  tlicrelorc  told  them  tOL'o  and  hoc  wiiat 
it  .vns  Ihoy  were  burying.  They  wonht  oth- 
erwine  huve  not  iuiled  tti  return  and  destroy 
our  aiclif  in  «\\|)e('fRtion  of  nomo  rich  booty ; 
liut  pork  they  dinlilto,  and  never  eat.  We 
h'ft  our  cani|)  at  i),  continuing  up  the  South 
fori<,  the  prniriu  itottom  alfording  us  a  fair 
road  ;  but  in  the  King  gni«s  w,e  roused  myri- 
Hd.4  of  inoHUuitocs  and  Hies,  from  which  our 
horncH  sutlerod  Bevercly.  Tlie  day  was 
smoky,  witii  a  pleasant  breeze  from  tho  south, 
v.nd  the  plains  on  the  opposite  side  were  co- 
vered with  bufliilo.  Having  travelled  twenty- 
tive  miles,  we  encamped  at  6  in  the  evening ; 
and  the  men  were  sent  across  tho  river  for 
wotxi,  as  there  is  none  here  on  the  left  bank. 
Our  tires  were  partially  ma<le  of  the  hoix  dv 
vachc,  tlic  dry  excrement  of  the  buftlilo, 
which,  like  that  of  the  camel  in  the  Arabian 
deserts,  furnishes  to  the  traveller  a  very  gexnl 
sttbstitute  for  wood,  burning  like  turf. 
Wolves  in  great  numbers  surrounded  us 
during  the  night,  crossing  and  recrossing 
from  the  o[iposite  herds  to  our  camp,  and 
howling  and  trotting  about  in  the  river  until 
morning. 

July  4. — The  morning  was  verj-  smoky, 
the  sun  shining  dimly  and  red,  as  in  a  thick 
fog.  Tho  camp  was  roused  witii  a  salute  at 
daybreak,  and  from  our  scanty  store  a  portion 
of  what  our  Indian  friends  called  tlie  "  red 
fire  water  "  serwd  otit  to  the  men.  While 
we  were  at  breakfast,  a  bufFalo  calf  broke 
through  the  camp,  followed  by  a  couple  of 
wolves.  In  its  fright,  it  had  probably  mis- 
taken us  for  a  bancTof  bufialo.  The  wolves 
were  obliged  to  make  a  circuit  around  the 
camp,  so  that  the  calf  got  a  little  the  start, 
and  strained  every  nerve  to  reach  a  large 
herd  at  the  foot  ot  the  hills,  about  two  miles 
distant ;  but  first  one,  and  then  another,  and 
another  wolt  joined  in  the  chase,  until  his 
pursuers  amounted  to  twenty  or  thirty,  and 
they  ran  him  down  before  he  could  reach  his 
friends.  There  were  a  few  bulls  near  the 
place,  and  one  of  them  attacked  the  wolves, 
and  tried  to  rescue  him ;  but  was  driven  oil' 
immediately,  and  the  little  animal  fell  an 
easy  prey,  half  devoured  before  he  was  dead. 
We  watched  the  chase  with  the  interest  al- 
ways felt  for  the  weak ;  and  liad  there  been 
a  saddled  horse  at  hand,  he  would  have  fared 
better.    Leaving  camp,  our  road   soon  ap- 

f>roached  the  hifls,  in  which  strata  of  a  marl 
ike  that  of  the  Chimney  rock,  hereafter  de- 
scribed, make  their  appearance.  It  is  proba- 
bly of  this  rock  that  the  hills  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Platte,  a  little  below  the  junction, 
are  composed,  and  which  are  worked  by  the 
winds  and  rains  into  sharp  peaks  and  cones, 

giving  them,  in  contrast  to  the  surrounding 
tvel  region,  something  of  a  picturesque  ap- 


(icarancc.  We  crossed  this  morning  numc< 
rous  beds  of  the  small  creeks  which,  in  the 
time  of  rains  and  melting  snow,  pour  down 
from  tho  ridge,  bringing  down  with  them  al- 
wavs  great  ipiantities  of  sand  and  gravel, 
whu'hnave  gnidually  raised  their  Iwds  fuur 
to  ten  (eet  above  the  level  of  the  prairie, 
which  tliey  croHH,  making  each  one  of  them 
a  miniature  Po.  Iliiised  in  this  way  alN)V(; 
the  surniundin^r  pniirie,  without  uny  bank, 
the  long  yellow  and  winding  lino  of  their 
beds  rt'seniblfs  a  causeway  from  the  liills  to 
the  river.  Many  npots  on  tho  prairie  arc 
yellow  with  siMitlitwer  {heliuiithus). 

As  wo  were  riding  slowly  along  this  after- 
noon, clouds  of  dust  in  tho  ravines,  among 
tho  hills  to  tho  right,  suddenly  attracted  our 
attention,  and  in  a  few  minutes  column  alter 
column  of  bufiulo  came  galloping  down, 
making  directly  to  the  river.  Ily  the  time 
the  leading  herds  had  roacliiu   ho  water,  the 

frairie  was  darkened  with  the  uenso  masses, 
mmcdiately  before  us,  wiiou  the  bands  first 
came  down  into  the  valley  slretclied  an  un- 
broken line,  the  head  of  which  was  lost 
among  tlie  river  hills  on  tlu;  opposite  side  ; 
and  still  they  |ioured  down  from  the  ridge  on 
our  right.  From  hill  to  hill,  tlie  prairie  bot- 
tom was  certainly  not  less  than  two  miles 
wide ;  and,  allowing  tlio  animals  to  be  ten 
feet  apart,  and  only  ten  in  a  line,  there  were 
already  eleven  thousand  in  view.  Some 
idea  may  thus  be  formed  of  their  numiier 
when  they  had  occupied  the  whole  plain. 
In  a  short  time  they  surrounded  us  on  every 
side ;  extending  for  several  miles  in  the  rear, 
and  forward  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  -, 
leaving  around  us,  as  wc  advanced,  an  open 
space  of  only  two  or  three  hundred  yards. 
This  movement  of  the  buffalo  indicated  to 
us  the  presence  of  Indians  on  the  north 
fork. 

I  halted  earlier  than  usual,  about  forty 
miles  from  the  junction,  and  all  hands  were 
soon  busily  engaged  in  preparing  a  feast  to 
celebrate  the  day.  The  kindness  of  our 
friends  at  St.  Louis  had  provided  us  with  a 
large  supply  of  excellent  preserves  and  rich 
fruit  cake ;  and  when  these  were  added  to  a 
maccaroni  soup,  and  variously  prepared  dish- 
es of  the  choicest  bufialo  meat,  crowned 
with  a  cup  of  coifee.  and  enjoyed  with  prai- 
rie appetite,  w^e  felt,  as  we  sat  in  barbaric 
luxury  around  our  smoking  supper  on  the 
grass,  a  greater  sensation  of  enjoyment  than 
tho  Roman  epicure  at  his  perfumed  feast. 
But  most  of  all  it  seemed  to  please  our  In- 
dian friends,  who,  in  the  unrestrained  enjoy- 
ment of  the  moment,  demanded  to  know  if 
our  "  medicine  days  came  oflen."  No  re- 
Btramt  was  exercised  at  the  hospitable  board, 
and,  to  the  great  delight  of  his  elders,  our 
young  Indian  lad  made  himself  extremely 
drunk. 


[184a. 

m\ing  nume* 
vhicli,  ill  tho 
V,  pour  duwii 
^itli  tiiein  al- 
and frravcl, 
3ir  l)od!*  four 

tlio  prairie, 
one  iif  tlitMii 
H  way  alH)vo 
It  uiiy  l)Hiik, 
line  uf  their 
I  the  hilla  to 

prairie  arc 
m). 

ig  this  aftcr- 
inca,  among 
ttracted  our 
;oluinn  after 

[ling  down, 
Jy  llic  time 
e  water,  tliu 
use  inasHeB. 
i  bandei  Hrst 
ched  an  un- 
:h  wud  Io»t 
posite  side ; 
the  ridge  on 
prairie  bot- 

two  niilcR 
Is  to  he  ten 
there  were 
!W.  Home 
eir  iiuinijer 
hole  plHJii. 
IS  o'l  every 
in  the  roar, 
>uld  reach  ; 
;d,  an  open 
Ired  yards, 
idicated  to 

the  north 

bout  forty 
ands  were 
a  feast  to 
38  of  our 
us  with  a 
3  and  ricli 
added  to  a 
mred  dish- 

crownc'l 
with  prai- 

barbaric 
er  on  the 
ment  than 
ned  feast. 
30  our  In- 
led  enjoy- 
»  know  if 
No  re- 
>le  board, 
ders,  our 
atremely 


1849.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARR.\T1VK. 


II 


Our  encampment  \v,\»  within  a  few  iiiiles 
of  tho  place  whore  the  lond  crosses  to  tho 
north  fork,  and  various  reasons  led  me  to  di- 
vide my  party  at  this  point.  The  north  fork 
was  tho  principal  object  of  my  survey ;  but 
I  was  denirous  to  ascend  the  south  branch, 
with  a  view  of  obtaining  some  astronomical 
positidUH,  and  determining  the  mouths  of  its 
tributaries  as  far  as  St.  \  rain's  fort,  estimat- 
ed to  be  some  two  hundred  miles  further  up 
tho  river,  and  near  to  Ijong's  peak.  There 
i  hoped  to  obtain  some  mules,  which  I  found 
would  1)0  necessary  to  relieve  my  horses.  In  i 
military  point  of  view,  F  was  desirous  to  form 
Bomc  opinion  of  the  country  relative  'o  the  es- 
tablishment of  posts  on  a  line  conntctingthc 
settlements  with  the  south  pass  of  the 
Rocky  mountains,  liy  way  of  tiie  Arkansas 
and  tho  south  and  Laramie  forks  of  tho 
i'latte.  Crossiii"  tiie  country  northwest- 
wardly from  St.  Vrain's  fort,  to  the  Ameri- 
can company's  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the  La- 
ramie, would  give  me  some  acquaintance 
with  the  nfHucnts  which  head  in  the  moun- 
tains between  tho  two ;  I  therefore  deter- 
mined to  net  out  the  next  morning,  accompa- 
nied by  Mr.  Preuss  and  four  men,  Maxwell, 
Bernier,  Ayot,  and  Basil  Lajeunesso.  Our 
Cheyennes,  whose  village  lay  up  this  river, 
also  decided  to  accompany  us.  The  party  I 
left  in  chiiryi'  of  (Element  Lambert,  with  or- 
ders to  cross  to  the  north  fork ;  and  at  some 
convenient  place,  near  to  the  Coulie  des 
Frtnci^,  make  a  cache  of  everything  not  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  tho  further  progress 
of  our  expedition.  From  this  point,  using 
the  most  guanicd  precaution  in  his  march 
through  the  country,  he  was  to  proceed  to 
tho  American  company's  fort  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Ijiramie's  fork,  and  await  my  arrival, 
which  would  be  prior  to  the  16th,  as  on  that 
and  the  following  night  would  occur  some 
occtiltations  which  I  was  desirous  to  obtain 
at  that  place. 

July  6. — Before  breakfast  all  was  ready. 
We  had  one  led  horse  in  addition  to  those 
V  de,  and  a  packed  mule,  destined  to  car- 
ry our  instruments,  provisions,  and  baggage  ; 
the  last  two  articles  hot  being  of  very  great 
weight.  ')  he  instruments  consisted  of  a 
sextant,  artificial  horizon,  &c.,  a  barometer, 
spy  glass,  and  compass.  The  chronometer  I 
of  course  kept  on  my  person,  I  had  ordered 
the  cook  to  put  up  for  us  some  flour,  coffee, 
and  sugar,  and  our  rifles  were  to  furnish  the 
rest.  One  blanket,  in  addition  to  his  saddle 
and  saddle  blanket,  furnished  the  materials 
for  each  man's  bod,  and  every  one  was  pro- 
vided with  a  change  of  linen.  All  were 
armed  with  rifles  or  double  barrelled  guns ; 
and,  in  addition  to  these,  Maxwell  and  my- 
self were  famished  with  excellent  pistols. 
Thus  accoutred,  we  took  a  parting  breakfast 
with  our  friends,  and  set  forth. 


Our  joiirni'y  the  first  day  iiffDrdid  nothing 
of  any  iiitercHf.  We  shot  a  bufllilo  toward 
sunset,  and  having  obtained  some  meat  for 
our  evening  meal,  encamped  where  a  little 
timber  aflorded  us  the  means  of  making  a 
tire.  Having  disposed  our  moat  on  roasting 
sticks,  we  proceeded  to  unpack  our  bales  in 
search  of  coiTeo  and  siigur,  and  flour  for 
bread.  With  tho  exception  of  a  little  parch- 
ed colFce,  unground,  we  found  nothing.  Our 
cook  had  neglected  to  put  it  up,  or  it  had 
been  somehow  forgotten.  Tireil  and  hun- 
gry, with  tough  bull  meat  without  salt  (for 
we  had  not  been  ablo  to  kill  a  cow),  and  a 
little  bitter  coffee,  wo  sat  down  in  silence  to 
our  miserable  fare,  a  very  disconsolate  narty  ; 
for  yesterday's  feast  was  yet  fre.sh  in  our 
memories,  and  this  was  our  Hrst  brush  with 
misfortune.  Each  man  took  his  blanket, 
and  laid  himself  down  silently  ;  for  the  worst 
part  of  these  mishaps  is,  that  they  make 
people  ill-humored.  To-day  wo  had  travel- 
led about  thirty-six  miles. 

July  6. — Finding  that  our  present  excur- 
sion would  be  attended  with  considerable 
hardship,  and  unwilling  to  expose  more  per- 
sons than  necessary,  I  determined  to  send 
Mr.  Preuss  back  to  the  party.  His  horse, 
too,  appeared  in  no  condition  to  support  tho 
journey ;  and  accordingly,  after  breakfast, 
lie  took  the  road  across  the  hills,  attended 
by  one  of  my  most  trusty  men,  Bernier.  The 
ridge  between  the  rivers  is  here  about  fifteen 
miles  broad,  and  I  expected  he  would  proba- 
bly strike  the  fork  near  their  evening  camp. 
At  all  events  ho  would  not  fail  to  find  their 
trail,  and  rejoin  them  the  ne.xt  day. 

We  continued  our  journey,  seven  in  num- 
ber, including  the  three  Cfheyennes.  Our 
general  course  was  southwestj'up  tho  valley 
of  the  river,  which  was  sandy,  bordered  on 
the  northern  side  of  the  valley  by  a  low 
ridge  ;  and  on  the  south,  after  seven  or  eight 
miles,  the  river  hills  became  higher.  Six 
miles  from  our  resting  place  we  crossed  the 
bed  of  a  considerable  stream,  now  entirely 
dry — a  bed  of  sand.  In  a  grove  of  willows, 
near  the  mouth,  were  the  remains  of  a  con- 
siderable fort,  constructed  of  trunks  of  largo 
trees  It  was  apparently  very  old,  and  had 
probably  been  the  scene  of  some  hostile  en- 
counter among  the  roving  tribes.  Its  soli- 
tude formed  an  impressive  contrast  to  the 
picture  which  our  imaginations  involunta- 
rily drew  of  the  busy  scene  which  had  been 
enacted  here.  The  timber  appeared  to  have 
been  much  more  extensive  formerly  than 
now.  There  were  but  few  trees,  a  kind  of 
long-leaved  willow,  standing ;  and  numerous 
trunks  of  large  treep  were  scattered  about 
on  the  ground.  In  many  similar  places  I 
had  occasion  to  remark  an  apparent  progres- 
sive decay  in  the  timber.  'Ten  miles  far- 
ther we  reached  the  month  of  Lodge  Pols 


16 


CAPT.  FUKMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1849 


'i 


i  • 


creek,  a  clear  ami  hamliiomo  wtrram,  rim- 
ning  thrniigh  a  broad  valley.  In  its  roiirro 
throii^'li  tiio  bottom  it  ban  a  iinirorin  breadth 
ol  twi  iity-lwo  I'wt,  and  cix  inches  in  depth. 
A  few  willimi  on  llu*  iHiiika  vtrike  |ilpaHaril- 
ly  on  tbf  (•)•»',  by  llu'ir  preennons,  in  the 
niidxt  ot  llii>  hot  niid  Imrrvn  nandii. 

The  amiir/litt  wiih  fri'»iuent  amonfr  the 
ravinri),  but  the  »unfl«)wcr  (hrlianthuii)  wan 
the  rburnctoribtic  ;  and  llowern  of  deep 
warm  colon*  Koem  inont  to  lovo  the  nandy 
Hoii.  The  impre!<Hion  of  the  country  trivolb'd 
over  toHJuy  was  one  of  dry  and  barren  nandM. 
VVo  turned  in  towardi  the  river  at  noon, 
and  gave  our  horeea  two  hourn  for  fo«Kl  and 
rent.  I  had  no  other  thermometer  tbiiii  the 
one  attached  to  the  barometer,  which  nlood 
at  89°,  the  height  of  tiio  column  in  the  ba- 
n)meter  Iwing  26.5236  at  meridian.  T  lo  sky 
was  clear,  with  a  high  wind  from  the  Houth. 
At  U,  we  continued  our  journey  ;  the  wind 
liad  mcMlcratcd,  and  it  jjccame  HlrnoHt  uncFi- 
durably  hot,  and  our  animals  8u(1i.>red  severe- 
,'y.  In  the  course  of  the  afteri;oun,  tJio  wind 
ro8C  suddenly,  and  blew  hard  from  tlie  south- 
west,  with  thunder  and  lightning,  and  squallit 
of  rain ;  these  were  blown  against  us  with 
violence  by  the  wind ;  and,  halting,  wc 
turned  our  backs  to  the  storm  until  it  blew 
over.  Antelope  were  tolerably  frequent, 
with  a  large  grey  hare  ;  but  the  former  wore 
ahy,  and  the  fatter  hardly  worth  the  delay  of 
stopping  to  shoot  them  ;  so,  as  the  evening 
drew  near,  we  again  had  recourse  to  an  old 
bull,  and  encamped  at  sunset  on  un  island  in 
the  Platte. 

We  ate  our  meat  with  a  good  relish  this 
evening,  for  we  were  all  in  imc  health,  and 
had  ridden  nearly  all  of  a  long  summer's 
day,  with  a  burning  sun  reflected  from  the 
sands.  My  companions  slept  rolled  up  in 
iheir  blankets,  and  the  Indians  lay  in  the 
grass  near  the  fire  *,  but  my  sleeping  place 
generally  bad  an  air  of  more  pretension. 
Our  rifles  were  tied  together  near  the  muz- 
zle, the  butts  resting  on  the  ground,  and  a 
knife  laid  on  the  rope,  to  cut  away  in  case 
of  an  alarm.  Over  this,  which  made  a  kind 
of  frame,  was  thrown  a  large  India  rubber 
cloth,  which  we  used  to  cover  our  packs. 
This  made  a  tent  sufliciently  large  to  receive 
about  half  of  my  bed,  and  was  a  place  of 
shelter  for  my  instruments ;  and  as  I  was 
careful  always  to  put  this  part  against  the 
wind,  I  could  lie  here  with  a  sensation  of 
satislied  enjoyment,  and  hear  the  wind  blow, 
and  the  rain  patter  close  to  my  head,  and 
know  that  I  should  be  at  least  half  dry. 
Certainly  I  never  slept  more  soundly.  The 
barometer  at  sunset  was  26.010,  thermome- 
ter Si",  and  cloudy :  but  a  gale  from  the 
west  sprang  up  with  the  setting  sun,  and 
in  a  few  mmutes  swept  away  every  cloud 
from  the  sky.    The  evening  was  very  fine, 


and  I  remained  up  lo  take  some  astronomi- 
cal oliHcnutions,  which  made  our  position 
in  latitude  •IU<' 61'  17",  and  longitude  103* 
07'  00". 

Jiilu  7. — At  our  camp  this  morning,  at  C 
oVIiMK,  the  buromoter  was  at  !i6  1M3,  ther- 
mometer 60°,  and  clear,  with  a  light  wind 
from  the  Boutlnvest.  The  pant  niuht  bud 
been  8(|uallv,  with  high  windi«,  and  occasion- 
ally a  few  drops  of  ruin.  Our  cooking  did 
not  (M'cupy  nincli  lime,  and  wo  I'Mt  cnmp 
early.  Nothing  of  interest  occurred  during 
the  morning.  The  siimo  dreary  bnrronness, 
except  that  a  linrd  nuirly  clay  imd  replacc'l 
the  Hiindy  foil.  IluHalo absolutely  covered  the 
plain  on  lN>th  sidcH  the  river,  and  whenever 
wo  ascended  the  liillti,  scattered  herds  gave 
lite  to  the  view  in  every  direction.  A  small 
drove  of  wild  lior8eit  made  their  appenranco 
on  the  low  river  bottoms,  a  mile  or  two  to 
the  leK,  and  I  cent  olV  une  o.  the  Indians 
(who  seemed  very  eager  to  cut .  (i  one)  on  my 
led  horse,  u  spirited  and  fleet  animal.  Tho 
savage  muniruvrcd  a  littlo  to  get  the  wind 
of  the  hordes,  in  which  he  succeeded — ap- 
proaching within  a  hundred  yards  without 
wing  discovered.  The  chase  lor  a  few 
minutes  was  interetiting.  My  hunter  easily 
overtook  and  (uiiised  the  hindmoht  of  the  wild 
drove,  which  the  Indian  did  not  attempt  to 
lasso;  all  his  eflR<rt8  being  directed  to  tho 
capture  of  the  leader.  But  the  strength  of 
the  horse,  weakened  by  the  insuflicient  nour- 
ishment of  grass,  failed  in  a  race,  anii  all  the 
drove  escaped.  Wc  halted  at  noon  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  the  barometer  at  that  time 
being  26.102,  and  the  thermometer  103'^, 
with  a  light  air  from  the  south,  and  clear 
weather. 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon,  dust  rising 
among  the  hills  at  a  particular  ilace,  at- 
tracted our  attention ;  and,  riding  up,  wc 
found  a  band  of  eighteen  or  twenty  bufialo 
bulls  engaged  in  a  desperate  fight.  Though 
butting  and  goring  were  bestowed  liberally, 
and  without  distinction,  yet  their  efl'orts  were 
evidently  directed  against  one — a  huge  gaunt 
old  bull,  very  lean,  while  his  adversaries 
were  all  fat  and  in  good  order.  lie  appeared 
very  weak,  and  had  already  received  some 
wounds,  and,  while  we  were  looking  on,  was 
several  times  knocked  down  and  badly  hurt, 
and  a  very  few  moments  would  have  put  an 
end  to  him.  Of  course,  we  took  the  side  of 
the  weaker  party,  and  attacked  the  herd ;  but 
they  were  so  blind  with  rage,  that  they 
fought  on,  utterly  regardless  of  our  presence, 
although  on  foot  and  on  horseback  we  were 
firing  m  open  view  within  twenty  yards  of 
them.  But  thia  did  not  last  long.  In  a  very 
few  seconds,  we  created  a  commotion  among 
them.  One  or  two,  which  were  knocked 
over  by  the  balls,  jumped  up  ind  ran  off  into 
the  hills ;  and  they  began.  tQ  iptreat  alowlj 


n1 

h( 

»l| 

Hll 
h{ 
ill 

tc 

wl 

hd 

on 

bil 

tu 

til 


[164a 

ne  astronomi- 
our  position 
ngiiuilc  103* 

lorninjf,  at  6 
iti  1H3,  ther- 

liffllt    Willi/ 

niuht  Imii 
11(1  nccuHion. 
cookiiif,'  did 

0  l"tl  cnmp 
rrcd  during 
bfirrt'iinoBH, 

iiid  roplftcc'J 
'  covcit'd  the 
J  whenever 
herds  (fave 
'^-     A  Rinull 
«|»pcaranco 
'  or  two  to 
tliu  Iiidiiiiid 
one)  on  my 
imul.     The 
t  tlio  wind 
pcdod — nf)- 
■df  without 
lor  a   few 
nt»>r  canily 
of  the  wild 
attempt  to 
ted  to  the 
treii^tii  of 
cient  noiir- 
anJ  all  the 
on  on  the 
t  tliat  time 
otor  103", 
and  clear 

lust  rising 
ilaro,  at- 
igr  <ip,  we 
ty  buffalo 

Though 

liberally, 
Forte  were 
iige  gaunt 
Ivcrsaries 
appeared 
t'ed  some 
g  on,  was 
idly  hurt, 
e  put  an 
e  side  of 
»erd ;  but 
hat  they 
Jresence, 
we  were 
yards  of 
In  a  very 
n  among 

1  off  into 
t  alowlj 


1843. 


CAPT.  FRKMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


IV 


along  a  broad  ravine  to  the  river,  fighting 
furiously  as  thoy  went.  Hy  the  time  thev 
had  reached  the  tmttom,  we  had  pretty  well 
disncrRcd  them,  and  the  old  bull  hobbled  off 
to  lie  down  somewhere.  One  of  his  enemies 
remained  on  the  ground  where  we  had  firHt 
Hred  uixin  them,  and  we  Htopped  there  for  a 
short  tune  to  cut  fn»ni  him  some  meat  fr)r  our 
Hupper.  Wo  had  neglected  to  Hecuro  our 
horneN,  thinking  it  an  uinieccsHary  precaution 
in  their  fatigued  condition ;  but  our  mule 
took  it  into  nin  head  to  start,  and  away  he 
went,  followed  at  full  speed  by  the  pack 
liorHe,  with  all  the  baggage  and  inntrumenls 
on  his  back.  They  were  recovered  and 
brought  back,  after  a  chafie  of  a  mile.  For- 
tunately, everything  was  well  secured,  no 
that  nothing,  not  even  the  barometer,  was  in 
the  least  injured. 

The  sun  was  getting  low,  and  some  nar- 
row lines  of  timl)er  fcur  or  live  mil<!3  distant 
promised  us  a  pleasunt  ciiinp,  where,  with 
plenty  of  wood  for  (ire,  and  comfortable  shel- 
ter, and  rich  grass  for  our  animals,  we  should 
find  clear  cool  sprinifs,  instead  of  the  warm 
water  of  the  Platte.  On  our  arrival,  we 
found  the  bod  of  a  stroatn  fifty  to  one  hun- 
dred feet  wide,  sunk  soinn  thirty  feet  below 
the  level  of  the  prairie,  w  ith  perpendicular 
banks,  bordered  by  n  fringe  of  green  cotton- 
wootl,  but  not  a  drop  of  water.  There  were 
several  small  forks  to  tlie  stream,  all  in  the 
same  condition  With  the  e.vception  of  the 
Platte  bottom,  the  cotmtry  seemed  to  be  of  a 
clay  formation,  dry,  and  perfectly  devoid  of 
any  moisture,  and  baked  hard  by  the  sun. 
Turning  off  towards  the  river,  we  reached  the 
bank  in  about  a  mile,  and  were  delighted  to 
find  an  old  tree,  with  thick  foliage  and 
spreading  branches,  where  we  encamped. 
At  sunset,  the  barometer  was  at  25.950, 
thermometer  81°,  with  a  strong  wind  fromS. 
20®  E.,  and  the  sky  partially  covered  with 
heavy  masses  of  cloud,  which  settled  a  little 
towards  the  horizon  by  10  o'clock,  leaving  it 
sufficiently  clear  for  astronomical  ob.=erva- 
tions,  which  placed  us  in  latitude  40°  33'  20", 
and  longitude  103"  30'  37". 

July  8. — The  morning  was  very  pleasant. 
The  breeze  was  fresh  from  S.  .50°  E.  with 
few  clouds;  the  barometer  at  0  o'clock  stand- 
itig  at  25.970,  and  the  thermometer  at  70°. 
Hiiicc  leaving  the  forks,  our  route  had  p.issed 
over  a  country  alternately  clay  and  sand, 
each  presenting  the  same  naked  waste.  On 
leaving  camp  this  morning,  we  struck  again 
a  sandy  region,  in  which  the  vegetation  ap- 
peared somewhat  more  vigorous  than  that 
which  we  had  observed  for  tne  last  few  days ; 
and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  were 
some  tolerably  la'rge  groves  of  timber. 

Journeying  along,  we  came  suddenly  upon 
a  place  where  the  ground  was  covered  with 
horses'  tracks,  which  had  been  made  since 


the  rain,  and  indicated  the  immediate  pros- 
ence  of  Indians  in  our  neighborhiuMl.  The 
bufrnio,  too,  which  the  day  iHjforo  had  been  so 
numerous,  were  nowhere  in  sight— another 
sure  indication  that  there  were  |)eoplo  near. 
Riding  on,  wo  discovered  the  carcass  of  a 
butliilo  recently  killed — perhaps  the  day  be- 
fore.  We  scanned  the  horizon  carefully 
with  the  glass,  but  no  living  object  was  to  be 
seen.  For  the  ne.vt  mile  or  two,  the  ground 
was  dotted  with  biitfilo  carcasses,  which 
showed  tliat  the  Indians  had  made  a  surround 
here,  ami  were  in  considerable  force.  We 
went  on  quickly  and  cautiously,  keening  the 
river  lK)ftom,  and  carefully  avoiding  liio  hills ; 
but  we  met  with  no  interruption,  and  began 
(o  grow  careless  again.  We  had  already 
lost  one  of  our  horses,  niid  here  Rasii's  mule 
sh  ,»e(l  Hyinptoms  of  <.'iving  out,  and  finally 
refused  toadvanc-\lMing  what  the  Canadians 
call  r^N//.  lie  therefore  dismounted,  and 
drove  her  along  before  him;  but  this  was  a 
very  slow  way  of  travelling.  We  hsd  inad- 
verteiitly  got  about  half  a  mile  in  advance, 
but  our  Cheyennes,  who  were  generally  a 
mile  or  two  iii  the  rear,  remained  with  him. 
There  were  some  dark-looking  objects  among 
tlie  hills,  about  two  miles  to  f lie  left,  here  low 
and  undulating,  which  wo  had  seen  for  a 
little  time,  and  supposed  to  lie  buffalo  coming 
in  to  water:  but,  happening  to  lookliehind. 
Maxwell  saw  the  Cheyennes  whipping  up 
furiously,  and  another  glance  at  the  dark 
objects  showed  them  at  once  to  bo  Indians 
coming  up  at  speed. 

Had  we  been  well  mounted,  and  disen- 
cumbered of  instruments,  we  might  have  set 
them  at  defiance ;  but  as  it  was,  we  were 
fairly  caught.  It  was  too  late  to  rejoin  our 
friends,  and  we  endeavored  to  gain  a  clump 
of  timber  about  half  a  mile  ahead;  but  the 
instruments  and  the  tired  state  of  our  horses 
did  not  allow  us  to  go  faster  than  a  steady 
canter,  and  they  were  gaining  on  us  fast. 
At  first,  they  did  not  appear  to  be  more  than 
fiileen  or  twenty  in  numlwr,  but  group  afler 
group  darted  into  view  at  the  top  of  the  hills, 
until  all  the  little  eminences  seemed  in  mo- 
tion, and,  in  a  few  minutes  from  the  time 
they  were  first  discovered,  two  or  three  hun- 
dred, naked  to  the  breech  cloth,  were  sweep- 
ing across  the  prairie.  In  a  few  hundred 
yards  we  discovered  that  the  timber  we  were 
endeavoring  to  make  was  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river ;  and  before  we  could  reach 
the  bunk,  down  came  the  Indians  upon  us. 

I  am  inclined  to  think  that  in  a  few  sec- 
onds more  the  leading  man,  and  perhapa 
some  of  his  companions,  would  have  rolled 
in  the  dust ;  for  we  had  jerked  the  coven 
from  our  guns,  and  our  fingers  were  on  the 
triggers;  men  in  such  cases  generally  act 
from  instinct,  and  a  charge  from  three  hun- 
dred naked  savages  is  a  circumstance  not 


18 


CAIT.  FRKMONT'H  NARRATIVE. 


[1843. 


1 


0 

i 

'■i 


IH 


1^ 


well  c»Ic»iIi»1«hI  ti>  prj)mot«'  a  c«k»I  pxpn-im'  of 

iiulgment.  JiiM.  mi  ho  wtn  about  to  tin*, 
luxwrli  rocnffiiizod  the  londin|;  Imliuii,  ■ml 
■lioiitfHl  t(»  him  in  the  liidinii  lan(;iiii)n*> 
"  You'ro  a  lool,  (i —  ilHinii  yoii,  don't  von 
know  me  ?"  'I'ho  t>oiiiid  o(  \m  own  fiin- 
Kiiii(fC  HiMMned  to  xliiH'k  tlip  Kuvit)fi\  and, 
iiwiTvin;?  Iiin  horK«'  a  littlo,  ho  pn:<!icd  ui*  like 
an  arrow,  lie  wIiim'UmI,  n»  I  nnli'  out  toward 
him,  and  (fnvo  me  hi.-*  hiuul,  ntrikiii;;  Imh 
brooMf  luid  oxclaiiniiig  "  .\m|w»li6  I"  T!i«»y 
prnvo<|  Id  Ik*  n  villi«)»o  ot"  ihHt  MHtion,  Hmonjf 
whom  Mnxwt'll  Imd  roMidi'd  iih  a  tn«d«*rtt  your 
or  two  previonHJy,  and  roi'oijniiod  him  nr- 
cordinply.  Wo  wore  wv)n  in  llic  inidnl  of 
llio  l>anu,  niiKWi.'rinjj  as  woll  n«  wo  ooiild  a 
innltitiidp  of  rjuoRtionH ;  of  which  the  vory 
first  was,  (»f  what  trilx-  wore  our  Indian  roin- 
panionfl  who  wore  cominjr  in  tho  roar .'  Thoy 
ijoomed  diNi«ppoiiitc«l  t(»  know  that  thoy  won' 
Chcyennon,  for  thoy  hail  fully  antiriptod  a 
(fraud  danco  around  ii  Pawnoc  nculp  t  hat  nijrht. 
The  chief  .sliowod  us  his  villiipo  at  a  grove 
on  the  river  si.x  niilc«  ahoad,  and  pointed  out 
a  band  of  biiflulo  on  the  otiier  nide  of  the 
IMatto,  immediately  oppo.sito  no,  which  he 
said  they  were  poing  to  surround,  Tl>ey  had 
seen  the  Imnd  early  in  the  morning  from  ttieir 
village,  and  hwl  l)ecn  making  a  large  cirou it, 
to  avoid  givinc  them  the  wind,  wl>on  thoy 
discovered  us.  Ii.a  few  minutes  the  woiih'ii 
came  galloping  up,  astride  on  their  horses, 
and  nuked  from  lieir  knees  down,  and  the 
hips  up.  Thoy  Udlowod  the  men,  to  assiut 
in  ctifting  np  and  carryinjr  off  tho  moat. 

The  wind  was  blowing  direclly  across  tlic 
river,  and  the  chief  reqiiosted  nsto  halt  whore 
we  were  for  awhile,  in  order  to  avoid  rai.>*ing 
the  herd.  We  therefore  unsaddletl  our  horses, 
and  eat  down  on  the  Ixink  to  view  the  scene ; 
and  our  new  acquaintances  rodo  a  few  hun- 
dred yards  lower  down,  and  began  crossing 
the  river.  Scores  of  wild-looking  dogs  fol- 
lowed, looking  like  troops  of  wolves,  and 
having,  in  fact,  but  very  little  of  the  dog  in 
their  composition.  Some  of  them  remained 
with  us,  and  I  checked  one  of  tho  men,  wliom 
I  found  aiming  at  one,  which  he  was  about  to 
kill  for  a  wolt;  The  day  had  Iwcome  very 
hot.  The  air  was  clear,  with  a  very  slight 
breeze  ;  and  now,  at  12  o'clock,  while  the  ba- 
rometer stood  at  25.920,  the  attached  thermo- 
meter was  at  lOS".  OurCheyenne^  had  learn- 
ned  that  with  the  Arapaho  village  were  about 
twenty  lodges  of  theirown,  including theirown 
families  ;  they  therefore  immediately  com- 
menced making  their  toilette.  After  bathing  in 
the  river,  they  invested  themselves  in  some 
handsome  calico  shirts,  which  I  afterward 
learned  they  had  stolen  from  my  own  men,  and 
spent  some  time  in  arranging  their  hair  and 
painting  themselves  with  some  vermilion  I 
had  ^iven  them.  While  they  were  engaged 
in  this  satisfactory  manner,one  of  their  half- 


wild  homes,  to  which  the  cnmd  of  prancing 
nnimiils  which  had  jiiNt  paMMod  had  recallod 
tho  treodom  of  hor  p.vistonce  among  the  wild 
droves  on  the  prairio,  suddenly  dashed  into 
tho  hillt  at  the  top  of  her  speed.  She  wi« 
their  pack  horse,  and  had  on  hor  back  all  thn 
worldly  wealth  of  our  noor  (.'hoyeniioH,  all 
llioir  accoiitremcntH,  anil  all  the  little  articles 
which  thoy  had  picked  u|)  among  us,  with 
Noine  few  prosents  I  had  given  them.  Tho 
loss  which  thoy  seomod  to  n'grel  nn)>t  wore 
llioir  H|)oars  and  shiolils,  und  mmiio  tobacco 
which  thoy  had  received  from  mo.  However, 
they  l)oro  it  all  with  the  philosophy  of  an  In- 
dinn,  and  laughingly  continued  llieir  toilette. 
Thoy  appeared,  however,  a  little  mortified  at 
the  (lioiight  of  returning  to  tho  village  in  such 
a  sorry  iilight.  "  Our  |)eople  will  laugh  at 
us,"  said  oi!L»  of  them,  "  returning  to  the  vil- 
la;|o  on  f«)«>t,  instead  of  driving  buck  a  drove 
of  Pawnee  horses."  lie  demanded  tu  know 
if  1  loved  my  sorrel  hunter  very  much  ;  to 
which  I  replied,  he  was  the  object  of  my 
most  intense  aflection.  Far  from  being  aide 
to  give,  I  was  ntyself  in  want  of  horses;  and 
any  suggestion  of  parting  with  the  few  I  had 
valuable,  was  met  with  a  (Msremptory  refusal. 
In  the  meantime,  the  slaughter  was  about  to 
commence  on  the  other  side.  So  soon  as 
thoy  reached  it,  tho  Indians  separated  into 
two  bodies.  One  party  proceeded  directly 
across  the  prairio,  towanu  the  hills,  in  an 
extended  line,  while  the  other  went  np  tlx 
river ;  and  instantly  as  they  had  given  the 
wind  to  tho  herd,  the  chase  cuminenced.  Tiu 
buflklo  s»artod  for  the  hills,  but  were  inter 
ce|)tcd  and  driven  back  toward  tho  river 
broken  and  running  in  every  direction.  Th« 
clouds  of  dust  soon  covered  the  whole  aceno 
preventing  us  from  having  any  but  an  occa 
.'^ional  view.  It  had  a  very  singular  appear 
ancc  to  us  at  a  distance,  especially  \vhc» 
looking  with  the  glass.  Wc  were  too  far  U, 
hear  the  report  of  the  guns,  or  any  sound , 
and  at  every  instant,  through  the  clouds  of 
dust,  which  the  sun  made  luminous,  wc  could 
see  for  a  moment  two  or  tliree  buft'alo  dushins 
along,  and  close  behind  them  an  Indian  with 
his  long  spear,  or  other  weapon,  and  instantlr 
again  tliey  disappeared.  The  apparent  et- 
lence,  and  the  dimly  seen  figures  flitting  by 
with  such  rapidity,  gave  it  a  kind  of  dreamy 
eftcct,and  seemed  more  like  a  picture  than  a 
scene  of  real  life.  It  had  been  a  large  herd 
when  the  ceme  commenced,  probably  three 
or  four  hundred  in  number  ;  but,  though  I 
watched  them  closely,  I  did  not  see  one 
emerge  from  the  fatal  cloud  where  the  work 
of  destruction  was  going  on.  After  remain 
ing  here  about  an  hour,  we  resumed  our 
journey  in  the  direction  ot  the  village. 

Graduc'.y,  as  we  rode  op.  ludian  after  In- 
dian came  dropping  along,  44an  with  meat ; 
and  by  the  time  we  hwi  '/ixd  the  lodges, 


% 


'  of  prune iiiff 
Imd  n>coll«>d 
Kmg  the  wild 
•IhkIicJ  iiiui 
i.     Nlio  wn 
'  back  (ill  tim 
oyoiiiiDH,  all 
little*  iirtjcloii 
"»ff  iiH,  with 
il"Mn.     'I'ho 

I  inost  W(«ro 
•»«  tobacco 
.  Iluwover, 
hy  of  nri  fii. 
leir  toilette, 
rnortitiod  at 
ago  in  such 

II  lau(;li  at 
',  to  the  vil- 
ick  ft  drove 
B«l  to  know 
much  ;  to 
set  of  my 
Iwing  aljjo 
ornoH ;  and 

few  I  had 
ry  refiiHal. 
H  about  to 

»    Boon    BH 

rati'd  into 
il  directly 
Hh,  in  UM 
'It  np  th( 
fiven  the 
fd.    TJu 
re  inter 
»u  river 
)n.    Thi 
0  accno 
in  coca 
appear 
y  whe» 
w  fark 

sound , 
)uda  of 
'0  couW 
iushing 
in  with 
stantir 
cnt  Bt. 
ing  by 
reanfiy 
than  a 
e  herd 

three 
ugh  I 

*  one 

work 
main 
our 

Jr  In- 
neat; 


1819] 


CAIT.  F11E.M()NT'M  NARRATIVE. 


It 


^^. 


the  J(««'kward  road  wa«  cnvoriMJ  with  llio  m- 
turnin({  horxflintMi.  It  wnH  a  ploHximl  con- 
traitt  with  tliu  dortcrt  roail  wt^  had  Uumi  trav- 
elling. Httvnral  hud  joined  rouiimny  with 
UN,  and  one  of  the  cJiii'lM  invited  hh  to  hii« 
lodge.  The  villag**  miHi.HaMl  of  alKtut  one 
hundred  and  Iwfuly-live  lodgex,  of  which 
Iwi'iity  wore ''hi'yt'nncH  ;  the  latter  pitcliod 
a  littu"  uparf  from  the  AnipulioeH.  'I'licy 
were  diH|»<Med  in  a  Hcattering  nmnnoron  boin 
nidoH  of  a  broiid  irrei^ulur  Mtroct,  atM>ut  one 
hundred  and  fifty  fuct  wide,  and  running 
along  the  river.  Ah  wo  rode  along,  I  re- 
marked near  Koino  of  the  lod^fen  a  kind  of 
tripod  frame,  formed  of  three  alender  poleitof 
hirch,  scraped  very  cleati,  to  which  were 
affixed  the  riliield  and  Hnear,  with  noine  other 
ureiipons  of  a  chief.  All  were  nrruiiuloii^ly 
clean,  the  upear  head  wan  hurniNlied  bright, 
and  the  shield  white  and  Htaiulettrt.  It  re- 
minded mo  of  the  dayit  of  feudal  chivalry  ; 
and  when,  aa  I  rode  by,  I  yielded  to  the  pasH- 
iug  impulru;,  and  toiicliod  one  of  the  rt|M)tle8tt 
Hineldi  with  the  miizzio  of  my  gun,  I  almost 
expected  a  grim  warrior  to  uUrt  from  the 
lodge  and  icHcnt  my  cli.iUenge.  'I'lie  maHter 
of  the  lodge  Hprciid  riut  a  rube  for  mo  to  ait 
upon,  and  the  nquawa  set  before  un  a  la -go 
wiMxlen  dish  of  bullulo  meat.  Ho  had  IJiIh 
ui|)u  in  the  mean  while,  and  when  it  had 
(icen  paxaed  around,  we  c^tinmcnced  our  din- 
ner while  he  cimtinucd  to  nmoke.  Grad- 
ually, five  or  six  other  chiefs  came  in,  and 
look  their  seats  in  Hilence.  When  we  had 
finished,  our  host  asked  a  number  of  ques- 
tions rclativo  to  the  object  of  our  journey,  of 
which  I  nude  no  concealment ;  telling  him 
simply  that  1  had  made  a  visit  to  see  the 
country,  preparatory  to  the  establishment  of 
lailitary  (Kislfl  on  the  way  to  the  mountaius. 
Although  this  was  information  of  the  high- 
est interest  to  Ihem,  and  by  no  means  calcu- 
lated to  please  them,  it  excited  no  expres- 
sion of  surprise,  and  in  no  way  altered  the 
grave  conrtesy  of  their  demeanor.  The 
others  listened  and  smoked.  I  remarked, 
that  io  tiking  tlie  pipe  for  the  first  time, 
each  had  turned  the  stem  upward,  with  u 
rapid  glance,  as  in  offering  to  the  Great 
tSpirit,  before  he  put  it  in  his  mouth.  A 
etorm  had  been  gathering  for  Uie  past  hour, 
and  some  pattering  drops  on  the  lodge 
warned  us  that  we  had  some  miles  to  our 
camp.  Some  Indian  had  given  Maxwell  a 
bundle  of  dried  meat,  which  was  very  ac- 
ceptable, as  we  had  nothing;  and,  springing 
upon  uur  horses,  we  rode  off  at  dusk  in  the 
f.icc  of  a  cold  sliower  and  driving  wind. 
We  found  our  companions  under  some 
densely  foliaged  old  trees,  about  three  miles 
up  tlie  river.  Under  one  of  them  lay  the 
trunk  of  a  large  cotton-wood,  to  leeward  of 
which  the  men  had  kindled  a  fire,  and  we 
aat  here  and  roasted  our  meat  in  tolerable 


shelter.  Nearly  oppo»ife  wan  the  month  of 
one  of  the  most  considerable  aflluents  of  the 
South  fork,  Itt  t'nurche  aux  ('(inlDn  (Beaver 
fork),  heading  ofT  in  the  ridge  to  the  south* 
east. 

July  U. — This  morning  we  caught  the 
first  faint  glinmse  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
alHXit  sixty  miles  distant.  Though  a  t(der- 
ably  bright  day,  there  was  a  slight  mist,  and 
we  were  just  able  to  discern  the  snowy  sum- 
mit of  "  Ixing's  (K>ak"  ("  Ir-s  deux  oreilluM  " 
of  the  ('anadiaiiH),  showing  like  a  small 
cloud  nr>ar  the  horizon.  I  found  it  easily 
distingui-4|iable,  there  being  a  |)orceptible 
dillereuee  in  its  upiH-aranco  from  the  white 
clouds  that  were  floating  aliout  the  sky.  i 
was  plea-ted  to  find  (hat  among  the  traders 
and  voyageurs  the  name  of  "  Long's  peak  " 
had  \teon  adopted  and  l)ec(Hne  familiar  in  the 
country.  In  the  ravines  near  this  place,  a 
light  brown  sandstone  made  ita  first  appear- 
ance. About  8,  we  discerned  several  per- 
sons on  horseback  a  mile  or  two  ahead,  on 
the  op|K)site  side  of  the  river.  They  turned 
in  towards  the  river,  and  we  rode  down  to 
meit  them.  We  found  them  to  bo  two 
white  men,  and  a  mulatt<i  named  Jim  Deck- 
with,  who  had  left  St.  Louis  when  a  boy, 
and  gone  to  live  with  the  Crow  Indians. 
lie  had  distinguished  himself  among  them 
by  some  acts  of  diiring  bravery,  and  had 
risen  to  tlie  rank  of  a  chief,  but  had  now,  fur 
Home  years,  left  them.  They  were  in  search 
of  a  band  of  horses  that  had  gone  olF  from  a 
camp  some  miles  abcvc,  in  charge  of  Jlr. 
Chabonard.  Two  of  them  continued  down 
the  river,  in  search  of  the  horses,  and  the 
American  turned  back  with  us,  and  wo  rode 
on  towards  the  camp.  Abput  eight  mile* 
from  our  sleeping  place  we  reached  Dijon's 
fork,  an  affluent  of^  the  right  bank.  Where 
we  crossed  it,  a  short  distance  from  the 
I*U,tte,  it  hae  a  sandy  bed  about  four  hun- 
dred yards  broad ;  the  water  in  various 
small  streams,  a  few  inches  deep.  Seven 
miles  further  brought  us  to  a  camp  of  some 
four  or  five  whites  (New  Englandcrs,  I  be- 
lieve), who  had  accompanied  Captain  Wyeth 
to  the  Columbia  river,  and  were  independent 
trapiters.  All  had  their  squaws  with  them, 
and  I  was  really  surprised  at  the  number  of 
little  fat  bufHilo-fed  boys  that  were  tumbling 
about  the  camp,  all  apparently  of  the  same 
age,  about  three  or  four  years  old.  They 
were  encamped  on  a  rich  bottom,  covered 
with  a  profusion  of  fine  grass,  and  had  a 
large  number  of  fine-looking  iiorscs  and 
mules.  We  rested  with  them  a  few  min- 
utes, and  in  about  two  miles  arrived  at  Cha- 
bonard*s  camp,  on  an  island  in  the  Platte. 
On  the  heights  above,  we  met  the  first  Span- 
iard I  had  seen  in  the  country.  Mr.  Chabo- 
nard was  in  the  servi'  *  of  Bent  and  St 
Vrain's  company,  and   liad   left  their   fort 


so 


CWT.  rilKMONT'S  NARRATIVK. 


[I84f. 


i 


V' 


■nme  forty  or  fifty  milon  iiJiovi',  in  lln*  uprinij. 
with  boAtii  ladHi)  with  tint  fiirM  of  lli<*  IhhI 
ynar'i  trado.  lie  had  met  the  ■■tn<<  lortiirio 
M  thn  voy«iri'un«  on  thn  North  lork,  mid, 
lh)dini(  it  itii|MiNi«il)l«*  to  proceed,  hud  tiiki'ii 
up  hifl  i«unim«>r'i(  nmidonro  on  thii*  iMlmid, 
which  hfl  had  nnmi'd  St.  ilcliMiii.  Tho 
river  hill*  apiioArrd  to  \n'  roiniKwcd  nitirt'ly 
of  sand,  and  the  I'latto  had  h>Ht  the  niiiddy 
charncti'r  ol  itH  watcrH,  and  hero  wuh  tolrr- 
ably  rli'iir.  From  iho  mouth  of  tlio  Smith 
forK,  I  had  found  it  (MTiiAiDiiiilly  hrokon  up 
by  nmall  iiilandN  ;  and  ut  Iho  tinit^  of  our 
journry,  wliicli  wax  at  a  hcmihoii  of  the  your 
when  tho  waters  were  at  a  fiivorahlo  Htn|re, 
it  wai  not  naviffablo  for  anything'  drawiii); 
•ix  inchcH  water.  The  current  was  very 
iwitt — the  1;  d  of  the  ntrenin  a  coarHe  (jruvel. 

From  the  plaro  at  which  we  had  eiicoiin- 
tPfcd  the  ArapahoeH,  the  I'latte  had  Ihm>ii 
tnloralily  well  frin^red  with  timlier,  and  the 
iaiand  hero  had  a  tine  grove  of  very  lar;re 
cotton-woodi),  under  whtwe  hroad  whade  tlie 
lenta  were  pitched.  There  wa.i  a  hirjje 
drove  of  horriCH  in  the  o|)|xwite  pmirie  bot- 
tom ;  amoke  was  riHing  from  the  xcattcred 
tiren,  and  the  encampment  had  (piitc  a  pa- 
ti'iarciial  air.  Mr.  (.'.  received  us  huHpitii- 
bly.  One  of  the  people  wua  tient  to  gather 
mint,  with  the  aid  of  which  ho  concocted 
very  good  julep;  and  homu  l)oiled  hMlTiilo 
tongue,  and  coffee  with  the  luxury  of  Hiigiir, 
were  soon  set  before  u*.  Tlie  |M'opIe  in  hiH 
employ  were  generally  SimninrdH,  and 
among  them  I  saw  a  young  SihuuhIi  woman 
from  Taos",  whom  I  found  to  Ihj  Beckwith'a 
wife. 

July  10. — We  parted  with  our  hoHpitahie 
ho8t  alter  breakfaat  tho  next  morning,  and 
reached  St.  Vrain'H  Fort,  aljout  forty-live 
miles  from  St.  Helena,  late  in  tho  evening. 
This  post  is  pitiiated  on  the  Sou  *<  fork  of 
the  I'latte,  immediately  under  the  moun- 
tains, altout  seventeen  miles  cast  of  liong's 
peak.  It  is  on  the  right  bank,  on  the  verge 
of  tho  upland  prairie,  about  forty  feet  alwve 
the  river,  of  which  the  immcdintn  valley  is 
about  six  hundred  yardb  wide.  The  Htreain 
is  divided  into  various  branches  by  stniill 
islands,  among  which  it  runs  with  a  swift 
current.  The  bed  of  the  river  is  sand  and 
gravel,  the  water  very  clear,  and  here  may 
be  called  a  mountain  stream.  This  region 
appears  to  be  entirely  free  from  the  lime- 
stones and  marls  which  give  to  the  Lower 
Platte  its  yellow  and  dirty  color.  The  Black 
liijls  lie  between  the  stream  and  the  moun- 
tains, whose  snowy  peaks  glitter  a  few 
milps  beyond.  At  the  fort  we  found  AFr.  St. 
Vrain,  who  received  us  with  much  kindness 
and  hospitality.  Maxwell  had  spent  the  last 
two  or  three  years  between  this  post  and  the 
village  of  Taos ;  and  here  he  was  at  home, 
•nd  among  his  friends.   Spaniards  frequently 


come  over  in  search  of  rmploymoiit ;  and 
Kt'veral  came  in  shortly  after  onr  an-ivai. 
They  usually  obtain  about  aix  dollars  a 
month,  generally  paid  to  them  in  irnnds. 
They  are  very  useful  in  a  camn,  in  taking 
care  of  lionet  and  mules ;  nna  I  engagf  d 
one,  who  proved  to  Im<  an  active,  laborious 
niiin,  and  wbh  of  very  considerahle  aervire 
to  me.  The  elevatiim  of  the  Platte  here  is 
live  thousand  four  hundred  feet  atMivo  Iho 
xea.  The  neighlioriiig  niounta:ns  did  not 
ap|M<nr  to  enter  far  tho  ri'gion  of  |N<r|)otual 
Mnow.  which  was  genenilly  conHne<l  to  tlie 
northern  side  of  the  iieak.t.  (hi  the  south- 
ern, I  remarked  very  little.  Here  it  appear- 
ed, so  ftr  us  I  could  judge  in  the  diNtaorr, 
to  descend  but  a  few  liundred  feet  below  the 
KuniiiiitH.  • 

I  regretted  that  time  did  not  permit  me  to 
visit  them ;  but  the  proper  object  of  my  sur- 
vey lay  among  the  inountaiiiH  iiirther  north  ; 
and  I  looked  forward  to  an  exploration  of 
Iheir  snowy  recet'ses  with  great  pleasure. 
The  piney  regiiui  of  the  mountains  to  tlio 
south  was  envelop«Ml  in  smoke,  and  I  was 
informed  had  been  on  tire  lor  several  months. 
I'ike's  peak  is  said  to  be  visible  from  this 
place,  about  one  hundred  miles  to  tho  south- 
wani ;  but  the  smoky  state  <if  tho  atmospher«> 
|)reventod  my  seerig  it.  'I'he  weather  con- 
tinued overcast  during  my  stay  here,  so  I'lat 
I  failed  in  detennining  the  latitude,  but  ol>- 
tained  good  obriorvations  for  time  on  thn 
mornings  of  the  llth  and  I'Jth.  An  assum- 
ed latitude  of  HP  '22'  30"  fr„m  tho  evening 
position  of  tho  12th,  enal.,.  .1  mo  to  obtain, 
for  a  tolerably  correct  longitude,  106°  12' 
l:i". 

July  I  a.— The  kindness  of  Mr.  St.  Vrain 
had  enabled  me  to  obtain  a  couple  of  horses 
and  three  goo<l  mules ;  and,  with  a  further 
addition  to  our  |);irty  of  tho  Spaniard  whom 
I  had  hired,  and  two  others,  who  were  going 
to  obtain  service  at  ] ^ramie's  fork,  wo  re- 
sumed «)ur  journey  at  10,  on  the  morning  o( 
the  I'itli.  Wo  had  been  able  to  procure 
nothing  at  tho  p<i8t,  in  the  way  of  provision. 
An  exacted  supply  from  Taos  had  not  yet 
arrived,  and  a  few  pfiunds  of  coffee  was  all 
thtit  could  be  spared  to  us.  In  addition  to 
this,  wo  had  dried  meat  enough  for  the  first 
day ;  on  the  next,  we  ex|)ected  to  find  buf- 
falo. From  this  jMwf,  according  to  the  esti- 
mate of  the  country,  the  fort  at  the  mouth 
of  Laramie's  fork,  which  was  our  next 
pciint  of  destination,  was  nearly  due  north, 
distant  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
miles. 

For  a  short  distance,  our  road  lay  down 
the  valley  of  the  Platte,  which  resembled  a 
garden  in  the  splendor  of  fields  of  varied 
flowers,  which  filled  the  air  with  fragrance. 
The  only  timber  I  noticed,  consisted  of  pop- 
lar,   birch,  cotton-wood,   and   willow,     fa 


•Old 

Tl.^ 
b'lil 


I 


fl84t. 


184:^.1 


CAl'T.  FKHMUNTS  NAUKATIVK. 


91 


'incut ;  and 
Hir  aHvai. 
I  ilnllara   a 

I     ill    I^VHtll. 

t.  in  takino 

*,  lahiirioiia 
l)|p  »orviro 
•itt«'  lirro  lit 
afnivo  J  ho 
tiri  tijd  not 
f  |M'rpotiiHl 
ihmI  In  tli(> 

tilC  KOIllll- 

•  it  appear* 
'  (iJNiaDro, 

bt'low  the 

rmit  mo  to 
i)f  my  8nr- 
her  north  ; 
lorntion  of 

pleasiiro. 
inH  to  thti 
md  I  waa 
lil  monthfl. 
from  thiH 
tho  Hoiith- 
Imospiiero 
ithcr  con- 
re,  8o  t'mt 
0,  but  oIh 
e  on  tho 
n  nnNum* 
»  evpninjr 
o  ohtain, 

lOS"  12' 

St.  Vrain 
)f  horHcs 

*  further 
rd  whom 
re  gninft 
,  wo  re- 
irning  of 

procure 
'ovision. 
not  yet 
was  ull 
ition  to 
the  first 
nd  buf> 
16  esti- 

mouth 
next 

north, 

ty-five 

Y  down 

bled  a 

varied 
france. 
)f  pop. 
r.     U 


» 


•(>m(.<thin((  Iph^  thun  tliri>i>  niilt'H,  wo  croHticd 
Tliiiuip«ou'ii  crcok,  diu*  ot  the  iillliiinlN  lothi' 
Infl  huuk  ol  tho  Suilh  lork--ii  liuf*  r<trcuui 
kImmU  Mixty-li\c  li'«-t  sviilt',  iiiiii  llirt'o  U-ot 
duo|),  JuurnoyiiiK  on,  tho  Invv  dark  hue  of 
tho  niuck  hilix  ly  111:1  liotASfoti  Ui4  iiml  tho 
miiuutiiiuM  to  tho  li'ti,  III  iiluoit  It'll  iiiih-H 
from  iho  Itirl,  wo  ri'tichcd  Cuihr  a  hi  I'mttlrf, 
whoro  wo  hikllod  to  noon.  'I'hiH  ix  ii  vory 
bvuuliliil  moiii.tiiiu  htrruiii,  hIhjiii  utn'  hiiii- 
drod  loot  wide,  ll(i\viii;r  with  ii  lull  .^wilt  cur- 
rent  uvor  ii  riH-ky  ImmI.  Wo  liultod  iiiulor 
tho  Hhiido  of  Noiiio  t'otlDii-wiMNlH,  with  mIiIcIi 
tho  Htroaiu  ii*  wiMNlod  h('iiti('riii).'ly.  In  tho 
upiior  purl  of  itH  ooiirio,  it  rnii-'  iiinid  tho 
wildoitl  luoiiiituiii  ht'onory,  niiil.  Iiroiikiii); 
tliroii(;h  tho  niiuk  hiiln,  fullH  inio  tho  I'latto 
al)out  ton  miles  In'Iiiw  tliiH  pliico.  in  tlio 
ruuTHO  of  our  hito  juiiriK  y,  I  liud  iiiiiiiii^rd 
to  hccoiuo  ihi;  |>oKH0M.ior  ol  u  vory  iiiitrnctu- 
bio  miil(< — II  p<'rloct  vixen — iiiid  hor  I  hiul 
tiirnod  over  to  my  Spiiuiiird.  It  occiipii>d  iih 
al)out  half  un  hour  to-day  to  jrot  tho  Hiidtllo 
apon  licr;  hut,  oiicv  on  lior  huok,  Jop^ciuild 
nut  bo  diHiiioiinlod,  ruuli/.iiiir  liio  uccoinitH 
givon  of  Mexican  horHo.s  niiil  horHoi!iaii>lii|i ; 
and  wo  continued  our  route  in  the  ufler- 
nuon. 

At  evening,  we  nicamiiod  on  Crow  (/) 
rrcuk,  huvin}(  travelled  alMuit  twenty-ei^rht 
miles.      None  of  the  parly  wei»(  well  iic- 

auaiiitod  with  the  country,  niul  I  had  ^reat 
itliculty  ill  aRcertainiii^  what  wero  the 
nainoH  of  llio  HlroHins  we  cros.xod  hetween 
tho  North  and  South  fork^  of  the  I'latte. 
Thia  I  Hupnosed  to  be  Crow  ortok.  It  in 
what  Ih  culled  a  Hall  Htreuiii,  and  the  water 
stands  in  |)ooIh,  having  no  continuous  coiirue. 
A  tine-grained  HuiidHtoiie  nia.lo  itrt  ap))ear- 
anco  in  tho  bankn.  Tho  oh-ervatioiiN  of  the 
night  placed  un  in  latitiule  4()o  42',  longi- 
tude 104°  67'  40".  'I'he  haroincler  at  wiin- 
set  was  25.231  ;  attnchod  thermometer  at 
6G*>.  tSky  clear,  e.\cept  in  the  east,  with  a 
liglit  wind  from  tho  north. 

Julu  13. — There  being  no  wood  hero,  we 
used  last  night  the  ^oi's  de  vache,  which  is 
vory  plentifiii.  At  our  camp  this  morning, 
the  barometer  was  at  25.235 ;  tho  attached 
thermometer  G0°.  A  few  clouds  were  mov- 
ing througli  a  deep  blue  sky,  with  a  light 
wind  from  the  west.  After  a  ride  of  twelve 
miles,  in  a  northerly  direction,  over  a  plain 
covered  with  innumerable  quantities  of  cacti, 
we  reached  a  small  creek  in  which  there  was 
water,  and  where  several  herds  of  bufliilo 
were  scattered  about  among  the  ravines, 
which  always  aSbrd  good  pasturage.  We 
seem  now  to  be  passing  along  Uie  base  of  a 
plateau  of  the  Black  huls,  in  which  ttie  for- 
mation consists  of  marls,  some  of  them  white 
and  laminated  ;  the  country  to  the  left  rising 
suddenly,  and  falling  ofT  gradually  and  uni- 
formly to  the  right.    In  five  or  six  miles  of 


n  iiorllioaiiterly  coiiri*o,  wn  ulriirk  a  hi^h 
riilijo,  liriikoii  into  conical  |NMiki4,  on  wIioko 
NUiiitnitN  largo  iHiiililirM  wore  gutlicred  in 
lieapM,  The  iniigiielic  direction  ol  the  ridge 
i>«  iiorlhweMt  and  noiilhiuitt,  tho  glittering 
wliitoof  itN  precipitniiMniileH  niiiking  it  viNible 
for  many  iiiiIoh  to  the  Hiuitli.  It  iH  ( iiiii|Hmi>d 
of  a  Hdil  I'lirtliy  Iniie-tinio  and  inailM,  roMom- 
blin<:  tlmt,  lieri'iillor  doKcriliod,  in  tho  neigh- 
iMirliiiciij  of  the  < 'liiiniiey  rork,  on  llio  North 
fork  of  the  I'lattr.niMily  worked  by  thi>  Mind* 
and  ruiii*i,  and  HometiineH  inoiildid  into  very 
faiitai«tic  Hha|ioH.  At  tho  lontol  the  northerr 
mIo|m'  was  tin-  lu'd  of  a  iTi'ok,  mhiio  Inrty  teet 
wiile,  cniiiing,  by  freiiiimt  laiU,  Irmn  the 
Im-iicIi  hImivo.  It  was  mIiiiI  in  by  high  |)er- 
poiiiliciilar  liiinks,  in  which  were  ftrala  ol 
white  laminated  marl.  Its  bed  was  perlectly 
dry,  and  the  loading  fi  iliiri'  of  the  whole  re- 
cion  isoiieof  ri'iiiarkal4e  aridity,  and  perfect 
lioedoiii  Iroiii  niuiptiiro.  Ill  ulxiiit  nix  miles 
we  crost^cd  the  bed  of  luiotlier  dry  creek;  and, 
ciintiiiuiiigoiir  ride  over  a  high  level  prairie, 
a  little  iK-loro  Hiindown  we  came  nuddcnly 
ii|Miii  a  boautiliil  creek,  which  revived  us 
with  a  feeling  of  delighted  surprise  by  the 
ileanant  cnntniht  of  tlio  deep  verdure  of  its 
lankrt  w  ith  the  parched  desert  wo  had  passed. 
We  had  Hiid'errd  iniicli  to-day,  both  men  and 
horses,  tor  want  of  water  ;  having  met  with 
it  but  once  in  our  uninterrupted  march  ot 
forty  milort,  and  an  excliisiive  meat  diet  cre- 
ates much  thirsit. 

"  l,ifi  hmlia^  liriini  murha  hambre"  said 
the  young  Spaniard,  in(|uiringly  ;  "  y  lafjente 
litiiihirii,  nan]  I,  "anii^o,  we'll  camp  here." 
\  stream  of  good  and  clear  water  ran  wind- 
ing almiit  through  the  little  valley,  ond  a 
herd  of  biiiliilo  were  (piietly  feeding  a  little 
distance  below.  It  was  quite  a  hunter's  pa- 
radise ;  and  while  some  ran  down  toward  the 
band  to  kill  ono  for  supper,  others  collected 
Ixiis  lie  vache  for  u  fire,  there  being  no  wood  ; 
and  I  amused  myself  with  hunting  for  plants 
among  (he  grass. 

It  will  be  seen,  by  occasional  remarks  on 
tho  geological  formation,  that  the  constitu- 
ents of  the  soil  in  these  regions  are  good, 
and  every  day  served  to  strengthen  tho  im- 
pression in  my  mind,  confirmed  by  subse- 
quent observation,  that  tho  barren  appear- 
ance of  the  country  's  due  almost  entirely  to 
the  extreme  drynets  of  the  climate.  Along 
our  route,  tho  country  had  seemed  to  increase 
conetantly  in  elevation.  According  to  the 
indication  of  tho  barometer,  wo  wero  at  our 
encampment  5,440  feet  above  the  sea. 

The  'vening  was  very  clear,  with  a  fresh 
breeze  "rom  the  south,  50«'  east.  The  baro- 
meter ul  sunset  was  24.862,  the  thermometer 
attached  showing  68°.  I  supposed  this  to 
be  a  fork  of  Lodge  Polo  creek,  so  far  u  I 
could  determine  from  our  uncertain  menns 
of  information.     Astronomical  obaervattero 


n 


CAl»T.  FRKMONTH  NAKRATIVK. 


[IMI. 


I 


JMVff  for  Ili«»  I'nmp  a  InnjriUHlo  of  101*  .T.»' 
T'.nmJ  UtUii.l.'  II*  OH  31  , 
Jul,j  \  I. —Tin'  winti  ronimiioil  rrr«li  fn>in 
(III*  ■mm*  ((Mitrtcr   in  ihi*  tnnriiiiiif ;  llio  ii«y 
\mnj[  «-lrnr,  wilh   IIh'    fxcrpfiitn  ol'  »    few 
rloiijii  III   •III'  Imrixon        Al  <>iir  n«mp  nl  <5 
iiVlitck.  tin*    hfitflil  iif   thi<    iKiruiiuMiT  wild 
Ht.Nao,  thfNllKi'ii<'<l  ihiTinomHiT  Jll"      (Mr 
foiirfi'  lliiK  inorniii);  wut  ilirrrfly  mirth  by 
r.)iiipii».K.  Iho  varitUion  Iwintf  Ift*  it  l»i°i'n«t- 
I'riy.     A   riilo  of   Imir  niil«"»   lirmijrht  im  to 
l/wlpr  I'kIi'  rroi'k,  whirh  wn  hkil  witii  at  itx 
mouth  nn  lti«*  South  fork  ;   rr(.ii>iinir  '<n  tin' 
wiiy  two  ilry  Htri'miiM,  in  rij;liti»i'n  iiiilf*  Ifoni 
our  »'nrmnninpnt  of  tin-  |tiii«t  night,  we  ro»rh« 
«l  A  hiprh  lilruk  Tu\ff\\  fiiinpo«"Ml  rnliroly  '•! 
tlip  Kiiinn  cnrthy  liinoMioiio  uml  marl  provi- 
nuitly  ili'HcrilNMJ.'    I  hml  ni'Vi-r  pocn  nnyihin|ir 
which  imiiri'HKpd  ho  Htn'nply  on  my  mini!  ii 
fpflincf  of  (loaolation.     Thv  v«lli>y,  through 
which  run  the  walcrx  of  llorxo  crt-rk,  lay  in 
view  to  tho  north,  but  tm\  fur  to  have  any  in- 
Hurnrp  on  the  iiniiuMiiilt*  view.     <  )n  tin*  |M>ak 
uf  tho  ri(ltf«>  whore  I  wa*  Mtnnilini;,  mime  xix 
or  upvcn  niinilreil  feel  aNtve  the  river,  the 
wind  waa  high  and  bleak ;   the  barren  and 
arid  country  neeined  h«  it  it  Imd  lieen  awept 
by  firen,  and  In  every  direrlion  the  KHinodiill 
Mh-cojorcd  hue,  derived  from  the  formation, 
met  the  eye.     On  the  nummitM  were  wune 
atiinted  pinea,  many  of  them  deud,  all  wear- 
Ing  the  xame  aHheii  hue  of  denoliition.     We 
Icit  the  place  with  pleasure  ;   and,  after  we 
had  doscended  several  hundred  feet,  iialted 
In  one  of  tho  mvinea,  which,  at  the  dintanee 
of  every  milo  or  two,  cut  the  tlanki*  of  the 
ridffe  with  little  ruNhini;  MreamK,  wearing; 
Momething  of  a  mountain  cimmcter.      Wu 
had  already  begun  to  exchange  the  comparn- 
lively  barren  landa  for  thoae  of  a  more  fertile 
character.    Though  tlic  aandntone  formed  the 
broken  Iwnkii  of  the  creek,  yet  they  were 
covered  with  a  thin  gnurt ;  and  the  HIty  or 
aixty  feet  which  formed  the  lK)ttom  land  of 
tho  little  stream  were  clothed  with  very  luxu- 
riant f[nHti,  among  which  I  remarked  willow 
and    cherry    {cerasus    virgininna) ;    and    a 
quantity  of  gooHclierry  and  current  bushea 
occupied  the  greater  part. 

The  creek  waa  three  or  four  feet  broad, 
and  about  six  inches  deep,  with  a  swift  cur- 
rent of  clear  water,  and  tolerably  cool.  We 
had  struck  it  too  low  down  to  tind  the  cold 
water,  which  we  HhoiiUI  have  enjoyeil  nearer 
to  its  nourcea.  At  U,  p.  m.,  tho 'barometer 
waa  at  25  060,  the  allached  thermometer 
104*.  A  day  of  hot  aunHhine,  with  cloudp, 
and  moderate  breeze  from  the  south.  (Con- 
tinuing down  the  stream,  in  alrout  four  miles 
we  reached  its  mouth,  at  one  of  the  main 
branches  of  Horpe  creek.  liooking  back 
upon  the  ridge,  whose  direction  appeared  to 
be  a  little  to  the  north  of  east,  we  saw  it 
teamed  at  frequent  intervals  witli  the  dark 


lme«  of  wooded  utrrsm*.  nlfliienl-*  of  the  rivrr 
that  HoMi'd  no  far  a*  Me  could  me  along  ilfl 
Immc.  \\^'  rnMM'd,  ill  the  *|)Nce  of  twelve 
milrn  from  our  noon  hall,  three  or  four  forka 
of  lliirxe  creek,  and  pncttm|ied  al  numrt  on 
the  luoHi  eiioterly. 

The  Ixrk  on  which  weencamjied  a|<|iearr«l 
to  hii\e  li)||o\«ed  an  easterly  direction  un  to 
tliiN  place  ;  but  hen>  it  makea  a  very  midden 
bend    to  the   north,   iwoaing   tielween    two 
langea  of  nrecipitniiN  hilU,  called,  ai   I  wax 
informed,  (lo^hen'-   hole.      There  in  wiine- 
\\hen>  in  or  nearthiM  liMa'iiy  a  pluce  mo  call- 
ed, hut  I  am  not  certain  tnai  it  wa*  the  place 
of  our   encampment.     |.iM>king  Imck    upon 
the  «|M>l,at  the  diMtuuce  ol  a  few  miientothe 
northward,  the  hilli<   appear  to  rluit  in  the 
prairie,  through  » Inch  run*  the  creek,  with 
a  nemi-circular  sweep,  which  iiiiglit  very  na- 
turally lie  called  a  hole   in  the  hilU.     Tho 
(feologital  com|¥Miition  of   the  ridge   Ik  thu 
same  which  conntiliites  the  rock  of  the  Court- 
hoiiiie  and  ('hiiniiey,on  t!ie  North  fork,  which 
anp«'ared  to  me  a  conliniittioii  of  this  ridgiv 
'I  he  winds  and  raiim  work  this  formation  into 
a  variety  of  Min;rulnr  forms.     The  pass  into 
(tosheii  s  hole  in  almut  two  mile*  wide,  and 
the  hill  on  the  western  sidu  imitates,  in  an 
extraordinary    manner,   a    masMive    fortified 
iilace,  with  a  remarkaliln  fulness  of  detail. 
The  nM'k  ix  marl  and  earthy  liineKtone,  white, 
without  the  least  appearance  of  vegetation, 
and  much  resembles  masonry  at  a  little  dis- 
tance ;  and   here  it  sweeps  around   a  level 
area  two  or  three  hundred  yanls  in  diameter, 
and  in  tho  form  of  a  half  iiKsin,  terminating 
on   either  extremity  in  enormous  bastions. 
Along  the  whole  line  of  the  |)nra|M'ts  app<mr 
domes   and  slender  n  inarets,  forty  or   fifty 
feet  high,  giving  it  ev^'ry  appearance  of  an 
old  fortifieutown.     On  the  walers  of  Wliile 
river,  where  this  formation  exists  in  great 
extent,  it  presents  ap|H>arances  which  excite 
the  admiration  of  the  solitary  voyageiir,  and 
form  a  friMjuent  theme  of  their  conv-i-iialion 
when  speaking  of  the  wonders  of  tho  coun- 
try.    Soinetimea  it  ofi'ers  the  |>erfe<  tly  illu- 
sive appearance  of  a  largo  city,  with  nume- 
rous streets  and  magniticent  buildings,  among 
which  the  Canadians  never  fail  to  se"  th'-ir 
cabaret ;  and  sometimes  it  takes  ti;e  ',or»rt  of 
tt  solitary  house,  with  many  large  chhinbers, 
into  which  they  drive  their  horses  at  night, 
and  sleep  in  these  natiirul  defences  |)erl'ectly 
secure  from  any  attack  of  prowling  savages. 
Before  reaching  our  camp  at  (Joshcn's  hole, 
in  cro^ising  the  immeiibe  detritue  at  the  foot 
of  the  Castle  rock,  we  were  involved  amidst 
winding  passages  cut  by  tho  waters  of  the 
hill;    and  where,  with  a   breadth   scarcely 
large  enough  for  the  pssage  of  a  horse,  the 
walls  rise  thirty  and  forty  feet  perpendicular* 
ly.     Thia  formation  supplies  the  discoloration 
of  the  Platte.     At  sunset,  the  height  of  the 


I* 
t 


longit 


Ju 


tl 
Wt  wiJ 
day  w 

«i  thel 

»iiiri>  i| 


[Ill«l. 


1 


IDI'J  1 


r.MT    FIIKMONT'N  N.MIHATIVK. 


mrrriiriitl  rnlunin  wnit  2A  AOO,  (Iii>  iiiiaclii><l 
lhi'rni<inii*ti*r  H*",  mtd  mIiuI  tiKxIirtti*  Iroin 
H.  'AH*  K.  ri.imU  rov««ri>i|  tin*  nky  with  (lut 
riiii*  of  tli«>  in«N>n,  Itiil  I  hud  iTilnl  in  ubuiii- 
lliif  till*  imiinl  nutniiioinii'iil  ulHor\nhiii)ii, 
wfiith  |iIn(ihI  UN  ill  liilttu'*v  II"  tU  U'.Aiiil 
l<iii|rituil«>  101°  'J»'  aii". 

Jiili/  \ft.  -  At  (!  tltin  niiirnln(;,  tlii*  linromi** 
li>r  WIII4  lit  ■_'.'>  ."klA,  til*'  lliiriniiitD'tiT  T'J'^ ;  ttu> 
lUy  wiiM  lliH',  MJth  Hrttiut  rl.iiiiU  liMiltiii^f  lUrlt 
rni  tlio  »viii(li,  Mitli  n  lri*-li  linc/.i*  Iroin  llii> 
ouiiti*  ipiitrtfr.  Wi>  riiiiiii]  tltnl  ill  iiiir  jour* 
nry  nrroDx  tin*  couMlry  wi>  linl  knpt  loo 
miii'li  to  III)-  i'iimIm  iinl.  'i'UU  iiioriiin;.',  iiccoril- 
iituly,  wi<  tnivcllol  liy  toin|i:iN4  f<otni<  I A  or 
20  to  till'  wfot  lit  tuirfli,  iiiui  ulruck  tin" 
I'litllo  home  lliirtciMi  iiiilfH  U'low  Fort  l.«r«- 
mil*.  Til)'  «]jiy  vviiM  rxtrctiicly  liot,  kihI 
'\tiioM|f  t)ii>  liilU  till)  wiiiil  Ki'tMiiKil  to  liavt> 
jti«t  iNKiiod  t'roiii  lu)  oven.  Our  liorxi''*  wito 
miirh  (JintrctiHi'i!,  ax  w«'  hiul  truvfllril  hiinl ; 
uiDJ  it  wiH  vvitli  Hiiiiii'  iliflicuity  tliiit  tlioy 
wiTi'  nil  ItrouKht  lo  tlu'  I'IhIIo  ;  wliicli  wi- 
rraclu'il  iit  I  oViock.  In  riling;  in  townnlii 
tho  river,  \vu  lnuiul  llii>  triul  ot  our  cnrtH, 
wliicli  a|i|M>!irci|  to  liiivi>  |ia-H<>J  a  iluy  or  two 
•inro. 

Aftrr  linvin(r  allowcil  our  animalH  two 
hoiiri*  for  I'ood  ami  rt'iKwc,  wo  n'Niimi'il  our 
journpy,  utui  towanlH  thu  cIonp  of  tin)  day 
caino  ill  HJ^'lit  nl  l,»rariiii>'M  fork.  InMiiing 
(roin  till-  river  hill-",  wo  cuine  lirnl  in  view  of 
Fori  I'lalte,  a  |»o<t  lii'IonKiiitr  lo  MeHnrs  Sy- 
hilie,  Aiiains  &.  ('o.iNitiialediininedialeiy  in 
tho  (Kiiiit  of  laud  nt  tlin  junetion  of  Laraniio 
with  the  IMattc.  Like  thn  |Kmt  we  had  viHitcd 
on  the  South  fork,  it  was  huilt  of  earth,  and 
htill  miUnisliL'd,  Ikmii^j  ciicluscd  with  wuila 
(or  rather  hou(te»)  on  three  ol  the  Hiden,  and 
open  on  the  fourth  to  the  river.  A  few  hun- 
dred yard*  broiifrht  uh  in  view  of  the  |)OHt  o'" 
the  Amcriran  Fur  Company,  called  Fori 
John,  or  l<aramie.  Thin  wan  a  iarpc  post, 
having  more  the  air  uf  military  couHtruction 
than  tlio  fort  at.  tho  muuth  of  the  river.  It 
is  on  the  loll  hank,  on  a  riHin((  ^'''^uiid  some 
twenty-five  feet  above  the  water;  and  ita 
lolly  walln,  whitewashed  and  picketed,  with 
the  iar^re  liat'tionH  at  the  an^leH,  gave  il  quite 
an  iinpHJii^  appearance  in  tho  uncertain 
li((ht  of  evening.  .V  cluHter  of  lodges,  which 
the  language  told  us  bcl.)nged  to  Sioux  Indi- 
ann,  waH  pitched  under  the  walls,  and,  with 
the  fine  back  ground  of  the  Black  hills  and 
the  prominent  peak  of  Laramie  mountain, 
strongly  drawn  in  the  clear  light  of  the  west- 
ern sky,  where  the  sun  had  already  net,  the 
whole  fo~med  at  tlic  moment  a  strikingly 
beautifu  picture.  From  the  company  at  St. 
Louis  I  had  letters  for  Mr.  Boudeau,  the 
gentleman  in  charge  of  the  post,  by  whom  I 
was  received  with  great  hospitality  and  an 
efficient  kindness,  which  was  invaluable  to 
me  duriag  my  stay  in  the  country.    I  found 


our  jH'opto  enrnmiwil  on  the  hank,  a  nhort 
iliKiurue    alMi\u    l(n»    fort.     All   wern   well; 

mill.  HI  II iijoynient  ol  u  IhiuiiiIIuI  «up(N*r, 

whirl)  coll!  «•  niiil  lireiid  iiimle  luxiirioua  to  u*, 
we  »iRin  lor;;ot  thu  fatigue*  of  thi)  laM  ten 
duyM. 

July  \(l. — I  found  Ihiit,  during  my  almenrp, 
the  piilualion  nf  iiHain)  Iciij  iindergono  Foinu 
rhaii(;e  ,  and  llie  iiminl  (piiet  and  Moniewhat 
nioiiolonouM  regularity  ol  the  camp  hud  given 
place  lo  (•xciti'iiifiit  and  ainriii  The  cir* 
ciiiiiHlunrei*  which  oi'ennioned  this  chango 
will  Im'  found  narrated  in  the  following  ex- 
tract from  the  joiirii.tl  ol  Mr,  PreuHN,  which 
coiiiiiieiKi'N  with  the  day  of  our  iie|Niratioii 
on  the  South  fork  ot  the  I'lalto. 

r.xtraet  fmm  ihfjnurntil  of  .yfr,  Prtui$. 

"JulijG. — VVe  rronHi'd  tiie  plateau  or  high- 
land Ix'lween  the  two  forki*  in  alwut  six 
hourn.  I  let  my  liorne  go  as  slow  as  ho 
liked,  to  iiideiiitiil'y  un  ImiiIi  for  thn  previous 
hardxhip;  and  about  ikniii  we  reached  the 
North  fork.  Tiiero  was  no  nign  that  our 
party  had  piiHuod ;  we  nnle,  ihereforo,  to 
Home  pine  treen,  unxaililled  the  hurnex,  and 
ntretched  our  linilm  on  tho  grani*,  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  our  conifHiny.  After  remain- 
ing hero  two  hoiirn,  my  companion  becamo 
iinjiatieiit,  mounted  hix  horso  again,  and  ro<le 
of!  down  the  rivi-r  to  moo  if  ho  could  dincover 
our  (n'ople.  I  4i'U  so  inariNle  yet,  that  il  was 
a  horrible  idea  to  mo  to  iK'strido  that  saddle 
again  ;  ho  I  lay  ntill.  I  knew  they  could  not 
come  any  other  way,  and  then  my  conifm- 
■lion,  ono  of  the  bent  men  of  the  company, 
would  not  almndon  m^.  Thu  sun  went 
down  ;  ho  did  not  come.  Uneasy  I  did  not 
(••••I,  but  very  hungry ;  I  had  no  provisions, 
but  I  could  make  a  tire ;  and  as  I  espied  two 
doves  in  a  tree,  1  tried  to  kill  one ;  but  it 
needs  a  better  mark^imaii  than  myself  to  kill 
a  tittle  bird  with  a  rifle.  I  made  a  large 
lire,  however,  lighted  my  pipe — this  irue 
friend  of  mine  in  every  emergency — lay 
down,  and  let  my  thoughts  wander  to  the  far 
east.  It  was  not  many  minutes  after  when 
I  heard  the  tramp  of  a  IiorHe,  and  my  faithful 
companion  was  by  my  side,  lie  had  found 
the  party,  who  had  been  delayed  by  making 
their  cache,  alwut  seven  miles  below.  To 
the  good  supper  which  he  brought  with  him 
I  did  ample  justice.  He  had  forgotten  salt, 
and  I  tried  the  soldier's  Hubstlute  in  time  of 
war,  and  used  gunpowder ;  but  it  answered 
badly — bitter  enough,  but  no  flavor  of  kitchen 
salt.  I  slept  well ;  and  was  only  disturbed 
by  two  owls,  which  were  attracted  by  the 
fire,  and  took  tlieir  plftce  in  tlie  tree  under 
which  we  slept.  Their  music  seemed  us 
disagreeable  to  my  companion  as  to  myself ; 
he  nred  his  rifle  twice,  and  Jien  they  let  ui 
alone. 


CAIT.  KUKMONTS  NARUATIVE. 


[1842 


184S 


"./i((y  7.— At  hIxhii  It)  oVI.xk.  llu<  piriy 
nrrivnl ;  uiul  wf  t<'nlimi'<l  our  jtmrncy 
lliroii^:.  u  couivlrv  wliu-li  uIKmv.1  hut  iiM'c  In 
iul,<ir.-l  III.'  lr;»\.«il.<r  'I'll.'  h.uI  wu-.  imuli 
m.iii'  Miiulv  lli.m  III  llii>\:ill<\v  I'clow  tin- o.in- 

lIlUII.'.'    Ol     111.'    lolU-^.    llll.l    111.'     Ul'.'    ..I'    llu' 

i.Miiilrv  n.>  l.'iic.T  I'K'i.'iili'il  lilt'  ivtr.'.-luii^' 
^ju.'H  uliu-li  liii'l  IiiiIutH  iliar.u'tori/.i'il  il. 
riio  ri«li  ^;^n^'<•  ««'*  »»«  Uxni.l  t'lilv  in  ilif- 
pcr.-.'il  Mj'i'ls.  I'll  l.nv  jrr.nui.lH.  ;iial  on  tlio 
iH.lloni  I  iii.l  .<l  111."  '•'r.'iun:*.  A  l.'ii;:  I'r.'ii^lit.  ; 
j.iin.'.l  I.'  i'\ln-iii.'  li.Ml.  Ita.l  so  luui-iu-.l  ii|> 
III.'  iipi'.'r  pramt's,  tlial  liu'v  w.i.'  in  ii..ui\ 
pla.-.K  Uil.l.  »r  o.n.'r.'il  «<nly  \vu!|  a  tlnii 
(jnn\ll>  nl  yt'Il»>«  an.i  p-v^r  j:ra>!«.  Tlio  i\;»- 
luro  I'l"  till'  (..'il  HMu'tTs  It  oMnMiii'ly  liuscojv 
lil.;.'  lo  till'  \u-i->.tiiil:-s  I't  tlio  .liina:«v  \>c- 
twivii  till'  r.M'k*.  uii.l  :n'iii  tli.M-  junoium  to 
llu'  \\\m\  IuI'.s.  tl^o  lonuatioii  .-ouMsts  ot' 
marl  aii.l  a  so;\  oartli\  liin.^stono.  witli  jr'-ani- 
lio  hrtii.l-t.Mi.v  Siioh  a  v^riuatiou  oinnot  jrivo 
riM>  to  a  M.^rilo  soil  ;  a;uK  on  o  ir  loturn  ;:i 
Si'p.nn'.vr.  wlu'.i  tiu"  country  lia.l  ivon  \\a- 
ton\l  hy  ;ri\juont  ra.:i>.  t!;o  va',..\v  ol  Uio 
V.y.w  Kvk(\i  iiko  a  j^anlon  :  !-\''  rii-li  was  liio 
\vrvlun'  of  \lw  irrAssos.  aii.j  so  hiMiriant  tho 
Wvx>m  of  abun.TaiU  iV>\\i^rs.  The  \\ii>l  ^.^^•' 
'.Vjjms  10  r.iako  i:.«  apjXMranco.  hui  tiiv.;K^r 
IS  s»>  scajvi'  \\\K\  \\c  ^.';iiTa"..y  maiJe  our  liros 
>;  Iho  .Vis  tif  iv.7.->.-'.  \V.;H  tm^  o.\.~t  pin'U  o; 
ivw  *n.J  llion  »a  is. 'ato.l  tnv  or  tvwv  s!;»nd- 
n\f  Wc  A  hiiU:-hci,i<^  on  t^io  rivcr  Uiik. 
llh-ri''  is  nono  whaunor  lo  Ix^suvn. 

"  Ji.h  S. — 0«;r  n\«,i  l.-'-.Jsy  w.^s  a  ^>i.:an 
ono.  So  fAmo  ms.ii  .ts  sp;x^Ara..x'o — no: 
cvfn  f  hiilVjtjo  or  »  svray  *:-.a  lojx* ;  %:^4: 
n>'vihu\^  .Vv'UTTfsi  to  brvak  tiio  m.i^^v'^Jony 
«Tit.;  »NM;t  .S  o\-!.vk.  when  Vto  cin\an 
mft.^f  »  sii.Ucr.  ha  t,  Trtcw  wrs  &  jr^-wopinc 
m  o;  sot^i.Js  ftr>.i  horponifr.  frrr.-;  c\ itx  s^oi' — 
ft  hi-.T)  ,uj:  u^  *.n.'.  :ro  .r.  ni"*is»  o.miusjon ; 
nfl.^  xvon^  txkrr.  ;7om  \XiCiT  ook  ct  ;  baljt^: 
jwno.h<>s  ova^ninfsi :  in  s.hors,  tiicre  wis  :~if 
cry  *-»5  ■  Ipuisiw^"  !v*r»i  A^jum.  1  "hHii  tv- 
o<w(W  sk^  mvh  »»V13^i^.■>m^i:  jo  these  ij£.-ias, 
thu;  now  thry  mv'c"  hui  ij;:Ji"  i  n, '"t»ssii>r!  ^-.n 
ii>f  .  K-nil  N>:oTT  1  hue  .'.mc  :c  htvonir  f  xcJU>d. 
ihe  now  o»^m<»rs  worr  RtNTtrrAiDfd  :o  he 
whit«i.  1;  'wfc*  k  )fi-r^  pjL-;\  o;  L-j.orTs  *iid 
tmppoTS.  OAivinrtoi  by  Sir.  iBricurcr.  &  roax 
m-oh  kTi."'»-n  m  iJif  hisi.in  o:"  tJif  r^iuoiry 
As  thf  siiTi  was  low.  anc  xhorc  va*  a  tinf 
frsss  nsicJ;  n.M  far  atii>ar..  riicy  ti;mrc  wut 
anc  orvamivc  iot  TJir  Tt\i:\i\  wiir.  us.  JSr 
Brwi^r  wras  in\-itiv.  ?.~  sunpor  ,  anc.  a-tr?  ibf 
ra'i//  oi.'/'.  was  Tcm:'\ott.  ■»■<  .tsifiupc  wru, 
oaprr  inrr'ps;  t»-  ax:  ar^-oun;  a:  lUfir  act-cc- 
fniTS.  Wiwi;  ihc\  liar.  inf>i.  «'f  wMild  t>f 
likr;y  J*-^  pnr^->imif>.r  .  rJir  chaiu-«.  wIikX  liac 
)vtail<>r.  :hrri,.  woinc  nrnhah.'y  hanjwr.  u  ns  . 
arxj  «f  i.v>k^c  nivir.  tiwir  liw  as  a  nirrurf 
«  cur  own.  Hf  jnta.-ropic  u*  IXM.  Ua  mn- 
ditmr.  .X  :t»f  r.r.untr\  hat  h^-.inif  exr«^inp- 
h  danpf'joui.     Ttif   Siaux.  »hi    ha£   ttfiei. 


Imdiy  (liBpooptl,  Imd  broken  out   into  open 
liostility,  luul  in  tla>  prt'cedino;  autumn  his 
|i:irl\  li.i.l  "lu.miitorc'.l  tik-in  in  a  severe  cn- 
j;a;,iin.'iif,  in  wliii'h  ii  niinibor  of  lives  had 
iH'.'n  l.'st  on  lu'lh  sides.     United  with  Uie 
I'lu'yonne  and   ilrva  Ventre   Indians,  they 
wiTO  s."o.iriii>r  the  upper  i-oniitry  in  war  par- 
li.'.N  ol  jjreat  l.in'o.  iiiul  wore  at  this  time  in 
llio  iioif;hl'.>rlii>i  I  ol  tho   AVi/  Huttes,  &  fa- 
mous hindmarlv.  whioh  was  directly  on  our 
path.     They  had  declared  war  u[>«jn  every 
lixiiijjthin}:  which  should  bo  found  westward 
ol  lliat  point ;  thoujih  their  main  object  wa; 
to  attack  a  larjjo  camp  of  whites  and  Snake 
Indians,  who  had  a  rondozvons  in  the  Sweet 
Water  valley.     Availi:i>:  himself  of  his  inli- 
mate   k:'.ow fod^'O   oi   the   country,   he   liad 
ri\iciuM  1  jramio  by  an  unusual  route  tiirough 
tho  l>;ack   hills.  .-inJ   avoided    coming   into 
.ontact  wi;h  any  of  the  scattered  parties. 
i'.iis  jrontloman  otl'ored  his  services  to  ac- 
coinj^jny  us  so  far  as  the  head  of  the  Swett 
W.itor  ;"  b.it  ti.o  absence  of  our  leader,  which 
was  dtvply  rojrrcttiHl  by  us  ail,  rendered  il 
ini.vsMl).o'  for  us   to   enter  upon   such  ar- 
nlIl!^Mnonts.     In  a  camp  consisting  of  men 
wIk'-so  live*  h-.id  Ix'eu  sjvr.t  in  this  country. 
I  e.\;vctod  to  tind  every  one  prepared  for  oc- 
ciiruiices  of  liiis  nature  ;  but.  to  my  great 
f  urprtse.  I  i.  und.  en  tliO  C'.  lilrjr}-.  ti.at  liiis 
liov^s  haa  ti.rown  them  all  iiit-'  liie  greate-i 
cousteraauon :  and,  c->n  every  side.  1  heard 
only  one  ex  Jama:  ion. '  L  n"v  <?»•'"<'  J*.^  "^  '"^ 
;;■■'.    ru-'us.'     A'l  th»e  night,  pcitterec  gTC«ups 
were  asscaib.ed  arouod  iLe  ^-ei-.  siiiokir.'g 
tJve.r  pipes,  and  Ii>;e^aing  »  jUi  ix>e  greatest 
oi.^  moss  to  exaggerated  aetaiis   o:  lnd;ax 
hosu.iUes  :  and  m  tij?  niorr.ing  I  h-'.^nd  Utt 
fAaip  dispintod.  and  agitaitv;  .'V  a  vanetv  o: 
e<">r.iiK-t.:ng  ojunions.     A  majontr  o*  tXte  jtec- 
pie  vere  str.iniriy  cisp^K^'d  ti'  return  :  but 
CjtrDoni  Lar:i^£-n.  » ith  jicane  3ve  or  fcir  oih- 
ers-.  n'-oieivSt'i  ibe^r  detf  miinauoD  lo  fuljow 
Mr  fTemorit  lo  t'le  utiermost  lunit  of  bit 
>oiimev.      Ttte  otiiers   rieided  lo  tbeir  re- 
njonsiran.-.es>.   and,   s.">me*tifi.t    asJiamed   of 
Ujo.r  c-^^uTCici-.  cniir-iuaed   i:>    ucJvaur-f    at 
jpass  so  jiiT  as  LarariiJr  i.irt..  fastwarc  of 
w  fuch  iiti'Y  w£-re  aware  n;  daiigf-r  wuf  tC'  ut 
anpri^aenooid      Ncc»  jUisxaiiLing   tne   ccmro- 
SKm  anc  tvritenjen-  we  wfrt  very  eary  ol 
Uit   roai    as  tiie  dhys  were  ertrenH.iy  iid\, 
and  wf  wf-re  aijLious  u>  jiram  rnr  tiit  trmHf 
Df^sf  o;  liif  m.Trriing.     Ti»t  son  mary  iorm- 
aziciT-  ovic  w  nir.L  wf  wert  new  iciurneying. 
nvDUROt y  oS?rs  k.  i!ic  irtveiier  \jpwf  o:  rt^ 
marka;j.!e  anc  pirxurpsqut  leaury.     Tc  sevf- 
ra..  o:  Utfsf   j£»ri..rjef>.  viteTi-  int  wmat  aiu: 
"Jif  raiii  bbvi  workftL  Uie  biufc  mu  curiouE 
snanes^  iht  voyagftirr  navf  g-vet  namef  ac- 
cardmg  U'  somt  mnr.iac  reaemiuanae.     ^Jm 
a:  tbeitf..  r*iiec  inf  Omr^-tumsi..  we  pafiaesc 
bivuiT  <;a  miif^  from  our  encampment  uf  ian 
lugn;.  anc  u^wajc  bool  xmm.  Ui  &igX£i  m  XM 


celcl 
distal 
callej 
estafc 
NothI 
the  dl 
a  mal 
becori 
lM?en  I 
into  tl 
to  drf 


[1842 

lit   into  open 
r  aiitiiiiin  his 
a  severe  on- 
of  lives  liad 
lied  with  Uie 
Indians,  they 
ry  in  war  par- 
t  this  time  in 
Hiiitts,  a  fa- 
ce tly  on  our 
•  njxjii  every 
ind  westward 
in  object  wa< 
s  and  Snake 
in  the  Sweet 
If  (if  his  inii- 
try,   he   liad 
oute  tJirough 
ci.iniiiir   into 
ired  parties, 
vices  to  ac- 
n  the  Sweet 
oader,  which 
,  rendered  ii 
on   such  ar- 
ting  of  men 
;hi«  countrr, 
pared  for  oc- 
\o  my  gTva: 
n'.  tiui  this 
:ije  gjeat«-i 
ide.  i  heATc 
".J  j>as  at  i"V 
ereti  p-C'Ups 

rte  greait^t 
c:  Intuax 

^"ari«y  of 

um  .  bu: 
or  ftii:  otb- 

0  "uuc'W 
iniii  of  idt 

xhtiiT  re- 
yjamea  o: 
.cviLncf  i.: 
iiSTwarti  of 
wLt  I:  -jt 
Ujf  c.;in:B- 
rv  ehTix  oL 
van.y  ii3U 

"  r  kirm- 
;ii,-l»py:n^. 
if'Wr  o:  rt- 

Tc  sevf- 

cunouf 
luauef  iic- 

Bpf  pbsaec 
ten;  u:  iaai 
f  tii  cQ  xnc 


1842.] 


CAPT.  FREV    NT'S  NARRATIVE. 


s 


celebrated  Chimtiey  mck.  It  looks,  at  fhi^ 
distance  of  about  thirty  miles,  like  what  i  . 
called — the  long  chimney  of  a  steam  factory 
establishment,  or  a  shot  tower  in  Rnltiniore. 
Nothing  occurred  to  interrupt  the  (|uir't  of 
thfi  day,  and  we  encamped  on  the  river,  after 
a  march  of  twenty-four  miles.  UufTIilo  had 
become  very  scarce,  and  but  one  cow  had 
ix^en  killed,  of  which  the  meat  had  been  cut 
into  thin  slices,  and  hung  around  the  carts 
to  dry 

"  Jiihj  10. — We  continued  along  the  same 
fine  |)liimly  beaten  road,  which  the  smooth 
surface  of  the  country  alForded  us,  for  a  dis- 
tance of  six  hundred  and  thirty  miles,  from 
the  frontier^:  of  Missouri  to  the  Laramie  fork. 
In  the  course  of  the  day  we  met  some  whites, 
who  were  following  along  in  the  train  of 
Mr.  Uridger ;  and,  alter  a  day's  journey  ^f 
twenty-four  miles,  encamped  about  sunset  at 
the  Chimney  rock.  It  consists  of  marl  and 
earthy  limestone,  and  tfie  weather  is  rapidly 
diminishi  ^  its  height,  which  is  now  not 
more  thav  -ivo  hundred  feet  above  the  river. 
Travellers  who  visited  it  some  years  since 
placed  its  height  at  upwards  of  500  feet. 

"  July  II.— The  valley  of  th?  North  fork 
is  of  a  variable  breadth,  from  one  to  four, 
and  sometimes  six  miles.  Fifteen  miles 
from  the  Oiimney  rock  we  reached  one  of 
those  places  where  the  river  strikes  the 
bluffs,  and  forces  the  road  to  make  a  con- 
siderable circuit  over  the  uplands.  This 
presented  an  escarpment  on  the  river  of  about 
nine  himdred  yards  in  length,  and  is  fami- 
liarly known  as  Scott's  bluffs.  We  had 
made  a  journey  of  thirty  miles  before  we 
again  struck  the  river,  at  a  place  where 
some  ^scanty  grass  afforded  an  insufficient 
pasturage  to  our  animals.  About  twenty 
miles  from  the  Chimney  rock  we  had  found 
a  very  beautiful  spring  of  excellent  and  cold 
water  ;  but  it  was  in  such  a  deep  ravine,  and 
fo  small,  that  the  animals  could  not  prolit  by 
it,  and  we  therefore  halted  only  a  few  min- 
utes, and  found  a  resting  place  ten  miles 
further  on.  Tiie  plain  between  Scott's  bluffs 
and  Chimney  rock  was  almost  entirely  co- 
vered with  drift  wood,  consisting  principally 
of  cedar,  which  we  were  informed,  had  been 
supplied  from  the  Black  hills,  in  a  flood  five 
or  six  years  since. 

'■'■July  12. — Nine  miles  from  our  encamp- 
ment of  yesterday  we  crossed  Horse  creek, 
a  shallow  stream  of  clear  water,  about  se- 
venty yards  wide,  falling  into  the  Platte  on 
the  right  bank.  It  was  lightly  timbered, 
and  great  quantities  of  drift  wood  were  piled 
up  on  the  banks,  appearing  to  be  supplied 
by  the  creek  from  above.  After  a  journey 
of  twenty-six  miles,  we  encamped  on  a  rich 
bottom,  which  afforded  fine  grass  to  our  ani- 
mals. Bufl&lo  have  entirely  disappeared, 
and  we  live  now  upon  the  dried  meat,  which 


is  exceedingly  poor  food.  The  marl  and 
earihy  limestone,  which  constituted  the 
formation  for  several  days  past,  had  changed 
during  the  day  into  a  compact  v'  iteor  grey- 
ish wliito  limestone,  sometimes  containing 
hornstono ;  and  at  the  place  of  our  encamp- 
ment this  evening,  some  strata  in  the  river 
hills  cropped  out  to  the  height  of  thirty  or 
forty  feet,  consisting  of  a  fine-grained  gra- 
nitic sandstone ;  one  of  the  strata  closely 
resembling  gnei.^.s. 

"■July  13. — To-day,  about  4  o'clock  v.e 
reached  Fort  Laramie,  where  we  weie  cor- 
dially received ;  we  pitched  our  camp  a  lit- 
tle above  the  fort,  on  tij  bank  of  the  I^ara- 
mio  river,  in  which  th  j  pure  and  clear  water 
of  the  mountain  strr.iin  lookad  refreshingly 
cool,  and  made  :^  pleasant  contrast  to  the 
muddy,  yellow  rvaters  of  the  Platte." 

I  walked  up  '  o  visit  our  friends  at  the  fort, 
which  is  a  quadrangular  structure,  built  of 
clay,  after  the  fashion  of  the  Mexicans,  who 
are  generally  employed  in  building  them. 
The  walls  are  about  fifteen  feet  high,  sur- 
mounted with  a  wooden  palisade,  and  form  a 
portion  of  ranges  of  houses,  which  entirely 
surround  a  yard  of  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  feet  square.  Every  apartmi  nt  has  its 
door  and  window — all,  of  course,  opening  on 
the  inside.  There  are  two  entrances,  oppo- 
site each  other,  and  midway  the  wall,  one 
of  which  is  a  large  and  public  entrance ;  the 
other  smaller  and  more  private — a  sort  of 
postern  gate.  Over  the  great  entrance  is  a 
square  tower  with  loopholes,  and,  like  the 
rest  of  the  work,  built  of  earth.  At  two  of 
the  angles,  and  diagonally  opposite  each 
other,  are  large  square  bastions,  bo  arranged 
as  to  sweep  the  four  faces  of  the  walls. 

This  post  belongs  to  the  American  Fur 
Company,  and,  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  was 
in  charge  of  Mr.  Boudeau.  Two  of  the 
company's  clerks,  Messrs.  Galpin  and  Kel- 
logg, were  with  him,  and  be  had  in  the  fort 
about  sixteen  men.  As  usual,  these  had 
found  wives  among  the  Indian  squaws ;  and, 
with  the  usual  accompaniment  of  children, 
the  place  had  quite  a  populous  appearance. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  tc  say,  that  the  object 
of  the  establishment  is  trade  with  the  neigh- 
boring tribes,  who,  in  the  course  of  the  year, 
generally  make  two  or  three  visits  to  the 
fort.  In  addition  to  this,  traders,  with  a 
small  outfit,  are  constantly  kept  amongst 
them.  The  articles  of  trade  consist,  on  the 
one  side,  almost  entirely  of  buffalo  robes ; 
and,  on  the  other,  of  blankets,  calicoes, 
guns,  powder  and  lead,  with  such  cheap  or- 
naments as  glass  beads,  looking-glasses, 
rings,  vermilion  for  painting,  tobacco,  and 
principally,  and  in  spite  of  the  prohibition,  of 
spirits,  brought  into  the  country  in  the  form 
of  alcohol,  and  diluted  with  water  before 
sold.     While  mentioning  this  fact,  it  is  bat 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1842. 


justice  to  the  American  Fur  Company  to 
aUte,  that,  throughout  the  country,  I  have 
always  found  them  strenuously  opposed  tc 
the  introductian  of  spirituous  liquors.  But, 
in  the  present  state  of  things,  when  the  coun- 
try is  supplied  with  alcohol,  when  a  keg  of  it 
will  purchase  from  an  Indian  everything  he 
possesses — his  furs,  liis  lodge,  liis  horses, 
and  even  his  wife  and  children— and  when 
any  vagabond  who  has  money  enough  to 
purcliasc  a  mule  can  go  into  a  village  and 
trade  against  them  successfully,  willioiit 
withdrawing  entirely  from  the  trade,  it  is 
impossible  ior  them  to  discontinue  its  use. 
In  their  opposition  to  this  practice,  the  com- 
pany is  sustained,  not  only  by  their  obliga- 
tion to  the  laws  of  the  country  and  the  wel- 
fare of  the  Indians,  but  clearly,  also,  on 
grounds  of  policy ;  for,  with  heavy  and  ex- 
pensive outfits,  they  contend  at  manifestly 
great  disadvantage  against  the  numerous  in- 
dependent and  unlicensed  traders,  who  enter 
the  country  from  various  avenues,  from  the 
United  States  and  from  Mexico,  having  no 
other  stock  in  trade  than  some  kegs  of  li- 
quor, which  they  sell  at  the  modest  price  of 
thirty-six  dollars  per  gallon.  The  difference 
between  the  regular  trader  and  the  coureur 
des  bois  (as  the  French  call  the  itinerant  or 
peddling  traders),  with  respect  to  the  sale 
of  spirits,  is  here,  as  it  always  has  been, 
fixea  and  permanent,  and  growmg  out  of  the 
nature  of  their  trade.  The  regular  trader 
looks  ahead,  and  has  an  interest  in  the  pre- 
servation of  the  Indians,  and  in  the  regular 
pursuit  of  their  business,  and  the  preserva- 
tion of  their  arms,  horses,  and  everything 
necessary  to  their  future  and  permanent  suc- 
cess in  hunting :  the  coureur  des  hois  has  no 
permanent  interest,  and  gets  what  he  can, 
and  for  what  he  can,  from  every  Indian  he 
meets,  even  at  the  risk  of  disabling  him 
from  doing  anything  more  at  hunting. 

The  fort  had  a  very  cool  and  clean  appear- 
ance. The  great  entrance,  in  which  I  found 
the  gentlemen  assembled,  and  which  was 
floored,  and  about  fifteen  feet  long,  made  a 
pleasant,  shaded  seat,  through  which  the 
breeze  swept  constantly ;  for  this  country  is 
famous  for  high  winds.  In  the  course  of 
conversation,  I  learned  the  following  parti- 
culars, which  will  explain  the  condition  of 
the  country  :  For  several  years  the  Chey- 
ennes  and  Sioux  had  gradually  become  more 
and  more  hostile  to  the  whites,  and  in  the 
latter  part  of  August,  1841,  had  had  a  rather 
severe  engagement  with  a  party  of  sixty 
men,  under  me  command  of  Mr.  Frapp,  of 
St.  Louis.  The  Indians  lost  eight  or  ten 
warriors,  and  the  whites  had  their  leader  and 
four  men  killed.  This  light  took  place  on 
the  waters  of  Snake  river ;  and  it  was  this 
party,  on  their  return  under  Mr.  Bridger, 
which  had  spread  so  much  alarm  among  my 


^<eoplc.  In  the  course  of  Uie  spring,  two 
^  other  small  parties  had  been  cut  off  oy  the 
Sioux — one  on  their  return  from  the  Crow 
nation,  and  the  otiier  among  the  Black  hills. 
The  emigrants  to  Oregon  and  Mr.  Bridger's 
party  met  hero,  a  few  days  before  our  arri- 
val. Divisions  and  misunderstandings  had 
grown  up  among  them  ;  they  were  already 
somewhat  disheartened  by  the  fatigue  of 
their  long  and  weariijome  journey,  and  the 
feet  of  their  cattle  had  become  so  much 
worn  as  to  bo  scarcely  able  to  travel.  In 
this  situation,  they  were  not  likely  to  find 
encouragement  in  the  hostile  attitude  of  the 
Indians,  and  the  new  and  unexpected  difH- 
culties  which  sprang  up  before  them.  They 
were  told  that  tlio  country  was  entirely 
swept  of  grass,  and  that  few  or  no  buffalo 
were  to  be  found  on  their  line  of  route  ;  and, 
with  their  weakened  animals,  it  would  be 
impossible  for  them  to  transport  their  heavy 
wagons  over  the  mountains.  Under  these 
circumstances,  they  disposed  of  their  wagons 
and  cattle  at  the  forts ;  selling  them  at  the 
prices  they  had  paid  in  the  States,  and  tak- 
mg  in  exchange  coffee  and  sugar  at  one  dol- 
lar a  pound,  and  miserable  worn-out  horses, 
which  died  before  they  reached  the  moun- 
tains. Mr.  Boudeau  informed  me  that  he 
had  purchased  thirty,  and  the  lower  fort 
eighty  head  of  fine  cattle,  some  of  them  of 
the  Durham  breed.  Mr.  Fitzpatrick,  whose 
name  and  high  reputation  are  familiar  to  all 
who  interest  themselves  in  the  history  of 
this  country,  had  reached  Laramie  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Bridger ;  and  the  emigrants 
were  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  his  services 
to  guide  them  as  far  as  the  British  post  of 
Fort  Hall,  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
beyond  the  South  Pass  of  the  mountains. 
They  had  started  for  this  post  on  the  4th  of 
July,  and  immediately  after  their  departure, 
a  war  party  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
braves  set  out  upon  their  trail.  As  their 
principal  chief  or  partisan  had  lost  some  re- 
lations in  the  recent  fight,  and  had  sworn  to 
kill  the  first  whites  on  his  path,  it  was  sup- 
posed that  their  intention  was  to  attack  the 
party,  should  a  favorable  opportunity  offer ; 
or,  if  they  were  foiled  in  their  principal  ob- 
ject by  the  vigilance  of  Mr.  Fitzpatrick,  con- 
tent themselves  with  stealing  horses  and 
cutting  off  stragglers.  These  had  been  gone 
but  a  few  days  previo  is  to  our  arrival. 

The  effect  of  the  engagement  with  Mr. 
Frapp  had  been  greatly  to  irritate  the  hostile 
spirit  of  the  savages  *,  and  immediately  sub- 
sequent to  that  event,  the  Gross  Ventre  In- 
dians had  united  with  the  Oglallahs  and 
Cheyennes,  and  taken  the  field  in  great 
force — so  far  as  I  cotild  ascertain,  to  the 
amount  of  eight  hundred  lodges.  Their  ob- 
ject was  to  make  an  attack  on  a  camp  of 
Snake  and  Crow  Indians,  and  a  body  of 


184^ 

aboil 
rcndl 
Vttlle 


[1842. 

Bpring,  two 
ut  oft"  by  the 
m  the  Crow 
!  Black  hills. 
Ir.  Bridger's 
ore  our  arri- 
andiiiffs  had 
/ere  already 
3   fatigue  of 
fiey,  and  the 
no  80  much 
travel.    In 
kely  to  find 
titude  of  the 
<pected  diffi- 
hem.    They 
vas  entirely 
•  no  butlulo 
route ;  and, 
it  would  be 
their  heavy 
Jnder  these 
heir  wagons 
:hein  at  the 
es,  and  tak- 
r  at  one  dol- 
-out  horses, 
the  moun- 
me  that  he 
lower  fort 
of  them  of 
rick,  whose 
niliar  to  all 
history  of 
nie  in  corn- 
emigrants 
lis  services 
ish  post  of 
fifty  miles 
mountains, 
the  4th  of 
departure, 
and  fifty 
As  their 
it  some  re- 
sw^orn  to 
was  sup- 
attack  the 
nity  offer ; 
incipal  ob- 
itrick,  con- 
lorses  and 
been  pone 
ival. 

with  Mr. 
the  hostile 
ately  sub- 
V^entru  In- 
.Uahs  and 
in  great 
n,  to  the 
Their  ob- 
camp  of 
body  of 


1843.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


17 


abon  one  hundred  whites,  who  had  made  a 
rendezvous  somewhere  in  tlio  (irecn  river 
valley,  or  on  the  Sweet  Water.  AfttT 
spending  some  tiuu>  in  butllilo  hunting  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Medicine  Bow  moun- 
tiiiii,  they  were  to  cross  over  to  the  Green 
river  waters,  and  return  to  Laramie  by  way 
of  the  South  Pass  and  the  Sweet  Water  val- 
ley. According  to  the  calculation  of  the  In- 
dians, Mr.  Doudeau  informed  me  they  were 
soinowhero  near  the  head  of  the  Sweet 
Water.  I  Hub.sequently  learned  that  the 
piirtv  led  by  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  were  overtaken 
by  flioir  pursuers  near  Rock  Independence, 
in  the  valley  of  the  Sweet  Water ;  but  his 
skill  and  resolution  saved  them  from  sur- 
prise, and,  small  as  his  force  was,  they  did 
not  venture  to  attack  him  openly,  llere 
they  lost  Jiie  of  their  party  by  an  accident, 
and,  continuing  up  the  valley,  they  came 
rtudjenly  upon  the  large  village.  From 
these  tfiey  met  with  a  doubtful  reception. 
Long  residence  and  familiar  acquaintance 
had  given  to  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  grfiit  personal 
intlnence  among  them,  and  a  por.on  ot  them 
were  disposed  to  let  him  pass  quietly ;  but 
by  far  the  greater  number  were  inclined  to 
hostile  measures  ;  and  the  chiefs  spent  the 
whole  of  one  night,  during  which  they  kept 
the  little  party  in  the  midst  of  them,  \a 
counril,  debating  the  question  of  attacking 
them  the  next  day ;  but  the  influence  of 
'•  the  Broken  Hand,"  as  they  called  Mr.  Fitz- 
piitrick  (one  of  his  hands  having  been  shat- 
tered by  the  bursting  of  a  gun),  at  lengtli 
prevailed,  and  obtained  for  them  an  unmo- 
lested passage ;  but  they  sternly  assured 
him  that  this  path  was  no  longer  open,  and 
that  any  party  of  whites  which  should  here- 
after be  found  upon  it  would  meet  with  cer- 
vain  destruction.  From  all  that  I  have  been 
able  to  learn,  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  emi- 
•rraiits  owe  their  lives  to  Mr.  Fitzpatrick. 

Thus  it  would  appear  that  the  country 
was  swarming  with  scattered  war  parties; 
and  when  I  heard,  during  the  day,  the  vari- 
ous contradictory  and  e.xaggerated  rumors 
which  were  incessantly  repeated  to  them,  I 
was  not  surprised  that  so  much  alarm  pre- 
vailed among  my  men.  Carson,  one  of  the 
best  and  most  experienced  mountaineers, 
fully  supported  the  opinion  given  by  Bridger 
of  the  dangerous  state  of  the  country,  and 
openly  expressed  his  conviction  that  we 
could  net  escape  without  some  sharp  en- 
counters with  the  Indians.  In  addition  to 
this,  he  made  his  will ;  and  among  the  cir- 
cumstances which  were  constantly  occurring 
to  increase  their  alarm,  this  was  the  most 
unfortunate ;  and  I  found  that  a  number  o( 
my  party  had  become  so  much  intimidated, 
that  they  had  requested  to  be  discharged  at 
this  place.  I  dined  to-day  at  Fort  Platte, 
which  has  been  mentioned  as  situated  at  the 


junction  of  Laramie  river  with  the  Nebraska. 
Here  I  heard  a  confirmation  of  the  state* 
meiits  given  above.  The  party  of  warriors, 
which  had  started  a  few  days  since  on  the 
trail  of  the  emigrants,  was  expected  back  in 
fourteen  days,  to  join  the  villaffo  with  which 
their  families  and  the  old  men  had  remained. 
The  arrival  of  the  latter  was  hourly  expect- 
ed ;  and  some  Indians  have  just  come  in 
who  had  left  them  on  the  Laramie  fork, 
about  twenty  miles  above.  Mr.  Bissonette, 
one  of  the  traders  belonging  to  Fort  Platte, 
urged  the  propriety  of  taking  with  me  an  in- 
terpreter and  two  or  three  old  men  of  the 
village ;  in  which  case,  he  thought  there 
would  be  little  or  no  hazard  in  encountering 
any  of  the  war  parties.  The  principal 
danger  was  in  being  attacked  before  they 
should  know  who  we  were. 

They  had  a  confused  idea  of  the  numbers 
and  power  of  our  people,  and  dreaded  to 
bring  upon  themselves  the  military  force  of 
the  United  States.  This  gentleman,  who 
spoke  the  language  fluently,  oiiered  his  ser- 
vices to  accompany  me  so  far  as  the  Red 
Buttcs.  He.  was  desirous  to  join  the  large 
party  on  its  return,  for  purposes  of  trade,  and 
It  would  suit  his  views,  as  well  as  my  own, 
to  go  with  us  to  the  Buttes ;  beyond  which 
point  it  would  be  impossible  to  prevail  on  a 
Sioux  to  venture,  on  account  of  their  fear  of 
the  Crows.  From  Fort  Laramie  to  the  Red 
Buttes,  by  the  ordinary  road,  is  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  miles ;  and,  though  only  on 
the  threshold  of  danger,  it  seemed  better  to 
secure  the  services  of  an  interpreter  for  the 
partial  distance,  than  to  have  none  at  all. 

So  far  as  frequent  interruption  from  the 
Indians  would  allow,  we  occupied  ourselves 
in  making  some  astronomical  calculations, 
and  bringing  up  the  general  map  to  this 
stage  of  our  journey ;  b..;  the  tent  was  gen- 
erally occupied  by  a  succession  of  our  cere- 
monious visitors.  Some  came  for  presents, 
and  others  for  information  of  our  object  in 
coming  to  the  country ;  now  and  then,  one 
would  dart  up  to  the  tent  on  horseback,  jerk 
off  his  trappings,  and  stand  e'lently  at  the 
door,  holding  his  horse  by  the  halter,  signi- 
fying his  desire  to  trade.  Occasionally  a 
savage  would  stalk  in  with  an  invitation  to 
a  feast  of  honor,  a  dog  feast,  and  deliberately 
sit  down  and  wait  quietly  until  I  was  ready 
to  accompany  him.  I  went  to  one ;  the 
women  and  children  were  sitting  outside  the 
lodge,  and  we  took  our  seats  on  buffalo 
robes  spread  around.  The  dog  was  in  a 
large  pot  over  the  fire,  in  the  middle  of  Uie 
lodge,  and  immediately  on  our  arrival  was 
dished  up  in  large  wooden  bowls,  one  of 
whicb  was  hanc'.od  to  each.  The  flesh  ap- 
peared very  glutinous,  with  something  of  the 
Havor  and  appearance  of  mutton.  Feelintf 
something  move  behind  me,  I  looked  roun(^ 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARIlA'l'IVB. 


[1842. 


I 


i 


and  found  that  I  had  taken  my  seat  amonnf  a 
litter  of  fat  young  puppies.  Had  I  been 
nice  in  such  matters,  the  prpjiidiccB  of  civi- 
lisation might  have  interfered  with  my  tran- 
quillity -,  but,  fortunately,  I  am  not  of  deli- 
cate nervcB,  and  continued  quietly  to  empty 
my  platter. 

The  weather  was  cloudy  at  evening,  with 
a  moderate  south  wind,  and  the  thermometer 
at  6  o'clock  86".  I  was  diaapiwinted  in  my 
hope  of  obtaining  an  observation  of  an  oc- 
cultation,  which  took  place  about  midniglit. 
The  moon  brought  with  her  heavy  banks  of 
clouds,  through  which  she  scarcely  made 
her  appearance  during  the  night. 

The  morning  of  the  18th  was  cloudy  and 
calm,  the  thermometer  at  6  o'clock  at  64°. 
About  9,  with  a  moderate  wind  from  the 
west,  a  storm  of  rain  came  on,  accompanied 
by  sharp  thunder  and  lightning,  which  lasted 
about  an  hour.    Duri.ig  the  day  the  expected 
village  arrived,  consistiiig  princjpally  of  old 
men,   women,  and   children,    'ihey  had  a 
considerable  number  of  horses,  and  large 
troops  of  dogs.    Their  lodges  were  pitched 
near  the  fort,  and  our  camp  was  conntantly 
crowded  with  Indians  of  all  sizes,  froiu  morn- 
ing until  night ;  at  which  time  some  of  the 
soldiers  generally  came  to  drive  them  all  off 
to  the  village.     My  tent  was  the  only  place 
which  they  respected.    Here  only  came  the 
chiefs  and  men  of  distinction,  and  generally 
one  of  them  remained  to  drive  away  the  wo- 
men and  children.     The  numerous  strange 
instruments,  applied  to  still  stranger  uses, 
excited   awe  and  admiration  among  them, 
and  those  which  I  used  in  talking  with  the 
sun  and  stars  they  looked  upon  with  especial 
reverence,  as  mysterious  things  of  "  great 
medicine."    Of  the  three  barometers  which 
I  had  brought  with  me  thus  far  successfully, 
I  found  that  two  were  out  of  order,  and  spent 
the   greater  part  of  the  19th  in  repairing 
them — an  operation  of  no  sm^^ll  difficulty  in 
the  midst  of  the  incessant  interruptions  to 
which  I  was  subjected.     We  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  break  here  a  largo  thermometer, 
raduated  to  show  fifths  of  a  degree,  which 
used  to  ascertain  the  temperature  of  boil- 
ing water,  and  with  which  I  had  promised 
myself  some  interesting  experiments  in  the 
mountains.    We  had  but  one  remaining,  on 
which  the  graduation  extended  sufficiently 
high ;  and  this  was  too  small  for  exact  ob- 
servations.   During  our  stay  here,  the  men 
had  been  engaged  in  making  numerous  re- 
pairs, arranging  pack-saddles,  and  otherwise 
prejparing  for  the  chances  of  a  rough  road 
ancf  mountain  travel.    All  things  of  this  na- 
ture being  ready,  I  gathered  them  around 
me  in  the  evening,  and  told  them  that "  I  had 
determined  to  proceed  the  next  day.     They 
were  all  well  armed.    I  had  engaged  the 
eervices  of  Mr.  Bissonette  as  interpreter,  and 


had  taken,  in  the  circumstanccH,  every  po«- 
sible  means  to  iiiHuro  our  flafety.  In  the  ru» 
mors  WR  had  heard,  I  believed  there  waa 
much  exaggeration,  and  then  they  wore  men 
uccustoineu  to  tliiri  kind  of  lite  and  to  the 
country ;  and  that  tlieso  were  the  dangers  of 
every  day  occurrence,  and  to  be  expected  in 
the  ordinary  course  of  their  service.  They 
had  heard  of  tlio  unsettled  condition  of  the 
country  bctoro  leaving  St.  Ijoiiis,  and  there< 
lore  could  not  make  it  a  rea.son  for  breaking 
their  engageinentH.  Still,  I  was  unwilling 
to  take  with  me,  on  a  service  of  some  cer- 
tain danger,  men  on  whom  I  could  not  rely ; 
and  as  I  had  understood  that  there  were 
among  them  some  who  were  disposed  to 
cowardice,  and  anxious  to  return,  they  had 
but  to  come  forward  at  once,  and  state  their 
desire,  and  they  would  be  discharged  with 
the  amount  due  to  them  for  tie  time  they 
had  served."  To  their  honor  be  it  said,  there 
was  but  one  among  them  who  had  the  face 
to  come  forward  and  avail  himself  of  the  per- 
mission. I  asked  him  some  few  questions, 
in  order  to  expose  him  to  the  ridicule  of  the 
men,  and  let  him  go.  The  day  after  our 
departure,  he  engaged  himself  to  one  of 
the  forts,  and  set  off  with  a  party  to  the  Up- 
per Missouri.  I  did  not  think  that  the  situ- 
ation of  the  country  justified  me  in  taking 
our  young  companions,  Messrs.  Brant  and 
Benton,  along  with  us.  In  case  of  misfor- 
tune, it  would  have  been  thought,  at  the 
least,  an  act  of  great  imprudence ;  and  there^ 
fore,  though  reluctantly,  I  determined  to 
leave  them.  Randolph  had  been  the  life  of 
the  camp,  and  the  '*  petit  garpon"  was  much 
regretted  by  the  men,  to  whom  his  buoyant 
spirits  had  aflbrded  great  amusement.  They 
all,  however,  agreed  in  the  propriety  of  leav- 
ing him  at  the  fort,  because,  as  they  said,  he 
might  cost  the  lives  of  some  of  the  men  in  a 
tight  with  the  Indians. 

July  21. — A  portion  of  our  baggage,  with 
our  field  notes  and  observations,  and  several 
instruments,  were  left  at  the  fort.  One  of 
the  gentlemen,  Mr.  Galpin,  took  charge  of  a 
barometer,  which  he  engaged  to  observe 
during  my  absence ;  and  I  entrusted  to  Ran- 
dolph, by  way  of  occupation,  the  regular 
winding  up  of  two  of  my  chronometerB,which 
were  among  the  instruments  fcft.  Our  ob- 
servations showed  that  thu  chronometer 
which  I  retained  for  the  continuation  of  our 
voyage  had  preserved  its  rate  in  a  most  sa- 
tisfactory manner.  As  deduced  from  it,  the 
longitude  of  Fort  Laramie  is  Ih.  01'  21", 
and  from  lunar  distance  Ih.  01'  29" ;  giving 
for  the  adopted  longitude  104"  47'  43". 
Comparing  the  barometrical  observations 
made  during  our  stay  here,  with  those  of  Dr. 
G.  ^ingleman  at  St.  Louis,  we  find  for  the  ele- 
vati.  f  the  Tort  above  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
4,470  feet.     The  winter  climate  here  is  i«* 


[1849. 

?very  po«- 
In  the  ru< 
there  waa 
were  men 
nd  to  the 

lilllfircra  of 

\pccted  in 
:o.  They 
on  of  the 
and  there- 
r  breaking 
unwilling 
some  cer- 
I  not  rely ; 
lero  were 
isposed  to 
,  they  had 
state  their 
irged  with 
time  they 
said,  there 
i  the  face 
of  the  per* 
questions, 
;ule  of  the 

after  our 
to  one  of 
to  the  Up- 
it  the  situ- 

in  tailing 
Brant  and 
of  misfor- 
ht,  at  the 
and  there» 

mined  to 

ic  life  of 
was  much 
s  buoyant 

nt.  They 
ty  of  leav- 
cy  said,  he 

men  in  a 


1849.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


99 


i 


markably  mild  for  the  latitude ;  but  rainy 
weather  is  frequent,  and  the  place  is  ccle- 
bratrd  for  winds,  of  which  the  prevailing  one 
lit  wcHt.  An  east  wind  in  siimmor,  and  a 
south  wind  in  winter,  are  said  to  l)c  always 
accompanied  with  niin. 

VVi!  wore  ready  to  depart ;  the  tents  were 
struck,  the  mules  geared  up,  and  our  horses 
Hiiddlcd,  and  wu  walked  up  to  tlic  fort  to  tnko 
the  stirrup  cup  with  our  friends  in  an  excel- 
lent home-browed  preparation.  VViiilo  thus 
pleasantly  engaged,  seated  in  one  of  the  little 
cool  chambers,  at  the  door  of  which  a  man 
had  been  Htati(mcd  to  prevent  all  intrusion 
from  the  Indians,  a  numl)er  of  cliiefH,  several 
of  tliein  powerful  line-looking  men,  forced 
their  way  into  the  room  in  spite  ol  all  oppo- 
sition. Handing  me  the  following  letter, 
they  took  their  HeatH  in  Hilunce  : 

"Fort  Platte,  Juillel  1, 1842. 

"  Mr.  Fremont  :  Los  chefs  setuntasHcm- 
blis  prfcscntement  me  disent  de  vous  avertir 
de  ne  point  vous  mottre  en  route,  avnnt  que 
lo  parti  do  jeunes  gens,  qui  est  en  dehors, 
poient  do  retour.  De  plus,  ils  me  disent 
iju'ils  sont  tres  certains  qu'ils  feront  feu  k  la 
premiere  rencontre.  lis  doivent  etre  do  re- 
tour  dans  sept  k  huit  jours.  Kxc\isez  si  je 
vous  fais  ces  okservations,  mais  il  ino  semble 
qu'il  est  mon  devoir  de  vous  avertir  da  dan- 
ger. Meme  de  plus,  les  chefs  s»)nt  los  por- 
leurs  de  ce  billet,  qui  vous  defL'iident  do 
uartir  avant  lo  retour  dcs  guerriera. 

"  Je  suis  voire  obeissant  serviteur, 
"JOSEPH  BISSONETTE, 
"  Par  L.  B.  CHARTRAIN. 

"  Les  noms  de  qucljues  clief^. — TiC  Chapeau 
de  Loutre,  le  Casseur  de  Fleches,  la  Nuit 
Noir,  la  Queue  de  Boeuf." 

[Translation.] 

"  Fort  Platte,  July  1,  1842. 

"  Mr.  Fremont  :  The  chiefs,  having  as- 
sembled in  council,  have  just  told  me  to 
warn  you  not  to  set  out  before  the  party  of 
young  men  which  is  now  out  shall  nave  re- 
turned. Furthermore,  they  tell  me  that  they 
are  very  sure  they  will  fire  upanyouassoon 
as  they  meet  you.  They  are  expected  back 
in  seven  or  eight  days.  Excuse  me  for 
making  these  observations,  but  it  seems  my 
duty  to  warn  you  of  danger.  Moreover,  ihe 
chiefs  who  prohibit  your  setting  out  before 
the  return  of  the  warriors  are  the  bearers  of 
this  note. 

"  I  am  your  obedient  servant, 

"JOSEPH  BISSONETTE, 

"  By  L.  B.  CHARTRAIN. 

"  Names  of  some  of  the  chiefs. — The  Otter 
Hat,  the  Breaker  of  Arrows,  the  Black 
Night,  the  Bull's  Tail." 


After  reading  this,  I  mentioned  its  purport 
to  my  companions  ;  and,  seeing  tnat  all 
were  fully  possessed  of  its  contents,  one  of 
the  Indians  rose  up,  and,  having  first  shaken 
hands  with  me,  spoke  as  follow  : 

"  Voii  have  come  among  u.>  Ht  a  bad  time. 
Some  of  our  people  have  been  killed,  and  our 
young  men,  who  are  gone  to  tlio  mountains, 
are  eager  to  avenge  the  bl(M)d  of  their  rela- 
tions, which  has  been  shed  by  the  whites. 
Our  young  men  are  bad,  and,  if  they  meet 
you,  they  will  Micve  that  you  are  carrying 
goods  and  ammunition  to  their  enemies,  and 
will  fire  upon  you.  Vou  have  told  us  that 
this  will  make  war.  VVo  know  that  our 
groat  father  has  many  soldiers  and  big  guns, 
and  wo  are  anxious  to  have  our  lives.  We 
love  the  whites,  and  are  desirous  of  peace. 
Thinking  of  all  these  things,  we  have  deter- 
mined to  keep  you  here  until  our  warriors 
return.  We  are  glad  to  see  you  among  us. 
Our  father  is  rich,  and  wc  expected  that  you 
would  have  brought  presents  to  us — horses, 
guns,  and  blankets.  But  we  are  glad  to  see 
you.  We  look  upon  your  coining  as  the  light 
which  goes  before  the  sun ;  for  you  will  tell 
our  great  father  that  you  have  seen  us,  and 
that  we  are  naked  and  poor,  and  have  no- 
thing to  eat ;  and  he  will  send  us  all  these 
things."  He  was  followed  "by  the  others,  to 
the  same  cfiect. 

The  observations  of  the  savage  appeared 
reiisonable ;  but  I  was  aware  that  they  had 
in  view  only  the  present  object  of  detaining 
me,  and  were  unwilling  I  should  go  further 
into  the  country.  In  reply,  I  asked  them, 
through  the  interpretation  of  Mr.  Boudeau, 
to  select  two  or  three  of  their  number  to  ac- 
company us  until  we  should  meet  their  peo- 
ple— they  should  spread  their  robes  in  my  tent 
and  eat  at  my  table,  and  on  our  return  I 
would  give  them  presents  in  reward  of  their 
services.  They  aeclined,  saying  that  there 
were  no  young  men  left  in  the  village,  and 
that  they  were  too  old  to  travel  so  many  dava 
on  horseback,  and  preferred  now  to  smoke 
their  pipes  in  the  lodge,  and  let  the  warriors 
go  on  the  war  path.  Besides,  they  had  no 
power  over  the  young  men,  and  were  afraid 
to  interfere  with  them.  In  my  turn  I  address- 
ed them  :  "  You  say  that  you  love  the  whites ; 
why  have  you  killed  so  many  already  this 
spring  ?  You  say  that  you  love  the  whites, 
and  are  full  of  many  expressions  of  friend- 
ship to  us ;  but  you  are  not  willing  to  undergo 
the  fatigue  of  a  few  days'  ride  to  save  our 
lives.  We  do  not  believe  what  you  have 
said,  and  will  not  listen  to  you.  Whatever 
a  chief  among  us  telta  his  soldiers  to  do,  is 
done.  We  are  the  soldiers  of  the  great  chief, 
your  father.  He  has  told  us  to  come  here 
and  see  this  country,  and  all  the  Indians,  his 
children.  Why  should  we  not  go  ?  Before 
we  came,  we  heard  that  you  had  killed  his 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1849. 


Id  ! 


•■I 


:,*i:  - 


people,  and  ceaned  to  be  hin  children ;  but  we 
came  among  you  peaceably,  holding  out  our 
bands.  Now  we  find  that  the  storieH  we 
heard  are  not  lies,  and  that  you  arc  no  longer 
bia  friends  and  children.  We  have  thrown 
away  our  bodies,  and  will  not  turn  back. 
When  you  told  us  that  your  young  men 
would  kill  us,  you  did  not  know  that  our 
hearts  were  strong,  and  you  did  not  see  the 
rifles  which  my  young  men  carry  in  their 
hands.  Wo  are  ^w,  and  you  are  many,  and 
may  kill  us  all ;  but  there  will  be  much  cry- 
ing in  your  villages,  for  many  of  your  young 
men  will  stay  behind,  and  forget  to  return 
with  your  warriors  from  the  mountains.  Do 
you  think  that  our  great  chief  will  let  his 
soldiers  die,  and  forget  to  cover  their  graves  ? 
Before  the  snows  melt  again,  his  warriors 
will  sweep  away  your  villages  as  the  fire 
does  the  prairie  in  the  autumn.  See !  I  have 
pulled  down  my  white  houses,  and  my  people 
arc  ready :  when  the  sun  is  ten  paces  higher, 
we  shall  be  on  the  march.  If  you  have  any- 
thing to  tell  us,  you  will  say  it  soon."  I 
broke  up  the  conference,  as  I  could  do  no- 
thing with  these  people  ;  and,  being  resolved 
to  proceed,  nothing  was  to  be  gained  by  de- 
lay. Accompanied  by  our  hospitable  friends, 
we  returned  to  the  camp.  We  had  mounted 
our  horses,  and  our  parting  salutations  had 
been  exchanged,  when  one  of  the  chiefs  (the 
Bull's  Tail)  arrived  to  tell  me  that  they  had 
determined  to  send  a  young  man  with  an  ; 
and  if  I  would  point  out  the  place  of  our  eve- 
ning camp,  be  should  join  us  there.  "The 
young  man  is  poor,"  said  he ;  "he  has  no 
horse,  and  expects  you  to  give  him  one."  I 
described  to  him  tKe  place  where  I  intended 
to  encamp,  and,  shaking  hands,  in  a  few  mi- 
nutes we  were  among  tlie  hills,  and  this  last 
habitation  of  whites  shut  ou^  from  our  view. 
The  road  led  over  an  interesting  plateau 
between  the  North  fork  of  the  Platte  on  the 
right,  and  Laramie  river  on  the  left.  At  the 
distance  of  ten  miles  from  the  fort,  we  en- 
tered the  sandy  bed  of  a  creek,  a  kind  of  de- 
file, shaded  by  precipitous  rocks,  down  which 
we  wound  our  way  for  several  hundred  yards, 
to  a  place  where,  on  the  left  bank,  a  very 
\tiTBe  spring  gushes  with  considerable  noise 
and  force  out  of  the  limestone  rock.  It  is 
called  "  the  Warm  Spring,"  and  furnishes  to 
the  hitherto  dry  bed  of  the  creek  a  conside- 
rable rivulet.  On  the  opposite  side,  a  little 
below  the  sprip?,  is  a  lofty  limestone  escarp- 
ment, parti  ;  .shaped  by  a  grove  of  largo 
trees,  whose  green  foliage,  in  contrast  with 
tbe  whiteness  of  the  rock,  renders  this  a  pic- 
turesque locality.  The  rock  is  fosslliferous, 
and,  so  far  as  I  was  able  to  determine  the 
character  of  the  fossils,  belongs  to  the  car- 
boniferous limestone  of  the  Missouri  river, 
and  18  probably  the  western  limit  of  that  for- 


mation.   Beyond  thia  point  I  met  with  no 
fossils  of  any  description. 

I  was  desirous  to  visit  the  Platte  near  the 
point  where  it  leave*  the  Black  hills,  and 
therefore  followed  this  stream,  for  two  or 
three  miles,  to  the  mouth  ;  where  I  encainp- 
rd  on  a  spot  which  aflSirded  good  grass  and 

firite  {eijuisftum)  for  our  animals.  Our  tenta 
laving  been  found  too  thin  to  protect  our- 
selves and  the  instruments  from  the  rains, 
which  in  this  elevated  country  are  attended 
with  cold  and  unpleasant  weather,  I  had  pro- 
cured irom  the  Indians  at  Ijaramie  a  tolera- 
bly large  lodge,  about  eighteen  feet  in  diame- 
ter, and  twenty  feet  in  height.  Such  a 
lodge,  when  properly  pitched,  is,  from  its 
conical  form,  almost  perfectly  secure  against 
the  violent  winds  which  are  frequent  in  this 
region,  and,  with  a  fire  in  the  centre,  is  a 
dry  and  warm  shelter  in  bad  weather.  By 
raising  the  lower  part,  so  as  to  permit  the 
breeze  to  pass  freely,  it  is  converted  into  a 
pleasant  summer  residence,  with  the  e.\traor> 
dinary  advantage  of  being  entirely  free  from 
mosquitoes,  one  of  which  I  have  never  seen 
in  an  Indian  lodge.  While  we  were  engaged 
very  unskilfully  m  erecting  this,  the  interpre- 
ter, Mr.  Bissonettc,  arriveu,  accompanied  by 
the  Indian  and  his  wife.  She  laugned  at  our 
awkwardness,  and  offered  her  assistance,  of 
which  we  were  frequently  afterward  obliged 
to  avail  ourselves,  before  the  men  acquired 
sufficient  expertness  to  pitch  it  without  diffi- 
culty. From  this  place  we  had  a  fine  view 
of  the  gorge  where  the  Platte  Issues  from  the 
Black  hills,  changing  its  character  abruptly 
from  a  mountain  stream  into  a  river  of  the 
plains.  Immediately  around  us  the  valley  ol 
the  stream  was  tolerably  open  *,  and  at  tbe 
distance  of  a  few  miles,  where  the  river  had 
cut  its  way  through  the  hills,  was  the  narrow 
cleft,  on  one  side  of  which  a  lofty  precipice 
of  bright  red  rock  rose  vertically  above  the 
low  hills  which  lay  between  us. 

July  22. — In  tlie  morning,  while  breakfast 
was  being  prepared,  I  visited  tliis  place  with 
my  favorite  man,  Basil  Lajeunesse.  Enter- 
ing BO  far  as  there  was  footing  for  the  mules, 
we  dismounted,  and,  tying  our  animals,  con- 
tinued our  way  on  foot.  Like  the  whole 
country,  the  scenery  of  the  river  had  under- 
gone an  entire  change,  and  was  in  this  place 
the  most  beautiful  1  have  ever  seen.  The 
breadth  of  the  stream,  generally  near  that  ol 
its  valley,  was  from  two  to  three  hundred  feet, 
with  a  swift  current,  occasionally  broken  by 
rapids,  and  the  water  perfectly  clear.  On 
either  side  rose  the  red  precipices,  vertical, 
and  sometimes  overhanging,  two  and  four 
hundred  feet  in  height,  crowned  with  green 
summits,  on  which  were  scattered  a  few 
pines.  At  the  foot  of  the  rocks  was  tbe 
usual  detritus,  formed  of  masses  fallen  fitun 


1843. 1 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


ai 


above.  Among  the  pines  that  gnw  here, 
and  on  the  occaaional  bankn,  were  the  cherry 
(cerafui  virffiniana),  currants,  and  grains  de 
IjoBuf  (xhejiherdia  argentea).  Viewed  in  the 
■unithino  uf  a  plcHmiiit  inornin|(,  the  Hccnvry 
wan  of  a  inont  Htril<ing  and  romantic  l)eaiity, 
which  aroHe  from  the  pictureHqiie  disi^Ktaition 
of  the  objectH,  and  the  vivid  contrast  ot  colors. 
I  thought  with  much  pleasure  of  our  ap- 
proaching dcHccnt  in  the  canoe  through  such 
iiitoresling  places  ;  and,  in  the  expectation 
of  lioing  able  at  that  time  to  give  to  them  a 
full  examination,  did  not  now  dwell  so  much 
as  might  have  been  desirable  upon  the  geo- 
logical fttrmations  along  the  line  of  the  river, 
where  they  are  developed  with  great  clear- 
ness. The  upper  portion  of  the  red  Htrata 
consists  of  very  compact  clay,  in  which  are 
occasionally  seen  imbedded  large  pebbles. 
Delow  was  a  stratum  of  com|)act  red  sand- 
stone, changing  a  little  alK>ve  the  river  into  a 
very  hard  siliceous  limestone.  There  is  a 
small  but  handsome  open  prairie  immediately 
below  this  place,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river, 
which  would  be  a  good  locality  for  a  military 
post.  There  are  some  open  groves  of  cotton- 
wood  on  the  Platte.  The  small  stream  which 
comes  in  at  this  place  is  woll  timbered  with 
pine,  and  good  building  rock  is  abundant. 

If  it  is  in  contemplation  to  keep  open  the 
communications  with  Oregon  terriuiry,  a 
show  of  military  force  in  this  country  is 
absolutely  necessary ;  and  a  combination  of 
advantages  renders  the  neighborhood  of  Fort 
Laramie  the  most  suitable  place,  on  the  line 
of  the  Platte,  for  the  establishment  of  a  mili- 
tary post.  It  is  connected  with  the  mouth 
of  the  Platte  and  the  Upper  Missouri  by  ex- 
cellent roads,  which  are  in  frequent  ust.,and 
would  not  in  any  way  interfere  with  the  range 
of  the  buiTalo,  on  which  the  neighboring  In- 
dians mainly  depend  for  support.  It  would 
render  any  posts  on  the  Lower  Platte  un- 
necessary ;  the  ordinary  communication  be- 
tvvoon  it  and  the  Missouri  being  sufficient  to 
control  the  intermediate  Indians.  It  would 
operate  eliectually  to  prevent  any  such  co- 
alitions as  are  now  formed  among  the  Gros 
Ventres,  Sioux,  Cheyennes,  and  other  In- 
dians, and  would  keep  the  Oregon  road 
through  the  valley  of  the  Sweet  Water  and 
*'.d  South  Pass  of  the  mountains  constantly 
open.  Tt  lies  at  the  foot  of  a  broken  and 
mountainous  region,  along  which,  by  the  es- 
tablishment of  small  posts  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  St.  Vrain's  fort,  on  the  South  ♦brk 
of  the  Platte,  and  Bent's  fort,  on  the  Arkan- 
sas, a  line  of  communication  would  be  formed, 
by  good  wagon  roads,  with  our  southern  mili- 
tary posts,  which  would  entirely  command 
the  mountain  passes,  hold  some  of  the  most 
troublesome  tribes  in  check,  and  protect  and 
facilitate  our  intercourse  with  the  neighboring 
Spanish  settlements.     The  valleys  of  the 


rivers  on  which  tliey  would  bo  situated  are 
fertile  ;  the  country,  which  supports  immense 
herds  of  buflaln,  is  admirably  adapted  to 
grazing  ;  and  herds  of  cattle  might  bo  main- 
tained by  the  peats,  or  obtained  from  the 
Spanish  country,  which  already  supplies  a 
|)orti()ii  of  their  provisions  to  the  trading  posts 
mentioned  above. 

Just  as  we  were  leaving  the  camp  thia 
morning,  our  Indian  came  up,  and  stated  his 
intention  of  not  proceeding  any  furtlier  until 
he  had  seen  the  horse  which  I  intended  to 
tfive  him.  I  felt  strongly  tempted  to  drive 
him  out  of  the  camp  ;  but  his  presence  ap- 
|)earcd  to  give  confiaence  to  my  men,  and  the 
interpreter  thought  it  absolutely  necessary. 
I  was  therefore  obliged  to  do  what  he  re- 
quested, and  pointed  out  the  animal,  with 
which  he  seemed  satisfied,  and  we  continued 
our  journey.  I  had  imagined  that  Mr.  Bis- 
sonette's  long  residence  nad  made  him  ac- 
quainted with  the  country,  and,  according  to 
his  advice,  proceeded  directly  forward,  with- 
out attemptmg  to  regain  the  usual  road.  He 
afterward  informed  me  that  he  had  rarely 
ever  lost  sight  of  the  fort ;  but  the  effect  of 
the  mistake  was  to  involve  us  for  a  day  or 
two  among  the  hills,  where,  although  we 
lost  no  time,  we  encountered  an  exceedingly 
roiigh  road. 

To  the  south,  along  our  line  of  march  to- 
day, the  main  chain  of  the  Black  or  Laramie 
hills  rises  precipitously.  Time  did  not  permit 
me  to  visit  them ;  but,  from  comparative  in- 
formation, the  ridge  is  composed  of  the  coarse 
sandstone  or  conglomerate  hereafter  de- 
scribed. It  appears  to  enter  the  region  of 
clouds,  which  are  arrested  in  their  course, 
and  lie  in  masses  along  the  summits.  An 
inverted  cone  of  black  cloud  (cumulus)  rest- 
ed during  all  the  forenoon  on  the  lofty  peak 
of  Laramie  mountain,  which  I  estimated  to 
be  about  two  thousand  feet  above  the  fort,  or 
six  thousand  five  hundred  above  the  sea.  We 
halted  to  noon  on  the  Fourche  Amire,  so 
called  from  being  timbered  principally  with 
the  Hard  amire  (a  species  of  poplar),  with 
which  the  valley  of  tne  little  stream  is  tole- 
rably well  wooded,  and  which,  with  large 
expansive  summits,  grows  to  the  height  of 
sixty  or  seventy  feet. 

The  bed  of  the  creek  is  sand  and  gravel, 
the  water  dispersed  over  the  broad  bed  in 
several  shallow  streams.  We  found  here, 
on  the  right  bank,  in  the  shade  of  the  trees, 
a  fine  spring  of  very  cold  water.  It  will  be 
remarked  that  I  do  not  mention,  in  this  por- 
tion of  the  journey,  the  temperature  of  the 
air,  sand,  springs,  &c. — an  omission  which 
will  be  explained  in  the  course  of  the  nar- 
rative. In  mv  Hearch  for  plante,  I  was  well 
rewarded  at  tnis  place.  ** 

With  the  change  in  the  ^ological  forma- 
tion on  leaving  Fort  Laramie,  the  whole  face 


CAPT.  FREM0NT8  NARRATIVE. 


[1849. 


184 


i. 


r  I 


of  the  country  hw  cniirrly  altorrd  ita  ap- 
pearance.  Eaitwanl  of  tiiut  meridian,  the 
principal  object!  which  striko  the  eye  of  a 
traveller  are  the  absonce  of  tiink'r,  and  the 
immenM  oxpaoHn  of  prairie,  Cdvorod  with 
the  verdure  of  rich  grnimei',  and  highly  adapt- 
ed for  pRKturajfc.  Whenever  thoy  are  not 
dJHtiirlx'd  l»y  iho  vicinity  dI  nmii,  liirg*'  henln 
>»f  buffalo  give  animation  to  tliiH  country. 
Westward  of  liaramio  river,  the  rej^ion  in 
nandy,  and  apparently  Blerilo  ;  and  the  place 
of  the  graaa  la  usurped  by  the  arlrmhia  and 
other  odoriferous  plants,  to  whose  crovvth 
the  sandy  soil  and  dry  air  of  thiM  elevated 
region  seem  highly  favorable. 

One  of  the  prominent  characteristics  in 
the  face  of  the  country  is  the  extraordinary 
abundance  of  the  artemisias.  Thev  grow 
everywhere — on  the  hills,  and  over  the  river 
bottoms,  in  tough,  twisted,  wiry  clumpH ;  and, 
wherever  the  beaten  track  was  Ictl,  thev  ren- 
dered the  progress  of  the  carts  rough  and 
slow.  As  the  country  increased  in  elevation 
on  our  advance  to  the  west,  they  increased 
in  size ;  and  the  whole  air  is  strongly  im- 
pregnated and  saturated  with  the  odor  of 
camphor  and  spirits  of  turpentine  which  be- 
longs to  this  plant.  This  climate  has  been 
found  very  favorable  to  the  restoration  of 
health,  particularly  in  cases  of  consumption ; 
iind  possibly  the  respiration  of  air  so  highly 
impregnated  with  aromatic  plants  may  have 
t^ome  inffuence. 

Our  dried  meat  had  ^iven  out,  and  we  be- 
nan  to  be  in  want  of  tood ;  but  one  of  the 
hunters  killed  an  antelope  this  evening,  which 
aSurded  some  relief,  although  it  did  not  go 
far  among  so  many  hungry  men.  At  8 
*'clock  at  night,  after  a  march  of  twenty- 
ocven  miles,  we  reached  our  proposed  en- 
campment on  the  Fer-i-C/ieia/,  or  Horse- 
shoe creek.  Here  we  found  good  grass, 
with  a  great  quantity  of  -pr^le,  which  fur- 
nished ^ood  food  for  our  tired  animals.  This 
creek  is  well  timbered,  principally  with 
Hard  amire,  and,  with  the  exception  of  Deer 
creek  which  we  had  not  yet  reached,  is  the 
largest  affluent  of  the  right  bank  between 
Laramie  and  the  mouth  of  the  Sweet  Water. 

July  23. — The  present  year  had  been  one 
of  unparalleled  drought,  and  throughout  tlie 
countrjr  the  water  had  been  almost  dried  up. 
By  availing  themselves  of  the  annual  rise, 
the  traders  had  invariably  succeeded  in  car- 
rying their  fura  to  the  Missouri;  but  this 
aeason,  as  has  already  been  mentioned,  on 
both  forks  of  the  Platte  they  had  entirely 
failed.  The  greater  number  of  the  springs, 
and  many  of  the  streams,  which  made  halt- 
ing places  for  the  voyageurs,  had  been  dried 
up.  Everywhere  the  soil  looked  parched 
and  burnt ;  the  scanty  yellow  grass  crisped 
under  the  foot,  and  even  the  hardiest  plants 
were  destroyed  by  want  of  moisture.     I 


think  it  neceeaary  to  mention  this  fact,  be- 
cause to  the  rapid  evaporation  in  auch  an 
elevated  region,  nearly  Hve  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea,  aimont  wholly  unprotected  by 
timber,  Hhoiild  bo  attributed  much  of  the 
bterile  appt^aranco  of  the  country,  in  the  de- 
struction of  vegetation,  and  the  numerous 
saline  vHlorescenceH  which  covered  the 
ground.  Such  1  afterward  found  to  U)  the 
case. 

I  was  informed  that  the  roving  villages  of 
Indians  and  travellers  had  never  met  witVi 
dithculty  in  finding  an  abundance  of  grass 
for  their  horses ;  and  now  it  was  alter  great 
search  that  we  were  able  to  find  a  scanty 
patch  of  grass,  sufficient  to  keep  them  from 
sinking;  and  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two 
they  began  to  suffer  very  much.  We  found 
none  tcMlay  at  noon ;  and,  in  the  course  of 
our  search  on  the  I'latte,  came  to  a  grove  of 
cotton-wood,  where  some  Indian  village  had 
recently  encamped.  Boughs  of  the  cotton- 
wood  yet  green  covered  the  ground,  which 
the  Indians  had  cut  down  to  feed  their  horses 
upon.  It  is  only  in  the  winter  that  recourse 
is  had  to  this  means  of  sustaining  them ; 
and  their  resort  to  it  at  this  time  was  a  strik- 
ing evidence  of  the  state  of  the  country. 
We  followed  their  example,  and  turned  our 
horses  into  a  grove  of  young  poplars.  Thi» 
began  to  present  itself  as  a  very  serious  evil, 
for  on  our  animals  depended  altogether  the 
further  prosecution  of  our  journey. 

Shortly  after  wo  had  left  this  place,  the 
scouts  came  galloping  in  with  the  alarm  of 
Indians.  We  turned  in  immediately  toward 
the  river,  which  here  had  a  steep  high  bank, 
where  we  formed  with  the  caits  a  very  close 
barricade,  resting  on  the  river,  within  which 
the  animals  were  strongly  hobbled  and  pick- 
eted. The  guns  were  discharged  and  re- 
loaded, and  men  thrown  forward,  under  cover 
of  the  bank,  in  the  direction  by  which  the 
Indians  were  expected.  Our  interpreter, 
who,  with  the  Indian,  had  gone  to  meet  them, 
came  in,  in  about  ten  minutes,  accompanied 
by  two  Sioux.  They  looked  sulky,  and  we 
could  obtain  from  them  only  some  confused 
information.  We  learned  that  they  belonged 
to  the  party  which  had  been  on  the  trail  of 
the  emigrants,  whom  they  had  overtaken  at 
Rock  Independence,  on  the  Sweet  Water. 
Here  the  party  had  disagreed,  and  came 
nigh  fighting  among  themselves.  One  por- 
tion were  desirous  of  attacking  the  whites, 
but  the  others  were  opposed  to  it ;  and 
finally  they  had  broken  up  into  small  bands, 
and  dispersed  over  the  country.  The  greater 
portion  of  them  had  gone  over  into  the  terri- 
tory of  the  Crows,  and  intended  to  return  by 
the  way  of  the  Wind  river  valley,  in  the  hope  of 
being  able  to  fall  upon  some  small  parties  of 
Crow  Indians.  The  remainder  were  return- 
ing down  the  Platte,  in  scattered  parties  of 


ten 

encc 

voci 

ral 

the 

any 

ed 

little 

U'eii 


V  i 


11842. 


1843.] 


CAPT.  FRKMONT'H  NARRATIVE. 


33 


Ilia  fact,  be> 
in  luch  an 
juaand  feet 
irotected  by 
uch  of  tho 
r,  in  the  do> 
I  numoroiia 
nvered  tho 
id  tu  be  thu 

villages  of 
r  met  witVi 
:e  of  graiH 
alter  great 
d  a  scanty 
I  thom  from 
day  or  two 

We  found 
I  course  of 

a  crove  of 
village  had 
tho  cotton- 
und,  which 
heir  horses 
It  recourse 
ling  them ; 
vas  a  strilt- 
e  country, 
turned  our 
lara.  This 
eriouB  evil, 
>gethcr  the 

place,  tJic 
e  alarm  of 
ely  toward 
high  bank, 
very  close 
thin  which 
I  and  pick- 
Mi  and  re- 
nder cover 
which  tlie 
nterpreter, 
nect  theii), 
companied 
,  and  we 
confused 
y  belonged 
he  trail  of 
ertaken  at 
Bt  Water, 
and  came 
One  por- 
le  whites, 
)    it ;  and 
lall  bands, 
he  greater 
the  terri- 
return  by 
:he  hope  of 
parties  of 
ire  return- 
parties  of 


I 

I 


len  and  twenty ;  and  those  whom  we  had 
encouiitrrml  belonged  to  thomt  who  had  ad- 
voratt'd  an  attack  on  the  oiiiigrantH.  Seve- 
ral of  tho  irion  suggowtt'd  Nhnoting  thttni  on 
the  spot ;  but  I  promptly  diMCountoniiiiced 
any  such  proceeding.  Tliey  further  inlorin- 
(>d  inn  that  huHklo  were  very  scarce,  and 
little  or  iin  grass  to  Im  found.  There  had 
1)0011  no  rain,  and  innumerable  (|uantitieH  of 
grasMhi)p|H>rN  had  destroyed  the  grans.  'I'ho 
iiisectM  iiad  Iwen  so  numerous  smce  leaving 
Fort  lAramio,  that  the  ground  Hoomcd  nlivc 
with  them  ;  and  in  walking,  a  little  moving 
cloud  preceded  our  footsteps.  This  was  bad 
news.  No  grass,  no  butialo— food  tor  nei- 
ther horse  nor  man.  I  gave  them  some 
plugs  of  tobacco,  and  they  wont  off,  appa- 
rently well  mitisfied  to  be  clear  of  us;  for 
my  men  !id  not  look  upon  them  very  loving- 
ly, and  they  glanced  suspiciously  at  our  war- 
like preparations,  and  the  little  ring  of  rifles 
which  surrounded  them.  They  were  evi- 
dently in  a  bad  humor,  and  shot  one  of  their 
horses  when  they  had  loll  us  a  nliort  dis- 
taaee. 

We  continued  our  march,  and,  after  a 
journey  of  about  twenty-one  miles,  encamped 
on  tho  Platte.  During  tho  day,  I  had  occa- 
sionally remarked  among  the  hills  the  psora- 
lea  esculenta,  tho  bread  root  of  the  Indians. 
The  Sioux  use  this  root  very  extensively,  and 
I  have  frequently  mot  with  it  among  them, 
cut  into  thin  slices  and  dried.  In  the 
course  of  the  evening  wo  were  visited  by  six 
Indians,  who  told  us  that  a  large  party  was 
encamped  a  few  miles  above.  Astronomi- 
cal observations  placed  us  in  longitude  1U4° 
69'  69",  and  latitude  42o  39  26". 

We  mo.dd  the  next  day  twenty-two  miles, 
and  encamped  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Platte,  where  a  handsome  meadow  afforded 
tolerably  good  grass.  There  were  the  re- 
mains of  an  old  fort  here,  thrown  up  in  some 
sudden  emergency,  and  on  the  opposite  side 
was  a  picturesque  bluff  of  ferruginous  sand- 
stone. There  was  a  handsome  grove  a  lit- 
tle above,  and  scattered  groups  of  trees  bor- 
dered the  river.  Bufhlo  made  their  appear- 
ance this  afternoon,  and  the  hunters  came  in, 
shortly  after  we  had  encamped,  with  three 
fine  cows.  The  night  was  fine,  and  obser- 
vations gave  for  the  latitude  of  the  camp, 
420  47/  4o»». 

July  26. — We  made  but  thirteen  miles 
this  day,  and  encamped  about  noon  in  a 
pleasant  grove  on  the  right  bank.  Low 
scaffolds  were  erected,  upon  which  the  meat 
was  laid,  cut  up  into  thin  strips,  and  small 
fires  kindled  below.  Our  object  was  to  prsfit 
by  the  vicinity  of  the  buffiilo,  to  lay  in  a 
stock  of  provisions  for  ten  or  fifteen  days. 
In  the  coarse  of  the  afternoon  the  hunters 
brought  in  five  or  six  cows,  and  all  hands 
were  kept  bnsUy  employed  in  preparing  the 

3 


meat,  to  tho  drying  o.  which  tho  guard  at« 
tended  diirin|^  the  night.  Our  [M'oplo  had 
rerovnred  th«»ir  gaiety,  und  tho  bu^y  figures 
around  the  blazing  tln^H  gt\o  a  pirturpuque 
iiir  to  tho  camp.  A  very  serious  arculi'nt 
wi  rred  this  morning,  in  the  fm'Hking  of 
oiii-  of  ilui  baroiiioters.  These  had  been  the 
object  of  my  constant  solicitude,  and,  hh  I 
had  intended  tbcin  principally  for  mountain 
Hprvirc,  I  bad  used  them  as  seldoiii  as  [Kif- 
siblo;  taking  them  always  down  at  night, 
and  on  the  occurrence  of  storms,  in  onii-r  to 
loHion  tho  chances  of  being  broken.  I  was 
reduced  to  one,  a  standard  baronioter  ol 
Troughton's  construction.  This  1  determin- 
ed to  preserve,  if  pssible.  The  latitude  in 
42°  61 '  36",  and  by  a  mean  of  tho  results 
from  chronometer  and  lunar  distances,  the 
adopted  longitude  of  this  camp  is  lUd**  60' 
46". 

July  26. — Early  this  morning  wo  were 
again  in  motion.  We  had  a  stock  oi  pro- 
visions for  fifteen  days  carefully  stored  away 
in  the  carts,  and  this  I  resolved  should  only 
be  encroached  upon  when  our  rifles  should 
fail  to  procure  us  present  support.  I  de- 
termined to  reach  the  mountains,  it  it  were 
in  liny  way  possible.  In  the  meantime,  buf- 
falo were  plenty.  In  six  miles  from  our 
encampment  ^which,  by  way  of  distinction, 
we  shall  call  Dried  Meat  camp),  we  crosset. 
a  handsome  stream,  called  La  Fourche 
Itoisie.  It  is  well  timbered,  and,  among  the 
flowers  in  bloom  on  its  banks,  I  remarked 
several  asters. 

Five  miles  further,  wo  made  our  noon  halt 
on  tho  banks  of  the  Platte,  in  the  shade  of 
some  cotton-woods.  There  wero  here,  as 
generally  now  along  the  river,  thickets  of 
hii>puj)ha<jc,  tho  grains  de  bceuf  of  the  coun- 
try. They  were  of  two  kinds — one  bearing 
a  red  berry  (the  shepherdia  arcentia  of 
Nuttall)  ;  the  other  a  yellow  berry,  of 
which  the  Tartars  are  said  to  make  a  kind 
of  rob. 

By  a  meridian  observation,  the  latitude  of 
the  place  was  42°  60'  08".  It  was  my  daily 
practice  to  take  observations  of  Jie  sun's 
meridian  altitude ;  and  why  they  are  not 
given,  will  appear  in  the  sequel.  Eight 
miles  further  we  reached  the  mouth  of  Deer 
creek,  where  we  encamped.  Here  was  an 
abundance  of  rich  grass,  and  our  animals 
were  compensated  for  past  privations.  This 
stream  was  at  this  time  twenty  feet  broad, 
and  well  timbered  with  cotton-wood  of  an 
uncommon  size.  It  is  the  largest  tributary 
of  the  Platte,  between  the  mouth  of  the 
Sweet  Water  and  tlie  Laramie.  Our  astro- 
nomical observations  gave  for  the  mouth  of 
the  stream  a  longitude  of  106°  08'  24",  and 
latitude  42°  62'  24". 

July  27. — Nothing  worthy  of  mention  oc- 
curred on  this  day ;  we  travelled  later  thaa 


ii. 


CAPT.  FRKMONT'8  NARRATIVK. 


[I 


#; 


uiual,  having  upoiit  lonto  time  in  Hcurchinff 
for  gnu,  croamntf  ami  ro-crunMing  Un*  river 
beluro  we  could  tind  a  iiulHcit  lit  i|iiaiitily  tor 
our  animalH.  Toward  dunk,  wo  t'iirttmp«'d 
among  noino  arteiniiia  Ituitlu-K,  two  and  ilirop 
fo«l  in  height,  where  hoiiio  KCiilti'ri'd  |mli  Ihh 
of  ahort  tough  grauM  iillbrdi-d  u  Hcnnly  miio- 
ply.  In  crooning,  wo  had  occuHion  to  oh- 
Borvo  (hat  the  river  wan  fro<|ia'iitly  too  di-op 
to  U*  lorded,  though  we  alwayn  Hiicc»'i'di'd 
III  rii.,!ing  a  place  wlicre  tlio  water  did  not 
niter  the  carU.  The  Htreain  coiitimii'd  verv 
clear,  with  two  or  three  hundred  feet  breadth 
I     >  of  water,  and  the  iandy  bed  and  bmik«  were 

Irecjuently  covered  with  largo  round  jiebbleH, 
Wo  had  travelled  this  day  twenty-ceven 
inilcB.  The  main  chain  of  tho  Black  hills 
wan  here  only  about  Hcven  iniiea  to  Uie 
Houth,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  rivor,  riHiiig 
abruptly  to  the  height  of  eight  and  twelve 
hundred  feet.  Patches  of  green  grass  in 
the  ravines  on  the  steep  sides  marked  tha 
presence  of  springs,  and  the  smnmitd  were 
clad  with  pines. 

July  28.— In  two  miles  from  our  encamp- 
ment, wo  reached  the  place  where  the  regu- 
lar road  crosses  the  IMatte.  There  was  two 
hundred  feet  breadth  of  water  at  this  time  in 
the  bed,  which  has  a  variable  width  of  eight 
to  flfleen  hundred  feet.  The  channels  were 
generally  three  feet  deep,  and  there  were 
largo  angular  rocks  on  the  bottom,  which 
made  the  ford  in  some  places  a  little  ditH- 
cult.  Even  at  its  low  stages,  this  river 
cannot  be  crossed  at  raiidoin,  and  this  has 
always  been  UHcd  as  the  best  ford.  The 
low  stage  of  the  waters  the  present  year 
had  mme  it  fordable  in  almost  any  part  of 
its  coitfse,  where  access  could  be  bad  to  its 
bed. 

For  the  satisfaction  of  travellers,  I  will 
endeavor  to  give  some  description  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  road  from  Laramie  to  this  point. 
The  nature  of  the  soil  may  be  inferred  from 
its  geological  formation.     The  limestone  at 
the  eastern  limit  of  this  section  is  succeeded 
by  limestone  without  fossils,  a  ^reat  variety 
of  sandstone,  consisting  principally  of  red 
sandstone  and  fine  congfomerates.     The  red 
sandstone    is    argillaceous,    with   compact 
white  gypsum  or  alabaster,  very  beautiful. 
The  other  sandstones  are  grey,  yellow,  and 
ferruginous,  sometimes  very  coarse.    The 
apparent  sterility  of  the  country  must  there- 
fore be  sought  tor  in  other  causes  than  the 
nature  of  the  soil.     The  face  of  the  country 
cannot  with  propriety  be  called  hilly.     It  is 
a  succession  of  long  ridges,  made  by  the  nu- 
merous streams  which  come  down  from  the 
neighboring  mountain  range.     The  ridges 
have  an  undulating  surface,  with  some  such 
appearance  as  the  ocean  presents  in  an  ordi- 
DAnr  breeze. 
-  The  road  which  is  now  generally  followed 


thn>iigh  thm  region  in  thercforo  a  very  good 
one,  Without  any  dilHciilt  aacrnta  to  over- 
come. 'I'hv  urinripal  obatructiona  are  ne^r 
th«  river,  wlivre  the  transifut  waters  of 
heavy  riiinN  have  made  deep  ravine*  with 
hteep  twnks,  which  rendorK  frequent  rircuita 
nerexHury.  It  will  Iw  remembered  that  wa- 
gons paHH  this  road  only  once  or  twiee  a 
year,  which  i«i  by  no  nieana  aulUrient  to 
Lrt'iik  down  the  stublx^rn  roots  <■.'  *.ho  iunu- 
iiierable  artemiitia  buKhva.  A  fmrtial  ab- 
Hence  of  theHe  Ih  olten  Uie  only  indication  of 
the  tnick  -,  and  the  roughnoHa  produced  by 
their  roots  in  many  places  gives  the  nmd  the 
character  of  one  newly  opened  in  a  wooded 
country.  This  in  usually  considered  tlic 
v.'omt  |Hirt  of  the  road  east  ol  the  mountains  ; 
and,  as  it  passes  through  an  open  prairie 
region,  may  be  much  improved,  ho  as  to 
avoid  the  greater  part  of  the  inequalities  it 
now  presents. 

From  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas  to  the 
(ireen  river  valley,  vest  of  the  Rocky  moun- 
tains, there  is  no  such  tiling  as  a  mountain 
road  on  the  line  of  communication. 

We  continued  our  way,  and  four  miles 
beyond  the   ford   Indians  were   discovered 
again  ;  and  I  halted  while  a  party  were  sent 
forward  to  ascertain  who  they  were.     In  a 
short  time  they  returned,  accompanied  bv  a 
number  of  Indians  of  the  Oglallab  band  of 
Hioux.    From  them  we  received  some  inter- 
esting informe.tioii.     They  had  formed  part 
of  the  great  village,  which  they  nforiued  us 
had  broken  up,  and  was  on  ita  way  home. 
The  greater  part  of  tlie  village,  including  the 
Arapahoos,  Cheyennes,  and  Oglallahs,  had 
crossed  the  Platte  eight  or  ten  miles  below 
the  mouth  of  the  Sweet  Water,  and  wcro 
now  behind  the  mountains  to  the  south  of 
us,  intending  to  regain  the  Platte  by  way  of 
Deer  creek.     They  had  taken  this  unusual 
route  in  search  of  grass  and  game.     They 
gave  u.s  a  very  discouraging  picture  of  the 
country.    The  great  drought,  and  the  plague 
of  grasshoppers,  had  swept  it  so  that  scarce 
a  blade  of  grass  was  to  be  seen,  and  thdre 
was  not  a  bulValo  to  be  found  in  the  whole 
region.     Their  people,  they  further  said,  had 
been  nearly  starve<l  lo  deatli,  and  we  would 
find  their  road  ma  ^ed  by  lodges  which  tliey 
had  thrown  away  in  order  to  move  more  ra- 
pidly, and  by  the  carcasses  of  the  horses 
which  they  had  eaten,  or  which  had  perished 
by  starvation.    Such  was  the  prospect  be- 
fore us. 

When  he  had  finished  the  interpretation 
of  these  things,  Mr.  Bissonette  immediately 
rode  up  to  me,  and  urgently  advised  that! 
should  entirely  abandon  the  further  prosecu- 
tion of  my  exploration.  "  Le  nuUleure  avis 
que  je  pourrats  vous  dormer  c'esl  de  virer  de 
suite."  "  The  best  advice  1  can  give  you, 
I  is  to  turn  back  at  once."    It  was  hia  owa 


iiite 

the 

mn. 

mm 

had 

my 

ol  t 

but 


se 


[it4J. 


IS48.] 


CAIT.  FIIKMONT'S  NARIIATIVK. 


3A 


wry  guoU 
a  lo  over- 
R  Km  n«wr 

wiitcra  o( 
vinoM  with 
int  rirciiiUi 

(1  tlllll   WA- 

jt  twice  a 
ilUritmt  to 

'.lio  iunu- 
imrtial  Hb> 
dicKtinn  of 
utliici'd  by 
le  roiid  Uie 
I  a  wnodud 
idurvd  Uic 
nouiitaini ; 
)cii  pmirie 

HO  M  to 
qualitiea  it 

laa   to  the 
icky  inoun- 
mountain 
I. 

four  mile* 

diHcuvereU 

'  wero  unt 

'«re.     In  a 

anicd  bv  a 

kb  band  of 

some  inter- 

uriiicd  part 

iiformed  ub 

vay  home. 

udingthe 

hihs,  had 

les  below 

and  were 

80Uth   of 

by  way  of 

is  unuBual 

ne.    They 

uro  of  the 

;lie  plague 

lat  scarce 

and  thdre 

tlui  whole 

r  said,  had 

wc  would 

v'hich  tliey 

more  ra- 

he  horses 

,d  perished 

ospect  be- 

irpretation 
imediately 
sed  that  I 
r  prosecu- 
lleure  avis 
de  virer  de 
give  you, 
hia  owa 


liitantiun  Id  return,  an  w«  had  now  reached 
the*  (Hiiiit  to  which  h«  hud  tMiKH^*'*'  '<>  •ittcnd 
me.  Ill  reply,  I  called  up  my  men,  iiiid  ciiin- 
muninited  to  them  fully  the  iiifurmatinn  I 
had  |iin(  received.  I  then  exprcNMiMl  to  them 
my  lixi'il  deterininalioii  to  proceed  to  the  end 
of  the  eiiterpriNe  on  which  I  hiul  iK'en  nent ; 
but  as  the  iiituation  of  the  country  ({ave  iiie 
Home  reiiAon  to  apprehend  tiiut  it  mi^ht  he 
attended  with  un  iinlortuniite  rewuit  to  Mnmo 
of  UH,  I  would  leave  it  optional  with  thvm  to 
cnnliniiu  with  mu  or  to  return. 

Amoni;  them  wero  some  Hvo  or  six  who  I 
know  would  remain.  We  had  Htill  ten  diiyit' 
provisioiiH ;  and,  should  no  i^mo  be  found, 
when  this  stock  was  ex|)onded,  wo  had  our 
horscH  and  mules,  which  wc  could  eat  when 
other  moans  of  subsistence  failed.  Uut  not 
a  man  tlinched  from  tlie  undertaking. 
"  We'll  cut  the  mules,"  said  Basil  liajeiines- 
M) ;  and  thereunon  wc  sho«)k  hands  with  our 
interpreter  and  his  Indians,  and  parted. 
With  tiiem  1  Hcnt  back  one  of  my  men, 
Dum^ri,  whom  the  elFcctrt  of  an  old  wound 
in  the  log  rendered  incapalilo  nf  continuing 
the  journey  on  foot,  and  his  horse  seemed  on 
tlic  point  of  giving  out.  Having  resolved  lo 
disencumlicr  ourselves  immediately  oi  every- 
thing not  absolMtely  necessary  to  our  future 
operations,  1  turned  directly  in  toward  the 
river,  and  encamped  on  t'<o  letl  bank,  a  little 
above  the  place  where  our  council  had  Iteen 
hold,  uiid  where  a  thick  gro.-»  of  willows 
odered  a  suitable  spot  for  the  obj->ct  I  had  in 
view. 

The  carts  having  been  dischargi-l,  the 
covers  and  wheels  were  taken  oft*,  and,  with 
the  frames,  carried  into  some  low  phices 
among  the  willows,  and  concealed  in  the 
dense  foliage  in  such  a  manner  that  the  glit- 
ter of  the  iron  work  might  not  attract  the  ob- 
servation of  some  Btraggl'ng  Indian.  In  the 
Band,  which  had  been  blown  up  into  waves 
among  the  willows,  a  large  hole  was  then 
dug,  ten  feet  square,  and  six  deep.  In  the 
meantime,  all  our  effects  had  been  spread 
out  upon  the  ground,  and  whatever  was  de- 
flignea  to  be  carried  along  with  us  separated 
and  laid  asiiie,  and  the  remaining  part  car- 
ried to  the  hole  and  carefully  covered  up. 
As  much  as  possible,  all  traces  of  our  pro- 
ceedings were  obliterated,  and  it  wanted  but 
a  rain  to  render  our  cache  safe  beyond  dis- 
covery. All  the  men  were  now  set  at  work 
to  arrange  the  pack-saddles  and  make  up  the 
juicks. 

The  day  was  very  warm  ajid  calm,  aiid 
the  sky  entirely  clear,  except  where,  as 
UBual  along  the  aummits  of  the  mountainous 
ridge  opposite,  the  clouds  had  congregated 
in  masses.  Our  lodge  had  been  planted, 
and  on  account  of  the  heat,  the  ground  pins 
hod  been  taken  out,  and  the  lower  part 
•lightly  raised.    Near  to  it  was  standing  the 


Iwrometer,  which  swung  in  a  tripo«|  frame  ; 
and  within  tho  liMlge,  where  a  ■mall  lire  had 
Im'cii  built,  Mr.  I'reuMS  was  occupied  in  ob- 
serving the  tem|M>ratiirn  of  boiling  water. 
At  iIiIn  inslajit,  and  without  any  wurning 
until  it  was  within  lifty  yards,  a  viniiitt  gust 
of  wii»l  ilushed  (town  the  Itnlge,  Imryiiiix  un- 
der it  Mr.  I'reiiMN  and  alNuit  a  ili>/.en  men, 
who  had  attempted  to  keep  it  Irom  U>ing 
carried  away.  I  Hucceedeo  in  caving  the 
barometer,  which  the  IinI^o  was  currying  oil' 
with  itself,  but  tho  thurmomuter  vv;ih  liroken. 
Wo  had  no  others  of  a  high  graduation,  none 
of  those  which  remained  going  higher  than 
13fi->  Fahrenheit.  Our  astronomical  olwor- 
vations  gave  to  this  place,  which  wo  named 
(^(iche  camp,  a  Icmgitude  of  lOG"  38'  20", 
latitude  t'io  60'  63' . 

July  'JO. — All  our  arrangement  ^  having 
been  completed,  we  loft  the  encnnipmont  at 
7  o'clock  this  morning.  In  tliis  vicinity  the 
ordinary  road  leaves  tho  Platte,  and  crosses 
over  to  the  Hwcet  '.V.tter  river,  which  it 
Ntrikos  near  Rock  indej)endence.  Instead 
of  following  this  road,  i  had  determined  to 
keep  the  immediate  valley  of  tho  I'lalto  so 
far  as  the  mouth  of  tho  Sweet  Water,  in  the 
expectation  of  tinding  better  grass.  To  this 
I  was  further  prompted  by  the  nature  of  my 
instructions.  To  Mr.  Carson  was  assigned 
the  oiKcc  of  guide,  as  we  had  now  reached 
a  part  of  the  country  with  which,  or  a  great 
part  of  which,  long  residence  had  iimdu  liim 
familiar.  In  a  few  miles  we  reached  the 
Red  Biittes,  a  famous  landmark  in  this  coun- 
try, whose  geological  compoeition  is  rod 
saiulstonc,  limestone,  and  calcareous  sand- 
stone and  pudding  stone. 

The  river  here  cuts  its  way  through  a 
ridge ;  on  the  eastern  side  of  it  arc  tho  lolly 
escarpments  of  red  argillaceous  sandstone, 
which  are  called  the  Red  Buttes.  In  this 
passage  the  stream  is  not  much  compresse<i 
or  pent  up,  there  being  a  bank  of  consider- 
able though  variable  breadth  on  cither  side. 
Immediately  on  entering,  we  discovered  a 
band  of  buftalo.  The  hunters  failed  to  kill 
any  of  them ;  the  leading  hunter  being 
thrown  into  a  ravine,  which  occasioned  some 
delay,  and  in  the  meantime  the  herd  clam- 
bered up  the  steep  face  of  the  ridge.  It  is 
sometimes  wonderful  to  see  these  apparently 
clumsy  animals  make  their  way  up  and 
down  the  most  rugged  and  broken  preci- 
pices. We  halted  to  noon  before  we  had 
cleared  this  passage,  at  a  spot  twelve  miles 
distant  from  Cache  camp,  where  we  found 
an  abundance  of  grass.  So  far,  the  account 
of  tlie  Indians  was  found  to  be  false.  On 
the  banks  were  willow  and  cherry  trees. 
The  cherries  were  not  yet  ripe,  but  in  the 
thickets  were  numerous  fresh  tracks  of  the 

Srrizzly  bear,  which  are  very  fond  of  this 
ruit.    The  soil  here  ia  red,  the  composition 


.  'L 


M 


CAIT    PRF.MONTH  NARRATrVK. 


fl84l 


II  I 


\ming  (lerivad  fri>m  tli«  ri*(i  Mnii«lMii>n«>. 
Abixil  M0ven  milva  brf>uf(ht  um  ihrDiitrh  th«* 
ritlK*),  ill  which  Urn  rournc  nl  l\w  rivi»r  i« 
north  mill  Mouth.  Il«>n«  thn  vkIIi'Y  <>|w<iim  out 
bmailly,  niui  hioh  wkIU  of  the  nt\  rorinntinn 
pr«M>tit  thi'iiiMlVPa  aiiiontf  lh«  hillx  to  th«> 
••tilt.  Wo  (TotHWil  hrrv  n  |tn'tty  littli>rrp<'k, 
ui)  ntlltii'iit  of  the  ri^ht  luink.  It  in  wi'll 
tiinlM*rcil  with  rottoii-wiKMl  in  thin  viriiiity, 
HMil  till'  MliMiiilh)^  hsH  limt  itN  xliriilHhko  chiir- 
neti'T,  hihI  In'Cdiiii'm  iiniuil  irvcx  Hix  nnil  «*iirht 


iMUtIt 


itfvt  in  ht<i((ht,  ami  Monx'tinx'N  «>i|{ht  in<'ii(*M 
in  (linmulcr.  Two  or  thrrr  inilcN  rImvh  tbiM 
cre«k  wn  inail<<  our  cnrninpini'nt,  having 
travelled  tiMlny  twonty>livi>  niili'H.  Ouriuii- 
mala  fared  wi.*ll  li<>rr,  hh  tliorr  in  an  ithiin- 
dancn  of  Kniaa,  Tlio  rivpr  bed  ia  nrndi*  up 
of  pvbbioH,  and  in  tlio  twtik,  at  the  lt>vi>l  of 
the  water,  ia  a  coniflompratp  of  conrac  pv\t- 
bloa  alHiut  tho  aizH  of  oatrirli  vgft^,  and 
which  I  riMuarked  in  tlip  Imnka  of  tho  Ijiru- 
mie  fork.  It  la  ovrriaid  by  a  Hoil  of  mixed 
elay  and  aund,  aix  feet  thick.  Ky  iiHlrono- 
nioai  obacrvationa,  our  poaition  ia  in  Jon^^i- 
tudo  UHi°  6V  3'I",  and  latitude  V2°  IW. 

July  30. — After  trHvellinif  alKiut   twelve 
milea  thia  morning,  we  rcucliud  it  pliicu  where 
tho   Indian  villaf^e  had  croaacd    the  river. 
Hero  wcid  the  puiea  of  discurdod  hnlprea  and 
■kelctona  of  huraca  lyinff  about.     Air.  Car- 
ion,  who  had  never  been  hiji^hcr  uptimn  thia 
^int  on  tho  river,  which  Ima  tho  diameter 
.if  beini^  exceedingly  rugged,  and  walled  in 
by  prncipicca  above,  thought  it  adviaabic  to 
camp  near  this  place,  where  wo  were  certain 
of  obtaining  graaa,  and  tomorrow  make  our 
oroaaing  among  tho  rugged  hilla  to  tho  Mwect 
Water  river.     Accordingly  we  turned  back 
and  descended  the  river  to  an  itiland  near  by, 
which  was  about  twenty  acrea  in  size,  cover- 
ed with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  graaa.    Tho 
formation  here  I  found   highly  intereating. 
Immediately  at  thia  ialnnd  the  river  ia  again 
shut  up  in   tho  rugged   hilla,  which   coinn 
down  to  it  from  the  main  ridge  in  a  auccca- 
sion  of  spurs  three  or  four  hundred  feet  high, 
and  alternated  with  green  level  prairiUovs  or 
meadows,  bordered  on  the  river  banks  with 
thickets  of  willow,  and  having  many  plants 
to  interest  the  traveller.    The  island  lies  be- 
tween two  of  these   ridges,  three  or  four 
hundred  yards  apart,  of  which  that  on  the 
right  banK  is  composed  entirely  of  red  argil- 
laceous sandstone,  with  thin  layers  of  fibrous 
gypsum.     On  the  left  bank,  tlie  ridge  is  com- 
posed entirely  of  siliceous  pudding  stone,  the 
pebbles  in  the  numerous  strata  increasing  in 
size  from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  where  they 
are  as  large  as  a  man's  head.     So  far  a.s  I 
was  able  to  determine,  these  strata  incline  to 
the  northeast,  with  a  dip  of  about  16".    This 
pudding  stone,  or  conglomerate  formation,  I 
was  enabled  to  trace  through  an  extended 
range  of  country,  from  a  few  miles  cast  of 


the  meriillnii  of  Fort  lAramiA  to  whom  , 
I'liund  It  aii|M<rp<M«*«l  on  tho  grunitn  of  thi. 
KiK-ky  nioiintaina,  in  longitude  lOlP  00'. 
From  ila  apiH'iirance,  lh<«  main  cliiiin  of  the 
l<Nniini><  mmiiitain  ia  coni|Mm«Ml  ol  thia  r')ck ; 
and  in  a  inimlM<r  of  |iliirea  I  found  inotated 
IiiIIh,  which  aervcd  to  mark  a  SiirMer  level 
which  had  been  prolmbly  awept  away. 

Theae  roiiuloineriitea  are  very  friable,  and 
eaaily  ilecoin|Hiae«i ;  and  1  am  inclined  to 
ihink  lliiM  formation  ia  the  aource  from  which 
wiia  derived  the  great  de|MMito  of  aand  and 
gravel  which  lorina  the  surface  rock  of  tlie 
prairie  country  weat  of  tho  Miaaiaaippi. 

<  'roaaing  the  ridgu  of  n>d  aandatone,  and 
traverning  the  little  prairie  which  liea  to  the 
aoiithward  of  it,  we  made  in  tho  arieriuKin  an 
exciiraion  to  a  place  which  we  have  called 
tho  Hot  Hpring  (iato.  Thia  place  hiia  much 
the  Hp|M>arance  of  a  gate,  by  which  the 
I'laltu  paaaea  through  a  ridge  oom|M)aed  of  a 
white  and  calcareoiia  atindatone.  i'he  length 
r)f  tho  paaaage  ia  almut  four  hundred  yards, 
with  a  amoolh  green  prairie  on  either  aide. 
Thr«)ugh  thia  place,  the  stream  flows  with  a 
(|uiet  current,  unbroken  by  any  rapid,  and  ia 
alK)Ut  seventy  yards  wido  between  the  walla, 
which  rise  |>er|)cndicularly  from  the  water. 
1*o  that  on  the  right  bank,  which  ia  the 
lower,  the  barometer  gave  a  height  of  three 
hundred  and  sixty  loot.  This  place  will  be 
moro  iiarticularly  doHcriM  hereafter,  aa  we 
paaaetl  through  it  on  our  return. 

We  saw  hero  numerous  herds  of  mountain 
sheep,  and  frc(iuently  heard  tho  volley  of 
rattling  stones  which  accompanied  their  rapid 
descent  down  tho  steep  hills.  This  was  the 
first  place  at  which  we  had  killed  any  of 
theae  animals ;  and,  in  conseauonce  of  thia 
circumstance,  and  of  the  abundance  of  these 
aheep  or  goats  (for  they  are  called  by  each 
name),  we  gave  to  our  encampment  the  name 
of  Ci'.u^.  Island.  Their  flesh  is  much  cs- 
teem.Ml  by  the  hunters,  and  has  very  much 
the  flavor  of  the  Allegany  mountain  sheep. 
1  lin  e  frequently  seen  tho  horns  of  this  ani- 
mal three  feet  long  and  seventeen  inches  in 
circumference  at  the  base,  weighing  eleven 

faunds.  But  two  or  three  of  these  were 
illed  by  our  party  at  this  place,  and  of  these 
tho  horns  were  small.  The  use  of  these 
horns  seems  to  be  to  protect  the  animal's 
head  in  pitching  down  precipices  to  avoid 
pursuing  wolves — their  only  safety  being  in 

E laces  where  they  cannot  lo  followed.  The 
ones  arc  very  strong  and  solid,  the  marrow 
occupying  but  a  very  small  portion  of  the 
bone  in  tne  leg,  about  the  thickness  of  a  rye 
straw.  The  Tiair  is  short,  resembling  the 
winter  color  of  our  common  deer,  which  it 
nearly  approaches  in  size  and  appearance. 
Except  in  the  horns,  it  has  no  resemblance 
whatever  to  the  goat.  The  longitude  of  this 
place,  resulting  irom  chronometer  and  lunar 


<li 
l< 
<» 


•4 


<M. 


[1841 

to  whitra  • 
'iinitn  (i|  thk 
«   luir*  oo*. 

clinii)  ol  th« 
(It  ihiM  r»ck ; 

iiikI    ixiHltlttJ 

i)r»-.rttr  levol 

•way. 

r  friable,  and 

ini'liru'il  to 
n  Irom  which 
ot  Matiii  anil 

rocli  (if  Uie 
iii«iii|i|ii. 
luNtdiitt,  anU 
;h  lu'H  t(i  tlui 
all<>rti(Kin  an 

liavn  (-allcti 
re  liiia  much 
y  which  th(> 
inuNiHcd  (if  a 

'i'hti  \f>ngO\ 
ndrnd  yanls, 
)  oitlicr  aide. 
HuwN  with  a 
rapid,  and  ia 
en  tho  walJH, 
II  tho  water, 
irhich  in  the 

frht  of  three 
ace  will  b« 
Bailer,  an  we 

of  mountain 

10  volley  of 

>d  their  rapid 

'hiH  waa  the 

led  any  of 

idncc  of  thiii 

nee  of  these 

ed  by  each 

nt  the  name 

much  cfl- 

very  much 

ntain  sheep. 

of  this  ani- 

!n  incheH  in 

lin^;  eleven 

these  were 

and  of  these 

se  of  these 

ie  animal's 

es  to  avoid 

ty  being  in 

3wed.    The 

the  marrow 

rtion  of  the 

ess  of  a  rve 

imblinff  the 

r,  which  it 

ippearance. 

"esemblance 

itude  of  this 

r  and  lunar 


I84S) 


CAI'T.  KttK.\l()NT'S  NARRATIVB. 


I 


diatancoii,  and  an  uccultation  of  Armtia,  i» 
107'*  i:i'  'JD",  and  the  latitude  lU'  AA  'AT'. 
()ii«  (if  our  hiiriteii,  whirh  had  ({iveti  <iut,  we 
It'll  l<>  receive  Nlri'Mtflh  on  (lie  i»liiud,  intend- 
\>m  lo  take  her,  |N>rlii(pi«,  on  our  rvturii. 

July  ;j|. — Thii  inoriiliiK  we  hill  the  roiirne 
ol  the  I'lalte,  to  i-riMa  over  to  the  Hweet  VVa- 
iiT  Our  wriy,  fur  a  tew  tiiili'M,  lay  up  the 
•andy  InmI  ol  a  dry  creek,  in  which  I  lound 
■•evoriil  iiiteri'iitiitt(  phiiilM,  liiMtvintf  thin,  we 
Wound  our  WHy  to  the  Kiiniinit  ol  tho  IiiIIh. 
ol  which  the  [MMtkii  itn*  here  eiKht  hundred 
leet  iilNivn  the  I'lulte,  Imre  and  rocky.  A 
laii|;  tiiid  ifradiial  hI(i|mi  led  from  theiie  hilU 
liv^lio  Hweet  Water,  which  we  reached  in 
liltccii  inileM  troin  (ioiit  Uhuid.  1  made  an 
i-arly  encuinpineiit  here,  in  order  t«  kIvh  the 
liuiiterN  ua  (ip|Mirtunity  to  iirocuro  a  aupply 
Iroiu  acveral  liandN  ol  biiDald,  which  made 
their  apiMmriince  in  the  valhiy  near  by.  'i'lie 
htriMin  hero  is  about  sixty  leet  wide,  and  at 
ihJH  lime  twelve  to  eighteen  inchcH  deep, 
with  a  very  inuderato  ci  rrent. 

The  adj<iinint(  prairies  are  luindy,  but  the 
immediuto  river  bottom  is  a  umA  soil,  which 
iittorded  an  abundaiico  of  sott  (rreeii  ifrass  to 
our  horses,  and  where  I  lound  a  variety  of 
iiitereHtini{  plants,  which  nuide  their  ap|M>ar- 
aiice  for  thu  tirst  time.  A  rain  tu-ni){ht 
iniuie  It  unpleasantly  cold  ;  and  there  was  no 
tree  hero,  to  enable  us  to  pitch  our  single 
tent,  the  poles  of  which  had  been  left  at 
Cacke  camp.  We  had,  therefore,  no  shelter 
except  what  was  to  bu  found  under  cover  of 
the  absinthe  bushes,  which  f^row  in  many 
thick  patches,  one  or  two  and  sometimes 
tliree  feet  high. 

AuKmt  1. — The  hunters  went  ahead  this 
ritoniing,  as  buiTalo  ap(iearod  tolerably  abun- 
dant, and  I  was  desirous  to  secure  a  small 
stock  of  provisions ;  and  we  moved  about 
Mcvon  miles  up  the  valley,  and  oncainpcd  one 
mile  below  Rock  independence.  This  is  an 
JKoliited  Gfranite  rock,  about  six  hundred  and 
lilty  yarcFs  lon)^,  and  forty  in  height,  tlxcept 
in  a  depression  of  the  summit,  where  a  little 
soil  supports  a  scanty  (growth  of  shrubs,  with 
a  solitary  dwarf  pine,  it  is  entirely  bare. 
Kverywhere  within  six  or  eight  feet  of  the 
^rround,  where  tho  surface  is  sufRciently 
Hmootli,  and  in  some  places  sixty  or  eighty 
feet  above,  the  rock  is  inscribed  with  the 
names  of  travellers.  Many  a  name  famous 
in  the  history  of  this  country,  and  some  well 
known  to  science,  ai  >  to  be  found  mixed 
among  those  of  the  traders  and  of  travellers 
lor  pleasure  and  curiosity,  and  of  missiona- 
ries among  the  savages.  Some  of  these 
have  been  washed  away  by  the  rain,  but  the 
greater  number  are  still  very  legible.  The 
position  of  this  rock  is  in  longitude  107°  66', 
latitude  42°  '29>  36".  We  remained  at  our 
camp  of  August  lb.  until  noon  of  the  next 
day,  occupied  in  drying  meat.    By  observa- 


liotl,  the  hitiKiliidi' of  the   placfl   is   107* 'iA 
•J3",  latitude  A'A"^  r.r  fl6-". 

■luffuit  '2.  —  Five  miles  above  Rock  hide- 

Iiendenre  we  came  lo  u  place  railed  the 
)evirs  iUle,  where  the  Hweet  Water  rutu 
through  the  (mint  of  a  uranito  ridife.  The 
length  of  the  imisiige  is  aliout  three  hundred 
yardu,  and  tho  width  thirty-tlve  ynrdx.  Tho 
walls  of  rock  iiri'  vertical,  sml  ttlioni  lour 
hiindriMl  f)>i>t  III  height;  and  the  Mlroiiiu  in 
the  ((ate  is  ulino«t  entirely  choked  up  hy 
imtttteM  which  have  lUlleii  Irom  aliove.  in  the 
wall, on  the  right  Imiik,  im  adike  of  trap  rock, 
cutting  through  a  tiiii>-grained  grey  granite. 
Near  tlie  iioint  of  Ibis  ridge  crop  out  some 
strata  of  the  valley  formation,  consisting  ol  a 
grey ishmirareouHt*Hndi«t(>ne, and  fine-grained 
coiiglom)*rate,  and  marl.  We  encamped  eight 
miles  atiove  the  Devil's  (iate.  There  was 
no  tiuilN'r  ot  any  kind  on  the  river,  but  good 
tirrii  w«>re  made  of  drift  wood,  aided  by  the 
/loi.i  ill-  vac.he. 

Wo  had  to-night  no  shelter  from  tho  rain, 
which  commenced  with  s(|iialls  of  wind  about 
KuiMut.  The  ('(iiinlry  here  is  exceedingly 
picturesque.  On  either  side  of  the  valley, 
wliich  in  four  or  five  miles  broad,  the  moun- 
tains rise  to  the  height  of  twelve  and  tillcen 
hundred  or  two  tliou.xand  tcet.  On  tho  south 
side,  the  range  ii[i|iears  to  bo  timbered,  and 
to-night  is  luminous  with  tires — probably  the 
work  of  the  Indians,  who  havo  just  passed 
through  the  valley.  On  thu  north,  broken 
and  priip'.'o  masses  rise  abruptly  from  tho 
green  Nward  of  tho  river,  terminating  in  a 
riiio  of  broken  summits.  Except  in  the  cre- 
vices of  tlie  rock,  and  hero  and  there  on  a 
ledgo  or  bench  of  the  mountain,  where  a  few 
hardy  pines  havt)  clustered  together,  these 
are  perfectly  bare  and  destitute  of  vegetation. 

Among  these  masses,  where  there  arc 
somotimea  isolated  hills  and  ridges,  green 
valleys  open  in  u|ion  the  river,  which  sweeps 
the  base  of  those  mountains  for  thirty-six 
miles.  Everywhere  its  deep  verdure  and 
profusion  of  beautiful  flowers  is  in  pleasing 
contrast  witii  the  sterile  grandeur  of  the  rock 
and  the  barrenness  of  the  sandy  plain,  which, 
from  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  sweeps  up 
to  the  mountain  range  that  forms  its  south- 
ern boundary.  The  great  evaporation  on  the 
sandy  soil  of  this  elevated  plain,  and  the  sa- 
line efnorescences  which  whiten  the  ground, 
and  shine  like  lakes  reflecting  the  sun,  make 
a  soil  wholly  unfit  for  cultivation. 

August  3. — We  were  early  on  the  road 
the  next  morning,  travelling  along  tho  up- 
land part  of  the  valley,  whicn  ia  overgrown 
with  artemisia.  Scattered  about  on  the 
plain  are  occasional  small  isolated  hills. 
One  of  these  which  I  have  examined,  about 
fifty  feet  high,  consisted  of  white  clay  and 
marl,  in  nearly  horizontal  strata.  Several 
bands  of  buffiilo  made  their  appearance  t(K 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATrV^E. 


[1842 


I84S 


:M[! 


Ill 


day,  with  herds  of  antel()|i»» ;  and  a  grizzly 
bear — the  only  one  wo  encountered  during 
the  journey — waH  seen  scruinbling  up  among 
the  rocks.  As  we  passed  over  a  nliglit  rise 
near  the  river,  we  caugiit  tlie  first  view  of 
tlie  Wind  river  inountains,  appearing,  at  this 
distance  of  about  seventy  miles,  to  be  a  low 
and  dark  mountainous  ridge.  The  view  dis- 
bipaled  in  a  moment  the  pictures  which  had 
been  created  in  our  minds,  by  many  descrip- 
tions of  travellers,  who  have  compared  these 
mountains  to  the  Alps  in  Switzerland,  and 
speak  ol  the  glittering  peaks  which  rise  in 
icy  majesty  amidst  the  eternal  glaciers  nine 
or  ten  thousand  feet  into  the  region  of  eter- 
nal snows.  The  nakedness  of  the  nver  was 
relieved  by  groves  of  willows,  where  we  en- 
camped at  night,  after  a  march  of  twenty-six 
miles ;  and  numerons  bright-colored  flowers 
had  made  the  river  bottom  look  gay  as  a  gar- 
den. We  found  here  a  horse,  which  liad 
been  abandoned  by  the  Indians,  because  his 
hoofs  had  been  so  much  worn  tliat  he  was 
unable  to  travel ;  and  during  the  night  a  dog 
came  into  the  camp. 

August  4. — Our  camp  was  at  the  foot  of 
the  granite  mountains,  which  wc  climbed 
this  mo'ninp  to  take  some  barometrical 
heights ;  and  nere  among  the  rocks  was  seen 
the  iirst  magpie.  On  our  return,  we  saw 
one  at  the  mouth  of  the  Platte  river.  We 
left  here  one  of  our  horses,  which  was  una- 
ble to  proceed  farther.  A  few  miles  from 
the  encampment  we  lett  the  river,  which 
makes  a  bend  to  the  south,  and  traversing 
an  undulating  country,  consisting  of  a  grey- 
ish  micaceous  sandstone  and  fine-grained 
conglomerates,  struck  it  again,  and  encamp- 
ed, after  a  journey  of  twenty-five  miles.  As- 
tronomical observations  placed  us  in  latitude 
4'i°  32''  30^  and  longitude  lOS"  30'  13" 

August  6. — ^The  morning  was  dark,  with 
a  driving  raiq,  and  disagreeably  cold.     We 
continued  our  route  as  usual ;  but  the  wea- 
ther became  so  bad,  that  we  were  glad  to 
avail  ourselves  of  the  shelter  offered  by  a 
small  island,  about  ten  miles  above  our  last 
encampment,  which  was  covered  with  a 
dense  growth  of  willows.    There  was  fine 
grass  for  our  animals,  and  the  Umber  afforded 
us  comfortable  protection  and  good  fires.   In 
the  afternoon,  the  sun  broke  through  the 
clouds  for  a  short  time,  and  the  barometer  at 
5,  p.  m.,  was  at  23.713,  the  thermometer  60o, 
with  the  wind  strong  from  the  northwest. 
We  availed  ourselves  of  the  fine  weather  to 
make  excursions  in  the  neighborhood.    The 
river,  at  this  place,  is  bordered  by  hills  of  the 
valley  formation.     They  e  i  of  moderate 
height ;  one  of  the  highest  peaks  on  the  right 
bamc  being,  according  to  the  barometer,  one 
hundred  and  eighty  feet  above  the  river.   On 
the  left  bank  they  are  higher.    They  cohciSt 
of  a  fine  white  clayey  sandstone,  a  white 


calcareous  sandstone,  and  coarse  sandstone 
or  pudding  stone. 

August  6. — It  continued  stpnilily  raining 
all  the  day  ;  but,  notwithstandi.-j^,  we  left  our 
encampment  in  the  afternoon.     Our  animals 
had  been  much  refreshed  by  their  repose, 
and  an  abundance  of  rich,  soil  grass,  which 
had  been  much  improved  by  the  rains.     In 
about  three  miles,  we  reached  the  entrance 
of  a  kiinyon,  where  the  Sweet  Water  isstiO'! 
upon  the  more  opon  valley  we  had  pnspcd 
over.     Immediately  at  the  entrance,  and  su- 
perimposed directly   upon  the  granite,  are 
strata  of  compact  calcareous  sandstone  and 
chert,  alternating  with  fine  white  and  reddish 
white,  and  fine  grey  and   red  sandstones. 
These  strata  dip  to  the  eastward  at  an  anirJo 
of  about  18a,  and  form  IJie  western  limit  of 
the  sandstone  and  limestone  formations  on 
the  line  of  our  route.     Here  we   entpred 
amon*r  the  primitive  rocks.    The  usual  road 
passes  to  tne  right  of  this  place ;  but  wo 
wound,  or  rather  scrambled,  our  way  up  the 
nar-r)w  valley  for  several  hours.     Wildncss 
and  disorder  wore  the  character    of  this 
scenery.     The  river  had  been  swollen  by  the 
late  rams,  and  came  rushing  through  with 
an  impetuous  current,  three  or  four  feet  deep, 
and  generally  twenty  yards  broad.    The  val- 
ley was  sometimes  the  breadth  of  the  stream, 
and  sometimes  opened  into  little  green  mea- 
dows, sixty  yards  wide,  with  open  groves  of 
aspon.    The  stream  was  bordered  through- 
out with  aspen,  beech,  and  willow ;  and  tall 
pines  grew  on  the  sides  and  summits  of  the 
crags.    On  both  oides,  the  granite  rocks  rose 
precipitously  to  the  height  of  three  hundred 
and  five  hundred  feet,  terminating  in  jagged 
and  broken  pointed  peaks ;  and  fragments  of 
fallen  rock  lay  piled  up  at  the  foot  of  the  pre- 
cipices.   Gneiss,  mica  slate,  and  a  white 
B unite,  were  among  the  varieties  I  noticed, 
ere  were  many  old  traces  of  beaver  on  the 
stream  ;  remnants  of  dams,  near  which  were 
lying  trees,  which  they  had  cut  down,  oi.e 
and  two  feet  in  diameter.     The  hills  entirely 
shut  up  the  river  at  the  end  of  about  five 
miles,  and  we  turned  up  a  ravine  that  led  to 
a  high  prairie,  which  seemed  to  be  the  gene- 
ral level  of  the  country.    Hence,  to  the  sum- 
mit of  the  ridge,  there  is  a  regular  and  very 
gradual  rise.   Blocks  of  granite  were  piled  up 
at  the  heads  of  the  ravines,  and  small  bare 
knolls  of  mica  slate  and  milky  quartz  pro- 
truded at  frequent  intervals  on  the  prairie, 
which  was  whitened  in  occasional  spots  with 
email  salt  lakes,  where  the  water  had  evapo- 
rated, and  left  the  bed  cc  ered  with  a  shin- 
ing incrustation  ot  salt.    The  evening  was 
very  cold,  a  northwest  wind  driving  a  fine 
rain  in  oub  faces ;  and  at  nightfall  we  de- 
scended to  a  little  stream,  on  which  we  en- 
camped, about  two  miles  from  the  Sweet 
Water.    Here  had  recently  been  a  very 


■  '# 


large 
some 
uiuai 
place 
iiiado 
;ntei 
li'ini.' 

I  (isO( 
(.!.|. 

Ai\ 
ttif 
the  c 
>(retc 
trlille 
dun 
and  it 
rainei 
and  a 
beaut 
vallc  y 
It  nov 
forks 
iiucd 
when 
noon 
t>om 
cpcnii 

^l)0t, 

beech 

plants 

The 


[1842 

oandstonc 

ly  raining 
we  left  our 
'uranimalfl 
eir  repose, 
asa,  which 
rains.  In 
}  entrance 
atcr  issues 
lad  passed 
:e,  and  su- 
ranite,  are 
Jstonc  and 
ind  reddisi) 
andstones. 
it  an  anirlo 
n  limit  of 
nations  on 
'8  entered 
usual  rond 
3 ;  but  wo 
vay  up  the 
Wilancss 
sr  of  ihiH 
lUen  by  the 
•ough  vvitl) 
r  feet  deep, 
,  Theval- 
:he  stream, 
rrcen  mea- 
groves  of 
i  through- 
;  and  tall 
lits  of  the 
rocks  rose 
e  hundred 
in  jagged 
gments  of 
of  the  pre- 
i  a  white 

I  noticed. 
ver  on  the 
hich  were 
own,  oue 
Is  entirely 
ibout  five 
that  led  to 
the  gene- 
)  the  sum- 

and  very 
'e  piled  up 
imall  bare 
lartz  pro- 
le  prairie, 
spots  with 
lad  evapo- 
a  shin- 
Ding  was 

ig  a  fine 

II  we  de- 
h  we  en- 
he  Sweet 

a  rerj 


1843.] 


CAl'T.  i-nBrvioNT'a  narraTIVH. 


89 


large  camp  of  Snake  and  Crow  Indians  ;  and 
some  large  poies  lying  about  utlbrded  the 
inoauH  of  pitching  a  tent,  and  making  other 
places  of  shelter.  Our  fires  to-night  were 
made  |.rincipally  of  the  dry  branches  of  the 
aitemisia,  which  covered  the  slopes.  It 
li'irns  quickly,  with  a  clear  oily  flame,  and 
iiiiiki's  a  hot  lire.  The  hills  here  are  com- 
|(isO(l  (if  hard,  compact  micaslate,  with  veins 
ol  ijuartz. 

Amrusl  7. — We  left  our  encampment  with 
till.'  rising  sun.  As  we  rose  from  the  bed  of 
ilie  creek,  the  snow  line  of  the  mountains 
^rretchcd  grandly  before  us,  the  white  peaks 
flittering  in  the  sun.  They  had  been  hid- 
(Jlmi  in  the  dark  weather  of  the  last  few  days, 
and  it  had  been  snowing  on  them,  while  it 
rained  in  the  plains.  We  crossed  a  ridge, 
and  atrain  struck  the  Sweet  Water — here  a 
beautlli  1,  swift  stream,  with  a  more  open 
valU  y,  timbered  with  beech  and  cotton  wood. 
It  now  began  to  lose  itself  in  the  many  small 
forks  which  make  its  head ;  and  we  conti- 
nued up  tlie  main  stream  until  near  noon, 
when  we  left  it  a  few  miles,  to  make  our 
noon  l.alt  on  a  small  creek  among  the  hills, 
<iH)m  which  the  stream  issues  ny  a  sntll 
<'[i(>tiiug.  Within  was  a  beautiful  grassy 
spot,  covered  with  an  open  grove  of  large 
Ijecch  trees,  among  which  I  found  several 
plants  that  I  had  not  previously  seen. 

The  afternoon  was  cloudy,  with  scfiialls  of 
rain ;  but  the  weather  became  fme  at  sun- 
set, when  we  again  encamped  on  *he  Sweet 
Water,  within  a  few  miles  of  the  South 
I'ass.  The  country  over  which  we  hn.ve 
passed  to-day  consists  principally  of  the 
compact  mica  slate,  which  crops  out  on  all 
ridges,  making  the  uplands  very  roc):y  and 
slaty.  In  the  escarpments  which  bcier  the 
creeks,  it  is  seen  alternating  with  a  light- 
colored  granite,  at  an  inclination  of  46°; 
the  beds  varying  in  thickness  from  two  or 
three  feet  to  six  or  eight  hundred.  At  a  dis- 
tance, tlie  granite  frequently  has  the  appear- 
ance of  irregular  lumps  ol  clay,  haroencd 
by  ex  iosure.  A  variety  of  astern  may  now 
be  numbered  among  the  characteristic 
plants,  and  the  artemisia  continues  in  full 
glory ;  but  ca^ti  have  become  rare,  and 
mosses  be^in  to  dispute  the  hills  with  them. 
The  evening  was  damp  and  unpleasant ;  the 
tliermometer,  at  10  o'clock,  being  at  36°, 
and  the  grass  wet  with  a  heavy  dew.  Our 
astronomical  observations  placed  this  en- 
campment in  longitude  109°  21 '  32'S  and 
latitude  42'^  27'  16". 

Early  in  the  n^orning  we  resumed  oui 
journey,  tSe  weather  still  c'oudy,  with  occa- 
sional rain.  Our  general  course  was  west, 
as  I  had  determined  to  cross  the  dividing 
ridge  by  a  bridle  path  among  the  broken 
co)intry  more  immediately  at  the  foot  of  the 
rnoantains,  and  return  by  the  wagon  road, 


two  and  a  half  miles  to  the  south  of  the  point 
where  the  trail  crosses. 

About  six  miles  from  our  encampment 
brought  us  to  the  summit,  The  ascent  had 
been  so  gradual,  that,  with  all  the  intimate 
knowledge  possessed  by  Carson,  who  had 
made  this  country  his  home  for  seventeen 
years,  we  were  obliged  to  watch  very  close- 
ly to  find  the  place  at  which  we  had  reached 
the  culminating  point.  This  was  between 
two  low  hills,  rising  on  either  hand  fifty  or 
sixty  feet.  When  I  looked  back  at  them, 
from  the  foot  of  the  immediate  slope  on  the 
western  plain,  their  summits  appeared  to  be 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  above. 
From  the  impression  on  my  mind  at  this 
lime,  and  subsequently  on  our  return,  I 
should  compare  the  elevation  which  we  sur- 
mounted immediately  at  the  Pass,  to  the  as- 
cent of  the  Capitol  hill  from  the  avenue,  at 
Washington.  It  is  difficult  for  me  to  fix 
positively  the  breadth  of  this  pass.  From 
the  broken  ground  where  it  commences,  at 
the  foot  of  the  Wind  river  chain,  the  view 
to  the  southeast  is  over  a  champaign  coun* 
try,  broken,  at  the  distance  of  nineteen  miles, 
by  the  Table  rock ;  which,  with  the  other 
isolated  hills  in  its  vicinity,  seems  to  stand 
on  a  comparative  plain.  This  I  judged  to  be 
its  termination,  the  ridge  recovering  its  rug- 
ged character  with  the  Table  rock.  It  wUI 
be  seen  that  it  in  no  manner  resembles  the 
places  to  which  the  term  is  commonly  ap- 
plied— nothing  of  the  gorge-like  character 
and  winding  ascents  of  the  Alleghany  pass- 
es in  America;  nothing  of  the  Great  St. 
Bernard  and  Simplon  passes  in  Europe. 
Approaching  it  from  the  mouth  of  the  Sweet 
Water,  a  sandy  plain,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  long,  conducts,  by  a  gradual 
and  regular  ascent,  to  the  summit,  about 
seven  thousand  feet  above  the  sea;  and  the 
traveller,  without  being  reminded  of  any 
change  by  toilsome  ascents,  suddenly  finds 
himself  on  the  waters  which  flow  to  the  Pa- 
citiv.  ocean.  By  the  route  we  had  travelled, 
the  distance  from  Fort  Laramie  is  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles,  or  nine  hundred  and 
fifty  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas. 

Continuing  our  march,  we  reached,  in 
eight  mile^  from  the  Pass,  the  Little  Sandy, 
one  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Colorado,  or 
Green  river  of  the  Gulf  of  California.  The 
weather  had  grown  fine  during  the  morning, 
and  we  remamed  here  the  rest  of  the  day, 
to  dry  our  baggage  and  take  some  astrono- 
mical observations.  The  stream  was  about 
forty  feet  wide,  and  two  or  three  deep,  with 
clear  water  and  a  full  swift  current,  over  a 
sandy  bed.  It  was  timbered  with  a  growth 
of  low  bushy  and  dense  willows,  among 
which  were  little  verdant  spots,  which  gave 
our  animals  fine  grass,  and  where  I  found  a 
number  of  interesting  plants.     Among  tlM 


40 

neighboring  hills  I  noticed  fr.i^''cnts  of 
granite  containing  majjneiic  iron.  liongi- 
tiidoof  tho  camp  was  109"^  37'  60",  anu  lati- 
tude 42^  37'  31'. 

AitfTustQ. — We  made  otir  noon  halt  to- 
day on  3ig  Sandy,  another  tributary  of  Green 
river.  The  face  of  the  country  traversed 
was  of  11  brown  sand  of  granite  materials, 
tho  detritus  of  tho  neighboring  mountains. 
Str.tta  of  the  milky  quartz  cropped  out,  and 
Mirlts  of  granite  wore  scattered  about,  con- 
t  lining  magnetic  iron.  On  Sandy  creek  the 
fnrmation  was  of  parti-colored  sand,  exhibit- 
ed in  csicarpmenta  fifty  to  eighty  feet  high. 
In  the  afternoon  we  had  a  severe  storm  of 
hail,  and  encamped  at  sunset  on  the  first 
New  Fork.  Within  the  space  of  a  few  miles, 
the  Wind  mountains  supply  a  number  of  tri- 
butaries to  Green  river,  which  are  called  the 
New  Forks.  Near  our  camp  were  tv/o  re- 
markable isolated  hills,  one  of  them  suffi- 
ciently large  to  merit  the  name  of  mountain. 
They  are  called  the  Two  Buttes.  and  will 
serve  to  identify  the  place  of  our  encamp- 
ment, which  the  observations  of  the  evening 
placed  in  longitude  109"  58'  11",  and  lati- 
tude 42°  42'  46".  On  the  right  bank  of  the 
stream,  opposite  to  the  large  hill,  the  strata 
which  are  displayed  consist  of  decompoping 
granite,  which  supplies  the  brown  sand  of 
which  •*'e  face  oi  the  country  is  composed 
to  a  cotiaiderable  depth. 

August  10. — The  air  at  sunrise  is  clear 
and  pure,  and  the  morning  extremely  cold, 
but  beautiful.  A  lofty  snow  peak  of  the 
mountain  is  glittering  in  the  first  rays  of  the 
sun,  which  has  not  yet  reached  us.  The 
long  mountain  wall  to  the  east,  rising  two 
thousand  feet  abruptly  from  the  plain,  behind 
which  we  see  the  peaks,  is  still  dark,  and 
cuts  clear  against  the  glowing  sky.  A  fog, 
just  risen  from  the  river,  lies  along  the  base 
of  the  mounta  i.  A  little  before  sunrise,  the 
thermometer  was  at  36",  and  at  sunrise  33<». 
Water  froze  lai>t  night,  and  fires  are  very 
comfortable.  The  scenery  becomes  hourly 
more  interesting  and  grand,  and  the  view 
raero  is  truly  magnificent;  but,  indeed,  it 
ueeds  something  to  repay  the  long  prairie 
journey  of  a.  thousand  miles.  The  sun  has 
just  shot  above  the  wall,  and  makes  a  magic- 
al change.  The  whole  valley  is  gi<  wing  and 
bright,  and  all  the  mountain  peaks  are  gleam- 
ing like  silver.  Though  these  snow  moun- 
tams  are  not  the  Alps,  they  have  their  own 
character  of  grandeur  and  magnificence,  and 
will  doubtless  find  pens  and  pencils  to  do 
them  justice.  In  the  scene  before  us,  we 
feel  how  much  wood  improves  a  view.  The 
pines  on  the  mountain  seemed  to  give  it  much 
additional  beauty.  I  was  agreeably  disap- 
pointed in  the  character  of  the  streams  on 
this  Bide  Q<"ihe  ridge.  Instead  of  the  creeks, 
which  dwcription  had  led  me  to  expect,  I 


CAPT    FPEMONTO  iNAKKATiVE. 


[184'J. 


r 

'       1842 


find  bold,  broad  streams,  with  throe  or  four 
feet  water,  and  a  rapid  current.  Tho  fork 
on  which  we  tiro  encamped  is  upwards  of  a 
hundred  feet  wide,  timbered  with  groves  f)r 
thickets  of  the  low  willow.  Wo  were  now 
approaching  the  loftiest  part  of  tho  Wind 
river  chain  ;  and  I  left  the  valley  a  few  miles 
from  our  encampment,  intending  to  penetrufi' 
the  mountains  as  far  as  possible  with  the 
whole  party.  Wo  were  soon  involved  in 
very  broken  ground,  among  long  ridges  cover- 
ed with  fragments  of  granite.  Winding  our 
way  up  a  long  ravine,  we  came  unexpected- 
ly in  view  of  a  most  beautiful  lake,  set  like 
a  gem  in  tho  mountains.  The  sheet  of  wa- 
ter lay  transversely  across  the  direction  we 
had  been  pursuing ;  and,  descending  tiie 
steep,  rocky  ridge,  where  it  was  ntccssary  to 
lead  our  horses,  we  followed  its  banks  to  the 
southern  extremity.  Here  a  view  cf  the  ut- 
most magnificenc3  and  grandeur  burst  upon 
our  eyes.  With  nothing  between  us  and 
their  feet  to  lesson  the  effect  of  the  whole 
height,  a  grand  bed  of  snow-cappeti  moun- 
tains rose  before  us,  pile  upon  pile,  glowing 
in  the  bright  light  of  an  August  day.  Im- 
tsediately  below  them  lay  the  lake,  between 
two  ridges,  covered  with  dark  pines,  which 
swept  down  from  the  main  chain  to  the  Hpot 
where  we  stood.  Here,  where  the  lake  glit- 
tered in  the  open  sunlight,  its  banks  of  yellow 
sand  and  the  light  foliage  of  aspen  groves 
contrasted  well  w'th  the  gloomy  pines. 
"  Never  bi  .  re,"  said  Mr.  Preuss,  "  in  this 
country  or  in  Europe,  have  I  seen  such  mag- 
nificent, ^rand  rocks."  I  was  so  much 
pleased  with  the  beauty  of  the  place,  that  I 
determined  to  make  the  main  camp  here, 
where  our  animals  would  find  good  pastur- 
age, and  explore  the  mountains  with  a  s'  .all 
party  of  men.  Proceeding  a  little  further, 
we  came  suddenly  upon  the  outlet  of  the 
lake,  where  it  found  its  way  through  a  narrow 
passage  between  low  hills.  Dark  pines, 
which  overhung  the  stream,  and  masses  of 
rock,  where  the  water  foamed  along,  gave  it 
much  romantic  beauty.  Where  we  crossed, 
which  was  immediately  at  the  outlet,  it  is  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide,  and  so  deep  thit 
with  difficulty  we  were  able  to  ford  it.  L . 
bed  was  an  accumulation  of  rocks,  boulders, 
and  broad  slabs,  and  large  angular  fragments, 
among  which  the  animpls  fell  repeatedly. 

The  current  was  very  swift,  and  the  water 
cold,  and  oi  a  crystal  purity.  In  crossing 
this  stream,  I  met  with  a  great  misfortune 
in  having  my  barometer  broken.  It  was  the 
only  one.  A  great  part  of  the  interest  of 
the  journey  for  me  was  in  the  exploration  of 
these  mountains,  of  which  so  much  had 
been  said  that  was  doubtful  and  contradict- 
ory ;  and  now  their  snowy  peaks  rose  ma- 
jestically before  me,  and  tho  only  means  of 
giving  them  authentically  to  science,  the 


r 

Y 


1 


1842.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


41 


rco  or  four 
The  fork 
wards  of  a 
I  {proves  or 
I  wore  now 

tlio  Wind 
a  few  milps 
0  penetrnti' 
e  with  the 
involved  in 
idges  cover- 
y^indinjj  our 
jnexpertpd- 
ke,  set  like 
fleet  of  wa- 
irecfion  we 
ending  tao 
itccssary  to 
lanks  to  the 
V  cf  the  Ht- 
burst  upon 
sen  us  and 
■  the  whole 
jpeu  moun- 
le,  glowing 

day.  Inn- 
te,  between 
ines,  which 
to  the  spot 
iG  lake  glU- 
C8  of  yellow 
pen  groves 
omy  pines. 
IS,  "  in  this 
I  such  mag- 
9  so  much 
ilace,  that  I 
camp  here, 
ood  pastur- 
trith  a  B  .all 
;tle  further, 
^tlct  of  the 
ffh  a  narrow 
lark  pines, 

masses  of 
)ng,  gave  it 
we  crossed, 
let,  it  is  two 
30  deep  that 
brd  it.  Ii. 
:s,  boulders, 
r  fragments, 
peatedly. 
id  the  water 
In  crossing 

misfortune 

It  was  the 
interest  of 
ploration  of 

much  had 
1  contrsdict- 
:s  rose  ma* 
y  means  of 
icience,  the 


« 


object  of  my  anxious  solicitude  by  night  and 
day,  was  destroyed.  We  had  brouglit  this 
barometer  in  safety  a  thousand  miles,  and 
broke  it  almost  among  the  snow  of  the 
luountaine.  The  loss  was  felt  by  the  whole 
camp — ctil  had  seen  iny  anxiety,  and  aided 
iiu;  in  preserving  it.  The  height  of  these 
mountains,  considered  by  the  Tiunters  and 
tnuiorH  the  highest  in  the  whole  range,  had 
I  (?on  a  theme  of  constant  discussion  among 
tlii'in  ;  and  all  had  looked  forward  with  plea- 
biiro  to  the  moment  when  the  instrument, 
which  thoy  believed  to  be  true  as  the  sun, 
^houlu  stand  upon  the  summits,  and  decide 
their  disputes.  Their  grief  was  only  inferior 
lo  my  own. 

The  lake  is  about  three  miles  long,  and  of 
very  irregular  width,  and  apparently  great 
(lopth,  ana  is  the  head  water  of  the  third  New 
Fork,  a  tributary  to  Green  river,  the  Colo- 
rado of  the  west.  In  the  narrative,  I  have 
'Allied  it  Mountain  lake.  I  encamped  on  the 
north    side,  about  three  hundred  and  fifty 

ir<ls  from  the  outlet.  This  was  the  most 
•'  rn  point  at  which  I  obtained  astro- 
.ui.iical  observations,  by  which  this  place, 
called  Bernier's  encampment,  is  made  in 
110'^  08' 03"  west  longitude  from  Greenwich, 
and  latitude  43"  49'  49".  The  mountain 
(loaks,  as  laid  down,  were  fixed  by  bearings 
t  rom  this  and  other  astronomical  points.  We 
had  no  other  compass  than  the  small  ones 
used  in  sketching  the  country ;  but  from  an 
azimuth,  in  which  one  of  them  was  used,  the 
variation  of  the  compass  is  18°  east.  The 
correction  made  in  our  field  work  by  the  as- 
tronomical observations  indicates  that  this 
is  a  very  correct  observation. 

As  soon  as  the  camp  was  formed,  I  set 
about  endeavoring  to  repair  my  barometer. 
As  I  have  already  said,  this  was  a  standard 
cistern  Kiromefer,  of  Troughton's  con- 
Ktruc.tio'  '^'.e  glass  cistern  had  been 
broken  ai  i.it'vay;  but  as  the  instrument 
had  bee;  >  •■(  ,.i'  proper  position,  no  air  had 
found  its  way  i  »  Uie  tube,  the  end  of  which 
had  always  remaiii..J  covered.  I  had  with 
ine  a  number  of  vials  of  tolerably  thick  glass, 
some  of  which  were  of  the  same  diameter 
as  the  cistern,  and  I  sppTit  the  day  in  slowly 
working  on  these,  endeavoring  to.  cut  them 
of  the  requisite  length ;  but,  as  my  instru- 
ment was  a  very  rough  file,  I  invariably 
broke  them.  A  groove  was  cut  in  one  of  the 
trees,  where  the  barometer  was  placed  uu- 
rin^  il.f  night,  to  be  out  of  the  way  of  any 
pos.  ic  'fanger,  and  in  the  morning  I  com- 
menccii  <,gai)..  Among  the  powder  horns 
in  the  carnp,  I  found  one  which  was  very 
transparent,  so  that  its  contents  could  be 
almost  as  plainly  seen  as  through  glass. 
This  I  boiled  and  stretched  on  a  piece  of 
wood  to  the  recj^uisite  diameter  and  scraped 


it  very  thin,  in  order  to  increase  to  the  ut* 
most  its  transparency.  I  then  secured  it 
firmly  in  its  place  on  the  instrument,  with 
strong  glue  made  from  a  buffalo,  and  filled  it 
with  mercury,  properly  heated.  A  piece  of 
skin,  which  had  covered  one  of  the  vialr, 
furnished  a  good  pocket,  which  was  well  se- 
cured with  strong  thread  and  glue,  and  then 
the  brass  covtr  wa^  screwed  to  its  pinro. 
The  instrument  was  left  some  time  to  dry  ; 
and  when  I  reversed  it,  a  few  hours  aftor."  I 
had  the  saiisfaction  to  find  it  in  perfect  ordor; 
its  indications  being  about  the  same  as  on 
the  other  side  of  the  lake  before  it  had  been 
broken.  Our  success  in  this  little  incident 
diffused  pleasure  throughout  the  camp  ;  and 
we  immediately  set  about  onr  preparation.? 
for  ascending  the  mountains. 

As  will  be  seen  on  reference  to  a  map,  on 
this  short  mountain  chain  are  the  head  waters 
cf  four  great  rivers  of  the  continent;  namely, 
the  Colorado,  Columbia,  Missouri,  and  Platte 
rivers.  It  had  been  my  design,  after  having 
ascended  the  mountains,  to  continue  our  route 
on  the  western  side  of  the  range,  and  cross- 
ing through  a  pass  at  the  nortnwestern  end 
of  the  chain,  about  thirty  miles  from  our 
present  camp,  return  alone  the  eastern  slope, 
across  the  heads  of  the  Yellowstone  river, 
and  join  on  the  line  to  our  station  of  August 
7,  immediately  at  the  foot  of  the  ridge.  In 
this  way,  I  should  be  enabled  to  include  the 
whole  chain,  and  its  numerous  waters,  in  my 
survey;  but  various  considerations  induced 
me,  very  reluctantly,  to  abandon  this  plan. 

I  was  desirous  to  keep  strictly  -.vithin  the 
scope  of  my  instructions  ;  and  it  would  have 
required  ten  or  fifteen  additional  days  for  the 
accomplishment  of  this  object ;  our  animaJs 
had  become  very  much  worn  out  with  the 
length  of  the  ioi'rney ;  game  was  very  scarce ; 
and,  though  it  uues  not  appear  in  the  course 
of  the  narrative  (as  I  have  avoided  dwelling 
upon  trifling  incidents  not  connected  with  the 
objects  of  tlie  expedition),  the  spirits  of  the 
men  had  been  much  exhausted  by  the  hard- 
ships and  privations  to  which  they  had  been 
subjected.  Our  provisions  had  wellnigh  all 
disappeared.  Bread  had  been  long  out  of  the 
question ;  and  of  all  our  stock,  w^e  had  re- 
maining two  or  three  pounds  of  coffee,  aud  a 
smai?  quantity  of  maccaroni,  which  had  been 
husbanded  with  great  care  for  the  mountain 
expedition  we  were  about  to  undertake.  Our 
daily  meal  consisted  of  dry  bufialo  meat, 
cooked  in  tallow ;  and,  as  we  h«ui  not  dried 
this  with  Indian  skill,  part  of  it  was  spoiled  ; 
and  what  remained  of  good,  was  as  hard  as 
wood,  having  much  the  taste  and  appearance 
of  so  many  piecep  of  bark.  Even  jf  thii, 
our  stock  was  r!>(iidly  diminishing  in  a  camp 
which  was  capable  of  consumingtwo  bufi&loe* 
in  every  twenty-four  hours.    These  *niBrmt* 


■^M 

1 

m 

H 

m 
-  m 


43 


CAPT.  FRMiMON  T'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1842. 


had  entirely  disappeared ;  and  it  waH  not  |)ro- 
bablo  that  we  should  fall  in  with  them  a<rain 
until  wc  returned  to  the  Sweet  Water. 

Our  arianpfcmenta  for  the  ascent  wore 
rapidly  comuicted.  We  were  in  a  lioHtiie 
country,  which  rendered  tlie  yreatesi  vi},n- 
lance  and  circumspection  necessary.  The 
pass  at  the  north  end  of  the  mountain  wa.'< 
generally  infested  by  Blackfeet ;  and  imme- 
diately opposite  was  one  of  their  forts,  on  the 
vil^c  of  a  little  thicket,  two  or  three  hundred 
leot  from  our  encampment.  We  were  posted 
in  a  grove  of  beecn,  on  the  margin  of  the 
lake,  and  a  few  hundred  feet  long,  with  a  nar- 
row prairillon  on  the  inner  side,  bordered  by 
the  rocky  ridge.  In  the  upper  end  of  this 
grove  we  cleared  a  circular  space  about  forty 
feet  in  diameter,  and,  with  trie  felled  timber 
and  interwoven  branches,  surrounded  it  with 
a  breastwork  five  feet  in  height.  '  rap  was 
left  for  a  gate  on  the  inner  side,  by  :'•  'i»''"» 
animals  were  to  be  driven  in  and  f 
while  the  men  slept  around  the  little  .- 
It  was  half  hidden  by  the  foliage ;  and,  gar- 
risoned by  twelve  resolute  men,  would  have 
set  at  defiance  any  band  of  savages  which 
might  chance  to  discover  them  in  the  inter- 
val of  our  absence.  Fifteen  of  the  best 
mules,  with  fourteen  men,  were  selected  for 
the  mountain  party.  Our  provisions  consist- 
ed of  dried  meat  for  two  days,  with  our  little 
stock  of  cofiee  and  some  maccaroni.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  barometer  and  a  thermometer,  I 
took  with  me  a  sextant  and  spy-glass,  and 
we  had  of  course  our  compasses.  In  charge 
of  the  camp  I  left  Bernier,  one  of  my  most 
trustworthy  men,  who  possessed  the  most 
determined  courage. 

August  12. — Early  in  the  morning  we  left 
the  camp,  fifteen  in  number,  well  armed,  of 
conrse,  and  mounted  on  our  best  mules.  A 
pack  animal  carried  our  provisions,  with  a 
coffee  pot  and  kettle,  and  three  or  four  tin 
cups.  Eveiy  man  had  a  blanket  strapped 
over  his  saddle,  to  serve  for  his  bed,  and  the 
instruments  were  carried  by  turns  on  their 
backs.  We  entered  directly  on  rough  and 
rocky  ground ;  and,  just  after  crossing  the 
ridge,  had  the  good  fortune  to  shoot  an  ante- 
lope. We  heard  the  roar,  and  had  a  glimpse 
of  a  waterfall  as  we  rode  along ;  and,  cross- 
ing in  our  way  two  fine  streams,  tributary  to 
the  Colorado,  in  about  two  hours'  ride  we 
reached  the  top  of  the  first  row  or  range  of 
the  mountains.  Here,  again,  a  view  of  the 
most  romantic  beauty  met  our  eyes.  It 
seemed  as  if,  from  the  vast  expanse  of  unin- 
teresting prairie  we  had  passed  over.  Nature 
had  collected  all  her  beauties  together  in  one 
chosen  place.  We  were  overlooking  a  deep 
valley,  which  was  entirely  occupied  by  three 
lakes,  and  from  the  brink  the  surrounding 
ridges  rose  precipitously  five  hundred  and  a 
thousand  feet,  covered  with  the  dark  green  of 


tlio  balsam  pine,  relieved  on  the  border  of  the 
lake  with  the  light  foliage  of  the  aspen. 
They  all  communicated  with  each  other  *,  and 
the  green  of  the  waters,  common  to  mountain 
lakes  of  great  depth,  showed  that  it  would  bt' 
impoHsible  to  cross  them.  The  surprise 
manifested  by  our  guides  when  these  impas- 
sable obstacles  suddenly  barred  our  progress 
proved  that  they  were  among  the  hidden 
treasures  of  the  place,  unknown  even  to  tlio 
wandering  trappers  of  the  region.  Descoiid- 
ing  the  hill,  we  proceeded  to  make  our  way 
along  the  margin  to  the  southern  extromity. 
A  narrow  strip  of  angular  fragments  of  rock 
sometimes  affi)rded  a  rough  pathway  for  om 
mules,  but  generally  we  rode  along  tne  shelv- 
ing side,  occasionally  scrambling  up,  ac  u 
considerable  risk  of  tumbling  back  into  the 
lake. 

The  elope  was  frequently  60o ;  the  pinet* 
grew  densely  together,  and  the  ground  wa.^ 
covered  with  the  branches  '^rJ  trunks  ol 
trees.  The  air  was  fragrant  with  the  odor 
of  the  pines;  and  I  realized  this  delightfu. 
morning  the  pleasure  of  breathing  that. 
mountain  air  which  makes  a  constant  theint) 
of  the  huntet's  praise,  and  which  now  inndi^ 
us  feel  as  if  we  had  all  been  drinking  some  ex- 
hilarating gas.  The  depths  of  this  unex- 
plored forest  were  a  place  to  delight  the  heart 
of  a  botanist.  There  was  a  rich  undergrowth 
of  plants,  and  numerous  gay-cclored  nowers 
in  brilliant  bloom.  We  reached  the  outlet  at 
length,  where  some  freshly  barked  willowK 
that  lay  in  the  water  showed  that  beaver  had 
been  recently  at  work.  There  were  some 
small  brown  squirrels  jumping  about  in  the 
pines,  and  a  couple  of  large  mallard  duck.s 
swimming  about  in  the  Llream. 

The  hills  on  this  southern  end  were  low, 
and  the  lake  looked  like  a  mimic  sea,  as  the 
waves  broke  on  the  sandy  beach  in  the  force 
of  a  strong  breeze.  There  was  a  pretty  open 
spot,  with  line  grass  for  our  mules;  and 
we  made  our  noon  halt  on  the  beach,  under 
the  shade  of  some  large  hemlocks.  We  re- 
sumed our  journey  after  a  halt  of  about  an 
hour,  making  our  way  up  the  ridge  on  the 
western  side  of  the  lake.  In  search  of 
smoother  ground,  we  rode  a  little  inland ; 
and,  passing  through  groves  of  aspen,  soon 
found  ourselves  again  among  the  pines. 
Emerging  from  these,  we  strucK  the  summit 
of  the  ridge  above  the  upper  end  of  the  lake. 

We  had  reached  a  very  elevated  point ; 
and  in  the  valley  below,  and  among  the  hills, 
were  a  number  of  lakes  at  difierent  levels  ; 
some  two  or  three  hundred  feet  above  oth- 
ers, with  which  §iey  communicated  by  foam- 
ing torrents.  Even  to  our  great  height,  the 
roar  of  the  cataracts  came  up,  and  we  could 
see  them  leaping  down  in  line-  of  snowy 
foam.  From  this  scene  of  busy  waters,  we 
turned  abruptly  into  the  stillness  of  a  foreat. 


r 


1842. 


[1842. 

nrder  of  the; 
the  aspen, 
other ;  and 

0  mountain 
it  would  b(' 
IP  Hurprisi' 
leso  iinptts- 
ur  proffreKs 
the  hidden 
even  to  thi^ 

Di'scoikI- 
ke  our  way 
extrt'inity. 
nts  of  rock 
vay  for  om 
g  the  she)  V- 

g  wp.  ftc  » 
:k  into  tlic 

;  the  pines 
p'ound  was 

trunks  ol 
<.h  the  odor 

delight!  II : 
thing  that, 
itant  theme 

now  mndo 
ig  some  ex- 
thia  unex- 
it  the  heart 
ndergrowth 
red  flowers 
the  outlet  at 
:ed  willows 
beaver  had 
were  some 
)out  in  the 
Hard  ducks 

1  were  low, 
sea,  as  the 
in  the  force 
pretty  open 
lules ;  and 
iach,  under 
B.  We  re-  <> 
f  about  an 
dge  on  the 

search  of 
tie  inland ; 
kspen,  soon 
the  pines, 
the  summit 
of  the  lake, 
ited  point; 
ig  the  hills, 
ent  levels ; 
above  oth-  '''^ 
id  by  foam- 
height,  the 
d  we  could 

of  snowy 
waters,  we 
of  a  foreat. 


1812.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


13 


where  we  rode  among  the  op*>n  bolls  of  the 
pines,  over  a  lawn  of  verdant  grass,  having 
(Strikingly  the  air  of  cultivated  grounds. 
This  led  us,  after  a  time,  among  masses  of 
rock  which  had  no  vegetable  earth  but  in 
hollows  and  crevices,  though  still  the  pine 
forest  continued.  Toward  evening,  we 
rcficlied  a  defile,  or  r  er  a  hole  in  the 
inmmtains,  entirely  shut  in  by  dark  pine- 
covered  rocks. 

A  small  stream,  with  a  scarcely  percepti- 
olo  current,  flowed  through  a  level  bottom 
i)f  perhaps  eighty  yards  width,  where  the 
jrriiss  was  saturated  with  water.  Into  this 
tlio  mules  were  turned,  and  were  neither 
liohblcd  nor  picketed  during  the  night,  as  the 
line  pasturage  took  away  all  temptation  to 
ptray ;  and  we  made  our  bivouac  in  the 
pines.  The  surrounding  masses  were  all 
of  granite.  While  supper  was  being  pre- 
pared, I  set  out  on  an  excursion  in  the 
neighborhood,  accompanied  by  one  of  my 
iiion.  We  wandered  about  among  the  crags 
and  ravines  until  dark,  richly  repaid  for  our 
walk  by  a  fine  collection  of  plants,  many  of 
them  in  full  bloom.  Ascending  a  peak  to 
find  the  place  of  our  camp,  we  saw  that  the 
little  defile  in  which  we  lay,  communicated 
with  the  long  green  valley  of  some  stream, 
which,  here  locked  up  in  the  mountains,  far 
nway  to  the  south,  found  its  way  in  a  dense 
forest  to  the  plains. 

Looking  along  its  upward  course,  it  seem- 
ed to  conduct,  by  a  smooth  gradual  slope, 
directly  toward  the  peak,  which,  from  long 
consultation  as  we  approached  the  mountain, 
we  had  decided  to  oe  the  highest  of  the 
range.  Pleased  with  the  discovery  of  so  fine 
a  road  for  the  next  day,  we  hastened  down  to 
the  camp  where  "we  arrived  just  in  time  for 
supper.  Our  table  service  was  rather  scant ; 
and  we  held  the  meat  in  our  hands,  and  clean 
rocks  made  good  plates,  on  which  we  spread 
our  maccaroni.  Amonfj  nil  the  eirange  pla- 
ces en  niiicli  we  had  occasion  to  encamp 
during  our  long  journey,  none  have  left  so 
vivid  an  imf  ression  on  my  mind  as  the  camp 
of  this  evening.  The  disorder  of  the  masses 
which  surrounded  us ;  the  little  hole  through 
which  we  saw  the  stars  over  head ;  the  dark 
pines  where  we  slept ;  and  the  rocks  lit  up 
with  the  glow  of  our  firei,  made  a  night 
nicture  of  very  wild  beaut}'. 

August  13. — The  morning  was  bright  and 
pleasant,  just  cool  enough  to  make  exercise 
agreeable,  and  we  soon  entered  the  defile  I 
had  seen  the  preceding  day.  It  was  smooth- 
ly carpeted  with  a  soft  grass,  and  scattered 
over  with  groups  of  flowers,  of  which  yellow 
was  the  predominant  color.  Sometimes  we 
were  forced,  by  an  occasional  difficult  pass, 
to  pick  our  way  on  a  narrow  ledge  along  the 
aide  of  the  defile,  and  the  mules  were  fre- 
quently on  their  knees ;  but  these  obstruc- 


tions were  rare,  and  we  journoyod  on  in  the 
sweet  morning  air,  delighted  at  our  good  for- 
tune in  having  found  such  a  beautiful  en- 
trance to  the  mountains.  This  road  contin- 
ued for  about  three  miles,  when  we  suddenly 
reached  its  termination  in  one  of  tlie  grand 
views  which,  at  every  turn,  meet  the  travel- 
ler in  this  magnificent  region.  Here  the  de- 
file up  which  we  had  travelled  opened  out 
into  a  small  lawn,  where,  in  a  little  lake,  the 
stream  had  its  source. 

There  were  some  fine  asters  in  bloom,  but 
all  the  flowering  plants  appeared  to  seek  the 
shelter  of  the  rocks,  and  to  be  of  lower 
growth  than  below,  as  if  they  loved  the 
warmth  of  the  soil,  and  kept  out  of  the  way 
of  the  winds.  Immediately  at  our  feet  a 
precipitous  descent  led  to  a  confusion  of  de- 
files, and  before  us  rose  the  mountains  as 
we  have  represented  them  in  the  annexed 
view.  It  is  not  by  the  splendor  of  far-off 
views,  which  have  lent  such  a  glory  to  the 
Alps,  that  these  impress  the  mind ;  but  by  a 
gigantic  disorder  of  enormous  masses,  and  a 
savage  sublimity  of  naked  rock,  in  wonder- 
ful contrast  with  innumerable  green  spots 
of  a  rich  floral  beauty,  shut  up  in  their  stern 
recesses.  Their  wildness  seems  well  suited 
to  the  character  of  the  people  who  inhabit 
the  country. 

I  determined  to  leave  our  animals  here, 
and  make  the  rest  of  our  way  on  foot.  The 
peak  appeared  so  near,  that  there  was  no 
doubt  of  our  returning  before  night ;  and  a 
few  men  were  left  in  charge  of  the  mules, 
with  our  provisions  and  blankets.  We  took 
with  us  nothing  but  our  arms  and  instru- 
ments, and,  as  the  day  had  become  warm, 
the  greater  part  left  our  coats.  Having 
made  an  early  dinner,  we  started,  again. 
We  wnre  soon  involved  in  the  most  ragged 
precipices,  nearing  the  central  chain  very 
slowly,  and  rising  but  little.  The  first  ridge 
hid  a  succession  of  others  ;  and  when,  with 
great  fatigue  and  difiiculty,  we  had  climbed 
up  five  hundred  feet,  it  was  but  to  make  an 
equal  descent  on  the  other  side ;  all  these  in- 
tervening places  were  filled  with  small  deep 
lakes,  which  met  the  eye  in  every  direction, 
descending  from  one  level  to  another,  some- 
times under  bridges  formed  by  huge  frag- 
ments of  granite,  beneath  which  was  heara 
the  roar  of  the  wafer.  These  constantly  ob- 
structed our  path,  forcing  us  to  make  long 
ditours;  frequently  obliged  to  retrace  our 
steps,  and  frequently  falling  among  the  rocks. 
Maxwell  was  precipitated  towara  the  face 
of  a  precipice,  and  saved  himself  from  going 
over  by  throwing  himself  flat  on  the  ground. 
We  clambered  on,  always  expecting,  with 
every  ridge  that  we  crossed,  to  reach  the  foot 
of  the  peaks,  and  always  disappointed,  until 
about  four  o'clock,  when,  pretty  well  worn 
out,  we  reached  the  shore  jf  a  little  lake  in 


i 


a^ 


■.'■'•.11 

m 
II 

m 


m 


CAPT.  FRKMONT'S  NARRATIVK. 


[1849. 


which  was  a  rocky  isliind.  We  reimtiruul 
here  a  short  lime  to  rest,  and  cuntiniied  nn 
around  the  lake,  which  had  In  8umc  plucen 
a  beach  of  white  sand,  and  in  otiiera  vvum 
bound  with  rock«,  over  wliich  the  way  wiis 
difficult  and  dangerous,  ad  the  water  irom 
innumerable  springs  made  them  very  slip- 
pery. 

By  the  time  wo  had  reached  the  further 
side  of  the  lake,  wo  found  ourselves  all  ex- 
ceedingly fatigued,  and,  much  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  whole  party,  we  encamped. 
The  8^M)t  we  had  chosen  was  a  broad  flat 
rock,  m  some  measure  protected  from  the 
winds  by  tlie  surrounding  crags,  and  the 
trunks  of  fallen  pines  anbrdeu  us  brij^ht 
fires.  Near  by  was  a  foaming  torrent,  which 
tumbled  into  the  little  lake  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  below  us,  and  which,  by 
way  of  distinction,  we  have  called  Island 
lake.  We  had  reached  the  upper  limit  of 
the  piney  region ;  as,  above  this  point,  no 
tree  was  to  be  seen,  and  patches  of  snow  lay 
everywhere  around  us  on  the  cold  sides  of 
the  rocks.  The  flora  of  the  region  we  had 
traversed  since  leaving  our  mules  was  ex- 
tremely rich,  and,  among  the  characteristic 
plants,  the  scarlet  flowers  of  the  dodecatheon 
denlatum  everywhere  met  the  eye  in  great 
abundance.  A  small  g-een  ravine,  on  the 
edge  of  which  we  were  encamped,  was  filled 
with  a  profusion  of  alpine  plants  in  brilliant 
bloom.  From  barometrical  observations, 
made  during  our  three  days'  sojourn  at  this 
place,  its  elevation  above  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
13  10,000  feet.  During  the  day,  we  had  8"-n 
no  sign  of  animal  life  ;  but  among  the  rocks 
here,  we  heard  what  was  supposed  to  be  the 
bleat  of  a  young  goat,  whicn  we  searched 
for  with  hungry  activity,  and  found  to  pro- 
ceed from  a  small  animal  of  a  grey  color, 
with  short  ears  and  no  tail — probably  the 
Siberian  squirrel.  We  saw  a  considerable 
number  of  them,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
a  small  bird  like  a  sparrow,  it  is  the  only 
inhabitant  of  this  elevated  part  of  the  moun- 
tains. On  our  return,  we  saw,  below  this 
lake,  large  flocks  of  the  mountain  goat.  We 
had  nothing  to  eat  to-night.  Lajeunesse, 
with  several  others,  took  their  guns,  and 
tallied  out  in  search  of  a  goat ;  but  returned 
unsuccessful.  At  sunset,  the  barometer 
stood  at  20.52:2 ;  the  attached  thermometer 
60".  Here  we  had  the  misfortune  to  break 
our  thermometer,  having  now  only  that  at- 
tached to  the  barometer.  I  was  taken  ill 
shortly  after  we  had  encamped,  and  continu- 
ed so  until  late  in  the  night,  with  violent 
headache  and  vomiting.  This  was  probably 
caused  by  the  excessive  fatigue  I  had  under- 
gone, and  want  of  food,  and  perhaps,  also, 
u  some  measure,  by  the  rarity  of  the  air. 
The  night  was  cold,  as  a  violent  gale  from 
the  north  had  sprung  up  at  sunset,  which 


entirely  blew  away  tho  heat  of  the  firoa. 
The  cold,  and  our  granite  bedn,  had  not  been 
favorablo  to  sloop,  and  we  wore  glad  to  see 
tho  face  >>t  the  sun  in  the  morning.  Not  be- 
ing delayed  by  any  preparation  for  break- 
fast, we  Kct  out  immediately. 

On  every  side  as  we  atlvanced  was  heard 
the  roar  ot  waters,  and  of  a  torrent,  which 
we  followed  up  a  short  distance,  until  it  ex- 
panded into  a  lake  about  one  mile  in  length. 
On  the  northern  side  of  the  lake  was  a  bank 
of  ice,  or  rather  of  snow  covered  with  a 
crust  of  ice.  Carson  had  been  our  guide 
into  the  mountains,  and,  agreeably  to  his 
advice,  we  led  this  little  valley,  and  took  to 
the  ridges  again ;  which  we  found  extremely 
broken,  and  where  we  were  again  involved 
among  precipices.  Here  were  ice  fields ; 
among  which  we  were  all  dispersed,  seeking 
each  the  best  path  to  ascend  tho  peak.  Mr. 
PreuHS  attempted  to  walk  along  the  up|)er 
edge  of  one  of  these  fields,  which  sloped 
away  at  an  angle  of  about  twenty  degrees  , 
but  his  feet  slipped  from  under  him,  and  he 
went  plunging  down  the  plane.  A  few 
hundred  feot  below,  at  the  bottom,  were 
some  fragments  of  sharp  rock,  on  which  lie 
landed ;  and  though  he  turned  a  couple  of 
somersets,  fortunately  received  no  injury  be- 
yond a  few  bruises.  Two  of  the  men,  Cle- 
ment Lambert  and  Descoteaux,  had  been 
taken  ill,  and  lay  down  on  the  rocks  a  short 
distance  below ;  and  at  this  point  I  was  at- 
tacked with  headache  and  giddiness,  accom- 
panied by  vomiting,  as  on  the  day  before. 
Finding  myself  unable  to  proceed,  I  sent  the 
barometer  over  to  Mr.  Preuss,  who  was  in  a 
gap  two  or  three  hundred  yards  distant,  de- 
siring him  to  reach  the  peak,  if  possible,  and 
take  an  observation  there.  He  found  him- 
self unable  to  proceed  further  in  that  direc- 
tion, and  took  an  observation,  where  the  ba- 
rometer stood  at  19.401 ;  attached  thermo- 
meter 60o,  in  the  gap.  Carson,  who  had 
gone  over  to  him,  succeeded  in  reaching  one 
of  the  snowy  summits  of  the  main  ridge, 
whence  he  saw  the  peak  towards  which  all 
our  efibrts  had  been  directed,  towering  eight 
or  ten  hundred  feet  into  the  air  above  him. 
In  the  meantime,  finding  myself  grow  rather 
worse  than  better,  and  doubtful  how  far  my 
strength  would  carry  me,  I  sent  Basil  La- 
jeunesse, with  four  men,  back  to  the  place 
where  the  mules  had  been  left. 

We  were  now  better  acquainted  with  the 
topography  of  the  country,  and  I  directed 
him  to  bring  back  with  him,  if  it  were  in 
any  way  possible,  four  or  five  mules,  with 
provisions  and  blankets.  With  mc  were 
Maxwell  and  Ayer;  and  after  we  had  re- 
mained nearly  an  hour  on  the  rock,  it  be- 
came so  unpleasantly  cold,  though  tiie  day 
was  bright,  that  we  set  out  on  our  return  to 
the  camp,  at  which  we  all  arrived  safely, 


I 


1842.] 


CAFt.  tTlEMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


45 


J 


atntf^aling  in  one  ailer  the  other.  I  con> 
tinned  ill  durinff  the  afternoon,  but  became 
bettor  towards  sundown,  when  my  recovery 
was  completed  by  the  appearance  of  DaHil 
and  four  men,  all  mounted.  The  men  who 
had  ^nne  with  him  iiad  been  too  much  fa- 
lijrued  to  return,  and  wore  relieved  by  those 
ill  ch»rf;e  of  the  horses;  but  in  his  powers 
of  emiiirance  Basil  resembled  more  a  moun- 
tuiii  fionl  than  a  man.  They  brought  blan- 
krts  and  provisions,  and  we  enjoyecrwell  our 
drii'd  meat  and  a  cup  of  good  cofleo.  We 
ml  led  ourselves  up  in  our  blankets,  and, 
with  our  feet  turned  to  a  blazing  tire,  slept 
Hoiuully  until  morning. 

Aiifrust  Ifi. — It  had  been  supposed  that  we 
had  finished  with  the  mountams;  and  the 
evening  before,  it  had  been  arranged  that 
Carson  should  set  out  at  daylight,  and  re- 
turn to  breakfast  at  the  Camp  of  the  Mules, 
taking  with  him  all  but  four  or  five  men, 
who  wore  to  stay  with  me  and  bring  back 
the  mules  and  instruments.  Accordingly, 
at  the  break  of  day  they  set  out.  With  Mr. 
Preuss  and  myself  remained  Basil  Lajeu- 
nesse,  Clement  Lambert,  Janissc,  and  Desco- 
teaux.  When  we  had  secured  strength  for 
the  day  by  a  hearty  breakfast,  we  covered 
what  remained,  which  was  enough  for  one 
meal,  with  rocks,  in  order  that  il  might  be 
safe  from  any  marauding  bird ;  and,  saddling 
our  mules,  turned  our  faces  once  more  to- 
wards the  peaks.  This  time  we  determined 
to  proceed  quietly  and  cautiously,  deliber- 
ately resolved  to  accomplish  our  object  if  it 
were  within  the  compass  of  human  means. 
We  were  of  opinion  that  a  long  defile  which 
lay  to  the  left  of  yesterday's  route  would 
lead  us  to  the  foot  of  the  main  peak.  Our 
mules  had  been  refreshed  by  the  fine  grass 
in  the  little  ravine  at  the  Island  camp,  and 
we  intended  to  ride  up  the  defile  as  far  as 
possible,  in  order  to  husband  our  strength 
for  the  main  ascent.  Though  this  was  a 
fine  passage,  still  it  was  a  defile  of  the  most 
rugged  mountains  known,  and  we  had  many 
a  rough  and  steep  slippejy  place  to  cross 
iiefore  reaching  the  end.  In  this  place  the 
sun  rarely  shone;  snow  lay  along  the  border 
of  the  small  stream  which  flowed  through  it, 
and  occasional  icy  passages  made  the  foot- 
ing of  the  mules  very  insecure,  and  the 
rocks  and  ground  were  moist  with  the  trick- 
ling waters  in  this  spring  of  mighty  rivers. 
We  soon  had  the  satisfaction  to  hnd  our- 
selves riding  along  the  huge  wall  which 
forms  the  central  summits  of  the  chain. 
There  at  last  il  rose  by  our  sides,  a  nearly 
perpendicular  wall  of  granite,  terminating 
2,000  to  3,000  feet  above  our  heads  in  a  ser- 
rated line  of  broken,  jagged  cones.  We 
rode  on  until  we  came  almost  immediately 
below  the  main  peak,  which  I  denominated 
the  Snow  peak,  as  it  exhibited  more  snow 


to  the  eye  than  any  of  the  neighlraring  sum* 
mits.  Here  were  three  small  lakes  of  a 
green  color,  each  of  perhaps  a  tiiuiisand 
vards  in  diameter,  and  apparently  very  deep. 
I'hcHO  lay  in  a  kind  of  chasm ;  and,  accord* 
ing  to  the  barometer,  wo  iiiid  attained  but  a 
few  hundred  fuct  alwvo  the  Island  lake.  'I'ho 
barometer  here  stood  at  20.460,  attached 
thermometer  70*'. 

We  managed  to  got  our  mules  up  to  a 
little  bench  about  a  iiundrcd  leot  above  the 
lakes,  where  there  was  a  patch  of  good 
grass,  and  turned  them  loose  to  graze.  L)u* 
ring  our  rough  ride  to  this  place,  tlioy  had 
exhibited  a  wonderful  surefootednosri.  Parts 
of  tlie  defile  were  filled  with  angular,  sharp 
fragments  of  rock,  three  or  four  and  eight  or 
ten  feet  cube ;  and  among  these  they  had 
worked  their  way,  leaping  from  one  narrow 
point  to  another,  rarely  making  a  false  stop, 
and  giving  us  no  occasion  to  dismount. 
Having  divested  ourselves  of  every  unneces- 
sary encumbrance,  wo  commenced  the  as- 
cent. This  time,  like  experienced  travellers, 
we  did  not  press  ourselves,  but  climbed 
leisurely,  sitting  dowi,  so  soon  as  we  found 
breath  beginning  to  fail.  At  intervals  we 
reached  places  where  a  number  of  springs 
gushed  from  the  rocks,  and  about  1,800  feet 
above  the  lakes  came  to  the  snow  line. 
From  this  point  our  progress  was  uninter- 
rupted climbing.  Hitherto  I  had  worn  a 
pair  of  thick  moccasins,  with  soles  of  par- 
Jliehe ;  but  here  I  put  on  a  light  thin  pair, 
which  I  had  brought  for  the  purpose,  as  now 
the  use  of  our  toes  became  necessary  to  a 
further  advance.  I  availed  myself  of  a  sort 
of  conib  of  the  mountain,  which  stood  against 
the  wall  like  a  buttress,  and  which  the  wind 
and  the  solar  radiation,  joined  to  the  steep- 
ness of  the  smooth  rock,  had  kept  almost  en- 
tirely free  from  enow.  Up  this  I  made  m; 
way  rapidly.  Our  cautious  method  of  ai 
vancing  in  the  outset  had  spared  my  strength ; 
and,  with  the  exception  of  a  slight  disposi- 
tion to  headache,  I  felt  no  remains  of  yester- 
day's illness.  In  a  few  minutes  we  reached 
a  point  where  the  buttress  was  overhanging, 
and  there  was  no  other  way  of  surmounting 
the  difficulty  than  by  passing  around  one 
side  of  it,  which  was  the  face  of  a  vertical 
precipice  of  several  hundred  feet. 

Putting  hands  and  feet  in  the  crevices  be- 
tw:  ~n  the  blocks,  I  succeeded  in  getting 
over  .t,  and,  when  I  reached  the  top,  found 
my  companions  in  a  small  valley  below. 
Descendmg  to  them,  we  continued  climbiig, 
and  in  a  short  time  reached  the  crest.  I 
sprang  upon  the  summit,  and  another  step 
woula  have  precipitated  me  into  an  immense 
snow  field  five  hundred  feet  below.  To  the 
edge  of  this  field  was  a  sheer  icy  precipice ; 
and  then,  with  a  gradual  fall,  the  field  sloped 
off  for  about  a  mile,  until  it  struck  the  foot 


I 


fS 


'.^] 


V  .<■• 


hi 


46 


CAI»T.  FRKMONT'8  NARRATIVE. 


[1849 


i 


i 

i 


i 


3 


of  another  Idwct  ridpe.  I  Btood  on  a  niirrow 
croHt,  ntmnt  llirro  feet  in  width,  willi  on  in- 
clination (il  al)r.iit  *J0"'  N.  61°  K.  Ah  noon 
a»  I  liiul  i;riiti(icd  tho  fifHt  Icclinffii  of  curi- 
(wity,  I  (It'MCcndcd,  and  cacli  man  aiicnndod 
in  hiH  turn  ;  for  I  would  only  allow  onu  at  a 
timo  to  mount  tho  undtable  and  precnriouH 
rtlab,  which  it  neemcd  a  breath  would  hurl 
into  tilt'  iibvHH  below.  Wo  mounted  tho  luv* 
romotor  iu  tho  Know  of  tho  summit,  and,  fix- 
ini;  II  riinrod  in  a  crevico,  unfurled  tho  na- 
lioiiiit  tla^r  to  wave  iu  tho  breexo  whore  never 
rtanr  wavod  before.  During  our  morning's 
u.sciMit,  wo  liad  met  no  sign  of  animal  life, 
exce|)t  tho  Bmall  sparrow-like  bird  already 
inentioneil.  A  stillnesa  tho  most  profound 
and  a  terrible  solitude  forced  themselves  con- 
ntantly  en  tho  mind  as  the  groat  features  of 
the  place.  Here,  on  the  summit,  where  the 
.ttillnesH  was  absolute,  unbroken  by  any 
Bound,  and  the  solitude  complete,  we  thought 
ourselves  beyond  tho  region  of  animated  life ; 
but  while  wc  were  sitting  ont  ho  rock,  a  soli- 
tary bee  (bromuf,  the  humble  bee)  came 
winging  his  flight  from  the  eastern  valley, 
and  lit  on  the  knee  of  one  of  the  men. 

It  was  a  strange  place,  the  icy  rock  and 
the  highest  peak  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
tor  a  lover  of  warm  sunshine  and  flowers , 
and  we  pleased  ourselves  with  the  idea  that 
he  was  the  first  of  his  species  to  cross  tho 
mountain  barrier — a  solitary  pioneer  to  fore- 
tell the  advance  of  civilisation.  I  believe 
that  a  moment's  thought  would  have  made 
us  let  him  continue  bis  way  unharmed  ;  but 
we  carried  out  the  law  of  this  country,  where 
all  animated  nature  seems  at  war ;  and,  seiz- 
ing him  immediately,  put  him  in  at  least  a 
fit  place — in  the  leaves  of  a  large  book, 
among  the  flowers  we  had  collected  on  our 
way.  ~  The  barometer  stood  at  18.293,  the 
attached  thermometer  at  44° ;  giving  for  the 
elevation  of  this  summit  13,670  feet  above 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  which  may  be  called  the 
highest  flight  of  the  bee.  It  is  certainly  the 
highest  known  flight  of  that  insect.  From 
the  description  given  by  Mackenzie  of  the 
mountains  where  he  crossed  them,  with  that 
of  a  French  officer  still  farther  to  the  north, 
and  Colonel  Long's  measurements  to  the 
south,  joined  to  the  opinion  of  the  oldest  tra- 
ders of  the  country,  it  is  presumed  that  this 
is  the  highest  peak  of  the  Rocky  mountains. 
The  day  was  sunny  and  bright,  but  a  slight 
shining  mist  hung  over  the  lower  plains, 
which  interfered  with  our  view  of  the  sur- 
rounding country.  On  one  side  we  over- 
looked innumerable  lakes  and  streams,  the 
spring  of  the  Colorado  of  the  Gulf  of  Cali- 
fornia ;  and  on  the  other  was  the  Wind  river 
valley,  where  were  the  heads  of  the  Yellow- 
itone  branch  of  the  Missouri;  far  to  the 
north,  we  just  could  discover  the  snowy 
heads  of  the  Trots  Teions,  where  were  the 


sources  of  the  Missouri  and  Columbia  rivors ; 
and  at  the  nouthern  extremity  of  tho  ridgr, 
tho  peaks  wore  plainly  visible,  ainoiii;  which 
W(>re  some  of  tho  springs  of  thu  N<*lirurikn  or 
I'lalto  river.  Around  im,  tho  wliolo  Hcenn 
had  one  main  striking  feature,  which  WH4 
that  of  terrible  convulsion.  Parallel  to  itH 
length,  tho  ridge  was  split  into  chuHmft  and 
fiMsurcs  ;  lietween  which  rose  the  thin  lofty 
walls,  terminated  with  sicndur  minnrcts  and 
columns.  According  to  tho  barotnuter,  tho 
little  crest  of  tho  wall  on  whicii  wo  stood 
was  three  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy 
feet  above  that  place,  and  two  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  eighty  above  the  little 
lakes  at  tho  bottom,  immediately  at  our  feet. 
Our  camp  at  the  Two  Hills  (an  astronomical 
station)  oore  south  3°  east,  which,  with  a 
bearing  afterward  obtained  from  a  fixed  po- 
sition, enabled  us  to  locate  the  peak.  The 
bearing  of  the  7Vot»  Teions  was  north  fiO® 
Wfst,  and  the  direction  of  the  central  ridge 
of  the  Wind  river  mountains  south  39°  east. 
The  summit  rock  was  gneiss,  succeeded  by 
sienitic  gneiss.  Sienite  and  feldspar  suo- 
ceeded  in  our  descent  to  the  snow  line^ 
where  we  found  a  feldspathic  granite.  I 
had  remarked  that  the  noise  produced  by  the 
explosion  of  our  pistols  had  the  usual  degree 
of  loudness,  but  was  not  in  the  least  pro> 
longed,  expiring  almost  instantaneously. 
Having  now  mode  what  observations  our 
means  aiibrded,  we  proceeded  to  descend. 
We  had  accomplished  an  object  of  laudable 
ambition,  and  beyond  the  strict  order  of  our 
instructions.  We  had  climbed  the  loftiest 
peak  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  looked 
aown  upon  the  snow  a  thousand  feet  below, 
and,  standing  where  never  human  foot  had 
stood  before,  felt  the  exultation  of  first  ex- 

[dorers.  It  was  about  2  o'clock  when  we 
efl  the  summit ;  and  when  we  reached  the 
bottom,  the  sun  had  already  sunk  behind  the 
wall,  and  the  day  was  drawing  to  a  close. 
It  would  have  been  pleasant  to  have  lingered 
here  and  on  tho  summit  longer ;  but  we  hur* 
ried  away  as  rapidly  as  the  ground  would 
permit,  for  it  was  an  object  to  regain  our 
party  as  soon  as  possible,  not  knowing  what 
accident  the  next  hour  might  bring  forth. 

We  reached  our  deposit  of  provisions  at 
nightfall.  Here  was  not  the  inn  which 
awaits  the  tired  traveller  on  his  return  from 
Mont  Blanc,  or  the  orange  groves  of  South 
America,  with  their  refreshing  juices  and  soft 
fragrant  air ;  but  we  found  our  little  cache  of 
dried  meat  and  coflee  undisturbed.  Though 
the  moon  was  bright,  the  road  was  full  of 

Erecipices,  and  the  fatigue  of  the  day  had 
een  great.    We  therefore  abandoned  the 
idea  of  rejoining  our  friends,  and  lay  down  on 
the  rock,  and,  in  spite  of  the  cold,  slept 
soundly. 
August  16. — We    left  our  encampment 


fi 


1849.] 


CAPT.  PREMONT'S  NARRATIVK. 


47 


rivoin; 

ridge, 
which 
iitkaor 

Hccnn 

1 1     WAH 

to  iu 


with  the  daylight.  Wo  Haw  on  our  way 
large  Hocka  of  the  mniiiitain  (foat  lo<)kin(( 
down  on  ua  from  the  clitlM.  At  the  crack  <•( 
n  ride,  they  would  bound  ofl'iimonfftho  rockn, 
and  in  a  f»w  minutCH  make  tlu-ir  ap|M>aranco 
on  romo  lofty  peak,  Romu  hundred  or  a  thou- 
sand I'cut  above.  It  in  iieodloHH  to  attempt 
auy  further  deiicription  of  the  country ;  thu 
|N)rtion  over  which  we  travelled  tliin  morniii); 
wan  rou|{h  as  imn|rination  could  picture  it, 
uiid  to  us  Bceined  cnuaily  beautiful.  A  con- 
cniirMo  of  lakes  and  rushint;  waters,  inoiin- 
tains  of  rocks  naked  and  destitute  of  vef^eta- 
l)lt>  earth,  dells  and  ravineH  of  the  inoHt 
ox(|uiHite  beauty,  all  kept  green  and  frcttli  by 
t>ie  great  moisture  in  the  air,  and  sown  with 
brilliant  flowers,  and  everywhere  thrown 
around  uU  the  glory  of  moat  magnificent 
iictineH :  these  constitute  the  features  of  the 
place,  and  impress  themselveH  vividly  on  the 
mind  of  the  traveller.  It  was  not  until  1 1 
o'clock  that  we  reached  the  place  where  our 
unimaJH  had  been  left,  when  wo  first  attempt- 
ed the  mountains  on  foot.  Near  one  of  the 
still  burning  tires  we  found  a  piece  of  meat, 
which  our  friends  had  thrown  away,  and 
which  furnished  us  a  mouthful— a  very 
scanty  breakfast.  We  continued  directly 
on,  and  reached  our  camp  on  the  mountain 
lake  at  dusk.  We  found  all  well.  Nothing 
had  occurred  to  interrupt  the  quiet  since  our 
departure,  and  the  tine  grass  and  good  cool 
water  had  done  much  toj-e-establish  our  ani- 
main.  All  heard  with  great  delight  the  order 
to  turn  our  faces  homeward ;  and  toward 
sundown  of  the  17th,  we  encamped  again  at 
the  Two  Buttes. 

In  the  course  of  this  ailernoon's  march, 
tlie  barometer  was  broken  past  remedy.  I 
regretted  it,  as  I  was  desirous  to  compare  it 
again  with  Dr.  Engleman's  barometers  at  St. 
Iy>uiH,  to  which  mine  were  referred ;  but  it 
had  done  its  part  well,  and  my  objects  were 
mainly  fulfilled. 

August  19. — We  lell  our  camp  on  Little 
Sandy  river  about  7  in  the  morning,  and  tra- 
versed the  same  sandy,  undulating  country. 
The  air  was  filled  with  the  turpentine  scent 
of  the  various  artemisias,  which  are  now  in 
bloom,  and,  numerous  as  they  are,  give  much 
gaiety  to  the  land.xape  of  the  plains.  At 
10  o'clock,  wa  stood  exactly  on  the  divide  in 
the  pass,  where  the  v  agon  road  crosses,  and, 
descending  immediately  upon  the  Sweet 
Water,  halted  to  take  a  meridian  observation 
of  the  sun.     The  latitude  was  42°  24'  32". 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  we  saw  buf- 
falo again  and  at  our  evening  halt  on  the 
Sweet  Water  the  roasted  ribs  again  made 
their  appearance  around  the  tires  ;  and,  with 
them,  good,  humor,  and  laughter,  and  song, 
were  restored  to  the  camp.  Our  coffee  had 
been  expended,  but  we  now  made  a  kind  of 
tea  from  the  roots  of  the  wild  cherry  tree. 


Av^uiit  93. — Yesterday  evening  wo  reach- 
ed our  encampment  at  Rock  lii(li<|)i>iid(>iirtf, 
where  I  took  some  aHtronoiiiiriii  nliHtTviitioiiH, 
Here,  nrtt  unmindful  of  the  cunloin  of  rnrly 
travell*>rrt  and  explorers  in  our  country,  I  en- 
griived  on  thin  rock  of  the  Fur  Wenl  a  wyin- 
l)ol  of  the  C'liriHtitin  faith.  Among  the  thickly 
iiiscrilxMl  iiaineH,  I  made  on  the  liard  grunitu 
tlii^  iiiiproHHion  of  a  large  crows  which  I  co- 
vered with  a  black  preparation  of  liidia  rubber, 
well  calculated  to  rexiHt  the  inlliieiiceol  wind 
and  rain,  It  ntandH  amidst  the  iiaiiieH  of 
many  who  have  long  since  found  their  way 
to  the  grave,  and  for  whom  the  huge  rock  is 
a  giant  graveHtono. 

One  deorgp  Weymouth  was  sent  out  to 
Maine  by  the  Karl  of  Southampton,  !.«)rd 
Arundel,  and  others ;  and  in  the  narrative  of 
their  dincoveries,  ho  says :  "  The  next  day, 
we  ascended  in  our  pinnace  that  part  of  the 
river  which  lies  more  to  the  westward,  carry- 
ing with  us  a  cross — a  thing  never  omitted  by 
any  Christian  traveller — which  wo  erected 
at  the  ultimate  end  of  our  route."  This  was 
in  the  year  l(iU5;  and  in  1842  I  ol)eyed  the 
feeling  of  early  travellers,  and  left  the  im- 
pression of  the  cross  deeply  engraved  on  the 
vast  rock  one  thousand  miles  beyond  the 
Missigsippi,  to  which  discoverers  have  given 
the  national  name  of  Ruck  Independence. 

In  obedience  to  my  instructions  to  survey 
the  river  Platte,  if  possible,  I  had  d..erntine(i 
to  make  an  attempt  at  this  place.  The  India 
rubber  boat  was  hlled  with  air,  placed  in  the 
water,  and  loaded  with  what  was  neceut<ary 
for  our  ojwrations  ;  and  I  embarked  with  Mr. 
Preuss  and  a  party  of  men.  When  we  had 
dragged  our  boat  for  a  mile  or  two  over  the 
sands,  I  abandoned  the  impossible  undertak- 
ing, and  waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  party, 
when  we  packed  up  our  boat  and  equipage 
and  at  9  o'clock  were  again  moving  along 
on  our  land  journey.  We  continued  along 
the  valley  on  the  right  bt:  :  of  the  Sweet 
Water,  where  the  formation,  as  already  de- 
scribed, consists  of  a  greyish  micaceous  sand- 
stone, and  tine-grained  conglomerate,  and 
marl.  We  passed  over  a  ridge  which  bor- 
ders or  constitutes  the  river  hills  of  the 
Platte,  consisting  of  huge  blocks,  sixty  or 
eighty  feet  cube,  of  decomposing  granite. 
The  cement  whi.  h  united  them  was  proba- 
bly of  easier  decomposition,  and  has  disap- 
f eared  and  left  them  isolate,  and  separated 
y  small  spaces.  Numerous  horns  of  the 
mountain  goat  were  lying  among  the  rocks ; 
and  in  the  ravines  were  cedars,  whotse  trunks 
were  of  extraordinary  size.  From  this  ridge 
we  descended  to  a  small  open  plain  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Sweet  Water,  which  rushed 
with  a  rapid  current  into  the  Platte,  here 
flowing  along  in  a  broad,  and  appaJrently 
deep  stream,  which  'jeemed,  from  its  turbid 
appearance,  to  be  considerably  swollen*    I 


,    4j 


'^''  '-n 


m 


m 


48 


PAI'T.  FRKMONTrf  NAIUIATIVK. 


[1843 


*i'i 


obtaiiD'il  liiTP  nonM>antmn(irniril  olwprvalioiiM, 
and  til)*  iirti>riiiHiii  wni«  M|M'Mt  in  ff*'*t\i\f(  mir 
boat  rcitly  lor  imvitfatiiin  Ihi*  next  day. 

/li<tri/s/  'Jt. — VVi<  ufarfi'd  bflon*  Miinrim', 
inUtndiii^  tn  hrmMnnt  at  (iiMtt  ImIhikI.  I  IihiI 
dirrclfd  ihc  land  party,  in  rliartr""  "1  H«'rnii'r, 
to  pniciM'd  lo  thin  |tliic»>,  wliert)  they  wi»rr  to 
rcmnin,  Hlxmld  tli<>y  tiixl  nu  not««  to  apprinu 
tluMii  ol  our  Imvinof  pntiHiul.  (ii  tho  evont  of 
rt'Ci'ivin^  this  informal  ion,  thoy  woro  lo  con- 
tiniii'  llifir  roiito,  paHHJnpf  by  cfirfain  placeH 
wliicli  hud  Ix'iMi  d»'Hi(fnnt»'d.  Mr.  I'reiiM  nc- 
coinpiuiicd  mo,  and  with  iih  wcrt)  flvo  of  my 
l»<'i<t  tni'ii,  viz  :  ('.  liamlH'rt,  Bnail  I^ajcuncriHe, 
lloiiori  Ayot,  Hcnoiat,  and  I)e8cotpau.\. 
II»'ro  n|i|M'iirod  no  urarcity  of  wator,  and  wp 
tuoii  on  hoard,  witli  various  iiiMtrtimtMitH  and 
l>iiL'ffB(ji',  provisiona  for  ten  or  twelve  days. 
We  paddled  down  the  river  rapidly,  for  our 
little  criilt  wafl  liffht  as  a  duck  on  the  water ; 
and  th<>  Mun  had  been  8omo  time  riuen,  when 
we  lioiird  liofore  uh  a  hollow  roar,  which  we 
.■<uppoHod  to  bo  that  of  a  fall,  of  which  we 
liad  heard  a  vaflruo  rumor,  but  whose  exact 
local  it  V  no  one  liad  been  able  to  describe  to 
UH.  VVu  were  approachinfi^  a  ridffe,  throui^h 
wliicli  the  river  passes  by  a  place  called 
"  caRon  "  (pronounced  kanyon),  a  Spanish 
word,  sif^nitying  a  piece  of  artillery,  the  bar- 
rel of  a  gun,  or  any  kind  of  tube ;  and  which, 
in  this  country,  has  been  adopted  to  describe 
the  pansage  of  a  river  between  perpendicular 
rocks  of  great  height,  which  freijuently  ap- 
proach each  other  so  closely  overhead  as  to 
'orm  a  kind  of  tunnel  over  the  stream,  which 
*'oams  along  below,  half  choked  up  by  fallen 
fragments.  Between  the  mouth  of  the 
Sweet  Water  and  Goat  island,  there  is  pro- 
bably a  fall  of  300  feet,  and  that  was  princi- 
pally made  in  the  cafSons  before  us ;  as,  with- 
out them,  the  water  was  comparatively 
smooth.  As  we  neared  the  ridge,  the  river 
made  a  sudden  turn,  and  swept  squarely  down 
against  one  of  the  walls  of  the  canon  with 
a  great  velocity,  and  so  bteep  a  descent,  that 
it  Tiad,  to  the  eye,  the  appearance  of  an  in- 
clined plane.  When  we  launched  into  this, 
the  men  jumped  overboard,  to  check  the  ve- 
locity of  the  boat,  but  were  soon  in  water  up 
to  their  necks,  and  ou"  boat  ran  on ;  but  we 
succeeded  in  bringing  her  to  a  small  point  of 
rocks  on  the  right,  at  the  mouth  of  the  cailon. 
Here  was  a  kind  of  elevated  sand  beach,  not 
many  yards  square,  backed  by  the  rocks,  and 
around  the  point  the  river  swept  at  a  right 
angle.  Trunks  of  trees  deposited  on  jutting 
points  20  or  30  feet  above,  and  other  marks, 
showed  that  the  water  here  frequently  rose 
to  a  considerable  height.  The  ridge  was  of 
the  same  decomposing  granite  already  men- 
tioned, and  the  water  haa  worked  the  surface, 
10  many  places,  into  a  wavy  surface  of  ridges 
and  holes.    We  ascended  the  rocks  to  recon- 


noitrn  th«<  grmind,  nnd  from  the  iiuminit  thn 
imiiM|{ii  Hp|M'iir<*<i  to  bit  nc.ontinui'il  ciUiiract 
roaming  iivi>r  mnny  olmtrurtiuiiit,  nnd  hrokon 
by  H  nuiiilM>r  of  itnuill  fallM.  Wn  Naw  no- 
wlii>rt<  H  lull  nnxwiTlhg  to  that  wliich  had 
Imm'u  domrilN'd  to  iih  hh  having  'JO  or  'J/k  Iri't 
but  Nlill  (Mincliidod  thiM  to  Ui  th«*  placi'  in 
qiu'Hiioii,  aN,  in  thtt  M«>aHon  of  HoodM,  tho  runli 
of  the  rivor  agninxt  the  wall  would  |)r<Mlui'o 
a  i;n>at  rise,  and  the  watnrN,  retlectml  Hr|iiur«'ly 
olr,  woulii  (IcHctMiti  through  the  paHnagn  in  a 
nhect  of  foam,  having  evitry  np|M>HraMC«>  of  a 
large  fall.  Kighto«Mi  years  provioua  to  this 
time,  as  I  have  Rub«pauently  leurnod  from 
himHolf  Mr.  Fitz|>atricK,  somewhort)  above 
on  this  river,  hud  embarked  with  a  valuable 
cargo  of  beaver.  Unnrtjiiainted  with  the 
stream,  which  he  lM>lievod  would  conduct 
him  safely  to  the  Missouri,  he  came  unex* 
pectedly  into  this  caflon,  where  ho  wu 
wrecked,  with  the  total  loss  of  his  furs.  It 
would  have  l)een  a  work  of  great  time  and 
labor  to  pack  our  baggage  across  the  ritfgw, 
and  I  determined  to  run  the  cafion.  We  all 
again  embarked,  and  at  tirat  attempted  to 
check  the  way  of  the  boat ;  but  the  water 
swept  through  with  so  much  violence  that 
we  narrowly  escaped  being  swamped,  and 
were  obliged  to  let  her  go  in  the  full  force  of 
the  current,  and  trust  to  the  skill  of  the  boat* 
men.  The  dangerous  places  in  this  caffon 
were  where  huge  rocks  had  fallen  from  above, 
and  hemmed  in  th«  already  narrow  pass  of 
the  river  to  an  open  space  of  three  or  four 
L>nd  five  feet.  These  obstructions  raised  the 
water  considerably  above,  which  was  some« 
times  precipitated  over  in  a  fall ;  and  at  other 
places,  where  this  dam  was  too  high,  rushed 
through  the  contracted  opening  with  tremen- 
dous  violence.  Had  our  boat  been  made  H 
wood,  in  passing  the  narrows  she  would  hav 
been  staved ;  but  her  elasticity  preserved  her 
unhurt  from  every  shock,  and  she  seemed 
fairly  to  leap  over  the  falls. 

In  this  way  we  passed  three  cataracts  in 
succession,  where,  perhaps  100  feet  of  smooth 
water  intervened ;  and,  finally,  %ith  a  shout 
of  pleasure  at  our  success,  issued  from  our 
tunnel  into  the  open  day  beyond.  We  were 
so  delighted  with  the  performance  of  our 
boat,  and  so  confident  in  her  powers,  that  we 
would  not  have  hesitated  to  leap  a  fail  often 
feet  with  her.  We  put  to  shore  for  break* 
fast  at  some  willows  on  the  right  bank,  im« 
mediately  below  the  mouth  of  the  caiion ;  for 
it  was  now  8  o'clock,  and  we  had  been  work- 
ing since  daylight,  and  were  all  wet,  fatigued, 
and  hungry.  While  the  men  were  prepar- 
ing breakfast,  I  went  out  to  reconnoitre.  The 
view  was  rery  limited.  The  course  of  the 
river  was  smooth,  so  far  as  I  could  see  ;  on 
both  sides  were  broken  hills ;  and  but  a  mile 
or  two  below  was  another  high  ridge.    Th^ ' 


11H4J 


1849] 


CAI»T.  FIIKMONTM  NAIUIATIVK. 


40 


i 


lunk  Kt  tlio  moiitli  n(  tho  cnnoii  wan  mIiII  tlic 
decoiiij!'Miii^  i;riuiiii<,  with  Krciit  qiuiiititiui 
urinica,  whi"li  iiihiIo  a  vttry  ^lilti'rinu;  nuiuI. 
Wii  rtMMiibtirki'i!  Mt  !)  oVIcmIc,  hiiU  hi  about 
'  A'vnty  iiiinuti'n  roachotl  ttut  iiHxt  cuAoii. 
l^imliuK  1)11  a  rocky  Mliorn  at  iln  coinmnice- 
iiii'iit,  wi!  HMCi'iidiMl  tliu  riil(((<  to  rurotiiioitro. 
l'nrta^ri>  wKH  out  of  tho  iniuMtion.  So  far  un 
we  ciitilil  i«iH\  thu  ja^tfuu  rockH  (Mjjiitud  out 
Iho  coiirHO  of  tho  CHiioti,  on  a  wimlintf  lixc 
(if  Hi'Vt'ii  or  oight  iniloM.  It  whh  aiinply  a  nar> 
row,  ilark  cliaMin  in  iho  rock;  and  huru  tho 
|it>r|M'iiin('ular  facoa  wuro  iiiucli  hifjfhcr  than 
III  Iho  prrviouH  Dana,  Immii^  at  thia  end  twu 
to  thri'u  huiidrcu,  and  furthor  down,  an  wc 
al'torwards  aacertainod,  five  huiuirud  I'vut  in 
vorticiil  hei^fht.  Our  previous  huccchh  had 
iniidu  iirt  iHild,  and  we  detoriniiicd  a^ain  to 
run  tho  caflon.  Evcrylhin|{  waa  Hccurud  aH 
tiniily  iiH  |M)i4Hiblo ;  and  having;  divoi^tod  uur- 
Holvuri  of  Uio  i^rreater  part  of  our  clolhini;^,  wc 
putihcd  into  thd  stream.  To  save  our  cliro- 
iioiiii'tt'r  from  accident,  Mr.  Preuaa  took  it, 
and  attoinpted  to  proceed  alon{(  tho  ahoro  on 
tiio  niaHHOH  of  rock,  which  in  places  wore 
piled  up  oil  ckher  aide ;  but,  ailor  ho  had 
walkoil  about  live  minutes,  everythiiif;  like 
tiliorc  (linappearcd,  and  the  vertical  wall 
came  Hqiiurely  down  into  the  water.  lie 
therefure  waited  until  wo  came  up.  An 
iiglv  pass  lay  before  us.  We  had  mudo  fuHt 
to  the  stern  of  the  boat  a  strong  rope  about 
fit^y  feet  long ;  and  three  of  the  men  clam- 
bered along  among  tho  rocks,  and  with  this 
rope  lot  her  down  slowly  through  the  pass. 
In  Kcveral  places  high  rockt*  lay  scattered 
about  in  the  channel ;  and  in  the  narrows  it 
required  all  our  strength  and  skill  to  avoid 
staving  the  boat  on  tho  sharp  points.  In  one 
of  these,  the  boat  proved  a  littlo  tix)  broad, 
and  stuck  fast  for  an  instant,  while  the  water 
flew  over  us ;  fortunately,  it  was  but  (or  an 
instant,  as  our  united  strength  lurced  her 
immediately  tlirough.  The  water  swept 
overboard  only  a  sextant  and  a  pair  of  saddle- 
bags. I  caught  the  sextant  as  it  passed  by 
me ;  but  the  saddlebags  became  the  prey  of 
the  whirlpools.  We  reached  the  place  where 
Mr.  Preusa  was  standing,  took  him  on 
board,  and,  with  the  aid  of  the  boat,  put  tho 
men  with  tho  rope  on  the  succeeding  pile  of 
rocks.  We  found  this  passage  much  worse 
thnri  tlie  previous  one,  and  our  position  was 
latliiT  a  bad  one.  To  go  back,  was  impos- 
sible ;  before  us,  the  cataract  was  a  sheet  of 
foam;  and  shut  up  in  the  chasm  by  the 
rocks,  which,  in  some  places,  seemed  almost 
to  meet  overhead,  the  roar  of  the  water  was 
deafening.  We  pushed  off  again  ;  but,  after 
making  a  little  distance,  the  force  of  the  cur- 
rent became  too  great  fur  the  men  on  shore, 
and  two  of  them  let  go  the  rope.  Lajeu- 
nesse,  the  third  man,  hung  on,  and  was  jerk- 
ed headforemost  into  the  river  from  a  rock 

4 


about  twi'lvo  feet  high ;  and  down  the  iictt  ahot 
like  an  arrow,  liuMiT  following  um  in  tliti  rapi<l 
i-urri'iit,  and  t'Xi'rting  all  hirt  Htn-ngth  to  kocp 
ill  1111(1  cliaiincl — hilt  iiiud  mily  hi-imi  occa- 
MKiiially  liki)  a  black  niiut  in  the  vvliiti<  foam. 
Ilovv  lar  wo  wont,  I  do  imt  o.\ii(tly  know; 
but  wo  HUi'cocdoil  ill  liiriiiiig  tlic  bout  iiitoiin 
oddy  below.  "'(V^  />/"/,"  Hiiid  llasi!  I.ti- 
jouiioHHu,  as  ho  arrivoil  iiniiiodiiitol)  allot  im. 
"  Jc  cruis  bim  i/iio  J\n  nu^i  iin  dnni  miti ." 
lie  had  owed  his  lili>  to  liin  nkill  an  ii  Hwim- 
iiior,  and  I  dotormiiiod  to  tiiko  him  mid  the 
two  otluTH  on  board,  iiiid  tru.'-t  to  Hkill  aiul 
fortuno  to  roach  tho  othoroiul  in  Huloty.  W'v 
placed  ournolvoM  on  our  knooH,  w  ilh  the  Hluirt 
paddloH  ill  our  liandri,  tlu:  imiht  skilful  boat- 
man boitig  at  the  Imjvv  ;  uiid  again  we  com- 
moiicod  our  rapid  do.-cciit.  We  cloarod 
rook  after  rock,  and  .shot  puxt  lull  aftor  fall, 
our  littlo  Ixiut  hooiniiig  to  play  w  itii  the  cata- 
ract. Wo  became  tlushou  with  huccchn,  and 
familiar  with  the  danger;  and,  yielding  to 
the  cxcitoment  of  the  oocaKJon,  broke  forth 
together  into  a  Canadian  btuit  song.  Hing- 
ing, or  rathor  Hhoutiiig,  wo  danhod  along; 
mid' wore,  1  bolicvo,  in  llm  inidnt  of  the  cho- 
rus, when  the  boat  struck  a  coiicoalod  rock 
iinniediatoly  at  the  foot  of  a  full,  which 
whirled  her  over  in  an  iiistuiit.  Throe  of 
my  men  could  nut  swim,  and  my  tir^t  Icel- 
ing  was  to  asttiHt  them,  and  save  some  of 
our  etlects;  but  a  dliaru  cox'-ussion  or  two 
convinced  me  that  I  hau  not  yet  saved  my- 
self. A  few  Ktrokes  brought  me  into  an 
eddy,  and  I  landed  on  a  pile  of  rocks  on  the 
left  side.  Looking  around,  I  saw  that  Mr. 
I'reuss  had  gained  the  shore  on  the  same 
side,  about  twenty  yards  below  ;  and  a  littlo 
climbing  and  swimming  soon  brought  him 
to  my  side.  On  the  opposite  side,  against 
the  wall,  lay  the  boat  bottom  up ;  and  Lam- 
bert was  in  the  act  of  saving  Descoteaux, 
whom  he  hud  grasped  by  the  hair,  and 
who  could  not  swim  ;  " Ldche  fax"  said 
he,  as  1  afterwards  learned,  "  ldche  pas,  cher 
frire.'^  ^^  Grains  jms"  was  the  reply,  "  Je 
vien  vais  mourir  avanl  que  de  te  Idcher." 
Such  was  the  reply  of  courage  and  gene- 
rosity in  this  danger.  For  a  hundred  yards 
below  the  current  was  covered  with  floating 
books  and  boxes,  bales  of  blankets,  and  scat- 
tered articles  of  clothing ;  and  so  strong  and 
boiling  was  the  stream,  that  even  our  heavy 
instruments,  which  were  all  in  cases,  kept 
on  the  surface,  and  the  sextant,  circle,  and 
the  long  black  box  of  tho  telescope,  were  in 
view  at  once.  For  a  moment,  I  felt  some 
what  disheartened.  All  our  books — almost 
every  record  of  the  journey — our  journals 
and  registers  of  astronomical  and  barometri" 
cal  observations — had  been  lost  in  a  moment. 
But  it  was  no  time  to  indulge  in  regrets , 
and  I  immediately  set  about  endeavoring  to 
save  something  from  the  wreck.    Making 


I/',' 


CAl'T,  l'Ui;.\lO\rH  NAIIHATIVK. 


1184a. 


18  VJ 


I  '. 


Ik  :■ 


l,i  k 


lll'l 


narkntv*'"  uiulrrNtiMNl  nii  woll  m*  iNMMihln  l>y 
•iifna  (for  Miitliini;  coiilil  Ih<  licnnl  in  (In*  nmr 
Ol  wati>rM|,  wn  t'oiiuntMircd  mir  o|N«riitioim. 
Of  ovtfrytliiiiK  nii  IxMni,  tin*  only  itrtit'ln  that 
had  (mmmi  navimI  wai*  my  iI<miI>I*<  iNtrri'lli'd  f^nn, 
winch  Dt'Hcotciiux  had  cauirht,  and  cliintf  to 
with  drowning  tenacity.  Tho  in'-n  roritinu- 
od  down  thp  rivpr  on  tho  lull  hank.  Mr. 
Pn-iiKM  and  niywlf  dt'nci'ndt'd  on  tho  sido  wi> 
worn  on ;  and  l<ajoiuiOHa«>,  with  a  paddio  in 
hi*  hand,  jiimiN'd  on  tho  lH)At  alono,and  ron- 
tinned  down  tlio  ciiflijn.  HItn  wum  now  liffht, 
and  cleared  *'v<>ry  bad  place  with  innch  Ti'hn 
ditticiilty.  In  a  tihort  tiuio  ho  wan  joinod  hy 
l<anilM<rt,  and  the  ncarch  wan  continued  for 
about  u  inilo  and  a  half,  which  wan  vu*  Tar  an 
tho  boat  could  proceed  in  the  \mm. 

Hero  tho  wiilin  were  alntut  live  hundred 
foot  hiuh,  and  tho  frnj^inentM  of  rockti  Ironi 
above  liad  clutked  tho  river  into  a  hollow 
jMiM,  but  one  or  two  loot  aliovo  tho  Hiirl'ace. 
rhrouj^h  thiH  and  tho  interhticcN  of  iho  rock, 
tho  water  tound  ilH  way.  Favored  In'yond 
our  expectation)*,  all  of  our  reji^iNforH  had 
been  recovered,  with  the  exception  of  one 
of  my  journaltt,  which  contained  tho  nntOH 
and  incidcnla  of  travel,  and  to|K)i(raphical 
dctcriptionfl,  a  number  of  Hcattt'rcuaHtrono- 
mical  observationit,  principtilly  meridian  alti- 
tiidort  of  the  Him,  and  our  biiroinetrical  re^if- 
tor  west  (»f  liUramio.  Fortunately,  our 
other  journaU  contained  duplicatoH  of  the 
most  important  barometrical  obHorvatioim 
which  had  l)oen  taken  in  the  mountaiim. 
Theflo,  with  a  fow  Bcattered  notes,  were  all 
that  had  bccn  preserved  of  our  meteorologi- 
cal  observation."!.  In  addition  to  thoHo,  we 
naved  the  circle;  and  thesp,  with  a  fow 
blanket8,  concUtuted  everything  that  had 
been  reHcued  from  the  waters. 

The  day  was  runninrr  rapidly  away,  and 
it  was  necessary  to  reach  (toat  island,  whi- 
ther tho  party  had  preceded  us,  before  night. 
In  this  uncertain  country,  the  traveller  is  so 
much  in  the  power  of  chance,  that  we  lie- 
came  somewhat  uneasy  in  regard  to  them. 
Should  anything  have  occurred,  in  tho  brief 
interval  of  our  separation,  to  prevent  our  re- 
joining them,  our  situation  would  be  rather 
a  desperate  one.  Wo  had  not  a  morsel  of 
provisions^-our  arms  and  ammunition  were 
fifone — and  we  were  entirely  at  the  mercy  of 
any  strangling  party  of  savages,  and  not  a 
Utile  in  danger  of  starvation.  We  therefore 
f^et  out  at  once  in  two  parties.  Mr.  Preuss 
and  myself  on  the  loft,  and  the  men  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river.  Climbing  out  of 
the  canon,  we  found  ourselves  in  a  very 
broken  country,  wh°re  we  were  not  yet  able 
to  recognize  any  locality.  In  the  course  of 
our  descent  through  the  canon,  tho  rock, 
which  at  the  upper  end  was  of  tho  decom- 
posing granite,  changed  into  a  varied  eand- 
Btone  formation.    The  hills  and  points  of  tho 


rid){pfl  w»»rfl  roveriHl  with  fruifirionta  of  a 
yellow  nniidpitone,  uf  whici  tin  trata  were 
aioinetiineN  dii«pl»yed  in  the  !.roken  rnvine* 
which  inlerriinteil  our  rouri>>,  and  nutde  nur 
walk  extn'Miely  littiKuing.  At  one  |Miintof 
tho  caAon  the  red  argillnceoim  uniidiitoiie 
nwe  in  a  wall  ol  tlve  hundred  feet,  pturiiioiint- 
ed  by  fi  Ntrutuin  of  white  MandHtone  ;  and  in 
anopiKMite  ravine  a  column  of  red  xiindHtune 
roue,  In  form  like  a  Hteepl<>,  n\t»»t  one  hiimlred 
and  fifty  feet  high.  The  Ncenery  wax  extreme- 
ly picturemiue,  and  iiotwithHtnnding  nur  lor- 
l<»rn  •'onditioii,  we  were  frecpiently  obliged  tn 
Mtop  and  admin  <t,  Our  progrexN  wun  not 
very  rapid.  We  had  emerged  Irom  tho  water 
half  naked,  and,  on  arriving  at  the  top  ol  thn 
precipice,  I  found  inyMolf  with  only  one  nioc- 
catin.  The  I'rnumentM  of  rock  made  whI1<. 
iiig  pitiiil'iil,  and  I  was  freipiently  obliged  lo 
Htop  and  pull  out  tho  thornn  ot  tho  rnrtun, 
here  the  prevailii^f  plant,  and  with  which  a 
few  ininuteH*  walk  covered  tho  lK>ttom  of  my 
feet.  From  thin  ridge  tho  river  emerged 
into  a  smiling  prairie,  and,  descending  to  the 
liitnk  for  water,  we  were  joiiiod  by  Denoist. 
The  rest  of  tho  party  wero  out  of  sight, 
having  taken  ii  more  inland  route.  Wo 
cro.-tsed  the  river  rC)ieatodly — somntimea 
able  to  ford  it,  and  Homotimes  ■wimming— 
climbed  over  llio  ridges  of  two  more  cnAons, 
and  towardrt  evening  reached  tho  cut,  which 
wo  hero  named  tho  Hot  Hpring  gate.  On 
our  previous  visit  in  July,  we  had  not  enter- 
ed this  pass,  reserving  it  for  our  doHcent  in 
the  boat ;  and  when  we  entered  it  this  even- 
ing, Mr.  Preuss  was  a  fow  hundred  feet  in 
advance.  Heated  with  the  long  march,  ho 
came  suddenly  upon  a  Hne  l)old  spring  gush- 
ing from  the  rocK,  about  ten  feet  aUwo  the 
river.  Eager  to  enjoy  the  crystal  water,  ho 
threw  himself  down  for  a  hasty  draught,  an  J 
took  a  mouthful  of  water  almost  boiling  hot. 
He  Baid  nothing  to  Benoist,  who  laid  himself 
down  to  drink  ;  but  the  steam  from  the  water 
arrested  his  eagerness,  and  he  escaped  tho 
hot  draught.  We  had  no  thermometer  to 
ascertain  the  temperature,  but  I  could  hold 
my  hand  in  the  water  just  long  enough  to 
count  two  seconds.  There  are  eight  or  ten 
of  these  springs  discharging  themselves  by 
streams  large  enough  to  be  called  runs.  A 
loud  hollow  noise  was  heard  from  the  rocU, 
which  I  supposed  to  be  produced  by  the  full 
of  the  water.  The  strata  immediately  whore 
they  issue  is  a  fine  white  and  calcareous 
sandstone,  covered  with  an  incrustation  of 
common  salt.  Leaving  this  Thermopylee  of 
the  west,  in  a  short  walk  wo  reached  the  rod 
ridge  which  has  been  descril)ed  as  lying  just 
above  Goat  Island.  Ascending  this,  we 
found  some  fresh  tracks  and  a  button,  which 
showed  that  the  other  men  had  already  ar- 
rived. A  shout  from  the  man  who  fint 
reached  the  top  of  the  ridge,  responded  to 


1842.) 


rwr.  FriKMONT'H  naiirativb. 


^ 


from  In*I()W,  inrnmnl  u*  tlmt  our  (rii'iiilit  v/t>rn 
nil  on  tho  ijiUnd  ;  nrid  mk  wen'  imhiii  AiimriK 
lh»Mii.  Wi»  foiiml  »i(Miii»  purcn  ol'  ttiiinilo 
•tHridini;  nroiind  tho  (ir«>  foriiit,  wn'i  iimiia((i'ii 
til  i^i't  Miiiin  dry  clothi'M  miioiii/  I  hi'  |NH)p|«. 
A  Miiddon  Htorin  of  rkiii  dmvd  im  into  tlic 
lit'iit  xlioltiT  wi)  could  llrid,  wlii>rn  wo  «li>pt 
DDiindly,  itllnr  oiio  ol'  lh(>  moat  fiitigiiiiiifdnya 
I  hnv<'  ovnr  i'X|>«rifliic«Hl. 

Auffunl  '26. — Karly  tliia  niorniiig  I^Hitui- 
nnmto  waa  M>nt  to  tlia  wrock  for  tho  artirl«« 
which  hnd  Imrn  niivpd,  niul  «hout  noon  wn 
li'ft  thi<  iNltirxl.  The  imiri>  which  wo  had 
l»ff  lii'rc  in  July  hiiu  much  improved  in  con- 
ilttiiMi,  iind  xhfl  Mtirvcd  um  wi'II  iiufniii  for  xomo 
tiiiic,  hut  WUH  lltmlly  niMtndoiu'u  nt  a  Hulwn- 
i|MiMit  piirt  of  the  joiininy.  At  10  in  tho 
iui>rniii|j  of  tho  QHth  wo  roRchrd  (.'acho 
iiitiip,  whcro  wo  found  ovcrythinjj  undiit- 
liirU'd.  Wo  disinterred  our  dojKwit,  ar- 
ruii^rod  our  carta  which  had  Iwen  left  hern  on 
tilt!  wny  out,  and,  travollinp;  a  few  niilen  in 
the  ufti'rnoon,  encamptid  fur  the  ni((lit  at  tho 
ford  of  tho  I'latte. 

Aiitliist  27. — At  ntiddny  wo  halted  at  tho 
plrice  wlu'ip  wo  hnd  taken  dinner  on  the  'J7lh 
of  July.  The  country  which,  when  wo  pasa> 
Oil  up,  iooited  an  if  tho  hard  winter  Iroata 
hud  panxed  over  it,  had  now  nnHumcd  a  now 
fHce,  so  much  of  vernal  froHlineia  had  b(>on 
piven  to  it  by  tho  lato  ralnn.  Tho  I'liittc  waa 
exccedinj^ly  low — a  more  line  of  wntcramonf; 
tlin  Niuidlxira.  We  roacheil  Iiaritmio  fort  on 
the  lH«t  day  of  Augunt,  alter  an  abscnco  of 
forty-two  daya,  and  had  the  pleiiHui-**  to  Iind 
our  friondH  ail  well.  The  '  Tlie'.i  diiy  had 
been  fixed  for  our  return  ;  anc  »ho  quick  eyes 
of  tho  IndianH,  who  were  on  t'.  >  hnikout  for 
UH,  diricovvred  our  ttng  an  wo  wound  nmonv 
tho  hilln.  The  fort  saluted  UMwitli  rejieatcd 
diHcliarj(eH  of  its  HJngle  piece,  which  we  re- 
turned with  acattorud  volleys  of  our  small 
arms,  and  felt  the  joy  of  a  houio  reception  in 
getting  back  to  this  remote  station,  which 
seemed  so  far  ofT  as  wo  went  out. 

On  the  morning  of  tho  3d  of  Septemlior  we 
bade  adieu  to  our  kind  friends  at  the  fort, 
and  Continued  nnr  homeward  journey  down 
tlie  Platte,  which  was  glorious  with  the  au- 
tumnal splendor  ot]  innumerable  flowers  in 
full  and  brilliant  bloom.  On  the  warm  sands, 
among  the  helianthi,  one  of  the  characteristic 
plants,  we  saw  great  numbers  of  rattlesnakes, 
of  which  five  or  six  wore  killed  in  the  morn- 
ing's ride.  We  occupied  ourselves  in  im- 
proving our  previous  survey  of  the  river; 
and,  as  the  weather  was  fine,  astronomical 
observations  were  generally  made  at  night 
and  at  noon. 

We  halted  for  a  short  time  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  6th  with  a  village  of  Sioux  In- 
dians, some  of  whose  chiefs  we  had  met  at 
Laramie.  Tho  water  in  the  Platte  was  ex- 
tremely low ;  in  many  places,  the  large  ex- 


(MinHo  of  MatidH,  with  nome  occanionnl  Ntunt4>d 
IrccH  on  the  iNtnkN,  gave  it  the  air  rif  (hi>  iM>a- 
cfHixl ;  the  \ti>i\  of  the  river  bt'injf  meri'ly  a 
xucreRxion  ot  RandlmrM,  among  v\liicli  th« 
cliaitiiel  was  divided  into  riviiletNu  fi>w  inchea 
deep.  Wo  cnmaed  and  recroMM'd  with  our 
carts  re|M>ntedly  iind  iil  our  pleiiHure  ;  and, 
whenever  iiii  oUl ruction  liurred  our  way,  in 
the  shafM}  of  precipitnuH  blufls  tliitt  caiiio 
down  upon  tho  river,  we  turii<>d  directly  into 
it,  and  made  our  way  along  tlie  niin<ly  bed, 
with  no  other  inconvenience  tlinn  the  frp« 
'jiient  (|uickitaiidH,  which  greatly  tntigui'd  our 
animals.  Diiiintprring  on  tho  way  the  cachi 
which  had  been  made  by  our  party  when  they 
ascended  tho  river,  wo  reached  without  ac« 
cident,  on  tho  evening  of  tho  TJlh  of  H<>p. 
teinlN)r,our  old  encampment  of  the  >Jd  of  July, 
at  the  juiictitm  of  tho  forks.  Our  rochg  of 
tho  barrel  of  pork  wan  found  undisturbed, 
and  proved  a  seasonable  adilition  to  our  stock 
of  provisions.  At  this  place  I  had  determin- 
ed to  miiko  another  attempt  to  descend  tho 
I'latte  by  water,  and  accordinglv  '•pent  two 
days  in  the  construction  of  u  bull  Ijout.  Men 
were  sent  out  on  tl>  vening  of  our  arrival, 
the  necessary  niii<.i<i'r  of  bulls  kille<l,  and 
their  akina  brought  to  tho  camp.  Four  of 
the  beat  of  them  were  strongly  sewed  to- 
gether with  buffalo  sinow,  und  stretched 
over  a  basket  frame  of  willow.  The  seams 
were  then  covered  with  ashes  and  tallow,  and 
tho  Imat  left  exposed  to  tho  sun  for  the  great- 
er part  of  one  day,  which  was  suflicicnt  to 
dry  and  contract  the  skin,  and  iniike  the  whole 
work  solid  and  strong.  It  had  a  roiwidcd 
Iniw,  was  eight  feet  long  and  five  broad,  and 
drew  with  four  men  aliout  four  inches  water. 
Oa  the  morning  of  tliu  15th  we  embarked  in 
our  hide  boat,  Mr.  Preuss  and  myself,  with 
two  men.  We  dragged  her  over  tho  sandi« 
for  three  or  four  miles,  and  tTien  left  her  on 
a  bar,  and  abandoned  entirely  all  further  at- 
tempts to  navigate  this  river.  The  names 
given  by  the  Indians  arc  always  remarkably 
iippropriate ;  and  certainly  none  was  ever 
more  so  than  that  which  they  have  given  to 
this  stream — "  the  Nebraska,  or  Shallow 
river."  Walking  steadily  tho  remainder  of 
the  day,  a  littlo  before  dark  wo  overtook  our 
people  at  their  remaining  camp, aliout  twenty- 
one  miles  below  the  junction.  The  next 
morning  we  crossed  the  Platte,  and  continued 
our  way  down  tho  river  bottom  on  tho  letl 
bank,  where  wo  found  an  excellent  plainly 
beaten  road. 

On  the  18th  we  reached  Grand  Island, 
which  is  fifty-two  miles  loner,  with  an  ave- 
rage breadth  of  one  mile  anu  three-quarters. 
It  has  on  it  some  small  eminences,  and  ia 
sufficiently  elevated  to  be  secure  from  the 
annual  floods  of  the  river.  As  has  been 
already  remarked,  it  ia  well  timbered,  with 
an  excellent  soil,  and  recommends  itself  to 


v. 


f 


>> 


'*.•  f*. 


l<2 


M 


5S 


CA1»T.  FREMOi/i'S  NARRATIVE. 


ri84a 


\k 


I 


notice  nti  the  best  pint  fur  a  military  position 
on  the  Lower  Platte. 

On  the  22(1  we  arrived  at  the  village  of 
the  Grand  I'awnees,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
river,  about  thirty  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
tlie  Loup  fork.  They  were  gathering  in 
their  corn,  and  we  obtained  from  them  a  very 
welcome  supply  of  vegetablcH. 

The  morning  of  the  24th  we  reached  the 
Loup  fork  of  the  Platte.  At  'Jie  place  where 
wo  forded  it,  this  stream  was  four  hundred 
.ind  thirty  vards  broad,  with  a  swift  current 
of  dear  water ;  in  this  respect,  ditTering  from 
the  Platte,  which  has  a  yellow  muddy  color, 
derived  from  the  limestone  and  ma/1  iorm- 
ation,  of  which  we  have  previously  spoken. 
The  ford  was  difficult,  as  the  water  wJs  so 
deep  that  it  came  into  the  body  of  the  cartti; 
and  we  reached  the  opposite  bank  after  re- 
peated attempts,  ascending  and  descending; 
the  bed  of  the  river  in  order  to  avail  our- 
selves of  the  bars.  We  encamped  en  the 
left  bank  of  the  fork,  in  the  point  of  land  at 
its  junction  with  the  Platte.  During  the 
two  days  that  we  remained  here  for  astro- 
nomical observations,  the  bad  weather  per- 
mitted us  to  obtain  but  one  good  observation 
for  the  latitude — a  meridian  alti^.:de  of  the 
sun,  which  gave  for  the  latitude  of  the  mouth 
of  the  Loup  fork,  41°  22'  11". 

Five  or  six  days  previously,  I  had  sent 
forward  C.  Lambert,  with  two  men,  to  Belle- 
vue,  with  directions  to  ask  from  Mr.  P. 
Sarpy,  the  gentleman  in  charge  of  the  Ame- 
rican Company's  establishment  at  that  place, 
the  aid  of  his  carpenters  in  constructing  a 
boat,  in  which  I  proposed  to  descend  the 
Missouri.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  27th  we 
met  one  of  the  men,  who  had  been  despatch- 
ed by  Mr.  Sarpy  with  a  welcome  supply  of 
provisions  and  a  very  kind  note,  which  gave 
U3  the  very  gratifying  intelligence  that  our 
boat  w  as  in  rapid  progress.  On  the  evening 
of  the  .SOth  we  encamped  in  an  almost  im- 
penetri'jie  undergrowth  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  P'atte,  in  the  point  of  land  at  its  conflu- 
eice  with  ihe  Missouri — three  hundred  and 
fifie(  1  miles,  according  to  our  reckoning, 
from  the  junction  of  the  forks,  and  five  hun- 
dred and  twenty  from  Fort  Laramie. 

From  the  junction  we  had  found  the  bed 
of  the  Platte  occupied  with  numerous  islands, 
oianv  of  them  very  large,  and  all  well  tim- 


bered ;  p  tssesaing,  as  well  as  the  buttora 
hinds  ul  the  river,  a  very  excellent  soil. 
With  the  exception  of  some  scattered  groves 
on  the  hanks,  the  bottoms  are  generally 
without  timl>ur.  A  portion  of  these  consist 
of  low  grounds,  covered  with  a  profusion  of 
tine  grasses,  and  arc  probably  inundated  in 
the  spring ;  the  remaining  part  is  high  river 
prairie,  entirely  beyond  tl.d  influence  of  the 
floods.  The  breadth  of  the  river  is  usually 
three-quarters  of  a  mile,  cwopt  where  it  is 
enlarged  by  islands.  That  portion  of  its 
course  which  is  occupied  by  Grand  island 
has  an  average  breadth,  from  shore  to  shore, 
of  two  and  a  half  miles. 

October  1. — I  rose  this  morning  long  be- 
fore daylight,  and  h'^rrdwith  a  feeling  of 
pleasure  the  tinkling  of  cow-bells  at  the  set- 
tlements on  the  oppos  te  side  of  the  Missouri. 
Early  in  the  day  we  reached  Mr.  Sarpy's 
residence ;  and,  in  the  security  and  comfort 
of  his  hospitable  mansion,  felt  the  pleasure 
of  being  again  within  the  pale  of  civilisa- 
tion. We  found  our  boat  on  the  stocks ; 
a  few  days  sutficed  to  complete  her ;  and,  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  4th,  we  embarked  on 
the  Missouri.  All  our  equipage — horses, 
carts,  and  the  materiel  of  the  camp — had 
been  sold  at  public  auction  at  Bellevue. 
The  s:.-ength  of  my  party  enabled  me  to  man 
the  boat  with  ten  oars,  relieved  every  hour ; 
and  we  descended  rapidly.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  tenth,  we  halted  to  make 
some  astronomical  observations  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Kansas,  exactly  four  months  since  we 
had  left  the  trading  post  of  Mr.  Cyprian 
Chouteau,  on  the  same  river,  ten  miles 
above.  On  our  descent  to  this  place,  we 
had  employed  ourselves  in  surveying  and 
sketching  the  Missouri,  making  astronomi- 
cal observations  regularly  at  night  and  at 
midday,  whenever  the  wet  .her  permitted. 
These  operations  on  the  river  were  conti- 
nued until  our  arrival  at  the  city  of  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  on  the  17th.  At  St.  Louis,  the 
&ale  of  our  remaining  efiects  was  made ; 
and,  leaving  that  city  by  steamboat  on  the 
18th,  I  had  the  honor  to  report  to  you  at  the 
city  of  Washingt-m  on  the  29th  of  October. 

Very  respectfu.iy,  sir. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
fid  Lieut.  Corps  of  TopogU  Ergineei's. 


■i  >v 


Ul 

1-:;  ?-■■•.■■.•>, 

'i  ^^ 

,*rf)> 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARR/.TIVE. 


•I 


ASTRONOMICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 

The  longitudet  given  in  the  eubjoined  table  are  referred  to  the  meridian  of  €hreenwiek. 


For  the  determination  of  utronomieal  posi- 
lions,  we  were  provided  with  the  following  in- 
tttruments: 
One  telescope,  magnifying  power  120. 
One  circle,  by  Gambey.  Paris. 
One  sextant,  by  Gambey,  Paris. 
One  sextant,  by  Troiighton. 
One  box  chronometer,  No.  7,810,  by  French. 
One  Urockbank  pocket  chronometer. 
One  small  watch  with  a  light  chronometer  bal- 
ance, No.  4,632,  by  Arnold  &.  Dent. 
The  rate  of  the  chronometer  7,810,  is  exhibit- 
ed in  the  following  statement : 

"  New  York,  May  5,  1842. 
"Chronometer  No.  7,810,  by  French,  is  this 
day  at  noon — 
"  SloiD  of  Greenwich  mean  time         11'  4" 
"  Fast  of  New  York  mean  time  4A.43'  1" 
"  Looes  per  oay  .  ^"r^ 

"  ARTHUR  STEWART, 

"  74  Merchants'  Exchan,re." 


An  accident  among  kome  rough  ground  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Kansas  nver,  strained 
the  balance  of  this  chronometer,  (No.  7,810,) 
and  rendered  it  useless  dunng  the  remainder  ui 
the  campaign.  From  the  9th  of  June  to  the 
24tb  of  AuguHt,  inclusively,  the  longitudes  de- 
pend upon  the  Brockbank  pocket  clironometcr ; 
the  rate  of  which,  on  leaving  St.  Ijouis,  wu^ 
fourteen  seconds.  The  rate  obtained  by  obser- 
vations at  Fort  Laramie,  14".05,  has  been  used 
in  calculation. 

From  the  24th  of  August  until  the  termina- 
tion of  the  journey.  No.  4,632  (of  which  tho 
rate  was  35".79)  was  used  for  the  same  pur- 
poees.  The  rate  of  this  watch  was  irregular, 
and  I  place  but  little  confidence  in  the  few 
longitudes  which  depend  upon  it,  though,  so  far 
as  we  have  any  means  of  judging,  they  appear 
tolerably  correct. 


Table  of  latitudes  and  longitudes,  deduced  from  observations  made  during 
'  :  the  journey.  •.;  .         ' 


Date. 


1842. 

May  27 

June  8 

16 


18 
19 
20 
25 
26 
27 
28 
30 
2 


JqIt 


4 
6 
7 
11 
12 
13 
14 
16 
23 
24 
25 
26 
26 
28 
39 


Station. 


St.  Lonia,  residence  of  Co'anel  Brant     ... 
Chouteau's  lower  trading  post,  Kansas  river    - 
Left  bank  of  the  Kansas  river,  seven  miles  above  the 

ford 

Vermilion  creek  ...... 

Cold  Springs,  near  the  nitad  to  Laramie 

Big  Blue  river     --..-.. 

Little  Blue  river 

Right  bank  of  Platte  river 

Right  bank  of  Platte  river    ..... 

Right  bank  of  Platte  river 

Right  bank  of  Platte  river 

Junction  of  north  and  south  forks  of  the  Nebraska 

or  Platte  river  ...... 

South  fork  ol  Tlatte  river,  left  bank. 

South  fork  o'"  TNtte  river,  island  .        .         -        - 

South  forh  of  Platte  river,  left  bank 

South  fork  of  Platte  river,  St.  Vrain's  fort 

Crow  creek  ....... 

On  a  stream,  name  unknown         .... 

Horse  creek,  Goshen's  hole  1  .... 

Fort  Laramie,  near  the  mouth  of  Laramie's  fork     - 

North  fork  of  Platte  river 

North  fork  of  Platte  river 

North  fork  of  Platte  river,  Dried  Meat  camp  - 
North  fork  of  Platte  river,  noon  halt       ... 
North  fork  of  Platte  river,  mouth  of  Deer  creek      - 
North  fork  of  Platte  river.  Cache  camp 
North  ftrk  of  Platte  river,  left  bank       -         .        - 


Latitude. 


Deg.  min.  sec. 

38  37  34 

39  05  57 

39  06  40 

39  15  19 

39  30  40 

39  45  08 

40  26  50 
40  41  06 
40  39  32 
40  39  51 

40  39  55 

41  05  O."* 

40  51  17 

40  53  26 

40  22  35 

40  41  59 

41  08  30 

41  40  13 

42  12  10 
42  39  25 
42  47  40 
42  51  35 
42  50  08 
42  52  24 
42  50  53 
42  38  01 


Longiinde. 


Deg.  min.  sec. 

94  25  46 

95  38  05 

96  04  07 
96  14  49 
96  32  35 
98  22  12 

98  45  49 

99  05  24 

100  05  47 

100  49  43 

103  07 

103  30  37 
105  i2  12 

104  57  49 
104  39  37 
104  24  36 
104  47  43 

104  59  59 

105  50  45 

106  08  24 
106  38  26 
106  54  32 


W 


M 


D«U>. 


184S. 
July  30 
Aug.  1 

4 
7 
8 

9 

10 

15 

19 

19 

20 

22 

22 

23 

30 

Sept  3 

4 

5 

8 
9 
10 
16 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
20 
21 
23 
23 
25 
28 
29 
Oct.  2 


5 
6 
6 
8 
10 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARUAl'lVE. 
Table  of  latitudes  and  longitudes — Continued. 


[IMS. 


Btotloa. 


North  fork  of  Platte  rirer,  Goat  island   ■         •        . 

Sweet  Water  river,  one  mile  below  Rook  Indepen- 
dence     -...-.-. 

Sweet  Water  river       ....-- 

Sweet  Water  river      .-...- 

Little  Sundy  creek,  tributary  to  the  Colorado  of  the 
AVeet 

New  fork,  tributary  to  the  Colorado       .        .        . 

Mountain  lake    ....... 

Highest  peak  of  the  Wind  river  mountaina. 

Sweet  Water,  noon  halt       ..... 

Sweet  Water  river       ...... 

Sweet  Water  river       ...... 

Sweet  Water  river,  noon  halt        .... 

Sweet  Water  river,  at  Rock  Independence     • 

North  fork  of  Platte  river,  mouth  of  Sweet  Water  - 

Horse-shoe  creek,  noon  halt  .        .        .        . 

North  fork  of  Platte  river,  right  bank     ... 

North  fork  of  Platte  river,  near  Scott's  bliif&  - 

North  fork  of  Platte  river,  right  bank,  six  miles  above 
Chimney  rock  ...... 

North  fork  of  Platte  river,  mouth  of  Ash  creek 

North  fork  of  Platte  river,  right  bank    .         -        - 

North  fork  of  Platte  river.  Cedar  bluffi  -        .        . 

Platte  river,  noon  halt  ..... 

Platte  river,  left  bank 

Platte  river,  left  bank  ...... 

Platte  river,  left  bank 

Platte  river,  left  bank  ...... 

Platte  river,  noon  halt,  left  bank  .... 

Platte  river,  ta^  bank  ...... 

Platte  river,  left  bank  ...... 

Platte  river,  noon  halt,  left  bank  .... 

Platte  river,  left  bank 

Platte  river,  mouth  of  Loup  fork  .... 

Platte  river,  mouth  of  Elk  Horn  river    ... 

Platte  river,  left  bank  ...... 

Bellevue,  at  the  post  of  the  American  Fur  Company, 
right  bank  of  the  Missouri  river  ... 

Left  bank  of  the  Missouri,  opposite  to  the  right  bank 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Platte  .... 

Missouri  river      ....... 

Bertholet's  island,  noon  halt  .... 

Missouri  river,  mouth  of  Nishnabatona  river  - 

Missouri  river,  left  bank 

Misaoori  river,  mouth  of  the  Kansas  river 


LaUtnde. 

LoDgitads. 

"S 

min. 

tee. 

Deff. 

mm. 

g«e. 

33 

37 

107 

13 

99 

43 

39 

56 

107 

35 

23 

42 

32 

31 

108 

30 

13 

42 

37 

15 

109 

21 

39 

43 

37 

34 

109 

37 

59 

43 

43 

46 

109 

58 

11 

43 

49 

49 

110 

08 

08 

43 

24 

33 

42 

23 

33 

■ 

42 

31 

46 

43 

36 

10 

43 

39 

36 

43 

37 

18 

42 

34 

34 

42 

01 

40 

41 

54 

38 

41 

43 

36 

41 

17 

19 

41 

14 

30 

41 

10 

16 

40 

54 

31 

I-  ' 

40 

53 

34 

40 

43 

38 

40 

40 

31 

40 

39 

44 

40 

48 

19 

^. 

40 

54 

03 

41 

05 

37 

41 

20 

30 

41 

23 

53 

41 

33 

11 

y 

41 

09 

34 

41 

03 

15 

41 

08 

34 

95 

90 

41 

03 

11 

40 

34 

08 

40 

27 

08 

.1 

40 

16 

40 

39 

36 

09 

'  * 

39 

06 

03 

■'  ' 

.    tJ 


"    I 


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■*5 


^ 

■,  »,"  ^  t.  i  ■  .- 

■   H? 

'*J,r:.V 

,   1 

.A' 


A  REPORT 

or 
THE  EXPLORING  EXPEDITION 

M 

.       .  '  TO 

OREGON   AND   NORTH    CALIFORNIA, 

IN  THE  YEARS  1843-'44. 


■Qi 


I) 


a 


Washington  Cixy,  March  1,  1845. 
Colonel  J.  J.  Abert,  Chief  of  the 
Corps  of  Topographical  Engineers : 
Sir  : — In  pursuance  of  your  instructions, 
to  connect  the  reconnoissance  of  1842,  which 
I  had  the  honor  to  conduct,  with  the  8"rveys 
of  Commander  Wilkes  on  the  coast  of  the 
Pacific  ocean,  so  as  to  give  a  connected  sur- 
vey of  the  interior  of  our  continent,  I  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Great  West  early  in  the  spring 
of  1843,  and  arrived,  on  the  17tl»  of  May, 
at  tho  little  town  of  Kansas,  on  the  Mis- 
souri frontier,  near  the  junction  of '\e  Kan- 
sas river  with  the  Missouri  river,  where  I 
was  detained  near  two  weeks  in  completing 
the  necessary  preparations  for  the  extended 
explorations  which  my  instructions  contem- 
plated. 

My  party  consisted  principally  of  Creole 
and  Canadian  French,  and  Americans, 
lunounting  in  all  to  39  men ;  among  whom 
you  will  recognise  several  of  those  who 
were  with  me  in  my  first  expedition,  and 
who  have  been  favorably  brought  to  your 
notice  in  a  former  report.  Mr.  Thomas 
Fitzpatrick,  whom  many  years  of  hardship 
and  exposure  in  the  western  territories,  had 
rendered  familiar  with  a  portion  of  the  coun- 
try it  was  designed  to  explore,  had  been  se- 
lected as  our  guide ;  and  Mr.  Charles 
Preuss,  who  had  been  my  assistant  in  the 
previous  journey,  was  again  associated  with 
me  in  the  same  capacity  on  the  present  ex- 
pedition. Agreeably  to  your  directions, 
Mr.  Theodore  Talbot,  of  Washington  city, 
had  been  attached  to  the  party,  with  a  view 
to  advancement  in  his  profession ;  and  at 
St.  Louis  I  had  been  joined  by  Mr.  Frede- 
rick Dwight,  a  gentleman  ot  Springfield, 
Massachusetts,  who  availed  himself  of  our 
overland  journey,  to  visit  the   Sandwich 


Islands  and  China,  by  way  of  Fort  Vaa- 
couver. 
The  men  engaged  for  the  service  were  : 


Alexis  Ayot, 
Francois  Badeau, 
Oliver  Beaulieu, 
Baptiste  Bernier, 
John  A.  Campbell, 
John  G.  Campbell, 
Manuel  Chapman, 
Ransom  Clark, 
Philibert  Courteau, 
Michel  Cri-lis, 
William  Creuss, 
Clinton  Deforest, 
Baptiste  Derosicr. 
Basil  Lajeunesse, 
Francois  Lajeunesse, 
Henry  Lee, 


Louis  Menard, 
Louis  Montreuil, 
Samuel  Neal, 
Alexis  Pera, 
Francois  Pera, 
James  Power, 
Raphael  Proue, 
Oscar  Sarpy, 
Baptiste  Tabeau, 
ChailoH  Taplin, 
Baptiste  Tesson, 
Anguste  Vasquez, 
I  oseph  Verrot, 
1  alrick  White, 
Tiery  Wright, 
Louis  Zimiel,  and 


Jacob  Dodson,  a  free  young  colored  man  of 
Washington  city,  who  volunteered  fo  ac- 
company the  expedition,  and  performed  his 
duty  manfully  throughout  the  voyage.  Two 
Delaware  Indians — a  fine-looking  old  man 
and  his  son — were  engaged  to  acconipany 
the  expedition  as  hunters,  through  the  kind 
ness  of  Major  Cummins,  the  excellent  In- 
dian agent.  L.  Maxwell,  who  had  acconi- 
panied'the  expedition  as  one  of  the  hunters 
in  1843,  being  on  his  way  to  Taos,  in  No  v 
Mexico,  also  joined  us  at  this  place. 

The  party  was  armed  generally  with 
Hairs  carbines,  which,  with  a  brass  1*2-U>. 
howitzer,  had  been  furnished  to  me  from  the 
United  States  arsenal  at  St.  Louis,  agreea- 
bly to  the  orders  of  Colonel  S.  W.  Kearney, 
commanding  the  3d  military  division.  Three 
men  were  especially  detailed  for  the  man- 
agement of  this  piece,  under  the  charge  of 
Louis  Zindel,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  had 
been  19  years  a  non-commissioned  officer 


►'•■>.'¥ 


I 


56 


CAFT.  FREMONT'S  NAHKATIVE. 


[1643 


Si? 

i; 


\h 


hi 


§ 


|:r. 


of  artillery  in  the  Prussian  army,  and  regu- 
larly instructed  in  the  duties  of  his  pioj'es- 
sion.  The  camp  equipage  and  provJHions 
were  transported  in  twelve  carls,  drawn 
each  by  two  mules ;  and  a  light  covered 
wagon,  ninunted  on  good  springs,  had  been 
provided  for  the  safer  carriage  of  iiiUru- 
menta.     Thesr,  were  : 

One  refracting  telescope,  hy  l''rauf-nha- 
fer. 

One  reflecting  circle,  by  Ganibey. 

Two  sexttnts.  by  Trougliton. 

One  pocket  chronometer,  No.  837,  by 
Gofle,  Falmouth. 

One  pocket  chronometer,  No.  739,  by 
Urockbank. 

One  syphon  barometer,  by  iluiiten,  Paris. 

One  cistern  barometer,  by  I'rye  &  Shaw, 
New  York. 

Six  thermometers,  and  a  number  of  small 
compasses. 

To  make  the  exploration  us  useful  as  pos- 
sible, I  determined,  in  conformity  to  your 
general  instructions,  to  vary  the  route  to 
the  iiocky  mountains  from  that  followed  in 
the  year  1842.  The  route  was  then  up  the 
valley  of  the  Great  Platte  river  to  the  South 
Pass,  in  north  latitude  42^  ;  the  route  now 
determined  on  was  up  the  valley  of  the 
Kansas  river,  and  to  the  head  of  the  Ar- 
kansas river,  and  to  some  pass  in  the  moun- 
tains, if  any  could  be  found,  at  the  sources 
of  that  river. 

By  making  this  deviation  from  the  former 
route,  the  problem  of  a  new  road  to  Oregon 
and  California,  in  a  climate  more  genial, 
might  be  solved ;  and  a  better  knowledge 
obt.iined  of  an  important  river,  and  the  coun- 
try "t  drained,  while  the  great  object  of  the 
expedition  would  find  its  point  of  commence- 
ment at  the  termination  of  the  former,  which 
was  at  that  great  gate  in  the  ridge  of  the 
Rocky  mountains  called  the  South  Pass, 
and  on  the  lofty  peak  of  the  mountam  which 
overlooks  it,  deemed  the  highest  peak  in  the 
ridge,  and  from  the  opposite  sides  of  which 
four  great  rivers  take  their  rise,  and  flow  to 
the  Pacific  or  the  Mississippi. 

Various  obstacles  delayed  our  departure 
until  the  morning  of  the  29lh,  when  we  com- 
menced our  long  voyage ;  and  at  the  close  of  a 
day,  rendered  disagreeably  cold  by  incessant 
rain,  encamped  about  four  miles  beyond  the 
frontier,  on  the  verge  of  the  great  prairies. 

Resuming  our  journey  on  the  31st,  after 
the  delay  of  a  day  to  complete  our  equip- 
ment and  furnish  ourselves  with  some  of 
the  comforts  of  civilized  life,  we  encamped 
in  the  evening  at  Elm  Grove,  in  company 
with  several  emigrant  wagons,  constituting 
a  party  which  was  proceeding  to  Upper  Cal- 
ifornia, under  the  direction  of  Mr.  J.  B. 
Childs,  of  Missouri.  The  wagons  were  va- 
riously freighted  with  goods,  furniture,  and 


farming  utensils,  containing  among  other 
things  an  entire  set  of  machir.cry  for  a  mill 
which  Mr.  Childs  designed  erecting  on  tii6 
waters  of  the  Sacrament(»  river  iimptying 
into  the  l)ay  of  San  Francisco. 

We  wen-  joined  hero  by  Mr.  William 
Gilpin,  of  Missouri,  who,  iiitemling  this 
year  to  visit  the  settlements  in  Oregon,  had 
been  invited  to  accompany  us,  and  proved 
a  useful  and  agreeable  addition  to  the  par- 
ty. From  this  encampment,  our  route  un- 
til the  3d  of  Juno  was  nearly  the  same  as 
that  described  to  _,ou  in  1842.  Trains  of 
wagons  were  almost  constantly  in  sight ; 
giving  to  the  road  a  populous  aid  animated 
appearance,  althougit  the  greater  portion  of 
the  emigrants  wiire  collected  at  the  cross- 
ing, or  already  on  their  mtirch  beyond  the 
Kansas  river. 

Leaving  at  the  ford  '.he  i.sual  emigrant 
road  to  the  mountains,  we  continued  our 
route  along  the  southern  side  of  the  Kan- 
sas, where  we  found  the  country  much  more 
broken  than  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
river,  and  where  our  progress  was  much 
delayed  by  the  numerous  small  streams, 
which  obliged  us  to  make  frequent  bridges. 
On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  we  crossed  a 
ii..:Hlsomc  stream,  called  by  the  Indians  Ot- 
ter ct'eek,  about  130  feet  wide,  where  a  flat 
stratum  of  limestone,  which  forms  the  bed, 
made  an  excellent  ford.  We  met  here  a 
small  pnrty  of  Kaftsas  and  Delaware  In- 
dians, the  latter  returning  from  a  hunting 
and  trapping  expedition  on  the  upper  waters 
of  the  river ;  and  on  the  heights  above  were 
five  or  six  Kansas  women,  engaged  in  dig- 
ging prairie  potator.s,  (psoralea  esculenta.) 
On  the  afternoon  .  the  6th,  while  busily 
engaged  in  cro  .iig  a  wooded  stream,  we 
were  thrown  into  a  little  confusion  by  the 
sudden  arrival  of  Maxwell,  who  entered  the 
camp  at  full  speed  at  the  head  of  a  war 
party  of  Osage  Indians,  with  gay  red  blank- 
ets, and  heads  slmved  to  the  scalp  lock. 
They  had  run  him  i  distance  of  i  '-out  nme 
miles,  from  a  creek  on  which  wc  had  en- 
camped the  day  previous,  and  to  which  he 
had  returned  in  search  of  a  runaway  horse 
belonging  to  Mr.  Dwight,  which  had  tak«n 
the  homeward  road,  carrying  with  him  sad- 
dle, bridle,  and  holster  pistols.  The  Osagos 
were  probably  ignorant  of  our  strength,  and, 
when  they  charged  into  the  camp,  drove  off 
a  number  of  our  best  horses ;  but  we  werp 
fortunately  well  mounted,  and,  after  a  hard 
chase  of  seven  or  eight  miles,  s  oeeded  lu 
recovering  them  all.  This  accident,  which 
occasioned  delay  and  trouble,  an  I  threatened 
danger  and  loss,  and  broke  down  some  good 
horses  at  the  start,  and  actually  endangered 
the  expedition,  was  a  first  fruit  of  having 
gentlemen  in  company — very  estimable,  to 
be  sure,  but  who  are  not  trained  to  the  oare 


1843 

other 
a  mill 

oil  tll6 
plying 

'iiliaiii 
I  thia 
II,  liiul 
iioved 
le  par 
ite  un- 
inc  as 
[lins  of 
sight ; 
iniuted 
ion  of 
cross- 
nd  the 


i84S.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


57 


I 


and  vigilance  and  self-dependence  which 
such  nn  expedition  required,  and  who  are 
not  subject  to  the  orders  which  onforoe  at- 
tention and  exertion.  We  arrived  on  the 
8lh  at  the  mouth  of  the  Smoky-hill  fork, 
which  is  the  principal  southern  branch  of 
the  Kansas ;  forming  here,  by  its  junction 
with  the  Republican,  or  northern  branch, 
the  ir.;\in  Kansas  river.  Neither  stream 
vas  fordable,  and  the  necessity  of  making 
a  rafl,  together  with  bad  weather,  detained 
us  here  until  the  morning  of  the  11th ;  when 
we  resumed  our  journey  along  tlie  Republi- 
can fork.  By  our  observations,  the  junc- 
tion of  the  streams  is  in  latitude  39'=>  03'  38 ", 
longitude  96<^  34'  56",  and  at  an  elevation 
of  U'26  feet  above  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  For 
several  days  we  continued  *o  trave!  along 
;he  Hep.tblican,  through  a  •  lantry  beauti- 
fully watered  with  numerous.'  streams,  hand- 
somely timbered ;  and  rardJy  an  incident 
occurred  to  vary  the  monotonous  resem- 
blance which  one  day  on  the  piairies  here 
bears  to  another,  and  which  scarcely  ro 
quire  a  particalar  description.  Now  and 
then,  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  small  herd 
of  elk ;  and  occasionally  a  band  of  ante- 
lopes, whose  curiosity  sometimes  brought 
them  within  rifle  range,  would  circle  round 
us,  and  then  scour  off  into  the  prairies. 
As  we  advanced  on  c<ir  road,  these  became 
more  frequent ;  but  as  we  journeyed  on  the 
line  usually  followed  by  the  trapping  and 
hunting  parties  of  the  Kansas  and  Dela- 
ware Indians,  game  of  every  kind  continued 
very  shy  and  wild.  The  bottoms  which 
form  the  immediate  valley  of  the  main  riv- 
er were  generally  about  three  miles  wide  ; 
having  a  rich  soil  of  block  vegetable  mould, 
and,  for  a  prairie  country,  well  interspersed 
with  wood.  Tb.i  country  was  everywhere 
covered  with  a,  considerable  variety  of 
grasses,  occasianally  poor  and  thin,  but  far 
more  frequently  luxuriant  and  rich.  We 
had  been  gradually  and  regularly  ascending 
in  our  progress  westward,  and  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  14th,  when  we  encamped  on  a 
little  creek  in  the  valley  of  the  Republican, 
265  miles  by  our  travelling  road  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Kansas,  we  were  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  1,520  feet.  That  part  of  the  river 
where  we  were  now  encamped  is  called  by 
the  Indians  the  Big  Timber.  Hitherto  our 
route  had  been  laborious  and  extremely 
slow,  the  unusually  wet  spring  and  constant 
rain  having  so  saturated  the  whole  country 
that  it  was  necessary  to  bridge  every  water- 
course, and,  for  days  together,  our  usual 
march  averaged  only  five  or  six  miles. 
Finding  that  at  such  a  rate  of  travel  it 
would  be  innpossible  to  comply  with  your 
instructions,  1  detennined  at  this  place  to 
divide  the  party,  and,  leaving  Mr.  Fitzpat- 
riok  with  tJtr^ty-five  men  in  charge  of  the 


provisions  and  heavier  baggage  of  the  camp, 
to  proceed  myself  in  advance,  with  a  light 
party  of  fifteen  men,  taking  with  me  the 
howitzer  and  the  light  wagon  which  carried 
the  instruments. 

Accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  the  16th, 
the  parties  separated  ;  and,  bearing  a  little 
out  from  the  river,  with  a  view  of  heading 
some  of  the  numerous  affluents,  after  a  1  v 
hours'  travel  over  somewhat  broken  ground, 
we  entered  i  pon  an  extensive  and  high  level 
prairie,  on  which  we  encamped  towards 
evening  at  a  little  stream,  where  a  single 
dry  cotton-woo  1  afforded  the  necessary  fuel 
for  preparing  si  pper.  Among  a  variety  of 
grasses  which  to-day  made  their  first  ap- 
pearance, I  notiod  bunch-grass,  (festuca,) 
and  buffalo-grass,  (sesleria  dactyloidea.) 
Amorpha  canescens  (lead  plant)  continued 
the  characteristic  plant  of  the  country,  and 
a  narrow-leaved  lathyrus  occurred  during 
the  morning  in  beautiful  patches.  Sida  coc- 
cinea  occurred  frequently,  with  a  psoralia 
near  psoralia  floribunda,  and  a  number  of 
plants  not  hitherto  met,  just  verging  into 
bloom.  The  water  on  which  we  had  en- 
camped belonged  to  Solomon's  fork  of 
the  Smoky-hill  river,  along  whose  trib- 
utaries we  continued  to  travel  for  teveral 
days. 

The  country  afforded  us  an  excellent 
road,  the  route  being  generally  over  high 
and  very  level  prairies ;  and  we  met  with 
no  other  delay  than  being  frequently  obliged 
to  bridge  one  of  the  numerous  streams, 
which  were  well  timbered  with  ash,  elm, 
Cottonwood,  and  a  very  large  oak — the  lat- 
ter being  occasionally  five  and  six  feet  in 
diameter,  with  a  spreading  summit.  Sida 
coccinea  is  very  frequent  in  vermilion-col- 
ored patches  on  the  high  and  low  prairie ; 
and  I  remarked  that  it  has  a  very  pleasant 
perfume. 

The  wild  sensitive  plant  (schrankia  an- 
gustata)  occurs  frequently,  generally  on  the 
dry  prairies,  in  valleys  of  streams,  and  fre- 
quently on  the  broken  prairie  bank.  I  re- 
mark that  the  leaflets  close  instantly  to  a 
very  light  touch.  Amorpha,  with  the  same 
psoralea,  and  a  dwarf  species  of  lupinus, 
are  the  characteristic  plants. 

On  the  19th,  in  the  afternoon,  we  crossed 
the  Pawnee  road  to  the  Arkansas,  and  trav- 
elling a  few  miles  onward,  the  monotony  of 
the  prairies  was  suddenly  dispelled  by  the 
appearance  of  five  or  six  buffalo  bulls,  form- 
ing a  vanguard  of  immense  herds,  among 
which  we  were  travelling  a  few  days  after- 
wards. Prairie  dogs  were  seen  for  the  first 
time  during  the  day  ;  and  we  had  the  good 
fortune  to  obtain  an  antelope  for  supper. 
Our  elevation  had  now  increased  to  1,900 
feet.  Sida  coccinea  was  a  characteristic  on 
the  creek  bottoms,  and  buffalo  grass  is  be- 


i 


^,5 


■.y'fp 


't    •  I-'. 


i 


l'^^^ 

Z"^^ 


"V 


98 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVK. 


[1843. 


coining  abundant  on  the  higher  parts  of  the 
ridges. 

June  21. — During  the  forenoon  we  trav- 
elled up  a  branch  of  the  creek  on  which 
we  hud  encamped,  in  a  broken  country, 
where,  however,  the  dividing  ridges  always 
afforded  a  good  rond.  Plants  were  few ; 
and  with  the  short  sward  of  the  buffalo 
(frass,  which  now  prevailed  everywhere, 
(giving  to  the  prairies  a  smooth  and  mossy 
iippt'aranco,  were  mingled  frequent  patches 
of  a  beautiful  red  grass,  (aristtda  pollens,) 
which  had  made  its  appearance  only  within 
the  last  few  days. 

Wo  halted  to  noon  at  a  solitary  cotton- 
woud  in  a  hollow,  near  which  was  killed  the 
ffrst  buffalo,  a  large  old  bull. 

Antelope  appeared  in  bands  during  the 
day.  Crossing  here  to  the  affluents  of  the 
Republican,  we  encamped  on  a  fork,  about 
forty  feet  wide  and  one  foot  deep,  flowing 
with  a  swift  current  over  a  sandy  bed,  and 
well  wooded  with  ash-leaved  maple,  (ne- 
gundo  fraxinifolium,)  elm,  cotton-wood,  and 
a  fsw  white  oaks.  We  were  visited  in  the 
evening  by  a  very  violent  storm,  accompa- 
nied by  wind,  lightning,  and  thunder  ;  a  cold 
rain  falling  in  torrents.  According  to  the 
barometer,  our  elevation  was  2,130  feet 
above  the  gulf. 

At  noon,  on  the  23d,  we  descended  into 
the  valley  of  a  principal  fork  of  the  Re- 
publican, a  beautiful  stream  with  a  dense 
border  of  wood,  consisting  principally  of 
varieties  of  ash,  forty  feet  wide  and  four 
feet  deep.  It  was  musical  with  the  notes 
of  many  birds,  which,  from  the  vast  expanse 
of  silent  prairie  around,  seemed  all  to  have 
collected  here.  We  continued  during  the 
afternoon  our  route  along  the  river^  which 
was  populous  with  prairie  dogs,  (the  bot- 
toms being  entirely  occupied  with  their  vil- 
lages,) and  late  in  the  evening  encamped  on 
its  banks.  The  prevailing  timber  is  a  blue- 
foliaged  ash,  (fraxinus,  near  F.  Ameri- 
cana,) and  ash-leaved  maple.  With  these 
were  fruxi  tus  Americana,  cotton- wood,  and 
)'■  „  ieaveu  willow.  We  gave  to  this  stream 
me  name  of  Prairie  Dog  river.  Elevation 
2,350  feet.  Our  road  on  the  25th  lay  over 
high  smooth  ridges,  3,100  feet  above  the 
sea ;  buffalo  in  great  numbers,  absolutely 
covering  the  face  of  the  country.  At  even- 
ing we  encamped  vrithin  a  few  miles  of  the 
main  Republican,  on  a  little  creek,  where 
the  air  was  fragrant  with  the  perfume  of 
artemisia  filifolia,  which  we  here  saw  for 
the  ffrst  time,  and  which  was  now  in  bloom. 
Shortly  after  leaving  our  encampment  on 
the  26th,  we  found  suddenly  that  the  nature 
of  the  country  had  entirely  changed.  Bare 
sand  hills  everywhere  surrounded  us  in  the 
undulating  ground  along  which  we  were 
moving ;  and  the  plants  peculiar  to  a  sandy 


soil  made  their  appearance  in  abundance. 
A  few  miles  further  wo  entered  the  valley 
of  a  large  stream,  afterwards  known  to  b« 
the  Republican  fork  of  the  Kansas,  whoss 
shallow  waters,  with  a  depth  of  only  a  few 
inches,  were  spread  out  over  a  bod  of  yel- 
lowieh  white  sand  000  yards  wide.  With 
the  exception  of  one  or  two  distant  and  de- 
tached groves,  no  timber  of  any  kind  was 
to  be  seen  ;  and  the  features  of  the  country 
assumed  a  desert  character,  with  which  the 
broad  river,  struggling  fur  existence  among 
quicksands  along  the  treeless  banks,  was 
strikingly  in  keeping.  On  the  opposite  side, 
the  broken  ridges  assumed  almost  a  moun- 
tainous appearance  ;  and  fording  the  stream, 
we  continued  on  our  course  among  these 
ridges,  and  encamped  late  in  the  evening  at 
a  little  pond  of  very  bad  water,  from  which 
we  drove  away  a  herd  of  buffalo  that  were 
standing  in  and  about  it.  Our  encampment 
this  evening  was  3,600  feet  above  the  sea. 
We  travelled  now  for  several  days  through 
a  broken  and  dry  ^andy  region,  about  4,000 
feet  above  the  sea,  where  there  were  no 
running  streams ;  and  some  anxiety  was 
constantly  felt  on  account  of  the  uncertainty 
of  water,  which  was  only  to  be  found  in 
small  lakes  that  occurred  occasionally  among 
the  hills.  The  disco\'ery  of  these  always 
brought  pleasure  to  the  camp,  as  around 
them  were  generally  green  flats,  which  af- 
forded abundant  pasturage  for  our  animals  ; 
and  here  were  usually  collected  herds  of  the 
buffalo,  which  now  were  scattered  over  all 
the  country  in  countless  numbers. 

The  soil  of  bare  and  hot  sands  supported 
a  varied  and  exuberant  growth  of  plants, 
which  were  much  farther  advanced  than  we 
had  previously  found  them,  and  whose  showy 
bloom  somewhat  relieved  the  appearance  of 
general  sterility.  Crossing  the  summit  of  an 
elevated  and  continuous  range  of  rolling 
hills,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  30th  of  June, 
we  found  ourselves  overlooking  a  broad  and 
misty  valley,  where,  about  ten  miles  distant, 
and  1,000  feet  below  us,  the  South  fork  of 
the  Platte  was  rolling  magnificently  along, 
swollen  with  the  waters  of  the  melting 
snows.  It  was  in  strong  and  refreshing 
contrast  with  the  parched  country  from 
which  we  had  just  issued ;  and  when,  at 
night,  the  broad  expanse  of  water  grew  in- 
distinct, it  almost  seemed  that  we  had 
pitched  our  tents  on  the  shore  of  the 
sea. 

1'ravelling  along  up  the  valley  of  the 
river,  here  4,000  feet  above  the  sea,  in  the 
afternoon  of  July  1,  we  caught  a  far  and 
uncertain  view  of  a  faint  blue  mass  in  the 
west,  as  the  sun  sank  behind  it ;  and  from 
our  camp  in  the  morning,  at  the  mouth  of 
Bijou,  Long's  peak  and  the  neighboring 
mountains  stood  out  into  the  sky,  grand  an< 


1848.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


luminously  white,  covered   to   their  bases 
with  glittering  snow. 

On  the  evening  of  the  3(1,  as  we  were 
journeying  alonff  the  partially  overflowed 
bottoms  of  the  Platte,  where  our  passage 
stirred  up  swarms  of  mosquitoes,  we  came 
unexpectedly  on  an  Indian,  who  was 
perched  upon  a  bluflf,  curiously  watching  tho 
muvcmcnts  of  our  caravan.  Ho  belonged 
to  a  village  of  Oglallah  Sioux,  who  hud  lost 
all  their  animals  in  tho  suvcriiy  nf  tho  pre- 
ceding winter,  and  were  now  on  their  way 
up  the  Bijou  fork  to  beg  liorHCs  from  the 
Arapahoes,  who  were  hunting  bulfulo  at  the 
head  of  that  river.  Several  came  into  our 
camp  at  noon  ;  and,  as  they  were  hungry,  as 
usual,  they  v/ere  provided  with  butfalo  meat, 
of  which  the  hunters  had  brought  in  an 
abundant  supply. 

About  noon,  on  the  4th  of  July,  we  ar- 
rived at  the  fort,  where  Mr.  St.  Vrain  re- 
ceived us  with  his  customary  kindness,  and 
invited  ua  to  join  him  in  a  feast  which  had 
been  prepared  in  honor  of  the  day. 

Our  animals  were  very  much  worn  out, 
and  our  stock  of  provisions  entirely  ex- 
hausted when  we  arrived  at  the  fort ;  but  I 
was  disappointed  in  my  hope  of  obtaining 
relief,  as  I  found  it  in  a  very  impoverished 
condition ;  and  we  were  able  to  procure  on- 
ly a  little  unbolted  Mexican  flour,  and  some 
salt,  with  a  few  pouuds  of  powder  and  lead. 

As  regarded  provisions,  it  did  not  much 
matter  in  a  country  where  rarely  the  day 
passed  without  seeing  some  kind  of  game, 
and  where  it  was  frequently  abundant.  It 
was  a  rare  thing  to  lie  down  hungry,  and 
we  had  already  learned  to  think  bread  a 
luxury  ;  but  we  could  not  proceed  without 
animals,  and  our  own  were  not  capable  of 
prosecuting  the  journey  beyond  the  moun- 
tains without  relief. 

I  had  been  informed  that  a  large  numi  it 
of  mules  had  recently  arrived  at  Taos,  from 
Upper  California;  and  as  our  friend,  Mr. 
Maxwell,  was  about  to  continue  his  journey 
to  that  place,  where  a  portion  of  his  family 
resided,  I  engaged  him  to  purchase  for  me 
10  or  12  mules,  with  the  understanding  that 
he  should  pack  them  with  provisions  and 
other  necessaries,  and  meet  me  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Fontaine-qui-bouit,  on  the  Arkansas 
river,  to  which  point  I  would  be  led  in  the 
course  of  the  survey. 

Agreeably  to  his  own  request,  and  in  the 
conviction  that  his  habits  of  life  and  educa- 
tion had  not  qualified  him  to  endure  the  hard 
life  of  a  voyageur,  I  discharged  here  one  of 
my  party,  Mr.  Oscar  Sarpy,  having  furnished 
him  with  arms  and  means  of  transportation 
to  Fort  Laramie,  where  he  would  be  in  the 
line  of  caravans  returning  to  the  States. 

At  daybreak,  on  the  6th  of  July,  Maxwell 
was  on  his  way  to  Taos ;  and  a  few  hours 


after  we  also  had  recommenced  our  journe]r 
up  the  Platte,  which  was  continuously  tim- 
bered with  cotton-wood  and  willow,  on  a 
generally  sandy  soil.  Passing  on  the  way 
the  rom.'iins  of  two  abandoned  forts,  (one  of 
which,  however,  was  still  in  good  condition,) 
we  reached,  in  10  miles,  Fort  Lancaster, 
tho  trading  vstitbiishment  of  Mr.  Lupton. 
His  post  was  beginning  to  assume  tho  ap- 
pearance of  u  ciunl'ortabTo  farm  :  stock,  hog.s, 
and  cattle,  were  ranging  about  on  the  prai- 
rie ;  there  were  dilferent  kinds  of  poultry  ; 
and  there  was  tho  wreck  of  a  promising 
garden,  in  which  a  considerable  variety  of 
vegetables  had  been  in  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion, but  it  had  been  almost  entirely  ruined 
by  the  recent  high  waters.  I  remained  to 
spend  with  him  an  agreeable  hour,  and  set 
off  in  a  cold  storm  of  rain,  which  was  ac- 
companied with  violent  thunder  and  light 
ning.  We  encamped  immediately  on  the 
river,  16  miles  from  St.  Vrain's.  Several 
Arapahoes,  on  their  way  to  the  village 
which  was  encamped  a  few  miles  above  us, 
passed  by  the  camp  in  the  course  of  the 
afi.  noon.  Night  set  in  stormy  and  cold, 
with  heavy  and  continuous  rain,  which  lasted 
until  morning. 

July  7. — We  made  this  morning  an  early 
start,  continuing  to  travel  Ui)  the  Platte ; 
and  in  a  few  miles  frequent  bands  of  horses 
and  mules,  scattered  for  several  miles  round 
about,  indicated  our  approach  to  the  Arapaho 
village,  which  we  found  encamped  in  a  beau- 
tiful bottom,  and  consisting  of  about  160 
lodges.  It  appeared  extremely  populous, 
with  a  great  number  of  children  ;  a  circum- 
stance which  indicated  a  regular  supply  of 
the  means  of  subsistence.  The  chiefs,  who 
were  gathered  together  at  the  farther  end  of 
the  village,  received  us  (as  probably  stran- 
gers are  always  received  to  whom  they  desire 
to  show  respect  or  regard)  by  throwing  their 
arms  around  our  necks  and  embracing  us. 

It  required  some  skill  in  horsemanship  to 
keep  the  saddle  during  the  performance  of 
this  ceremony,  as  our  American  horses  ex- 
hibited for  them  the  same  fear  they  have  for 
a  bear  or  any  other  wild  animal.  Having 
very  few  goods  with  me,  I  was  only  able 
to  make  them  a  meager  present,  accounting 
for  the  poverty  of  the  gift  by  explaining  that 
my  goods  had  been  left  with  the  wagons  in 
charge  of  Mr.  Fitzpatrick,  who  was  well 
known  to  them  as  the  White  Head,  or  the 
Broken  Hand.  I  saw  here,  as  I  had  re- 
marked in  an  Arapaho  village  the  preceding 
year,  near  the  lodges  of  the  chiefs,  tall  tri- 
pods of  white  poles  supporting  their  spears 
and  shields,  which  showed  it  to  be  a  regular 
custom. 

Though  disappointed  in  obtaining  the 
presents  which  had  been  evidently  expected, 
they  behaved  very  courteously,  and,  after 


f. 


<^ 


■'•■.tvft,. 


''.'•.''3 


sfe.i2? 


m 


^4 


t. 


i 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAIIRATIVE. 


[1841 


a  Utile  conversation,  I  left  them,  and,  con- 
tinuing on  up  the  river,  halted  to  noon  on 
tho  bluff,  aa  the  bottrms  lire  almost  inunda- 
ted ;  continuing  in  tht.  aAernoon  our  route 
along  the  mountains,  which  were  dark, 
ntiitty,  and  shrouded — threatening  a  storm  ; 
the  snow  peaks  sometimes  glittering  through 
llip  clouds  beyond  the  first  ridge. 

We  surprised  a  grizzly  bear  sauntering 
along  the  river  ;  which,  raising  himself  upon 
his  hind  legs,  took  a  deli  jerute  survey  of  uh, 
iliat  did  not  appear  very  satisfactory  to  him, 
and  he  scrambled  into  the  river  and  swam 
to  the  opposite  side.  VVe  halted  for  the 
night  a  little  above  Cherry  creek  ;  the  even- 
ing cloudy,  with  many  mosquitoes.  Some 
inditrerent  observations  placed  the  camp  in 
latitude  39^  43'  53",  and  chronometrio  lon- 
gitude 106O  24'  34". 

July  8. — We  continued  to-day  to  travel 
up  the  Platte  ;  the  morning  pleasant,  with  a 
prospect  of  fairer  weather.  During  tho  fore- 
noon our  way  lay  over  a  more  broken  coun- 
try, with  a  gravelly  and  sandy  surface  ;  al- 
though the  immediate  bottom  of  the  river 
was  a  good  soil,  of  a  dark  sandy  mould,  rest- 
ing upon  a  stratum  of  large  pebbles,  or  rolled 
stones,  rs  at  Laramie  fork.  On  our  right, 
and  apparently  very  near,  but  probably  6  or 
10  miles  distant,  and  two  or  three  thousand 
feet  above  us,  ran  the  first  range  of  the 
mountains,  like  a  dark  corniced  line,  in  clear 
contrast  with  the  great  snowy  chain  which, 
immediately  beyond,  rose  glittering  five 
thousand  feet  abovo  them.  We  caught  this 
morning  a  view  of  Pike's  peak  ;  but  it  ap- 
peared for  a  moment  only,  as  clouds  rose 
early  over  the  mountains,  and  shrouded  them 
in  mist  and  rain  all  the  day.  In  the  first 
range  were  visible,  as  at  the  Red  Duttes  on 
the  North  fork,  very  lofty  escarpments  of 
red  rock.  While  travelling  tlu-ough  this 
region,  I  remarked  that  always  in  the  morn- 
ing the  lofty  peaks  were  visible  and  bright, 
but  very  soon  small  white  clouds  began  to 
settle  around  them — brewing  thicker  and 
darker  as  the  day  advanced,  until  the  after- 
noon, when  the  thunder  began  to  roll ;  and 
invariably  at  evening  we  had  more  or  loss 
of  a  thunder  storm.  At  11  o'clock,  and  21 
miles  from  St.  Vrain's  fort,  we  reached  a 
|)()int  in  this  southern  fork  of  the  Platte, 
where  the  stream  is  divided  into  three  forks ; 
two  of  these  (one  of  them  being  much  the 
largest)  issuing  directly  from  the  mountains 
on  the  west,  and  forming,  with  the  eastern- 
most branch,  a  river  of  the  plains.  The 
elevation  of  this  point  is  about  5,500  feet 
above  the  sea ;  this  river  falling  2,800  feet 
in  a  distance  of  316  miles,  to  its  junction 
with  the  North  fork  of  the  Platte.  In  this 
estimate,  the  elevation  of  the  junction  is 
assumed  as  given  by  our  barometrical  ob- 
BeiTations  in  1842. 


On  the  easternmost  branch,  up  whioh  Wk 
took  our  way,  we  first  came  among  tho 

I)ino8  growing  on  the  top  of  a  very  high 
tank,  and  where  we  halted  on  it  to  noon ; 
quaking  asp  {populiM  trcmulnidea)  was 
mixed  with  the  cotton-wood,  and  there  were 
excellent  grass  and  rushes  for  tho  animals. 
During  the  morning  there  occurred  many 
beautiful  flowers,  whioh  we  had  not  hitherto 
mot.  Among  them,  the  common  blue  flower- 
ing flax  made  its  first  apiiearance  ;  and  a  tall 
and  handsome  species  nt  gilioy  with  slender 
scarlet  flowers,  which  appeared  yesterday 
for  tho  first  time,  was  very  frequent  to-day. 
We  had  found  very  little  game  since 
leaving  tho  fort,  and  provisions  began  to  get 
unpleasantly  scant,  as  we  had  had  no  meat 
for  several  days ;  but  towards  sundown, 
when  we  had  already  made  up  our  minds  to 
sleep  another  night  without  supper,  La- 
jotincsse  had  the  good  fortune  to  kill  a  fine 
deer,  which  he  found  feeding  in  a  hollow 
near  by  ;  and  as  the  rain  began  to  fall, 
threatening  an  unpleasant  night,  we  hurried 
to  secure  a  comfortable  camp  in  the  timber. 
To-night  the  camp  fires,  girdled  with  ap' 
polas  of  fine  venison,  looked  cheerful  in 
spite  of  the  btormy  weather. 

July  9. — On  account  of  the  low  state  of 
our  provisions  and  the  scarcity  of  game,  I 
determined  to  vary  our  route,  and  proceed 
several  camps  to  the  eastward,  in  the  hope 
of  falling  in  with  the  buflTalo.  This  route 
along  the  dividing  grounds  between  the 
South  fork  of  the  Platte  and  the  Arkansas, 
would  also  afford  some  a  '  "tional  geograph- 
ical information.  This  morning,  thcrefonc, 
wo  turned  to  the  eastward,  along  the  upper 
waters  of  tho  stream  on  which  we  had  en- 
camped, entering  a  country  of  picturesque 
and  varied  scenery  ;  broken  into  rocky  hiils 
of  singular  shapes ;  little  valleys,  with  pure 
crystal  water,  here  leaping  swiftly  along, 
and  there  losing  itself  in  tiie  sands  ;  green 
spots  of  luxuriant  grass,  flowers  of  all  colors, 
ind  timber  of  difllerent  kinds — every  thing 
to  ^'i  3  it  a  varied  beauty,  except  game.  To 
one  of  these  remarkably  shaped  hills,  hav- 
ing on  the  summit  a  circular  flat  rock  two 
or  three  hundred  yards  in  circumference, 
some  one  gave  the  name  of  Poundcake, 
which  it  has  been  permitted  to  retain,  as  our 
hungry  people  seemed  to  think  it  a  very 
agreeable  comparison.  In  the  afternoon  a 
buffalo  bull  was  killed,  and  we  encamped  on 
a  small  stream,  near  the  road  which  runs 
from  St.  Vrain's  fort  to  the  Arkansat. 

July  10. — Snow  fell  heavily  on  the  moun- 
tains during  the  night,  and  Pike's  peak  this 
morning  is  luminous  and  grand,  covered 
from  the  summit,  as  low  down  as  we  can 
see,  with  glittering  white.  Leaving  the 
encampment  at  6  o'clock,  we  continued  our 
easterly  course  over  a  rolling  oountryi  neai 


:iJf-^ 


[1841 

hioh  wk 
>ng  tho 
ry  high 
nuon; 
e.i)   \vu 
ro  wore 
nimalB. 
(1  many 
hithorlu 
flower- 
nd  a  tall 
alonder 
osterday 
to-day. 
le   since 
in  to  get 
no  meat 
undown, 
mindii  to 
)er,   La- 
in a  fine 
i.  hollow 
to   fall, 
)  hurried 
i  timber, 
with  ap- 
Berful  in 


^ 


1843.] 


CAPr.  FllKMONT'S  NAIIHATIVK. 


•I 


to  the  high  ridge*,  which  are  generally 
rough  aud  rocky,  with  u  cnaritu  coii^lomorato 
dlMpliiyud  in  muMes,  and  covered  with  uineit. 
TliiH  ruck  is  very  friiihlu,  and  it  in  undoubt- 
edly from  its  deuonipoaition  that  tho  prairioH 
derivi)  their  sandy  and  gravelly  formation. 
In  H  miles  wo  crusHod  a  head  water  of  the 
Kioway  river,  on  which  wu  found  a  strong 
fort  and  cortil  that  had  been  built  in  the 
•priiig,  and  halted  to  noon  on  tho  principal 
branch  of  tho  river.  During  the  morning 
our  niiile  led  over  a  dark  vegetable  mould, 
mixod  with  sand  and  gravel,  the  character- 
istic plant  being  esparcelte,  {onobrychm  sali- 
va,) a  Hpecios  of  clover  which  is  much  used 
in  certain  parts  of  Germany  for  pasturage 
of  block — principally  hogs.  It  is  sown  on 
rocky  waste  ground,  which  would  otherwise 
be  useless,  and  grows  very  luxuriantly,  re- 
quiring only  a  renewal  of  the  seed  about 
once  in  fifteen  years.  Its  ibundanco  here 
gveatly  adds  to  the  pastoral  value  of  this  re- 
gion. A  species  of  antennaria  in  flower 
was  very  common  along  the  line  of  road, 
and  tho  creeks  were  timbered  with  willow 
and  pine.  We  encamped  on  li'jou's  fork, 
the  water  of  which,  unlike  the  clear  streams 
we  had  previously  crossed,  is  of  a  whitish 
color,  and  the  soil  of  the  bottom  a  very 
hard,  tough  clay.  There  was  a  prairie  dog 
viiluge  on  the  bottom,  and,  in  the  endeavor 
to  unearth  one  of  the  little  animals,  we  la- 
bored ineflfectually  in  the  tough  clay  until 
daik.  After  descending,  with  a  slight  in- 
clination, until  it  had  gone  the  depth  of  two 
feet,  the  hole  suddenly  turned  at  a  sharp 
angle  in  another  direction  for  one  more  foot 
in  depth,  when  it  again  turned,  taking  an 
ascending  direction  to  tho  next  nearest  hole. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  all  their  little  habita- 
tions communicate  with  each  other.  The 
greater  part  of  the  people  were  sick  to-day, 
and  I  was  inclined  to  attribute  their  indis- 
position to  the  meat  of  the  bull  which  had 
been  killed  the  previous  day. 

July  11. — There  were  no  indications  of 
buffalo  having  been  recently  in  the  neigh- 
borhood ;  and,  unwilling  to  travel  farther 
eastward,  I  turned  this  morning  to  the 
southward,  up  the  valley  of  Bijou.  Espar- 
cette  occurred  universally,  and  among  the 
plants  on  the  river  I  noticed,  for  the  first 
time  during  this  journey,  a  few  small  bushes 
of  the  absinthe  of  the  voyageurs,  which  is 
commonly  used  for  fire-wood,  {artemisia 
tridentata.)  Yesterday  and  to-day  the  road 
has  been  ornamented  with  the  showy  bloom 
of  a  beautiful  lupinus,  a  characteristic  in 
many  parts  of  the  mountain  region,  on 
which  were  generally  great  numbers  of  an 
insect  with  very  bright  colors,  (Htta  vesica- 
toria.) 

As  we  were  riding  quietly  along,-  eagerly 
searching  every  hollow  in  search  of  game 


we  discovered,  at  a  little  dintance  in  th« 
prairie,  a  larg  ^i'Azly  bear,  so  buHJly  on* 
gaged  in  digging  roulM  that  ho  did  not  per- 
ceive us  until  wo  wore  gnllopMi^  dowr.  i 
little  lull  tiiXy  yards  ft-oni  him,  wlicr.  he 
ehargoii  upon  us  with  siii^h  sudden  ficrgy, 
that  sevvnil  of  us  came  near  lotting  oiir  Hiid- 
dles.  Hcing  wounded,  he  coiiiiiiciii:«m1  re- 
treating to  a  rocky  piny  ri<lgo  lu;  ir  by, 
from  which  we  were  not  able  to  cut  hii<i  oil', 
and  we  entered  the  tiinlxir  with  him.  .''ho 
way  was  very  much  hlookcd  up  with  fuliiii 
timber  ;  and  we  kept  up  a  ruiiniii,'^  fight  for 
some  time,  animated  by  the  hour  (Oiiir^ing 
among  the  horses,  lie  did  ;;<)t  full  until 
after  he  had  received  six  rifie  ballH.  He 
was  miserably  poor,  and  added  nothing  to 
our  stock  of  provisions. 

We  followed  the  stream  to  its  head  in  a 
broken  ridge,  which,  according  to  tho  ha- 
rometer,  was  about  7,500  furt  above  the 
N«>a.  This  is  a  piny  elevation,  into  which 
the  prairies  are  gathered,  and  fr(mi  which 
the  waters  fi<»w,  in  almost  ovory  direction, 
to  tho  Arkansas,  I'latto,  and  Kaiisius  rivers  ; 
the  latter  slrcam  having  here  its  remotest 
sources.  Although  Hoinewh.it  rocky  and 
broken,  and  covered  with  pines,  in  compari- 
son with  the  neighboring  mountains,  it 
scarcely  forms  an  interruption  to  the  great 
pruirie  plains  which  sweep  up  to  their  bases. 

We  had  an  excellent  view  of  Pike's  peak 
from  tiiis  camp,  at  the  distance  of  40  miles. 
This  mountain  barrier  presents  itself  to 
travellers  on  the  plains,  which  sweep  almost 
directly  to  its  bases — an  immense  and  com- 
paratively smooth  and  grassy  prairie,  in 
very  strong  contrast  with  the  black  masses 
of  timber,  and  tho  glittering  snow  above 
them.  With  occasional  exceptions,  com- 
paratively so  very  small  as  not  to  require 
mention,  these  prairies  are  everywhere  cov- 
ered with  a  close  and  vigorous  growth  of  a 
great  variety  of  grasses,  among  which  the 
most  abundant  is  the  buffalo  grass,  {sesleria 
dactyloiats.)  Between  the  Platte  and  Ar- 
kansas rivers,  that  part  of  this  region  which 
forms  the  basin  drained  by  the  waters  of  the 
Kansas,  with  which  our  operations  made  us 
more  particularly  acquainted,  is  based, upon 
a  formation  of  calcareous  rocks.  The  soil 
of  all  this  country  is  excellent,  admirably 
adapted  to  agricultural  pu  ^oscs,  and  would 
support  a  large  agricultural  and  pastoral 
population.  A  glance  at  the  map,  along  our 
several  lines  of  travel,  will  show  you  that 
this  plain  ia  watered  by  many  streams. 
Throughout  the  western  half  of  the  plain, 
these  are  shallow,  with  sandy  beds,  be- 
coming deeper  as  they  reach  the  richer 
lands  approaching  the  Missouri  river ;  they 
generally  have  bottom  lands,  bordered  by 
blufifa  varying  from  50  to  500  feet  in  height. 
In  all  this  region  the  timber  is  entirely  con- 


m 


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".'  M 


'>T<^ 


0 


\ 


*:  A 


CAl»T.  FUKMONTS  NAUUATIVK. 


[1843. 


1843.) 


I  V"'' 


$ 


III  i:  ■ 


l;iW 


I 


AmA  to  lh«  atreAmii.  In  tlin  raHtorn  halt', 
wliorii  iIm)  noil  in  a  (luop,  rirli,  vt<t{i<(ul>lii 
mould,  rrtontivo  «it'  rain  and  tiioiNtunt,  it  in 
of  vigorouH  ((rowlli,  uml  ot'  many  (liiV«r«>nl 
kinda  ;  and  tlirouKliout  the  wi'ittiirn  halt'  it 
ooniistH  cntiruly  ol'  varioiiit  Hpucioa  uf  cot- 
ton-wood, which  doMurvoa  to  lio  called  the 
tree  of  tlio  dttavrt — ({rowin({  in  Handy  mtiU, 
whcru  no  othur  troo  uill  t(row  ;  pointing  out 
the  exUtonco  of  wator,  and  turniahing  to  tho 
traveller  fuul,  and  food  lor  hia  aniniula.  Add 
to  tliia,  that  the  wcatorn  border  of  thu  plain 
ia  occupied  Ity  tliu  Mioiix,  Arapaho,  and 
Cheyenne  nationa,  and  the  I'uwnuea  and 
other  half-civilized  tribca  in  ita  oaatern 
limita,  for  whom  the  interinediuto  country 
is  a  wur-ffround,  you  will  have  a  tolerably 
correct  idea  of  the  appearance  and  condition 
of  the  country.  i)eacendiii((  a  aoniewhat 
precipitoun  and  rocky  hillaide  among  the 
pinca,  which  rarely  appear  elaewhere  than 
on  the  ridge,  we  encamped  at  ita  foot,  where 
there  were  acverul  springa,  which  you  will 
find  laid  down  upon  thu  man  as  one  of  tho 
•xtreme  sources  of  thu  Smoky  Hill  fork  of 
the  Kanaas.  From  this  ]>lace  the  view  ex- 
tended over  the  Arkanaus  valley,  and  thu 
Spaniah  peaka  in  the  aoulh  beyond.  As  the 
greater  part  of  the  men  continued  aick,  I 
encamj^ed  here  for  tlie  day,  and  ascertained 
conclusively,  from  experiments  on  myaelf, 
that  their  illness  was  caused  by  the  meat 
of  the  buHalo  bull. 

On  the  summit  uf  the  ridge,  near  the 
camp,  were  severrti  rook-built  forts,  whiuh 
in  front  were  very  difficult  of  approach,  and 
in  tho  rear  were  protected  by  a  precipice 
entirely  beyond  the  reach  of  a  rifle  ball. 
The  evening  was  tolerably  clear,  with  a 
temperature  at  sunset  of  63°.  Elevation 
of  the  camp  7,300  feet. 

Turning  the  next  day  to  the  southwest, 
we  reached,  in  the  course  of  the  morning, 
the  wagon  road  to  the  settlements  on  the 
Arkansas  river,  and  encamped  in  the  after- 
noon on  tho  Fontaine-qm-bouit  (or  Boiling 
Spring)  river,  where  it  was  50  feet  wide, 
with  a  swift  current.  I  afterwards  found 
that  the  spring  and  river  owe  their  names 
to  the  bubbling  of  the  eflfervescing  gas  in 
the  former,  and  not  to  the  temperature  of 
the  water,  which  is  cold.  During  the  morn- 
ing a  tall  species  of  gilia,  with  a  slender 
white  flower,  was  characteristic ;  and,  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  day,  another  variety 
of  esparcette,  (wild  clover,)  having  the 
flower  white,  was  equally  so.  We  had  a 
fine  sunset  of  golden  brown ;  and,  in  the 
evening,  a  very  bright  moon,  with  the  near 
mountains,  made  a  beautiful  scene.  Ther- 
mometer, at  sunset,  was  60",  and  our  eleva- 
tion above  the  sea  5,800  feet. 

July  13. — The  morning  was  clear,  with 
a  northwesterly  breeze,  and  the  thermome- 


ter at  aunriao  nt  40  \  Thflfe  WArn  no  clouds 
along  thfl  mountmna,  and  thu  morning  aun 
allowed  very  clearly  their  rugged  charac- 
ter. 

Wu  rcaumed  our  journey  very  early  down 
thu  river,  following  an  uxtremely  good  lodge 
trail,  which  laaiiea  by  tho  head  of  tliia  alroain 
iVom  the  bav<m  Salade,  a  high  moiuitain 
valley  behiinl  I'ikn'a  peak.  The  aoil  along 
the  road  wan  aandy  and  gravelly,  and  the 
river  well  timbered.  Wu  halted  to  noon 
under  thu  ahade  of  some  lino  largo  cotton- 
wooda,  our  aniiiuila  luxuriating  on  ruahcx, 
{ri/uisi-tum  htffinale,)  which,  along  this  riv- 
er, were  remarkably  abundant.  A  variety 
of  caetua  inadu  ita  appearance,  and  among 
auveral  strange  planta  were  numuroua  and 
beautiful  cluatura  of  a  plant  ru.ienibling  mi- 
nitiilui  Ju/<i/)<i,wii\i  a  handaome  convolvulua 
I  had  not  liithei'to  aoen,  (calyalr^ta.)  In 
the  afternoon  we  paaaod  near  the  rncamp- 
nieiit  of  i>.  hunter  named  Maurice,  who  had 
been  out  into  tho  plains  in  pursuit  of  bufl'ulo 
calves,  a  nuniber  of  which  I  aaw  among 
aome  domestic  cattle  near  hia  lodgu.  •Short- 
ly afterward.>i,  a  party  of  iiiountaiiieora  gal- 
loped up  to  UH — tino-luoking  and  hardy  men, 
drt^jod  in  skins  and  mounted  on  good  fat 
horaca ;  among  thoin  were  several  Connec- 
ticut men,  a  portion  of  Wyeth's  parly,  whom 
I  had  seen  the  year  before,  and  otliera  were 
men  from  the  western  states. 

Continuing  down  the  river,  we  encamped 
at  noon  on  the  14th  at  its  mouth,  on  the 
Arkansas  river.  A  short  distance  abovu 
our  encampment,  on  tho  left  bank  of  the 
Arkansas,  is  a  pueblo,  (as  the  Mexicans  call 
their  civilized  Indian  villages,)  where  a 
number  of  mountaineers,  who  had  married 
Spanish  women  in  the  valley  of  Tuos,  had 
collected  together,  and  occupied  themselves 
in  farming,  carrying  on  at  the  same  time  a 
desultory  Indian  trade.  They  were  princi- 
pally Americans,  and  treated  us  with  all  thu 
rude  hospitality  their  situation  admitted  ; 
but  as  all  commercial  intercourse  with  New 
Mexico  was  now  interrupted,  in  con8e(pience 
of  Mexican  decrees  to  that  elTect,  there  was 
nothing  to  be  had  in  the  way  of  provisions. 
They  had,  however,  a  fine  slock  of  cattle, 
and  furnished  us  an  abundance  of  excellent 
milk.  I  learned  here  that  Maxwell,  in 
company  with  two  other  men,  had  started 
for  Taos  on  the  morning  of  the  0th,  but 
that  he  would  probably  fall  iuto  the  handb 
of  th«  Utah  Indians,  commonly  called  tho 
Spanish  Yutes.  As  Maxwell  had  no  knowl- 
edge of  their  being  in  the  vicinity  when  he 
crossed  the  Arkansas,  his  chance  of  escape 
was  very  doubtful ;  but  I  did  not  enter^aiM 
much  apprehension  for  his  life,  having  great 
confidence  in  his  prudence  and  courage.  I 
was  further  informed  that  there  had  been  a 
popular  tumult  among  the  pueblos,  or  civil- 


I 


(1843. 


1648.) 


CAIT.  I'll i:.M( J.N  I'.S  NAIiU.VTIVE. 


03 


i 


vfii  Iniliina,  reai«liti((  iioar  'I'lum,  nifHiiiKl 
thi'  "  forftffutrM"  of  that  plun-,  in  wliicli 
llii'v  )uiil  |iluii(lnro(i  thoir  liouHiiit  ami  ill- 
iriiitixl  tlieir  fuiiulina.  Aiiioiik  lliimu  wIiom 
l>i(i|M>rly  had  bueii  doatroyod,  wita  Mr.  liuuii- 
hitn,  liitlicr-in-law  of  Mitxwnll,  from  whom 
I  liikd  uxpertcd  to  obtain  aupplioa,  and  who 
IkiiI  li««i'n  obliged  to  makn  liia  oacapfl  tu 
.S^inl.i  I'Vt. 

Hy  thia  poaitiun  of  aflaira,  our  expecta- 
tion (if  nblaininK  aupplioa  from  I'aoa  wua 
(lit  oil'.  I  tiiid  hure  llio  aatiafaotioii  to  meet 
iMir  »(nnd  biiflalo  hunter  of  184*J,  Ohriato- 
jihtT  Ciiraon,  whoao  aervioca  I  coitaiderud 
luvHcIf  fortunate  to  acouro  again  ;  and  aa  a 
mnrorccmrnt  of  mulea  wna  ubaolutcly  nn- 
ci'MHury,  I  diiipatohod  him  immediately,  with 
ail  account  oi  our  neccaaitica,  to  Mr.  ('harlea 
Hi' ly,  whoao  principal  post  ia  on  the  Arkan- 
H&a  river,  about  75  iAiIoh  holow  Fontaine- 
mi-houit.  Ho  waa  directed  to  proceed 
Irom  that  poat  by  the  neareat  route  acroaa 
the  countrv,  and  meet  mo  with  what  ani- 
rnali*  ho  ahould  bo  able  to  obtain  at  St. 
Vraiii'a  fort.  I  also  admitted  into  the  party 
Charles  Towna,  a  native  of  St.  Louin,  a 
Hcrviccalilo  man,  with  many  of  the  qualitica 
of  a  good  voyaseur.  According  to  our  ob- 
acrvatiuna,  the  latitude  uf  the  mouth  of  the 
river  ia  38°  16'  93";  its  longitude  104<->  58' 
30 " ;  and  its  elevation  above  the  sea  4,880 
foct. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th,  the  time  for 
Maxwell's  arrival  having  expired,  we  re- 
Humod  our  Journey,  leaving  for  him  a  note, 
in  which  it  waa  stated  that  I  would  wait  for 
him  at  St.  Vraiii'a  fort  until  the  morning  of 
the  Sflth,  in  the  event  that  he  should  suc- 
ceed in  his  commission.  Our  direction  was 
up  the  Uoiling  .Spring  river,  it  being  my  in- 
tention to  visit  the  celebrated  uprings  from 
which  the  river  takes  its  name,  and  which 
are  on  its  upper  waters,  at  the  foot  of  Pike's 
peak.  Our  animals  fared  well  while  we 
were  on  this  stream,  there  being  every- 
where a  great  abundance  o( prele.  I/wmea 
leptophi/lla,  in  bloom,  was  a  characteristic 
plant  along  the  river,  generally  in  large 
bunches,  with  two  to  five  flowers  on  each. 
Beautiful  clusters  of  the  plant  resembling 
mirabilis  jalapa  were  numerous,  and  gly- 
cyrrhiza  lepiaota  was  a  characteristic  of 
the  bottoms.  Currants  nearly  ripe  were 
abundant,  and  among  the  shrubs  which  cov- 
ered the  bottom  was  a  very  luxuriant  growth 
of  chenopodiaceous  shrubs,  four  to  six  feet 
high. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  17th  we  entered 
among  the  broken  ridges  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  where  the  river  made  several 
forks.  Jjeaving  the  camp  to  follow  slowly, 
I  rode  ahead  in  the  afternoon  in  search  of 
the  springs.  In  the  mean  time,  the  clouds, 
which  had  been  gathered  all  the  afternoon 


nvvr  the  mountains,  hrgtn  tn  roll  downahnir 
Midea  ;  and  a  atorni  ao  violent  burat  upon 
■III',  tliiit  It  app«'arcd  I  hud  entered  the  atore- 
houae  of  thci  thimdor  atorma.  I  I'onlinued, 
however,  to  ride  along  up  the  rivi>r  until 
liliout  aiinaot,  and  waa  beginning  to  bu  doubt- 
ful of  tlnding  the  Npriiiga  bolore  the  next 
day,  when  I  oamo  MiidJeiily  upon  a  large 
amooth  rock  iibont  twenty  yurda  in  diame- 
ter, where  the  watrr  fr(»m  aevrral  Hprinjra 
waa  bubbling  and  boiling  up  in  the  iiiulMt  ol 
a  white  incruNtatioa  with  which  it  had  cov- 
ered a  portion  of  the  rock.  Aa  thia  did  not 
oorreM|)ond  with  a  description  given  tiui  l>y 
the  huiitora,  1  did  not  atop  to  tuMtn  the  wa- 
ter, but,  dismounting,  wallted  a  little  way  up 
the  river,  and,  paaaing  through  a  narrow 
thicket  uf  shrubbery  bordering  the  stream, 
stepped  directly  upon  a  huge  while  rock,  ut 
the  foot  of  which  the  river,  already  liccomti 
a  torrent,  foamed  along,  broken  by  a  small 
fall.  A  deer  which  had  been  drinking  at 
the  spring  waa  startled  by  my  appt.mch, 
and,  apringing  across  the  river,  bounded  otf 
up  the  mountain.  In  the  upper  part  of  the 
rock,  which  had  apparently  been  furined  by 
deposition,  was  a  beautiful  white  busiii,  over- 
hung by  currant  bushca,  in  which  the  cold 
clear  water  bubbled  up,  kept  in  conatant 
motion  by  the  eacaping  gas,  and  overflow- 
ing the  rock,  which  it  had  almost  entirely 
covered  with  a  smooth  crust  of  glistening 
white.  I  had  all  day  refrained  from  drink- 
ing, reserving  myself  for  the  spring  ;  and 
as  I  could  not  well  be  more  wet  than  the 
rain  had  already  made  me,  I  lay  down  by 
the  side  of  the  basin,  and  drank  heartily  of 
the  delightful  water.  The  spring  is  situ- 
ated immediately  at  the  foot  of  lofty  moun- 
tains, beautifully  timbered,  which  sweep 
closely  round,  shutting  up  the  littlo  valley 
in  a  kind  of  cove.  As  it  was  beginning  to 
grow  dark,  I  rode  quickly  down  the  river, 
on  which  I  found  the  camp  a  few  miles 
below. 

The  morning  of  the  18th  was  beautiful 
and  clear,  and,  all  the  people  being  anxious 
to  drink  of  these  famous  waters,  we  en- 
camped immediately  at  the  springs,  and 
spent  there  a  very  pleasant  day.  On  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  is  another  locality 
of  springs,  which  are  entirely  of  the  same 
nature.  The  water  has  a  very  agreeable 
taste,  which  Mr.  Pr«u8S  found  very  much 
to  resemble  that  of  thi/amous  Selter  springs 
in  tiie  grand  duchy  of  Nassau,  a  country  fa- 
mous for  wine  and  mineral  waters ;  and  it 
is  almost  entirely  of  the  same  character, 
though  still  more  agreeable  than  that  of  the 
famous  Bear  springs,  near  Bear  river  of  the 
Great  Salt  lake.  The  following  is  an  an- 
alysis of  an  incrustation  with  which  the  wa- 
ter had  covered  a  piece  of  wood  lying  na 
the  rook : 


■:M 


r.( 


I  Mil 


,:& 


■K  "'i! 


m 


ii;b 


u 


CAM'.  KKKMONTS  NAUHATIVK 


111141 


^ 


It: 

I 


I 

I'  ■    ' 


CarlNinatit  of  lima           .     . 

.    ou.ua 

CarlHMiiitft  III'  miiKnAKJa  . 

l.'il 

Hulphati!  of  liiiiK            ^ 

Chloriilt)  oi'  I'ftlciutn      >     . 

.03 

Chloridu  III'  niUi(iM!iiia    j 

Milieu          

l.flO 

Vi'j/riiiliio  niiiliiT      .     .     . 

.yo 

Muiilura  mti  iuM      .     .     . 

.       4.(11 

100.00 

At  1 1  iiVliirk,  when  the  ti'mprratiirtt  iif  fhi< 
AT  wan  73  ',  that  vf  thr>  wiiti>r  in  tlim  wiih 
WO.ft'' ;  sum!  lliiit  ol  llio  iippiT  i»|triiijr.  whirli 
iitiiiii'il  iVitMi  iliit  (lilt  rock,  m«rn  i'X|miih'iI 
to  ihc  HUM,  will  (11)  \  Ai  »iinHi't,  wlii'n  llm 
tointiflriiturn  of  llin  air  wan  fl(J  ',  that  of 
tho  lower  a|irin((»  wan  fl8'->,  ami  that  of  the 
iippur  (M  '. 

Jiili/  10. — .V  heaiitifiil  nn<l  rli'ar  ninrnini;, 
withasliKht  iirei-ti' from  Um  noiihwi'Ht;  th« 
toniporatiiriMif  ihnair  at  NiiiiriHi>  liciiin  .'»7.r/\ 
At  this  time  tho  tempfrnliire  of  the  lower 
■prinK  was  57. H^^,  and  that  of  tho  upper  fi  I.H  '. 

The  trees  in  the  neijfhhorliooil  were  liireh, 
willow,  pine,  and  an  oak  resemhliim  i/m  r- 
ruM  alfift.  In  the  shrnhhery  alon^  the  river 
are  eurr.int  hiiKheti,  (n/if.i,)  of  which  the 
fruit  lian  a  itinfrular  piny  flavor ;  and  on  the 
mountain  Hide,  in  a  rod  gravelly  Koil,  is  n 
rsrnarkalile  conifnrous  tree,  (perhaps  an 
aliir.t,)  haviiif^  tho  leaves  HiM^ularly  lon^, 
broad,  and  scattered,  with  hiiMJics  of  .'<j>trit(i 
ariafolin.  IJy  our  observations,  this  place 
is  fl,350  feet  above  tho  sea,  in  latitude  38^ 
fi9'  10",  and  lon(;itiide  lOSO  32'  '15" 

Ueaumiu);  our  journey  on  this  morning;, 
wo  descended  the  river,  in  order  to  reach 
tho  iiiniilh  of  tho  eai^tern  fork,  which  I  prn- 
jiosed  to  ascend.  Tho  left  bank  of  the  river 
iicre  is  very  much  broken.  There  is  n  hand- 
some little  bottom  on  the  ri);ht,  and  both 
banks  are  exceedingly  ]>teluresqiie — strata 
of  red  rock,  in  nearly  perpendicular  walls, 
crossing  the  valley  from  north  to  south. 
About  three  miles  below  the  springs,  on  the 
right  bank  of  tho  river,  is  a  nearly  perpen- 
dicular limestone  rock,  presenting  a  uni- 
formly unbroken  surface,  twenty  to  forty 
feet  high,  containing  very  great  numbers  of 
a  large  univalve  shell,  which  appears  to  he- 
loiig  to  tho  genus  inoceramua. 

In  contact  with  this,  to  the  westward, 
was  another  stratum  of  limestone,  contain- 
ing fossil  shells  of  a  .different  character ; 
and  still  higher  up  on  the  stream  were  par- 
allel strata,  consisting  of  a  compact  some- 
what crystullino  limestone,  and  argillaceous 
bituminous  limestone  in  thin  layers.  Dur- 
ing the  morning,  we  travelled  up  the  east- 
ern fork  of  the  Fontairie-qui-bouit  rirer,  our 
road  being  roughened  by  frequent  deep  gul- 
liea  timbered  with  pine,  and  halted  to  noon 
on  a  small  branch  of  this  stream,  timbered 
principally  with  tho  narrow-leaved  cotton- 


wiMid,  {futfmluM  an/fUMlt/olut,)  called  by  ihi 
('■nadian*  Imnt  nm^rr.     On  a  hill,  near  hy 
wnr«  two  remarkitbln  columns  of  a  grayiiih 
white  eonglomeratn  roek,  imn  of  which  wn^ 
about  twenty  fuel  high,  and  two  fnt  in  di 
ametnr.     They  are  ■urmniinted  by  ulalm  of 
a  dark    ferruirinniis  eiinglotnerate,  furininif 
black  ca|xt,  and  adding  very  much  to  ilieir 
columnar   eti'ect   at  a  ilmtaneo.     Thin  riieli 
is  very   destructible  by  thn    action    of  tin' 
weather,  and  thn  hill,  of  which  they   for- 
merly eonstitutnd  apart,  is  entirely  aliraded 

A  ahaft  of  the  gun  carriage  wan  broketi 
III  the  ufteriioon  ;  and  we  made  nn  early 
halt,  the  stream  being  Irom  twelve  to  twen- 
ty feet  wide,  with  clear  water.  As  usual, 
tfie  cIoikIn  had  gathered  to  a  nlorm  over 
the  nioiintainM,aiid  wo  had  a  shnwery  even- 
ing. At  sunset  the  thermometer  stood  at 
(CJ ',  and  our  elevation  uImivo  the  sea  was 
0,030  fei  t. 

Jtili/  'JO. — Thia  morning  (as  we  gnnorally 
found  (he  mornings  under  tneao  mountains* 
was  very  clear  and  beautiful,  and  tho  ait 
cool  and  pleasant,  with  the  thermometer  at 
14".  Wo  continued  our  march  up  thn 
stream,  along  a  green  sloping  bottom,  be- 
tween pino  hills  on  tho  one  hand,  and  the 
main  lllaek  bills  on  tho  other,  towards  the 
ridge  which  separates  the  waters  of  the 
I'hitte  from  those  of  the  Arkansas.  As  wu 
a|ijiroaclied  the  dividing  ridge,  the  whole 
valley  was  radiant  with  (lowera  ;  blue,  yel- 
low, pink,  white,  scarlet,  and  purple,  vied 
with  each  other  in  splendor.  K^parcetto 
was  Olio  of  the  highly  characteristic  plaiiti*. 
and  a  bright-looking  flower  (gmtlardin 
arislata)  was  very  frequent ;  but  the  mo.<vt 
abundant  plant  along  our  road  to-day,  w:i.s 
geranium  maculatum,  which  is  tho  charac- 
teristic plant  on  this  portion  of  the  dividing' 
grounds.  Crossing  to  the  waters  of  the 
Platte,  fields  of  bluo  flax  added  to  tho  mag- 
nificencn  of  this  mountain  garden ;  this  was 
occasionally  four  feet  in  height,  which  was 
a  luxuriance  of  growth  that  I  rarely  saw 
this  almost  universal  plant  attain  throughout 
the  iourncy.  Continuing  down  a  branch  of 
the  riattc,  among  high  and  very  steep  tim- 
bered hills,  covered  with  fragments  ot  rock, 
towards  evening  we  issued  from  the  piny 
region,  and  made  a  late  eneanipment  near 
Poundcake  rock,  on  that  fork  of  the  river 
which  we  had  ascended  on  the  8th  of  July. 
Our  animals  enjoyed  the  abundant  rushi  .> 
this  evening,  as  the  flies  were  so  bad  amon;,' 
the  pines  that  they  had  been  much  harassed. 
A  deer  was  killed  hero  this  evening  ;  and 
again  the  evening  was  overcast,  and  a  col- 
lection of  brilliant  red  clouds  in  the  west 
was  followed  by  the  customary  squall  of  rail. 

Achillea  millefolium  (milfoil)  was  among 

the  characteristic  plants  of  the  river  hot- 

I  toms  to-day.     This  was  one  of  the  moat 


«(k 


•♦■.         *^ 


»# 


(It4l 


1813  I 


CAPT.  ntK.MONT.M  NAIIRATIVK 


lli'il  hy  Ihi 

II,  riiMir  hv 

'  II  (rrityinh 

winch  WIl^ 

I'l't't    III  i||. 

by  MJitlia  III' 

I',  rnrininu 

li  lo  thttir 

'I'liiN  rock 

mil    lit'  lli>' 

I  tlii'y   (or- 

ly  iitirailMil. 

wiiM  broken 

n  nil   rarly 

irtt  to  twoii- 

An  iinuiil, 

itortii   uvf<r 

wnry  nrcn- 

nr  Htiiod  n( 

M  tita  wa« 

0  (^nnnrally 
nioiintainNl 
in<l  tho  ait 
inornutor  at 

vU     up     till! 

iiottom,  bo- 
nd, niid  till' 
owurdn  thi' 
era  of  the 
IS.     An  wu 

th«i   whok' 

blue,  yel- 

purple,  vjpil 

Kpj'orcette 
iHtic  plantR. 

(gnillardvt 
it  tho  moM 
to-day,  wii« 
the  charnc- 
,he  dividing' 
tern  of  the 
to  the  inag- 
n;  this  was 

which  was 
rarely  saw 

throughout 
a  brunch  of 
f  steep  tini- 


I 


floiiimon  pUnUi  during  the  wlmln  oC  our 
^luriM'v,  occurring  tn  uIiiionI  i<>i*ry  vnrii'iy 
III'  MdMiiion.  I  iioIicikI  It  oil  lliii  IowIiiihIm 
of  till'  iiviTM,  iii*ar  till)  coiiat  ol'  tb«t  I'uinlli', 
;tn<l  iM'iir  to  the  miow  miiutig  llio  iiiuiiiitaiiiN 
of  the  .Nurnn  Ntiuida, 

|)uriii(r  tills  flxeursion,  wo  had  surveynd 
m  list  bi'iid  oiiu  of  the  two  principiil  briiiicheN 
ol'  iIk'  upper  ArkanMiiH,  75  iiiil''N  in  |i'ii|{tli, 
iind  I'litirt'ly  ev»iiipl«ted  our  mirvcy  of  the 
Sttiitli  fork  of  the  Platte,  to  tliii  exlreine 
Nuurci'M  of  that  portion  of  the  river  which 
heloii^N  lo  the  plains,  and  heads  in  the  bro- 
ken hilU  of  the  Arkansas  dividiiiif  rid^e,  at 
ihf  loitt  of  the  iiiountaiiiB.  'I'hat  portion  of 
UN  witters  which  were  collected  aiiiong  tlieH<.> 
iniMiiilainN,  it  wiih  hoped  to  explore  un  uur 
lioineward  voya({e. 

ItiacliiiiK  St.  Vrain's  fort  f»n  the  morntnff 
of  tliii  "I'',  we  found  Mr.  Filzpatrick  and 
liiN  piirty  in  ({ood  order  and  excellent  health, 
mill  my  true  and  relialile  frtenil,  KiK'aiMMi, 
wlio  hud  brought  with  hiin  ten  i^oml  inuleN, 
witli  the  neeeHsary  pack-HuddloH.  Mr. 
rit/.|iiilrii'k,  who  hud  often  endured  every 
I'Xtii'inity  of  want  during  the  course  of  Iiih 
uioiiiitiiin  life,  and  knew  well  the  value  of 
|iroviNioiiH  111  this  country,  had  watched  over 
iiiir  Htiick  with  JealouN  vigilance,  and  them 
wuH  ail  abundance  of  llour,  rice,  BU(rar,  and 
culfec,  lu  ihe  camp ;  and  again  we  fared 
iuxuri'  '  "'••  Meat  was,  however,  very 
HCiirce  ;  uiid  two  very  Hiiiall  pigs,  which  we 
obtained  at  tho  fort,  did  not  go  far  among 
forty  men.  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  had  been  here 
n  wei'lt,  during  which  time  his  men  had 
been  iiceu|iied  in  refitting  tho  camp  ;  and 
the  repoHc  had  been  very  beneficial  to  Imm 
anini.'ilM,  which  were  now  in  tidorably  good 
etiniliiion. 

1  had  been  able  to  obtain  no  certain  in- 
rormatioii  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the 
paNsea  in  this  portion  of  the  Ilorky  moun- 
tain range,  which  had  always  hccn  repie- 
sented  as  impracticable  for' carriages,  but 
tho  exploration  of  which  was  incidentally 
contemplated  by  my  instructions,  with  tlie 
view  of  finding  Bunio  convenient  point  of 
passage  fur  the  road  of  emigration,  which 
would  enable  it  to  reach,  on  a  more  direct 
lino,  the  usual  ford  of  tho  CJreat  Colorado — 
a  place  considered  as  determined  by  the  na- 
ture of  the  country  beyond  that  river.  It  is 
singular,  that  immediately  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  I  could  find  no  one  sufliciently 
acquainted  with  them  to  guide  us  to  the 
plains  at  their  western  base ;  but  tho  race 
of  trappers,  wh«  formerly  lived  in  their  ro- 
eesises,  has  almost  entirely  disappeared — 
dwindled  to  a  few  scattered  individuals — 
some  one  or  two  of  whom  are  regularly 
killed  in  the  course  of  each  year  by  the  In- 
dians. You  will  remember,  that  in  the  pre- 
Tious  year  I  brought  with  me  to  their  village 


near  tlii«  |hini,  and  ho«punMy  irmlnd  on  th« 
way,  Neveral  ('lieyeiinif  IndiaiiN,  wlnun  I  had 
■net  on  llie  Lownr  I'liitte.  .Shorily  :i|\«r 
their  arrival  here,  tlieite  were  out  wiili  a 
party  of  Indiana,  (tliuiiiaulvea  the  prii)ci))al 
men,)  which  diaeovnrpd  a  few  IrupjH'ra  in 
the  iiei^lilioring  iiiouiituina,  whom  they  im- 
mediately miiriiered,  altlioiigh  lum  of  tbein 
bad  been  nearly  thirty  yeara  iii  the  eoiintry, 
and  waa  perfectly  well  known,  aa  he  hud 
grown  gray  umong  tli«m. 

'rhriHigh  tilt.,  portion  of  tho  inoniitains, 
alao,  are  the  cuatomary  roada  of  the  war 
parties  going  out  agaiiiat  the  lliuli  and 
SlioahoniMt  Indians;  and  oci^aaionally  par- 
ties from  the  (7row  nation  make  their  way 
(low  n  to  the  southward  along  tliiH  chain,  in  the 
exiiectation  of  surpriaing  aomo  straggling 
lotfgea  of  their  enemii*N.  Shortly  before  our 
arrival,  one  of  their  parties  hud  attacked  an 
.\rapalio  village  in  tlie  vicinity,  which  th»iy 
bad  found  unexpectedly  stronir ;  and  their 
aNNaiilt  was  turned  into  a  rapid  Might  and  a 
hot  pursuit,  in  which  they  had  been  eom- 
pi'lled  to  abandon  the  animals  they  had  rode, 
and  escape  on  their  war  horses. 

Into  this  uncertain  and  dangerous  region, 
Hiiiall  parties  of  three  or  four  trappern,  who 
now  could  collect  together,  rarely  ventured  ; 
and  conseipicntly  it  was  seldom  visited  and 
little  known.  Having  determined  to  try 
the  jiassage  by  a  puss  through  u  stiiir  of  the 
mountains  made  iiy  the  Cdc/ie-d-la-I'oitdre 
river,  which  rises  in  the  high  bed  of  moun- 
tains around  Long's  peak,  1  thought  it  ad- 
visablfl  to  avoid  any  encumbrance  which 
would  occasion  detention,  and  accordingly 
•.ijfinn  separated  the  party  into  two  diviNion« 
—one  ul  which,  under  tho  command  of  Mr. 
Kitzpatrick,  was  directed  to  cross  the  plains 
to  the  mouth  of  Laramie  river,  oud,  continu- 
ing thence  its  route  along  the  usual  emi- 
grant road,  meet  me  at  I'ort  Hull,  a  post 
ticlongiiig  to  tho  Hudson  Uay  (<oinpany, 
and  situuted  on  Snuko  river,  us  it  is  com- 
monly called  in  tho  Oregon  Territory,  al- 
though better  known  to  us  as  Lewis's  fork 
of  the  (.'olumbia.  The  latter  name  is  there 
restricted  to  one  t>f  the  upper  forks  uf  tliu 
river. 

Our  DeluHure  Indians  having  determined 
to  return  to  their  homos,  it  became  necLssa- 
ry  to  provide  this  party  with  a  good  hunter  ; 
and  I  accordingly  engaged  in  that  capacity 
Alexander  Codey,  a  young  man  about  95 
yeurs  of  age,  who  hud  been  in  this  country 
six  or  seven  years,  all  of  which  time  liad 
been  actively  employed  in  hunting  for  the 
support  of  the  posts,  or  in  solitary  trading 
expeditions  among  the  Indians.  In  courago 
and  professional  skill  he  was  a  formidable 
rival  to  Carson,  and  constantly  afterwards 
was  among  tho  best  and  most  efficient  of 
the  party,  and  in  difficult  situations  was  of 


'A 

••J 
■'.ft 

■    '^ 


14 


ii-» ' 


6 


M 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1841 


,1  ''v 

•:!7 


ll 


^l-;. 

i. 


incalculable  value.  Hiram  Powers,  one 
of  thfi  men  belonging  to  Mr.  P^i'zpatrick's 
party,  was  (lischanred  at  this  place. 

A  French  engage,  at  Lupton's  fort,  had 
been  shot  in  the  back  on  the  4th  of  July, 
and  died  during  our  absence  to  the  Arkan- 
sas. The  wife  of  the  murdered  man,  an 
Indian  woman  of  the  Snake  nation,  desirous, 
like  Naomi  of  old,  to  retur  to  her  people, 
requested  and  obtained  permission  to  travel 
with  my  party  to  the  neighborhood  of  Hear 
river,  where  she  ^xpected  to  meet  with 
some  of  their  villages.  Happier  than  the 
Jewish  widow,  she  carried  with  her  two 
children,  pretty  little  half-breeds,  who  added 
much  to  the  liveliness  of  the  camp  Her 
baggage  was  carried  on  five  or  six  pack 
horses  ;  and  I  gave  her  a  small  tent,  for 
which  I  no  longer  had  any  use,  as  I  had 
procured  a  lov'  'e  at  the  fort. 

For  my  own  party  I  selected  the  follow- 
ing men,  a  number  of  whom  old  issociations 
rendered     (reeable  to  me  : 

Charles  Preuss,  Christopher  Carson,  Ba- 
sil Lajeuiiesse,  Francois  Badeau,  J.  13.  Ber- 
nier,  Louis  Menard,  Raphael  Proue,  Jacob 
Dodson,  Louis  Zindel,  Henry  Leo,  J.  B. 
Derosicr,  Fran(;ois  Lajeuncsse,  and  Augustc 
Vasquez. 

By  observation,  the  latitude  of  the  post  is 
40O  16'  33",  •  nd  its  longitude  105°  12'  ??3", 
depending,  with  all  the  other  longitudes 
along  this  portion  of  ♦be  lino,  upon  a  subse- 
quent occultation  of  September  13,  1843,  to 
which  they  are  referred  by  the  chronome- 
ter. Its  distance  from  Kansas  landing,  by 
the  road  we  travelled,  (which,  it  will  be  re- 
membered, was  very  winding  along  the 
lower  Kansas  river,)  was  750  miles.  The 
rate  of  the  chronometer,  determined  by  ob- 
servations at  this  place  for  the  interval  of 
our  absence,  during  this  month,  was  33.72", 
which  you  will  hereafter  see  did  not  sensi- 
bly change  duning  the  ensuing  month,  and 
renaiiieti  nearly  constant  during  the  re- 
mainder of  our  journey  across  the  continent. 
This  was  the  rate  used  in  referring  to  St. 
Vrain's  fort,  the  longitude  between  that 
place  and  the  mouth  of  the  Fontaine-qui- 
bouit. 

Our  various  barometrical  observations, 
which  are  better  worthy  of  confidence  than 
ihe  isolated  determination  of  1842,  give,  for 
the  elevation  of  the  fort  above  the  sea,  4,930 
feet.  The  baromete.'  here  used  was  also  a 
better  one,  and  less  liable  to  derangement. 

At  the  end  of  two  days,  which  was  allow- 
ed to  my  animals  for  necessary  repose,  all 
the  arrangements  had  been  completed,  and 
an  the  afternoon  of  the  26th  we  resumed  our 
jrespective  routes.  Some  little  trouble  was 
experienced  in  crossing  the  Platte,  the  wa- 
ters of  which  were  still  kept  up  by  rains  and 
meltiDg  snow ;  and  having  travelled  only 


about  four  miles,  wj  encamped  in  the  even- 
ing on  Thompson's  creek,  where  we  were 
very  much  disturbed  by  mosquitoes. 

Ihe  following  days  we  continued  our 
march  westward  iver  comparative  plains, 
and,  fording  the  Ci'iohc-i-la-Poudre  on  thu 
morning  of  the  28th,  entered  the  Black  hills, 
nnd  nooncd  on  this  stream  in  the  mountains 
beyond  them.  Passing  over  a  fine  large 
bottom  in  the  afternoon,  we  reached  a  place 
where  the  river  was  shut  u)»  in  the  hills  , 
and,  ascending  a  ravine,  made  a  laborious 
:.nd  very  difficult  passage  around  by  a  gap, 
striking  the  river  again  about  dusk.  A  littlfa 
labor,  howe.er,  would  remove  this  diffi- 
culty, and  renler  the  road  *.o  this  point  a 
very  excellen':  one.  The  evening  closed 
in  dark  with  ruin,  and  the  mountains  looked 
gloomy. 

July  29. — Leaving  our  encampment  about 
7  in  the  morning,  we  travelled  until  3  in  the 
afternoon  along  the  river,  which,  for  this 
distance  of  about  six  miles,  runs  directly 
through  a  spur  of  the  main  mountains. 

We  were  compelled  by  the  nature  of  the 
ground  to  cross  the  river  eight  or  nine  times, 
at  difficult,  deep,  and  rocky  fords,  the  stream 
running  with  great  force,  swollen  by  the 
rains — a  true  mountain  torrent,  only  forty 
or  fifty  feet  wide.  It  was  a  mountain  valley 
of  the  narrowest  kind — almost  a  chasm « 
and  the  scenery  very  wild  and  beautiful. 
Towering  mountains  rose  round  about ;  their 
sides  sometimes  dark  with  forests  of  pine, 
and  sometimes  with  lofty  precipices,  washed 
by  the  river ;  while  below,  as  if  they  in- 
demnified themselves  in  luxuriance  for  the 
scant)  space,  the  green  river  bottom  was 
covered  with  a  wilderness  of  flowers,  theii 
taU  spikes  sometimes  rising  above  our  heads 
as  We  rode  among  them.  A  profusion  of 
blossom^  on  a  white  flowering  vine,  {clema- 
tis lasianthi,)  which  was  abundant  along  the 
river,  contrasted  handsomely  with  the  green 
foliage  of  the  trees.  The  mountain  appear- 
ed to  be  composed  of  a  greenish  gray  and 
red  granite,  which  in  &ome  places  appeared 
to  be  in  a  state  of  decomposition,  making  a 
red  son. 

The  stream  was  wooded  with  cotton- 
wood,  box-elder,  and  cherry,  with  curraat 
and  serviceberry  bushes.  After  a  some- 
what laborious  day,  during  which  it  had 
rained  incessantly,  we  encamped  near  the 
end  of  the  pass  at  the  :  >uth  of  a  small 
creek,  in  sight  of  the  great  Laramie  plains. 
It  continued  to  rain  heavily,  and  at  evening 
the  mountains  were  hid  in  mists  ;  but  there 
was  no  lack  of  wood,  and  the  large  fires  we 
made  to  dry  our  clothes  were  very  comfort- 
able ;  and  si  night  the  hunters  came  in  with 
a  fine  deer.  Rough  and  difficult  as  we  found 
the  pass  to-day,  an  excellent  road  may  be 
made  with  a  little  labor.     Elevation  of  thi 


1643] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAURATIVE. 


6t 


le  even- 
^e  were 

ued  oar 

])lain8, 

un  tlui 
ick  liilUt 
ouiitaina 
lie  large 
d  a  place 
le  hills  , 
laborious 

y  a  gar. 
A  littlb 

his  diffi- 
point  a 
g  closed 
IS  looked 

ent  about 
il  3  in  the 
for  this 
s  directly 
lins. 

ire  of  the 
ine  times, 
the  stream 
en  by  the 
only  forty 
;ain  valley 
a  chasm  t 
beautiful. 
)out ;  theii 
ts  of  pine, 
es,  washed 
;f  they  in- 
ice  for  the 
lottom  was 
iwers,  theii 
e  our  heads 
refusion  of 
,nc,  (clema- 
nt  along  the 
;hthe  green 
;ain  appear- 
sh  gray  and 
es  appeared 
n,  making  a 

vith   cotton- 
vhh  currant 
er   a  some- 
■hich  it  had 
led  near  the 
h  of  a  smaV. 
•amie  plains, 
d  at  evening 
s ;  but  there 
arge  fires  we 
rery  comfort- 
came  in  with 
t  as  we  found 
road  may  be 
ration  of  thi 


camp  6,540   feet,  and  distance   from   St. 
V rain's  fort  56  miles. 

Jiiii/  30. — The  day  was  bright  aofain  ;  the 
thermometer  at  sunrise  5^^^ ;  and  leaving 
311  r  encampment  at  8  o'clock,  in  about  half 
A  mile  we  crossed  the  Cdche-a-la-Poudre 
river  for  the  last  time ;  and,  entering  a 
iiniodiiier  country,  we  travelled  along  a  kind 
oi  vallon,  bounded  on  the  right  by  red  buttes 
iiiid  precipices,  while  to  the  left  a  high  roll- 
ing country  extended  to  a  range  of  the 
Black  hills,  beyond  which  rose  the  great 
mountains  around  Long's  peak. 

Hy  the  great  quantity  of  tinow  visible 
among  tliem,  it  had  probi.bly  snowed  heavily 
there  the  prt  vious  day,  v/iiile  it  had  rained 
on  us  in  the  valley. 

We  halted  at  noon  on  a  small  branch ; 
and  in  the  afternoon  travelled  over  a  high 
country,  gradually  ascending  towards  a 
range  of  buttes,  or  high  hills  covered  with 
pines,  which  forms  the  dividing  ridge  be- 
tween the  waters  we  had  left  and  those  of 
Jiaiamie  river. 

Late  in  the  evening  we  encamped  at  a 
s|)ringofcold  water,  near  the  summit  of  the 
ndjie,  having  inf;.,.ised  our  elevation  to 
7,520  teet.  During  the  day  we  had  travel- 
loij  24  miles.  By  some  indifferent  observa- 
tion-:, our  latitude  is  41^  02'  19".  A  spe- 
ci  of  hedeome  was  characteristic  along  the 
\\  hole  day's  route. 

l']nierging  from  the  mountains,  we  enter- 
ed a  region  of  bright,  fair  weather.  In  my 
t;xi)erience  in  this  country,  I  was  forcibly 
impressed  with  the  different  character  of 
the  climate  on  opposite  sides  of  the  Rocky 
mountain  range.  The  vast  prairie  plain  on 
ilio  east  is  like  the  ocean ;  the  rain  and 
clouds  from  the  constantly  evaporating  snow 
(if  the  mountains  rushing  down  into  the  heat- 
ed air  of  the  plains,  on  which  you  will  have 
occasion  to  remark  the  frequent  storms  of 
rain  we  encountered  during  our  journey. 

July  31. — The  morning  was  clear  ;  tem- 
perature 480  A  fine  rolling  road,  among 
|)iny  and  grassy  hills,  brought  us  this  morn- 
ing into  a  large  trail  where  an  Indian  vil- 
lage had  recently  passed.  The  weather 
was  pleasant  and  cool ;  we  were  disturbed 
by  neither  mosquitoes  nor  flies  ;  and  the 
country  was  certainly  extremely  beautiful. 
The  slopes  and  broad  ravines  were  abso- 
lutely covered  with  fields  of  flowers  of  the 
most  exquisitely  beautiful  colors.  Among 
those  which  had  not  hitherto  made  their  ap- 
pearance, and  which  here  were  characteris- 
Lio,  wiis  a  new  delphinium,  of  a  green  pnd 
lustrous  metallic  blue  color,  mingled  with 
compact  fields  of  several  bright-coloxed  va- 
rieties of  astragalus,  which  were  crowded 
together  in  splendid  profusion.  This  trail 
conducted  us  through  a  remarkable  defile, 
to  a  little  timbered  creek,  up  which  we 


wound  our  way,  passing  by  a  singular  and 
massive  wall  of  dark-red  granite.  The 
formation  of  the  country  is  a  red  feMspathic 
granite,  overlying  a  decomposing  mass  of 
the  same  rock,  forming  the  soil  of  all  this 
region,  which  everywhere  is  rod  and  grav- 
elly, and  appears  to  be  of  a  great  tlural  fer- 
lii>v_,. 

As  we  emerged  on  a  small  trii)utary  of 
the  Laramie  river,  coming  in  sight  of  its 
principal  stream,  the  flora  became  perfectly 
magnificent ;  and  we  congratulated  our- 
selves, as  we  rode  along  our  pleasant  road, 
that  we  had  substituted  this  for  the  uninter- 
esting country  between  Lanamie  hills  and 
the  Sweet  Water  valley.  We  had  no  meat 
for  supper  last  night  or  breakfast  this  morn- 
ing, and  were  glad  to  see  Carson  come  in 
at  noon  with  a  good  antelope. 

A  merid  m  observation  of  the  sun  placed 
us  in  latitude  41°  04'  00".  In  the  evening 
we  encamped  on  the  Laramie  river,  which 
is  here  very  thinly  timbered  with  scattered 
groups  of  cotton-wood  at  considerable  inter- 
vals. From  our  camp,  we  are  able  to  dis- 
tinguish the  gorges,  in  which  are  the  suurcot- 
of  ('Ache-Ji-la-Poudre  and  Laramie  rivers  ; 
and  the  Medicine  Bow  mountain,  towards 
the  point  of  which  we  are  directinif  our 
course  this  afternc  m,  has  been  in  sight  the 
greater  part  of  the  day.  By  observ-itioii 
the  latitude  was  41°  15'  02",  and  longitude 
106O  16'  54".  The  same  beautiful  tlora 
continued  till  about  four  in  the  afternoon, 
when  it  suddenly  disappeared,  with  the  red 
soil,  which  became  sandy  and  of  a  whilish- 
gray  color.  The  evening  was  tolerably 
clear ;  temperature  at  sunset  64o.  The 
day's  journey  was  30  miles. 

August  1. — The  morning  was  calm  iind 
clear,  with  sunrise  temperature  at  42°.  We 
travelled  to-day  jver  a  plain,  or  open  roll- 
ing country,  at  the  foot  of  the  Medicine 
Bow  mountain  ;  the  soil  in  the  morning  be- 
ing sandy,  with  fragments  of  rock  abun- 
dant ;  and  in  the  afternoon,  when  we  ap- 
proached closer  to  the  mountain,  so  stony 
that  we  made  but  little  way.  The  beautiful 
plants  of  yesterday  reappeared  occasional- 
ly ;  flax  in  bloom  occurred  during  the  morn- 
ing, and  esparcette  in  luxuriant  abundance 
was  a  characteristic  of  the  stony  ground  in 
the  afternoon.  The  camp  was  roused  into 
a  little  excitement  by  a  chase  after  a  buffa- 
lo bull,  and  an  encounter  with  a  war  party 
of  Sioux  and  Cheyenne  Indians  about  30 
strong.  Hares  and  antelope  were  seen  du- 
ring the  day,  and  one  of  the  latter  was 
killed.  The  Laramie  peak  was  in  sight 
this  afternoon.  The  evening  was  clear, 
with  scattered  clouds :  temperature  63<3. 
The  day's  journey  was  26  miles. 

August  2. — Temperature  at  sunrise  530, 
and  scenery  and  weather  made  our  road  t«- 


i 


■\W 


'  AT 
.'ft 

•'Jii 

m 


CAPT.  FHIIMONTS  NARRATlVlii. 


L184S. 


dsy  delightful.  The  neighboring  inouiitixin 
is  thici<ly  studded  with  pines,  intenningied 
with  the  brighter  ibiiagu  of  aspens,  and 
occaaional  spots  liiio  iuwns  butwucii  the 
patches  of  snow  among  the  pines,  and  iiurc 
and  tliure  on  tiie  iieigiits.  Our  route  below 
lay  over  a  comparative  plain,  covered  with 
the  sanio  brilliant  vegetation,  and  the  day 
was  cloi<r  and  pleasuMtly  cool.  During  tlio 
morning,  wu  crossed  nany  streams,  clear 
and  rocky,  and  broad  grassy  valleys,  of  a 
strong  black  soil,  washed  down  from  the 
mountuiiiH,  and  producing  excellent  pastu- 
rage. Theao  were  timbered  with  the  red 
willow  and  long-loaved  cotton-wood,  min- 
gled with  aspen,  as  we  ajjproached  the 
mountain  more  nearly  towards  noon.  Ds- 
parcette  was  a  characteristic,  and  flax  oc- 
curred frequently  in  bloom.  We  halted  at 
noon  on  the  most  western  fork  of  Laramie 
river — a  handsome  stream  about  sixty  feet 
wide  and  two  feet  deep,  with  clear  water 
and  a  owift  current,  over  a  bed  composed 
entirely  of  boulders  or  roll  stones.  Tiiere 
was  a  large  open  bottom  here,  on  which 
were  many  lodge  pules  lying  about ;  and  in 
the  edge  of  the  surrounding  timber  were 
three  strong  forts,  that  appeared  to  have 
been  recently  occupied.  At  this  place  I 
became  fust  acquainted  with  the  yampah, 
{unethum  graveolens,)  which  I  found  our 
Snake  woman  engaged  in  digging  in  the 
low  timbered  bottom  of  the  creek.  Among 
the  Indians  along  the  Rocky  mountains,  and 
more  particularly  among  the  Shoshonee  or 
Snake  Indians,  in  whose  territory  it  is  very 
abundant,  this  is  considered  the  best  among 
the  roots  used  for  food.  To  us  it  was  an 
interesting  plant — a  little  link  between  the 
savage  and  civilized  life.  Here,  among  the 
Indians,  its  root  is  a  common  article  of  food, 
which  they  take  pleasure  in  offering  to 
strangers  ;  while  with  us,  in  a  considerable 
portion  of  America  and  Europe,  the  seeds 
are  used  to  flavor  soup.  It  grows  more 
abundantly,  and  in  greater  luxuriance,  on 
one  of  the  neighboring  tributaries  of  the 
Colorado  than  in  any  other  part  of  this  re- 
gion ;  and  on  that  stream,  to  which  the 
Snakes  are  accustomed  to  resort  every  year 
to  procure  a  supply  of  their  favorite  plant, 
they  have  bestowed  the  name  of  Yampah 
river.  Among  the  trappers,  it  is  generally 
known  as  Little  Snake  river;  but  in  this 
and  other  instances,  where  it  illustrated  the 
history  of  the  people  inhabiting  the  country, 
I  have  preferred  to  retain  on  the  map  the 
aboriginal  name.  By  a  meridional  obser- 
vation, the  latitude  is  41°  45'  59". 

In  the  afternoon  we  took  our  way  direct- 
ly across  the  spurs  from  the  point  of  the 
mountain,  where  we  had  several  ridges  to 
cross  ;  and,  although  the  road  was  not  ren- 
dered bad  by  the  nature  of  the  ground,  it 


was  made  extiemely  rough  by  the  stiff 
tough  bushes  of  artemisia  triderJata,*  in 
this  country  commonly  called  sago. 

This  shrub  now  began  to  make  its  ap- 
pearance in  compact  fields;  and  y^o  were 
about  to  quit  for  a  long  time  this  country  uf 
excellent  pasturage  and  brilliant  flowers. 
Ten  or  twelve  buH'alo  bulls  were  seen  dur- 
ing the  afternoon  ;  and  we  were  surprised 
by  the  appearance  of  a  large  red  ox.  We 
gathered  around  him  as  if  he  had  been  an 
(dd  acquaintance,  with  all  our  domestic  feel- 
uigs  as  much  awakened  as  if  we  had  come  in 
sight  of  an  old  farm  house.  He  had  j)roba- 
biy  made  his  escape  from  some  party  of 
emigrants  on  Green  river  ;  and,  with  a  vivid 
remembrance  of  some  old  green  field,  he 
was  pursuing  the  straightest  course  for  the 
frontier  that  the  country  admitted.  We 
carried  him  along  with  us  as  a  prize  ;  and, 
when  it  was  found  in  the  morning  that  he 
had  wandered  off,  I  would  not  let  him  be 
pursued,  for  I  would  rather  have  gone 
through  a  starving  time  of  three  entire  days, 
than  let  him  be  killed  after  he  had  success- 
fully run  the  gauntlet  so  far  among  the  In 
dians.  I  have  been  told  by  Mr.  Bcnfy 
people  of  an  ox  born  and  raised  at  St. 
V rain's  fort,  which  made  his  escape  from 
them  at  Elm  grove,  near  the  frontier,  hav- 
ing come  in  that  year  with  the  wagons. 
They  were  on  their  way  out,  and  saw  occa- 
sionally places  where  he  had  eaten  and  lain 
down  to  rest ;  but  did  not  see  him  for  about 
700  miles,  when  they  overtook  him  on  the 
road,  travelling  along  to  the  fort,  having 
unaccountably  escaped  Indians  and  every 
other  mischance. 

We  encamped  at  evening  on  the  princi- 
pal fork  of  Medicine  Bow  river,  near  to  an 
isolated  mountain  called  the  Medicine  Butte, 
which  appeared  to  be  about  1,800  feet  above 
the  plain,  from  which  it  rises  abruptly,  and 
was  still  white,  nearly  to  its  base,  with  a 
great  quantity  of  snow.  The  streams  were 
timbered  with  the  long-leaved  cotton-wood 
and  red  willow ;  and  during  the  afternoon  a 
species  of  onion  was  very  abundant.  I  ob- 
tained here  an  immersion  of  the  first  satel- 
lite of  Jupiter,  which,  corresponding  very 
nearly  with  the  chronometer,  placed  us  in 
longitude  106o  47'  25".  The  latitude,  by 
observation,  was  41°  37'  16";  elevation 
above  the  sea,  7,800  feet,  and  distance  from 
St.  Vrain's  fort,  147  miles. 

August  3. — There  was  a  white  frost  last 
night ;  the  morning  is  clear  and  cool.     Wo 

•  The  greater  portion  of  our  subsequent  jour- 
ney was  through  a  region  where  this  shrub  con- 
stituted the  tree  of  the  country ;  and,  as  it  will 
often  be  mentioned  in  occasional  descriptions, 
the  word  artemina  only  will  be  used,  without 
the  specific  name. 


■M 


II84S. 


1843] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAHUATIVK. 


69 


come  II) 
proba- 
party  ol' 
h  II  vivid 
/ieltl,  he 
for  the 
i.  We 
e ;  and, 
that  he 
it  him  be 


were  early  on  the  road,  having;  breakfasted 
before  sunrise,  and  in  a  few  miles  travel 
entered  the  pass  of  the  Medicine  Butte, 
through  which  led  a  broad  trail,  which  had 
t)(;iMi  fcconlly  travelled  by  a  very  largo  par- 
ty. Immediately  in  the  pass,  the  road  was 
liroken  by  ravines,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
clear  a  way  through  groves  of  aspens,  which 
iji'iierally  made  their  appearance  when  we 
rciiclied  cLvated  regions.  According  to  the 
barometer,  this  was  8.300  feet ;  and  while 
wc  were  detained  in  opening  a  road,  I  ob- 
mincd  a  meridional  observation  of  the  sun, 
which  gave  41°  35'  48"  for  the  latitude  of 
the  pass.  The  Medicine  Butte  is  isolated 
by  a  small  tributary  of  the  North  fork  of  the 
Platte,  but  the  mountains  approach  each 
other  very  nearly ;  the  stream  running  at 
their  feet.  On  the  south  they  are  smooth, 
with  occasional  streaks  of  pine ;  but  the 
butte  itself  is  ragged,  with  escarpments  of 
red  feldspathic  granite,  and  dark  with  pines  ; 
the  snow  reaching  from  the  summit  to  within 
a  few  hundred  feet  of  the  trail.  The  gran- 
ite here  was  more  compact  and  durable  than 
that  in  the  formation  which  we  had  passed 
tlirough  a  few  days  before  to  the  eastward 
of  Laramie.  Continuing  our  way  over  a 
plain  on  the  west  side  of  the  pass,  where 
the  road  was  terribly  rough  with  artemisia, 
we  made  our  evening  encampment  on  the 
cieok,  where  it  took  a  northern  direction, 
unfavorable  to  the  course  we  were  pursu- 
ing. Bands  of  buffalo  were  discovered  as 
we  came  down  upon  the  plain  ;  and  Carson 
Itrought  into  the  camp  a  cow  which  had  the 
fat  on  the  fleece  two  inches  thick.  Even 
in  this  country  of  rich  pasturage  and  abun- 
dant game,  it  is  rare  that  the  hunter  chances 
upon  a  finer  animal.  Our  voyage  had  al- 
ready been  long,  but  this  was  the  first  good 
bnftalo  meat  we  had  obtained.  We  travel- 
led to-day  26  miles. 

August  4. — The  morning  was  clear  and 
calm ;  and,  leaving  the  creek,  we  travelled 
towards  the  North  fork  of  the  Platte,  over 
a  plain  which  was  rendered  rough  and 
broken  by  ravines.  With  the  exception  of 
h-onio  thin  grasses,  the  sandy  soil  here  was 
occupied  almost  exclusively  by  artemisia, 
with  its  usual  turpentine  odor.  We  had  ex- 
pected to  meet  with  some  difficulty  in  cross- 
ing the  river,  but  happened  to  strike  it 
where  there  was  a  very  excellent  ford,  and 
inilted  to  noon  on  the  left  bank,  200  miles 
from  St.  Vrain's  fort.  The  hunters  brought 
in  pack  animals  loaded  with  fine  meat.  Ac- 
cording to  our  imperfect  knowledge  of  the 
country,  there  should  have  been  a  small  af- 
fluent to  this  stream  a  few  miles  higher  up ; 
and  in  the  afternoon  we  continued  our  way 
among  the  river  hills,  in  the  expectation  of 
encamping  upon  it  in  the  evening.  The 
ground  proved  to  be  so  exceedingly  diffi- 


cult, broken  up  into  hills,  terminating  in  es- 
carpments and  broad  ravines,  500  or  600 
feet  deep,  witii  sides  so  precipitous  that  we 
could  scarcely  find  a  place  to  descend,  that, 
towards  sunset,  I  turned  directly  in  towards 
the  river,  and,  after  nightfall,  entered  a  sort 
of  ravine.  We  were  obliged  to  feel  our 
way,  and  clear  a  road  in  the  darkness  ;  the 
surface  being  much  broken,  and  the  jiro- 
gress  of  the  carriages  being  greatly  ob- 
structed by  the  artemisia,  which  had  a  luxu- 
riant growth  of  four  to  six  feet  in  height. 
We  had  scrambled  along  this  gully  for  sev- 
eral hours,  during  which  we  had  knocked 
off  the  carriage  lamps,  broken  a  thermome- 
ter and  several  small  articles,  when,  fear- 
ing to  lose  something  of  more  importance, 
I  halted  for  the  night  at  10  o'clock.  Our 
animals  were  turned  down  towards  the  riv- 
er, that  they  might  pick  up  what  little 
grass  they  could  find;  and  after  a  little 
search,  some  water  was  found  in  a  small 
ravine,  and  improved  by  digging.  We  light- 
ed  up  the  ravine  with  fires  of  artemisia,  and 
about  midnight  sat  down  to  a  supper  which 
we  were  hungry  enough  to  find  delightful — 
although  the  buffalo  meat  was  crusted  with 
sand,  and  the  coflTee  was  bitter  with  the 
wormwood  taste  of  the  artemisia  leaves. 

A  successful  day's  hunt  had  kept  our 
hunters  occupied  until  late,  and  they  slept 
out,  but  rejoined  us  at  daybreak,  when, 
finding  ourselves  only  about  a  mile  from  the 
river,  we  followed  the  ravine  down,  and 
camped  in  a  cotton-wood  grove  on  a  beauti- 
ful grassy  bottom,  where  our  animals  in- 
demnified themselves  for  the  scanty  fare  of 
the  past  night.  It  was  quite  a  pretty  and 
pleasant  place ;  a  narrow  strip  of  prairie 
about  five  hundred  yards  long  terminated  at 
the  ravine  where  we  entered  by  high  precip- 
itous hills  closing  in  upon  the  river,  and 
at  the  upper  end  by  a  ridge  of  low  rolling 
hills. 

In  the  precipitous  bluffs  were  displayeil  a 
succession  of  strata  containing  fo.ssil  vege- 
table remains,  and  several  beds  of  coal.  In 
some  of  the  beds  the  coal  did  not  appear  to 
be  perfectly  mineralized ;  and  in  some  of 
the  seams,  it  was  compact  and  remarkably 
lustrous.  In  these  latter  places  there  wete 
also  thin  layers  of  a  very  fine  white  salt.s, 
in  powder.  As  we  had  a  large  supply  of 
meat  in  the  camp,  which  it  was  necessary 
to  dry,  and  the  surrounding  country  appear- 
ed to  be  well  stocked  with  buffalo,  which  it 
was  probable,  after  a  day  or  two,  we  would 
not  see  again  until  onr  return  to  the  Missis- 
sippi waters,  I  determined  to  mske  here  a 
provision  of  dried  meat,  which  would  be  ne- 
cessary for  our  subsistence  in  the  region  we 
were  about  entering,  which  was  said  to  be 
nearly  destitute  of  game.  Scafll'olds  were 
accordingly  soon  erected,  fires  made,  and 


^1 
I 

'..V, 


V<^i 


m 

m 


m 


■'V  ■J.f 

■Mf> 


i 


m 
m 


70 


CAl'T.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1813. 


':0 


i 


ail,  : 


;i''".!!!i 


the  mtMi  out  into  titin  hiioes  to  bo  driod  ; 
and  all  were  busily  occupied,  when  the  camp 
was  thrown  into  a  sudden  tumult,  iiy  a 
chari{c  from  about  70  mounti'd  Indians,  ovor 
the  low  bills  at  th»;  upper  rn<l  of  tbo  little 
bottom.  Fortunately,  the  Ruard,  who  was 
between  them  and  our  animals,  bad  caufjht 
a  glimpse  of  an  Indian'n  head,  as  bo  raised 
himself  in  bis  stirrups  to  look  over  the  bill, 
a  moment  before  be  made  the  charge  ;  and 
Buceeeded  in  turning  the  band  into  the  camp, 
as  the  Indians  charged  into  the  bottom  with 
the  usual  yell.  Hefore  they  reached  us,  the 
grove  on  tbo  verge  of  the  little  bottom  was 
occupied  by  our  people,  and  the  Indians 
brought  to  a  sudden  halt,  which  they  made 
in  tiiiie  to  save  themselves  from  a  howitzer 
shot,  which  would  undoubtedly  have  been 
very  effective  in  such  a  compact  body  ;  and 
further  proceedings  were  interrupted  by 
their  signs  for  peace.  They  proved  to  be  a 
war  party  of  Arapabo  and  Cheyenne  In- 
dians, and  informed  us  that  they  had  charged 
upon  the  camp  under  the  belief  that  we  were 
hostile  Indians,  and  had  discovered  their 
mistake  only  at  the  moment  of  the  attack 
— an  excuse  which  policy  required  us  to  re- 
ceive as  true,  though  under  the  full  convic- 
tion that  the  display  of  our  little  howitzer, 
and  our  favorable  position  in  the  grove,  cer- 
tainly saved  our  horses,  and  probably  our- 
selves, from  their  marauding  intentions. 
They  had  been  on  a  war  party,  and  had 
been  defeated,  and  were  consequently  in  the 
state  of  mind  which  aggravates  their  innate 
thirst  for  plunder  and  blood.  Their  excuse, 
however,  was  taken  in  good  part,  and  the 
usual  evidences  of  friendship  interchanged. 
The  pipe  went  round,  provisions  were 
spread,  and  the  tobacco  and  goods  furnished 
the  customary  presents,  which  they  look 
for  even  from  traders,  and  much  more  from 
government  authorities. 

Th(!y  were  returning  from  an  expedition 
against  the  Shoshonee  Indians,  one  of  whose 
villages  they  had  surprised,  at  Bridger's 
fort,  on  Ham's  fork  of  Green  river,  (in  the 
absence  of  the  men,  who  were  engaged  in 
an  antelope  surround,)  and  succeeded  in 
carrying  off  their  horses  and  taking  several 
scalps.  News  of  the  attack  reached  the 
Snakes  immediately,  who  pursued  and 
overtook  them,  and  recovered  their  horses; 
and,  in  the  running  fight  which  ensued,  the 
Arapahos  had  lost  several  men  killed,  and 
a  number  wounded,  who  were  coming  on 
more  slowly  with  a  party  in  the  rear. 
Nearly  all  the  horses  they  had  brought  off 
were  the  property  of  the  whites  at  the 
fort.  After  remaining  until  nearly  sunset, 
they  took  their  departure ;  and  the  excite- 
ment which  their  arrival  had  afforded  sub- 
sided into  our  usual  quiet,  a  little  enlivened 
by  the  vigilance  rendered  necessary  by  the 


neighborhood  of  our  uncertain  visiters. 
At  noon  the  thermometer  was  at  75<3,  at 
sunset  70<^,  and  the  evening  clear.  Eleva- 
tion above  the  sea  ft, 820  feet ;  latitude  4 1'^ 
30'  00"  ;  longitude  107^  83'  27". 

Aiiffust  0. — At  sunrise  the  thermometer 
was  '16'^,  tbo  morning  being  clear  and 
calm.  Wo  travelled  to-day  over  an  ex- 
tremely rugged  country,  barren  and  un- 
interesting— nothing  to  bo  seen  but  arte- 
misia  bushes ;  and,  in  the  evening,  found  a 
grassy  spot  among  the  hills,  kept  green  by 
several  springs,  where  we  encamped  late. 
Within  a  few  hundred  yards  was  a  very 
pretty  little  stream  of  clear  cool  water, 
whose  green  banks  looked  refreshing  among 
the  dry  rocky  bills.  The  hunters  brought 
in  a  fat  mountain  sheep,  (ovis  montana.) 

Our  road  the  next  day  was  through  a 
continued  and  dense  field  ot  artemisia, 
which  now  entirely  covered  the  country  in 
such  a  luxuriant  growth  that  it  was  difficult 
and  laborious  for  a  man  on  foot  to  force  his 
way  through,  and  nearly  impracticable  for 
our  light  carriages.  Th  region  through 
which  we  were  travelling  was  a  high 
plateau,  constituting  the  dividing  ridge  be- 
tween the  waters  of  the  Atlantic  and  Pa- 
cific oceans,  and  extending  to  a  considera- 
ble distance  southward,  from  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  Table  rock,  at  the  southern 
side  of  the  South  Pass.  Though  broken 
up  into  rugged  and  rocky  hills  of  a  dry  and 
barren  nature,  it  has  nothing  of  a  moun- 
tainous character  ;  the  small  streams  which 
occasionally  occur  belonging  neither  to  the 
Platte  nor  the  Colorado,  but  losing  them- 
selves either  in  the  sand  or  in  small  lakes. 
From  an  eminence,  in  the  afternoon,  a 
mountainous  range  became  visible  in  the 
north,  in  which  were  recognised  some 
rocky  peaks  belonging  to  the  range  of  the 
Sweet  Water  valley;  and,  determining  to 
abandon  any  further  attempt  to  struggle 
through  this  almost  impracticable  country, 
we  turned  our  course  directly  north,  towards 
a  pass  in  the  valley  of  the  Sweet  Water 
river.  A  shaft  of  the  gun-carriage  was 
broken  during  the  afternoon,  causing  a  con- 
siderable delay ;  and  it  was  late  in  an  un- 
pleasant evening  before  we  succeeded  in 
finding  a  very  poor  encampment,  where 
there  was  a  little  water  in  a  deep  trench  of 
a  creek,  and  some  scanty  grass  among  the 
shrubs.  All  the  game  here  consisted  in  a 
few  straggling  buffalo  bulls,  and  during  the 
day  there  had  been  but  very  little  grass, 
except  in  some  green  spots  where  it  had 
collected  around  springs  or  shallow  lakes. 
Within  fifty  miles  of  the  Sweet  Water,  the 
courlry  changed  into  a  vast  saline  plain,  in 
many  places  extremely  level,  occasionally 
resembling  the  flat  sandy  beds  of  shallow 
lakes.     Here  the  vegetation  consisted  of  a 


II 


i 


[1813. 

visiters, 
t  75",  at 
Eleva- 
itui'o  4 1" 

rmomcler 
le:ir  nnd 
r   an  ex- 

and  un- 
bi',t  arte- 
r,  found  a 

green  by 
ipcd  late. 
8  a  very 
ol  water, 
ng  among 
B  brought 
liana.) 
hrough  a 
arlemisia, 
jountry  in 
18  difficult 
)  force  his 
icable  for 
n  through 
a    high 

ridge  be- 

and  Pa- 

considera- 

neighbor- 

soulhern 

B[h  broken 

a  dry  and 
f  a  moun- 
ams  which 
ther  to  the 
sing  them- 
[nall  lakes, 
fternoon,  a 
Ible  in  the 
ised  some 
inge  of  the 
^rmining  to 
.0  struggle 
lie  country, 
th,  towards 
^eet  Water 
rriage  was 
isjpg  a  con- 
5  in  an  un- 
icceeded  in 
ent,  where 
!p  trench  of 

among  the 
nsisted  in  a 
1  during  the 
little  grass, 
here  it  had 
allow  lakes. 

Water,  the 
ine  plain,  in 
occasionally 
J  of  shallow 
insisted  of  a 


1643. 


CAPT    FREMONT'S  IN  AKiva  1 1 . ... 


71 


shrubby  growth,  among  which  wore  several 
variotjpa  of  chenopodiaccnus  plant.s ;  but 
ihe  charautoriBtic  shrub  was  Fremonlm 
virmicularis,  with  smaller  saline  shrubs 
prrowing  with  singular  luxuriance,  and  in 
many  places  holding  exclusive  possession 
of  the  ground. 

On  the  evening  of  tlio  8th,  \vv  encamped 
on  Olio  of  these  fresh-water  lakes,  which 
tlip  traveller  considers  himself  fortunate  to 
liiui ;  and  the  next  day,  in  latitude  by  ob- 
servation 42°  20'  06",  halted  to  noon  im- 
mediately at  the  foot  of  the  southern  side 
•f  the  range  which  walls  in  the  Sweet 
Water  valley,  on  the  head  of  a  small  tribu- 
tary to  that  river. 

Continuing  in  the  afternoon  our  course 
down  the  stream,  which  here  cuts  directly 
through  the  ridge,  forming  a  very  practica- 
ble pass,  we  entered  the  valley  ;  and,  after 
a  march  of  about  nine  miles,  encamped  on 
our  familiar  river,  endeared  to  us  by  the 
acquaintance  of  the  previous  expedition ; 
Uie  night  having  already  closed  in  with  a 
culd  rain-storm.  Our  camp  was  about 
twenty  miles  above  the  Devil's  gate,  which 
we  had  been  able  to  see  in  coming  down 
Uic  plain ;  and,  in  the  course  of  the  night, 
the  clouds  broke  away  around  Jupiter  for  a 
short  time,  during  which  we  obtained  an 
emersion  of  the  first  satellite,  the  result 
of  which  agreed  very  nearly  with  the 
chronometer,  giving  for  the  mean  longitude 
107^"  50'  07" ;  elevation  above  the  sea  6,040 
feet ;  and  distance  from  St.  Vrain's  fort,  by 
the  road  wo  had  just  travelled,  315  miles. 

Here  passes  the  road  to  Oregon ;  and 
the  broad  smooth  highway,  where  the  nu- 
merous heavy  wagons  of  the  emigrants 
iiad  entirely  beaten  and  crushed  the  arte- 
inisia,  was  a  happy  exchange  to  our  poor 
animals  for  the  sharp  rocks  and  tough 
shiubs  among  which  they  had  been  toiling 
so  long;  and  we  moved  up  the  valley 
rapidly  and  pleasantly.  With  very  little 
deviation  from  our  route  of  the  preceding 
year,  we  continued  up  the  valley ;  and  on 
the  evening  of  the  12th  encamped  on  the 
Sweet  Water,  at  a  point  where  tie  road 
turns  off  to  cross  to  the  plains  of  Green 
river.  The  increased  coolness  of  the 
weather  indicated  that  we  had  attained  a 
ffieat  elevation,  which  the  barometer  here 
placed  at  7,220  feet ;  and  during  the  night 
water  froze  in  the  lodge. 

The  morning  of  the  13th  was  clear  and 
nold,  there  being  a  white  frost;  and  the 
thermometer,  a  little  before  sunrise,  stand- 
ing at  26.5°.  Leaving  this  encampment, 
(our  last  on  the  waters  which  flow  towards 
the  rising  sun,)  we  took  our  way  along  the 
upland,  towards  the  dividing  ridge  which 
separates  the  Atlantic  from  the  Pacific 
waters,  and  crossed  it  by  a  road  some  miles 


farther  south  than  the  one  we  had  followed 
on  our  return  in   1842.     Wo  crossed  very 
near  the  table  mountain,  at  tho  southern 
extremity  of   tho    South    Pass,   which    is 
near  twenty   miles   in  width,  and  already 
traversed  by  several  different  road«.     Se- 
lecting as  well  as  I  could,  in  the  scarcely 
distinguishable  ascent,  what  might  bo  con- 
sidered the  dividing  ridge  in  thi.s  rctnark.i- 
ble  depression   in   tho  mountain,  1  took  a 
barometrical  observation,  which  gave  7,400 
feet  for  the  elevation    above   the  (iulf  o( 
Mexico.     You  will  remember  rtiat,  in  my 
report  of  1842,  I  estimated  the  elevation  of 
this  pass  at  about  7,000  feet ;  a  correct  ob- 
servation with  a   good    barometer  enables 
me  now  to  give   it  with  more    precision. 
Its  importance,  as  the  great  gate  through 
which  commerce  and  travelling  may  here- 
after pass  between  tho  valley  of  the   Mis- 
sissippi and  the  north    Pacific,  justifies  a 
precise  notice  of  its  locality  and  distance 
from    leading    points,  in  addition   to   this 
statement  of  its  elevation.      As  stated  in 
the  report  of  1842,  its  latitude  at  the  point 
where  we  crossed  is  42^  24'  32  " ;  its  longi- 
tude  100°  26'  00";  its  distance  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Kaiisiis,  by  the  common  trav- 
elling route,  962  miles ;  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Great  IMatte,  along  the  valley  of  that 
river,  according  to  our   survey  of    1842, 
882  miles ;  and  its  distance  from  St.  Louis 
about  400  miles  more  by  the  Kansas,  and 
about  700  by  the  Great  Platte  route  ;  these 
additions   being  steamboat    conveyance  in 
both    instances.      From   this   pass   to  the 
mouth  of  the  Oregon  is  about  1,400  miles 
by  the  common  travelling  route ;  so  that, 
under  a  general  point  of  view,  it  may  be 
assumed  to  be  about  half  way  between  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Pacific  ocean,. on  the 
common    travelling    route.      Following   a 
hollow    of    slight    and    easy    descent,    in 
which  was  very  soon  formed  a  little  tribu- 
tary to  the  Gulf  of  California,  (for  the  waters 
which  flow  west  from  the  South  Pass  go  to 
this  gulf,)  we  made  our   usual    halt    four 
miles  from  the  pass,  in  latitude  by  observa- 
tion 42°  19'  53".     Entering  here  the  valley 
of  Green  river — the  great  Colorado  of  the 
West — and    inclining    very  much   to    the 
southward  along  the  streams  which  form 
the  Sandy  river,  the  road  led  for  several 
days    over    dry    and    Ijvel    uninteresting 
plains ;  to  which  a  low,  scrubby  growth  of 
artemisia  gave  a  uniform  dull  grayish  color ; 
and  on   the   evening  of  the   15th  we  en- 
camped in  the  Mexican  territory,  on  the  left 
bank  of  Green  river,  69  miles  from  the 
South  Pass,  in  longitude  110°  05'  05",  and 
latitude  41°  53'  54",  distant  1,031  miles 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas.     This  is 
the  emigrant  road  to  Oregon,  which  bears 
much  to  the  southward,  to  avoid  Ihe  moun- 


,'. 


.-■■4:\i 


m 


^Atl.  FREMONT'S  NAUUATIVE. 


[1841. 


tains  about  tlio    western  heailii  of  (irceii 
liver — tho  Rio  Vrnlc  of  llio  Spaniiuda. 

Augux/  10. — ('ro8»iiiK  tho  river,  lierc 
about  100  feet  wide,  \>y  a  very  yond  ford, 
wo  continued  to  doBcond  for  seven  or  ei^lit 
miloH  on  a  pleasant  road  alonp  tho  ri<(lu 
bank  of  the  stream,  of  wliioli  the  islands 
and  shores  are  iiand.<<onicly  timbered  with 
cotton-wood.  The  refieuhint^  appearance  of 
the  ))niud  river,  with  its  timbered  shores 
and  p;reen  wooded  islands,  in  contrast  to  its 
dry  sandy  plains,  probably  obtained  for  it  the 
name  of  Green  river,  which  was  bestowed 
on  it  by  the  Spaniards  who  first  came  into 
this  country  to  trade  some  25  years  ago.  It 
was  then  familiarly  known  as  the  Secils-ke- 
dee-agie,  or  Prairie  Jlen  {tcfrao  urophasi- 
anus)  river ;  a  name  whicii  it  received  from 
the  Crows,  to  whom  its  upper  waters  be- 
long, and  on  which  this  bird  is  still  very 
abundant.  By  the  Shosbonee  and  Utah 
Indians,  to  whom  belongs,  for  a  considerable 
distance  beh)w,  tho  country  wiiere  we  were 
now  travelling,  it  was  called  the  Bitter 
Root  river,  from  the  great  abundance  in  its 
valley  of  a  plant  which  affords  them  one  of 
their  favorite  roots.  Lower  down,  from 
Brown's  hole  to  the  southward,  the  river 
runs  through  lofty  ciiasms,  walled  in  by  pre- 
cipices of  red  rock  ;  and  even  among  the 
wilder  tribes  who  inhabit  that  portion  of  its 
course,  I  have  heard  it  called  by  Indian 
refugees  from  the  Californian  settlements 
the  Rio  Colorado.  We  halted  to  noon  at 
the  upper  end  of  a  large  bottom,^near  some 
old  houses,  which  had  been  a  trading  post, 
in  latitude  41^  46'  54".  At  this  place  the 
elevation  of  the  river  above  the  sea  is 
6,230  feet.  That  of  Lewis's  fork  of  the 
Columbia  at  Ii)urt  Hall  is,  according  to  our 
subsequent  observations,  4,500  feet.  The 
descent  of  each  stream  is  rapid,  but  that  of 
the  Colorado  is  but  little  known,  and  that 
little  derived  from  vague  report.  Three 
hundred  miles  of  its  lower  part,  as  it  ap- 
proaches the  gulf  of  California,  is  reported 
to  be  smooth  and  tranquil ;  but  its  upper 
part  is  manifestly  broken  into  many  falls 
and  rapids.  From  many  descriptions  of 
tappers,  it  is  probable  that  in  its  foaming 
course  among  its  lofty  precipices  it  presents 
many  scenes  of  wild  grandeur ;  and  though 
offering  many  temptations,  and  often  dis- 
cussed, no  trappers  have  been  found  bold 
enough  to  undertake  a  voyage  which  has  so 
certain  a  prospect  of  a  fatal  termination. 
The  Indians  have  strange  stories  of  beauti- 
ful valleys  abounding  with  beaver,  shut  up 
among  inaccessible  walls  of  rock  in  the  lower 
course  of  the  river ;  and  to  which  the  neigh- 
boring Indians,  in  their  occasional  wars  with 
the  Spaniards,  and  among  themselves,  drive 
their  herds  of  cattle  and  fiocks  of  sheep, 
leaving  them  to  pastiire  in  perfect  security. 


Tho  road  here  loaves  tho  river,  which 
bends  considerably  to  tho  east ;  and  in  the 
at\oriioon  wo  rusumcd  our  westerly  course, 
passing  over  a  somewhat  high  and  broken 
country  ;  and  about  sunset,  after  a  day's 
travel  of  20  miles,  reached  Black's  fork  of 
the  (iroen  river — a  shallow  stream,  with  a 
somewhat  sluggish  current,  about  120  feet 
wide,  timbered  principally  with  willow,  and 
here  and  there  an  occasional  large  tree.  At 
3  in  tho  morning  1  obtained  an  observation 
of  an  emersion  of  the  first  satellite  of  Ju|)i- 
tor,  with  other  observations.  The  heavy 
wagims  have  so  completely  pulverized  tho 
soil,  that  clouds  of  fine  light  dust  are  raised 
by  the  slightest  wind,  making  the  road 
sometimes  very  disagreeable. 

August  17. — Leaving  our  encampment 
at  0  in  the  morning,  we  travelled  along  the 
bottom,  wiiich  is  about  two  miles  wide, 
bordered  by  low  hills,  in  which  the  strata 
contained  handsome  and  very  distinct  vege- 
table fossils.  In  a  gully  a  short  distance 
farther  up  the  river,  and  underlying  these, 
was  exposed  a  stratum  of  an  impure  or 
argillaceous  limestone.  Crossing  on  the 
way  Black's  fork,  where  it  is  one  foot  deep 
and  forty  wide,  with  clear  water  and  a 
pebbly  bed,  in  nine  miles  we  reached  Ham's 
ibrk,  a  tributary  to  the  former  stream,  hav- 
ing now  about  sixty  feet  breadth,  and  a  few 
inches  depth  of  water.  It  is  wooded  with 
thickets  of  red  willow,  and  in  the  bottom  is 
a  tolerably  strong  growth  of  grass.  The 
road  here  makes  a  traverse  of  twelve  miles 
across  a  bend  of  the  river.  Passing  in  the 
way  some  remarkable  hills,  two  or  three 
hundred  feet  high,  with  frequent  and  nearly 
vertical  escarpments  of  a  green  stone,  con- 
sisting of  an  argillaceous  carbonate  of  lime, 
alternating  with  strata  of  an  iron-brown 
limestone,  and  worked  into  picturesque 
forms  by  wind  and  rain,  at  2  in  the  after- 
noon we  reached  the  river  again,  having 
made  to-day  31  miles.  Since  crossing  tho 
great  dividing  ridge  of  the  Rocky  moun 
tains,  plants  have  boon  very  few  in  variety, 
the  country  being  covered  principally  with 
artemisia. 

August  18. — We  passed  on  the  road,  this 
morning,  the  grave  of  one  of  the  emigrants, 
being  the  second  we  had  seen  since  falling 
into  their  trail ;  and  halted  to  noon  on  the 
river,  a  short  distance  above. 

The  Shoshonee  woman  took  leave  of  us 
here,  expecting  to  And  some  of  her  relations 
at  Bridger's  fort,  which  is  only  a  mile  or 
two  distant,  on  a  fork  of  this  stream.  In 
the  evening  we  encamped  on  a  salt  creek, 
about  fifteen  feet  wide,  having  to-day  trav- 
elled 32  miles. 

I  obtained  an  emersion  of  the  first  satel- 
lite under  favorable  circumstances,  the  night 
being  still  and  clear. 


1843.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


!r,  which 
1(1  in  the 
y  course, 
(I  l)rokcu 
r  a  day's 
's  fork  of 
III,  with  u 

120  feel 
How,  ami 

tree.  Al 
)McrVHtioii 
!  of  Ju|)i- 
ho  htsavy 
Brized  tho 
arc  raised 
tlic    ruad 

campnient 

aloii|r  thn 

lo8   wide, 

tho  strata 

inct  vege- 

t  distanoo 

ing  these, 

iiiipiirc  or 

ig  on   the 

foot  deep 

tcr   and  a 

led  Ham's 

earn,  hav- 

and  a  few 

loded  with 

s  hottom  is 

ass.     The 

rolve  miles 

sing  in  the 

0  or  three 

and  nearly 

stone,  con- 

ite  of  lime, 

iron-brown 

ticturesquo 

the  after- 

lin,  having 

ossing  the 

[;ky  moun 

in  variety, 

ipally  with 

3  road,  this 
emigrants, 
nee  falling 
oon  on  the 

eave  of  us 
3r  relations 
a  mile  or 
bream.  In 
salt  creek, 
)-day  Irav- 

first  satel- 
9,  the  night 


i 

i 


One  of  our  mules  died  here,  and  in  this 
portion  of  our  journey  wo  lost  six  or  sev(!n 
of  our  animals.  Thn  grass  which  the 
country  had  lately  aflbrdod  was  very  poor 
uiiil  insufTicieiit  ;  and  animals  which  have 
l)ei'ii  acciititomcd  to  grain  bocuine  soon 
\vt':ik  and  uiiahle  to  labor,  when  reduced  to 
110  otiior  nourishment  than  grass.  Tho 
American  horses  (as  those  are  usually 
riillud  which  arn  brmight  to  this  country 
iVoiii  the  States)  are  nut  of  any  serviceable 
value  until  after  they  have  remained  a 
winter  in  tho  country,  and  bccuino  ac- 
cu>)loiiied  to  live  entirely  on  grass. 

August  19. — Desirous  to  avoid  every  de- 
lay not  absolutely  necessary,  I  sent  on  Car- 
son ill  advance  to  Fort  Hall  this  morning, 
10  make  arrangements  for  a  small  supply 
of  provisions.  A  few  miles  from  our  en- 
euinpinent,  the  road  entered  a  high  ridge, 
which  the  trappers  called  the  "  little  moun- 
tain," connecting  the  Utah  with  the  Wind 
river  chain  ;  and  in  one  of  the  hills  near 
which  wo  passed  I  remarked  strata  of  a 
coii^rlomerato  formation,  fragments  of  which 
were  scattered  over  the  surface.  We  cross- 
ed a  ridge  of  this  conglomerate,  the  road 
passing  near  a  grove  of  low  cedar,  and  de- 
scended upon  one  of  the  heads  of  Ham's 
fork,  called  Muddy,  where  we  made  our 
mid-day  halt.  In  the  river  hills  at  this  place, 
1  discovered  strata  of  fossilliferous  rock, 
having  an  oolitic  structure,  which,  in  con- 
nection with  the  neighboring  strata,  autho- 
rize us  to  believe  that  here,  on  the  west 
bide  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  we  iind  re- 
peated the  modern  formations  of  Great  Bri- 
tain and  Europe,  which  have  hitherto  been 
wanting  to  complete  the  system  of  North 
American  geology. 

In  the  afternoon  we  continued  our  road, 
and,  searching  among  the  hills  a  few  miles 
up  tho  stream,  and  on  the  same  bank,  I  dis- 
covered, among  alternating  beds  of  coal  and 
clay,  a  stratum  of  white  indurated  clay, 
containing  very  clear  and  beautiful  impres- 
sions of  vegetable  remains.  This  was  the 
tiost  interesting  fossil  locality  I  had  met  in 
the  country,  and  I  deeply  regretted  that 
time  did  not  permit  me  to  remain  a  day  or 
two  in  the  vicinity  ;  but  I  could  not  antici- 
pate the  delays  to  which  I  might  be  exposed 
in  the  course  of  our  journey — or,  rather,  I 
knew  that  they  were  many  and  inevitable  ; 
and  after  remaining  here  only  about  an  hour, 
I  hurried  off,  loaded  with  as  many  speci- 
mens as  I  could  conveniently  carry. 

Coal  made  its  appearance  occasionally  in 
the  hills  during  the  afternoon,  and  was  dis- 
played in  rabbit  burrows  in  a  kind  of  gap, 
through  which  we  passed  over  some  liigh 
hillsj  and  we  descended  to  make  our  en- 
campment on  the  same  Rtream,  where  we 
found  but  very  poor  grass.     In  the  evening 


a  fine  cow,  with  her  calf,  which  had  strayed 
off  from  some  emigrant  party,  wnrr  found 
several  miles  from  the  road,  and  brnught 
into  camp ;  and  as  she  gave  an  abundance 
of  milk,  we  enjoyed  to-night  an  excellent 
cut)  of  coHen.  Wo  travelled  to-day  ii8 
miles,  and,  as  has  been  usual  Mince  croH«iiig 
the  (ireen  river,  the  road  has  been  very 
dusty,  .and  tho  weather  smoky  and  oppres- 
sively hot.  Artemisia  was  characterititiu 
among  tho  few  plants. 

August  80. — Wo  contiii  icd  to  travel  up 
the  creek  by  a  very  gradual  ascent  and  a 
very  excellent  giassy  road,  passing  on  the 
way  several  small  forks  of  the  stream.  The 
hills  hero  are  higher,  presenting  escarp- 
ments of  parti-colorcd  and  apparently  clay 
rocks,  purple,  dark  rod,  and  yellow,  con- 
taining strata  of  sandstone  and  liinestono 
with  shells,  with  a  bed  of  cemented  pebiiies, 
the  whole  overlaid  by  beds  of  limestone. 
The  alternation  of  red  and  yellow  gives  a 
bright  appearance  to  tho  hills,  one  of  which 
was  called  by  our  people  thn  Rainbow  hill ; 
and  tho  character  of  the  country  becamo 
more  agreeable,  and  travelling  tar  more 
pleasant,  as  now  we  found  timber  and  very 
good  grass.  Gradually  ascending,  \vc  reach- 
ed the  lower  level  of  a  bed  of  white  lime- 
stone, lying  upon  a  white  clay,  on  the  upper 
line  of  which  the  whole  road  is  abundantly 
supplied  with  beautiful  cool  springs,  gushing 
out  a  foot  in  breadth  and  several  inches 
deep,  directly  from  the  hill  side.  At  noon 
we  halted  at  the  last  main  fork  of  the  creek, 
at  an  elevation  of  7,200  feet,  and  in  latitude, 
by  observation,  41<3  39'  45";  and  in  the  af- 
ternoon continued  on  the  same  excellent 
road,  up  the  left  or  northern  fork  of  the 
stream,  towards  its  head,  in  a  pass  which 
the  barometer  placed  at  8,230  feet  above 
the  sea.  This  is  a  connecting  ridge  be- 
tween the  Utah  or  Bear  river  mountains 
and  the  Wind  river  chain  of  the  Rocky 
mountains,  separating  the  waters  of  the 
gulf  of  California  on  the  east,  and  those  on 
the  west  belonging  more  directly  to  the  Pa- 
cific, from  a  vast  interior  basin  whose  "rivers 
are  collected  into  numerous  lakes  having 
no  outlet  to  the  ocean.  From  the  summit 
of  this  pass,  the  highest  which  the  road 
crosses  between  the  Mississippi  and  th4 
Western  ocean,  our  view  was  over  a  very 
mountainous  region,  whose  rugged  appear- 
ance was  greatly  increased  by  the  smoky 
weather,  through  which  the  broken  ridges 
were  dark  and  dimly  seen.  The  ascent  to 
the  summit  of  the  gap  was  occasionally 
steeper  than  the  national  road  in  the  AUe- 
ghanies ;  and  the  descent,  by  way  of  a  spur 
on  the  western  side,  is  rather  precipitous, 
but  the  pass  may  still  be  called  a  good  one. 
Some  thickets  of  willow  in  the  hollows  be- 
low deceived  us  into  the  expectation  of 


^•^::: 


m 


74 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAKUATIVR. 


ri84S 


!•-? 


f;i' 


Andinif  a  camp  at  our  usual  hotir  at  ilin  root 
of  the  mountain  ;  Imt  wo  funnel  tlirm  with- 
out wulor,  and  eo'itinnt'd  down  u  riivinf, 
and  onrampi'd  ubout  dark  at  a  iilac*'  wlicrn 
iho  Bpringa  ajo^ain  bc^an  to  mako  tlit'ir  ap- 

|>«arancc,  but  where  our  animals  fartui  bad- 
y  ;  the  stock  of  the  cnii^ranta  ha\in({  razod 
tlie  grass  as  complele! y  att  if  wr  woro  ayain 


Aiiffuxt  SI, — An  hour's  Iravfl  this  morn- 
ing; lir«>iiplit  us  into  tbn  fcrtilo  and  pirlu- 
rtviuo  valloy  of  Hear  rivrr,  tho  principal 
tributary  to  tho  (Jrcat  Salt  lake.  The 
Ntream  is  hero  200  feet  wide,  friuRt'd  with 
willows  and  occasional  ^^ roups  of  hawthorns. 
We  were  now  entering  a  region  which  for 
us  possessed  a  strange  and  extraordinary 
interest.  Wo  were  upon  tho  waters  of  the 
famous  lake  which  forms  a  salient  point 
among  the  remarkable  geographical  features 
of  the  country,  and  around  which  the  vuguo 
and  superstitious  accounts  of  thn  trappers 
had  thrown  a  delightful  obscurity,  which 
we  anticipated  pleasure  in  dispelling,  but 
which,  in  the  mean  time,  left  a  crowded 
field  for  the  exercise  of  our  imagination. 

In  our  occasional  conversations  with  the 
few  old  hunters  who  had  visited  the  region, 
it  had  been  a  subject  of  frequent  specula- 
tion ;  and  the  wonders  which  they  related 
were  not  the  less  agreeable  because  they 
were  highly  exaggerated  and  impossible. 

Hitherto  this  lake  had  been  seen  only  by 
trappers  who  were  wandering  through  the 
country  in  search  of  new  beaver  streams, 
oaring  very  little  for  geography  ;  its  islands 
had  never  been  visited  ;  and  none  were  to 
be  found  who  had  entirely  made  the  circuit 
of  its  shores ;  and  no  instrumental  observa- 
tions or  geographical  survey,  of  any  de- 
scription, had  ever  been  made  anywhere  in 
the  neighboring  region.  It  was  generally 
supposed  that  it  had  no  visible  outlet ;  but 
among  the  trappers,  including  those  in  my 
own  camp,  were  many  who  believed  that 
somewhere  on  its  surface  was  a  terrible 
whirlpool,  through  which  its  waters  found 
their  way  to  the  ocean  by  some  subterra- 
nean communication.  All  these  things  had 
made  a  frequent  subject  of  discussion  in  our 
desultory  conversations  around  the  fires  at 
night ;  and  my  own  mind  had  become  toler- 
ably well  filled  with  their  indefinite  pictures, 
and  insensibly  colored  with  their  romantic 
descriptions,  which,  in  the  pleasure  of  ex- 
citement, I  was  well  disposed  to  believe, 
and  half  expected  to  realize. 

Where  we  descended  into  this  beautiful 
valley,  it  is  three  to  four  miles  in  breadth, 
perfectly  level,  and  bounded  by  mountainous 
ridges,  one  above  another,  rising  suddenly 
from  the  plain. 

We  continued  our  road  down  the  river, 
and  at  night  encamped  with  a  family  of  emi- 


5 rants — two  men,  women,  ami  Hevoral  chil 
rt'ii — who  appeared  to  bo  bringing  up  thn 
rear  of  the  great  caravan.  1  was  Htrtick 
with  the  fine  appearance  of  their  cuttle, 
Moine  Mix  or  eight  yoke  of  oxen,  which  really 
looked  UH  well  ua  if  they  had  been  all  lliti 
Diiiiimer  ut  work  on  Nome  good  farm.  It 
wait  Htrango  to  sec  one  small  family  travel- 
ling along  through  such  a  coiiiilry,  no  remote 
from  civilization.  Some  nine  years  since, 
Nuch  a  security  might  have  been  a  fatal  one  , 
but  since  their  disaotrous  defeats  in  tin; 
country  a  little  north,  the  Uluckfeet  have 
ceased  to  visit  these  waters.  Indians,  how- 
ever, are  very  uncertain  in  their  localiticH  : 
and  the  friendly  feelings,  also,  of  those  nuM 
inhabiting  it  may  be  changed. 

According  to  barometrical  observation  n\ 
noon,  the  elevation  of  the  valley  was  6,400 
feet  above  the  sea  ;  and  our  encampment  at 
night  in  latitude  42°  03'  47",  and  longitude 
lil°  10  53",  by  observation— the  day's 
journey  having  been  26  miles.  This  en- 
campment was  therefore  within  the  territo- 
rial limit  of  the  Uaited  States ;  our  travel- 
ling, from  the  time  we  entered  the  valley  of 
the  (treen  river,  on  the  15th  of  August, 
having  been  to  the  south  of  tho  42d  degree 
of  north  latitude,  and  consequently  on  Mexi- 
can territory  ;  and  this  is  the  route  nil  the 
emigrants  now  travel  to  Oregon. 

1  he  temperature  at  sunset  was  65'^  ;  and 
at  evening  there  was  a  distant  thunder 
storm,  with  a  light  breeze  from  the  north. 

Antelope  and  elk  were  seen  during  the 
day  on  the  opposite  prairie  ;  and  there  were 
ducks  and  geese  in  tho  river. 

The  next  morning,  in  about  three  miles 
from  our  encampment,  wo  reached  Smith's 
fork,  a  stream  of  clear  water,  about  50  feet 
in  breadth.  It  is  timbered  with  cotton-wood, 
willow,  and  aspen,  and  makes  a  beautiful 
debouchement  through  a  pass  about  600 
yards  wide,  between  remarkable  mountain 
hills,  rising  abruptly  on  either  side,  and  form- 
ing gigantic  columns  to  the  gate  by  which  it 
enters  Bear  river  valley.  The  bottoms, 
which  below  Smith's  fork  had  been  two 
miles  wide,  narrowed,  as  we  advanced,  to  a 
gap  500  yards  wide  ;  and  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  day  wc  had  a  winding  route,  the 
river  making  very  sharp  and  sudden  bends, 
the  mountains  steep  and  rocky,  and  the  val- 
ley occasionally  so  narrow  as  only  to  leave 
space  for  a  passage  through. 

We  made  our  halt  at  noon  in  a  fertile  bot- 
tom, where  the  common  blue  flax  was  grow- 
ing abundantly,  a  few  miles  below  the  mouth 
of  Thomas's  fork,  one  of  the  larger  tribu- 
taries of  the  river. 

Crossing,  in  the  afternoon,  the  point  of  a 
narrow  spur,  we  descended  into  a  beautiful 
bottom,  formed  by  a  lateral  valley,  which 
presented  a  picture  of  home  beauty  that 


ing 
late 


fl84S 


1843] 


CAP'".  FREMONT'S  NARFIATIVK. 


Mciit  directly  to  our  bearta.  Tlio  eAge  of 
tlio  wood,  fur  Bcveral  miica  along  thn  rivor, 
wuN  dotltid  with  the  whitu  covera  uf  <>ini- 
Kfiint  wu((uiiB,  collcctud  in  ^roupa  ut  difler- 
ent  i*ntn])8,  where  the  amokea  were  riainft 
lazily  from  the  firea,  around  which  thu  wo- 
men weru  occupied  in  preparing  the  evening 
mciil,  and  the  children  playing  in  the  grasa  ; 
and  herds  of  cattle,  grazing  about  iu  the  bot- 
tom, had  an  air  of  quiot  acuurity,  and  civil- 
i-i,od  comfort,  that  made  a  rare  aight  for  the 
traveller  in  anch  a  remote  wilderneaa. 

Ill  common  with  all  the  emigration,  thoy 
had  been  rcpuaing  for  aevcral  idaya  in  this 
dolighlful  valley,  in  order  to  recruit  their 
iinimala  on  ita  luxuriant  pasturage  after  their 
long  journey,  and  prepare  them  for  the  hard 
travel  along  the  comparatively  aterilo  banka 
uf  tho  Upper  Columbia.  At  the  lower  end 
of  this  uxlenaive  bottom,  tho  liver  paaaes 
liirough  an  open  caflon,  where  there  wore 
high  vertical  rocka  to  the  water's  edge,  and 
the  road  here  turna  up  a  broad  valley  to  tho 
right.  It  waa  already  near  sunset ;  but, 
hoping  to  reach  the  river  again  before  night, 
we  continued  our  march  along  the  valley, 
finding  thu  road  tolerably  good,  until  wo 
arrived  at  a  point  where  it  croaaea  the  ridge 
by  an  usuent  of  a  mile  in  length,  which  was 
80  very  steep  and  difficult  for  the  gun  and 
carriage,  that  we  did  not  reach  the  summit 
until  dark. 

It  waa  absolutely  necessary  to  descend 
into  the  valley  for  water  and  grass  ;  and  we 
were  obliged  to  grope  our  way  in  the  dark- 
ness down  a  very  steep,  bad  mountain,  reach- 
ing the  river  at  about  10  o'clock.  It  was 
late  before  our  animals  were  gathered  into 
eamp,  several  of  those  which  were  very 
weak  being  necessarily  left  to  pass  the  night 
on  the  ridge ;  and  we  sat  down  again  to  a 
midnight  supper.  Tho  road,  in  the  morn- 
ing, presented  an  animated  appearance.  We 
found  that  we  had  encamped  near  a  large 
party  of  emigrants  ;  and  a  few  miles  below, 
another  party  was  already  in  motion.  Here 
the  valley  had  resumed  its  usual  breadth, 
and  the  river  swept  off*  along  the  mountains 
on  the  western  side,  the  road  continuing  di- 
rectly on. 

In  about  an  hour's  travel  we  met  several 
Shoshonee  Indians,  who  informed  us  that 
they  belonged  to  a  large  village  which  had 
just  come  into  tho  valley  from  the  mountain 
to  the  westward,  where  they  had  been  hunt- 
ing antelope  and  gathering  service-berries. 
Glad  at  the  opportunity  of  seeing  one  of 
their  villages,  and  in  the  hope  of  purchasing 
from  them  a  few  horses,  I  turned  imme- 
diately off*  into  the  plain  towards  their  en- 
campment, which  was  situated  on  a  small 
stream  near  the  river. 

We  had  approached  within  something 
more  than  a  mile  of  the  village,  when  sud- 


denly a  aingiA  horaemaii  cmorgnd  from  it  at 
full  apeod,  fullowod  by  another,  and  another, 
HI  rapid  aucct!»Nion  ;  and  then  party  after 
party  pourtui  into  tho  itlain,  until,  when  the 
foruiiioHt  rider  ruacliiul  iin,  uII  the  whole  in- 
tervening plain  was  occupied  by  u  maHN  of 
horamnun,  which  canio  charging  down  upon 
ns  with  guns  and  nak<!il  hwodIm,  lancus,  and 
bowH  and  Hrrows, —  hi'liuim  cnliroly  naked, 
and  warriors  fully  dreMncd  for  war,  with  the 
lung  red  streamers  of  their  war  iionnulM 
reaching  nearly  to  the  ground,  all  minulnl 
together  in  tho  liravcry  of  navage  waifaie. 
They  had  been  thrown  into  a  siiddtn  tumult 
by  the  appearance  of  our  Hag,  which,  among 
these  people,  ia  regarded  as  an  emblem  of 
hostility — it  being  usually  borne  by  the 
Sioux,  and  tho  noighburing  mountain  In- 
dians, when  they  come  hero  to  war  :  and 
we  had,  accordingly,  been  mistaken  for  n 
body  of  their  enemies.  A  fow  words  from 
the  chief  quieted  the  excitement ;  and  thu 
whole  band,  increasing  every  moment  in 
number,  escorted  us  to  their  encampment, 
where  the  chief  pointed  out  a  |)laoc  for  us  to 
encamp,  near  his  own  lodge,  and  iiiadu 
known  our  purpose  in  visiting  thu  village. 
In  a  very  short  time  wo  purchased  eight 
horaes,  for  which  wu  gave  in  exchange 
blankets,  rod  and  blue  cloth,  beads,  kniv(!s, 
and  tobacco,  and  the  usual  other  articles  of 
Indian  traffic.  VV^e  obtained  from  them  also 
a  considerable  quantity  of  berries  of  dilTer- 
ent  kinds,  among  which  scrvicc-bcrrica 
were  the  most  abundant ;  and  several  kinds 
uf  roots  and  seeds,  which  wc  could  cat  with 
pleasure,  as  any  kind  of  vegetable  food  was 
gratifying  to  us.  I  ate  here,  for  tho  first 
time,  the  kooyah,  or  tobacco  root,  {Valeriana 
edulis,)  the  principal  edible  root  among  the 
Indians  who  inhabit  the  upper  waters  of  the 
streams  on  the  western  side  of  the  moun- 
tains. It  has  a  very  strong  and  remarkably 
peculiar  taste  and  odor,  which  I  can  com- 
pare to  no  other  vegetable  that  I  am  ac- 
quainted with,  and  which  to  some  persons  is 
extremely  offensive.  It  was  characterized 
by  Mr.  rreuss  as  the  most  horrid  food  he 
had  evv  put  in  his  mouth  ;  and  when,  in  the 
evening,  one  of  the  chiefs  sent  his  wife  to 
me  with  a  portion  which  she  had  prepared 
as  a  delicacy  to  regale  us,  the  odor  imme- 
diately drove  him  out  of  the  lodge  ;  and 
frequently  afterwards  he  used  to  beg  that 
when  those  who  liked  it  had  taken  what  they 
desired,  it  might  be  sent  away.  To  others, 
however,  the  taste  is  rather  an  agreeable 
one  ;  and  I  was  afterwards  always  glad 
when  it  formed  an  addition  to  our  scanty 
meals.  It  is  full  of  nutriment ;  and  in  its 
unprepared  state  is  said  by  the  Indians  to 
have  very  strong  poisonous  qualities,  of 
which  it  is  deprived  by  a  peculiar  process, 
being  baked  in  the  ground  for  about  two  daya. 


if.| 

As 


'    V 


■H 


>  !•  ■'( 


uSv 


irJj 


m 
M 


6 
m 


Tfl 


CAPT.  I'UKMON'r'.S  NARIIATIVK. 


[18  IS 


m'<i 


■'  1" 


Tliu  tiKirniiiu  ol'  tli«>  d  till  wtiH  ilin;i)^ri<t>u- 
biy  cool,  witli  itii  I'liNtcrlv  wiiiii  un<l  vory 
■inoky  wratluir.  \Vi>  miilo  u  liit«t  xtiirl  from 
thu  villu({i>,  liiiil,  ri-».'Hiiiin^'  thn  roiid,  (mi 
whicli,  ilurmj(  ull  ilir  <liiy,  wi-rr  «<«iiltt'ni(l 
lliu  emit^rant  \vutt<>n«,)  wi>  (Miniiiiiicd  mi 
down  the  vulli-y  of  lh«  river,  ImnU'iTd  liy 
hii(l>  ■i'l'J  tiitiiiiiiuiiioiiH  liilU,  oil  wtilcli  liri'K 
lii-(!  aoiMi  at  tilt!  Hiiiiiiiiit.      Tim  mhiI  ii|>|>(<:ii'n 

(((MI'TJlliy    U""*'i    IlltllOUU'll,  Witll  till)  ({l.l.'iMI'M, 

iiiuiiv  ol'  the  iiiaiits  urti  ilried  up,  probiilily  on 
itrroiiiit  of  llic  Krt'ut  lieiit  uiiil  \v;iiit  ul'  ruin, 
Thu  coiimion  bliiu  lliix  of  iMiltivutioii,  now 
alnioHl  eiitir«!ly  in  m'<i<l — only  a  ncutu-rril 
flower  Ixjro  ami  then!  ri'infiininK — ia  tin' 
nioMt  charucleristio  plant  of  thu  llciir  rivi'i 
valley.  Wlini  wc  (!ncuiii|ieil  at  niuht  on 
tho  riRht  liaiik  of  thu  river,  it  wiih  ^iowiiik 
an  in  a  Hown  litilil.  VVe  had  travelled  dnrini; 
tho  day  2'J  niihm,  enrainpint;  in  latitude  (hy 
observation)  I'J  'AW  50",  cliroiioinctric  loii- 
gitiido  111  '  1-J'().V. 

In  our  nci<;lil)orliood,  thn  mountains  ap- 
peared uxtreiitulv  rugged,  f^ivini;  Mtill  great- 
er valuo  to  this  beautiful  natural  paxH. 

Aiiifust  U5. — 'I'his  was  a  cloudleHs  but 
flinoky  autumn  mnrnin^f,  with  a  cold  wind 
from  tho  SK.,  and  a  tunipnraturo  uf  15"  at 
sunrise.  In  a  few  miles  I  noticed,  where  ii 
Ihtle  Htreain  crossed  tho  road,  fra((inents  of 
scorialcd  hasaU  scattered  about — tho  firHt 
volcanic  ruck  wo  had  seen,  and  which  n«)w 
became  a  characteristic  rock  along  our  fu- 
ture road.  In  about  six  tniles  travel  from 
our  encampment,  wo  reached  one  of  tli>! 
points  in  our  journey  to  which  we  had  al- 
ways looked  forward  with  great  interest — 
tho  famous  Bter  sf)rinf:[s.  The  place  in 
which  they  are  situated  is  a  basin  of  miner- 
al waters  enclosed  by  the  mountains,  which 
sweep  around  a  circular  bend  of  Dear  river, 
hero  at  its  most  northern  point,  and  which 
from  a  northern,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
miles  acquires  a  southern  direction  towards 
the  GuKAT  Salt  lake.  A  pretty  little 
Btreatn  of  clear  water  enters  the  ujijier  part 
of  the  basin  from  an  open  valley  in  the  moiin- 
luins,  and,  passing  through  the  bottom,  dis- 
charges into  Dear  river.  Cros^ng  this 
stream,  we  descended  a  mile  below,  and 
made  mir  encampment  in  a  grove  of  cedar 
immediately  at  the  Heer  springs,  which,  on 
account  of  the  effervescing  gas  and  acid 
taste,  have  received  their  name  from  the 
voyageurs  and  trappers  of  the  country,  who, 
in  the  midst  of  their  rude  and  hard  lives, 
are  fond  of  finding  some  fancied  resem- 
blance to  the  luxuries  they  rarely  have  the 
fortune  to  enjoy. 

Although  somewhat  disappointed  in  the 
expectations  which  various  descriptions  had 
led  me  to  form  of  unusual  beauty  of  situa- 
tion and  scenery,  I  found  it  altogether  a 
place  of  very  great  interest;   and  a  trav- 


iilliT  tor  ihn  firitt  timo  in  a  volcartio  r«>gton 
reuiuiM*  ill  a  coiutunt  t  \i-iti  iniMit,  unil  ai 
every  Mtep  ih  urreittod  by  nonitithing  re- 
markable  ami  new.  Thcro  ih  a  cmifiiiiimi 
of  iiili'rontiiig  objiH'iH  gathorod  together  in  a 
Miiiall  Hpuce.  Armiiid  ihu  placr  of  eiu'ainp- 
iniMil  the  lieer  nuiingH  wore  iiiiriierouii ;  but, 
an  fur  UN  we  could  UHr-i-rtuin,  were  entirely 
i-oiifnied  to  thai  locality  in  the  bottom,  in 
ihe  bed  ot  the  nv  r,  in  iront,  for  a  space  df 
several  hundred  yardrt,  they  werii  very 
abundant ;  the  ctlervoMcing  ga-s  ri-sing  iiji 
and  agitating  the  water  in  ooiiiitlcHs  bulj 
bliiig  columns.  In  the  vinnity  round  about 
were  numerous  Hprings  of  an  entirely  differ- 
ent and  etpially  marked  niineral  (iliaracter. 
Ill  a  rather  picturesque  spot,  about  1,3U0 
yards  below  our  encampimMit,  and  immi'di- 
utely  on  the  river  bank,  is  the  most  remark 
able  spring  of  the  place.  In  an  opening  oii 
tho  rock,  u  white  column  of  scattered  water 
is  thrown  up,  in  form  like  ajel-tVcuu,  to  a 
variable  height  of  about  three  (Vet,  and, 
though  it  is  inuintuinod  in  a  constant  supply, 
its  greatest  height  is  ■■<  ttained  only  at  regu- 
lar intervals,  accm  '  to  tho  action  uf  the 
force  below.  It  is  u  ompuiiied  by  a  suii- 
tcrrancan  noise,  which,  together  with  the 
motion  of  the  water,  riiukos  vory  much  the 
impression  of  a  steamboat  in  motion  ;  ami. 
without  knowing  that  it  had  bet-n  already 
previously  so  calleil,  wc  gave  to  it  the  name 
of  the  IStcambual  spring.  The  rock  througii 
which  it  is  forced  is  slightly  ruis«d  in  u  con- 
vex manner,  and  gathered  at  the  opening.; 
into  an  urn-mouthed  form,  and  is  evidently 
formed  by  continued  deposition  from  liic 
water,  and  colored  bright  red  by  oxide  of 
iron.  An  analysis  of  this  deposited  rock, 
w  hich  I  subjoin,  will  give  you  some  idea  ol 
tho  properties  of  the  water,  which,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Deer  springri,  is  the  iniii- 
erul  water  of  the  place.*  It  is  a  hot  spring, 
and  the  water  has  a  pungent  and  disagree- 
able metallic  taste,  leaving  a  burning  effect 
on  the  tongue.  Within  perhaps  two  yardn 
of  iiw  jet-d^eau  is  a  small  hole  of  about  nn 
inch  in  diameter,  through  which,  at  regular 
intervals,  escapes  a  blast  of  hot  air  with  .i 
light  wreath  of  smoke,  accompanied  by  a 
regular  noise.  This  hole  had  been  notict  li 
by  Doctor  Wislizenus,  a  gentleman  who 
several  years  since  passed  by  this  place,  and 
who  remarked,  with  vory  nice  observation. 


*  ANALVBI8. 

Carbonate  of  lime  . 

.    92.55 

Carbonate  of  magnesia  . 

.      0.42 

Oxide  of  iron .... 

.      1.05 

Silica                   i 

Alumina              > 

.      5.98 

Water  and  loss    ) 

"          * 

loaoo 

r 


I 


(IfllS 


IH43.I 


l^Vl'T.  FUKMONT'M  NAUUAllVl'. 


7T 


ft 


tl« 


.|.( 


10  ro^ioii 
,  It  ml  III 
liiii^    rv- 

■DIll'llHioil 

tliiir  lit  a 

fiicatiip- 

Dim  ;  Init, 

••  nil  rely 

tmii.      Ill 

t(|)ari>  III" 

mi)    vpry 

I'IhIII^    II|i 

t'Hs   bull 

iiiiil  ahmit 

uly  tJilli'i- 

liiirai'tei 

lut  1,3U0 
iiiiiiicili- 
I  reiimik 

MMiiii|{  (111 
SK'il  water 

\<IU,    t(l    II 

feet,  iiiiil, 

lit  nU|i|l|y, 

y  at  renw- 
ion  <>r  the 
by  a  «ul»- 
witb  tlie 
'  iiiiioii  tlic 
tion  ;  ami, 
11  ulreuriy 
t  tlic  iiaiiifl 
i:k  tliroii^ii 

111  ill  !t  COR' 

10  ()|ieiiin;; 
I  cvideiiily 
fruiii  the 
y  oxiiifl  ul' 
situd  rock, 
(lie  idea  ul 
It,  with  tlie 
8  the  mill- 
hut  Bpriiig, 
diaagree- 
iiiiig  effect 
two  yards 
f  ubout  ail 
ut  regular 
air  with  a 
inied  by  a. 
en  notioi'd 
eiiuiii  uiio 
<  jiluci!,  and 
liberviiiioa, 


92.55 
0.42 
1.05 


thikt  Hinulliti((  tlio  Kaa  which  itnurd  iVom  thn 
iiritioe  priiduri'd  ii  HeiiN.iliuii  ol'  (riddiiinHS 
anil  iiauHun.  Mr.  I'rtiUiiN  and  niyiiidr  rn- 
peati'd  tlie  olMinrvution,  and  wiith  no  well 
Natiolit^l  with  itH  oorrcctneaa,  that  we  did 
not  lind  it  ideaaimt  to  coiitniiic  thi«  experi- 
nitiiil,  itH  the  Heiinution  of  ^iddiiieHH  \\hich  it 
produi'tul  wan  certitiiily  htriiii((  and  deeidtMl, 
A  hii(;e  eniivniiit  wauoii,  with  a  htr^e  and 
liiverMlled  I'ainily,  had  overtaken  un  ami 
halted  to  noon  at  our  encaiii|.in(wtt  ;  itiid, 
while  we  were  nittin^  ut  the  Hprin);,  a  hand 
ut  boyH  and  RiilH,  with  two  or  three  yoiin(( 
Dien,  (*anie  up,  one  of  whom  I  aitked  to 
at(i'>p  down  and  Hmell  the  ^iih,  di'.siroii!*  to 
!'ati>ry  myself  further  of  it.«t  ell'eetM.  Hut 
hih  natural  caution  had  been  awakened  by 
the  siny;ular  and  BU»pii*ioii«  ftatiires  of  the 
place,  and  he  dedined  my  pi'o|iosal  decided- 
ly, and  with  a  few  industiiict  remarks  about 
the  devil,  whom  ho  seemed  to  con.sider  the 
gnitus  loci.  The  ceaMcless  motion  and  the 
jilay  of  the  fountain,  the  red  rock,  and  the 
green  treua  near,  make  this  u  pictiireaiiue 
apiit. 

A  Hhort  distance  above  the  8|iring,  and 
near  the  foot  of  the  same  spur,  is  a  very  re- 
markable yellow-colored  rock,8iift  and  frii- 
ble,  coimi.'itin^  principally  of  carbonate  of 
lime  and  oxide  of  iron,  ot  regular  structure, 
which  is  probably  a  fos.sil  coral.  'I'lie  nx^ky 
bank  alonp  the  shore  between  the  Mteanitioat 
spring  and  our  encampment,  along  which  is 
dispersed  the  water  frtiin  the  hills,  is  com- 
jM)8ed  entirely  of  strata  of  a  calcareous  tufa, 
with  the  remains  of  nios.s  and  reed-like 
grasses,  which  is  probably  the  formation  of 
hprings.  The  Beer  or  ISitda  sprinir.t,  wliii^b 
have  given  name  to  this  locality,  are  agree- 
able, but  less  highly  flavored  than  the  Hoil- 
irn>;  .iprini^.s  at  the  loot,  of  I'ike's  peak,  which 
are  of  the  same  character,  'i'liey  are  very 
uiinierous,  and  half  hidden  by  tufts  of  grass, 
which  we  amused  ourselves  in  removing 
and  searching  about  for  more  highly  impreg- 
nated spring.s.  They  are  some  of  them 
deep,  and  of  various  sizes — sometimes  seve- 
ral yards  in  diameter,  and  kept  in  constant 
motion  by  columns  of  escaping  gas.  JJy 
iiialysis,  one  quart  of  the  water  contains  us 
follows  : 

Oraliii. 

Sjulphato  of  magnesia        ....  12.  lU 

Sulphate  of  lime 2.12 

Carbonate  of  lime         3.80 

Carbonate  of  magnesia      ....  3.22 

Chloride  of  calcium 1.33 

Chloride  of  magnesium     ....  1.12 

Chloride  of  sodium       .     .           .     .  2.24 

Vegetable  extractive  matter,  &o.  0.85 


26.84 

The  carbonic  acid,  originally  contained  in 

rile  water,  had  mainly  escaped  before  it  was 


Huhjeeted  to  analyiiM  ;  and  it  waa  not,  th«r** 

fort*,  taken  into  coiiaiduratton. 

In  the  afternomi  (  wandered  about  .imong 

the  eed.UH,  which  occupy   tti«   greater  part 
..r  .1...  I..... . I.    .1 'I'l  . 


of  the  bottom  t 


Is  the  inounlii 


the 


owaniM  me  inouniaiiin. 
soil  herif  h.iH  a  dry  and  calcmii'd  appearance; 
in  some  plai-en,  the  ojien  groiinda  are  cov- 
ered witii  Kiliiie  ollloreHconces,  and  there 
are  a  iiuiiilier  <>f  regiilarly-nhaped  and  very 
remarkable  hills,  which  are  formed  of  a 
suecesHion  of  convi'X  strata  that  have  been 
deposited  by  llin  waters  of  eXlinct  springs, 
the  orilices  of  wbieb  are  found  on  their 
summits,  some  of  them  having  the  form  of 
funnel-shaped  cones.  Oibera  of  these  re- 
markably-bhapod  lulls  are  of  a  red-colored 
earth,  entirely  bare,  and  composed  |irinci. 
pally  of  I  irboiiate  of  lime,  with  oxide  of 
iron,  formed  in  the  same  manner.  Walking 
near  one  of  them,  on  the  summit  ol  which 
the  springs  were  dry,  my  attenlion  was  al- 
tiacted  by  an  uiidergroiind  noise,  around 
wliieh  1  <!irele(I  repeatedly,  until  I  found  ll»e 
spot  from  beneath  which  it  came  ;  and.  re- 
moving the  red  earth,  discovered  a  hidden 
spring,  which  was  boiling  up  from  lielow, 
with  the  same  >li.iagreeitbje  metallic  taste  aa 
the  Steamlioat  spring.  Continuing  up  the 
bottom,  and  crossing  the  little  streuin  which 
has  been  already  mentimied,  I  visited  sevo- 
rul  remarkable  red  and  white  hills,  which 
had  attracted  my  attention  from  the  road  in 
tlie  morning.  These  are  immedi.  oly  upon 
the  stream,  and,  like  those  already  iiacn- 
lioiied,  are  formed  by  the  deposition  of  suc- 
cessive strata  from  tiie  springs.  On  their 
summits,  the  orilices  through  which  tlio 
waters  had  been  discharged  were  so  largo, 
that  tliey  resembled  niiniatine  craters,  being 
some  of  them  several  feet  in  diameter,  cir- 
cular, and  regularly  formed  as  if  by  art.  At 
a  former  time,  when  these  dried-up  foun- 
tains were  all  in  motion,  they  must  hare 
made  a  beautiful  display  on  a  grand  scale  ; 
and  nearly  all  this  basin  appears  to  me  to 
have  been  formed  under  their  action,  und 
should  bo  called  the  place  of  fountains.  At 
the  foot  of  one  of  those  hills,  or  rather  on  its 
side  near  the  base,  are  several  of  these 
small  limostono  columns,  about  one  foot  in 
diameter  ut  the  base,  nnd  tapering  upwards 
to  a  height  of  three  or  lour  feet ;  and  on  the 
summit  the  water  is  boiling  up  and  bubbling 
over,  constantly  adding  to  the  height  of  the 
little  obelisks.  In  some,  the  wuirr  unly 
boils  up,  no  longer  overflowing,  and  ii.is  hero 
the  same  taste  as  ut  the  .Steamboat  spring. 
The  observer  will  remark  a  gradual  subsi- 
dence in  the  water,  which  formerly  supplied 
the  fountains  ;  as  on  all  the  summits  of  the 
hills  the  springs  are  now  dry,  and  are  found 
only  low  down  upon  their  sides,  or  on  the 
surrounding  plain. 

A  little  higher  up  the  creek,  its  banks  are 


nx 


tv 


i).^ 


m 


\Al 


r« 


4^ 


CArr.  FRKMONTS  NAIIKATIVK. 


[Hit. 


bi 


It 


Airmit'l  l)y  alrnta  n(  n  very  heavy  an<l  linnl 
•(••iriiK'i'iMiM  liiiNiklt,  liavl,)^  II  ttri({lit  iiit'lulln^ 
Inatro  wln'ri  hntki'ii  'I'Ihi  iiDuinluinw  <iviir- 
liKikiiitr  ilio  |>laiii  lint  ol'ttii  cntirt'ly  diHi^ri'iit 
UiMilii|;ii'iil  cliaruoti'r.  <'oiiliniiini{  on,  I 
vt4lki'il  til  till'  niiiiiniit  ol'oni)  oC  ilicni,  wli<>ri< 
lliii  |iiini'i|iiil  nii'k  wnn  ;i  ({ruiiiiliir  i|Uiirt'/.. 
DkhopmiIiiik  tint  iiKMinlninit,  iiiul  rrtiiriiinif 
tiiw^inU  tliui'iiiii|Mtloti^  tliH  hiiHii  i(t°  llii<  tu\^v 
M'liii'li  xkirtN  tliK  pliiit),  I  rminil  nl  tliti  foiit 
III' a  riioiiiitaiii  niiiir,  ami  iitMUin((  rroiii  a  ciiiii- 

Iiaol  riii'k  til'  u  iliirk  Itliio  onlur,  :i  t(r«;it  niiiii- 
M>r  III' HiiniiuH  hiiviii^  tlm  Ntmii<  |iun|^<nit  ami 
iliH;iurcr;ilily  niiHullia  tanto  uircaily  tmm- 
tloiicil,  till)  wator  of  which  wan  oolluotuil 
inltt  u  very  ruiiiarkiihle  hwm,  whuao  Nin((u- 
larity,  |iorhu|m,  inaiiu  it  uppoar  to  mu  very 
iMiikiinrul.  It  JN  UiTU^ — porhupH  fifty  yariLi 
III  c-iri'iiinl«roiinii  ;  and  in  it  tho  water  iHron- 
tiiiiHMl  ill  ill)  i'li*vutii)ii  of  Hcvcral  fcot  almvo 
the  Miirriiuti(liiii,(  i^rounil,  hy  a  wall  of  ciiica- 
ruoiiM  ttij'ii,  CDiiipoMUil  principally  af  thu  rii- 
niuiiirt  of  iiioNHcn,  tlirci)  or  four,  anil  Nnnic- 
tiincH  ten  feci  hif^h.  The  w.-itur  within  m 
<i!ry  clear  ami  |iiiro,  ami  thron  or  four  I'vci 
kiflcp,  where  it  could  ho  conveniently  mcaH- 
ureil  near  tho  wall ;  and  at  a  contiidcrahly 
lower  Id  vol,  in  another  pond  or  hiiHin  of  very 
clear  water,  and  apparently  of  conaidcrahle 
de|itli,  from  the  hottom  of  which  the  ((aH 
wuH  esuapintt  in  biibhiinff  columnn  at  many 
plaeoB.  This  water  wau  collected  into  a 
■mall  Htream,  which,  in  a  few  hundred  yardM, 
sank  under  ground,  reappeariiiK  ainonp  tho 
rockH  hctwecn  tho  two  f^reat  Hprin^^s  near 
the  river,  which  it  entered  hy  a  little  fall. 

Late  ill  the  afternoon  1  set  out  nn  my  re- 
turn to  the  camp,  and,  crossing  in  the  way 
a  large  lieldof  a  salt  that  was  aeveral  inches 
deep,  found  on  niv  arrival  that  our  emigrant 
friends,  who  had  hecn  encamped  in  company 
with  us,  had  resumed  thoir  journey,  and  the 
road  hud  again  assumed  its  solitary  charac- 
ter. The  temperature  of  tho  largest  of  the 
Beer  spriiiga  at  our  cncain|iincnt  was  05^  at 
aunset,  that  of  the  air  being  (12.5'^.  Our 
baroiiietrio  observation  gave  5,640  foot  for 
the  elevation  above  tho  gulf,  being  about 
500  feet  lower  than  tho  Boiling  springs, 
which  are  of  a  similar  nature,  at  the  foot  of 
Pike's  peak.  The  astronomical  observa- 
tions gave  for  our  latitude  42"  30'  57",  and 
1 1 1 J  40'  00  "  for  the  longitude.  Tho  night 
was  very  still  and  cloudless,  and  I  sat  up 
for  an  observation  of  the  lirst  satellite  of 
Jupiter,  the  emersion  of  which  took  place 
about  midnight ;  but  fell  asleep  at  the  tcle- 
acope,  awaking  just  a  few  minutes  after  the 
appearance  of  the  star. 

The  morning  of  the  26th  was  calm,  and 
the  sky  without  clouds,  but  smoky  ;  and  the 
temperature  at  sunrise  28.5'^.  At  the  aame 
time,  the  temperature  of  the  large  Beer 
■priiig,  wliere  we  were  encamped,  waa  56<^  - 


that  of  ihn  Sirariihoal  npring  h7"  .  nnd  that 
of  the  ■leiuii  hull',  near  it,  Nl.ft '.  In  ihr 
I'oiUMi  of  the  iiiiirning,  tho  lanl  witLront  of 
the  I'migralion  pitnaed  by,  nnd  wu  wero 
again  IrA  in  our  place,  m  the  rear. 

Itemuining  in  camp  until  nearly  1 1  o'clock, 
we  tra\el|i'il  a  iiliort  liiMtanctf  down  (lie  riv- 
er, and  halted  to  noon  on  lliii  bank,  at  .t 
Iioiiit  where  the  road  ipiitH  the  valley  of 
tear  river,  and,  cnmning  a  rnlge  which  di- 
viileN  the  ( I  rent  liaoiN  from  the  I'acitic  wa 
tern,  reucheN  b'ort  Hall,  by  wav  of  the  I'ort- 
neiif  river,  in  u  dmtaiice  of  probably  HAy 
milen,  or  two  and  a  half  dayn'  journey  foi 
wngoiiM.  An  examination  of  the  great  laku 
which  i«  the  outlet  of  tliit  riv«r,  and  the 
principal  feature  of  geogra|ihical  interest  in 
the  buiiin,  waH  one  of  the  main  objeets  ron- 
teinplated  in  the  general  plan  of  our  survey, 
and  I  accordin^jly  deleriniiied  at  thiM  place 
t»  leave  the  road,  and,  after  having  com- 
|ileied  a  recoiinoiiixaiice  of  the  lake,  regain 
It  HiibHe(|ueiitly  at  l''ort  Hall.  Hut  our  little 
Htock  of  proviHions  had  again  become  ex 
treinely  low  ;  we  hud  only  dried  meat  nuflk 
cicnt  lor  one  meal,  and  our  supply  of  Hour 
and  other  comforta  was  entirely  nxhaunted. 
I  therefore  immediately  dispatched  one  of 
the  |iarly,  Henry  I^ice,  with  a  note  to  Car- 
son, at  Kort  Hall,  directing  him  to  load  a 
pack  horse  with  whatever  could  be  obtained 
there  in  the  way  of  |irovi!iionN,  and  ondeaTOi 
to  overtake  nio  on  tho  river.  In  tho  mean 
time,  we  had  picked  up  along  the  road  two 
tolerably  well-grown  calves,  which  would 
have  becoino  food  for  wolves,  and  which 
had  probably  been  lel\  by  some  of  the  earli- 
er emigrants,  none  of  those  we  had  met  hav- 
ing made  any  claim  to  them  ;  and  on  theae 
1  mainly  relied  for  support  during  our  cir- 
cuit to  the  lake. 

In  sweeping  around  tho  point  of  tho  moun- 
tain which  runs  down  into  tho  bend,  the 
river  here  pauses  between  perpendicular 
walla  of  basalt,  which  always  fix  the  atten- 
tion, from  the  regular  form  in  which  it  oc- 
curs, and  its  perfect  distinctness  from  the 
surrounding  rocks  among  which  it  has  been 
placed.  'I'lie  iiiouiitain,  which  is  rugged 
and  steep,  and,  by  our  measurement,  1,400 
feet  above  the  river  directly  opposite  the 
place  of  our  halt,  is  called  the  Sheep  rock 
— probably  because  a  flock  of  the  common 
mountain  sheep  (oris  montana)  had  boon 
seen  on  the  craggy  point. 

As  we  were  about  resuming  our  march  in 
tho  afternoon,  1  was  attracted  by  tho  singu- 
lar appearance  of  an  isolated  hill  with  a 
concave  summit,  in  the  plain,  about  two 
miles  from  the  river,  and  turned  off  towarda 
it,  while  the  camp  proceeded  on  its  way  to 
the  southward  in  search  of  tho  lake.  I 
found  the  thin  and  stony  soil  of  the  plain 
entirely  underlaid  by  the  basalt  which  fornu 


Ii'l  lliiil 
Ilii  Itir 
|i>(ii  III' 

NVITU 

■loek, 
|lii>  riv- 
iii  .1 
y  of 
n"h  (li- 
rir  w« 
I'orl. 
y   flAy 
Ini-y  fill 
lit  laku 
ikI   th« 
|)reat  in 
tN  rnii- 
urrey, 
»  plaoH 
a  com- 
ri-i;ajn 
jr  littU 
me  e» 
lit  nuA 
of  floui 
aiiHted. 
uiio  of 
to  Car- 
load a 
Ittninod 
idvavoi 
o  mean 
lad  two 
I   would 
I  which 
10  earli- 
let  hay- 
n  these 
Dur  oir- 


IMI.J 


CAl'T.  KIIKMONT'S  NAUU/VIIVK. 


7f 


the  rivi^r  walU  ;  and  when  I  rnanhnd  th« 
iiniuliliorliiMid  III'  thn  hill,  ihit  •iirliwn  itf  ihii 
plmii  wdM  mill  into  rii«|ii«)iit  tUaurita  and 
uhaaiMN  i>l  till)  aanit)  ■roriuliiil  voIi'uiiki  rook, 
Iriiiii  liirly  to  aixty  lfi!l  dtti>|t,  hut  whioh 
Uiurii  wiia  nut  huIIIi'dmiI  liitht  to  pLMintriilf 
iintiri)ly,  and  wliu'li  I  hitd  not  liiiin  to  dn- 
Mi'ttiid,  Arriviul  ul  ihii  Niiiiiniit  of  tho  lull, 
I  I'lMiiid  lliiit  il  trriiiinali'd  in  ii  viiry  iicirnct 
oialur,  ol'  an  uval,  or  iiitarly  circular  I'oriii, 
300  |aci'N  ill  circuiiil'itri'iicc,  and  00  lent  ut 
Iho  K>''*>ttitat  dct|)th.  Tliv  wallii,  wliiuh  wuri; 
ptrlitctly  vurtical,  and  diN|ioi«ud  likn  iiianon- 
ry  in  u  very  ruifular  manner,  vvuni  coin|iim- 
«d  1)1  a  ltrowii-ooloni(|  iM-oriacitouN  liivit,i!>i- 
ditiitly  tliu  production  oC  a  inodurn  volcano, 
and  luvin^all  tliu  a|ipcaranci)  ol' tliu  li|/liti)r 
aeoru'M'oiiH  lavaa  of  Mount  .Mtiia,  Vi'hu< 
viuM,  an*l  other  vuicanocM.  'tin)  I'acua  ol' 
the  walla  wore  ri'ddiMicd  and  ^lavtud  liy  tho 
lirx.  III  which  they  had  hccii  inidtvd,  and 
winch  had  liilt  thum  cuntortud  and  Iwiatcd 
hy  itM  violent  action. 

Our  route  diirini;  the  afternoon  waa  a  lit- 
tle rou^h,  heinK  (in  the  dirc(;tion  wu  hud 
taken)  over  a  volcanic  iilain,  where  our  pro- 
j^reriN  waa  Homctiiiica  ohntructnil  hy  fiNaurcM, 
and  hiack  heds  coinpoaud  of  franmcnta  of 
tho  rock.  On  hoth  aidva,  the  mountaina  ap- 
peared very  hrokon,  bit  tolerably  well  tim- 
bered. 

Aiifi;ust  '20. — t/ro8»inK  ^  point  of  rid^jo 
which  makes  in  to  the  river,  wo  fell  upon 
it  B^'iiiii  before  sunset,  uiid  encamjied  on  the 
ri^lit  bank,  opposite  to  the  encampment  of 
three  lod^'c.i  of  Snake  IndtaiiN.  They  vinit- 
ed  UM  during  tho  oveiiiii^,  and  we  obtiiined 
from  tliein  a  Hinall  quantity  of  roots  of  dif- 
reri-nt  kinds,  in  exchange  i'or^^oods.  Among 
thorn  waM  a  sweet  root  of  very  pleasant  lla- 
vor,  having  somewhat  the  laMte  id'  preserved 
(|uiiice.  My  ondcavortt  to  become  acquaint- 
ed with  the  plants  which  furnish  to  the  In- 
diana a  portion  of  their  Hupport  were  only 
gradually  successful,  and  after  long  and  per- 
severing attention  ;  and  even  after  obtain- 
ing, 1  did  not  succeed  in  prcHorviiig  them 
until  they  could  be  satiNlactorily  determined. 
In  this  portion  of  the  journey,  I  found  this 
particular  root  cut  up  into  such  small  pieces, 
that  it  waa  only  to  be  identified  by  its  taste, 
wiiuii  the  bulb  was  met  with  in  perfect  form 
among  the  Indians  lower  down  on  tho  Co- 
lumbia, among  whom  it  is  the  highly  cele- 
brated kamds.  It  was  long  afterwards,  on 
our  return  through  Upper  California,  that  I 
found  the  plant  itself  in  bloom,  which  I  sup- 
posed to  furnish  the  kamas  root,  {camassia 
esculenta.)  The  root  diet  had  a  rather 
mournful  eiTect  at  the  commencement,  and 
one  of  the  calves  was  killed  this  evening 
for  food.  The  animals  fared  well  on  rushes. 

August  27. — The  morning  was  cloudy, 
with  appearance  of  rain,  and  the  thermome- 


tor  at  aunriae  at  90^^  Makintr  >•>  unuaually 
narly  atari,  wu  eroaiii'd  thu  rivar  at  a  uoimI 
ford  .  unil.  following  for  aliitut  lltrne  hour* 
a  trail  which  led  along  tho  bottom,  we  ('n- 
lered  a  lahyrinth  of  hilU  below  the  main 
riilge,  and  halted  to  noon  in  tho  ravimi  ol  a 
pretty  little  alreaiii,  timbered  with  cotton- 
wood  of  a  large  ni/.e,  aah-lnavitil  ntaiile, 
Willi  cherry  and  other  nhruhby  trurn.  I'lio 
bu/y  weather,  which  had  preventeil  iiny 
very  extended  views  kinco  eiilerini(  ihu 
(iieen  river  \ alley,  began  now  to  diaaiqiear. 
There  waa  a  Hlight  rain  in  the  earlni  pirt 
of  the  day,  ami  at  noon,  when  the  tbeniio- 
meter  had  riKcn  lo  7U.& ',  we  hul  a  bnglil 
sun,  with  blue  nky  and  acuttered  niniult. 
According  to  the  barometer,  our  halt  here 
among  the  hillt  w.-is  at  an  elevation  of  0,320 
feet.  ('roHMing  a  dividing  ridge  iii  tho  af- 
li^rnoon,  wu  followed  down  another  little 
Hear  river  tributary,  to  the  point  where  it 
eini^rgi^d  (Ml  an  open  green  Hat  among  the 
liilU,  timbiyed  with  groves,  and  bordered 
with  cann  thiirkets,  hut  without  water.  A 
pretty  little  rivulet,  coining  out  of  the  hill 
I  side,  and  overhung  by  tall  lloweiiiig  pl;inta 
I  of  a  speeieH  I  had  not  hitherto  Neon,  fur- 
nibbed  us  with  a  good  camping  |ilace.  Thu 
evening  was  cloudy,  the  teinpeiaturu  at 
I  sunset  GO  \  and  thu  elevation  5,110  feet. 
I  Among  the  plants  occurring  along  thu  line 
I  of  road  during  the  day,  epincttv.s  ilm  prat' 
I  rnn  (grindelia  squarrosa)  was  in  consnlera* 
hie  abundance,  and  is  among  the  very  lew 
plants  remaining  in  bloom — the  whole  coun- 
try having  now  an  autumnal  a|)pearance, 
in  the  crisped  and  yellow  plants,  and  dried- 
iip  grasses.  Many  cranes  woro  seen  dur- 
ing the  day,  with  u  few  antelope,  very  shy 
and  wild. 

Aitffust  38. — During  thu  night  we  had  a 
thunder  storm,  with  moderate  rain,  which 

ry  clear, 
Leaving 
our  encampment  at  the  Cane  spring,  and 
quitting  thu  trail  on  which  wu  had  been 
travelling,  and  which  would  probably  have 
alForded  us  a  good  road  to  the  lake,  we 
crossed  some  very  deep  ravines,  and,  in 
about  an  hour's  travelling,  again  reached 
the  river.  Wo  were  now  ,in  a  valley  five 
or  six  miles  wide,  between  mountain 
ranges,  which,  about  thirty  miles  below,, 
appeared  to  close  up  and  terminate  the  val- 
ley, leaving  for  the  river  only  a  very  nar- 
row pass,  or  canon,  behind  which  we  ima- 
gined that  we  should  find  the  broad  waters 
of  tho  lake.  We  made  the  usual  halt  at 
the  mouth  of  a  small  clear  stream,  having 
a  slightly  mineral  taste,  (perhaps  of  salt,) 
4,760  «3et  above  the  gulf.  In  the  afternoon 
we  climbed  a  very  steep  sandy  hill ;  and, 
after  a  slow  and  winding  day's  march  of  37 
miles,  encamped  at  a  slough  on  the  river. 


has  made  the  air  this  morning  verj 

tho  thermometer   being  at  &5^.      Leaving 


!^ 


(•  • 


y 


•     l<f 


<^5l 

'Mr, 
fit 


10 


CAPT.  FRB^MONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1843. 


I  %■■  .4^ 


w  ■*; 


There  were  great  q\iantitics  of  geeao  and 
(lucks,  of  which  only  a  few  were  shot  ;  the 
liKtiiin.s  having  probahly  made  them  very  wild. 
'I'he  men  empl()yed  themselves  in  fishing, 
hui  caught  nothing.  A  skunk,  {inrphitix 
Afiiericana,)  which  was  killed  in  the  after- 
noon, made  a  supper  for  one  of  the  messes. 
'Iiic  rivor  is  bordered  occasionally  with 
(i(  Ids  of  cane,  which  we  regarded  as  an  in- 
di'-alion  of  our  approach  to  a  hike  country. 
We  had  frequent  showers  of  rain  during  the 
night,  with  thunder. 

Auii;u.Hl  29. — The  thermometer  at  8unri«*> 
was  5^\  with  air  from  the  NW.,  and  dark 
rainy  clouds  moving  ou  the  horizon  ;  rain 
squalls  and  bright  sunshine  by  intervals.  I 
rode  ahead  witji  Uasil  to  explore  the  conn- 
try,  and,  continuing  about  three  miles  along 
the  river,  turned  directly  off  on  a  trail  run- 
ning towards  three  marked  gaps  in  the  bor- 
dering range,  where  the  mountains  ap- 
peared cut  through  to  their  bases,  towards 
which  .iie  river  plain  rose  gradually.  Put- 
ting our  horses  into  a  gallop  on  some  fresh 
tracks  which  showed  very  plainly  in  the 
wet  path,  we  came  suddenly  upon  a  oiim!! 
party  of  Shoshonee  Indians,  who  had  fallen 
into  the  trail  from  the  north.  We  could 
only  communicate  by  signs :  but  they 
made  us  understand  that  the  road  through 
the  chain  was  ^  very  excellent  one,  lead- 
ing into  a  broad  valley  which  ran  to 
the  southward.  We  halted  to  noon  at 
what  may  be  called  the  gate  of  the  pass  ; 
on  either  side  of  which  were  huge  moun- 
tains of  rock,  between  which  stole  a  little 
pure  water  stream,  with  a  margin  just  suf- 
ficiently large  for  our  passage.  From  the 
river,  the  plain  had  gradually  risen  to  an 
altitude  of  5,500  feet,  and,  by  meridian 
observation,  the  latitude  of  the  entrance 
was  42°. 

In  the  interval  of  our  usual  ht',it,  several 
of  us  wancli^red  along  up  the  stream  to  ex- 
amine the  pass  more  at  leisure.  Within 
the  ga  e,  the  rocks  receded  a  little  back, 
leaving  a  very  narrow,  but  most  beautiful 
valley,  through  which  the  little  stream 
wound  its  way,  hidden  by  different  kinds  of 
trees  and  shrubs — aspen,  maple,  willow, 
cherry,  and  elder ;  a  fine  verdure  of  smooth 
short  grass  spread  over  the  remaining  space 
to  the  l>"vp  sides  of  the  rocky  wal's.  These 
were  ot  a  blue  limestone,  which  constitutes 
the  mountain  here  ;  and  opening  directly  on 
the  grassy  bottom  were  several  curious 
C3  es,  which  appeared  to  be  inh..oited  by 
root  diggers.  On  one  side  was  gathered  a 
heap  of  leaves  for  a  bed,  and  they  were 
dry,  apen,  and  pleasant.  On  the  .oofs  of 
the  caves  I  remarked  bituminous  exuda- 
tions from  the  rock. 

The  trail  was  an  excellent  one  for  pack 
horses;    but,  as    it    sometimes    crossed  a 


shelving  point,  to  avoid  the  shrubbery  we 
were  obliged  in  seveVal  jilaceH  to  open  a 
road  for  the  carriage  through  the  wood.  A 
squaw  on  horseback,  accompanied  by  five 
or  six  dogs,  entered  the  pass  in  liie  after- 
U'loii ;  but  was  too  much  terrified  at  fiiuling 
li'  -If  in  such  unexpected  company  to 
make  any  pause  for  conversation,  and  hur- 
ried off  at  a  good  pace — being,  of  couise, 
no  further  disturbed  than  by  an  accelerating 
shout.  She  wa.s  well  and  showily  dressed, 
and  was  probably  going  to  a  village  encamp- 
ed somewhere  near,  and  evidently  did  not 
belong  to  the  tribe  of  root  difff^crs.  We 
had  now  entered  a  country  inhabued  by 
these  people  ;  an<l  as  in  the  course  of  our 
voyage  we  shall  frequently  meet  with  them 
in  various  stages  of  existence,  it  will  ha 
well  to  inform  you  that,  scattered  over  tho 
great  region  west  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
and  south  of  the  Great  Snake  river,  are 
numerous  Indians  whose  subsistence  is  al- 
most solely  derived  from  roots  and  seeds, 
and  suck  small  animals  as  chance  and  great 
good  fortune  sometimes  bring  within  their 
icach.  They  are  miserably  poor,  xrmed 
only  with  bows  and  arrows,  or  club."  ,  and, 
as  the  country  they  inhabit  is  aiiP'  .^t  desti- 
tute of  game,  they  have  no  means  of  ob- 
taining better  arms.  In  the  northern  part 
of  the  region  just  mentioned,  they  live  gen- 
erally in  solitary  families ;  and  farther  to 
the  south,  ihey  are  leathered  together  in 
villages.  Those  wlu  five  together  in  vil- 
lages, strengthened  '<y  association,  are  in 
exclusive  possession  of  the  more  genial 
and  richer  parts  of  the  country ;  while  tht 
others  are  driven  to  the  ruder  mountains, 
and  to  the  more  inhospitable  parts  of  the 
country.  But  by  simply  observing,  in  ac- 
companying us  along  our  road,  you  will  be- 
come better  acquainted  with  these  people 
than  we  could  make  you  in  any  other  than 
a  very  long  description,  and  you  will  find 
them  worthy  of  your  interest. 

Roots,  seeds,  and  gras-o  every  vegetable 
that  affords  any  nourishment,  and  every 
living  animal  thing,  insect  or  worm,  they 
eat.  Nearly  approaching  to  the  lower  ani- 
mal creation,  their  sole  employment  is  to 
obtain  food  ;  and  they  are  constantly  oc- 
cupied in  a  struggle  to  support  existence. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  of  the  pass 
is  the  Standing  rock,  which  has  fallen  from 
the  cliffs,  above,  and  standing  perpendicularly 
near  the  middle  of  the  valley,  presents  it- 
self like  a  watch  tower  in  the  pass.  It 
will  give  you  a  tolerably  correct  idea  of  the 
character  of  the  scenery  in  this  country, 
where  generally  the  mountains  rise  abruptly 
up  from  comparatively  unbroken  plains  and 
level  valleyc  ;  but  it  will  entirely  fail  in 
representing  the  picturesque  beauty  of  this 
delightful  place,  where  a  green  valley,  full 


li 


[1843. 


1843.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAURATIVE. 


81 


il)t>ery  we 
l<i  o|teii  a 
wd'iil.  A 
I'd  by  live 
llifi  iifter- 
itt  fiiiiliiig 
>iii|iiiiiy  to 
,  uikI  hiir- 

Ot"    coil  ISO, 

celerutiiif,' 
y  (IrcBsed, 
c  encainp- 
y  did  not 
(crs.     We 
tibiicd    by 
rso  of  our 
with  them 
it  will  bs 
over  th» 
mountains, 
river,  are 
ence  is  al- 
and seeds, 
!  and  great 
ithin  iheir 
or,    irnued 
lub.a  ,  and, 
t  desti- 
lans  of  ob- 
rthern  part 
Y  live  gen- 
farther  to 
ogether  in 
ther  in  viU 
ion,  are  in 
ore   genial 
while  tht 
mountains, 
arts  of  the 
ing,  in  ac- 
ou  will  be- 
3se  people 
other  than 
i  will  find 

vegetable 
md  every 
'orm,  they 
lower  ani- 
nent  is  to 
laiitly  oc- 
;istence. 
f  the  pass 
alien  from 
ndicularly 
esents  it- 
pass.  It 
iea  of  the 

country, 
B  abruptly 
plains  and 
ly  fail  in 
ty  of  this 
alley,  full 


of  filiaije,  and  a  hundred  yard.s  wide,  con- 
trai'ts  with  naked  crags  tliat  spirr  up  into  a 
blue  liiK!  of  pinuiicles  3,000  feet  above, 
HOinetiines  crested  with  cedar  and  piuo,  and 
Bomcliiiics  rugged  and  bare. 

Tbo  dcleuliori  that  wo  met  with  in  open- 
ing llic  rfiad,  and  perhaps  a  '.villin'Mioss  t.i 
liiitror  on  the  way,  made  tho  aflernoou'.s 
travel  short ;  and  about  two  miles  from  the 
entrance  we  passed  through  another  gate, 
and  encamped  on  the  stream  at  the  junction 
(if  a  Hub;  fork  from  the  southward,  around 
niiicli  tiio  mountains  stooped  more  gently 
down,  forming  a  small  open  cove. 

As  ir,  was  still  early  in  the  afternoon, 
Basil  and  myself  in  one  direction,  and  Mr. 
Prouss  in  another,  set  out  to  explore  the 
country,  and  ascended  different  neighboring 
peaks,  ill  the  hope  of  seeing  some  indica- 
tions of  the  lake  ;  bui  though  our  elevation 
atl'orded  magnificent  views,  the  eye  raug- 
ina:  over  a  l.mg  extent  of  Bear  river,  with 
tlu!  broad  and  fertile  Cache  valley  in  the 
(iirectidu  of  our  search,  was  only  to  be 
scon  a  bod  of  apparently  impracticible 
uioantains.  Among  these,  the  trail  we  had 
licen  following  turned  sharjjly  to  the  north- 
ward, and  it  began  to  be  doubtful  if  it  would 
not  lead  us  away  from  the  object  of  our 
destination  ;  but  I  nevertheless  determined 
to  keep  it,  in  the  belief  that  it  would  event- 
ually bring  us  right.  A  squall  of  rain  drove 
us  nut  of  the  mountain,  and  it  was  late 
when  we  reached  the  camp.  The  evening 
closed  in  with  frequent  showers  of  rain, 
with  some  lightning  and  thunder. 

August  30. — We  bad  constant  thunder 
storms  during  the  night,  but  in  the  morn- 
inir  the  clouds  were  sinking  to  the  horizon, 
and  the  air  was  clear  and  cold,  with  the 
thermometer  at  sunrise  at  39°.  Elevation 
by  i.a'ometer  5,580  feet.  We  -were  xn  mo- 
tion eaily,  continuing  up  the  little  stream 
wittiout  encountering  any  ascent  where  a 
liiii.se  wou'd  not  easily  gallcp.  and,  crossing 
a  siiirjit  dividinjf  gi-ound  at  tb*;  summit,  de- 
sceiuie]  upon  a  small  str^'im,  •  '')ng  which 
we  continued  on  the  sam:3  excftilient  road. 
In  ridin',  through  the  pas: ,  numercMW«  cranes 
were  seen ;  and  prairie  hen?,  or  j^rouso, 
{bonasia  umbclbi.i,)  whic'.i  lately  had  been 
rare,  were  very  abundant. 

This  little  affluent  brought  us  to  a  larger 
stream,  down  which  we  travelled  throiijfh  a 
mo;e  open  bottom,  on  a  level  road,  where 
licavily-h'den  wagons  could  pass  wK^out 
obstacle.      The    hills    on    the    right    grew 

II  •  of? 

lower,  and,  on  entering  a  more  open  coun- 
try, we  discovered  a  Shoshonee  village ; 
and  being  desirous  to  obtain  information, 
and  purchase  from  them  some  roots  and 
berries,  we  halted  on  trie  river,  which  was 
lightJy  wcoded  with  cherry,  willow,  maple, 
service  berry,  and  aspen.     A  meridian  ob- 


servation of  the  sun,  which  I  obtained  here, 
gave  12  ^  1  r  2d"  for  our  latilule,  and  the 
barometer  indicated  a  height  of  .'),!7(»  leet. 
A  number  of  Indians  came  iiiiniediately 
over  to  visit  us,  and  several  men  were  sent 
to  the  village  with  good.s,  toiiaccu,  knives, 
cloth,  veriiulioii,  and  the;  usual  tniik(<t.s,  to 
excliaiigo  for  provisions.  IJut  llicy  had  no 
game  of  any  kind  ;  and  it  wa.s  diiiicult  to 
obtain  any  roots  from  tliem,  as  they  were 
miserably  poor,  and  had  but  little  to  sjiare 
from  their  winter  stock  of  provisions.  .Sev- 
eral of  the  Indians  drew  aside  their  blankets, 
showing  me  their  lean  and  bony  figures  ; 
and  I  would  not  any  longer  tempt  them  with 
a  display  of  our  merchandise  to  part  with 
their  wretched  subsistence,  when  they  gave 
as  a  reason  that  it  would  expose  them  to 
temporary  starvation.  A  great  portion  of 
the  region  inhaiiited  b.-  t!iis  nation  formerly 
abounded  in  game  ;  tb.  i."  (falo  ranging  about 
in  herds,  as  we  had  found  them  on  the  east- 
ern waters,  and  the  plains  dotted  with  scat- 
tered bands  of  vnteiopo ;  but  so  rapidly 
have  they  disappeared  within  a  few  years, 
that  now,  as  wo  journeyed  aloiiL'.  an  occa- 
sional buffalo  skull  and  a  few  wild  antelope 
were  all  that  remained  of  the  aiiuiidance 
which  had  covered  the  country  with  animal 
life. 

The  extraordinary  rapidity  witli  which 
the  buffalo  is  disappearing  from  our  territo- 
ries will  not  appear  sur|irising  when  we  re- 
iTiember  the  great  scale  on  wuich  their  de- 
struction is  yearly  carried  on.  With  incon- 
siderable exceptions,  the  business  of  the 
American  tial.ug  posl!»  is  carried  on  in  their 
skins;  every  year  the  Indian  villages  inak* 
new  lodges,  for  which  the  skin  of  the  buffa- 
lo furnishes  the  material ;  and  in  that  por- 
tion of  t\w  country  where  they  arc  still 
found,  the  InW  ms  derive  their  entire  sup- 
port from  them,  and  slaughter  them  with 
a  thouglitbess  arM*  abominable  extravagance. 
Like  t^ie  Iwliar««  themselves,  they  have 
been  ;i  characteristic  of  the  Great  Weat ; 
and  as,  like  them,  they  arc  visibly  diminish- 
ing, it  will  be  interesting  to  throw  a  glance 
back*ifard  through  the  last  twenty  year», 
and  give  some  account  of  their  former  dis- 
tribution through  the  country,  and  the  limit 
<4'  their  western  range. 

The  information  is  derived  principally 
from  Mr.  Fitzpatrick,  supported  by  my  own 
personal  knowledge  and  acquaintance  with 
the  country.  Our  knowledge  does  not  go 
farther  hack  than  thf  spring  of  1824,  at 
which  time  the  buffalo  were  spread  in  im- 
mense numbers  over  the  Green  river  and 
Bear  river  valleys,  and  through  all  the 
country  lying  between  the  Colorado,  or 
Green  river  of  the  gulf  of  California,  and 
Lewis's  fork  of  the  Columbia  river ;  the 
meridian  of   Fort    Hall   then   forming  the 


■K  ' 


'  k'  I 


^:y 


«1 
0i 


M 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAUHATIVE. 


[1843. 


1843.] 


r'.:  V  ■     - 


V" 


$■. 


western  limit  ef  their  rangu.  The  buflUlo 
then  remained  for  many  years  in  that  coun- 
try, and  frequently  moved  down  the  valley 
ot'^the  Columbia,  on  both  sides  of  the  river 
as  far  as  the  Fis/iing  falls.  Uelow  this 
point  they  never  descended  in  any  numners. 
About  the  year  1834  or  1835  they  bepan  to 
diminish  very  ra()iiiiy,  and  continued  to  de- 
crease until  1838  or  1810,  when,  with  the 
country  wc  have  just  described,  they  en- 
tirely abandoned  all  the  waters  of  the  Pa- 
cific north  of  Lewi' 's  fork  of  the  (Jolumbia. 
At  that  time,  the  Flathead  Indians  were  in 
the  habit  of  finding  their  bulfalo  on  the 
heads  of  Salmon  river,  and  other  streams  of 
the  Columbia  ;  but  now  they  never  meet 
with  tliem  farther  west  than  the  three  forks 
of  the  Missouri  or  the  plains  of  the  Yellow- 
stone river. 

In  the  course  of  our  journey  it  will  be  re- 
marked that  the  bufl'alo  have  not  so  entirely 
abandoned  the  waters  of  the  Pacific,  in  the 
Rocky-mountain  region  south  of  the  Sweet 
Water,  as  in  the  country  north  of  the  (Jreat 
Pass.  This  partial  distribution  can  only  be 
accounted  for  in  the  great  pa.storal  beauty 
of  that  country,  which  bears  marks  of  hav- 
ing long  been  one  of  their  favorite  haunts, 
and  by  the  fact  that  the  white  hi  ntcrs  have 
more  frequented  the  northern  than  the  south- 
ern region — it  being  north  of  the  South  Pass 
that  the  hunters,  trappers,  and  traders,  have 
had  their  rendezvous  for  many  years  past ; 
and  from  that  section  also  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  beaver  and  rich  furs  were  taken, 
although  always  the  most  dangerous  as  well 
as  the  most  profitable  hunting  ground. 

In  that  region  lying  between  the  Green 
or  Colorado  river  and  the  head  waters  of 
the  Hio  del  Norte,  over  the  Yampah,  Koo- 
yah,  White,  and  Grand  rivers — all  .if  which 
are  the  waters  of  the  Colorado — the  buffalo 
never  extended  so  far  to  the  westward  as 
they  did  on  the  waters  of  the  Columbia  ;  and 
only  in  one  or  two  instances  have  they  been 
known  to  descend  as  far  west  as  the  mouth 
of  White  river.  In  travelling  through  the 
country  west  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  ob- 
servation readily  led  me  to  the  impression 
that  the  buffalo  had,  for  the  first  time,  cross- 
ed that  range  to  the  waters  of  the  Pacific 
only  a  few  years  prior  to  the  period  we  are 
considering  ;  and  in  this  opinion  I  am  sus- 
tained by  Mr.  Fitzpatrick.  and  the  older 
trappers  in  that  country.  In  the  region  west  j 
of  the  Rocky  mountains,  we  never  meet  with 
any  of  the  ancient  vestiges  which,  through- 1 
ou:,  all  the  country  lying  upon  their  eastern  ' 
waters,  are  found  in  the  great  highways, 
continuous  for  hundreds  of  miles,  always  i 
several  inches  and  sometimes  several  feet  in 
depth,  which  the  buffalo  have  made  in  cross- 
ing from  one  nver  to  another,  or  in  travers- 
ing the  mountain  ranges.     The  Snake  In- 


dians, more  particularly  those  low  down  up- 
on Lewis's  fork,  have  always  been  very 
grateful  to  the  American  trappers,  for  the 
great  kindness  (as  they  frequently  expressed 
it)  which  they  did  to  them,  in  driving  the 
buffalo  so  low  down  the  Columbia  river. 

The  extraordinary  abundance  of  the  buf- 
falo on  the  east  side  of  the  Rocky  moun- 
tains, and  their  extraordinary  diminution, 
will  be  made  clearly  evident  from  the  fol- 
lowing statement :  At  any  time  between  the 
years  18'.24  and  183U,  a  traveller  might  start 
from  any  given  point  south  or  north  in  the 
Rocky  mountain  range,  journeying  by  the 
most  direct  route  to  the  Missouri  river ; 
and,  during  the  wh(de  distance,  his  road 
would  be  always  among  large  bands  of  buf- 
falo, which  would  never  be  out  of  his  view 
until  he  arrived  almost  within  sight  of  the 
abodes  of  civilization. 

At  this  time,  the  buffalo  occupy  but  a 
very  limited  space,  principally  along  the 
eastern  base  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  some- 
times extending  at  their  southern  extremity 
to  a  considerable  distance  into  the  plums 
between  the  Platte  and  Arkansas  rivers, 
and  along  the  eastern  frontier  of  New  Mex- 
ico as  far  south  as  Texas. 

The  following  statement,  which  I  owe  to 
the  kindness  of  Mr.  Sanford,  a  partner  in 
the  American  Fur  Company,  will  further 
illustrate  this  subject,  by  extensive  know- 
ledge acquired  during  several  years  of  travel 
through  the  region  inhabited  by  the  buffalo : 

"The  total  amount  of  robes  aniiualiv 
traded  by  ourselves  and  others  will  not  be 
found  to  differ  much  from  the  following 
statement : 


American  Fur  Company, 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,   . 
All  other  companies,  probably 


KobcN. 

70,000 
10,000 
10,000 


Making  a  total  of    ...     .     90,000 

as  an  average  annual  return  for  the   last 
eight  or  ten  years. 

"  In  the  northwest,  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  purchase  from  the  Indians  but  a 
very  small  number — their  only  market  being 
Canada,  to  which  the  cost  of  transportation 
nearly  equals  the  produce  of  the  furs ;  and 
it  is  only  within  a  very  recent  period  tii;U 
they  have  received  buffalo  robes  in  trade  ; 
and  out  of  the  great  number  of  buffalo  an- 
nually killed  throughout  the  extensive  re- 
gions inhabited  by  the  Camanchesand  other 
kindred  tribes,  no  robes  whatever  are  fur- 
nished for  trade.  During  only  four  months 
of  the  year,  (from  November  until  March,) 
the  skins  arc  good  for  dressing  ;  those  ob- 
tained in  the  remaining  eight  months  being 
valueless  to  traders  ;  and  the  hides  of  bulls 
are  never  taken  off  or  dressed  as  robes  at 
any  season.     Probably  not  more  than  one- 


[1843. 

down  up- 
een  very 
i,  for  Iho 
expressed 
iviiijT  the 
river. 

the  buf- 
ky  moun- 
miiiutiui), 

the  fol- 
tween  the 
light  start 
rth  in  the 
g  by  the 
uri  river ; 
his  road 
<l.s  of  buf- 
lii.s  view 
ht  of  the 

py  but  a 
alung  the 
ins,  some- 

extreniity 
tlie  plums 
as  riveiKS, 
Sew  Mex- 

1  I  owe  to 
partner  in 
ill  further 
ive  Ivnow- 
k-sof  trav(!l 
iie  bullUlo : 
i  annuullv 
vill  not.  be 
!  following 

ItoboH. 

70,000 
10,000 
10,000 


1843.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


83 


90,000 
ir  the   last 

son's  Bay 
ians  but  a 
irkel  being 
asportation 

furs ;  and 
)eriod  that 

in  trade ; 
bull'alo  an- 
ensive  re- 
sand  other 
r  are  fur- 
lur  months 
til  March,) 

those  ob- 
nths  being 
es  of  bulls 
3  robes  at 

than  one- 


third  of  the  .skins  are  taken  from  thoDnimals 
killed,  even  when  they  are  in  good  season, 
i),c  labor  of  preparing  and  dressing  the 
robcM  being  very  great ;  and  it  is  seldom 
that  a  lodge  trades  more  than  twenty  skins 
111  a  year.  It  is  during  the  summer  months, 
and  in  the  early  part  of  autumn,  that  the 
greatest  number  of  bulfalo  are  killed,  and 
yet  at  this  lime  a  skin  is  never  taken  for  the 
|mr|i(>se  of  trade." 

from  these  data,  which  are  certainly 
liiniK'd,  and  decidedly  within  bounds,  the 
reader  is  left  to  draw  his  own  inference  of 
the  immense  number  annually  killed. 

In  IHl'i,  I  found  the  Sioux  Indians  of  the 
r|)])er  I'latte  demontes,  as  their  French 
traders  expressed  it,  with  the  failure  of  the 
buli'alo  ;  and  in  the  foHowing  year,  large 
viilai;es  from  the  Upi)er  Missouri  came  over 
tu  tlie  mountains  at  the  heads  of  the  Platte, 
in  search  of  them.  The  rapidly  progressive 
I'aiiiire  of  their  principal  and  almost  their 
only  means  of  subsistence  has  created  great 
alarm  naiong  them  ;  and  at  this  time  there 
are  only  two  modes  presented  to  them,  by 
which  they  see  a  good  prospect  for  escaping 
starvation  :  one  of  these  is  to  rob  the  settle- 
nients  along  the  frontier  of  the  States  ;  and 
the  other  is  to  form  a  league  between  the 
various  tribes  of  the  Sioux  nation,  the 
('lieyennes,  and  Arapahoes,  and  make  war 
atraiiihi  the  Crow  nation,  in  order  to  take 
iVom  them  their  country,  which  is  now  the 
bust  bulfalo  country  in  the  west.  This  plan 
they  now  have  in  consideration ;  and  it 
would  prol-  ibly  be  a  war  of  extermination, 
as  tiio  (Jrows  have  long  been  advised  of  this 
stale  of  aft.iirs,  and  say  that  they  are  per- 
fectly prepared.  These  are  the  best  war- 
riors ill  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  are  now 
allied  with  the  Snake  Indians ,  and  it  is 
l>rol)able  that  their  combination  would  ex- 
tend iibclf  to  the  Utahs,  who  have  long  been 
engaged  in  war  against  the  Sioux.  It  is  in 
tills  section  of  country  that  my  observation 
("oriufily  led  me  to  recommend  the  estab- 
lisliiiioiit  of  a  military  post. 

The  farther  course  of  our  narrative  will 
give  fuller  and  more  detailed  information 
of  the  present  disposition  of  the  buffalo  in 
iho  country  we  visited. 

Among  the  roots  we  obtained  here,  I 
eouKl  distinguish  only  five  or  six  different 
kinds ;  and  the  supply  of  the  Indians  whom 
we  met  consisted  principally  of  yampah, 
{anetlaun,  graveolens,)  tobacco  root,  (Vale- 
riana,) and  a  large  root  of  a  species  of 
thistle,  (circium  Virgimanum,)  which  now 
is  occasionally  abundant,  and  is  a  very 
agreeably  flavored  vegetable. 

We  had  been  detained  so  long  at  the  vil- 
lage, that  in  the  afternoon  we  made  only 
lye  miles,  and  encamped  on  the  same  river 
after  a  day's  journey  of  19  miles.     The  In- 


dians informed  us  that  we  should  reach  the 
big  salt  water  after  having  slept  twice  and 
travelling  in  a  south  direction.  The  stream 
had  lujre  entered  a  nearly  level  plain  or 
valley,  of  good  soil,  eight  or  ten  miles  broad, 
to  which  no  termination  was  to  be  seen, 
and  lying  between  ranges  of  mountains 
which,  on  the  right,  were  grassy  and  smooth, 
unbroken  by  rock,  and  lovvf^r  than  <m  tho 
left,  where  they  were  rocky  and  bald,  in- 
creasing in  height  to  the  .southward.  On 
the  creek  were  fringes  of  young  willows, 
older  trees  being  rarely  found  on  the  plains, 
where  the  Indians  burn  the  surface  to  pro- 
duce better  grass.  Seveial  magpies  {pica 
Hudsonica)  were  seen  on  the  creek  this 
afternoon ;  and  a  rattlesnake  was  killed 
here,  the  first  which  had  been  seen  since 
leaving  the  eastern  plains.  Our  camp  to- 
night had  such  a  hungry  appearance,  that  I 
suffered  the  little  cow  to  be  killed,  and  di- 
vided the  roots  and  berries  among  the  peo- 
ple. A  number  of  Indians  from  the  village 
encamped  near. 

The  weather  the  next  morning  was  clear, 
the  thermometer  at  sunrise  at  44  ^.5,  and, 
continuing  down  the  valley,  in  about  five 
miles  we  followed  the  little  creek  of  our 
encampment  to  its  junction  with  a  larger 
stream,  called  Roseaux,  or  Reed  river.  Im- 
mediately opposite,  on  the  right,  the  range 
was  gathered  into  its  highest  peak,  sloping 
gradually  low,  ant?  running  off  to  a  point 
apparently  some  forty  or  fifty  miles  below. 
Between  this  (now  become  the  valley  stream) 
and  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  we  journeyed 
along  a  handsome  sloping  level,  which  fre- 
quent springs  from  the  hills  made  occasion- 
ally miry,  and  halted  to  noon  at  a  swampy 
spring,  where  there  were  good  grass  and 
abundant  rushes.  Here  the  river  was  forty 
feet  v/ide,  with  a  considerable  current ;  and 
the  valley  a  mile  and  a  half  in  breadth  ;  the 
soil  being  generally  good,  of  a  dark  color, 
and  apparently  well  adapted  to  cultivation. 
The  day  had  become  bright  and  pleasant, 
with  the  thermometer  at  71°.  By  observa- 
tion, our  latitude  was  41°  59'  31",  and  the 
elevation  above  the  sea  4,670  feet.  On  our 
left,  this  afternoon,  the  range  at  long  inter- 
vals formed  itself  into  peaks,  appearing  to 
terminate,  about  forty  miles  below,  in  a 
rocky  cape  ;  beyond  which,  several  others 
were  faintly  visible  ;  and  we  were  disap- 
pointed when  at  every  little  rise  "we  did  not 
see  the  lake.  Towards  evening,  our  way 
was  somewhat  obstructed  by  fields  of  ar!e- 
misia,  which  began  to  make  their  appear- 
ance here,  and  we  encamped  on  the  Roseaux, 
the  water  of  vhich  had  acquired  a  decidedly 
salt  taste,  nearly  opposite  to  a  canon  gap  ia 
the  mountains,  through  which  the  Bear  river 
enters  this  valley.  As  we  encamped,  the 
night  set  in  dark  and  cold,  with  heavy  rain; 


i 


^\ 


'■>  ♦? 


m 
mi 


84 


CAPT.  VHEMONTS  NAIUIATIVE. 


[1843. 


u 


m-'.-' 


I  ■> 


SI,   -f  ♦=  V  ■ 


'.i? 


and  the  artcmisia,  which  was  hero  nur  only 
wood,  was  so  wet  that  it  would  not  hiirii. 
A  poor,  nearly  starved  dog,  with  a  wiiutid 
in  his  side  from  a  ball,  euine  to  the  camp, 
and  reioaiiiod  with  us  until  the  winter,  when 
he  nicl  a  very  unexpected  fate. 

Scfi/ciii/wr  1. — Tlio  morning  was  squally 
and  eold ;  ihe  sky  sealtcred  over  witli 
clouds ;  and  the  night  liad  been  so  unconi- 
forfalile,  that  we  were  not  on  the  road  until 
b  o'cltick.  'Travelling  between  Hoseanx 
and  li<iir  rivers,  wo  continued  fo  descend 
the  valley,  which  gradually  exj)anded,  as  we 
advanced,  into  a  level  ))lain  of  good  soil, 
about  -25  miles  iti  breadth,  between  moun- 
tains 3,000  and  4,000  feet  high,  rising  sud- 
denly to  the  eUuids,  which  all  day  rested  uium 
the  peaks.  These  gleamed  out  in  the  occa- 
sional sunlight,  mantled  with  the  snow  which 
had  fallen  upon  them,  while  it  rained  on  us 
in  the  valley  below,  of  which  the  elevation 
here  was  about  1,500  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  country  before  us  plainly  indicated  that 
we  were  apj)roaching  the  lake,  though,  as 
the  ground  where  we  were  travelling  af- 
forded no  elevated  point,  nothing  of  it  as  yet 
could  be  seen ;  and  at  a  great  distance 
ahead  were  several  isolated  mountains,  re- 
sembling islands,  which  they  were  after- 
wards found  to  be.  On  this  upper  plain  the 
grass  was  everywhere  dead  ;  and  among 
the  shrubs  with  which  it  was  almost  exclu- 
sively occupied,  (artemisia  being  the  most 
abundant,)  frequently  occurred  handsome 
clusters  of  several  species  of  dictcria  in 
bloom.  Purshia  tridentata  was  among  the 
frequent  shrubs.  Descending  to  the  bot- 
toms of  Bear  river,  we  found  good  grass  for 
the  animals,  and  encamped  about  300  yards 
above  the  mouth  of  Roseaux,  which  here 
makes  its  junction,  without  communicating 
arty  of  its  salty  taste  to  the  main  stream, 
of  which  the  water  remains  perfectly  pure. 
On  the  river  are  only  willow  thickets,(5a/jj: 
longifulia,)  and  in  the  bottoms  the  abundant 
plants  are  canes,  solidago,  and  helianthi, 
tnd  along  the  banks  of  Roseaux  are  fields 
o{ malva  rotundifolia.  At  sunset  the  ther- 
mometer was  at  54"^. 5,  and  the  evening 
clear  and  calm  ;  but  I  deferred  making  any 
use  of  it  until  1  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
when  I  endeavored  to  obtain  an  emersion 
of  the  first  satellite ;  but  it  was  lost  in  a 
bank  of  cjouds,  which  also  rendered  our 
usu;il  observations  indifferent. 

Among  the  useful  things  which  formed  a 
portion  of  our  equipage,  was  an  India-rub- 
ber boat,  18  feet  long,  made  somewhat  in 
the  form  of  a  bark  canoe  of  the  northern 
lakes.  The  sides  were  formed  by  two  air- 
tight cylinders,  eighteen  inches  in  diameter, 
connected  witii  others  forming  the  bow  and 
stern.  To  lessen  the  danger  from  accidents 
to  the  boat,  these   were  divided  into  four 


dilTerent  compartments,  and  the  lerior 
spacu  was  sufliciently  largo  to  contain  five 
or  six  persons  and  a  (utnsideralde  weight  of 
baggage.  The  Koseaux  being  too  deep  to 
bu  forded,  our  boat  was  filled  with  air,  and 
in  about  one  hour  all  the  equipage  of  the 
camj),  carriage  and  gun  included,  ferried 
across.  Thinking  that  iJori.ins  in  the  course 
of  the  day  we  might  reach  the  outlet  at  the 
lake,  I  got  into  tiie  boat  with  Hasil  Lajeu. 
nesse,  and  paddled  dosvn  Hear  river,  intend- 
ing at  night  to  rejoin  the  party,  which  in 
the  mean  time  proceeded  on  its  wiiy.  Tlio 
river  was  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  yards 
broad,  and  the  water  so  deep,  that  even  on 
the  comparatively  shallow  points  we  could 
not  reach  the  bottom  with  15  feet.  On 
either  side  were  alternately  low  bottoms 
and  willow  points,  with  an  occasional  big' 
prairi'  ;  and  for  five  or  six  hours  we  fol- 
lowed slowly  the  winding  course  of  the 
river,  which  crej)t  along  with  a  sluggish 
current  among  frequent  detours  several 
miles  arcumd,  sometimes  running  for  a  con- 
siderable distance  directly  up  the  valley. 
As  we  were  stealing  quietly  down  the 
stream,  trying  in  vain  to  get  a  shot  at  a 
strange  large  bird  that  was  numerous  among 
the  willows,  but  very  shy,  we  came  unex- 
pectedly upon  several  famdies  of  Root  Dig- 
gers, who  were  encamj)ed  among  the  ruslica 
on  the  shore,  and  appeared  very.busy  about 
several  weirs  or  nets  which  had  been  rude- 
ly made  of  canes  and  rushes  for  the  jiurpose 
of  catching  fish.  They  were  very  much 
startled  at  our  appearance,  but  we  soon  es- 
tablished an  acquaintance;  and  finding  thiit 
they  had  some  roots,  I  promised  to  send 
some  men  with  goods  to  trade  with  them 
They  had  the  usual  very  large  heads,  re- 
markable among  the  Digger  tribe,  with  ni;it- 
ted  hair,  and  were  almost  entirely  nakeil , 
looking  very  poor  and  miserable,  as  if  their 
lives  had  been  spent  in  the  rushes  where 
they  were,  beyond  which  they  seeivied  to 
have  very  little  knowledge  of  any  lliinir. 
From  the  few  words  we  could  conijireliciid, 
their  language  was  that  of  the  Sn  ike  In- 
dians. 

Our  boat  moved  so  heavily,  that  we  li;id 
made  very  little  progress  ;  and,  finding  th;it 
it  would  be  impossible  to  overtake  the  ciiini , 
as  soon  as  we  were  sufficiently  far  bolou 
the  Indians,  we  put  to  the  shore  near  a  liiifh 
prairie  bank,  hauled  up  the  boat,  and  cac/ud 
our  effects  in  the  willows.  Ascending  the 
bank,  we  found  that  our  desultory  labor  hurt 
brought  us  only  a  few  mdes  in  a  direct  lino  ; 
and,  going  out  into  the  prairie,  after  a  scareli 
we  found  the  trail  of  the  camp,  which  was 
now  nowhere  in  sight,  but  had  followed  tiie 
general  course  of  the  river  in  a  large  cirru- 
lar  sweep  which  it  makes  at  this  place.  'I'lie 
sun  was  about  three  hours  high  when  we 


f 


:.^ 


ofll 
,lllp 
tudt 

wit 

iher 

the 

era 

a  dii 

mile 

was 

anin 


On 
oth 


w 


[1843. 


i843.1 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAHIIATIVE. 


iirior 
iitiiiii  five 
wcifrlit  of 

I)    (lt'L'|)  to 

I  iiir,  !ind 
S,'!'  (if  the 
il,  (iiiiioil 
llio  I'ourse 
tli't  at  tlit> 
sil  Ijiijoii. 
Dr,  intend' 
which  in 
ay.     Tilt- 
red  yards 
It  even  on 
we  CDuld 
I'eet.     On 
l)ottnm8 
ional  hi^f'' 
rs  we  M- 
sc   ol'  tiie 
slug-git:  li 
•s    several 
i'or  a  con- 
lie    valley, 
down    the 
.sl\ot  at  a 
ous  aiiionjf 
iiine   iinex- 
■  Roof  Dig. 
[the  rushes 
,husy  ahout 
heea  rudc- 
.he  i)ur])ose 
very  much 
\e  soon  e^-- 
findinjr  that 
led  to  send 
with  them 
heads,  ic- 
,  with  nial- 
•ely  naked , 
,  as  if  their 
shes  where 
seet'ied  to 
any  ihiiiir. 
iHuiireheiid, 
Snike  ]i)- 

lat  we  had 
finding  th.it 
e  the  ciiiii]:, 
y  far  helow 
near  a  lugfi 
and  car  hi  (I 
cndiujj  tlie 
y  labor  iiart 
direct  lino ; 
:er  a  seaicii 
which  was 
dlowed  the 
arge  circn- 
jlace.  The 
I  when  we 


found  the  trail ;  and  as  our  pcoplo  had  pass- 
ed early  in  the  day,  we  had  tho  prospect  of 
a  vigorous  walk  before  us.  Immediately 
where  we  landed,  the  high  arable  plain  on 
which  wo  had  boon  travelling  for  several 
diiys  past  tcrminated^in  extensive  low  flats, 
very  generally  occupied  by  salt  marshes,  or 
licds  of  shallow  lakes,  whence  tho  water 
hid  in  most  places  evaporated,  leaving  their 
Ii:u'd  surface  encrusted  with  a  shining  white 
ri.'.si(liiuni,  and  absolutely  covered  with  very 
small  unioalre  shells.  As  we  advanced,  the 
v\  hole  country  around  us  assumed  this  ap- 
pearance ;  and  there  was  no  other  vegeta- 
tion than  the  shrubby  chenopodiaceous  and 
other  ajiparently  saline  plants,  which  were 
confined  to  the  rising  grounds.  Here  and 
there  on  the  river  bank,  which  was  raised 
like  a  levee  above  the  flats  through  which 
it  ran,  was  a  narrow  border  of  grass  and 
short  black-burnt  willows  ;  the  stream  being 
very  deep  and  sluggish,  and  sometimes  600 
to  800  feet  wide.  After  a  rapid  walk  of 
about  15  miles,  we  caught  sight  of  the  camp 
fires  among  clumps  of  willows  just  as  the 
sun  had  sunk  behind  the  mountains  on  the 
west  side  of  the  valley,  filling  the  clear  sky 
with  a  golden  yellow.  These  last  rays,  to 
us  so  precious,  could  not  have  revealed  a 
more  welcome  sight.  To  the  traveller  and 
the  hunter,  a  camp  fire  in  the  lonely  wilder- 
ness is  always  cheering  ;  and  to  ourselves, 
ill  our  present  situation,  after  a  hard  march 
in  a  region  of  novelty,  approaching  the  de- 
bouches of  a  river,  in  a  lake  of  almost  fabu- 
lous reputation,  it  was  doubly  so.  A  plen- 
tiful supper  of  aquatic  birds,  and  the  inter- 
est of  the  scene,  soon  dissipated  fatigue ; 
and  I  obtained  during  the  night  emersions 
of  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  satellites  of 
.lupiter,  with  observations  for  time  and  lati- 
tude. 

September  3. — The  morning  was  clear, 
with  a  light  air  from  the  north,  and  the 
thenntmieter  at  sunrise  at  45°. 5.  At  3  in 
tlic  morning,  Basil  was  sent  back  with  sev- 
eral men  and  horses  lor  the  boat,  which,  in 
a  direct  course  across  the  flats,  was  not  10 
miles  distant;  an  '■»  the  mean  time  there 
was  a  pretty  .^pi>i  of  grass  here  for  the 
animals.  The  ground  was  so  low  that  we 
could  not  get  high  enough  to  see  across  the 
river,  on  .iccount  ot  the  willows ;  but  we 
were  t  ^dendy  in  the  vicinity  of  the  lake, 
and  th»  water  fowl  made  this  morning  a 
noise  like  thunder.  A  pelican  {pflccanus 
onocrutalus)  was  ';jlled  as  he  passed  by,  and 
many  geese  anJ  ducks  flew  over  the  camp. 
On  the  dry  salt  marsh  here,  is  scarce  any 
other  plant  than  salicornia  herbacca. 

In  the  afternoon  the  men  returned  with 
the  boat,  bringing  with  them  a  small  quan- 
tity of  roots,  and  some  meat,  which  the 
Indians  hud  told  tliem  was  bear  meat. 


DeFcending  the  river  for  about  three  miles 
in  the  afternoon,  we  found  a  bar  to  any 
further  travelling  in  that  direction — the 
stream  being  spread  out  in  several  branches, 
and  covering  the  low  grounds  with  water, 
where  the  miry  nature  of  the  bottom  did 
not  permit  any  further  advance.  We  were 
evidently  on  the  border  of  tho  lake,  al- 
though the  rushes  and  canes  which  covered 
the  marshes  prevented  any  view ;  and  wo 
accordingly  encamped  at  tho  little  delta 
which  forms  the  mouth  ot  Bear  river  ;  a 
long  arm  of  the  lake  stretching  up  to  the 
north  between  us  and  the  opposite  moun- 
tains. The  river  was  bordered  with  a 
fringe  of  willows  and  canes,  among  which 
were  interspersed  a  few  plants ;  and  scat- 
tered about  on  the  marsh  was  a  species  of 
uniola,  closely  allied  to  U.  spicata  of  our 
sea  coa^it.  The  whole  morass  was  ani- 
mated with  multitudes  of  water  fowl,  which 
appeared  to  be  very  wild — rising  for  the 
space  of  a  mile  round  about  at  the  sound  of 
a  gun,  with  a  noise  like  distant  thunder. 
Several  of  the  people  waded  out  into  the 
marshes,  and  we  had  to-night  a  delicious 
supper  of  ducks,  geese,  and  plover. 

Although  the  moon  was  bright,  the  night 
was  otherwise  favorable ;  and  I  obtained 
this  evening  an  emersion  of  tho  first  satel- 
lite, with  the  usual  observations.  A  mean 
result,  depending  on  various  observations 
made  during  our  stay  in  the  neighborhood, 
places  the  mouth  of  the  river  in  longitude 
112'3  19'  30"  west  from  Greenwich;  lati- 
tude 41°  30'  2a";  and,  accordinjf  to  the 
barometer,  in  elevation  4,200  leet  above  the 
gulf  of  Mexico.  The  night  was  clear,  with 
considerable  dew,  which  I  had  remarked 
every  night  since  the  first  of  September. 
The  next  morning,  while  we  were  prepar- 
ing to  start,  Carson  rode  into  the  camp  with 
flour  and  a  few  other  articles  of  light  pro- 
vision, suflScient  for  two  or  three  days — a 
scanty  but  very  acceptable  supply.  Mr. 
Fitzpatrick  had  not  yet  arrived,  and  pro- 
visions were  very  scarce,  and  difficult  to  be 
had  at  Fort  Hall,  which  had  been  entirely 
exhausted  by  the  necessities  of  the  emi- 
grants. Ife  brought  me  also  a  leiior  lion) 
Mr.  ])wight,  who,  in  company  with  several 
emigrants,  had  reached  that  jiiace  in  ad- 
vance of  Mr.  i''itzpatrick,  and  was  al'«ul 
continuing  his  jcmrnoy  to  Vancouver. 

Returning  about  five  miles  up  tiie  river, 
we  were  occu|)ied  until  nearly  sunset  in 
crossing  to  lh(^  left  bank— the  stieaui,  which 
in  the  lust  five  or  six  miles  of  its  v-ourso  i« 
very  nu.ch  narrower  than  above,  being  very 
deep  immediately  at  the  banks ;  and  wc 
had  great  difficulty  in  gi^uing  our  animals 
over.  The  people  w'lh  the  ba^'guge  were 
easily  crossed  in  the  boat,  and  we  encamp- 
ed on  the  left  bank  where  we  eruostd  tU« 


m 


^;v 


s:,;* 


■  V :  • 


'«hS 


■  ■  t,    'Vv' 


J\ 


66 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1843. 


ti^"'' 


river.  At  sunset  the  thermometer  was  at 
76'^,  ''nd  there  was  some  rain  durinfj  the 
night,  with  a  thunder  storm  at  a  distance. 

September  5. — Ueforo  us  was  evidently 
the  hed  of  the  lake,  being  a  great  salt  marsh, 

Cerfectly  level  and  hare,  whitened  in  places 
y  saline  eflloresnenceH,  with  here  and  there 
a  pool  «1  water,  and  havintr  the  appearance 
of  a  very  level  sea  shore  at  low  tide.  Im- 
mediately alonff  the  river  was  a  very  nar- 
row strip  of  vegetation,  consisting  of  wil- 
lows, lielianthi,  roses,  iiowerinp  vines,  and 
grass ;  bordered  on  the  verge  of  the  great 
marsh  by  a  fringe  of  singular  plants,  which 
appear  to  be  a  shrubby  salicorniu,  ur  a 
genus  allied  to  it. 

About  12  miles  to  the  southward  was  one 
of  those  isolated  mountains,  now  appearing 
to  be  a  kind  of  peninsula  ;  and  towards  this 
we  accordingly  directed  our  course,  as  it 
probably  afforded  a  good  view  of  the  lake  ; 
but  the  deepening  mud  as  we  advanced 
forced  us  to  return  toward  the  river,  and 
gain  the  higher  ground  at  the  foot  of  the 
eastern  mountains.  Here  we  halted  for  a 
few  minutes  at  noon,  on  a  beautiful  little 
stream  of  pure  and  remarkably  clear  water, 
with  a  bed  of  rock  in  situ,  on  which  was  an 
abundant  water  plant  with  a  white  blossom. 
There  was  good  grass  in  the  bottoms ;  and, 
amidst  a  rather  luxuriant  growth,  its  banks 
were  bordered  with  a  large  showy  plant, 
{eupatorium  purpvrcum,)  which  I  here  saw 
for  the  first  time.  We  named  the  stream 
Clear  creek. 

We  continued  our  way  along  the  moun- 
tain, having  found  here  a  broad  plainly 
beaten  trail,  over  what  was  apparently  the 
shore  of  the  lake  in  the  fej)riiig  :  the  ground 
being  high  and  firm,  and  the  soil  excellent 
and  covered  with  vegetation,  among  which 
a  leguminous  plant  \glijcyrrlnza  lepidota) 
was  a  characteristic  plant.  The  ridge  here 
rises  abruptly  to  the  height  of  about  1,000 
feet ;  its  face  being  very  prominently  mark- 
ed with  a  massive  stratum  of  n).se-colored 
granular  quartz,  which  is  evidently  an  al- 
tered sedimentary  rock  ;  the  lines  of  de- 
position being  very  distinct.  It  is  rocky 
and  sleep  ;  divided  into  several  mountains  ; 
and  the  rain  in  the  valley  appears  to  be  al- 
ways snow  on  their  summits  at  this  season. 
Near  a  remarkable  rocky  point  of  the 
mountain,  at  a  large  spring  of  pure  water, 
were  several  hackriHtry  trees,  {cellu,)  prob- 
ably a  new  species,  the  berries  still  green  ; 
and  a  short  distance  t*rther,  thickets  of 
Bumach,  {rhus.) 

On  the  plain  here  1  noticed  blackbirds 
and  grouse.  In  about  seven  miles  from 
Clear  creek,  the  trail  brought  us  to  a  plane 
at  the  foot  of  the  mciuntain  where  there 
issued  with  considerable  force  ten  or  twelve 
hot  eprwgfc,  iiighly  impregnated  with  salt. 


'  In  one  of  these,  the  thermometer  stood  at 
130O,  and  in  another  at  ISS^.S  ;  and  tho 
water,  which  spread  in  pools  over  tho  low 
ground,  was  colored  red.* 

At  this  olace  tho  trail  wo  had  been  follow- 
ing turned  to  tho  left,  apparently  with  the 
view  of  entering  a  gorge  in  tho  mountain, 
from  which  issued  the  principal  fork  of  a 
largo  and  comparatively  well-timbered 
stream,  called  Webor's  fork.  We  accord- 
ingly turned  off  towards  the  lake,  and  en- 
camped ou  this  river,  which  was  100  to  160 
feet  wide,  with  high  banks,  and  very  clear 
pure  water,  without  the  slightest  indication 
of  salt. 

September  6. — Leaving  the  encampment 
early,  we  again  directed  our  course  Ibr  tho 
peninsular  butts  across  a  low  shrubby  plain, 
crossing  in  tho  way  a  slough-like  creek  with 
miry  banks,  and  wooded  with  thickets  ol 
thorn  (cratirgus)  which  were  loaded  with 
berries.  This  time  we  reached  the  butle 
without  any  difficulty,  and,  ascending  to  the 
summit,  immediately  at  our  feet  beheld  the 
object  of  our  anxious  search — the  waters  of 
the  Inland  Sea,  stretching  in  still  and  soli- 
tary grandeur  far  bcyonu  the  limit  of  our 
vision.  It  was  one  of  the  great  points  of  the 
exploration  ;  and  as  we  looked  eagerly  over 
the  lake  in  the  first  emotions  of  excited  plea- 
sure, 1  am  doubtful  if  the  followers  of  Balboa 
felt  more  enthusiasm  when,  from  the  heights 
of  tho  Andes,  they  saw  for  the  first  time  the 
great  Western  ocean.  It  was  certainly  a 
magnificent  object,  and  a  noble  terminus  to 
this  part  of  our  expedition  ;  and  to  travellers 
so  long  shut  up  among  mountain  ranges,  a 
sudden  view  over  the  expanse  of  silent 
waters  had  in  it  something  sublime.  Sever- 
al large  islands  raised  their  high  rocky  heads 
out  of  the  waves  ;  but  whether  or  not  they 
were  timbered,  was  still  left  to  onr  imagina- 
tion, as  the  distance  was  too  great  to  deter- 
mine if  the  dark  hues  upon  them  were  wood- 
land or  naked  rock.  During  the  day  the 
clouds  had  been  gathering  black  over  the 
mountains  to  the  westward,  and,  while  we 
were  looking,  a  storm  burst  down  with  sud- 
den fury  upon  the  lake,  and  entirely  hid  the 
islands  from  our  view.  So  far  as  we  could 
see,  along  the  shores  there  was  not  a  soli- 


•  .\n  analysis  of  the  red 

earthy 

matter  de- 

jKwited  in  the  bed  of  the  stream  from  the  springs, 

jjivos  (he  following  result : 

Peroxide  of  iron 

.     33.50 

Carbonate  of  magnesia  . 

.       2.40 

(.'arlMinate  of  lime  . 

.     .')0.43 

Sulphate  of  lime     . 

.      2.00 

Chloride  of  sodium 

.      3.45 

>Sil>ca  and  aiiimitt* 

.      3.00 

Water  and  looi 

ftJiS 

I 


100.00 


[1843. 

tood  at 
and  tho 
the  low 


1843.1 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAERATIVK. 


87 


33.50 
2.40 

50.43 
2.00 
3.45 
3.00 
5.22 


lary  tree,  and  but  little  appearance  of  graas  ; 
anu  on  Weber's  fork,  a  few  miles  below  our 
last  encampment,  tho  timber  was  (ratlicrcd 
into  grove.H,  and  then  disappeared  entirely. 
As  this  appeared  to  bo  tho  nearest  point  to 
ihc  luko  wliero  a  suitable  camp  could  be 
found,  wo  directed  our  course  to  one  of  the 
frrovcs,  wliurc  we  found  a  handsome  en- 
campment, with  pood  grass  and  an  ubun- 
liiuice  of  rushes  \equisetum  hyeinalc).  At 
MUiHot,  the  thermometer  was  at  65°;  the 
livening  clear  and  calm,  with  some  cumuli. 

S'liiember  7. — The  morning  was  calm  and 
clear,  with  a  temperature  at  sunrise  of  39°.5. 
Tlio  day  was  spent  in  active  preparation  for 
3iir  intended  voyage  on  the  lake.  On  the 
LMlge  of  the  stream  a  favorable  Hpf)t  was  se- 
lected in  a  grove,  and,  fellinj,'  the  timber,  we 
made  a  strong  coral,  or  horse  pen,  for  the 
aniuials,  and  a  little  fort  for  the  peoole  who 
were  to  remain.  We  were  now  probably  in 
the  country  of  tho  Utah  Indians,  though  none 
reside  upon  the  lake.  The  India-rubber  boat 
was  repaired  with  prepared  cloth  and  gum, 
and  tilled  with  air,  in  readiness  for  the  next 
day. 

The  provisions  which  Carson  had  brought 
with  him  being  now  exhausted,  and  our 
stock  reduced  to  a  small  quantity  of  roots,  1 
(letorinined  to  retain  with  mo  only  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  men  for  the  execution  of 
our  design ;  and  accordingly  seven  were 
«ent  back  to  Fort  Hall,  under  the  guidance 
of  Fran9oi8  Lajeunesse,  who,  liavmg  been 
for  many  years  a  trapper  in  the  country,  was 
considered  an  experienced  mountaineer. 
Thoiiifh  they  were  provided  with  good  hor- 
ses, and  the  road  was  a  remarkably  plain 
one  of  only  four  days'  journey  for  a  horse- 
man, they  became  bewildered  (as  we  after- 
wards learned),  and,  losing  their  way,  wan- 
dered about  the  country  in  parties  of  one  or 
two,  reaching  the  fort  about  a  week  after- 
wards. Some  straggled  in  of  themselves, 
and  the  others  were  brought  in  by  Indians 
who  had  picked  them  up  on  Snake  river, 
about  sixty  miles  below  the  fort,  travelling 
along  the  emigrant  road  in  full  march  for 
the  Lower  Columbia.  The  leader  of  this 
adventurous  party  was  Fran9ois. 

Hourly  barometrical  observations  were 
made  during  the  day,  and,  after  departure  of 
tie  party  for  Fort  Hall,  we  occupied  our- 
selves in  continuing  our  little  preparations, 
and  in  becoming  acquainted  with  the  coun- 
try in  the  vicinity.  The  bottoms  along  the 
river  were  timbered  with  several  kinds  of 
willow,  hawthorn,  and  fine  cotton-wood  trees 
(populus  canadensis)  with  remarkably  large 
leaves,  and  sixty  feet  in  height  by  measure- 
mitnl. 

We  formed  now  but  a  small  family. 
Witla  Mr.  Preuss  and  myself,  Carson,  Ber- 
ttier,  and  Basil  Lajeunesse,  had  been  select- 


ed for  tho  boat  expedition— the  first  over  at- 
tempted on  this  interior  sea ;  and  Badeau, 
with  Derosier,  and  Jacob  (the  colored  man), 
were  to  be  lell  in  charge  of  tho  camp.  Wo 
were  favored  with  most  delightful  weather. 
To-night  there  was  a  brilliant  sunset  of 
golden  orange  and  green,  which  left  the 
western  sky  clear  and  beautifully  jiuro  ;  but 
clouds  in  tho  east  made  me  lose  an  occulta- 
tion.  Tho  sunmier  frogs  were  singing 
around  u.><,  and  tho  cv^:.ing  was  very  plea- 
sant, with  a  temperature  of  (JOo— a  night  of 
a  more  southern  autumn.  For  our  supper 
wo  had  yampah,  tho  most  agreeably  flavored 
of  tho  roots,  seasoned  by  a  small  fat  duck, 
which  had  come  in  the  way  of  Jacob's  rifle. 
Around  our  fire  to-night  were  matiy  specu- 
lations on  what  to-morrow  would  bring  forth, 
and  in  our  busy  conjectures  wo  fancied  that 
we  should  find  every  one  of  the  large  islands 
a  tangled  wilderness  of  trees  and  shrubbery, 
teeming  with  game  of  every  description  that 
the  neighboring  region  afforded,  and  which 
the  foot  of  a  white  man  or  Indian  had  never 
violated.  Frequently,  during  the  day,  clouds 
had  rested  on  the  summits  of  their  lofty 
mountains,  and  we  believed  that'we  should 
find  clear  streams  and  springs  of  fresh  water ; 
and  wo  indulged  in  anticipations  of  the  lux- 
urious repasts  with  which  we  were  to  in- 
demnify ourselves  for  past  privations. 
Neither,  in  our  di.><cu.ssions,  were  the  whirl- 
pool and  other  mysterious  dangers  forgotten, 
which  Indian  and  hunter's  stories  attributed 
to  this  unexplored  lake.  The  men  had  dis- 
covered that,  instead  of  being  strongly  sewed 
(like  that  of  the  preceding  year,  which  had 
so  triumphantly  rode  the  can>,ijs  of  the  Up- 
per Great  I'lat'te),  our  present  boat  was  only 
pasted  together  in  a  very  insecure  manner, 
the  maker  having  been  allowed  so  little  time 
in  the  construction,  that  he  was  obliged  to 
crowd  the  labor  of  two  months  into  several 
days.  The  insecurity  of  (he  boat  was  sensi- 
bly felt  by  UH  ;  and,  mingled  with  the  enthu- 
siasm and  excitement  that  we  all  felt  at  the 
Erospect  of  an  'undertaking  which  had  never 
efore  been  ac  -jjiplished,  was  a  certain  im- 
pressio'i  of  dangi"  sufficient  to  give  a  seri- 
ous character  to  our  conversation.  The 
momentary  view  which  had  been  had  of  the 
lake  the  day  before,  its  great  extent  and  ruji- 
ged  islands,  dimly  ceen  amidst  the  dark 
waters  in  the  obscurity  of  the  sudden  storm, 
were  well  caltuiaied  to  heighten  the  idea  of 
undetined  danger  with  which  the  lake  waa 
gPiiMrally  associated. 

Srplemln-r  H. — A  calm,  clear  day,  with  a 
sunris:;  temperature  of  41o.  In  view  of  our 
present  enterprise,  a  part  of  the  equipment 
of  the  boat  had  been  made  to  consist  in  three 
air-tight  bags,  about  three  feet  lonp,  and  ca- 
pable each  of  '-ontaining  five  gallons.  These 
had  been  filled  with  watpr  the  night  before, 


^1 

m 


'^■m 


'>X\ 


:li 


CAl'T.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1843. 


.-d-. 


(■    ■'■; 


:^  t: 


Lfrfi'' 


and  wore  now  pliicod  in  tlio  lioat,  uitli  our 
blaiiketH  nnd  irnntnitiioiitH.  coiiMiMtiiij?  «>f  a 
Bcxtniit,  ti'lt'ocoiip,  Hpy-(^lii«H,  (hcrtiuiinotcr, 
and  buroinPliT. 

Wo  li'll  tliP  cnm\)  tit  HiinriHO,  mid  lind  ft 
very  ploasunt  VDyitjjo  down  tlif  rivor,  in 
which  thrri'  whm  jrcMicriilly  I'ijjht  or  icn  I'oct 
of  wafer,  dof'iH  iiini;  iis  wo  iiourt'd  llic  month 
in  tiio  lultor  purl  of  Ihf  dny.  In  tli»'  coiirHf 
of  the  inoriiinji;  wo  dinrovori'd  thiil  twooftho 
cylinderH  loiiUod  no  much  iih  to  nM|iiiro  ono 
man  ('(mstiintly  at  the  hollown,  to  koop  thoin 
Bullicienlly  fnii  of  air  to  Hiipport  tho  boat. 
Althouf^h  wo  had  inadf  a  very  oariy  start, 
wo  loitered  ho  much  on  tho  way — ^toppiiijr 
every  now  and  tlion,  and  floatinj^  wilonlly 
alonjy,  to  got  a  Hhot  at  a  {jooso  or  u  ducl{ — 
that  it  waa  iato  in  tho  day  when  wo  loncriied 
tlio  outh't.  The  river  hero  divided  into 
eeveral  branches,  filled  with  fliivialH,  and  ho 
very  Hhallow  that  it,  was  with  difliculty  we 
could  get  the  boat  along,  being  obliged  to  get 
out  and  wade.  Wo  cncain|H.'d  on  a  low 
point  among  rushes  and  young  willows, 
where  there  Was  a  quantity  of  drift  wimmI, 
which  served  for  our  fires.  The  evening 
was  mild  and  clear ;  we  made  a  pleusant 
bed  of  the  young  willows  ;  and  gpose  and 
ducks  enough  had  been  killed  for  hw  abun- 
dant supper  at  night,  and  for  breakfast  tho 
next  morning.  'J'he  stillne.-is  <if  tho  night 
was  enlivened  by  millions  of  water  fowl. 
Latitude  (by  observation)  11°  11'  20';  and 
longitude  112'^  11'  30" 

September  9. — The  day  was  clear  and 
calm ;  the  thermomctor  at  sunrise  at  11)". 
As  is  usual  with  the  trap[>ers  on  the  eve  of 
any  enterprise,  our  people  had  made  dreams, 
and  theirs  liappened  to  bo  a  bad  ono — one 
which  always  preceded  evil — and  conse- 
quently they  looked  very  gloomy  this  morn- 
ing ;  but  we  hurried  through  our  breakfast, 
in  order  to  make  an  early  start,  and  liave  all 
tlie  day  before  us  for  our  adventure.  The 
channel  in  a  short  distance  became  so  shal- 
low that  our  navigation  was  at  an  end,  be- 
ing merely  a  sheet  of  soft  mud,  with  a  few 
inches  of  water,  and  sometimes  none  at  all, 
forming'  the  low-water  shore  of  the  lake. 
All  this  place  was  absolutely  covered  with 
flocks  of  screaming  plover.  We  took  off 
our  clothes,  and,  getting  overboard,  com- 
menced dragging  the  boat — making,  by  this 
operation,  a  very  curious  trail,  and  a  very 
disagreeable  smell  in  stirring  up  the  mud,  as 
we  sank  above  the  knee  at  every  step.  The 
water  here  was  still  fresh,  with  only  an  in- 
eipid  and  disagreeable  taste,  probably  de- 
rived from  the  bed  of  fetid  mud.  After  pro- 
ceeding in  this  way  about  a  mile,  we  came  to 
a  small  black  ridge  on  the  bottom,  beyond 
which  the  water  became  suddenly  salt,  be- 
ginning gradually  to  deejwn,  and  the  bottom 
was  sandy  and  firm.     It  was  a  remarkable 


diviHion,  Hopamfing  tho  frenh  wnfern  of  the 
rivern  from  tho  briny  wafer  of  tho  lake, 
which  was  entirely  mhiruted  with  common 
salt.  I'ushing  our  little  vohmoI  acn.rtH  tho 
narrow  boundary,  we  ppning  on  board,  and 
at  length  were  aflont  on  tho  waters  of  the 
unknown  sea. 

Wo  did  not  steer  for  tlio  monnlainons 
islands,  but  <lirected  our  course  towards  a 
lower  one,  which  it  had  bei'n  decided  wo 
should  firnt  vi^if,  the  summit  of  which  was 
formed  like  the  crater  at  the  upper  end  of 
Hear  river  valley.  So  long  as  we  could 
touch  the  bottom  with  our  paddles,  wo  wore 
very  gay  ;  but  gradually,  as  the  wati-r  deep- 
ened,  wo  liecame  more  still  in  our  frail  !)«. 
teau  of  gum  cloth  distenrled  with  air,  ami 
with  pasted  seams.  Althouirh  tho  d;iy  was 
very  calm,  there  was  a  considerable  swell  on 
tho  lake  ;  and  there  were  white  patches  of 
foam  (m  the  surface,  which  were  slowly 
moving  to  tho  southward,  indicating  tho  set 
of  a  current  in  that  direction,  and  recalling 
the  recollection  of  tho  wliirlpool  stories.  The 
water  c<mtinued  to  deepen  as  we  advanced  ; 
the  lake  becoming  almost  transparently 
clear,  of  an  extremely  beautiful  bright-green 
color;  and  tho  spray,  which  was  thrown 
into  the  boat  and  over  our  clothes,  was  di- 
rectly converted  into  a  crust  of  common  salt, 
which  covered  also  our  h-ands  and  arms. 
"  Captain,"  said  Carson,  who  for  some  time 
had  been  looking  suspiciously  at  some  whit- 
ening appearances  outside  the  nearest 
islands,  "  what  arc  those  yonder  ? — won't 
you  just  take  a  look  with  the  glass  ?"  We 
ceased  paddling  for  a  moment,  and  found 
them  to  be  the  caps  of  the  waves  that  were 
beginning  to  break  under  the  force  of  a 
strong  breeze  that  was  coming  up  the  lake 

The  form  of  the  boat  seemed  to  be  an  ad- 
mirable one,  and  it  rode  on  the  waves  like  a 
water  bird  ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  it  waa 
extremely  slow  in  its  progress.  When  we 
were  a  little  more  than  half  way  across  tho 
reach,  two  of  the  divisions  between  tho  cyl- 
inders gave  way,  and  it  required  the  con- 
stant use  of  the  bellows  to  keep  in  a  suHi- 
cient  quantity  of  air.  For  a  long  time  we 
scarcely  seemed  to  approach  our  island,  but 
gradually  we  worked  across  the  rougher  sea 
of  the  open  channel,  into  the  smoother  water 
under  the  lee  of  the  island ;  and  began  to 
discover  that  what  we  took  for  a  long  row 
of  pelicans,  ranged  on  the  beach,  were  only 
low  clifls  whitened  with  salt  by  the  spray  of 
tho  waves  ;  and  about  noon  we  reached  the 
shore,  the  transparency  of  the  water  enabling 
us  to  see  the  bottom  at  a  considerable  depth. 

It  was  a  handsome  broad  beach  where  we 
landed,  behind  which  the  hill,  into  which 
the  island  was  gathered,  rose  somewhat  ab- 
ruptly ;  and  a  point  of  rock  at  one  end  en- 
closed it  in  a  sheltering  way  ;  and  as  there 


1848. 


(;ai»t.  kkkmont'h  nakuativr. 


tiiinniiH 
'll^l^^  a 
iIimI  we 
<ii  \vn« 

(Mid  of 

cniild 

,«•  wore 

r  (lop|)- 


WHH  nn  Ahiindance  of  drift  wo(nI  alon^;  the 
ulioro.  if  iiffiTod  im  n  plonannt  encampment. 
W«  did  ni)t  BiifFor  our  fruijilo  Iniat  to  touch 
the  Hharp  rocks  ;  but,  ROttinir  overlK»ard,  dJH- 
charped  the  hn);(^(;e,  and,  lifting  it  pcntly 
out  of  the  water,  carried  it  to  the  upper  part 
of  the  l)eiich,  which  was  compoMcd  of  very 
Htiiali  frii|;mt>ntri  of  rock. 

Ainoni;  the  HuccesHive  hanks  of  the  lM>nrh, 
formt'd  hy  the  action  of  the  waves,  our  aften- 
tinn,  as  we  approached  the  island,  had  been 
altriicled  hy  one  10  to  20  feet  in  hroiidtli,  of 
II  diirk-ltrown  color,  neini;  more  closely 
('.\nit\iiipd,  tliis  was  found  to  Ih)  comp<ised, 
to  (lie  depth  of  seven  or  eij^ht  and  twelve 
iiulii'H,  entirely  of  the  larva'  of  inserts,  or, 
ill  coimnon  lanjjiiage,  of  the  skins  of  worms, 
nliont  the  size  of  a  prain  of  outs,  which  had 
liceii  wiiNhed  up  hy  the  waters  of  the  lake. 

Alliidin);  to  this  suhject  some  months  af- 
terwards, when  trnvellinp  through  a  more 
soiitliorn  |K)rtion  of  this  repion,  in  company 
with  Mr.  .loseph  Walker,  an  old  hunter,  I 
was  iiiformed  by  him,  that,  wandering  with 
a  piirty  of  men  in  a  mountain  country  east 
of  the  preiit  (Jalifornian  ranpe,  he  surprised 
a  ])i\rty  of  several  Indian  families  encamped 
lu'iir  a  small  salt  lake,  who  abandoned  their 
lodjrps  at  his  approach,  leaving  everything  be- 
hind tlieui.  Being  in  a  starving  condition, 
tliey  were  delighted  to  fhid  in  the  abandoned 
liidgos  a  numlwr  of  skin  bags  containing  a 
(limntity  of  what  appeared  to  be  fish,  dried 
and  pounded.  On  this  they  made  a  hearty 
snjjpor :  and  were  pathermg  around  an 
iibiindiuit  breakfast  the  next  morning,  when 
Mr.  Wiilker  discovered  that  it  was  with 
these,  or  a  similar  worm,  that  the  bags  had 
l)oeii  tilled.  The  stomachs  of  the  stout  trap- 
pers were  not  proof  against  their  prejudices, 
and  the  repulsive  food  was  suddenly  rcjoct- 
(hI.  Mr. Walker  had  further  opportunities  of 
seeing  these  worms  used  as  an  article  of  food; 
and  1  am  inclined  to  think  they  are  the  same 
a.s  those  we  saw,  and  appear  to  be  a  product 
of  the  salt  lakes.  It  may  be  well  to  recall 
lo  your  mind  that  Mr.  Walker  was  associ- 
ated with  Captain  Bonneville  in  hi.s  expedi- 
tion to  the  Rocky  mountains ;  and  has  since 
tiiat  time  remained  in  the  country,  generally 
residing  in  some  one  of  the  Snake  villages, 
nlien  not  engaged  in  one  of  liis  numerous 
Irajiping  expeditions,  in  which  he  is  cele- 
brated as  one  of  the  best  and  bravest  leaders 
who  have  ever  been  in  the  country. 

The  clif!s  and  masses  of  rock  along  the 
shore  were  whitened  by  an  incrustation  of 
salt  where  the  waves  dashed  up  against 
them  ;  and  the  evaporating  water,  which  had 
been  left  in  holes  and  hollows  on  the  surface 
of  the  rocks,  was  covered  with  a  crust  of  salt 
about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickne&s.  It 
appeared  strange  that,  in  the  midst  of  this 
grand  reservoir,  one  of  our  greatest  wants 


lately  had  \)cpu  salt.  Fxpoj-ed  to  bo  more 
fM'rfectly  dried  in  the  mm,  thin  b«rnm('  very 
white  and  fine,  havitig  flu'  iimihiI  (liivor  of 
very  excellent  common  salt,  willionf  any  for- 
eign tasfe;  but  only  a  little  WHS  ci)lliTft'(l  for 
present  uho,  as  there  was  in  it  a  niimluT  of 
snutll  black  innects. 

('iirrying  with  us  the  barometer,  and  fillinr 
instriimfnti*,  in  the  afternoon  wo  axcen-led  to 
the  liigli('«t  |M>int  of  the  iHliind — a  bare  rocky 
peak,  HOO  foot  above  the  lake.     Stiindiiig  on 
the  Huinmif,  we  enjoyed  an  extended  view  of 
the  hike,  enclosed  in  a  basin  of  rugged  moun- 
tains, which  Hometimes  left  miirsliy  Mats  and 
extensive   bottoms   U'tween    them  and    ilie 
shore,  and  in  other  places  came  directly  down 
into  the  water  with  m\<\  and  precipitous  blulTB. 
Fidlowinp   with  our   plunses   the    irregular 
shores,  we  searched  for  some  indicafinna  of 
a  communication  with  other  bixlies  of  wafer, 
or  the  entrance  of  other  rivers  ;  but  the  dis- 
tance was  HO  great  that  wo  could  ^iiai<e  out 
nothing  with  certainty.     To  the  soutliward, 
several  peninsular  mountains,  3,0U0  or  4,000 
feet  high,  entered  the  lake,  appearing,  so  far 
as  the  distance  and  our  position  enabled  un 
to  determine,  to  ho  connected  by  tints  and 
low  ridges  with  the  mountains  in  the  rear. 
These  are  probably  the  islands  usually  indi- 
cated on  maps  of  this  region  as  entirely  de- 
tached from  the  shore.     The  season  of  our 
operations   was  when   the  waters  were  at 
their  lowest  stage.     At  the  season  of  high 
waters  in  the  spring,  it  is  probable  that  the 
marsln^s  and  low  grounds  are  overflowed,  and 
the  surface  of  the  lake  considerably  greater. 
In  several  places  the  view  was  of  unlimited 
extent — here  and  there  a  rocky  islet  appear- 
ing above  the  water  at  a  great  distance ;  and 
beyond,  everything  was  vague  and  undefined. 
As  we  looked  over  the  vast  expanse  of  water 
spread  out  beneath  us,  and  strained  our  eyes 
along  the  silent  shores  over  which  hung  so 
much  doubt    and    uncertainty,  and   which 
were  so  full  of  interest  to  us,  I  could  hardly 
repress  the  almost  irresistible  desire  to  con- 
tinue our  exploration ;  but  the  lengthening 
snow  on  the  mountains  was  a  plain  indica- 
tion of  the  advancing  season,  and  our  frail 
linen  boat  appeared  so  insecure  that  I  was 
unwilling  to  trust  our'  lives  to  the  uncertain- 
ties of  the  lake.     I  therefore  unwillingly  re- 
solved  to   terminate  our  survey  here,  and 
remain  satisfied  for  the  present  with  what  we 
had  been  able  to  add  to  the  unknown  geogra- 
phy of  the  region.     We  felt  pleasure  also  in 
remembering  that  we  were  the  first  who,  in 
the  traditionary  annals  of  the  country,  had 
visited  the   islands,  and   broken,  ^vith  the 
cheerful  sound  of  human  voices,  the  long 
solitude  of  the  place.     From  the  point  where 
wo   were   standing,  the   ground  fell  ofi'  on 
every  side  to  the  water,  giving  us  a  perfect 
view  of  the  island,  which  is  twelve  or  tbir 


KM 


•     V 


'•ft' I 


■,';■»• 


■■,♦*! 
■J      t'l , 


4 


„|Kfi 


CAl'T.  FIIEMONT'R  NARRATIVK. 


[1A4I. 


t<»fn  nilloH  III  rlrciimfpronro,  Mng  Niniply  n 
rocky  hill,  on  wliirli  thorc  in  ni'illuT  wiit<>r 
nor  triH'H  of  any  kiml ;  al(ll(>ll^h  tlin  Ftmion- 
lit!  tirmiculiirin,  which  wan  in  irn-ul  nhiimi< 
nnco,  inijrht  niHily  ho  iiiixtiikon  tnr  tiinhcr  nt 
n  (liHtnncc.  The  pliint  Ht'(Miit'i|  hen*  ti)  do- 
lijjht  ill  II  cimp'iiitti  air,  Kiowini;  in  pxtrimr- 
(linary  liixiiriiinco  mnon  In  o'mid  \vol  hiaU, 
nml  wiiH  viTV  iihiinilnnt  on  the  iip|M>r  partH  of 
the  i^liiriil,  wlicro  it  wan  iilinosl  tin!  only 
nlitiif.  TliiH  irt  ominpiitly  a  Hulino  Hhriili ;  itH 
li'iivi's  have  a  very  Halt  tiintc ;  ami  it  liixuri- 
atc'H  in  Mulino  ^oIIk,  where  it  i(*  iisiialiy  n  cha- 
racteristic. It  in  widely  ditViiHOtl  over  all  thin 
country.  A  chenopodiuceoiiM  Bhriih,  which 
Ih  a  new  Hpecies  of  uiiionk  (O.  riyida,  'I'urr. 
cjf"  /•';•<•;/». )i  vvuM  equally  charact'^rintic  of  the 
lower  parts  of  the  idund.  TlieHc  two  are 
tlio  Htrikinir  plantn  on  the  island,  and  helon^; 
to  a  cliiHs  of  plantH  which  form  a  prominent 
feature  in  the  vegetation  of  this  country. 
On  the  lower  parts  of  the  iHland,  alno,  a  prickly 
pear  of  very  large  size  was  frequent.  On  the 
Hhore,  near  the  water,  waw  a  woolly  species 
of  phnra  ;  and  a  now  species  of  umMlifcrons 
plant  {leplitUrmia)  was  scattered  almut  In 
very  conciderahle  abundance.  These  con- 
stituted all  the  vegetation  that  now  appeared 
upon  the  island. 

I  accidentally  left  on  the  summit  the  bross 
cover  to  the  object  end  of  my  spy-glass  ;  and 
as  it  will  probably  remain  there  undiMtnrbed 
by  Indians,  it  will  furnish  matter  of  specula- 
tion to  some  future  traveller.  In  our  e.xcur- 
eions  about  the  island,  we  did  not  meet  with 
any  kind  of  animal ;  a  magpie,  and  another 
larger  bird,  probably  attracted  by  the  smoke 
of  our  fire,  paid  us  a  visit  from  the  shore,  and 
were  the  only  living  things  seen  during  our 
stay.  The  rock  constituting  the  cliffn  along 
the  shore  where  we  were  encamped,  is  a  tal- 
C0H8  rock,  or  steatite,  with  brown  spar. 

At  sunset,  the  temperature  was  70°.  We 
had  arrived  just  in  time  to  obtain  a  meridian 
altitude  of  the  sun,  and  other  observations 
were  obtained  this  evening,  which  place  our 
camp  in  latitude  41°  10'  42",  and  longitude 
1 1 2«  21 '  05"  from  Greenwich.  From  a  dis- 
cussion of  the  barometrical  observations 
made  «'.uring  our  stay  on  the  shores  of  the 
kko,  we  have  adopted  4,200  feet  for  its  ele- 
vaton  aliove  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  In  the 
first  disappointment  we  felt  from  the  dissipa- 
tion of  our  dream  of  the  fertile  islands,  I 
called  this  Disappoinlmenl  island. 

Out  of  the  drift  wood,  we  made  ourselves 
pleasant  little  lodges,  open  to  the  water,  and, 
after  having  kindled  large  fires  to  excite  the 
wonder  of  any  straggling  savage  on  the  lake 
shores,  lay  down,  for  *he  first  time  in  a  long 
journey,  in  perfect  security ;  no  one  thinking 
about  his  arms.  The  evening  was  extremely 
bright  and  pleasant ;  but  the  wind  rose  dur- 
ing the  night,  and  the  waves  began  to  break 


heavily   nn    the 
tremblo.     I   luid 


fhore,  making  our  ixland 
not  ex|M'(-l)>d  in  our  inland 
journey  to  hear  the  roar  of  an  ocean  surf; 
and  the  Ktrangenens  of  our  situation,  and  the 
excitement  we  felt  in  the  asMoriuted  inti>reHtR 
of  the  plure,  made  this  one  ol  the  most  in- 
tereHting  nij(litM  I  rememlwr  during  our  long 
expedition. 

In  the  inorning,  the  surf  was  breaking 
heavily  on  the  shor",  and  we  were  up  early. 
The  lake  was  dark  and  agitated,  nnd  we  hur- 
ried through  our  scanty  hreakfust,  and  enw 
harked— having  lirKf  tilled  oneof  th"  buckets 
with  water  from  the  lake,  of  which  it  was 
intendeil  to  make  salt.  The  sun  had  risen 
by  the  time  we  were  ready  to  start;  and  if 
was  blowing  a  strong  gale  of  wind,  almost 
directly  oil"  the  shore,  and  raising  a  considera- 
ble sea,  in  which  our  Ixmt  strained  very 
much.  It  roughened  us  we  got  away  from 
the  island,  and  it  required  all  the  etForts  of 
the  men  to  make  any  head  against  the  wind 
and  sea,  the  gale  rising  with  the  sun  ;  and 
there  was  danger  of  being  blown  into  one  of 
the  open  reaches  beyoiKlthe  island.  At  the 
distance  of  half  a  mile  from  the  beach,  the 
depth  of  water  was  10  feet,  with  a  clay  bot- 
tom ;  but,  as  the  working  of  the  boat  was 
very  severe  labor,  and  during  the  operation 
of  rounding  it  was  necessary  to  cease  pad- 
dling, during  which  the  boat  lost  considera- 
blo  way,  I  was  unwilling  to  discourage  the 
men,  and  reluctantly  gave  up  my  intention  of 
ascertaining  the  depth, and  thecharacterof  the 
lied.  There  was  a  general  shout  in  the  boat 
when  we  found  ourselves  in  one  fathom,  an<l 
we  soon  alter  landed  on  a  low  point  of  mud, 
immediately  under  the  biitte  of  the  peninsula, 
where  we  unloaded  the  boat,  and  carried  the 
baggage  aitout  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  firmer 
groiiiuT.  We  arrived  just  in  time  for  meri- 
dian observation,  and  carried  the  barometer  to 
the  summit  of  the  butte,  which  is  600  feet 
above  the  lake.  Mr.  Preuss  set  off  on  foot  for 
the  camp,  which  was  about  nine  miles  dis- 
tant ;  Ba.«il  accompanying  him,  to  bring  back 
horses  for  the  boat  and  baggage. 

The  rude-looking  shelter  wo  raised  on  the 
shore,  our  scattered  baggage  and  boat  lying 
on  the  beach,  made  quite  a  picture  ;  and  we 
called  this  Xhc  ft  slier  man's  camp.  Lynosiris 
gravenhnis,  anil  another  new  species  of  oni- 
ONE  (().  confertifolia — Torr.  cf*  Fr^m.),  were 
growing  on  the  low  grounds,  with  interspers- 
ed spots  of  an  unwholesome  salt  grass,  on  a 
saline  clay  soil,  with  a  few  other  plants. 

The  horses  arrived  late  in  the  afternoon, 
by  which  time  the  gale  had  increased  to  such 
a  height  that  a  man  could  scarcely  stand 
before  it ;  and  we  were  obliged  to  pack  our 
baggage  hastily,  as  the  rising  water  of  the 
lake  had  already  reached  the  point  where  we 
were  halted.  Looking  back  as  we  rode  oS, 
we  found  the  place  of  recent  encampment 


[1848. 


1848.1 


CA1»T.  FRKMONT'H  NARRATIVE. 


«'nrl/. 


ontiroly  covorrd.  The  low  pitin  tlimii|;h 
which  we  nxlu  to  tho  ramp  whn  covitriI  with 
a  cotripnct  growth  ni  ihniluN  of  oxtrnonliimry 
HJ/c  iiii'l  liixiiriunco.  Tho  Hoil  waM  tiatiily 
Hiul  Hnliiit*',  tiat  phio'H,  remMiihliiii;  thu  Ih-iU 
III  |H)ii(li«,  that  worM  Imri)  of  vt'Ki'tntion,  and 
diviTi'd  with  a  |N>wdi>ry  whitt*  nalt,  httinK 
iiiti>rH|)«<rHi>d  HinnnK  the  MhriUm,  ArtomiHiii 
tridi'iiiiilii  wiiH  wry  abundant,  but  th«^  phintn 
Mcri'  |irinci|mlly  milino  ;  a  iiir^o  ami  vi^or- 
oiiH  ( li)>ii()|MNliucoou«  Mhriib,  livt>  to  iM^ht  loot 
Iiii;li,  bcint(  charactoriMtic,  with  Froinontia 
vtrmictiliuiM,  and  a  nhrubby  phmt  which 
Hccms  to  b«t  a  new  Baliairnin.  We  reached 
tlii>  caiiii)  in  time  to  encafM)  a  thunder  xtorm 
uliiili  liliickened  tho  Hky. and  were  received 
Willi  II  diHchiir^fo  ot  the  howitzer  by  the 
|it'i)|ilt>,  who,  having  been  unable  to  nee  any- 
ihiii^  of  UM  on  the  lake,  had  be^fun  to  feel 
KOMic  iineiiHineHa. 

Sriiicmbfr  11. — To-day  wo  remained  at 
thJH  ciiinp,  in  order  to  obtain  nome  further 
oliKiTViitionn,  and  to  Itoil  down  the  water 
which  had  been  brou((ht  from  the  lake,  for  a 
Hiipply  of  Halt.  Rou|;hly  evaporated  over 
llii'  lire,  tho  live  f^allouH  of  water  yielded 
toiirti'fii  pints  of  very  fmc-crained  and  very 
wliiti>  Halt,  of  which  the  whole  lake  may  be 
rpiriir(!(.-'i  an  a  oaturnted  Holution.  A  portion 
of  till'  salt  thuH  obtained  has  been  8ulijected 
III  :iiiiilyt«i8,  givinif,  in  100  part!),  tho  following 
propoi'tionH : 

Analysis  of  the  salt. 

C'liloride  of  sodium  (common  salt)    .  97.80 

(Chloride  of  calcium 0.61 

fliloridc  of  macneoium 0.24 

Suipliiitoof  soda 0.2.3 

Siihiliatcof  lime 1.12 


100.00 


'? 


(ilancing  your  eye  along  the  map,  you  will 
seo  a  email  stream  entering  the  Utah  lake, 
Hoiith  of  the  Spanish  fork,  and  the  first  wa- 
ters of  that  hike  which  our  road  of  1844 
rrnssos  in  coming  up  from  tho  southward. 
Wiif'ii  I  was  on  this  stream  with  Mr.  Walker 
in  that  year,  ho  informed  mo  that  on  the 
upper  part  of  the  river  are  immense  beds  of 
rock  suit  of  very  great  thickness,  which  he 
liiid  rroqiiently  visited.  Farther  to  tit*.'  south- 
Wiird,  tlio  rivers  which  are  affl  lent  to  the 
Coloriido,  such  as  the  Rio  Virge  i,  mid  'Jila 
river,  near  their  mouths,  are  iii  itiej;.  ited 
with  salt  by  the  clifRj  of  rock  sail  '«;(.- /een 
which  they  pass.  These  mines  occur  in  the 
ftame  ridge  m  which,  about  120  miles  to  the 
northward,  and  subsequently  in  their  more 
immediate  neighborhood,  we  discovered  the 
fossils  belonging  to  the  oolitic  period,  and 
they  are  probably  connected  with  that  form- 
ation, ana  are  the  deposite  from  which  the 


(irett  I^ke  obtainn  it*  salt      Had  wo  rpmain< 

ed  longer,  we  shouhl  havi-  tnund  them  in  it* 
ImmI,  and  in  the  mountaiim  around  ii^  ahrrfva. 

Ily  olworvation,  the  l.itiliiili-  of  lln^  ramp 
iri  41'  I  >'  fiO",  niid  lontfiliiiio  Wi"  ()»V  .|;j". 

The  olmervutionM  made  during  our  stay 
give  for  the  rate  of  thi*  «'hrr<iium('»tir  :»l  ,72, 
corn'H[M)ndiiig  alinoHt  exactly  with  the  rate 
ohtiiiiicd  at  Si.  Vraiu'K  fort,  Jiaroinotriral 
olmervation*  were  made  hourly  during  the 
day.  'I'his  uu>rniiig  we  breiiklanted  on  ynni- 
IMli,  and  had  only  kainl^H  for  supper ;  but  a 
cup  of  goo«l  cotlee  nlill  dintinguihhod  um  from 
our  DiKH'r  iui|uaintanceH. 

Si'plimbir  12.  -Tho  morning  was  clear 
ami  culm,  with  a  temperature  at  Hunrinc  of 
32*^.  We  roHunied  our  journey  lato  in  tho 
day,  returning  by  nearly  the  name  route 
which  wo  had  travelled  in  coming  to  the 
lake  ;  and,  avoiding  the  paHsage  of  Hawthorn 
creek,  struck  tho  hills  a  little  Udow  the  ho*, 
salt  springs.  The  Hat  plain  wo  had  here 
passed  over  consisted  alternately  of  tolerably 
good  sandy  soil  and  of  Naline  plats.  Wu 
encamped  early  on  Clear  creek,  at  the  foot 
of  the  iiigh  ridge  ;  one  of  the  peaks  of  which 
wo  ascertaineuby  measurement  to  be  4,2  lU 
feet  above  the  lake,  or  ab«jut  8,400  feet  above 
tho  sea.  Behind  these  front  peaks  the  ridge 
rises  towards  tho  Rear  river  mountains, 
which  are  |)rol)ably  as  high  as  the  Wind 
river  chain.  This  creek  is  here  unusually 
well  timbered  with  a  variety  of  trees.  Among 
them  were  birch  (belula),  tho  narrow-leaved 
poplar  (populiis  amuslifdiui),  several  kinds 
of  willow  (salix),  hawthorn  (cratdgua),  al- 
der (ulnns  liridis),  and  cerasus,  with  an  oak 
allied  to  quercus  albn,  but  very  distinct  from 
that  or  any  other  species  in  tho  United 
States. 

Wo  had  to-night  a  supper  of  sea  gulls, 
which  Carson  killed  near  trie  lake.  Although 
cool,  the  thermometer  standing  at  47°,  mus- 
quitoes  were  sufficiently  numerous  to  be 
troublesome  this  evening. 

September  13. — Continuing  up  the  river 
valley,  wo  crossed  several  small  streams ; 
tho  mountains  on  the  right  appearing  to  con- 
sist of  the  blue  limestone,  winch  wo  had  ob- 
served in  tho  same  ridge  to  the  northward, 
alternating  here  with  a  granular  quartz  al- 
ready mentioned.  One  of  these  streams, 
which  forms  a  sma'ler  lake  near  the  river, 
was  broken  up  iplo  several  ciiannels  ;  and 
the  irrigated  bottom  of  fertile  soil  was  covered 
with  innumerable  flowers,  among  which  were 

Eurple  fields  of  eupatoriuin  purpureum,  with 
elianthi,  a  handsome  solidago  (S.  canaden- 
sis), and  a  variety  of  other  plants  in  bloom. 
Continuing  along  the  foot  of  the  hills,  in  the 
afternoon  we  found  five  or  six  hot  springs 
gushing  out  together,  beneath  a  conglome- 
rate, consisting  principally  of  fragments  of  a 
greyish-blue  limestone,  efflorescing  a  salt 


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23  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WIUTiR,N.Y.  I45M 

(716)«73-4S03 


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CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVK. 


[1848. 


Bf.-. 


hi 


m 


upon  the  nurfiire.  The  lomperatiirr  of  ihoRo 
sprin^jH  was  i:{|°,  and  tho  rorks  in  thn  hed 
wer«  f.oloreil  with  a  red  doposito,  and  thoro 
waH  ct)inmi)n  salt  cryHtalli/.od  ontho  margin. 
Tlif'rt!  wa.-i  also  a  white  incrustation  n|Min 
Ifiivcrt  niid   roots,  cnnsistintj  principally  of 


carlionalt!  <ir  lime.  There  were  rushes  seen 
alonjr  the  road  thiH  aftermxin,  and  the  Koil 
under  tho  hills  was  very  hiack,  and  apparent- 
ly very  jrood ;  hut  at  thin  time  the  (jrass  is 
entirely  dried  up.  We  ciieain|)e(l  on  Bi>ar 
river,  immediately  helow  a  cut-olV,  the  canon 
hy  whicli  the  river  enters  this  valley  hearing 
north  hy  compass.  The  nipht  whs  mild,  with 
a  very  clear  sky ;  and  I  ohtaineil  a  very 
excellent  ohscrvation  of  an  occultation  of 
Tau."  Arietis.  with  other  ohservation.'i.  Both 
immersion  an<l  emersion  of  the  wtar  wore 
ohserved  ;  hut,  as  our  ohservations  have 
shown,  the  phase  at  the  hright  limh  <jeneral- 
iy  fives  incorrect  longitudes,  and  we  have 
adojited  the  result  obtained  from  the  emersion 
at  the  dark  limh,  without  allowinrr  any  weight 
to  the  immersion.  Accordinfj  to  these  oli- 
scrvations,  the  lonnritude  is  1 1'2*06'  12",  asid 
the  latituile  U«  42'  43''.  All  the  longitudes 
on  the  line  of  our  outward  journey,  between 
St.  Vrain's  fort  and  the  Dalles  of  the  Co- 
lumhia,  which  were  not  directly  determined 
by  satellites,  have  been  chronometically  re- 
ferred to  this  place. 

The  people  to-day  were  rather  low-spirit- 
ed, hunirer  makin<T  them  very  quiet  and 
peaceable  ;  and  there  was  rarely  an  oath  to 
be  heard  in  the  camp — not  even  a  solitary 
enfant  de  gnrce.  It  was  time  for  the  men 
with  an  expected  supply  of  provisions  from 
Fitzpatrick  to  be  in  the  neighborhood  ;  and 
the  gun  was  fired  at  evening,  to  give  them 
notice  of  our  locality,  but  met  with  no  re- 
sponse. 

September  14. — About  four  miles  from 
this  encampment,  the  trail  le<l  ns  down  to 
the  river,  where  we  unexpectedly  found  an 
excellent  ford — the  stream  being  widened  by 
an  island,  and  not  yet  disengaircd  froin  the 
hills  at  the  foot  of  the  range.  We  encamped 
on  a  little  creek  where  we  had  made  a  noon 
lialt  in  descending  the  river.  'I'he  night 
was  very  clear  and  pleasant,  the  sunset  tem- 
[vniture  being  07". 

Tlie  people  this  evenh'g  looked  so  forlorn, 
that  I  guve  them  permission  to  kill  a  fat 
young  horse  which  I  had  purchased  with 
goods  from  the  Snake  Indians,  and  they  were 
very  soon  restored  to  gaiety  and  good  hu- 
mor. Mr.  Preuss  and  myself  could  not  yet 
overcome  some  remains  of  civilized  preju- 
dices, and  preferred  to  starve  a  little  longer ; 
feeling  as  much  saddened  aa  if  a  crime  had 
been  committed. 

The  next  day  we  continued  up  the  valley, 
the  soil  being  sometimes  very  black  and 
good,  occasionally  gravelly,  and  occasionally 


a  kind  of  naked  salt  plains.  We  fctu  >!  on 
the  way  this  morning  a  small  encrnpmcnt 
of  two  families  of  Snake  Indians,  from  whom 
we  purchased  a  small  (piantily  of  kiHtijnh. 
They  had  piles  of  seeds,  of  three  «liirercnl 
kinds,  spread  out  u|K)n  pieces  of  hufliilo  ioIjc  ; 
and  the  scpiaws  had  just  gathered  almiit  a 
bushel  of  the  roots  of  a  thistle  (rirciiim  Vir- 
irinianiim).  They  were  about  the  onlinary 
size  of  carrots,  and,  as  I  have  previously 
mentioneil,  are  sweet  and  well  flavored,  re- 
quiring only  a  long  preparation.  They  had 
a  band  of  twelve  or  fifteen  horses,  and  ap- 
peared to  l>e  growing  in  the  sunshine  with 
about  as  little  lalior  as  the  plants  they  wera 
eating. 

Shortiv  afterwards  we  met  an  Indian  on 
horseback  who  had  killed  an  antelope,  which 
we  purchased  from  him  for  a  little  powder 
anti  some  balls.  We  crosseil  the  Iloseanx, 
and  encamped  on  the  loft  bank ;  halting 
early  for  the  pleasure  of  enjoying  a  whole- 
some and  abundant  supper,  and  were  pleas- 
antly engaged  in  protracting  our  unusual 
comfort,  when  Tabeaii  galloped  into  the 
camp  with  news  thiit  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  was 
encamped  close  by  us,  with  a  ^ood  supply  of 
provisions — flour,  rice,  and  dried  meat,  ami 
even  a  little  butter.  Excitement  to-night 
made  us  all  wakeful ;  and  aftei  a  breakfast 
before  sunrise  the  next  morning,  we  were 
again  on  the  road,  and,  continuing  up  the 
valley,  crossed  some  high  points  of  hills,  and 
halted  to  noon  on  the  same  stream,  near  seve- 
ral lodges  of  Snake  Indians,  from  whom  we 
purchased  about  a  bushel  of  service  berries, 
partially  dried.  By  the  gift  of  a  kni'e.  I  pre- 
vailed upon  a  little  boy  to  show  me  ti*^  koo- 
yah  plant,  which  proved  to  be  Valeriana  edu- 
lis.  The  rofjt,  which  constitutes  the  kootjah, 
is  large,  of  a  very  bright  yellow  color,  with 
the  characteristic  odor,  hut  not  so  fully  de- 
veloped as  in  the  prepared  substance.  It 
loves  the  rich  moist  soil  of  river  bottoms, 
which  was  the  locality  in  which  I  always  af- 
terwards found  it.  It  was  now  entirely  out 
of  bloom ;  according  to  my  observation, 
flowering  in  the  months  of  May  and  June. 
In  the  afternoon  we  entered  a  long  ravine 
leading  to  a  pass  in  the  dividing  ridge  be- 
tween the  waters  of  Bear  river  and  the 
Snake  river,  or  Lewis's  fork  of  the  Colum- 
bia ;  our  way  being  very  much  impeded,  and 
almost  entirely  blocked  up,  by  compact  fields 
of  luxuriant  artemisia.  Taking  leave  at  this 
point  of  the  'vaters  of  Bear  riv'er,  and  of  the 
geographical  basin  which  encloses  the  sys- 
tem of  rivers  and  creeks  which  belong  to 
the  Great  Salt  Lake,  and  which  so  richly  de> 
serves  a  future  detailed  and  ample  explora^ 
tion,  I  can  say  of  it,  in  general  terms,  that 
the  bottoms  of  this  river  (Bear),  and  of  some 
of  the  creeks  which  I  saw,  form  a  natural 
resting  and  recruiting  station  for  traveller!, 


1843] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


now.  niid  ill  all  time  to  como.  Tlio  iHittoinn 
an- i'Xli'iisivt> ;  WHtorexcollciit ;  liinlKTHiitli- 
I'ii'Mt ;  tiio  mill  (Tooil,  iiiiii  well  mlapN'd  to  the 
KriiitiK  siiul  ;(riiHMi>H  Hiiiti'il  to  hiicIi  an  I'levat- 
I'll  ri-i;ioii.  A  tniiitary  |)iist,  niid  a  riviliznl 
ai'ltli'iii'-nt,  woiiltl  Ik'  (iI  yrcat  valiu*  luTi" ; 
ami  riitlli'  and  liorMt'rt  woiilii  ilo  wt'll  when' 
)rni>.-<  anil  ^■alt  »o  inucli  aboiiiul.  ".  lie  lake 
will  ruriilHli  cxliaii8tlo88  Hiipplics  ofnalt.  All 
tlu'  miniiitain  wideH  here  are  covered  with  a 
Viiliiaiilf  nutritious  t;raf>H,  called  bunch  {rrtiRH, 
triMii  the  lorni  in  which  it  (rrowH,  which  Iuih 
H  M'coiid  irrowth  ill  the  lull.  The  iK'a.sts  of 
llic  iiiiliiiiiH  were  iht  lipm  it;  our  own  found 
it  :i  ciKid  Kul>.><istonce  ;  and  its  quantity  will 
.■iii^tuin  any  amount  of  cattle,  and  inaketliiH 
truly  II  hiicolic  region. 

\V't'  met  here  an  Indian  family  on  horse- 
bac'n,  which  had  been  out  to  gather  service 
lierrio.x,  and  were  returning  loaded.  This 
tree  wan  scattered  about  on  the  hills ;  and 
the  upper  part  of  the  pass  was  timliered  with 
aH|»en  (fMtpulus  trem.) ;  the  common  blue 
riiuM'riiig  (lax  occurring  among  the  plants. 
The  approach  to  the  pass  was  very  steep ; 
ami  the  summit  about  fi,300  feet  above  the 
eva. — probably  only  an  uncertain  approxima- 
liiiii,  a.s  at  the  time  of  observation  it  was 
blowing  a  violent  gale  of  wind  from  the 
lutrthweMt,  with  cumuli  scattered  in  masses 
uvor  the  sky,  the  day  otherwise  bright  and 
dear.  We  descended,  by  a  steep  slope,  into 
a  liroad  o|)en  valley — good  soil ;  from  four 
to  live  'Tiiles  wide  ;  coming  down  immediate- 
ly iipo..  one  of  the  headwaters  of  the  Pan- 
iiack  river,  which  here  loses  itself  in  swampy 
irri)und.  The  appearance  of  the  country 
lierc  is  not  very  interesting.  On  eitlier  side 
in  a  regular  range  of  mountains  c>(  the  usual 
ciiaracter,  with  a  little  timber,  tolerably 
rock7  on  the  right,  and  higlier  and  more 
sninotli  on  the  left,  with  still  higher  peaks 
looking  out  above  the  range.  The  valley 
atVorded  a  good  level  road  ;  but  it  was  late 
wiuMi  it  brought  us  to  water,  and  we  en- 
cunipcd  at  dark.  The  northwest  wind  had 
blown  up  very  cold  weather,  and  the  arte- 
fiiisia,  which  was  our  fire  wood  to-night,  did 
not  happen  to  be  very  abundant.  This  plant 
lovo.«  a  dry,  sandy  soil,  and  cannot  grow  in 
the  good  bottoms  where  it  is  rich  and  moist, 
but  on  every  little  eminence,  where  water 
iwA  not  rest  long,  it  maintains  absolute  pos- 
Bossion.  Elevation  above  the  sea  about 
6,100  feet. 

At  night  scattered  fires  glimmered  along 
the  mountains,  pointing  out  camps  of  the 
Indians ;  and  we  contrasted  the  comparative 
security  in  which  we  travelled  through  this 
country,  with  the  guarded  vigilance  we  were 
compelled  to  exert  among  the  Sioux  and 
other  Indians  on  the  eastern  side  of  tlie 
Rocky  mountains. 


At  '<unMH  the  thermometer  was  at  60o,  and 
at  midnight  at  30°. 

Sf/hinlicr  1 7. — The  morning  sky  wan  rnim 
and  eli-ar,  the  l('in|ieriture  at  rlnyiipht  l)cing 
li.Oo,  and  at  Kiinrise  UOo.  There  if  through- 
out this  inouiitain  coiintry  a  remarkable  dif- 
ference  Utweeii  the  morning  ami  midday 
teinperaliirc.H,  which  at  this  ^eaxui  wan  very 
generally  lOoor  .Odo,  and  occaHionally  great- 
er; and  Irerpicntly,  alter  a  very  fro>ty  morn- 
ing, the  heat  in  u  few  hours  would  render 
the  thinnext  clothing  agreeable.  .Miout  noon 
we  reached  the  iiiHin  fork.  The  i'aiiiiark 
river  was  iK'fore  u.<» ;  the  valley  l>eiiiL''lier('  li 
mile  wide,  fertile,  and  bordered  l.y  Miumth 
hills,  not  over  500  feet  high,  partly  covored 
with  cedar;  a  high  ridge,  in  wliicli  there  is  a 
prominent  peak,  ri.sing  iK'hind  llio-o  «>n  the 
left.  We  continued  to  deseeiwl  this  stream, 
and  found  on  it  at  night  a  warm  and  eomlort- 
able  camp.  Flax  occurred  so  fre(|iieiilly  du- 
ring the  day  as  to  be  almost  a  (characteristic, 
ana  the  soil  ap|)eared  excellent.  The  oppe. 
site  hills  on  the  riirht  are  broken  here  into  a 
great  variety  of  shape.'^.  The  evening  was 
gusty,  with  a  teinjierature  at  sunset  of  59^. 
I  obtained,  about  midnight,  an  obsi>rvution  of 
an  emersion  of  the  first  satellite  ;  the  night 
being  calm  and  very  clear,  the  stars  remark- 
ably bright,  and  the  thermometer  at  30*. 
Iiongitiide.  from  mean  of  satellite  and  chro- 
nometer, 112°  :J9'  52";  and  latitude,  by  ob- 
servation, 42*^  44'  40". 

Septemlier  18. — The  day  clear  and  calm, 
with  a  temperature  of  25"^  at  sunrise.  After 
travelling  seven  or  eight  miles,  we  emerged 
on  the  plains  of  the  Columbia,  in  sight  of  the 
famous  "  Three  Butlcs,"'  a  well-known  land- 
mark in  the  country,  distant  about  45  miles. 
The  French  word  buUe,  which  so  often  occurs 
in  this  narrative,  is  retained  from  the  familiar 
language  of  the  country,  and  identifies  the 
objects  to  which  it  refers.  It  is  naturalized 
in  the  region  of  the  Rocky  mountains ;  and, 
even  rf  desirable  to  render  it  in  English,  I 
know  of  no  word  which  would  be  its  precise 
equivalent.  It  is  applied  to  the  detached 
hills  and  ridges  which  rise  abruptly,  and 
reach  too  high  to  be  called  hills  or  ridges, 
and  not  high  enough  to  be  called  mountains. 
Knob,  as  applied  in  the  western  States,  is 
their  most  descriptive  term  in  English.  Cerro 
is  the  Spanish  term  ;  but  no  translation,  or 
paraphrasis,  would  preserve  the  identity  of 
these  picturesque  landmarks,  familiar  to  the 
traveller,  and  often  seen  at  a  great  distance. 
Covered  as  far  as  could  be  seen  with  artemisia, 
the  dark  and  ugly  appearance  of  this  plain 
obtained  for  it  the  name  of  the  Sage  Desert ; 
and  we  were  agreeably  surprised,  on  reach- 
ing the  Portneuf  river,  to  see  a  beautifnl 
Keen  valley  with  scattered  timber  spread  out 
neath  us,  on  which,  about  four  miles  di** 


!     ' 


4      * 


s 


^n 


94 


CAl'T.  FRKMONT'H  NAIIIIAI'IVK. 


(1843 


w 

w 

■?*'•■ 

Uiit,  wore  glixtoninf^  tlin  white  whIIm  of  tlio 
ft)rt.  Till'  I'ortiicMit'  nitiH  aloni;  tlio  nnlHiid 
plait)  nciirly  to  itH  inoiitli,  and  hii  Rl)ru|it 
doHcont  uf  |)erhu|)fi  'iOU  luot  liroU(;l>t  un  down 
iinin(Mliat«>ly  iifxtn  tlic  Rtrrnin,  wliicli  at  the 
ford  is  lUU  yardrt  \vid<>,  and  throe  t'eot  di-i  i>, 
with  clfur  water,  u  swilt  current,  and  gravelly 
licd  ;  hut  a  httle  hiKher  np  the  hreathh  wan 
only  ulmut  35  yards,  willi  apparently  deep 
water. 

In  the  hottom  I  remarked  a  very  preal 
iiiinilx>r  of  Hprin^TH  and  nhniirhH,  with  remark- 
uljly  rlear  water  and  fravel  \xh\h.  At  Kuncet 
we  enciun|>ed  with  Mr.  TalUit  and  our  I'ricndH, 
who  canio  on  to  Fort  Hall  when  wo  went  to 
the  lake,  and  whom  we  had  the  natiHraction 
to  find  all  well,  neither  party  havinf;  met  with 
any  mitichaneo  in  Iho  interval  of  onr  He|»a- 
ration.  They,  too,  had  had  their  nhare  of 
fatigue  and  Mcanty  proviHionn,  an  there  had 
been  \ery  little  game  left  on  the  trail  of  the 
nopulous  emigration  ;  and  Mr.  Fitzpatrick 
had  rigidly  hu8banded  our  stock  of  Hour  and 
light  provisioHH,  in  view  of  the  approaching 
winter  and  the  long  journey  before  uh. 

Sifilrmttrr  19. — This  morning  the  sky  wan 
very  dark  and  gloomy,  and  at  daylight  it  be- 
gan Huowing  thickly,  and  continued  all  day, 
wilU  cold,  disagreeable  weather.  At  ennrine 
the  tem|)erature  was  43°.  I  rode  up  to  the 
fort,  and  purchaRed  from  Mr.  Urant  (the 
ofljcer  in  charge  of  the  post)  Moveral  very 
inditVerent  hor8«H,  and  tive  oxea  in  very  tine 
order,  which  were  received  at  the  camp  with 
great  satisfaction  ;  and,  "nc  being  killed  at 
evening,  the  usual  gaiety  and  good  humor 
were  at  once  restored.  Night  came  in 
stormy. 

Seplemlvr  20. — We  had  a  night  of  snow 
and  rain,  and  the  thermometer  at  sunrise  was 
at  34°;  the  morning  was  dark,  with  a  steady 
rain,  and  there  was  still  an  inch  of  snow  on 
the  ground,  with  an  abundance  on  the  neigh- 
boring hills  and  mountains.  The  sudden 
change  in  the  weather  was  hard  for  onr  ani- 
mals, who  trembled  and  shivered  in  tlio  cold 
— sometimes  taking  refuge  in  the  timber,  and 
now  and  then  coming  out  an^*  raking  the 


grass,  or 


snow  oir  the  ground  for  a  little 
eating  the  young  willows. 

Seiilcmber  21.— Ice  made  tolerably  thick 
(luring  the  night,  and  in  the  morning  the 
weallier  cleared  up  very  bright,  with  a  teni- 
peniturc  at  sunrise  of  29°;  and  I  obtained  a 
meridian  observation  for  latitude  at  the  fort, 
with  observations  for  time.  The  sky  was 
again  covered  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  ther- 
mometer at  sunset  48°. 

September  22. — The  morning  was  cloudy 
and  unpleasant,  and  at  sunrise  a  cold  rain 
commenced,  with  a  temperature  of  41". 

The  early  approach  of  winter,  and  the  dif- 
ficulty of  supporting  a  large  party,  determin- 
ed ine  to  send  back  a  number  of  the  men  who 


had  lieritme  natiMfietl  that  they  were  nut  littnl 
for  the  lalxiridus  xervire  and  frecpn'rit  jin. 
vation  to  which  they  were  nece^Hiirily  rx- 
|N)sed,  and  which  there  waH  reason  to  iN-licvt' 
would    become  more  nevere  in  the  liirtluT 
oxtenni(m  of    Iho    voyage.       I    acci>rdmt.'l\ 
called  Ihein  tdgelhur,  and,  hiforniiii;.'  tin-in  m 
my  intention  to  continue  our  journey  duriiii.' 
the  ensuing  winter,  i'l  the  course  ot  wlm  h 
they  would  probably  In>  e.x|)niied  to  rntisidern- 
ble  hardnhip,  succeedp<l  in  prevailing  iiimh  n 
numlK>rof  them  to  return  voluntarily.  Tlnv, 
were  :    CharleH  l)c  Forrest,  Henry  l.ee,  J 
Campbell, \Vm.  Creuss,  A.  Vasfpiez,  A.  I'cni, 
Patrick  White,  H.  Tennon,  M.  Creely,  Knin 
9oiH  I<ajeuneHHe,  DuNil  liiijennesse.     Arnoiit: 
thene,  I   regretted  v«'ry  much   to  lose  HiihiI 
Ija|eiine«f»e,  one  of  the  bent  men  in  my  piirly. 
who  was  obliged,  by  the  ccmdition  of  his 
family,  to  be  at  home  in  the  coming  winter. 
Uur  preparatioiiH  having  l)een  completed  in 
the  interval  of  our  stay  here,  both  partifM 
were  ready  this  morning   to  resume  their 
respective  routes. 

Lxcept  that  there  is  a  greater  rpuiiitity  ol 
wood  used  in  its  construction.  Fort  I  hill  vcv 
much  resembles  the  other  trading  po»<tH  whirii 
have  been  already  «lescril)cd  to  yim.  iitid 
would  be  another  e.xcellent  post  of  rcliel  tor 
the  emigration.  It  is  in  the  low,  rich  linttnni 
of  a  valley,  apparently  20  miles  lonp.  rDnneil 
by  the  conflueiire  of  I'ortneuf  river  with 
Ijcwis's  fork  of  the  Columbia,  which  it  en- 
ters aliout  nine  miles  l)clow  the  fort,  iind 
narrowing  gradually  to  the  month  «)f  the 
I'annack  river,  where  it  has  a  breniith  ol 
only  two  or  three  miles.  Allowing  .00  miloH 
for  the  road  from  the  Beer  it])rin<rx  «>f  Bear 
river  to  Fort  Hall,  its  distance  along  the 
(ravelled  road  from  the  town  of  Wi'sf  i)ort,  on 
the  frontier  of  Missouri,  by  way  of  I'nrt  !j»- 
ramie  and  the  great  South  Pass,  is  1323 
miles.  Beyond  this  pkce,  on  the  line  of 
road  along  the  barren  valley  of  the  Upper 
Columbia,  there  does  not  occur,  for  a  dis- 
tance of  nearly  three*  hundred  miles  to  the 
westwani,  a  fertile  spot  of  ground  sntlieiently 
large  to  produce  the  necessary  quantity  of 
grain,  or  pasturage  enough  to  allow  even  a 
temporary  repose  tc  the  emigrants.  On 
their  recent  passage,  they  had  been  able  to 
obtain,  at  very  high  prices  and  in  insuffi- 
cient quantity,  only  such  assistance  as  coiilJ 
be  aflbrded  by  a  small  and  remote  tradini; 
post — and  that  a  foreign  one — which,  in  the 
supply  of  its  own  wants,  had  necessarily 
drawn  around  it  some  of  the  resources  of 
civilisation,  but  which  obtained  nearly  all  iti 
supplies  from  the  distant  depot  of  Vancou- 
ver, by  a  difficult  water  carriage  of  260 
miles  up  the  Columbia  river,  and  a  land  car- 
riage by  pack  horses  of  600  miles.  An 
American  military  post  sufficiently  strong  to 
give  to  their  road  a  perfect  security  againit 


till-  Iivli 
ity  mid 
aii'l  wli 
till-  r<'|' 
ti)  iillitri 

tin'   jTU 

liiiiiiry 

(H)-t    (II 
ihI   Oil  t 

lortti  t 
<»iipi>li< 

llic    fill 

nmy 
Ml  mill 
region" 

1    HI 

riMT 

1)1    il-iM 

rnrrect 
ni'i;;lii 
jotxl   1 
lireci-' 


I«48.] 


fAI'T    niKMONTS  NAUUATIVH. 


••rr  nof  tijfp,| 
rrr(|uciit  pn. 
•••'XNiirily  vx- 
■•>ri  to  U'-licv.. 

•  llif  riirlliiT 
!irc(ir(|iiii.'l\ 

iiiiii.'  llii'iii  ,,i 
"iriii'v  (liiriii:,r 
rs<'  of  will!  h 

•  ilinjr  lUMii  n 
nrily.  Tli.-. 
•■iiry  l,(M',  J 
ncz,  A.  iVn, 
'rrt'ly.  Fran 

'I'C.  Anmiij.- 
o  lose   lliiml 

in  my  j)iirtv. 

it  ion  of  hi., 
niiijy  winter, 
•ornplotod  in 

•lolli  piirtifM 
camno  tUoir 

'  qiiuiititv  r>r 
>rt  Hall  vcv 

pwfH  w  hi  ell 
•<>  yoii.  iimi 
of  relief  U,r 

rich  hiiitom 
oiifr.  forinf'/l 

river  wilh 
vhich  it  en- 
i«  C'lrt,  mid 
)iith  of  t|i(. 

breadth  oi 
np  .OOtniloH 
l^^*  of  Hear 
'  nlonp  flip 
^'t'Hliiort,  on 
of  I'ort  Im- 
's,  is  1323 
lio  line  of 
thi>  Upper 
1  for  u  (liB- 
niles  to  thp 
RiiHiciontly 
luantify  of 
low  even  a 
Hits.  On 
en  able  to 
in  instiffi- 
10  R8  ronid 
tn  tradin/f 
ich,  in  tli0 
icccssarily 
<onrci'M  of 
irly  all  iti 
f  Vancou- 
:e  of  260 
land  car- 
ilea.  An 
strong  to 
■yaguatt 


• 


ilic  Indian  frilwo,  who  are  luiKettled  in  local- 
ity mill  very  uncftrlain  in  their  diH(M)nilion, 
mill  which,  with  the  nnceKitary  lacilitieM  tor 
ilii'  repair  of  their  erpiipii|re,  would  Ik>  ahip 
(i.  iilliird  them  relief  in  Ktock  and  prain  from 
till'  [irtMlncfl  of  till'  poHt,  would  Ik*  of  extraor- 
diimry  value  to  the  emigration.  Much  a 
|io>t  ^and  all  otheri*  which  may  Im>  e8t(il)lii«h- 
(nI  mi  the  line  to  Oregon)  would  naturally 
iDfiii  the  nurlrus  of  ii  HcttlemenI,  at  whicli 
fliipplieM  and  refMinc  woiilil  lie  obtained  by 
till'  eiiii(rrant,  or  tradin^r  caravauH,  whicli 
iimv  hereafter  trHverm*  tliooo  elevated,  and. 
Ml  many  places,  demilato  and  inhoHpitablu 
ri'j.'ionM. 

I  Mibjoin  an  analvHiN  of  the  noil  in  the 
river  lixitoin  near  hort  Hall,  which  will  lie 
ol  ii-'histunce  in  enablin^r  you  to  form  mmie 
rurrect  idea  of  its  general  chanirter  in  the 
ni'i^'lilMirinp  country.  I  characterize  it  an 
^0(nI  land,  but  the  analysis  will  show  ItH 
prccine  properties. 

Analijsis  of  nnil, 

Silicina 68.66 

.Miiiiiina 7.46 

('iirlKinate  of  lime        ...  8.61 

(>urlj<)nate  of  magnesia    ...  6.U9 

(hide  of  iron       ....  1.40 

Urjfaiiic  vegetable  matter        -        .  4.74 

Water  and  loss         ...  4.00 

100.00 

Our  observations  place  this  post  in  longi- 
tude 112°  29'  64",  latitude  43"  01'  30",  and 
in  elevation  above  the  sea  4,600  feet. 

Taking  leave  of  the  homeward  party,  we 
rf  sumed  our  journey  down  the  valley,  the 
weiiiher  being  very  cold,  and  the  rain  com- 
i:i^'  in  hard  gUMtn,  which  the  wind  blew  di- 
rectly ill  our  faces.  We  forded  the  !'orl- 
ntMil  in  a  storm  of  rain,  the  water  in  the 
river  being  frequently  up  to  the  axles,  and 
about  110  yards  wide.  After  the  gust,  the 
\N father  improved  a  little,  and  we  encamped 
aiKjiit  three  miles  below,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
I'iiiiiiack  river,  on  Lewis's  fork,  which  here 
liaH  a  breadth  of  about  120  yards.  The 
teir.|)crature  at  sunset  was  42*^ ;  the  sky 
partially  covered  with  dark,  rainy  clouds. 

Stpiember  23. — The  temperature  at  sun- 
riHc  was  32*^ ;  the  morning  dark,  and  snow 
falling  steadily  and  thickly,  with  a  light  air 
from  the  southward.  Protited  of  being 
obliged  to  remain  in  camp,  to  take  hourly 
barometrical  observations  from  sunrise  to 
midnight.  The  wind  at  eleven  o'clock 
set  in  from  the  northward  in  heavy  gusts, 
and  the  snow  changed  into  rain.  In  the 
ailernoon,  when  the  sky  brightened,  the  rain 
had  washed  all  the  snow  from  the  bottoms  ; 
but  the  neighboring  mountainB,  from  sum- 


mit  to  fiMit,  were  luiiiiiioiihly  white — an  in- 
aiiHpiciouM  coinuiencemeiit  of  the  autumn, 
of  which  this  wan  the  tirHt  day. 

!-ii fihmhir  24. — The  tlierinoiiieter  at  sun- 
Tine  WBH  ;j.V',  and  a  blue  fiky  in  tlie  went 
|iroiiii.'<etl  a  tine  day.  The  rivi-r  liottnmH 
here  are  niirrow  and  swHinpy,  wilh  (reiiuenl 
HloiigliH ;  mid  after  cronniiig  the  i'aiinack, 
the  road  continued  alonir  the  uplanrlH,  ren- 
dered very  nlip|iery  by  the  xoil  of  wet  clav. 
and  entirely  covered  with  arteiiiii.i;i  liUHhef. 
among  which  occur  fre(|ueiit  frii(Miieiit!«  ol 
olmidian.  At  ncMin  we  encamped  in  a  ^'rove 
of  willowH,  at  the  iijiiK-r  end  of  a  pronp  of 
ihlandn  about  hall  a  mile  above  the  Aim  rican 
/nils  of  Snake  river.  Among  the  willowM 
here,  were  home  buHhes  «>l  Lewis  and 
Clarko'M  currant  (ribrt  dureum).  The 
river  here  enters  iMtween  low  mural  bankn, 
which  consint  of  a  line  ves'icular  trap  rock, 
the  intermediate  portions  iK-in;?  compact  and 
crystalline,  (iradiially  lH>coining  higher  in 
its  downward  course,  these  bank.s  of  scori- 
ated  volcanic  rock  form,  with  occasional  in- 
terruptions, its  characteristic  feature  along 
the  whole  line  to  the  Dalles  of  the  liOwer 
('<duniliia.  resembling  a  chasm  which  had 
iM-eii  rent  tliroii^h  the  country,  and  which 
the  river  had  alterwards  taken  for  its  bed. 
'i'he  immediate  valley  of  the  rivor  is  a  high 
plain  covered  wilh  black  rocks  and  artemi- 
sias.  In  the  south  is  a  Imrdering  range  of 
mountaiiiH,  which,  although  nut  very  high, 
are  bn>ken  and  covered  with  «now  ;  and  at 
a  great  distance  to  the  north  is  seen  the  high, 
snowy  line  of  the  Salmon  river  mountains, 
if  front  of  which  stand  out  prominently  i| 
the  plain  the  three  isolated  rugged-looking 
little  mountains  commonly  known  as  the 
Three  HuUps.  Between  the  river  and  the 
distant  Salmon  river  range,  the  plain  is 
represented  by  Mr.  Fitzpatnck  as  so  entirely 
broken  up  and  rent  into  chasms  as  to  be  im- 
practicable for  a  man  even  on  foot.  In  the 
sketch  annexed,  the  point  of  view  is  low,  but 
it  conveys  very  well  some  idea  of  the  open 
character  of  tl  c  country,  with  the  buttes 
rising  out  above  the  general  line.  By  mea- 
surement, the  river  al)ove  is  870  loet  wide, 
immediately  contracted  at  the  fall  in  the 
form  of  a  lock,  by  jutting  piles  of  ^coriaceous 
basalt,  over  which  the  foaming  river  mast 
present  a  grand  appearance  at  the  time  J 
nigh  water.  The  evening  was  clear  and 
pleasant,  with  dew  ;  and  at  sunset  the  tem- 
perature was  64".  By  observation,  llie  lati- 
tude is  42"  47'  06',  and  the  longitude  112® 
40'  13'.  A  few  hundred  yards  below  the 
falls,  and  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river,  is  an 
escarpment  from  which  we  obtained  some 
specimens. 

September  26. — Thermometer  at  sunrise 
47".  The  daycame  in  clear,  with  a  strong 
gale  from  the  south,  which  commenced  at  11 


>"• 


'.ft 


4 


9ti 


CAI'T.  FUKMONT'S  NAllUAIIVK. 


11843. 


I%t3 


of  tlu»  liiHt  iiijriit.  Tlip  roail  Uwluy  led  nlonj^ 
the  river,  wliirli  irt  fiiil  of  riipitlH  iind  hiiiiiII 
fulln.  (iniri'*  irt  very  hoiintv  ;  uiul  aloii);  the 
ni^Tf^eil  bniikH  iire  Hciittonul  ctMlHM,  witli  iin 
abuii<liii)(-i<  (tl  rockn  mid  Kaj,'p.  Wi'triivflled 
11  inili'M.  niid  oiu'nii)|K>d  in  tho  iiltiTnoon 
npiir  tilt*  river,  on  ii  ntcky  crock,  tlio  hed  of 
wliicli  wiis  criiirt'ly  oc-ciipird  with  lionldi^rs 
of  a  very  liiry:e  size.  For  tlio  last  three  or 
four  iinles  the  rijjht  bank  of  tho  river  han  a 
palixadod  a|)|H'arancc.  One  of  the  oxen  was 
killed  hero  lor  \'*hm\,  Tho  thorinometcr  at 
eveiiin^r  was  at  ftS**,  tho  i«ky  almost  over- 
ca^t,  and  the  iiaronieter  indicated  an  eleva- 
tion of  1.  too  feet. 

Si-iiifnihi-r  Jt). — Rain  dnrinp  the  nijjht, 
91:  Ju>  leniperatnro  at  Hunrim'  U*.  Trav- 
ellinjj  alonjr  the  river,  in  alnnit  I  miles  we 
reaciied  a  |iirtnreH(|iie  Htroam,  to  which  we 
;{avo  the  name  of  Fall  creek.  It  is  remark- 
able tor  the  many  lalU  which  occnr  in  a 
short  distance  ;  and  its  l)od  is  com|M)sod  of  a 
calcareous  tnfa,  or  vepotable  rock,  composoil 
principally  of  tho  remains  of  reeds  and 
mosses,  resomhlinjj  that  at  tho  Ititiiin  sprhig 
on  Bear  river. 

The  road  alon;;  the  river  bliifls  had  boon 
occasionally  very  bad ;  and  imauinintr  that 
some  ronjjh  obstacles  rendered  »uch  a  detour 
necessary,  we  followed  for  wveral  miles  a 
plain  wa^on  road  loading  up  this  stream,  un- 
til we  reached  a  point  whence  it  could  bo 
seen  making  directly  towards  a  low  place  in 
the  range  on  the  south  side  of  tho  valley,  and 
we  became  immediately  aware  that  we  were 
on  a  trail  formed  by  a  party  of  wagons,  in 
company  with  whom  we  liad  encamped  at 
Kim  grove,  near  tho  frontier  of  Missouri, 
and  whi(;h  yon  will  remember  were  proceed- 
ing to  Upper  Calitornia  under  the  uirection 
of  Mr.  Jos.  Chiles.  At  the  time  of  their  de- 
parture, no  pnicticablo  passc-j  were  known 
in  the  southern  Kocky  mountains  within  the 
territory  of  the  United  States ;  and  tlie  pro- 
bable apprehension  of  difliculty  in  attempting 
to  pass  near  the  settled  frontier  of  New 
Mexico,  together  with  the  desert  character 
of  the  unexplored  region  beyond,  had  induced 
them  to  take  a  more  northern  and  circuitous 
route  by  way  of  the  Sweet  Water  pass  and 
Fort  Hall.  They  had  still  between  them 
and  the  valley  of  the  Sacramento  a  great 
mass  of  mountains,  forming  the  Sierra  Ne- 
vada, here  commonly  known  as  the  Great 
Californin  mountain,  and  which  were  at  this 
lime  considered  as  presenting  an  impracti- 
cable barrier  to  wheeled  carriages.  Various 
considerations  had  suggested  to  them  a  divi- 
sion of  the  party ;  and  a  greater  portion  of 
the  camp,  including  the  wagons,  with  the 
mail  and  other  stores,  were  now  proceeding 
under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Joseph  Walker, 
who  had  engaged  to  conduct  them,  by  a  long 
■weep  to  the  southward,  around  what  is 


called  the  intint  nf  the  mountain  ;  and,  cnmn. 
ing  throiigli  a  jtasn  known  only  to  him>eir, 
gain  the  banks  of  the  Hacraineiito  by  ili(> 
valley  of  tho  San  Joaquin.  It  wan  a  iuiiij 
and  a  hazardous  journey  for  a  party  in  wliirh 
there  wen-  women  and  children.  Si.xiy 
days  was  the  shortest  |N>rio«l  of  tim(>  in  whiiii 
tliev  could  reach  the  |K>iiit  of  the  moniii.iiii, 
and  their  route  lay  through  u  country  irlml)- 
ited  by  wild  and  badly  dis;N<t)od  Indian.'^,  mul 
very  |MK»r  in  game  ;  but  the  leader  \vu-  u 
man  possosoing  ^reat  and  intimate  kimw- 
lodge  of  tho  Indian^,  with  an  oxtrartrdiiiiiry 
lirmncHS  and  (locision  of  character.  In  tho 
inoantime,  Mr.  Chiles  had  passed  down  the 
Columbia  with  a  party  of  ten  or  twelve  men, 
with  tho  intention  of  reaching  the  settle- 
inents  on  the  Sacramento  by  a  iiioro  direct 
course,  which  indotinite  information  in  tin 
hunters  had  indicated  in  the  direction  nf  the 
head  waters  of  the  Uii  lire  our  Mulhnirs ; 
and  having  obtained  there  a  roinldrcemint 
of  animals,  and  a  supply  of  provisions,  meet 
the  wagons  before  they  should  have  reiiclied 
the  |)oint  of  the  mountain,  at  a  place  wliich 
had  l)een  previously  agreed  U|)oi).  In  ilie 
course  ot  our  narrative,  we  shull  1h'  able  to 
give  you  some  intormation  of  tho  furtinip 
which  attended  tho  movir.ionts  of  these  ml- 
venturous  travellers. 

Having  discovered  our  error,  wo  imme- 
diately regained  the  line  along  the  river, 
which  the  road  quitted  about  ikmui,  and  en- 
camped at  6  o'clock  on  a  stream  called  Kurt 
river  {Itiiiire  atix  Cajeiix),  having  tiavclled 
only  13  miles.  In  the  north,  the  Saliuoii 
river  mountains  are  visible  at  a  very  Itr 
distance;  and  on  the  loll,  theridgo  in  \\bieh 
Raft  river  heads  is  about  20  miles  distant, 
rocky,  and  tolerably  high.  Thermometer  at 
sunset  44°,  with  a  partially  clouded  sky,  ami 
a  sharp  wind  from  the  SVV. 

September  27. — It  was  now  no  longer  |m)s- 
sible,  as  in  our  previous  journey,  to  travel 
regularly  every  day,  and  find  at  any  moment 
a  convenient  place  for  repose  at  noon  or  a 
camp  at  night ;  but  the  halting  places  wore 
MOW  generally  fixed  along  the  road,  by  tho 
nature  of  the  country,  at  places  where,  with 
water,  there  was  a  little  scantv  grass.  Since 
leaving  the  American  falls,  the  road  had  fre- 
quently been  very  bad ;  the  many  short, 
steep  ascents,  exhausting  the  strength  of  our 
worn-out  animals,  requiring  always  at  such 
places  the  assistance  of  the  men  to  get  up 
each  cart,  one  by  one ;  and  cuir  progress 
with  tw  "^Ive  or  fourteen  wheeled  carriages, 
though  light  and  made  for  the  purpose,  in 
such  a  rocky  country,  was  extremely  slow ; 
and  I  again  determined  to  gain  time  by  a  di- 
vision  of  the  camp.  Accoraingly,  to-day  the 
parties  again  separated,  constituted  very 
much  as  before — Mr.  Fitzpatrick  remaining 
in  charge  ot  the  heavier  baggage. 


1843] 


CAPT.  FHKMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


07 


Tho  morninif  wai  calm  ami  clear,  with  a 
whilo  froHt,  and  the  temperature  at  sunriiie 
J4«. 

Tn-day  the  country  had  a  very  forhidding^ 
nppoarance  ;  and,  after  travellini;  20  milPH 
oviT  a  Hliglitly  undulatini;  plain,  wo  en- 
rHtn|>od  at  a  connidoraLlo  nprini;,  called 
Swamp  creek,  rifling  in  low  groundn  noar 
till*  fHiint  of  a  Rpur  from  the  mountain.  Rp- 
tiirniM(r  with  a  small  party  in  a  Htarving  con- 
ilitiori  from  the  westward  12  or  14  yearn 
since,  Carnon  had  met  here  throe  or  four 
IhiHIiIo  build,  two  of  which  were  killed. 
'I'hcy  were  among  the  pioneers  which  had 
made  the  experiment  of  colonizing  in  the 
vnllev  of  the  Columbia,  and  which  had 
fitileJ,  as  heretofore  stated.  At  Hunset  tho 
thprinomt'tcr  was  at  46",  and  tho  evening 
wRK  overcast,  with  a  cold  wind  from  tho 
SK.,  nnd  to-night  we  had  only  sago  for  fire 
wihkI.  Mingled  with  the  arteminia  was  a 
shriiblty  and  thornv  chonopodiaoenus  plant. 

Si-jiirmher  28. —  rhonnoinctor  at  piinrise 
»()•.  The  wind  rcme  early  to  a  jrale  from 
till'  west,  with  a  very  cold  driving  rain  ;  nnd, 
.-tt'tiT  an  uncomfortable  day's  ride  of  l!5  milen, 
\v('  were  glud  when  at  evening  we  found  a 
slicltorpd  camp,  where  there  was  an  abun- 
Hance  of  wood,  at  some  elevated  n)cky  is- 
l,-)iiils  covered  with  cedar,  near  the  com- 
inrncoment  of  another  long  capon  of  the 
river.  With  the  exception  of  a  short  deten- 
tuiii  at  a  deep  little  stream  called  (ioose 
rreek,  and  some  occasional  rocky  places,  we 
liiul  to-day  a  very  good  road  ;  but  the  coun- 
try has  a  barren  appearance,  sandy,  and 
(icn.<cly  covered  with  the  artemisias  from  the 
banks  of  the  river  to  the  f(X>t  of  the  moun- 
tains, flere  I  remarked,  among  the  sage 
huxhos,  green  bunches  of  what  is  called  the 
second  growth  of  grass.  Tho  river  to-day 
lias  hau  a  smooth  appearance,  free  from 
rapids,  with  a  low,  sandy  hill  slope  bordering 
the  bottoms,  in  which  there  is  a  little  good 
soil.  Thermometer  at  sunset  46",  blowing 
a  gale,  and  disagreeably  cold. 

September  29. — The  thermometer  at  sun- 
ri«;u  36",  with  a  bright  sun,  and  appearance 
of  liner  weather.  The  road  for  several  miles 
WHS  extremely  rocky,  and  consequently  bad ; 
l)ut,  entering  after  this  a  sandy  country,  it 
became  very  good,  with  no  other  interrup- 
tion than  the  sage  bushes,  which  covered  the 
river  plain  so  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  and, 
with  their  uniform  tint  of  dark  grey,  gave  to 
I  lie  country  a  gloomy  and  sombre  apfiear- 
ance.  All  the  day  the  course  of  the  river 
has  been  between  walls  of  the  black  volca- 
nic rock,  a  dark  line  of  the  escarpment  on 
the  opposite  side  pointing  out  its  course,  and 
•weepmg  along  in  foam  at  places  where  the 
mountains  which  border  tho  vallev  present 
always  on  the  left  two  ranges,  the  lower  one 
t  apor  of  the  higher ;  and,  on  the  opposite 

7 


side,  the  Halmon  river  mountninn  ar«>  vinihle 
at  a  groat  diNlanrn.  Having  miulc  -J  t  iiiiIom, 
we  pncain|N<d  about  &  o'clock  on  Itm  k  rrcck 
— a  stream  having  considorabln  wutt-r,  a  cwitt 
current,  nnd  wooded  with  willow. 

Si'jitimhrr  .10. — Thermometer  nf  sunrise 
28°.  In  iiH  progress  towards  the  river,  this 
creek  siMin  enters  a  chasm  of  the  voUuniu 
rock,  which  in  places  along  the  wall  prosents 
a  columnar  appearance;  and  the  road  lie- 
comes  extremely  rocky  whenever  it  iiasucs 
near  its  banks.  It  is  only  about  tueiity  teet 
wide  where  the  road  cronses  it.  wiili  h  deep 
bod,  and  steep  hanks,  covereil  wiili  rocky 
fnigmcnts,  with  willows  and  a  little  ^Tassoit 
its  narrow  Iwttom.  Tho  soil  appears  to  l>e 
full  of  calcareous  matter,  with  wliich  tlio 
rocks  are  incrusted.  Tho  fragments  of  ruck 
which  hud  Iwen  removed  by  tho  einigrants 
in  making  a  road  where  we  ascende(r  from 
tho  bed  of  this  creek  wore  whiteii'd  with 
lime  ;  and  during  the  afternoon's  mnrcli  I  re- 
marked in  the  soil  a  considerable  quantity  of 
calcareous  concretions.  Towards  evening 
the  sages  Iwcame  more  sparse,  and  the  clear 
spaces  were  occupied  by  tufts  of  green  grass. 
'i'he  river  still  cot  tinned  its  course  through 
a  trough  or  open  caAon  ;  and  towards  sunset 
we  followed  tne  trail  of  several  wagons  which 
had  turned  in  towards  Snake  river,  and  en- 
camped, as  they  had  done,  on  the  top  of  the 
escarpment.  There  was  no  grass  here,  the 
soil  among  the  sage  being  entirely  nuked : 
but  there  is  occasionally  a  little  bottom  along 
tho  river,  which  a  short  ravine  of  rocks,  «t 
rare  intervals,  leaves  accessible  ;  and  by  one 
of  these  we  drove  our  animals  down,  and 
found  some  tolerably  good  grass  bordering 
the  water. 

Immediately  opposite  to  us,  a  subterranean 
river  bursts  out  directly  from  the  face  of  the 
escarpment,  and  falls  in  white  foam  to  the 
river  below.  The  main  river  is  enclosed 
with  mural  precipices,  which  form  its  charac- 
teristic feature  along  a  great  portion  of  its 
course.  A  melancholy  and  strange-looking 
country— one  of  fracture,  and  violence,  and 
fire. 

Wo  had  brought  with  us,  when  we  sepa- 
rated from  the  camp,  a  large  gaunt  ox,  in  ap- 
pearance very  poor;  but,  being  killed  to-night, 
to  the  great  joy  of  the  people,  he  was  found 
to  be  remarkably  fat.  As  usual  at  such  oc- 
currences, the  evening  was  devoted  to  gaiety 
and  feasting;  abundant  fare  now  made  an 
epoch  among  us ;  and  in  this  laborious  life, 
in  such  a  country  as  this,  our  men  had  but 
little  else  to  enjoy.  The  temperature  at  sun- 
set was  66",  with  a  clear  sky  and  a  very  high 
wind.  By  the  observation  of  the  evening, 
the  encampment  was  in  longitude  114°  26' 
04'',  and  in  latitude  42"  38'  44". 

October  1. — The  morning  clear,  with  wind 
from  the  weat,  and  the  thermometer  at  5Bfi, 


V    ,< 


I  -y 


I 


CAl'T.   I'HKMo.NT'S  NAHIIAIIVF,. 


11S4I. 


JKi 


U", 


Wc  ii«iron<l('d  to  the  bottom,  taking  with  »•* 
the  boat,  for  the  purpouc  of  vii«itinf{  ihf  lall 
In  Ihr  oppoititp  clifiM  ;  mid  whtlr  it  whm  Umiik 
filled  with  nir,  we  ociMipii-d  oiirm'lveii  in 
meamirintr  tho  river,  wlmh  in  I.7MU  Ict'l  in 
breiwttli,  wilh  bnnkH  -»0<)  drl  IhkIi.  Wc 
were  HurpriHcd,  «in  our  arrivul  tit  the  oppnHltt* 
ride,  to  tiiul  n  iH'Hiililul  biiHiii  ot  clt-ar  wiilrr, 
foriiicd  by  tlio  lalliii((  river,  around  which 
thi'  ri'"k!»  wiTc  whitened  by  moiuc  Maliiie  in- 
crtiHtAtion.  Here  ihe  IndiHiiH  had  roiiMtrurl- 
od  wicker  dittnx,  although  I  wiih  iiil(irin#d 
that  the  cnlmon  do  not  iihcpiuI  the  rivr  bo 
far ;  and  it«  character  below  would  apparently 
render  it  impructirablo. 

'I'hc  HHcent  of  the  utoop  hill  Kide  was  ren- 
dered a  li'tlo  ditlinilt  by  a  den»o  prowlli  of 
fihrubrt  and  lieldii  of  cane  ;  iind  there  wore 
frequent  hidden  crovicoH  niiioii^;  the  rock^, 
where  the  water  was  heard  riiKliiiiK  below  ; 
but  we  uncceeded  in  reaching;  the  main 
stream,  which,  iMuin{;  from  between  Blrata 
of  the  trap  rock  in  two  princifml  braiulie>», 
produced  almuHt  immediately  a  torrent,  '2'^ 
feet  wide,  and  white  with  foam,  It  in  a  pic- 
tiirenque  upot  of  Binpular  beauty  ;  overshiided 
by  buHhcB,  from  under  which  the  torrent 
((lanceH,  tumblinf(  into  the  white  ImHin  below 
where  the  clear  water  coni ranted  lH.'aiitifully 
with  the  muddy  stream  of  the  river.  Itn  out- 
let was  covered  with  a  rank  growth  «if  cane«, 
and  a  variety  of  unuHual  plants,  nnd  nettles 
{urlica  canabina),  which,  before  they  wore 
noticed,  had  set  our  hands  and  arinH  on  lire. 
The  temperature  of  the  Bpring  was  6«^, 
while  that  of  the  river  was  61°.  The  per- 
pendicular height  of  the  place  at  which  this 
(rtream  issues  is  45  feet  above  the  river,  and 
I5'J  feet  below  the  summit  of  the?  precipice, 
making  nearly  200  feet  for  the  height  of  the 
wall.  On  the  hill  side  here,  was  obtained  a 
■pecimen  consisting  principally  of  fraginentn 
of  the  shells  of  email  Crustacea,  and  which 
was  probably  formed  by  deposition  from  these 
springs  proceeding  from  some  lake  or  river 
in  the  highlands  above. 

Wo  resumed  our  journey  at  noon,  the  day 
being  hot  and  bright ;  und,  after  a  march  of 
17  miles,  encamped  at  sunset  on  the  river, 
near  several  lodges  of  Snake  Indians. 

Our  encampment  was  about  one  mile  be- 
low the  Fhhiiip  falls,  a  series  of  cataracts 
with  very  inclined  planes,  which  arc  proba- 
bly so  named  because  they  form  a  barrier  to 
tlie  ascent  of  the  salmon ;  and  the  great  fishe- 
ries from  which  the  inhabitants  of  this  bar- 
ren region  almost  entirely  derive  a  subsi.st- 
ence  commence  at  this  place.  These  ap- 
peared to  be  unusually  gay  savages,  ibnd  of 
loud  laughter ;  and,  in  their  apparent  good 
nature  and  merry  character,  struck  me  as 
being  entirely  ditrerent  from  the  Indians  we 
had  oeen  accustomed  to  see.  From  several 
who  visited  our  camp  in  the  evening,  wc  pur- 


c-hnM'd,  in  e.xriiaiitte  for  ^(mmIh,  dried  salmon. 
At  this  Ni-uMon  they  are  not  v«'ry  fat,  but  wn 
were  e.ixily  p!ea««il.  The  liidiuiiM  made  ui 
roiiiprehend,  that  when  the  Hulinnn  raine  U|i 
the  ri\er  in  the  upring,  they  an>  m>  abiindiinl 
that  they  meiely  throw  in  their  stM>ar!«  at  ran- 
dom, certain  of  bring  n;(  out  a  tish. 

Thene  poor  [x-oplc  are  but  Hliglilly  pr» 
vided  with  winter  clothing;  there  is  hut  lit- 
tle game  to  fiiriiixli  skins  for  the  pur|NiM> ; 
and  of  a  little  animal  which  seemed  to  he  thu 
inoHt  iiiimeruuH,  it  re(|iiire(l  *J0  skins  to  make 
a  covering  to  the  knees,  iliit  they  are  Ntill 
a  joyiiiiH  talkative  race,  who  grow  fut  and  lic- 
coniu  |Mior  with  the  salmon,  which  at  leant 
never  fail  them — the  dried  U-iiig  used  in  tlm 
absence  of  the  Iresh.  We  are  eiicaiii|Hd 
imiRediiitely  on  the  river  bank,  and  with  lliu 
salmon  jumping  up  out  of  the  water,  and  In- 
dians paddling  about  in  lx)ats  made  of  riiMlien, 
or  lau^ihing  around  the  fires,  thu  camp  to- 
night has  ipiite  A  lively  appearance. 

Tho  river  at  this  place  is  more  open  thaji 
for  hoinc  diftance  above  ;  and,  for  the  limp, 
the  black  precipices  have  disappeared,  ami 
no  calcareous  mutter  is  visible  in  tho  soil. 
The  thermometer  at  sunect  11° ;  clear  and 
calm. 

(httibir  '2. — 'Hie  sunrise  tem|)eratiire  wi.* 
•18' ;  tlie  weather  clear  and  calm.  Shortly  af- 
ter leaving  the  encampment,  we  crossed  a 
htreiim  of  clear  water,  with  a  variable  breadth 
of  lU  to  '20  yards,  broken  by  rapids,  and  light- 
ly wooded  with  willow,  and  having  a  liltlo 
grash  on  its  small  bottom  land.  The  Imr- 
remiesH  of  the  country  is  in  lino  contrast  to- 
day with  the  mingled  beauty  and  grandeur 
of  the  river,  which  is  more  open  than 
hitherto,  u  ith  a  constant  succession  (if  falU 
and  rapids.  Over  thu  edge  of  the  block 
clitl's,  and  out  from  their  ^ces,  arc  falling 
numberless  streams  and  spring.s  ;  and  all 
the  line  ot  the  river  is  in  motion  with  thu 
play  of  the  water.  In  about  seven  milei  we 
reached  the  most  beautiful  and  picture.«qiw 
fall  1  had  fiecn  on  the  river. 

On  the  opposite  side,  the  vertical  fall  ii« 
perhaps  18  feet  high;  and  nearer,  the  slitcl 
of  foaming  water  is  divided  and  broken  into 
cataracts,  where  several  little  islands  on  tho 
brink  and  in  tho  river  alwve  give  it  much 
pictiires<iiie  beauty,  and  make  it  one  of  those 
places  the  traveller  turns  again  and  again  to 
lix  in  his  memory.  There  were  several 
lodges  of  Indians  here,  from  whom  wo  tra- 
do<r  salmon.  Below  this  place  the  river 
makes  a  remarkable  bend  ;  and  the  road, 
ascending  the  ridge,  gave  us  a  tine  view  of 
the  river  below,  intersected  at  many  places 
by  numerous  fish  dams.  In  the  north,  about 
50  miles  distant,  were  some  high  snowy 
peaks  of  the  Salmon  river  mountains  ;  and 
in  the  northeast,  the  last  peak  of  the  range 
was  visible  at  the  disUnce  of  perhaps  100 


H4;»  I 


(APT.  FHKMONT'.S  NARRATIVK. 


iiiilcn  or  iimrc.  Tho  rivor  hill'*  mnHJuf  nf 
very  bniki'ii  ninxDCN  nf  Nanil,  rovrrt-d  cvi-ry 
wiMTf  with  Iho  unmo  inti>rti)innlili>  firliU  «if 
•"•ijt',  iiiid  ()<T«Hionttlly  lhi>  hmuI  in  vi'ry  lioHvy. 
We  iiuw  vory  friMiiiPully  naw  IikIiiuih,  wIio 
MTi*  Hlriinjj  along  tho  rivi>r  nt  I'vory  liltto 

i|)<il  wlii'ro  fixh  nrr  to  Ito  cnii^lit,  nml  th(> 
'  ry  li'iun'ii,  hafj^ni  (fmh),  wim  coriHtnntly 
lii'iinl  wliniovpr  wo  pno^pil  noiir  their  hiilx. 
•  ■r  met  them  in  tho  nmd.  Vrry  inriny  of 
Mii'in  \von<  (Nidly  nnd  pnrtinlly  droKNod  in 
iivcrcoat,  nhirf,  waiHtroiit,  or   |mntnln(inM,  or 

vliiitt'\(«r  articio  of  rlothihi;  they  hud  lit'on 
iMi'  lo  procurn  in  trade  from  the  pinii;rnnt.«  ; 
I'lr  \vi'  lind  now  entirely  cpiittcd  Iho  country 
where  hawk'H  Ih>1Ih,  t)eadH,  and  vermilion, 
wcru  the  nirrent  coin,  and  found  that  hero 
•iiily  iHofiil  articloN,  and  chiefly  clothinp, 
wore  In  preat  reqiitjit.  These,  however,  iire 
"iieerly  noiipht  after;  and  for  a  few  trillinij 
piices  of  cluthinp,  travellerH  may  procure 
;.Mn|  Kiitricient  to  carry  them  to  llie  roliiin- 
l.ia. 

\Vi'  miule  a  lonp  Htretch  across  the  iip|M'r 
;  Iain.  Mild  encamped  on  the  hliifV,  when*  the 
;;rii?(M  wax  very  preen  and  pood  ;  the  noil  of 
I'e  iipjier  plainH  cnntaininp  a  coiisiderahle 
1  i*i>|i()rtion  of  calcarcoiiH  matter.  This  preen 
ii'i-liiiei's  of  the  prass  was  very  renmrkaldc 
'.  r  the  seanon  of  the  year.  Apain  we  heanl 
Me  roar  of  a  fall  in  tho  river  helow,  where 
'Se  witter  in  an  nnhroken  volume  poes  over 
.1  d"sceiit  of  several  feet.  The  nii;ht  in 
I  'o;tr.  and  the  weather  continiieH  very  warm 
■:i.l  pleasant,  with  a  nunHCt  teinperalme  of 

Odilicr  3. — Tlie  morninp  was  pleasant, 
A'iih  a  tein|)eratHrc  at  nnnrixc  of  ■\'2°.  'J'he 
r":iil  was  hroken  hy  ravinoH  ainonp  the  hillx, 
iind  in  one  of  these,  which  made  tho  bed  of 
I  ilry  creek,  I  found  a  frapmentary  stratum, 
'>r  brecciated  conglomerate,  consistinp  of 
ilinty  slate  pebbles,  with  frapmcntd  «)f  lime- 
Kruno  contaminp  fossil  shells. 

On  the  left,  tho  mountains  arc  visible  at 
the  distance  of  twenty  or  thirty  miles,  ap- 
jiearinp  smooth  and  rather  low ;  but  at  in- 
tervals higher  peaks  look  out  from  beyond, 
niid  indicate  that  the  main  ridpo,  whicli  wo 
are  leaving  with  the  course  of  the  river,  and 
which  forms  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
(treat  Basin,  still  maintains  its  elevation. 
About  two  o'clock  we  arrived  at  the  ford 
where  the  road  crosses  to  the  ripht  bank  of 
^^nake  river.  An  Indian  was  hired  to  con- 
liurt  us  through  tho  ford,  which  prf)ved  im- 
practicable for  us,  the  water  sweeping  away 
the  howitzer  and  nearly  drowning  the  mules, 
which  we  were  obliged  to  extricate  by  cut- 
ting them  out  of  the  harness.  The  river 
here  is  expanded  into  a  little  bay,  in  which 
there  are  two  islands,  across  which  is  the 
road  of  tho  ford;  and  the  emigrants  had 
pMsed  by  placing  two  of  their  heavy  wag- 


poriK  iilirea*t  of  each  other,  mo  n«  lo  oppoM 
a  coiisideralile  maM«  apaiiiMi  tin-  ImhIv  of 
water.  The  Indiaim  itilnriiieil  im  t hut  on* 
of  tiic  men,  in  affeinptiiip  to  I  urn  noma 
rattle  which  had  taki-ii  a  wroiiL'  direction, 
I  was  r:irriii|  oil'  by  the  nirrcni  ami  ilrowiied, 
Since  ilii-ir  pasKupe,  tlii>  wati-r  hml  rinMi 
I  rnn.-idcrably  ;  but,  f'nrtiiiiately,  w.-  Ind  a 
j  rcHdiirce  III  a  Ixiaf,  wIik-Ii  wan  lilird  with  air 
I  and  launched  ;  and  at  mcvcii  u'riock  wr  were 
I  salely  i>iicain|M>d  on  the  o|i|Mi>.ite  lmiil<,  the 
aniinalH  swiinininp  acnmH,  ami  ihi'  carriape, 
howitzer,  and  bappape  ol  the  rain;>.  Iteinp 
enrrit'd  over  in  the  Iwat.  At  the  place 
where  we  croHsed,  altovo  the  i^-liiml-',  the 
river  had  narrowed  to  a  breadth  ol  1,0  H» 
leet  by  measurement,  the  greater  portion  of 
which  was  from  six  to  eight  leet  deep.  Wo 
were  obliged  to  make  our  camp  wlicre  w« 
landed,  ainonp  the  Inilian  lo<lpes,  which 
are  Hemi-circiilar  huts  made  ol  willow, 
thatrhed  over  with  straw,  and  oikmi  to  the 
sunny  Mtiith.  Hy  observation,  tlif  hiiiinde 
of  our  encampment  on  the  ripht  bank  of 
the  river  was  13*  5.5'  68";  chroiioinetric 
lonpitiide  ll.'i°()l'  lO",  and  the  travelled 
distance  from  Fort  Mali  'J(»H  miles. 

Octiihcr  \. — (.'aim  pleasant  day,  with  tho 
thermometer  at  Hiinrise  at  47".  heaving 
the  river  at  a  consideniblo  distance  to  the 
let't,  and  following  up  tho  bed  of  a  rocky 
creek,  with  occasional  holes  of  water,  in 
alMiiit  six  miles  wo  ascended,  by  a  long  and 
rather  steep  hill,  to  a  plain  (>00  feet  above 
the  river,  over  which  wo  continued  to  travel 
diiriiip  the  day,  having  a  broken  ridge  -.'.OOO 
or  .1.000  fool  high  on  the  right.  Tiie  plain 
terminates,  where  we  ascended,  in  an  es- 
carpment of  vesicular  trap  rock,  which  sup- 
plies tho  fragments  of  tho  creek  below.  Tlie 
sky  clouded  over,  with  a  strong  wind  from 
tho  northwest,  with  a  few  drops  of  rain  and 
occasional  sunlight,  threatening  a  change. 

Artemisia  still  covers  the  plain,  but  I'ur- 
shia  Iridentata  makes  its  appearance  here  on 
the  hill  sides  and  on  bottoms  of  the  creek* 
— quite  a  tree  in  size,  and  larger  than  the 
artemisia.  We  crossed  several  hollows 
with  a  little  water  in  them,  and  impioved 
grass ;  and,  turning  off  from  the  road  in  the 
afternoon  in  search  of  water,  travelled  about 
three  miles  up  tho  bed  of  a  willow  creek, 
towards  tho  mountain,  and  found  a  good 
encampment,  with  woo<i  and  grass,  and  little 
ponds  of  water  in  tlie  l)od  of  the  creek ; 
which  must  be  of  more  importance  at  other 
seasons,  as  we  found  there  several  old  fix- 
tures for  fishing.  There  were  many  hole* 
on  the  creek  prairie,  which  had  been  nuule 
by  the  diggers  in  search  of  roots. 

Wind  increased  to  a  violent  gale  from  the 

N.W.,  with  a  temperature  at  sunset  of  67*. 

October  5. — The  morning  was  calm  and 

clear,  and  at  sunrise  the  thermometer  WM 


«     V 


n^' 


m 


IM 


r.MT.  FKivMO.NT'.i  NAUUATIVK. 


(I 


tt  92".  Thv  road  tonUy  who  fircrt^inniillv 
•xtittmcly  rocky,  with  hanl  vulrninc.  (rttu- 
mflnU,  and  our  travelling  wry  mIow.  In 
about  ninr  milt*  tho  roaci  lm(iiK>il  um  to  a 
group  of  Kniokinff  hot  Hprin^K,  with  a  ti>in- 
peraturo  «»f  104  .  TUvnt  wcw  a  low  holi- 
anthi  in  hiiNHn,  with  mudo  other  low  plant*, 
and  ih«>  placo  wan  {;r«><>n  nmntl  iiliout ;  tho 
ground  warm,  and  the*  air  plraMnnt,  with  a 
•ummcr  attn(Hipher«>  that  wan  very  (tralofiil 
in  a  day  of  high  and  cold  Nearching  wind. 
The  riM-kH  wi>ro  covchmI  with  a  whiio  and 
red  inrrtiMtation  ;  and  Ihn  water  hait  on  tli*> 
tongui'  tho  HAme  unplouMuit  ctrctt  »h  that  ol 
Ihu  ItaMJn  Npritig  on  Ik^ar  rivor.  They  lorrn 
Koveral  hninrhoH,  an«l  bubhic  up  with  forco 
enough  to  niiao  tho  Rmall  pcbbloa  M>vt>r»l 
inchea. 

The  rollowinff  ia  an  analyaia  of  tho  Jopo- 
ih  with  which  tno  rocka  arc  incruatod  : 


Anahf$u. 
Hilica 

Carbonate  of  lime 
("arbonato  of  magneaia 
Oxide  of  iron 
Alumina     .        •        • 
Chloride  of  aodium,  die. 
Hulphate  of  aoda 
Sul!il'»l»»  -^f  lime,  die. 
Org  jetabic  matter 

Wat.  loaa 


i 


TJ.66 

14.00 

I. 'JO 

4.66 

0.70 

1.10 

6.30 

lOO.UO 


Theae  spring!  arc  near  the  foot  of  the  ridffo 
(a  dark  and  rugged  looking  mountain),  m 
which  some  of  tno  nearer  rocka  have  a  red- 
diah  nppearancc,  and  probably  conaiat  of  a 
rcddiah-brown  trap,  fragments  of  which  were 
scattered  along  ttie  rt«d  after  leaving  the 
spring.  The  road  was  now  about  to  cross 
the  point  of  this  mountain,  which  we  judged 
to  be  a  spur  from  the  Salmon  river  range,  we 
crossed  a  tmall  creek,  and  encampeil  about 
sunset  on  a  stream,  which  is  pnibabiy  l^ako 
river.  This  is  a  small  stream,  some  Ave  or 
■ix  feet  broad,  with  a  swift  current,  timbered 
principally  with  willowa  and  some  few  cot- 
tonwoods.  Along  tho  banks  were  canes, 
rose  buslMB,  and  clematis,  with  I'urshia  tri- 
dentata  aad  artemisias  on  the  upper  bottom. 
The  sombre  appearance  of  the  country  is 
somewhat  relieved  in  coming  unexpectedly 
from  the  dark  rocks  upon  these  green  and 
wooded  watercourses,  sunk  in  chasms  ;  and, 
in  the  spring,  the  contrasted  eflfect  must  make 
riiem  beautiful. 

The  thermometer  at  sunset  47^,  and  the 
night  threatening  snow. 

October  6. — The  morning  warm,  the  ther- 
mometer 46"  at  sunrise,  and  sky  entirely 
clended.    After  travellii.g  about  three  miles 


ovor  an  oxironioly  rocky  mnd,  the  volcanic 
fraginoiilH  iN'^an  tu  disappear  ;  and,  ontorinn 
among  llic  hilUat  Ihn  putnt  of  tho  mountaia, 
wo  found  oiiraclves  suddenly  in  a  grunito 
country.  I  lore,  the  character  of  the  vogo- 
lation  waa  wry  much  changed  ;  the  artmiiaia 
diiiappt>an-d  alnioitt  entirely,  ahiowing  only  at 
intorvaU  tovvardi  tho  cliHie  of  tho  day,  and 
was  roplacod  by  {'urnhia  tridonlata,  witli  IIom- 
oring  ahrulM, and  Minall  liolda  ndltelfrui  ihiart- 
rain,  wliicli  gnvo  bliHHn  and  gnioty  to  the  lulls. 
Thoao  wore  every  where  covered  with  a  Irotih 
and  groon  »<hort  grnaa,  like  that  of  tlio  oarly 
Hiiring.  ThiH  in  the  fall  or  aocond  growth, 
tho  dried  gniHM  having  Im'oii  burnt  oil  by  tho 
liidiuiiN ;  and  whorover  the  lire  haa  luiHxod. 
Mio  bright-groon  color  ia  universal.  'IIiohuiI 
among  tho  hills  ia  altogether  dilloroiit  from 
thai  of  the  river  plain,  being  in  many  plarea 
black,  in  othera  sandy  and  gravelly,  nut  of  a 
firm  and  good  character,  appearing  to  result 
from  tho  dot'ompoMition  uf  the  granili)  rorki«, 
which  In  jtrorooding  rapidly. 

In  quitting  for  a  time  tho  arteim^ia  (aagt- 1 
through  which  we  had  been  so  long  voyag- 
ing,  and  the  sombre  appearance  of  which  ia 
so  discouraging,  I  have  to  remark,  that  i 
have  been  informed  that  in  Mexico  wlioal  ix 
grown  upon  liic  ground  which  prodiicoH  tliis 
shrub ;  which,  if  true,  relieves  the  noil  liom 
the  character  of  sterility  imputed  to  it.  Ue 
this  as  it  may,  there  ia  no  dispute  alM)ut  the 
grusM,  which  ia  almost  universal  on  the  hilla 
and  mountains,  and  always  nutritious,  even 
in  its  dry  state.  \Vc  passed  on  the  way 
iiiaMHOH  of  granite  on  tlie  slo|)e  of  a  npur, 
which  was  very  much  weathered  and  abrad- 
ed.  This  is  a  white  feldspathic  granite,  with 
small  scales  of  black  mica ;  smoky  i|uartz 
and  garnets  appear  to  constitute  tluH  |>ort<on 
of  tho  mountain. 

The  road  at  noon  reached  a  broken  ridge, 
on  which  were  scattc<Y>d  many  boulders  or 
blocka  of  granite ;  and,  passing  very  small 
streams,  where,  with  a  little  more  tiian  the 
UHuul  timber,  was  sometimea  gathered  a  little 
wildorneHH  of  plants,  we  encam|)ed  on  a 
small  stream,  after  a  march  of  t)'J  miles,  in 
company  with  a  few  Indiana.  Temperature 
at  sunset  61°  ;  and  the  night  was  partially 
clear,  with  a  few  stars  visible  through  drill- 
ing white  clouds  Tho  Indians  made  an  un- 
successful  attempt  to  steal  a  few  horses  from 
us — a  thing  of  course  with  them,  and  to  pre- 
vent which  the  traveller  is  on  perpetual 
watch. 

October  7. — The  day   was  bright,  clear, 

Eleasant,  with  a  temperature  of  46° ;  and  we 
reakfastcd  at  suniise,  the  birds  singing  in 
the  trees  as  merrily  as  if  we  were  in  the 
midst  of  summer.  On  tlie  upper  edge  of  the 
hills  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek,  the 
black  volcanic  rock  reappears ;  and  ascend* 
ing  these,  the  road  passed  tliroiigh  a  baaio. 


184S. 


f'AI'T    nillMMNTH  NAIlllAnVt:. 


arourwl  whirh  th«  hill*  Mwopl  in  nueU  n  iitnn- 
nfr  MM  to  uivi*  it  the  ■|tfN>iiniiiri>  nl'  mi  old 
mlrr.  litiro  wrrfl  ntnila  iiimI  hmld-M  iH'tU 
iif  l)liirk  Hrorinli'tl  rr)cl(,  •nd  hill*  ri>in|MiKi>(l 
1)1'  till'  HHiiic,  on  iIh*  MUininit  of  om*  rif  wliidi 
ihiT"  wnK  nil  n|MMiinff  n'Krinltliti|;  n  rent 
NN'i*  trnvi'lli'd  to-diiy  triniturii  a  rouiifry  ri»- 
•iMiililiiit;  tlmt  dl'  yf>iil«>riliiy,  wlii'rc,  iiltliutiirli 
till'  HiiriacK  wnii  hilly,  tin*  nmil  wan  (((nmI,  Uto 
iiiU  linn,  iiihI  nitin>ly  froo  from  ntck*  niui 
:irt«>iiii)<iii.  Tixiiir  li>n,  liolow,  wan  tli<>|fn'nt 
kH^t<  |ili(in ;  and  nn  i\w  ri^ht  w«rp  tin*  iictir 
iii<iiinlt«iiii«,  wliicli  proMMiIrd  n  minMitlily 
t  rnkrii  rlinrai'tvr,  or  rathi>r  a  Hiirrarv  waved 
itito  iiiiinlN'rIoM  hiilM.  Th(>  road  wan  tKca- 
Miiiiiilly  nilivonod  hy  tni>t>tintf  IndiunH,  iind 
till'  day  waa  extrumrly  iNiaiititnl  ntid  iilcaa- 
mil ;  and  wt>  wi>rp  pli*aM>d  (o  Ixt  froo  Irointlic 
Ki(j.M',  pvoa  for  a  day.  VVIn'n  wo  lind  trnv- 
•  llcil  alM)ut  H  miloH,  w«*  w«*ri'  noarly  (i|i|Kiiiit(> 
•<i  t)i«>  iiiglit'Mt  (Hirtion  of  the  mniintainM  on 
<Im'  It'll  Midi'  nf  the  Himiko  rivor  valley ;  and, 
loiitiniiiiitf  on  a  fow  inilva  U'vund,  wo  canio 
xiiildiMilv  in  Bi((lit  of  the  broad  ((roon  line  uf 
till'  valley  of  the  Hniirr  lioiifr  (winnIihI 
rivor),  black  near  the  Korjjo  whcro  it  do- 
Ihmk-Iii'h  into  the  plaiiiH,  with  hiffh  prpri|iii-(>H 
of  l«isfilt,  bi'twoon  walln  of  which  it  imKMOH, 
I  on  onior^rinif  from  the  iiiounlainH.     tollow- 

nm  with  the  eye  ita  upward  roiirno,  it  ap- 
fioarH  to  Ih?  ohut  in  amun((  lofty  moiintaiiiH, 
cimflnin^  iln  valley  in  a  very  riidTKcd  country. 

DoHcondint;  the  hilla,  after  travelling;  a  few 
miloH  akin((  tlic  hiffh  plain,  the  road  brouf^ht 
11)1  down  u|M)n  the  b«>ttom8  of  tlie  river, 
which  JH  a  beautiful  rapid  utreain,  with  clear 
mounlain  water,  and,  aH  the  name  indicatoH, 
well  wiK'ded  with  Hoinc  varietiea  uf  timber — 
iiuionff  which  are  handMomc  cottonwooila. 
Such  a  8treain  had  iiecoino  quite  a  novelty 
III  iliiH  country,  and  we  were  delighted  this 
afternoon  to  make  a  pleaKant  camp  under  fine 
old  trecu  a((uin.  There  were  neveral  Indian 
etu-riinimientn  Hcattered  alouff  the  river ;  and 
■i  number  of  their  iiihabilantH,  in  the  courtK> 
ol  the  evetiinjr,  came  to  the  camp  on  horxe- 
lack  with  dried  and  frcBli  fiah  to  trade.  The 
<  veiiini;  was  clear,  and  the  temperature  at 
^iiriHct  67". 

At  the  time  of  the  first  occupation  of  IIuh 
r<-^i»m  by  parties  eitj^ged  in  the  fur  trade,  a 
-iniill  party  of  men  under  the  cummand  of 

Keid,  constituting  all  the  garrison  of  a 

li'tlo  fort  on  this  river,  were  surprised  and 
MiiiHHacrcd  by  the  Indians  ;  and  to  this  event 
the  Ktreani  owes  its  occasional  name  oVReid's 
rher. 

On  the  8tli  we  travelled  about  26  miles,  the 
ridge  on  the  right  having  scattered  pines  on 
the  upper  partu ;  and,  continuing  the  next 
day  our  road  along  the  river  bottom,  after  a 
day's  travel  of  24  miles  we  encamped  in  the 
•Tcning  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  a  mile 
above  tne  mouth,  and  early  the  next  morning 


arrived  at  Kort  ll>'i»f  Thii  i«  a  limpl* 
dwolling-lii)iiM>  on  the  ritihl  biuik  of  Nnakit 
river,  alMnii  a  tnilo  In>Iow  the  inoulh  of 
Riviere  IIoImmW' ;  mid  on  our  arrival  wo  wore 
roroued  with  anauroenlile  lio«piliilily  by  Mr. 
Payotle,  nn  olRcer  of  tho  IIiuImhi  liny  <'oui< 
pniiy.  ill  cliiirKo  of  iho  fort  -.  nil  ol  mIiovo 
^iirrimiii  cotiHinled  III  a  t'niiadinii  i»\;im^. 

Ill-re  I'll)  rmid  recnmcei*  Ihe  river,  which  in 
lirund  ntid  deep;  bill,  Milli  our  giMHl  boat, 
aided  by  two  rnno«>»,  which  were  loimd  nt  lh«« 
place,  the  rniiip  wan  very  xtNiii  traimlerrod  to 
the  left  bank.  Here  we  found  ournelvoa 
ntfain  xiirroiiiided  by  llie  mh^;!*  ;  nrtemiMia  tri* 
deiit»tn,nnd  the  diHereiil  xlirulMt  w  hich  during 
our  voyii^e  had  iilwayn  iiindo  their  appi'ar- 
mice  aliiindunlly  on  Kiiliiio  noilH,  lN>ing  bore 
the  prevailing  and  almowt  the  only  iilanlK. 
Anions  Ihetii  tho  Miirfaco  wan  roveri><l  with 
Iho  iiNiinl  Hiiline  ot1lorei>coiiceM,  which  hero 
coiiitiHt  alinoMt  entirely  of  cnrlNHiate  of  noda, 
with  a  Hniull  |Hirtion  of  chloride  of  Hodium. 
Mr.  I'liyctte  hill!  made  but  nlight  attempts 
at  cullivHlioii,  bin  ed'orlfi  being  limited  to 
niihiiitf  a  lew  vegetableH,  in  which  he  nuc- 
ceedeil  loliTiiliiy  well  ;  the  jMint  iK'ing  prilici- 
nally  Hii|i|Mirteil  by  miIiiioii.  He  was  very 
iioHpilabie  hikI  Ixiiid  to  iih,  mid  wu  made  a 
Henxiblo  iin|ir<>Hhiiiii  u|Nin  nil  biit  comeHtiblcf ', 
but  our  principal  itirmid  was  into  tho  dairy, 
which  WHN  abiiiulnntly  Mippliud,  ^itm-k  ap|)car- 
ing  to  thrive  extremely  well ;  and  wo  hiid  an 
uniiHiinl  luxury  in  a  prenont  of  Irosh  butter, 
which  wni,  however,  by  no  means  equal  to 
that  of  Fort  Hall — nroliably  from  some  acci- 
dental caiiMe.  During  tho  day  we  remained 
here,  there  were  coimidenible  iiiiinberH  of 
iniHorable  balf-iiukod  Indians  around  tho  fort, 
who  had  arrived  from  tho  neighlioring  moun- 
taiuri.  During  the  summer,  the  only  sub- 
nifitenco  of  Ibeso  |ioople  is  derived  from  the 
salmon,  of  which  they  are  not  provident 
enough  to  lay  up  a  siifltc'ent  store  for  the 
winter,  during  which  many  of  them  die  from 
itbtioliite  starvation. 

Miiiiy  little  accounts  and  scattered  histo- 
rioH,  toirethor  with  an  acijuaintance  which  I 
gradually  acquired  of  their  modes  of  life,  had 
left  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  tliis  vast  re- 
gion pictureuin  my  mind  as  a  race  of  people 
whose  great  and  constant  occupation  was  the 
means  of  procuring  a  subsistence ;  and  though 
want  of  space,  ana  other  reasoM.will  prevent 
me  from  detailing  the  many  incidents  which 
made  these  things  familiar  to  me,  this  great 
feature  among  the  characteristics  of  the 
country  will  gradually  be  forced  upon  your 
mind. 

Pointing  to  a  group  of  Indiana  who  had 
just  arrived  from  the  mountains  on  the  left 
side  of  the  valley,  and  who  Were  regarding 
our  usual  appliances  of  civilisation  with  an 
air  of  bewildered  curiosity,  Mr.  Payette  in- 
formed me  that,  every  year  since  hn  arriva^ 


f' 


s\ 


:  > 


>     rj 


■1 


-pi 

.■Mi 


m 

■-''}'.. 


tOQ 


•  '.VrP.  niHMnNTN  NAUIIATIVK 


flAtt. 


m 


It  lliU  |MNi|,  1.0  li  id  Mixiircrimfiill)'  riiiti^vi>r< 
»<«l  lu  iiiiliK'i*  tlii>.'t>  |N>ii|ili<  In  liiy  iiji  n  •tnro 
')l°  H'llinoii  I'lr  llii'ir  wiM'<  r  |tri)\i«>i<>ii.  Wliilt* 
»Ih»  immiir  r  wru'lur  rtml  iIm»  <:iIiiiiiii  ln«t<'tl. 
»li4«y  In '"I  «•  iiiti'hti'.lly  ii»nl  Ii;i|»|mIv,  »  wHiTt'tl 
iliiiH;  Ihf  (|il|!'ri'iit  «tri'iiiin  \vln'ri»  ifu'  fl^li  wrri* 
to  In<  loiiii'l ;  ittil  iM  -iM)ii  It*  lli«>  wiiitir  riM>\v« 

tN«<rrltl    to    litll,  l:ttli>   «in'>l(i*«    \>oilM    Im>    M't'll 

riwiiiL'  iiiii'iii;(  \\t'  iii<>iih(iiiii«,  »li)*ri>  (III-) 
^vuiiM  Im'  Ii.iiii.|  in  iiiiHcr.ililcyniiii'f.  >«t«rviiij{ 
mil  till'  wiril'T;  iiml  ^iMMi'liiiii'n.  rn'r<iriliity  In 
till'  p'lii'nil  b-lii'l',  ri'.liii'i'il  III  ilii*  Imrror  ol 
CNniiitNiliHiii — ilii>  KtMiiiT,  «'•  roiirfo,  |iri'yin(r 
on  the  woiik.  ('rrtiiin  it  in,  itii-y  iiro  ilrlvfii 
to  liny  oxlrrmiiy  I'T  I>m(iI,  ninl  cat  i-vrry  iif 
Kcrt,  iirul  I'vcry  rrfi'piiijj  tliini;,  liowcviT 
l(>ntliH<iiiii>  ami  rc|iiil»ivi'.  SniiilK,  li/itnU, 
antM — nil  nrc  ilrvonro-l  with  tho  ri'iidiiii'MM 
tinil  ijri'i'ilim'HM  of  mrri'  iiniinnU. 

In  criiiiiiinti  with  hII  tlii'  (illii>r  Imliitiii*  we 
liHil  I'lirniiiitrriMl  hIiico  riMirliiiiif  tho  I'lirilic 
walern,  iIichi'  |>rii|ilu  iioi'  the  SIiohIioikm'  or 
Snakn  lan^iia^o,  wliicli  ymi  will  Imvo  o^ru- 
■ion  to  ri'iiiurk,  in  llio  courMO  ol  the  imrrn- 
tiro,  in  tho  iiiiivorMil  lan{(imi;o  over  a  very 
••xtnnnivi!  rojjidii. 

On  tilt'  t'Voniii){  of  the  lOdi,  I  obtainnl, 
with  the  iiHiiiil  o)iriei-vui>>Mir<,  H  very  exrellent 
oincrMion  of  tho  lirxt  mitcllite,  uyrreiiifj  very 
ooarly  with  the  rhronooieter.  From  thene 
obMorvntionn,  the  loniri'iile  of  the  lort  in 
IIO"'  17'  00",  liititiiile  1:1"  J'.C  '2-2",  and 
elevntioii  nliove  tlie  m-a  'J, 100  feet. 

Sitlinp  hy  the  lire  on  the  river  hank,  and 
waitiiiff  for  the  iiiinit'rnion  of  the  satellite, 
which  did  not  take  plHco  until  after  midni|rlit, 
wo  heiird  the  monotonoiin  sonjj  of  the  In- 
diaoH,  with  w  liich  tliey  uerotnpiiny  a  certain 
game  of  which  they  are  very  fond.  Of  the 
poetry  wc  cniild  not  judge,  but  the  muiiic  wan 
mixenihle. 

OrUibrr  11. — The  morning  WM  clear,  with 
a  light  hrceze  fniin  the  eaut,  and  a  tem()«'ra- 
ture  at  sniiriHC  of  33".  A  part  of  a  huilock 
purchiiKod  at  the  fort,  together  with  the  lioat 
to  BHsiHt  him  in  crossing,  wan  left  hero  for 
Mr.  Fitzpatrick,  and  at  11  o'clock  wc  re- 
sumed our  JDiiriioy  ;  mid  directly  leaving  the 
river,  and  cro»Ning  tho  nrtemisia  plain,  in 
Hoveral  ascents  we  reached  the  foot  of  a 
ridge,  whore  the  road  entered  a  dry  sandy 
hollow,  up  which  it  continued  to  tho  head ; 
and,  crossing  a  dividing  ridge,  entered  a 
Himiiar  one.  Wo  met  here  two  poor  emi- 
grants (Irishmen),  who  had  lost  their  horses 
two  dayM  hIik  e — probahiy  stolen  by  the  In- 
dians ;  and  worn  returning  to  the  fort,  in 
hopes  to  hear  something  of  them  there. 
They  had  recently  had  nothing  to  '..it ;  and  I 
halted  to  unpack  an  anims',  and  gave  them 
meat  for  their  dinner.  In  this  hollow,  the 
artemisia  is  partially  displaccci  on  the  hill 
■ides  by  grass ;  and  descending  it  —  miles, 


ahiiul  Nunart  we  rr«ehr«|  the  HuHrr  rtii,r 
Mulhriirn  the  iintortuimte  nr  iinhi<  ky  riM-r), 
H  rtiiinldenilile  utreaiii,  with  an  iixrnige 
lireadlh  ol  .V)  feet,  aixl,  at  lliin  lime,  I  ^  incite* 
■ti'iilh  ol    water. 

The  Ihilloiii  liiiidM  were  generally  inn-  niid 
a  hall  mile  hrond.  covered  prini'i|xitly  with 
long  dry  grn»M  ;  mid  we  hud  ilillhiilty  to  lind 
•<iilnci"nt  ijihmI  ynixK  lor  the  rniiip.  Willi 
the  exception  of  u  had  place  nf  ii  few  htiiutied 
yariU  loiiir,  wliirh  oeciirreil  in  roumliiig  a 
|Miint  ol  liill  to  renrli  the  ionl  <  I  the  river, 
ilie  riNid  during  the  day  had  iM'eii  very  goiMl. 

IhiiJfr  I'J. — The  iiiorning  wa*  clear  niid 
calm,  and  the  theriiioiiieler  at  Kiiiiri«e  'iW", 
My  atlenlioii  wa<«  ■ttracled  l>y  n  HUioke  on  tli<* 
riifht  oide  of  the  river,  a  little  In-low  the  Imd, 
where  I  found  on  the  low  luink,  near  the  wa> 
ter,  a  considerable  iiiiihImt  of  hot  »|iriii;;i<,  in 
which  the  leiii|M'ratiire  o|  the  water  wan  lIKi" 
The  ground,  which  wa^  loo  hut  for  I  lie  naked 
fiMif,  wiiN  covered  alntve  mid  Iwl'iw  the  ^|lrill^;< 
with  un  iiicriiNtatioii  of  conuiioii  hhU,  very 
while  iind  giwHl,  and  line-graiiieil. 

Iieadini'  for  A  iiiiieH  up  a  broad  dry  branch 
of  the  iNlalheurn  river,  the  rond  entered  a 
Haiidv  hollow,  where  the  Kiirlnic  wan  ren- 
dered linn  hy  the  admixture  ol  other  rork 
iN'ing  giMMl  and  level  until  arriving  near  the 
heaifot  the  ravine,  where  it  iHCaiue  a  little 
rocky,  and  we  met  with  a  niinilier  of  f>liarp 
BHcentM  over  an  iinlulatiiig  hiirluce.  Chmh- 
ing  here  a  dividing  ridge,  it  liecaiiie  an  e.x- 
cellent  road  of  gradual  descent  down  a  very 
marked  hollow  ;  in  which,  alter  10  miloH, 
willowN  liegan  to  apfiear  in  the  dry  U'd  of  a 
head  of  tiie  liiiiirr  mix  Ihiulnnix  (Kirch 
river)  ;  and  descending  7  milch,  wc  found, 
at  its  junction  with  another  branch,  a  little 
water,  not  very  good  or  abundant,  but  niitVi- 
i  lent  in  case  of  necensity  for  a  camp.  Cross- 
ing Dirch  river,  wc  continued  for  alioiit  I 
miles  acroKs  a  |)oint  of  hill  ;  the  country  on 
the  lelt  iR'ing  entirely  mountainoiiH,  with  no 
level  HjMit  to  be  seen  ;  whence  we  descended 
to  Hnake  river — here  a  tine-looking  stream, 
with  a  large  Uwly  of  water  and  a  smooth 
current  ;  althoiijrli  we  hear  the  roar,  and»ee 
below  us  the  comiiieiicemeiit  ol  rajiids  where 
it  enters  anumg  the  hill.s.  It  forms  heru  i\ 
deep  bay,  with  a  low  sand  inland  in  the 
midst ;  and  it.s  course  among  the  mountains 
is  agreeably  exchanged  for  the  black  vol- 
canic rock.  The  weather  during  the  day 
hai  been  very  bright  and  extremely  hot ; 
but.  its  usual,  so  PiMin  as  the  sun  went  down, 
it  was  necessary  to  put  on  overcoats. 

I  obtained  this  evening  an  observation  of 
an  emersion  of  the  first  satellite,  and  onr  ol»- 
servations  of  the  evening  place  this  encami>- 
aent  in  latitude  44°  17'  36",  and  longitude 
lir»*>  50'  45",  which  is  the  r,,(  ,,n  of  thu  re- 
Bulta  from  the   satellite  am    <<iironometer. 


IMS] 


CArr   FrU'.NfoNTH  naiiuative. 


I 


Till"  i'lrv»f'  in  %hnvr  tlin  ■on  I, HMO  fi-it       Al 
lliiM  I'm    inpiniMil,    tlio  f^rtun  In  nciinly  nii<l 

ih-iiJhr  n.— Til"  nmriiinK  who  ''rijjlif, 
witli  ill)'  li>iii|M'rnliiri>  iil  Kiiiirinc  'JH' .  Tlic 
linroi'H  linil  i>trii))-i|  (iir<lnrin(f  tin*  iii({lit,  pni- 
ImIiIv  ill  vriiri'li  iif  (fni»<« ;  niiil,  hOit  n  cuii 
■iilcriiMr  ili'iiiy,  wi'  liiiil  miii'i'immIi'iI  in  litiilinu 
all  lull  tun,  wliiMi,  nUiiit  II  oViiM-k,  \m*  liriirii 
tlt(>  woiititl  iif  nil  liiiliiiii  KotiK  mill  ilniin  n|i> 
riMU'liiii^;  mill  xhnrtly  iiniT,  tliri*<>  ('iiyiiMO 
itilinnx  ii|i|>«-iiri>il  in  m^^lil,  ll^in^ill^  witli 
ilii-ni  till*  (wo  nniinnU.  Tlioy  Im'Iiiii^i>(|  io  a 
|inrly  wliicli  liml  Imtii  on  n  liiilTiilu  hunt  in 
the  niMithlxirhiKMl  of  thn  Uockv  mountain", 
uiiii  wiTi'  liiirryini;  home  in  iiiivmiro  \W 
pD'vi'iid'd  (hi'in  with  Koiiii' tolNK'cii,  aiiil  (illicr 
thin^H,  with  whirli  llii>v  ii|i|H<»r<>(i  well  •>iilii«< 
fit'il,  mill,  niiHl(>rutin(f  tlicir  |iun',  tnivrili-tl  in 
I'lttnpnny  with  im. 

\V»«  wi'ri'  now  iiliout  to  U'nve  thr  vnlloy  of 
tlir*  ((D'lit  Moiithrrn  hrnncli  ot  tlii<  folunihia 
rivi'r,  li>  whirli  tho  nlmonrn  of  tiiiilMT,  nii<l 
till'  Krnrcily  of  wnti-r,  \f}\i'  tin*  Hp|M>ttrunro  nt 
n  ih'xrrt,  to  enter  it  inoiiiitninoiiN  ri'|{i'.tn 
vs here  tlio  xoil  ix  |;oo<t,  nnil  in  which  the  fnci* 
of  the  country  in  I'overril  with  nutritiouii 
;;riifii('«  nnti  ilrn««'  forei-t — Inml  rnibrucinK 
niiiny  viirirtien  of  trcrit  m-ruiiar  to  tli(>  ooiiii- 
try,  mid  on  which  the  tiiniirr  exliihitu  a  lux- 
iirinnct'  of  jrrowth  unknown  to  the  pattern 
l<«rt  of  the  continent  and  tn  Riiropo.  Thin 
intiuntiiinouH  ri*)rion  connortH  jtHolf  in  the 
foiithwnrd  und  wentwiird  with  the  riovnted 
roiintry  iK'Jonyinif  to  thn  Cttscndo  or  ('uiilbr- 
niu  riin^e  ;  and,  uh  will  Im  roinurked  in  the 
rourne  of  the  iiiirrative,  foriiH  the  etihtern 
limit  of  the  fertile  and  timliered  laiidii  nUma 
the  deHert  and  inoiintuinoiiH  region  ineliided 
wiliiin  the  (ireiit  Hnnin — a  te'in  which  I  up- 
[ily  to  the  intermediate  rei^'on  between  the 
Uorky  mountains  iind  the  next  ran^re,  cou- 
uiiniii);  many  laken,  with  their  own  nyHtein 
of  riven*  mid  creekw  (of  which  the  (Jreiit 
Salt  iH  the  principul),  and  which  have  no 
ronnection  with  the  ocean,  or  the  jrreat 
riverH  which  (low  into  it.  Tliiri  (ireat  Dubin 
ii!  yet  to  Ikj  adequately  explored.  And  here, 
on  (juittini;  the  banks  of  a  ntcrile  river,  to 
enter  on  arable  mountains,  the  remark  niny 
W  made,  that,  on  this  western  slope  of  our 
rnntinont,  the  usual  order  or  distribution  of 
(.'•kmI  and  bad  soil  is  often  reversed;  llie 
river  and  creek  bottoms  being  often  sterile, 
and  darkened  with  the  glwimy  and  barren 
arleinisia  ;  while  the  mountain  is  often  fer- 
tile, and  covered  with  rich  grass,  pleasant  to 
the  eye,  and  good  for  flocks  and  herds. 

leaving  entirely  the  Snake  river,  which 
is  said  Tienccforth  to  pursue  its  course 
through  canons,  amidst  rocky  and  impracti- 
cable mountains,  where  there  is  no  possibili- 
ty of  travelling  with  animals,  we  ascended  a 
long  and  aomewhat  steep  bill ;  and  croeaing 


the  dividing  riflge,  rniiui  ilown  into  tho  val- 
ley of  Hur»l  river,  wh  rh  lure  |iN>k.-<  like  a 
hole  among  the  hill«  The  nvernge  lirradth 
of  (he  Htreiiin  here  it  .'U  feet;  it  Im  wfII 
fringed  with  the  umuil  aiiu  II  (inil)er  ;  mid  iht* 
xoil  in  the  liotlomM  ix  giuid,  wjih  Utter  grn«* 
than  we  linit  lately  l>e<  ii  nci  iminiiieil  to  »v% . 

We  now  Irnvelleil  thri>iigh  4  very  nioiin- 
laiiiouM  etiiiiiiry  ;  tli(>  xtrinni  running  rntlirr 
ill  A  ravine  lh„n  n  valley,  and  the  mad  in  de- 
cidedly bnd  und  dmigen'iiii  fur  single  wa- 
gons, lrei|uently  eni-fin;,'  the  iitreatn  v»her« 
the  water  is  fioiiielimei  deep;  and  all  th« 
day  the  nniinaU  were  fatigued  in  climbing 
up  mid  deNcending  a  succesxiun  of  stri>p  a«- 
cenlM,  to  avoiil  ihe  pieripilous  hill  Hides; 
and  the  common  trail,  which  leatU  al'ingthe 
mountain  side  nt  places  where  the  river 
I'Irikes  the  bufe.  is  i<(iinetiiiie«  bud  even  for 
u  liorsemnn.  The  moimtnins  along  thia 
day  i  iourney  were  t  (inijK)Hei!,  near  the  river, 
ef  ri  slaty  ralcareoits  roi  k  in  11  metniiuir|ihir 
conililioii.  It  appears  originnlly  to  have 
iN'eii  a  slaty  t-edimeniury  limentune,  but  ila 
preM'iit  ii;iidi;i(>n  indicates  that  it  has  hern 
altered,  and  has  become  p:trtia!ly  rryrtalline 
— probably  froiii  the  pri>.\iniity  of  volcanic 
rock-*,  lint  tli(iii;.'li  travi  liiiig  was  m|ow  ant! 
Iali|;iiing  to  llii>  iiiiimais,  vsi*  vv<>re  delighted 
with  the  appearance  of  the  country,  which 
was  green  and  refrei.hini;  after  our  (rdioua 
journey  down  (ho  pnrclied  valley  uf  Snake 
river.  The  mountains  were  covered  with 
g(K)d  biiticli  gras.*  (Iintunt);  the  water  ol 
Ihe  streams  wan  cold  und  pure  ;  their  bot- 
toinn  wire  handMimelv  vvooumI  with  varioiu 
kinds  of  treeH  ;  and  fiuge  mid  lofty  and  pic- 
turesi|iie  precipicen  were  displayed  wheru 
the  river  cut  throu;;li  the  mountains. 

We  found  in  the  evening  Home  good  grasa 
and  rushe.'4  ;  und  encamped  among  large 
timber,  priiu  ipally  birch,  which  had  been  re- 
cently burnt  and  blackened,  und  almost  de- 
stroyed by  Hre.  The  night  was  calm  and 
tolerably  clear,  with  the  tlierinometer  at  sun- 
set al  ftU".  Our  journey  to-day  was  about 
•JO  inilos, 

(h-Uiber  II. — Tlio  day  was  clear  and  calm, 
with  a  temperature  at  sunrise  of  -IG".  After 
travelling  about  three  inilos  up  the  valley, 
we  found  the  river  shut  up  by  precipices  in 
a  kind  of  caAon,  and  the  road  make.i  a  cir- 
cuit over  the  mountains.  In  the  ufternoon 
we  reached  the  river  again,  by  anullior  little 
ravine;  und,  after  travelling  along  it  for  a 
few  miles,  left  it  enclosed  among  rude  moun- 
tains ;  and,  ascending  a  smaller  branch,  en- 
cnm|)ed  on  it  about  6  o'clock,  very  much 
elevated  above  the  valley.  The  view  waa 
everywhere  limited  by  mountains,  on  which 
were  no  longer  seen  tho  black  and  barren 
rocks,  but  a  fertile  soil,  with  excellent  graaa, 
and  partly  well  covered  with  pine,  rhavo 
never  aecu  a  wagon  road  equally  bnd  in  the 


^( 


n 


•  •••. 


>■ 


■■■til 


;t* 


t 


1U4 


C.M'T.  FRK.MONTS  NAIIRATIVK. 


[1848. 


same  (tpnce,  us  this  of  yostenlfty  luid  Icvday. 
I  noticed  where  one  wiijjoii  had  been  over- 
turned twice,  in  a  very  bhort  diHtanco  ;  and 
it  was  surprising  ti  ino  that  thos-e  wiipoiiH 
whicli  were  in  the  rear,  nnd  could  not  nave 
had  much  iissi.-tance,  jfot  throiifjh  at  all. 
Still,  there  i.s  no  mud  ;  and  the  road  has  one 
advantHfj*^,  in  Unng  perfectly  linn.  The 
day  had  been  warm  and  very  pleasant,  and 
the  niijht  was  perfectly  clear. 

Octolirr  15. — The  tliennometer  at  dayliirht 
was  42°,  and  at  sunrise  40°;  clouds,  which 
wore  sc4ittere(l  over  all  the  sky,  disappeared 
with  the  risinfr  Run.  The  trail  did  not  much 
improve  until  we  had  croHscd   the  dividing 

5 round  between  the  BruU  (Burnt)  and  Pow- 
er rivers.  The  rock  displayed  on  the  moun- 
tains, as  wc  approached  the  Hummit,  was  a 
compact  tran,  decomposing  on  tlio  exposed 
surfaces,  anil  apparently  an  altered  argillace- 
ous sandstone,  containing  small  crystalline 
nodules  of  anolcime,  apparently  filling  cavi- 
ties originally  e.xisting.  From  the  summit 
here,  the  whole  hori7.on  shows  high  moun- 
tains ;  no  high  plain  or  level  is  to  be  seen  ; 
and  on  the  left,  from  south  around  by  the 
west  to  north,  tlic  mountains  arc  black  with 
pines ;  while,  through  the  remaining  space 
to  the  eastward,  they  arc  bald  with  the  ex- 
ception of  some  scattered  pines.  You  will 
remark  that  wo  are  now  entering  a  region 
where  all  the  elevated  parts  are  covered  with 
dense  and  heavy  forests.  From  the  dividing 
grounds  we  descended  by  a  mountain  road 
to  Powder  river,  on  nn  old  bed  of  which  we 
encamped.  Descending  from  the  summit, 
we  enjoyed  a  picturesque  view  of  high  rocky 
mountains  on  the  rijjlit,  illuminated  by  the 
setting  Fun 

From  the  heights  we  had  looked  in  vain 
for  a  well-known  landmark  on  Powder  river, 
which  had  been  described  to  me  by  Mr. 
Payette  as  Cnrhn:  aeiil  (the  lone  tree)  ;  and, 
on  arriving  at  the  river,  we  found  a  fine  tall 
pine  stretched  on  the  ground,  which  had 
been  felled  by  some  inconsiderate  emigrant 
axe.  It  had  been  a  beacon  on  the  road  for 
many  years  past.  Our  Cayuses  had  become 
impatient  to  reach  their  homes,  and  travelled 
on  ahead  to-day  ;  and  this  afternoon  we  were 
visited  by  several  Indians,  who  belonged  to 
flie  tribes  on  the  C(.iumbia.  They  were  on 
horseback,  and  were  out  on  a  hunting  ex- 
cursion, but  had  obtained  no  better  game 
than  a  large  grey  hare,  of  which  each  had 
some  six  or  ?even  hanging  to  his  saddle. 
We  were  also  visited  by  an  Indian  who  had 
his  lodge  and  family  in  the  mountain  to  the 
left.  He  was  in  want  of  ammunition,  and 
brought  with  him  a  beaver  skin  to  exchange, 
and  which  he  valued  at  six  charges  of  pow- 
der and  ball.  I  learned  from  him  that  there 
are  very  few  of  these  animals  remaining  in 
this  part  of  the  country. 


The  tcmpontturc  at  sunset  was  61°,  and 
the  evening  clear.  I  obtained,  with  other 
observations,  an  immersion  and  emersion  of 
the  third  satellite.     B<levation  3,10U  feet. 

Octitbrr  16. — For  several  weekf  the 
weather  in  the  daytime  has  been  very  beau- 
tiful, clear,  and  warm ;  but  the  nights,  in 
comparison,  are  very  cold.  During  the  night 
there  was  ice  a  quarter  of  an  incn  thick  in 
the  lodge  ;  and  at  daylight  the  thermoinctor 
was  at  16'^,  and  the  same  at  sunrise;  the 
weather  being  calm  and  clear.  The  annual 
vegetation  now  is  nearly  gone,  almost  all 
the  plants  being  out  of  bloom. 

I^st  night  two  of  our  horses  had  run  ofl* 
again,  which  delayed  us  until  noon  ;  and  we 
made  to-day  but  a  short  journey  of  13  miles, 
the  road  being  very  good,  and  encamped  in 
a  fine  bottom  of  Powder  river. 

The  thermometer  at  sunset  was  at  61", 
with  an  casterlv  wind,  and  partially  clear 
sky ;  and  the  day  has  been  quite  pleasant 
and  warm,  though  more  cloudy  than  yester- 
day ;  and  the  sun  was  frequently  faint,  but 
it  grew  finer  and  clearer  towards  evening. 

October  17. — Thermometer  at  sunrise  26*. 
The  weather  at  daylight  wan  fine,  and  the 
sky  without  a  cloud  ;  l)ut  these  came  up,  oi 
were  formed  with  the  sun,  and  at  7  were 
thick  over  all  the  sky.  Just  now,  this  ap- 
pears to  be  the  regular  course — clear  and 
brilliant  during  the  night,  and  cloudv  during 
the  day.  There  s  snow  yet  visible  in  the 
neighboring  mountains,  which  yesterday  ex- 
tended along  our  route  to  the  left,  in  a  lofty 
and  dark-blue  range,  having  much  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  Wind  river  mountains.  Il 
IS  probable  that  they  have  received  their 
name  of  the  Bliie  mountains  from  the  dark- 
blue  appearance  given  to  them  by  the  pines. 
We  travelled  this  morning  across  the  afflu- 
ents to  Powder  river,  the  road  bein^  good, 
firm,  and  level;  and  the  country  Became 
constantly  more  pleasant  and  interesting. 
The  soil  appeared  to  be  very  deep,  and  is 
black  and  extremely  good,  as  well  among 
the  hollows  of  the  hills  on  the  elevated  blats, 
as  on  the  river  bottoms ;  the  vegetation  being 
such  as  is  usually  found  in  good  ground. 
The  following  analytical  result  shows  the 
precise  qualities  of  this  soil,  and  will  justify 
to  science  the  character  of  fertility  which  the 
eye  attributes  to  it : 

Analysis  of  Powder  river  soil. 

Silica 72.30 

Alumina 6.26 

Carbonate  of  lime 6.86 

Carbonate  of  magnesia      ....  4.62 

Oxide  of  iron        1.20 

Organic  matter    .......  4*60 

Water  and  loss 4.27 


100.00 


1848. 


I84S.J 


CAVT.  FltKMONTS  NAtlKATlVK. 


\0§ 


72.30 
6.25 
6.86 
4.62 
1.20 
4-60 
4.27 


From  tlip  waters  of  this  ntrcam,  the  road 
aiicpnded  by  a  gord  and  moderate  aHCcnt  to 
a  dividing  ridge,  hut  immediately  entered 
u|)<)n  ground  covered  with  fragments  of  an 
altered  niliceouH  shite,  which  arc  in  many 
pliicea  large,  and  render  the  road  racking  to 
a  carriage.  In  ihiit  rock  the  planes  of  depo- 
Ritinii  are  distinctly  preperved,  and  the  meta- 
morpliifrn  is  evidently  due  to  the  proximity 
of  volcanic  rocks.  On  either  side,  the  moun- 
t4iin8  here  are  den!>ely  covered  with  tall  and 
handsome   trees ;    and,    mingled    with   the 

S-een  of  a  variety  of  pines,  is  the  yellow  of 
c  Kuropean  larch  (jtinus  larix),  which 
loHcs  its  leaves  in  the  tall.  From  its  present 
color,  we  were  enabled  to  sec  that  it  forms  a 
large  proportion  of  the  forests  on  the  moun- 
tains, and  is  here  a  magnificent  tree,  attain- 
ing sometimes  the  height  of  200  feet,  which 
1  believe  is  elsewhere  unknown.  About  two 
in  the  afternoon  we  reached  a  high  point  of 
the  dividing  ridge,  from  v;hich  we  obtained 
a  good  view  of  the  Grand  Rond — a  beauti- 
ful level  basin,  or  moimtain  valley,  covered 
with  good  grass,  on  a  rich  soil,  abundantly 
watered,  and  surrounded  by  high  and  well- 
timbered  mountains  ;  and  its  name  descrip- 
tive of  its  form — the  great  circle.  It  is  a 
place — one  of  the  few  we  have  seen  in  our 
journey  so  far — where  a  farmer  would  de- 
ligiit  to  establish  himself,  if  he  were  content 
to  live  in  the  seclusion  which  it  imposes.  It 
is  about  20  miles  in  diameter ;  and  may,  in 
time,  form  a  superb  county.  Probably  with 
the  view  of  avoiding  a  circuit,  the  wagons 
had  directly  descended  into  the  Rimd  by  the 
face  of  a  hill  so  very  rocky  and  continuously 
8teep  as  to  be  apparently  impracticable ; 
and,  following  down  on  their  trail,  we  en- 
camped on  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Grand 
Rond  river,  immediately  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill.  I  had  remarked,  in  descending,  some 
very  white  spots  glistening  on  the  plain,  and, 
going  out  in  that  direction  after  we  had  en- 
camped, I  found  them  to  be  the  bed  of  a  dry 
salt  lake,  or  marsh,  very  firm  and  bare, 
which  was  covered  thickly  with  a  fine  white 
powder,  containing  a  large  quantity  of  car- 
bonate of  soda  (thirty-three  in  one  hundred 
parts). 

'I  ,ie  old  grass  had  been  lately  burnt  off 
from  the  surrounding  hills,  and,  wherever  the 
fire  hiid  passed,  there  was  a  recent  growth 
of  fitrcmg,  green,  and  vigorous  (rrass ;  and 
the  soil  of  the  level  prairie,  which  sweeps 
directly  up  to  the  foot  of  the  surrounding 
mountains,  appears  to  be  very  rich,  produc- 
ing tlax  spontaneously  and  luxuriantly  in 
various  places. 


Analysis  of  the  Qrand  Rond  soil. 


SOica 
ilinmina 


70.81 
10.97 


Lime  and  magnesia 
(Jxide  of  iron      .... 
Vegetable  matter,  partly  decomposed 
Water  and  loss    .... 
Phosphate  of  lime 


The    elevation    of   this    encampment 
2,940  feet  above  the  sta. 

October  18. — It  began  to  rain  an  hour  be- 
fore sunrise,  and  continued  until  10  o'clock; 
the  sky  entirely  overcast,  and  tlio  tempera- 
ture at  HiinriKe  48°. 

We  resumed  our  journey  somewhat  later 
than  usual,  travelling  in  a  nc:irly  north  di- 
rection across  this  Iwaiitiful  viilley ;  and 
about  noon   reached  a  place  on  one  of  the 

[)rincipal  streams,  where  I  had  determined  to 
eave  the  emigrant  trail,  in  the  expectation 
of  finding  a  more  direct  and  better  road 
across  the  Blue  mountains.  At  this  place 
the  emigrants  appeared  to  have  hehl  some 
consultation  as  to  their  further  route,  and 
finally  turned  directly  off  to  the  left ;  reach- 
ing the  foot  of  the  mountain  in  about  three 
mMes,  which  they  ascended  by  a  hill  as  steep 
and  difficult  as  that  by  which  we  had  yester- 
day descended  to  the  Rond.  Quitting,  there- 
fore, this  road,  which,  after  a  very  rough 
crossing,  issues  from  the  mountains  by  the 
heads  of  the  Umalilah  river,  we  continued 
our  northern  course  across  the  valley,  fol- 
lowing an  Indian  trail  which  had  been  indi- 
cated to  me  by  Mr.  Payette,  and  encamped 
at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  Grand  Rond, 
on  a  slough-like  stream  of  very  deep  water, 
without  any  apparent  current.  There  are 
some  pines  here  on  the  low  hills  at  the  creek ; 
and  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Rond  is  a 
very  heavy  body  of  timber,  which  descends 
into  the  plain.  The  clouds,  which  had  rested 
very  low  along  the  mountain  sides  during 
the  day,  rose  gradually  up  in  the  afternoon ; 
and  in  the  evening  the  sky  was  almost  en- 
tirely clear,  with  a  temperature  at  sunset  of 
47".  Some  indifferent  observations  placed 
the  camp  in  longitude  1 17"  28'  26",  latitude 
45**  26'  47 ' ;  and  the  elevation  was  2,600 
feet  above  the  sea. 

October  19. — This  morning  the  mountains 
were  hidden  by  fog ;  there  was  a  heavy  dew 
during  the  night,  in  which  the  exposed  ther- 
mometer at  daylight  stood  at  32",  and  at  sun- 
rise the  temperature  was  36". 

We  passed  out  of  the  Grand  Rond  by  a 
fine  road  along  the  creek,  which,  for  a  sboit 
distance,  runs  in  a  kind  of  rocky  chasm. 
Crossing  a  low  point,  which  was  a  little 
rocky,  the  trail  conducted  into  the  open  val- 
ley of  the  stream — a  handsome  place  for 
farms  ;  the  soil,  even  of  the  hills,  being  rich 
and   black.      Passing  through   a  point  of 


188 

^^1 

9.21 

'III 

a.ia 

6.46 

1.01 

100.00 

-^ 

nent   is 

■  '^?' 

:''♦! 

,:! 


.,*  H 


If 


1 


m 


'AA 


m 


106 


CAl'T.  rRi;M()N'I'".S  NARRATIVK. 


[1843. 


f^tl; 


f lines,  wliirli  Ixiro  oviiliiuv'.-*  of  Ijciiij;  miicli 
requontcd  by  tin'  Iniliiins,  iind  in  which  tliu 
trees  were  woiiu'tltiuM  appiireiitly  1200  feet 
I»ii;h  ami  3  to  7  I'M-t  in  (liumcter,  we  lialtetl 
for  a  few  inimitcs  in  Ihi*  nfleriHMin  iif  the  foot 
of  the  Hlne  inoimtiiiii",  on  a  hranch  of  the 
Grand  Kond  rivi-r,  iit  ;ui  eleviitioti  of  2,700 
feet.  Resiiinin<»oiirji>uriiey,  we  commenced 
tlic  aHceiit  of  the  iiioMMtiiiii  through  an  open 
pine  forest  of  hirgo  ;um|  stately  tree.'',  ainon^ 
which  the  iulsam  pine  made  its  appearance  ; 
the  road  beini'  ko'^Ji  ^^i^''  *''o  exception  of 
one  steep  accent,  with  a  corre.spondinjr  ile- 
flccnt,  which  inigiit  both  h:ive  been  eas^ily 
avoided  by  opr nln^  a  way  for  a  short  din- 
tanco  throng),  the  timt)er  It  would  have 
been  well  hat*  wo  encam|)ed  on  the  stream 
where  we  had  halted  below,  as  the  nijrlit 
overtook  us  on  the  mountain,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  enramp  without  water,  and  tie  up 
the  animals  to  tlio  trees  for  the  night.  We 
had  halted  on  a  smooth  open  place  of  a  nar- 
row ridj;e,  which  descended  very  rapidly  to 
a  ravine  or  piney  hollow,  at  a  considerable 
distance  below ;  and  it  was  quite  a  pretty 
Hpjt,  had  there  been  water  near.  But  the 
t'.rcs  at  night  look  very  cheerless  after  a  day's 
march,  when  there  is  no  preparation  for  sup- 
per going  on ;  and,  after  sitting  some  time 
around  the  blazing  logs,  Mr.  Preuss  and 
Carson,  with  several  others,  volunteered  to 
take  the  India  rubber  buckets  and  go  down 
into  the  ravine  in  search  of  water.  It  was 
a  very  difficult  way  in  the  darkness  down  the 
slippery  side  of  the  steep  mountain,  and 
harder  still  to  climb  about  half  a  mile  up 
a^ain  ;  but  they  found  the  water,  and  the  cup 
ot  cofiee  (which  it  enabled  us  to  make)  and 
bread  were  only  enjoyed  with  greater  pleas- 
ure. 

At  sunset  the  temperature  was  40® ;  the 
evening  remarkably  clear ;  and  I  obtained  an 
emersion  of  the  tirst  satellite,  which  does  not 
give  a  good  result,  although  the  observation 
was  a  very  good  one.  The  chronometric 
longitude  was  117°  28'  34'',  latitude  46°  38' 
07",  and  we  had  aj^ccnded  to  an  elevation  of 
3,830  feet.  It  appeared  to  have  snowed  yes- 
terday on  the  mountains,  their  summits 
showing  very  white  to-day. 

October  '20. — There  was  a  heavy  white 
frost  during  the  night,  and  at  sunrise  the 
temperature  was  37°. 

The  animals  had  eaten  nothing  during  the 
night ;.and  we  made  an  early  start,  continu- 
ing our  route  among  the  pines,  which  were 
more  dense  than  yesterday,  and  still  retained 
their  magnificent  size.  The  larches  cluster 
together  in  masses  on  the  sides  of  the  moun- 
tains, and  their  yellow  foliage  contrasts  hand- 
somely with  the  green  of  the  balsam  and 
other  pines.  After  a  few  miles  we  ceased 
to  see  any  pines,  and  the  timber  consisted  of 
several  varieties  of  spruce,  larch,  and  balsam 


nine,  which  have  a  regularly  conical  figure. 
These  trees  appeared  from  (iO  to  nearly  200 
feet  in  height ;  the  usual  circumference  be- 
ing 10  to  12  feet,  and  in  the  pines  soinetimeH 
21  feet.  In  open  places  near  the  summit, 
these  trees  became  less  high  and  inoru 
branching,  the  conical  form  having  a  greater 
base.  Tlio  instrument  carriage  occasioned 
much  delay,  it  being  frequently  iiecessiiry  to 
fell  trees  and  remove  tne  '.alien  timber.  The 
trail  we  were  following  led  up  a  long  ^pur, 
with  a  very  gradual  and  gentle  ri-je. 

At  the  end  of  three  miles,  we  halted  at  an 
open  place  near  the  summit,  from  which  we 
enjoyed  a  line  view  over  the  mountiiinous 
country  where  we  had  lately  travelled,  to 
take  a  barometrical  observation  at  the  height 
of  4, 4 GO  feet. 

After  travelling  occasionally  through  oj)en 
places  in  the  forest,  we  were  obliged  to  cut 
a  way  through  a  dense  body  of  timber,  from 
which  we  emerged  on  an  open  mountain 
side,  where  we  found  a  number  of  small 
springs,  and  encamped  after  a  day's  journey 
of  lU  miles.  Our  elevation  here  was  5,0UU 
feet. 

October  21. — There  was  a  very  heavy 
white  frost  during  the  night,  and  tin'  ther- 
mometer at  sunrise  was  30". 

We  continued  to  travel  thrcugh  the  forest, 
in  which  the  road  was  rendered  dilFicult  by 
fallen  trunks,  and  obstructed  by  many  small 
trees,  which  it  was  necessary  to  cut  down. 
But  these  are  only  accidental  diflicullies, 
which  could  easily  be  removed,  and  a  very 
excellent  road  may  be  had  through  this  pass, 
with  no  other  than  very  moderate  ascents  or 
declivities.  A  laborious  day,  which  had  ad- 
vanced U3  only  six  miles  on  our  road,  brought 
us  in  the  afternoon  to  an  opening  in  the 
forest,  in  which  there  was  a  tine  mountain 
meadow,  with  good  grass,  and  a  large  clear- 
water  stream — one  ot  the  head  branches  of 
the  Umaliliih  river.  During  this  day's  jour- 
ney, the  barometer  was  broken ;  and  the  ele- 
vations above  the  sea,  hereafter  given,  depend 
upon  the  temperature  of  boiling  water.  Some 
of  the  white  spruces  which  I  measured  to- 
dsiy  were  twelve  feet  in  circumference,  and 
one  of  the  larches  ten  ;  but  eight  feet  was  the 
average  circumference  of  those  measured 
along  the  road.  I  held  in  my  hand  a  tape 
line  as  I  walked  along,  in  order  to  form  some 
correct  idea  of  the  size  of  the  timber.  Their 
height  appeared  to  be  from  100  to  180,  and 
perhaps  200  feet,  and  the  trunks  of  the 
larches  were  sometimes  100  feet  without  a 
limb;  but  the  white  spruces  were  generally 
covered  with  branches  nearly  to  the  root 
All  these  trees  have  their  branches,  particu- 
larly the  lower  ones,  declining. 

October  22. — The  white  frost  this  morning 
was  like  snow  on  the  ground ;  the  ice  was  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  thick  on  the  creek,  and  the 


1843.1 


CAI»T.  FREMONT'S  NARUATIVK. 


101 


tlicrmoin  '!>  r  at  iiinriso  was  at  20*.  But,  in 
a  fi'w  lioiirH,  ilie  tiny  bocamo  warm  uiid  plea- 
sant, and  our  rond  over  tlic  niountaiiifl  was 
doli^rhtml  and  full  of  ciijuyinent. 

'I'lio  trail  piisHod  soinetimcH  tliroii^li  very 
thick  yountr  timber  in  wiiich  there  was  much 
rullinjr  to  he  done  ;  but,  after  travelling  a 
lew  miles,  the  mountains  became  more  bald, 
and  we  reached  a  point  from  which  there  wan 
a  very  extensive  view  in  the  northwest.  VVc 
were  here  on  the  western  verjie  of  the  Blue 
moiuilainH.  long  spurs  of  which,  very  pre- 
cipitous on  either  side,  extended  down  into 
the  valley,  the  waters  of  the  mountain  roar- 
in<j  bot\v«'en  them.  On  our  righ*.  was  a 
Diountiiin  plateau,  covered  with  a  dense  for- 
est; and  to  the  westward,  immediately  below 
us,  was  the  great  iS'ez  Perci  (pierced  nose) 
prairie,  in  which  dark  lines  ot  timber  indi- 
cated the  course  of  many  aflluents  to  a  con- 
niderublc  stream  that  was  seen  pursuing  its 
way  across  the  plain  towards  what  appeared 
to  be  the  Columbia  river.  This  I  knew  to  be 
the  VVaJahwalah  river,  and  occasional  spots 
along  its  banks,  which  resembled  clearings, 
were  supjwsed  to  be  the  mission  or  Indian 
settlements  •,  but  the  weather  was  smoky  and 
unfavorable  to  lar  views  with  the  glass.  The 
rock  displayed  here  in  the  escarpments  is  a 
compact  amorphous  trap,  which  appears  to 
con.stitutc  the  mass  of  the  Blue  mountains  in 
this  latitude  ;  and  all  the  region  of  country 
through  which  we  have  travelled  since  leav- 
ing the  Snake  river  has  been  the  seat  of 
violent  and  extensive  igneous  action.  Along 
the  Burnt  river  valley,  the  strata  are  evident- 
ly sedimentary  rocks,  altered  by  the  intrusion 
of  volcanic  products,  which  in  some  instances 
have  penetrated  and  essentially  changed  their 
original  condition.  Along  our  line  of  route 
from  this  point  to  the  California  mountains, 
there  seems  but  little  essential  change.  All 
our  s|)ecimens  of  sedimentary  rocks  show 
them  to  be  much  altered,  and  volcanic  pro- 
ductions appear  to  prevail  throughout  the 
whole  intervening  distance. 

The  road  now  led  along  the  mountain  side, 
around  heads  of  the  precipitous  ravines  ;  and, 
keeping  men  ahead  to  clear  a  road,  we  passed 
alternately  through  bodies  of  timber  and  small 
open  prairies,  and  encampsd  in  a  large 
meadow,  in  view  of  the  great  prairie  below. 

At  sunset  the  thermometer  was  at  40",  and 
the  night  was  very  clear  and  bright.  Water 
was  only  to  be  had  here  by  descending  a  bad 
ravine,  into  which  we  drove  our  animals,  and 
had  much  trouble  with  them,  in  a  very  close 
growth  of  small  pines.  Mr.  Preuss  had  walk- 
ed ahead,  and  did  not  get  into  the  camp  this 
evening.  The  trees  here  maintained  th.-ir 
size,  and  one  of  the  black  spruces  measured 
15  feet  in  circumference.  In  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  camp,  pines  have  reappeared  here 
among  the  timber. 


October  '23. — The  morning  was  very  clear ; 
there  had  been  a  heavy  white  frost  during 
the  night,  and  at  sunruo  the  thermometer 
was  at  3I». 

After  cutting  through  two  thick  bidips  nf 
timl)or,  in  which  I  noliceil  mhiu'  t^mall  trees 
of  htmlork  sprtice  (iifnis.^r),  the  forest  be- 
cam«'  more  open,  ami  wv  had  no  longer  any 
trouble  to  closira  way.  The  pint's  here  were 
1 1  or  12  feet  in  rirciUMrcreiice.  and  about  IIU 
feet  high,  and  appeared  to  love  the  ojien 
grounds.  The  trail  now  led  along  one  of  the 
long  spurs  of  the  mountain,  descending  grad- 
ually towards  the  plain;  and  nttor  a  few  mile;- 
travelling,  we  emerged  llnally  from  the  for- 
est, in  full  view  of  the  plain  Ix-Iow,  and  saw 
the  snowy  mass  of  Mount  Hood,  standing 
high  out  above  the  surrounding  country,  at 
the  distance  of  180  miles.  The  road  along 
the  ridge  was  excellent,  and  the  grass  very 
green  and  good  ;  the  old  grass  having  lieen 
burnt  off  early  in  the  autumn.  About  4  o'- 
clock in  the  afternoon  we  reached  a  little 
l)ottom  on  the  VValahwaluh  river,  where  we 
found  Mr.  Preuss,  who  yesterday  had  reach- 
ed this  place,  and  found  himself  too  far  in 
advance  of  the  camp  to  rettirii.  The  stream 
here  has  just  issued  from  the  narrow  ravines, 
which  are  walled  with  precipices,  in  which 
the  rock  has  a  brown  and  more  burnt  aj)- 
pearance  than  al)ovc. 

At  sunset  the  therm<mieter  was  at  48"  ; 
and  our  position  was  in  longitude  118"  00' 
39",  and  in  latitude  45"  63'  35". 

The  morning  was  clear,  with  a  tempera- 
ture at  sunrise  of  24".  Crossing  the  river, 
we  travelled  over  a  hilly  country  with  good 
bunch  grass  ;  the  river  Iwltom,  which  gen- 
erally contains  the  best  soil  in  other  coun- 
tries, being  hero  a  sterile  level  of  rocks  and 
pebbles.  VVe  had  found  mo  soil  in  the  Blue 
mountains  to  be  of  excellent  quality,  and  it 
appeared  also  to  be  good  here  among  the 
lower  hills.  Reaching  a  little  eminence, 
over  which  the  trail  passed,  we  had  an  ex- 
tensive view  along  the  course  of  the  river, 
which  was  divided  and  spread  over  its  bot- 
tom in  a  net-work  of  water,  receiving  sevral 
other  tributaries  from  the  mountains.  There 
was  a  band  of  several  hundred  horses  grazing 
on  the  hills  about  two  miles  ahead  ;  and  as 
we  advanced  on  the  road  we  mot  other  bands, 
which  Indians  were  driving  out  to  pasture 
also  on  the  hills.  True  to  its  general  cha- 
racter, the  reverse  of  other  countries,  the 
hills  and  mountains  here  were  rich  in  grass, 
the  bottoms  barren  and  sterile. 

In  six  miles  we  crossed  a  principal  fork, 
below  which  the  scattered  water  of  the  river 
was  gathered  into  one  channel ;  and,  passing 
on  the  way  several  unfinished  houses,  and 
same  cleared  patches,  where  corn  and  pota- 
toes were  cultivated,  wo  reached,  in  about 
eight  miles  farther,  the  missionary  esfcablisb- 


■I 


,iA' 


.'•ft 


m 


M 


IM 


CAVT.  FIIKMONT'S  NAURAI'IVK. 


[1843. 


*.r.. 


i 


mont  nf  Dr.  Wliittnan,  whirli  roiiHiritfil,  nt 
tliia  tiiiip,  of  one  ailniit-  Iioiihu — i.e.,  built  of 
unburnt  brickn,  ns  in  Mi<xic-n. 

I  roiiiiil  Dr.  Wliitintiii  iilHrtit  on  k  viait  to 
the  Dallen  v{  tliu  CuliinibiH  ;  but  liiid  tli«> 
pleaanro  to  hoc  a  ruie-lookin);  Inrnv  I'liinily  ttf 
emigrantH,  men,  wiiiiion  and  children,  in  ro- 
bust licalth,  nil  indoinnifyMi^  llicniHelvcrt  lor 
prcvioiiH  ricanty  fare,  in  a  lie.irty  conHumii- 
tiun  of  potntoox,  wliicli  arc  !<i'«MiiiCL-tl  lioro  of 
a  remarkably  {^(hkI  (|uali*y.  Wo  were  dis- 
ap|M>inted  in  our  expo'jtation  oi'  obtaininir 
corn  meal  or  Hour  at  this  station,  the  mill 
belonging  to  the  misHion  having  been  lately 
burnt  down  ;  but  an  abundant  supply  of  e.x- 
cellent  potatoen  baniHlied  regrettt,  and  fur- 
nished a  grateful  HulMtitnte  for  bread.  Anmall 
town  of  Nez  I'erce  Indians  gave  an  inhabited 
and  even  a  populous  ap|M;arance  to  the  station ; 
and,  after  remaining  about  an  hour,  we  con- 
tinued our  route,  and  encamped  on  the  river 
about  four  miles  below,  passing  on  the  way 
an  emigrant  encampment. 

Temperature  at  sunset,  49°. 

October  36. — The  weather  waj  pleasant, 
with  a  sunrise  temperature  of  36°.  Our 
road  to-day  had  in  it  nothing  of  interest ; 
and  the  country  olTorcd  to  the  eye  only  a 
sandy,  undulating  plain,  through  which  a 
scantily  timbered  river  takes  its  course. 
We  halted  about  three  miles  above  the 
mouth,  on  account  of  grass ;  iknd  the  next 
morning  arrived  at  the  Nez  Pcrci  fort,  one 
of  the  trading  establishments  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company,  a  few  hundred  yards  above 
the  junction  of  the  Walahwalah  with  the 
Columbia  river.  Here  we  had  the  first 
view  of  this  river,  and  found  it  about  1 ,200 
yards  wide,  and  presenting  the  appearance 
of  a  fine  navigable  stream.  We  made  our 
camp  in  a  little  grove  of  willows  on  the 
Walahwalah,  which  arc  the  only  trees  to  be 
seen  in  the  neighborhood  ;  but  were  obliged 
to  send  the  animals  back  to  the  encampment 
we  had  left,  as  there  was  scarcely  a  blade 
of  grass  to  be  found.  The  post  is  on  the 
bank  of  the  Columbia,  on  a  plain  of  bare 
sands,  from  which  the  air  was  literally  filled 
with  clouds  of  dust  and  sand,  during  one  of 
the  few  days  we  remained  here ;  this  place 
being  one  of  the  several  points  on  the  river 
which  are  distinguished  for  prevailing  high 
winds,  which  come  from  the  sea.  The  ap- 
pearance of  the  post  and  country  was  witli- 
out  interest,  except  that  we  here  saw,  for 
the  first  time,  the  great  river  on  which  the 
course  of  events  for  the  last  half  century 
has  been  directing  attention  and  conferring 
historical  fame.  The  river  is.  Indeed,  a 
noble  object,  and  has  here  attained  its  full 
magnitude.  About  nine  miles  above,  and  in 
sight  from  the  heights  about  the  post,  is  the 
junction  of  the  two  great  forks  which  con- 
stitute the  main  stream — that  on  which  we 


hud  been  travelling  from  Fort  Hall,  ami 
known  by  the  names  of  I^^'wis's  fork,  Sho- 
nhonee,  and  Hnake  river ;  and  the  North  fori., 
which  has  retained  the  name  of  ('oluml)i:i, 
a>4  iN'ing  the  main  stream. 

We  di'l  not  go  up  to  the  junct\)n,  bcin  ; 
presxed  for  time  ;  but  the  union  of  two  Inrc'' 
streamx,  coining  one  from  the  floutheaHt,iiii<l 
the  other  from  the  northeaHt,  and  meeting  in 
what  may  be  treated  as  the  gcographioil 
centre  of  the  Oregon  valley,  thence  doublin- 
the  volume  of  water  to  the  ocean,  wliil< 
opening  two  great  lines  of  communiratiou 
with  the  interior  continent,  constituten  ;i 
feature  in  the  map  of  the  country  wlii(  !i 
caimot  bo  overlooked;  and  it  was  probiil.' • 
in  reference  to  this  juncti(m  of  waters,  im  I 
these  lines  of  communication,  that  this  p<i>i 
was  established.  They  are  important  line-. 
and,  from  the  structure  n'  the  country,  niuir 
for  ever  remain  so — one  tf  them  leading  lo 
the  South  Pass,  and  to  the  valley  ol  tin- 
Mississipi ;  the  other  to  the  pass  at  the  hciid 
of  the  Athabasca  river,  and  to  the  countrie  i 
drained  by  the  waters  of  the  Hudson  liiiy. 
The  British  fur  companies  now  use  b(it'> 
lines  i  the  Americans,  in  their  emigraliuji 
Oregon,  have  begun  to  follow  the  one  wliicl^ 
leads  towards  the  United  States.  Bateans 
from  tide  water  ascend  to  the  junction,  n ml 
thence  high  up  the  North  fork,  or  Columbia. 
Land  conveyance  only  is  used  upon  the  line 
of  Lewis's  fork.  To  the  emigrants  to  Ore- 
gon, the  Nez  Perce  is  a  point  of  interest,  a.-< 
being,  to  those  who  choose  it,  the  termination 
of  their  overland  journey.  The  broad  ex- 
panse of  the  river  here  nivites  them  to  em- 
bark on  its  bosom ;  and  the  lofly  trees  of  the 
forest  furnish  the  means  of  doing  so. 

From  the  South  Pass  to  this  place  is  about 
1,000  miles;  and  as  it  is  about  the  same 
distance  from  that  pass  to  the  Missouri  river 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas,  it  may  lie  as- 
sumed that  2,000  miles  is  the  necessary  land 
travel  in  crossing  from  the  United  States  t<t 
the  Pacific  oceau  on  this  line.  From  the 
mouth  of  the  Great  Platte  it  would  be  about 
100  miles  less. 

Mr.  McKinley,  the  commander  of  the  post, 
received  us  with  great  civility ;  and  both  to 
myself,  and  the  heads  of  the  emigrants  who 
weiB  there  at  the  lime,  extended  the  rights 
of  hospitality  in  a  comfortable  dinner  to 
which  lie  invited  us. 

By  a  meridional  altitude  of  the  sun,  the 
only  observation  that  the  weather  permitteil 
us  to  obtain,  the  mouth  of  the  Walahwalali 
river  is  in  latitude  46°  03'  46'';  and,  by  the 
road  we  had  travelled,  612  miles  from  Fort 
Hall.  At  the  time  of  our  arrival,  a  con- 
siderable body  of  the  emigrants  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Applegate,  a  man  of  con- 
siderable resolution  ana  energy,  had  nearly 
completed   the    building    of   a  number  oi 


184fl.l 


CAI»T.  FREMONT'S  NAllUATIVE. 


109 


Mackinaw  baitx,  in  which  Ihcy  proponed  to 
continue  their  further  voyaire  tluwn  the 
(/oiiiinliia.  I  had  Keen,  in  JeHcendiniif  the 
Wiiliihwalah  river,  a  fine  ilrovo  of  Hevcral 
huniired  cattle,  which  they  had  exchan|;ed 
for  Culirornian  cattle,  to  Im»  received  at  Van- 
couv«'r,  and  which  are  connidered  a  very 
inferior  breed.  The  other  portion  of  the 
«'iiiij.'rHtion  had  preferred  to  complete  their 
journey  hy  land  ulon|;  the  ImnKH  of  the 
r'olimihia,  taking  their  utock  and  vvitguns 
with  them. 

iluvinff  nunforced  our  animalH  w'tli  eight 
frenh  liorsen,  hired  from  the  |M>nt,  and  in- 
croaHcd  our  Mock  of  provinionH  with  dried 
salmon,  potatoes,  and  a  little  U'ef,  we  re- 
*umed  our  journey  down  the  lefl  bank  of  the 
I'olumbia,  \mnfr  guided  on  our  roitd  liy  nn 
intelligent  Indian  boy,  whom  I  had  engHgod 
loncrompany  us  as  far  uh  the  DalleH. 

From  tin  elevated  iHjint  over  which  the 
vmd  led,  wo  obtained  another  far  view  of 
Mount  Hood,  15U  miles  distant.  VVc  ob- 
\iiiiu-d  on  the  river  hank  an  observation  of 
Uif  Hun  at  noon,  which  (rave  fur  the  latitude 
16^  68  08".  The  country  to-day  was  very 
imprepoHHessinc,  and  our  road  bad  ;  and  as 
we  toiled  slowly  along  through  deep  loose 
sands,  and  over  fragments  of  black  volcanic 
rock,  our  laborious  travelling  was  strongly 
contrasted  with  the  rapid  progress  of  Mr. 
Aj)i)U'gate'8  fleet  of  boats,  which  suddenly 
came  gliding  swiftly  down  the  broad  river, 
which  here  chanced  to  bo  tranquil  and 
smooth.  At  evening  we  encamped  on  the 
river  hank,  where  there  was  very  little  grass, 
und  less  timl)er.  We  frequently  met  Indians 
\)n  the  road,  and  they  were  collected  at  every 
(iivorable  spot  along  the  river. 

Oc.litber  *29. — The  road  continued  along 
tiie  river,  and  in  the  course  of  the  day  Mount 
^t.  Helens,  another  snowy  peak  <Jf  the  Cas- 
cade range,  was  visible.  We  crossed  the 
IJnia-lilah  river  at  a  fall  near  its  mouth. 
This  stream  is  of  the  same  class  as  the 
Wiilaliwalah  river,  with  a  bed  of  volcanic 
rocK,  in  places  wplit  into  fissures.  Our  en- 
>!i.npment  was  similar  to  that  of  yesterday  ; 
lli.TO  was  very  little  grass,  and  no  wood. 
Tlie  Indians  brought  us  some  pieces  for  sale, 
f>  liicli  were  purchased  to  make  our  tires. 

October  31. — By  observation,  our  camp  is 
ii,  latitude  46"  60'  06",  and  longitude  119° 
2;i'  18".  The  night  has  been  cold,  and  we 
li  ive  white  frost  this  morning,  with  a  tem- 
fi  trature  at  daylight  of  25°,  and  at  sunrise 
oi'  21**.  The  early  morning  was  very  clear, 
aud  the  stars  bright ;  but,  as  usual  since  we 
aie  on  the  Columbia,  clouds  formed  imme- 
diately with  the  rising  sun.  The  day  con- 
tinued fine,  the  east  being  coverecl  with 
scattered  clouds,  but  the  west  remaining 
clear ;  showing  the  remarkable  cone-like 
peak  of  Mount  Hood  brightly  drawn  against 


the  sky.  This  wan  in  view  all  day  in  th« 
southwest,  but  no  other  peaks  of  the  range 
were  visible.  Our  road  was  a  had  otip,  of 
very  loose  deep  sand.  Wo  met  on  the  way 
a  party  ol  Indians  unusually  well  drosseJ, 
wearing  clothes  of  civilized  texture  and 
form.  They  ap|H>ar('d  iiitclli<;(*iit,  and.  in 
our  slight  intercourse,  iinpresM'd  ine  with 
the  U'lief  that  thoy  I'dHsi  ssod  sunu'  aptitude 
for  acquiring  liingiiH<;(>s. 

Wo  continued  to  tnivi'l  along  the  river, 
the  stream  U-ing  interspersed  with  ninny 
sand  bars  (it  iM-iiig  the  smson  ol  low  water) 
and  with  many  islands,  and  an  apparently 
go«Kl  navigation.  Small  willow  i  were  the 
only  wood ;  rock  and  sand  the  proiiiinent 
geological  feature.  The  rock  of  this  section 
IS  a  very  compact  and  tough  basalt,  occurring 
in  slrutii  which  have  the  appeamnce  of  l)eing 
broken  into  fragments,  assuming  the  form  of 
columnar  hills,  and  appearing  always  in  es- 
carpments, with  the  broken  fragiiienls  strew- 
ed at  the  base  and  over  tlie  adjoining  coun- 
try. 

We  made  a  late  encampment  on  the  river, 
and  used  to-niyht  jyurxhia  tr'ulenititn  for  lire 
wood.  Among  the  rocks  which  lormed  the 
hank,  was  very  good  green  grass.  I  latitude 
46°  44'  23",  longitude  119°  46'  09". 

IS'oretnber  1. — Mount  Hood  is  glowing  in 
the  sunlight  this  morning,  and  the  air  is 
pleasant,  with  a  temperature  of  38".  We 
continued  down  the  river,  and,  passing 
through  a  pretty  green  vulley,  iKiunded  by 
high  precipitous  rocks,  encamped  at  the  lower 
end. 

On  the  right  shore,  the  banks  of  the  Co- 
lumbia are  very  high  and  steep ;  the  river  is 
1,690  feet  broad,  and  dark  blufls  of  rock  give 
it  a  picturesque  appearance. 

November  2. — The  river  here  entered 
among  blufl's,  leaving  no  longer  nxim  for  a 
road  ;  and  we  accordingly  lell  it,  and  took  a 
more  inland  way  among  the  river  hills  ;  on 
which  we  had  no  sooner  entered,  thnn  we 
found  a  great  improvement  in  the  country. 
The  sand  had  disappeared,  and  the  soil  was 
good,  and  covered  with  excellent  grass,  al- 
though the  surface  was  broken  into  high 
hills,  with  uncommonly  deep  valleys.  At 
noon  we  crossed  John  Day's  river,  a  clear 
and  beautiful  stream,  with  a  swift  current 
and  a  bed  of  rolled  stones.  It  is  sunk  in  a 
deep  valley,  which  is  characteristic  of  all  the 
streams  in  this  region;  and  the  hill  we  de- 
scended to  reach  it  well  deserves  the  name 
of  mountain.  Some  of  the  emigrants  had 
encamped  on  the  river,  and  others  at  the 
summit  of  the  farther  hill,  the  ascent  of 
which  had  probably  cost  their  wagons  a  day's 
labor ;  and  others  again  had  halted  for  the 
night  a  few  miles  beyond,  where  they  had 
slept  without  water.  We  also  encamped  in 
a  grassy  hollow  without  water ;  but  as  we 


. 


•  V, 


.V 


1  • 


:m 


•."-li 

-'I 


■  1    lil 


110 


(;ai»t.  krkmonts  narrative. 


11848. 


iJ 


fe; 


litd  beoti  rornvviirnoil  of  thiH  privation  by  tlin 
({iiiilt>,  till'  aniiimlN  luul  nil  Immmi  watcrod  ut 
liu-  rivi-r,  ail  we  iiaii  bri>ii((lit  witli  Utt  a  huI- 
licicMit  i|ii;iiiUly  r»r  tlio  iiiKlit. 

Mtunn'h  r'A. — Alter  two  li(Mjr»'ri(li'  throii^rh 
u  loriik',  liilly  country,  covi-ri'd  iix  hII  tlio  iip- 
Uii.l  luTi-  a|)|M'iirs  to  Iw  with  (jckkI  j;rt'cn 
Kr.i'<r',  wi'  il.'.i('tMnii'il  iij^ain  into  llii'  river  liol- 
U)iii,  iiloii„'  uliicli  wo  rt'rtuincil  our  Mtorilo 
roinl,  uiul  I'l  iiltoiit  lour  niilvH  reacbod  tlic 
ford  ol  tli<>  I'll!  riviT  {Uiiiirc.  aux  Chairs), 
a  C()ii.»iiltT.tl)lK  tributary  to  tbe  Columbia. 
Wir  li:ut  ti.vird  on  roucbini;  Ibc  Ncz  I'ercc  fort, 
a  re|)i>titiiiiioftbL'  uccoiinl  in  ro^rurd  totbe  un- 
Ntittlt'd  cliiiriU'tor  of  the  C'olinnbia  IndiiuiH  at 
tlie  pritsi'ul  liuu' ;  and  to  our  liltio  party  tliey 
bad  ut  various  points  iniinifetitcd  a  not  very 
friendly  di.sposilion,  in  Hever>l  attoinptH  to 
•teal  (Hir  liorKOH.  At  thin  placo  I  cxi)ccted 
*o  tind  u  b.idly  disposed  band,  who  bad  plun- 
dered u  party  of  1-1  emigrant  men  a  few  days 
before,  and  taken  away  tbeir  horses ;  and 
accordingly  wc  made  the  neces-sary  prcpara- 
liuns  for  our  security,  but  happily  met  with 
DO  dilHculty. 

The  rivui'  was  high,  divided  into  several 
arms,  with  a  rocky  island  at  its  outlet  into 
the  Columbia,  which  at  this  place  it  rivalled 
iu  size,  and  apparently  deserved  its  highly 
eharacloristic  name,  which  is  received  Irom 
one  of  its  many  falls  some  forty  miles  up  tbe 
river.  It  entered  the  Columbia  with  a  roar 
of  falls  and  rapids,  and  is  probably  a  favorite 
(isbing  Btalion  among  the  Indians,  with 
whom  both  banks  of  the  river  were  |)opulous ; 
but  tiiey  tfiarcely  paid  any  attention  to  us. 
'J'he  ford  was  very  diificult  at  this  tune,  and, 
bad  they  en'.ertained  any  bad  intentions,  they 
were  oIU-iihI  a  good  opportunity  to  carry 
them  out  as  I  drove  directly  into  the  river, 
and  durin;r  the  crossing  the  howitzer  was 
occasionally  several  feet  under  water,  and  a 
number  of  the  men  appeared  to  be  more  often 
below  than  above.  Our  guide  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  ford,  and  wc  succeeded  in 
setting  everything  safe  over  to  the  left  bank. 
We  delayed  here  only  a  short  time  to  put 
the  gun  in  order,  and,  ascending  a  long 
mountain  hill,  loft  both  rivers,  and  resumed 
onr  route  again  among  the  interior  bills. 

The  roar  of  the  Falls  of  the  Columbia  is 
heard  from  the  heights,  where  we  halted  a 
few  moments  to  enjoy  a  fine  view  of  the 
river  below.  In  the  season  of  high  water  it 
would  be  a  very  interesting  object  to  visit,  in 
order  to  witness  what  is  related  of  the  annual 
submerging  of  the  fall  under  the  waters 
which  back  up  from  the  basin  below,  consti- 
tuting a  great  natural  lock  a^  this  place. 
But  time  had  become  an  object  of  serious 
consideration ;  and  tbe  Falls,  in  their  present 
state,  had  been  seen  and  described  by  many. 

After  a  day's  journey  of  17  miles,  we  en- 
camped  among  the  hills  on  a  little  clear 


stream,  where,  an  usunl,  the  Indiana  imme- 
diately gathered  round  us.  Ainung  them 
was  a  very  old  man,  almottt  blind  Irotn  n'ji\ 
with  long  and  very  white  hair.  I  hiipiMneil 
of  my  own  accord  to  give  this  old  m.u\  a  prt- 
sent  of  toliacco,  and  was  struck  with  the  im- 
prexsion  which  my  iinpropitiated  notice  nmdi,' 
on  the  Indians,  who  up|M>ared  in  a  remaika- 
lile  manner  uc(|iiainted  with  the  real  value  ol 
g(M>ds,  and  to  understand  the  ei|iiivalents  of 
trade.  At  evening,  one  of  them  s|)oke  a  few 
words  to  bis  |MMiple,  and,  telling  mo  that  wc 
need  entertain  no  uneasiness  in  regard  to  our 
animals,  as  none  of  them  would  be  disturbed, 
they  went  all  i|uietly  away.  In  the  morning, 
when  tliey  again  came  to  the  camp,  I  ex- 
pressed to  them  the  gratiKcation  we  felt  at 
tbeir  reasonable  conduct,  making  them  a  pro- 
sent  of  some  large  knives  and  a  few  smaller 
articles. 

Wxr.mliiT  1. — The  load  continued  among 
the  hills,  and,  reacbinfj  an  eminence,  we  saw 
before  us,  watered  by  a  clear  stream,  a 
tolerably  large  valley,  through  which  the 
trail  passed. 

In  comparison  with  the  Indians  of  the 
Rocky    mountains    and    the   great  eastern 

fdain,  these  are  disagreeably  dirty  in  their 
labitH.  Their  huts  were  crowded  with  half- 
naked  women  and  children,  and  the  atmo- 
sphere within  anything  but  pleasant  to  per- 
sona who  bad  just  been  riding  in  the  fresh 
morning  air.  We  were  somewhat  amused 
with  tbe  scanty  dress  of  one  woman,  who,  in 
common  with  tbe  others,  rushed  out  of  the 
huts  on  our  arrival,  and  who,  in  default  of 
other  covering,  used  a  child  for  a  fig  leaf. 

The  road  in  about  half  an  hour  passed  near 
an  elevated  point,  from  which  we  overlooked 
the  valley  ot  the  Columbia  for  many  miles, 
and  saw  in  the  distance  several  houses  sur- 
rounded by  fields,  which  a  chief,  who  had 
accompanied  us  from  tlie  village,  pointed  out 
to  us  as  the  Methodist  missionary  station. 

In  a  few  miles  we  descended  to  the  river, 
which  we  reached  at  one  of  its  remarkably  in- 
teresting features,  known  as  the  Dalles  of  the 
Columbia.  Tbe  whole  volume  of  the  river  at 
this  place  passed  between  the  walls  of  a 
chasm,  which  has  the  appearance  of  having 
been  rent  through  tbe  basaltic  strata  which 
form  the  valley  rock  of  the  region.  At  the 
narrowest  place  we  found  the  breadth,  by  mea- 
surement, 58  yards,  and  the  average  height 
of  the  walls  above  the  water  25  feet ;  form- 
ing a  trough  between  the  ro»ks — whence  the 
name,  probably  applied  by  a  Canadian  voya- 
geur.  The  mass  of  water,  in  the  present 
low  state  of  the  river,  passsed  swiftly  be- 
tween, deep  and  black,  and  curled  'nto  many 
small  whirlpools  and  counter  currents,  but 
unbroken  by  foam,  and  so  still  that  scarcely 
the  sound  of  a  riopie  was  ncani.  The  rock, 
for  a  considerab.e  distance  from  the  river. 


[1848. 

inimc- 
'i  tliem 
tin  iij^i', 

|>|*)'|IC(I 

I  a  prc- 
tlii*  ill)- 
I'  iniiilit 
iii;it'kn- 
It  I  lit*  ()( 

MtH    of 

■  a  few 
hilt  we 
I  ti»o\ir 
tiirbcd, 
loriiinp, 
I  ex- 
lelt  at 


1843] 


CAPT.  FRRMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


Ill 


WM  worn  over  a  larff«  portion  of  itx  unrfaro 
into  circular  IioIph  and  wpll-liko  cnvitifx,  hy 
iho  nl»ra«i()n  of  tlin  rivor,  which,  al  Iho  ncn- 
»4<)n  of  \uff\\  walcru,  in  Hpri'iid  out  over  lhi» 
adjoiiiitii;  hottoini. 

In  till*  rt'ftjt  |l.l^^ni^(r(•  through  lhi>i  chiifm, 
i*n  iinliirf  iiniil»>  ovciit  hiiil  orcnrrod  tn  Mr.  Ap- 
plt't.'HleV  party,  in  Iho  Nms  of  oiio  of  their 
l)ontH,  which  had  Ikhmi  curried  niidiT  wiili-r  in 
llic  midHt  of  the  Ditllfn,  imd  two  (if  Mr.  .Apitle- 
i;ate'M  children  and  one  iniiti  drowned.  I'Iuh 
iiiiKlortiino  WUH  nttrihiitod  only  to  wiint  of 
•kill  ill  the  Hteernnian,  ns  at  ihi.s  heawon  there 
i^  no  imfiediinent  to  nnvi^ration:  nlthoii^h 
the  i)lnce  is  entirely  imprisHnlile  at  hiyh  wn- 
lur,  when  boalH  pann  nsilely  over  the  jrreut 
lulls  above,  in  the  Biiliinerjnjd  Btato  in  which 
iJiey  then  find  tluMn'olves. 

ilie  li.iMalt  here  is  precJHoly  the  wime  nn 
Uiat  which  constitiiteH  the  rock  of  the  valley 
liiirhcr  np  the  CoUiinhia,  being  very  coini>.ict, 
with  a  few  round  cavities. 

Wo  panned  rapidly  three  or  four  miles 
down  the  level  valley,  and  encamped  near 
the  mission.  The  character  of  the  forest 
growth  here  changed,  and  wo  found  our- 
selves, with  pleasure,  airaiii  among  oaks  and 
other  forest  treeH  of  the  oast,  to  which  we 
hwl  long  been  strangers;  and  the  hospitable 
and  kind  reception  with  which  we  were  wel- 
comed among  our  country  people  at  the  mis- 
sion aided  the  momentary  illusion  of  home. 

Two  good-looking  wooden  dwelling  houses, 
and  a  large  rcIiooI  nouse,  with  stables,  barn, 
and  garden,  and  largo  cleare<l  lields  iM'tween 
the  houses  and  the  river  bank,  on  which 
were  scattered  the  wo<iden  huts  of  an  Indian 
village,  gave  to  the  valley  the  cheerful  and 
busy  air  of  civilisation,  and  had  in  our  eyes 
an  apiK'arance  of  abundant  and  enviable  com- 
fort. 

Our  land  journey  found  here  its  western 
termination.  The  delay  involved  in  getting 
our  camp  to  the  right  bank  of  the  Columbia, 
and  ill  o|)eiiing  a  road  through  the  continu- 
ous forest  to  Vancouver,  rendered  a  journey 
along  the  river  impracticable;  and  on  this 
hide  the  usual  road  acros.s  the  mountain  re- 
quired strong  and  fresh  animals,  there  being 
an  interval  of  three  days  in  which  they  could 
obuin  no  food.  I  therefore  wrote  immedi- 
ately to  Mr.  Fitzpatrick,  directing  him  to 
abandon  the  carts  at  the  Walahwalali  inis- 
Rionaty  station,  and,  as  soon  as  the  necessary 
pack  saddles  could  be  made,  which  his  party 
required,  meet  me  at  the  Dalles,  from  which 
point  I  proposed  to  commence  our  homeward 
journey.  The  day  after  our  arrival  being 
Huiiday,  no  business  could  be  done  at  tiie 
mission  ,  but  on  Monday  Mr.  Perkins  assist- 
ed me  in  procuring  from  the  Indians  a  large 
canoe,  in  which  I  designed  to  complete  our 
journey  to  Vancouver,  where  I  expected  to 
obtain  the  necessary  supply  of  provisions 


and  Htores  for  onr  win'er  joiirney.  Thni« 
Indians,  from  the  family  to  wlii>iii  the  canoit 
lielonged,  were  engaged  to  ah«i-l  in  w.  rkinjj 
her  during  the  voyage,  and,  \siili  tlicni.  our 
water  party  consisted  of  .Mr.  I'renss  and  my- 
self, with  Hernier  and  Jacob  Doil^oii.  in 
charge  of  the  party  which  was  to  reiiriin  iil 
the  Dalles  I  lelt  (*ur»-on,  with  iii.-lriictioii-'  la 
occupy  the  people  in  making  pm-k  MoMlett 
and  n  litling  tlieir  t-ipiipage.  'I'lie  vilhiije 
from  wliicli  we  were  to  take  llie  canoe  wad 
on  the  right  bank  ol  the  rivr.  alMuit  ten 
miles  Ik>Iow.  at  the  mouth  nl  the  Tiniineiiit 
creek  ;  and  while  .Mr.  I'reiiss  proceeded 
down  the  river  with  the  iiisiriMiienIs,  in  a 
little  canoe  |iinldled  by  two  Indians.  Mr.  Per- 
kins accompanied  me  with  the  remainder  of 
the  parly  by  land.  The  last  of  the  eini(,'ranlM 
had  jii.Ht  lelt  tli(>  Dalles  at  the  time  of  onr  ar- 
rival, travelling  i-oine  by  water  and  others  by 
land,  making  ark-like  raits,  on  which  tlin 
had  iMiibarked  their  lamilies  and  hoiiseliold, 
with  their  large  wagons  and  other  furniture, 
while  their  stock  were  driven  along  the 
shore. 

For  about  five  miles  Inflow  the  Dalh^s,  the 
river  is  narrow,  and  j.robably  very  ileep  ;  but 
during  this  distance  it  is  soine'shat  open, 
with  grassy  InUtoms  on  the  left.  Kritering. 
then,  among  the  lower  inoiinlaiiis  of  the 
(Jascade  ranire,  it  assumes  a  general  charac- 
ter, and  high  and  steep  rocky  hills  shut  it  in 
on  either  side,  rising  abruptly  in  places  to 
the  height  of  1,500  feet  alxtve  the  water,  and 
gradually  acquiring  a  more  inountainoiis 
character  as  the  river  approaches  the  Cas- 
cades. 

After  an  hour's  travel,  wiien  the  sun  wa* 
nearly  down,  we  searched  along  the  shore 
lor  a  pleasant  place,  and  halted  to  prepare 
supper.  We  had  been  well  siipjilied  by  our 
friends  at  the  mission  with  delicious  salted 
salmon,  which  had  been  taken  at  the  fattest 
season ;  also,  with  potatoes,  liread,  collee, 
and  sugar.  We  were  delighted  at  a  change 
in  our  mode  of  travelling  and  living.  'I'lie 
canoe  sailed  smoothly  dow^n  the  river  :  at 
night  we  encamped  upon  the  shore,  and  a 
plentiful  supply  of  comfortable  provisions 
supplied  the  first  of  wants.  We  enjoyed  the 
contrast  which  it  presented  to  our  late  toil- 
some marchings,  our  night  watchings,  and 
our  frequent  privation  of  (ood.  We  were  a 
motley  group,  but  all  happy  :  three  unknown 
Indians;  Jacob,  a  colored  man  ;  Mr.  Preiiss, 
a  German  ;  Bernier,  creolc  French  ;  and 
myself. 

Being  now  upon  the  ground  explored  by 
the  South  Sea  expedition  under  Captain 
Wilkes,  and  having  accomplished  the  object 
of  uniting  my  survey  with  his,  and  thus  pre- 
senting J.  connected  exploration  from  the 
Mississippi  to  the  Pacific,  and  the  winter  be« 
ing  at  liand,  I  deemed  it  necessary  to  econO' 


■■.jV 


■: 


4 

•a 


^H 


Ill 


CAI'T.  FKKMONT'tJ  iNAHIlATIVE. 


[1843. 


misn  tiiiiM  l)v  voyAgiii|{  in  tlut  iiiulit,  em  Im 
cuatoiiikry  h<>re,  In  avoid  tho  hiKl'  wiiiiiM, 
wliicli  ri-"'  with  Uio  moriiiti|r.  hikI  (Jecline 
Willi  ttif  <i  ly. 

A('roriliiii{ly,  iillur  an  hoiir'ti  halt,  wo  HKuiii 
r'inh:irk<-<l,  iiiid  rt'Huiiicd  our  pleaHant  voya^o 
ilowii  i!i<'  river.  Tho  wind  ronu  to  a  gniei 
alter  scviiul  lioiirM  ;  hut  the  in<M>n  waH  very 
hriijlit,  uiid  the  wind  wiu  lair,  and  the  cun(Mi 
I'liini  ed  r.ipidly  down  the  Htrcain,  thu  wavcH 
Creaking;  into  loam  aion^Hide ;  and  our 
ni^'iil  voyii^e,  ax  tho  wind  bore  uh  rapidly 
aloMi;  Ix'twecn  the  dark  inonntuinK,  wan  wild 
and  int> Tfhtini;  About  niidni^'ht  we  put  to 
tho  ttlioro  on  a  rocky  beach,  behind  which 
wad  a  diirk-iookiu(f  pino  loroHt.  We  built  up 
lar^u  tires  among  tlic  rocks,  which  were  in 
iar^e  niiis.^ea  round  about ;  and,  arran^jfin^; 
our  hlimkelH  on  tho  moHt  Hhcltered  places  wo 
could  liml,  panned  a  (leli(rlitl'ul  nivht. 

Alter  Hii  early  broiikfuHt,  at  daylight  we 
resumed  our  journey,  tho  weather  being 
clear  and  Iteautifnl,  and  tho  river  nmooth 
and  Htill.  On  cither  Hide  tho  mountains  are 
all  pine-liinlH'reil,  rocky,  and  high.  We 
were  now  approaching  one  of  tho  marked 
features  ol  tijo  lower  Columbia,  where  the 
river  form.s  a  great  cascade,  with  a  aeries  o( 
rapidn,  in  breaking  through  the  range  of 
mountaiiH  to  which  the  lofty  peaks  of  Mount 
Hood  ■<i'\d  Ht.  Helens  belong,  and  which  rise 
as  great  pillars  of  snow  on  either  side  of  tho 
passage.  Tho  main  branch  of  tho  Sacra- 
mento river,  and  the  Tlamalh,  issue  in  cas- 
cades from  this  range;  and  tho  Columbia, 
breaking  through  it  in  a  succession  of  cas- 
cades, gives  tlio  idea  of  cascades  to  the 
whole  range  ;  and  hence  tho  name  of  Cas- 
cade Ranug,  which  it  bears,  and  distin- 
guishes it  from  the  Coast  Range  lower  down. 
In  making  a  short  turn  to  the  south,  the 
river  forms  the  cascades  in  breaking  over  a 
point  of  agirlomeratcd  masses  of  rock,  leav- 
mg  a  iKinJsome  bay  to  the  right,  with  seve- 
ral nH*ky  pinc-covored  islands,  and  the 
mountains  sweep  at  a  distance  around  a 
nove  where  several  small  streams  enter  the 
bay.  In  less  than  an  hour  we  halted  on  the 
left  bank,  alwut  five  minutes'  walk  above 
the  cascades,  where  there  were  several  In- 
dian huts,  and  where  our  guides  signified  it 
was  customary  to  hire  Indians  to  assist  in 
making  the  portage.  When  travelling  with 
a  boat  as  light  as  a  canoe,  which  may 
easily  be  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  the  In- 
dians, this  is  much  the  better  side  of  the 
river  for  the  portage,  as  the  ground  here  is 
very  good  ana  level,  being  a  handsome  bot- 
tom, which  I  remarked  was  covered  (as  was 
now  always  the  case  along  the  river)  with  a 
growth  of  green  and  fresh-looking  gr^js. 
It  was  long  before  we  could  come  to  an  un- 
derstanding with  the  Indians ;  but  at  length, 
when  they  had  first  received   the  price  of 


their  amtiHtnnco  in  goodii,  they  went  vi^or- 
ou»ly  to  work;  and,  in  a  shorter  time  limn 
had  lieen  o<M-upictl  in  making  our  urran^e- 
menlH,  the  can(H>,  instrumentH,  and  lNig|iH((e, 
were  carried  through  (a  distance  of  uImmiI 
half  a  mile)  to  tho  bank  below  the  lunni 
caacade,  where  wo  auain  emlmrked,  liie 
water  licing  white  with  fuain  among  u^ly 
rocks,  and  lK)iling  into  a  thousand  whirl- 
pools. The  boat  passed  with  great  rapidity, 
crossing  and  recrusaing  in  tho  eddies  ol  the 
current.  Alter  passing  through  almut  two 
miles  of  broken  water,  we  ran  some  wihl 
looking  rapids,  which  are  culled  the  l^iwer 
Rapida,  being  the  laat  on  the  river,  which 
below  is  tranquil  and  amooth — a  broad,  mug- 
niliccnt  atream.  On  a  low  broad  point  on 
the  right  Imnk  of  the  river,  at  the  lower  end 
of  these  rapids,  woro  pitched  many  tents  of 
the  emigrants,  who  were  waiting  here  for 
their  friends  from  above,  or  for  boats  and 
provisions  which  were  expected  from  Van- 
couver. In  our  passage  down  the  rapids,  I 
had  noticed  their  camps  along  tho  shore,  or 
transporting  their  goods  across  the  p«)rtage. 
This  i)ortage  makes  a  head  of  navigation, 
ascending  tne  river.  It  is  about  two  milea 
in  length ;  and  above,  to  the  Dalles,  is  4fi 
miles  of  smooth  and  good  navigation. 

We  glided  on  without  further  interruption 
between  very  rocky  and  high  steep  moun- 
tains, which  sweep  along  the  river  valley  at 
a  little  distance,  covered  with  forests  of  pine, 
and  showing  occasionally  lolly  escarpments 
of  red  rock.  Nearer,  the  shore  is  bordered 
by  steep  escarped  hills  and  huge  vertical 
rocks,  from  which  the  waters  of  the  moun- 
tain reach  (he  river  in  a  variety  of  beautiful 
fails,  sometimes  several  hund.ed  feel  in 
height.  Occasionally  along  the  river  occur- 
red pretty  bottoms,  covered  with  the  green- 
est verdure  of  the  spring.  To  a  profession- 
al farmer,  however,  it  does  not  offer  many 
places  of  sufficient  extent  to  be  valuable  for 
agriculture  ;  and  after  passing  a  few  miles 
below  the  Dalles,  I  had  scarcely  seen  a  place 
on  the  south  shore  where  wagons  could  get 
to  the  river.  The  beauty  of  the  scenery 
was  heightened  by  the  continuance  of  very 
delightful  weather,  resembling  the  Indian 
summer  of  the  Atlantic.  A  few  miles  be- 
low the  cascades,  we  passed  a  singular  iso- 
lated hill ;  and  in  the  course  of  the  next  six 
miles  occurred  live  very  pretty  falls  from  the 
heights  on  the  left  bank,  one  of  them  being 
of  a  very  picturesque  character ;  and  towards 
sunset  we  reached  a  remarkable  point  of 
rocks,  distinguished,  on  account  of  prevail- 
iug  high  winds,  aiul  the  delay  it  frequently 
occasions  to  the  canoe  navigation,  by  the 
name  of  Cape  Horn.  It  borders  the  river 
in  a  high  wall  of  rock,  which  comes  boldly 
down  into  deep  water ;  and  in  violent  galeo 
down  the  river,  and  from  the  opposite  shore. 


[1843. 


1843. 


CAIT.  FUKMO.NTS  NARIIATIVK. 


lit 


which  iit  the  prevailing;  (iirnrtinii  III' htroni; 
kviiidH,  ihi'  wiitcr  in  iIiihIu'iI  it^uiii'-t  it  with 
ioii)«iii<'nilili>  violi'iu't'.  It  n|i|H'iirH  to  lnriii  n 
•.••rimiM  iilmtiicitt  to  catKN*  triiv«'lliii|{;  miii  I 
WiU  iiiloriiM'd  liy  .Mr.  INrltiiiii,  tliut  in  n  voy> 
up'  up  the  river  li«>  liiul  In'on  (li'tniiinl  two 
\\i'i>l(H  lit  lltiN  pluci',  iinil  wan  liniilly  ()l)li(;fil 
1(1  ntiirii  to  Vmicouver. 

'I'lii-  vsimlrt  uf  tliJM  reifion  (icnt'rvt*  ii  pnr- 
liciilitr  Hiiuiy.  TiM'y  l)low  in  curri'ntii, 
uhii^h  kIiovv  tlioni  to  Im)  unvcrned  by  lixivl 
lawH ;  iiiul  it  ii4  a  prolilcni  now  far  tlicy  nmy 
i'liini!  Iroin  thu  niounUinM,  or  from  tliuoccHii 
lliroii(rli  tlio  broalts  in  tlio  inountainH  whicli 
id  oiii  llu«  river. 

'I'ho  liillx  here  lind  hwt  Honu'thintf  of  tlieir 
i<icl<y  itp|)i'iirunc(>,  and  Imd  already l)0);nn  to 
ilfciiM''.  Am  the  Hiin  went  down,  we  i«cari*h- 
I'll  iilon^r  tiii>  river  for  an  inviting  H|Nit;  and, 
limliii^  a  clean  rocky  hcach,  where  soine 
iitr){t;  dry  Ireen  were  lyinff  on  the  (ground, 
we  run  our  l)oat  to  the  nhore  ;  and,  alter  an- 
nthor  couilortMhle  supper,  ploughed  our  way 
uloii^'  the  river  in  darknesH.  lleavv  cloudn 
I  omtimI  the  Hky  thin  cvenint;,  and  the  wind 
lt>}r!in  to  sweep  in  (^usts  among  the  treex,  bh 
ii  liiicl  wouther  were  coming.  Am  we  ad- 
vanced, the  hillt*  on  both  Bid'  h  grew  con- 
.-taiitly  lower;  on  the  right,  r. -treating  from 
till'  nhorc,  and  forming  a  somewhat  exten- 
sive bottom  of  intermingled  prairie  and 
uoiHled  land.  In  the  course  of  a  few  hours, 
lul  ()|i|N)site  to  a  small  stream  coming  in 
troiii  till'  north,  called  the  Tea  Prairie  river, 
the  highlands  on  the  left  declined  to  the 
liliiiii.",  and  three  or  four  miles  below  disap- 
[leiired  entirely  on  both  sides,  and  the  river 
ciitored  the  low  country.  The  river  had 
^Tiulually  expanded;  and  when  wo  emerged 
Iroin  the  higlilands,  the  opposite  shores  were 
.-io  distant  as  to  appear  indintinct  in  the  un- 
certainty of  the  light.  About  10  o'clock 
>)ur  pilots  halted,  apparently  to  confer  about 
tho  course  ;  and,  after  a  little  hesitation, 
pulled  directly  across  an  open  expansion  of 
the  river,  where  the  waves  were  somewhat 
rou^h  for  a  canoe,  the  wind  blowing  very 
iH'oh.  Much  to  our  surprise,  a  few  minutes 
iiltorwards  we  ran  aground.  Backing  off 
our  l)()at,  we  made  repeated  trials  at  various 
|)lHces  to  cross  what  appeared  to  be  a  point 
>'t  )<hirting  sand  bars,  where  we  had  at- 
ii'inpted  to  shorten  the  way  by  a  cut-off.  Fi- 
iiiiliy,  one  of  our  Indians  got  into  the  water, 
tml  waded  about  iintil  he  found  a  channel 
-^uliicicntly  deep,  through  which  we  wound 
•iii>n(r  after  him,  and  in  a  few  minutes  again 
filtered  the  deep  water  below.  As  we  pad- 
dled rapidly  down  the  river,  we  heard  the 
iioiRe  of  a  saw  mill  at  work  on  the  right 
l)ank ;  and,  letting  our  boat  float  quietly 
down,  we  listened  with  pleasure  to  the  unu- 
sual sounds  ;  and  before  midnight  encamped 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  about  a  mile  above 

8 


Fort  Vaiicoincr.  Our  (iiif  dry  mMithcr  had 
■{ivt'ii  |iliu'i>  to  adiirk  <  lomly  inuhl.  .At  mid* 
riii;lit  It  lic^aii  to  ruin:  and  vm<  IhiumI  our* 
M'lvcri  Hiiiidi'iiiy  in  IIm>  gloomv  and  humid 
KcaMon,  which,  in  tlit>  narrow  r«'i;ioii  lying 
lM-tw<'«>n  tlii>  I'acitic  and  tin-  Cit^cadi'  iiioiiii< 
liiiiiH,  and  lor  a  (-oihkIitiiIiIc  dir-tancc  along 
thf  conHt,  Hii|i|ilii>N  till'  |ih(ci>  of  winter. 

In  thu  iiiorniii^,  tlic  fir^t  iili|<>ct  that  at* 
trartcd  my  attention  vmih  (lie  l>ari|iie  (.'olum* 
hia,  lying  at  iinihor  near  the  laiidiii^r.  Hhe 
was  uliout  to  Htart  on  her  vo\ii^e  to  Kii^land, 
and  was  now  ready  lor  M>a  ;  liein^r  detained 
only  in  waiting  the  nrriMil  ol  the  exproHN 
liateauH,  which  doHcend  the  Coliiniliia  and 
itrt  north  fork  with  the  overland  mail  from 
Canada  and  lliidHon'ri  hay,  which  had  been 
delayed  lH>yond  their  uxiiai  time.  I  iinniodi* 
ately  waited  upon  Dr.  McLaughlin,  the  rx* 
ecutive  otlicer  of  the  lliidi-oii  Il;iy  Company, 
in  the  terrilu'y  west  of  the  Uocky  nr  "ui- 
tains,  who  received  me  w  ith  the  courtesy  and 
hospitality  for  which  he  Iiiih  Im-cii  eniiiu<ntly 
distinguiHhcd,  and  wliicii  inukeH  a  forcible 
and  delightriil  imprehnion  on  a  traveller 
from  the  long  wilderneMH  Irom  which  we  had 
insued.  I  was  immediately  niipplied  liy  him 
with  the  necoHsary  Htoren  nnd  provisions  to 
refit  and  supiMirt  my  party  in  oiircoiitcmplat* 
ed  winter  journey  to  the  Mtiitex  ;  and  also 
with  a  Mackinaw  boat  and  canoeH,  manned 
with  Canadian  and  IroqiioiH  voyageurs  and 
Indians,  lor  their  tranH|)ortatiuii  to  the  Dalles 
of  the  Columbia.  In  addition  to  this  etHcient 
kindness  in  furnishing  nie  with  these  neces* 
sarv  supplies,  I  received  from  him  a  warm 
anu  gratifying  sympathy  in  the  suffering 
whicli  his  great  experience  led  him  toantici* 
|)ate  for  us  in  our  homeward  journey,  and  a 
letter  of  recommendation  and  credit  for  any 
officers  of  the  Hudson  Hay  Company  into 
whose  posts  we  might  be  driven  by  unex* 
pected  misfortune. 

Of  course,  the  future  supplies  lor  my  party 
were  paid  for,  bills  on  the  (jovernmeut  of  the 
United  Stales  being  readily  taken  ;  but  every 
hospitable  attention  was  extended  to  me,  and 
I  accepted  an  invitation  to  take  a  room  in  the 
fort,  "  and  to  make  myself  at  home  while  1 
slaved" 

I  found  many  American  emigrants  at  the 
fort;  others  had  already  crossed  the  river 
into  their  land  of  promise — the  Walahmette 
valley.  Others  were  daily  arriving;  and  all 
of  them  had  been  furnished  with  slielter,  so 
far  as  it  could  be  afforded  by  the  buildings 
connected  with  the  establishment.  Necessa- 
ry clothing  and  provisions  (the  latter  to  be 
afterwards  returned  in  kind  from  the  produce 
of  their  labor)  were  also  furnished.  This 
friendly  assistance  was  of  very  great  value 
to  the  emigrants,  whose  families  were  other- 
wise exposed  omuch  suffering  in  the  winter 
rains,  which  had  now  commenced,  at  tha 


'il 


■    St. 


'  •»■ 


M 


•*.,i--i 


114 


CAIT.  niKMONTrt  NAKKATIVi:. 


[I«4I 


r-^VT 


Mmo  tim*  ihit  lJi«»y  w-to  in  wuii  «»f  »ll  »'•'• 
conunoii  ivc<»h<  irn-*  nt  lil«'.  'I'Im*  •  wlin  li  nl 
Ukmi  »  wi'iT  nuivi'ViiiK"''  h(  tln'  \<>A  IVrci 
f<irl  ci»iiliiiii"i|  In  iirrivf'  -ul'i-ly,  Willi  ii'>  i»tln»f 
itccidciil  limn  In*  l»'"ii  iilri'ii'ly  iivniiimi'd 
Tlio  |»i»rly  wliirh  Iml  rriu*oi\  n\i>r  Hi"'  ('n*- 
cmIi)  III  iiiiitiiin-'  w«'ri'  r<*|n»rii'il  in  Imvi'  'oxt  h 
iititii!»>r  ol  llii'ir  iiiiiini'n  ;  iiml  tlnwc  wlm  Irul 
ilriviMi  tli"ir  Htork  down  tlio  Coliiinliiu  liud 
bruuilii  t'li'in  MiiU-ly  in.  and  loiiiid  lor  tln'tn  ii 
ri'.iJv  md  very  proliiulilc  lutrkcl,  nii  I  wrri' 
li^rcidy  |irii|io4ini;  lo  rciiirn  lo  llic  Sditci  in 
tlic  M|iriii4  lor  i»nollii'r  Hiipply. 

(n  111"  H|)iii«  1)1  two  d.iyn  mir  prninrntionn 
liid  1)  'I'll  compli'tivl.  mid  wi»  wi'n*  nvidy  to 
Hi't  out  on  oiir  r.-inrii.  It  would  Imvc  Iti't'n 
very  (xnitifyiiiK  to  Irivo  jjont'  down  to  llu'  I'd- 
ciflf,  an  I,  mM\  in  tlie  init'rt'-'t  and  in  tin*  lovi> 
of  jrt'o^rr.ipliy,  to  liiivo  st'iMi  lliu  ocoiin  on  llii* 
wlmIith  us  wt'll  a-*  on  tin'  t'li^tcrn  nidi*  <d  tlii> 
eonliiM'iil,  X  >  i\*  to  jjivo  II  H!iii«liictory  roin- 

KjptiMii'rtrt  to  llit>  jjcojjriipliic.il  pi(*liirt'  wliii'ii 
0(1  b«><>n  t'ornDul  in  our  inind'< :  itut  llu*  rainy 
RoaHon  had  now  ro^'uliirly  Kt't  in,  nnd  tin*  uir 
waK  liiliHJ  svitli  lo^r-t  and  ruin,  wliicli  It'll  no 
boauty  in  any  wcenory,  and  obilructod  olwr- 
viitioiH.  Tlio  o!i|i>ct  of  my  iiixlnii'tions  had 
b<!Pn  •Mitiri'iy  liillilli'd  in  hiiviii;»  coniK'ctod 
our  reronnoin^anco  willi  the  Hiirvi'y  of  Cup- 
lain  VVilkt>-i ;  and  altlion<;li  it  would  have 
b'l'o  atfrt'i'ahlc  and  HatiHlactory  to  terminate 
hero  aUo  our  riiih'r  aKtronouiical  ob-*prva- 
tiuu'i,  I  wa>4  not,  tor  such  a  reamm,  juHtilied 
lo  makn  a  delay  in  waitin<;  i'ur  favorable 
weather. 

Near  xuii!<et  of  the  lOlh,  the  boats  left  the 
fort,  and  eiicainpod  after  making  only  a  few 
iniloM.  ( >ur  Hotilla  conHiHted  of  a  Mackinaw 
Imrge  and  three  canoes — one  of  them  that  in 
which  wo  had  descended  the  river ;  and  a 
party  in  all  of  twenty  men.  Due  of  the  emi- 
grants, Mr.  Unmet,  of  Missouri,  who  had 
left  his  family  and  property  at  the  Dalles, 
availed  himself  of  the  opportunity  afforded 
by  the  return  id'  our  boats  to  brinj;  them 
down  to  Vancouver.  This  gentleman,  as 
well  as  the  Messrs,  Applcjjate,  and  others  of 
the  emigrants  whom  I  saw,  possessed  intelli- 
gence and  character,  with  the  monil  and  in- 
tellectual stamina,  a.s  well  as  the  enterprise, 
which  give  solidity  and  respectability  to  the 
foundation  of  colonies, 

November  II. — The  morning  was  rainy 
and  misty.  We  did  not  move  with  the  prac- 
tised celerity  of  my  own  camp;  and  it  was 
near  9  o'clock  when  our  motley  crew  had 
finished  their  breakfast  and  were  ready  to 
start.  Onro  afloat,  however,  tiiey  worked 
steadily  and  well,  and  we  advanced  at  a  good 
rate  up  the  river ;  and  in  the  afternoon  a 
breeze  sprung  up,  whic;))  enabled  us  to  add  a 
sail  to  the  oars.  At  evening  we  encamped 
on  a  warm-looking  beach,  on  the  right  bank, 
at  the  foot  of  the  high  river  hill,  immediately 


a»  ill'  lowr  I'lid  of  <'.»|>«  Horn.  On  lh'»  op. 
p  i<ii>*  N'lore  I*  M.iiJ  to  li*  a  xin^fular  liolo  m 
ilii>  in  Miniain,  Iroui  wliich  MieJnliuM  Ix'- 
lii've  com"<  tint  wind  pr'Nlifiii;;  th">««'  gil<'< 
It  \4  called  till'  D-vil'M  hole  ;  and  the  Indian*, 
I  wa*  lolil,  have  beiMi  re«olving  to  M«>nd  down 
ono  of  their  hIivim  to  explore  the  refion  In-, 
low.  Al  dirk,  ill"  wiml  shifted  into  \u 
stormy  (piarler,  gradually  increasing  lo  :i 
gale  from  the  nouiIiwi'dI  ;  and  lli<<  nky  lx<- 
coiniiig  clear,  I  oli'aiiied  a  giMid  ot>si*rviition 
of  III)  tMii>>rsioii  of  the  first  Naltdlile ;  tli>*  r<>- 
Niitt  of  which,  iM'iiig  an  absoliile  obstTvatimi, 
I  have  a<lopfed  lor  llie  longitude  ol  ili.>  placi*. 
,Vi)i.7/i/"  /•  I'J. — Till'  wind  during  tli"  iiiltIi' 
had  Increased  to  so  tnurfi  violence,  that  tin 
broad  river  this  morning  was  angry  and 
white  ;  the  waves  breaking  with  consideni- 
ble  force  against  tins  rocky  wall  of  the  capi'. 
Our  old  Iroquois  pilot  was  unwilling  to  ri<l< 
the  lioath  around  llie  point,  and  I  was  not  dis- 
posed to  hazard  the  dtores  of  our  voyage  lor 
the  delay  of  a  day.  Further  observations 
were  obtained  during  the  dav.  giving  for  tliu 
latitude  of  the  place  l.'t^  SA'  0!»"  ;  and  lln- 
longitnde,  obtained  from  the  satellite,  is  IJ'J 

\orfmher  13. — VVe  had  a  day  of  rlisiigreea- 
ble  and  cold  rain ;  and,  late  in  the  afternooti, 
began  to  approach  the  rapids  of  the  cascades. 
There  is  here  a  high  timbered  island  on  the 
left  shore,  liolow  which,  in  descending,  I  IihI 
remarked  in  a  bliilVon  the  river  the  e.vtremi- 
ties  of  trunks  of  trees  appearing  to  be  ini- 
tjedded  in  tin  ck.  Landing  here  this  afier- 
noon,  I  found  in  the  lower  part  of  the  e-*- 
carpment  a  stratum  of  coal  and  forest  tn'i'-, 
imbedded  between  strata  of  altered  day 
containing  the  remains  of  vegetalili's.  tli' 
leaves  of  which  indicate  that  the  nlanis  wi  re 
dicotyledonous.  Among  these,  tiie  pifeins  ef 
some  of  the  ferns  are  not  mineralized.  I>ut 
merely  charred,  retaining  still  their  vegelaM" 
structure  and  substance  ;  and  in  this  coinii- 
tion  a  portion  also  of  the  trees  remain.  Tlie 
indurated  appearance  and  cornpactn(^ss  of  iIh' 
strata,  as  well,  perhaps,  as  the  miiieriiizi'il 
condition  of  the  coal,  are  probably  due  ii 
igneous  action.  Some  portions  ol  thi*  coil 
precisely  resemble  in  aspect  the  canal  coi! 
of  England,  and,  with  the  acconipanyiiur 
fossils,  have  been  referred  to  the  tertiary  for- 
mation. 

These  strata  appear  to  rest  upon  a  m^•i!> 
of  agglomerated  rock,  being  but  a  few  !eot 
above  the  water  of  the  river ;  nnd  over  tlieiu 
is  the  escarpment  of  perhaps  eighty  feet, 
rising  gradually  in  the  rear  towards  the 
mountains.  The  wet  and  cold  evening.  aiiJ 
near  approach  of  night,  prevented  mn  from 
making  any  other  than  a  very  slight  examin- 
ation. 

The  current  was  now  very  swift,  and  we 
were  obliged  to  cordclle  the  boat  along  tho 


lM-»  1 


(•.\I»T.  KUKMmNT'.S  NAUKATIVK. 


lit 


Ifit  »liur'<,  wlH*r(*  llio  \y\nk  wd*  ri»vi>r<<i|  with 

\.ir\l>'  iiii*'«'<  i>t  roi'kx.  \ii;lit  iiscrtiMtk  um 
lit  til"  ii|i|M'r  cikI  til  llii>  i^luiiit,  «  nhort  ilin* 
litiH'i'  Inmiivv  tlio  (''i>«i'fi)K'M,  nixl  w»  hiilti'il  on 
ill)'  'iiN'ii  iHHiit  III  till'  m>':iiiiiiii<>.  till'  liuMrr 
iiuMK-',  iinMli'il  iil(ii;fi>tlii>r  ity  lirli<iii«.  Iiml 
|i«<«»«'(l  iiliiM'l,  iniil  Men*  Diit  lit  4iultl.  Willi 
lln'ii  w.i<  Hk'  li).l;;i',  wlii.li  w'K  tin*  mily 
•lii'ltiT  wi'  liiul.  witli  iiM^t  III  till' Im-iIi|iii^  iiml 
|in>vini<iii4.  W'l'  kIihiiIi'iI,  uii'I  lirctl  ifiiiiN ; 
iMit  u'll  tit  no  piir|i>i'«*,  iM  it  W't4  iiii|)<i>'ttiltlt' 
:  if  till-Ill  to  lii'iir  uImim*  tin*  rmir  <il  tlic  rivor ; 
iiiil  \\t'  r'lnuiiH-ii  nil  iti;rlit  witli'inl  Klii'ltcr, 
■  III'  mm  piMiriii^  ilovvii  nil  tin'  tiiiti'.  'I'lu' 
iilil  vovu^i'iirH  (lit!  not  aiijH'ur  In  iiiiinl  it 
miicli,  liiit  ciivcroii  tlit'lii'o'lvt'M  up  iim  Mi'II  nn 
till')  L'Kiilil,  iiiiij  liiy  (iiKvii  (III  till*  xtml  In'iicIi, 
\*lii'n'  tlii'v  ri'iiiaiiH'il  '|iiiol  iiiilil  iiii)riiiii(|. 
Th'  rl'^Ht  of  iH  hpoht  II  riitlHT  iiiim'riililt' 
iii^lit ;  mill,  to  uilil  to  our  (liitrouilort,  tlic  in- 
t'OM«ui)t  riiii  )'\liii);uiHlM'd  iMir  Droit;  iiiiil  vv'i< 
won'  jflail  wlifii  at  IhhI  ilayli({lit  iippi'uri'il, 
nil  we  ii^^.iiii  i'iiil>ark<*il. 
CrosNiiiK  to  lilt'  riylit  liaiik,   wi»  rortlillnl 

iht'     llitlt    ll!cll|;r    till*     f«luir<>,     lIltTl'    k'illU    IIO 

l'iii;;i'r  iiiiy  iioi'  lor  IIk*  pinlilli'rt,  utiil  put  iiitn 
a  lillli-  li.iy  Ik'Idw  tlii'  iippor  rii(titln.  Ilfrc 
wo  fiMiinl  till'  IihI;/!'  pill  Iii'iI,  ttiiii  iiliiiiit  twen- 
ty Iiiiliiii'*  rtittjiiir  iiroiiiiii  II  blii/.iii^  liri'  wi'li- 
III,  iiiikiii;;  II  liixiirioiiM  brLMkl'iiHt  witli  huN 
ni'Hi.  bri'^i,  biitlor,  Hii}rnr,  itilU'i',  iiiul  ollior 
jiruvi-inii-t.  Ill  tilt!  I'ort'Hl,  on  tlie  I'llyc  of  iIk* 
lii;:li  liluirovorlookinj,'  llio  river,  in  an  Iiiiliitn 
trnivo  yiiril,  coiiHintlinr  nf  u  follfction  of 
UiiiiIh,  ill  ciicli  of  wliicli  wow  tlio  HCiitlt'rt'il 
liuiii'M  of  tiiiiny  «k('lt'ti>ni».  Tbo  tombs  woro 
iiiiiilc  of  boariN,  wliiili  were  oriiiiim'iiteil  witli 
iiiuiy  ii;;ures  of  men  iind  iiniinnlH  of  tlie 
ii;iliir:il  nizt' — from  llieir  uppeariuiro,  romtti- 
lutini;  tlu»  iirinoriiil  lievifi*  by  wliicli,  aiiionpr 
Imliaii-i.  tbo  cliit'frt  are  ii>iially  known. 

i'lic  massort  of  rock  ili^tpliiyt'ij  aloiijj  tlie 
fhirt's  of  llio  ravine  in  llio  iioijjliliurliootl  of 
llii'  ciiMcaiJi's  are  clearly  volcanic  prodiicls. 
H'tui't'ii  tliii*  cove,  wliich  I  calleu  (Jrave- 
y  iril  b;iy,  and  anotlier  Hpot  of  sinootii  water 
lib  ivt',  on  tlie  rijjbt,  calleil  Ludern  bay,  sliel- 
!•  ri'd  by  a  jiiUinjf  point  of  liiijre  rocky  inaHses 
lit  liic  loot  of  the  cascades,  the  nlioro  along 
the  iiiti'rvenin;jr  rapids  is  liiietl  with  preci- 
[lices  (if  distinct  strata  of  red  and  variously 
colored  lavas,  in  inclineil  jwisitions. 

'I'lie  iiiafses  of  rock  forming  tbo  point  at 
Iii'lers  buy  eon.iist  of  a  poroiia  trap,  or 
[)i-alt — ii  volcanic  product  of  a  modern 
pfriod.  Tlie  rocks  belong  to  agglonr.erated 
misses,  which  form  the  immediate  ground  of 
tiio  ciseiides,  find  have  been  already  inen- 
lii'iieil  as  constituting  a  bed  of  cemented  con- 
jrloiiieriite  rocks  appearinjj  at  various  places 
■tliuiif  the  river.  Ilere  they  are  scattered 
iJon^f  llie  shores,  and  tbroiijjh  the  bed  of  the 
river,  wearing  the  ciiaracter  of  convulsion, 


wliii'li  fiiruM  lhi>  impri'aiitvi*  nod  proininont 
li'iiliiri'  ol  ilie  ri\t'r  nl  tin*  ptiie. 

NVIn'rt'vt'r  w«»  imiim*  in  roiiiiiti  w  ith  l|,i« 
rock4  of  tlii'Mt  inouiitnin<,  \m'  Inuini  thnn 
Viitc!Miic,  uliii  b  i"  prtibitbly  iIh'  rb.triiiti'r  ol 
the  ntiitri' ;  uiul  ui  iln"  limc,  rAonf  tln'irrent 
-iiowy  foiiii.,  .MiMiiii  Ue^iiiir  iiihI  St.  ||i<|. 
out,  were  in  iittioii,  ((ii  tbe  -j.Ul  nl  tlic  pre- 
feilm;r  'mim'iiiIji  r.  St.  Ilfleiu  liaij  fi'utlcrcti 
ilM  iiKlte",  like  a  li^lll  lill  III  Kiiii'.v,  o\('r  Ilie 
D.illet  of  the  Colli  iiliiii,  AD  milt't  ilMlnnt. 
.\  »{N'iiiiii'ii  of  tiii'M'  a»lii'<  WHS  yiM'ti  to  in«' 
by  Mr.  Krt'Mer,  one  of  the  ib'r;;smfn  at  the 
ifalle.. 

The  lolly  raiiitt'  of  the  < 'uM-iitli'  iiioiiiilninM 
forms  a  diittiiii't  lM)iinilary  belweeii  the  oppo. 
I'll)'  •■liiiiiiteH  of  the  reuiontiilotiir  itit  western 
ami  eastern  biisiiH.  On  the  wi-t,  they  pre 
M'lit  a  barrier  to  tbi'  iIoihIs  of  In^  itiid  rain 
which  roll  up  imm  the  I'acilic  o<  i-aii  and 
lieut  a^ain-t  their  ni^^td  fides,  loriiiiii^r  thi* 
rainy  neaitoii  of  the  winter  in  the  country 
aloii^  the  I'liast.  Into  the  briiiliter  »>kii'H  of 
the  ri'^'ioii  iiliiiii;  lliijr  eiislerii  Iihm',  tliin 
rainy  winter  in  viT  peiielrates  ;  niitl  at  the 
Dalles  of  the  ( 'o|iimi>i.'i  the  raiiiv  reason  ih 
unknown,  tht>  brief  winter  bi'iii;;  limiled  to  a 
periiMl  tif  alN)tit  two  inonths,  iliiriii((  whieh 
the  eiirtii  is  covered  with  the  s|ij;lii  .«iii)WHiif 
a  climate  remarkably  mild  fur  so  lii;.'li  a  lati- 
liiile.  The  Cancatle  raiijie  lias  an  iivern^e 
ilixtance  of  about  11)0  miles  linm  the  hoa 
coiixt.  it  e.xtenils  far  both  iinrili  and  houth 
of  the  Columbia,  and  is  iiidicatetl  to  tbe  dis- 
tant observer,  both  in  ciuirse  and  position,  by 
the  lofty  volcanic  peaks  which  rise  out  of  it, 
ami  which  are  visible  to  an  inini'-'iise  dis- 
tance. 

Diirinj,'  several  days  of  constant  rain,  it 
kejif  our  whole  force  laboriously  employed 
in  ijettiii},'  our  bar^e  and  canoes  to  the  upper 
eml  of  the  cascades.  The  portajxe  ground 
was  occupied  by  enii;;raiit  families;  their 
thin  and  insullicienl  cl(^tllill;,^  bare-headed 
and  bare-footed  cliililren,  attestinjr  tbe  length 
of  their  journey,  and  showing  that  they  had, 
in  many  instances,  set  t)iil  without  a  due 
preparation  of  what  was  iiulispensable. 

A  gentleman  named  I.uilers,  a  botanist 
from  tbe  city  of  Hamburg,  arrived  at  the  bay 
I  have  calletl  by  his  name  while  wo  were 
occupi  >d  in  bringing  up  the  boats.  I  was 
delightei.  to  meet  at  such  a  place  a  man  of 
kintJre.l  pursuits;  but  we  had  only  the  plea- 
sure of  a  brief  conversation,  us  bis  canoe, 
under  the  guidance  of  two  Indians,  wa» 
about  to  run  the  rapids  ;  and  [  could  not  en- 
joy the  satisfaction  of  regaling  him  with  a 
breakfa.sf,  which,  alter  his  recent  journey, 
would  have  been  an  extraordinary  luxury. 
All  of  his  few  instruments  and  bagtrage  were 
in  the  canoe,  and  he  hurried  around  by  land 
to  meet  it  at  the  Grave-yard  bay ;   but  he 


m 


n 

'M  r 


•I 


"*  ''1 


/ii 


tit 


CAI'T    FKKMOSTH  NAIIKATIVK. 


[\H4^ 


WM  Mtrrflly  o«it  of  night,  wlirii,  by  lh<*r«n*- 
leMnrnn  III  thi*  Iniimn*,  lhi>  htMl  wm«  ilniwii 
into  (hi*  miilat  III  iho  rnpiiln.  ami  tfUnrt'il 
down  thi<  riM*r,  lioltoiii  up,  wiCh  llii'  Io«n  of 
evi«rylhiri(;  it  coiitiiiriiMl  In  tlii>  tmliiral 
ennrorii  I  filf  (or  lii«  mi"fortiin«',  I  gn\i'  Jo 
tho  litllo  rove  llii<  imiiu'  ol  I.U<li'r>«  Imv. 

\i>i>m/hr  I A — \W  i-oiiliiMii>il  tiMlny  niir 
Work  lit  ilio  |)ortn|f(*. 

Alciiit  iiiMiii,  till'  two  ImrROM  of  tlirrxprrMH 
troin  Moiilri'iil  iirrivi><l  iit  tlii>  i.|i|»cr  |Nirtai(«> 
Iniiiliiii;,  which,  for  hir(;i>  Ikxiipi,  i«  on  thr 
riijlit  hunk  of  till"  riviT.  Thi'y  wn'  n  tlni*- 
lookin^  iTcw,  itiiil  niiionif  thnn  I  ri'tniirki'd 
fi  fr<»Nh-liH»kinj(  wmnnn  mul  hrr  ilmiKhtor, 
oini)friintM  from  ('unniht.  It  wit^  HittiMfnctory 
to  tn'i'  thi'  orilt-r  mill  tpivil  with  which  tht'xi' 
»»xp<'rii'ncc(l  wfiliTini'n  I'lliTtnl  th»»  |Mirtitiji», 
And  phmaimI  thrir  ImwUm  o\i*r  tin*  ru'^ciiih'ii. 
Thi'y  hnil  lurivi'il  at  n<Hin,  Hnil  in  the  rvi'ning 
tln>y  i'\|H'cti'<l  to  rt'iich  Vnncoiivor.  'rhcui' 
hntpiiiii*  carry  Iho  cxpronw  of  th«*  lliidMon 
lliiy  <'ninpi«iiy  to  tlio  hi|;liPf>l  nuvi^nhli*  |)oint 
of  tho  north  fork  of  thf  ('oliiiiihin,  whfnro 
it  irt  C!irrtcil  hy  nn  ovurliinil  pitrty  to  liiki' 
WiHi|M»r,  wlioro  it  in  diviilotl — [xirt  (foin^  to 
Montronl,  and  part  to  lliidNon  Hay.  Thim 
a  ro{;ular  communication  iM  kopt  up  l)rlwppn 
tiirc*'  vnry  n'tnoto  |)<>inti«. 

Till*  ('anadian  cmi|;nintii  woro  niucli  rha- 
(frini'd  at  tlin  change  of  climate,  and  in- 
I'ormod  me  that,  only  a  few  niileii  aiNive,  they 
liuil  jell  K  country  of  hriglit  hlue  nky  and  a 
i«hiiiin<;  nun.  The  next  mornini;  the  »p|M»r 
|)iirt!4  of  the  mountains  which  directly  over- 
look the  caKcados  were  white  with  the  frenh- 
ly  fallen  hiidw,  while  it  continued  tu  rain 
steadily  lielow. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  wo  finiflhed  the  port- 
afje,  and,  emharkint;  n^fain,  moved  a  little 
dintance  up  the  ri(;;ht  hank,  in  order  to  clear 
the  nmaller  rapidH  of  the  caxcadcH,  and  have 
a  smooth  river  for  the  next  morning.  Though 
wo  made  hut  a  few  inileH,  the  weather  im- 
proved immediately ;  and  though  the  rainy 
country  and  tho  cloudy  mountains  won'  close 
behind,  before  uh  was  the  bright  Hky ;  i*o  dis- 
tinctly is  climate  here  marked  by  a  moun- 
tain boundary. 

Novrmher  17. — We  had  to-day  an  oppor- 
tunity to  complete  tho  sketch  of  that  por- 
tion of  the  river  down  which  we  had  come 
by  night. 

Many  places  occur  along  tho  river,  where 
the  stumps,  or  rather  portions  of  the  trunks 
of  pine  trees,  are  standing  along  the  shore, 
anu  in  tho  water,  where  they  may  bo  seen 
at  a  considerable  depth  below  the  surface, 
in  the  beautifully  clear  water.  These  col- 
lections of  dead  trees  are  called  on  the  Co- 
lumbia the  submnrffed  forest,  and  are  sup- 
posed to  have  been  created  by  the  effects  of 
some  convulsion  which  formed  the  cascades, 
and  which,  by  damming  up  tho  river,  placed 


lhr««<  irrr*  undi-r  watrr  aiul  d*»tr«)yr«l  thfin 
Hut  I  vttiiiHn*  to  preaiimi*  that  the  raacmlc. 
are  older  Ihitn  the  irt^n  ;  an<l  a*  lheiM>  ml, 
mergrd  fiirf"!*  iwcur  at  flvi»  or  "ix  pliur. 
along  the  river,  I  had  an  o|i|Mirtunity  to  tu 
ti«ly  inynelf  thn'  thi-y  have  Intu  formetl  Ir^ 
immen<e  land  xlideit  from  the  mountain<. 
which  here  cliwely  "hut  in  the  river,  nixl 
which  brought  down  with  them  into  tin 
river  the  piiii'N  of  thr  mountain  At  utm 
place,  on  tlie  ri|{ht  JHink,  I  reiiiarked  n  piur, 
wliere  a  |Mirlion  of  one  of  lhei<e  Hliih«N  niTin- 
eil  to  have  pliinted  itself,  with  all  the  iMr 
green  foliage,  and  the  \eg<>tation  of  tin 
neighlHirinir  hill,  directly  aniidxt  the  falliti); 
and  yellow  leaven  of  the  river  Ireeii.  It  ih-. 
ciirred  to  me  that  this  would  have  Intii  n 
iMtaiitifiil  illiiHlrHtion  to  the  eye  of  a  ImtnniKl 

Following  the  courne  of  a  slide,  whirh 
was  very  plainly  marked  along  the  'umin. 
tain,  I  found  that  in  the  interior  pit  t  thr> 
trees  were  in  their  usual  erect  |Nwition ;  lint 
at  the  extremity  of  the  slide  they  were  rmk- 
ed  alxtiit,  and  thrown  into  a  confusion  of  in- 
clinalions. 

About  4  o'clock  in  the  afterno«in  we  [mw- 
ed  a  sandy  bar  in  the  river,  whence  we  had 
an  unexfiected  view  of  Mount  llou<l,  lM>arin;; 
directly  south  by  compass. 

Durmg  the  day  wo  used  oar  and  sail,  ami 
at  night  had  again  a  delightful  campiii;; 
ground,  and  a  dry  pbx^o  to  sleep  upon. 

Ninftnlter  |H. — The  day  agam  was  plen- 
ant  and  bright.  At  lUo  cluck  we  pas^ted  a 
rock  island,  on  the  right  shore  of  tlie  river, 
which  tho  Indians  use  as  burial  ground  ;  iiml 
halting  for  a  short  time,  about  an  hour  after- 
wards, at  the  village  of  our  Indian  friend^*, 
early  in  the  aflcrnocm  wo  arrived  again  iit 
the  Dt.  lies. 

Carson  htid  removed  the  camp  up  the  riviT 
a  little  nearer  to  the  hills,  wlicro  tho  animiiN 
had  better  grass.  We  found  everythitig  in 
good  order,  and  arrived  just  in  time  to  par- 
take of  an  excellent  r.wst  of  California  lieef. 
My  friend,  Mr.  (iilpin,  had  arrived  in  uil- 
vance  of  the  partv.  His  object  in  visitini; 
this  country  had  bet>n  to  obtain  correct  in- 
formation of  the  Walahmetto  settlements ; 
and  ho  had  reached  thin  point  in  his  journey 
highly  pleased  with  the  country  over  which 
he  haa  travelleu,  and  with  invigornti'i 
health.  On  the  following  day  he  continiiid 
his  journey,  in  our  returning  bouts,  to  ^'an- 
couver. 

The  camp  was  now  occupied  in  makin.' 
the  necessary  preparations  forour  homewnni 
journey,  which,  though  homeward,  contcni- 
plated  a  new  route,  and  a  great  circuit  lo 
the  south  and  southeast,  andthe  exploration 
of  the  Great  Basin  between  the  Rocky  moiiii- 
tains  and  the  Sierra  Netadit.  Three  principal 
objects  were  indicated,  by  rc|X)rl  or  by  n»Bp#, 
as  b«ing  on  this  route ;  the  character  or  ev- 


|4tJ  ) 


CAIT.  KKKMnSTH  NAKUATIVK. 


Ill 


,»lrne»  n(  which  t  wi«hi>«l  in  Mn<rt«iii,  nrxl 
«liii*h  I  iiMiim(*il  H^i  UiHhiiarka,  or  kkihiiir 
|MiinU,  on  Iho  |»r«>)««rtwl  hiii*  n(  rrturn.  Tho 
rtmt  of  lhi«««>  |M)ititii  wan  lh«>  TlnmnfK  Iftkr, 
Ml  th<>  UhU-Uiitl  ItotwfiMi  (ho  hrnil  of  K»ll 
n\i-r,  wliirh  Cdini*))  to  tin*  ('dIiiiiiImh,  niwl  (ho 
S«<  rmmnidt,  which  iriN>ii  (o  (ho  hny  of  Nnn 
rntncuro ;  Btiil  Iroin  whirh  Ink*'  a  rivrr  nt 
till-  Mriio  imtiii*  iimkoii  Id*  wny  wi'Himtnily 
.lin-rt  (i>  (hp  iH*)>nn.  Thl*  hiko  miil  river  Mv 
ollcii  tkIUmI  Kliinxii,  hii(  |  hnvi*  rh()««>ii  (o 
wnii*  ilM  n«mo  arronhni;  (o  (hi*  liuliiiti  |iri>- 
iiiiiiria(ii)n,  Th(>  iNwidiin  nl'  (hi*  luki*,  on 
till*  lino  of  inlKiitl  ('onimiiiii<'K(ioii  lN>(wi>i>n 
Ori't^oii  Hnd  ('Alifornia;  i(i  |)ri)xiini(y  (o  (he 
il<'iniri-K(ion  UiiiiKlnry  of  lii(i(uil««  VJP',  itn 
iiiipiilod  iloul)lp('hnrii(t<>ruf  Ink)',  or  tnomlow, 
ir<iir(hnj(  (o  (ho  poiiMon  of  (ho  yonr ;  nnil  (he 
liixiilo  anil  wnHiko  rhitni(-()T  a((rihu(o(l  (o 
tlio  ImhaiiM  alioti(  i( — all  intido  ii  a  ilofimlilo 
ol>l>>ct  (o  vinit  anil  oxnniino.  Fn)iii  (hin  lako 
Hir  roiirap  wan  in(on(loil  (o  Ito  alxint  Hoiith- 
.•li't,  (o  a  rojMirdMJ  laku  rnllpil  Mary'd,  a( 
wMMO  ila^H'  joiiriiov  ill  (ho  (iron(  Haxin  ;  and 
tlii'iii'o.Htill  on  m)ii(hoiiH(,  (o  (ho  repiiti'ii  /^/(■• 
iiiiii nturn  rivor,  whirli  hnH  hnil  a  plurr  in 
M)  iiiAiiy  inapM,  ami  coiiiUoii'incoil  (ho  lirliof 
of  (lie  oxiNd'urcof  a  >;roa(  rivor  (lowinjj  from 
ilif  llorky  moiin(ainN  (o  (ho  buy  nf  San 
FniiciKco.  Prom  (he  lliionavontiira  (ho 
nt»  |N>iiit  wan  iiHoiuIci  (o  l>o  in  (ha(  MO('(ioii 
i>r  tho  Kocky  nioiindtiiiH  which  inrlnilp^  (ho 
Iii'ikU  of  ArkatiMnrt  rivor,  and  of  (he  opjymi(o 
wiiitTn  of  (ho  ('aliforninn  piilf;  and  (ncncc 
ijown  tlio  ArkaiiKaM  (o  Hcn('H  furt,  and  home. 
Thn  wan  our  projected  line  of  return — a 
<;n-M  part  of  itahHoliitcly  new  (o  (^ooKraphi- 
rnl,  lio(anical,  and  ^oolofi^ical  iicionce — and 
the  Hiilijoct  of  ropordi  in  relation  to  lakew, 
rivor*,  donerd*,  and  Kavaj^ea  hanlly  ahovo  (he 
ciMMliiion  of  more  wild  animaln,  which  in- 
lliiiH'il  dosiro  d»  know  what  thiH  (rrra  in- 
■"■^nita  really  contained. 

It  wnH  a  Horions  on(erpriRO,  nt  the  coin- 
ni-nrpinoiit  of  winter,  to  undertake  tho  tra- 
vi'r»o  of  Miich  a  re^rion,  and  with  a  party 
C'inxistin|r  only  of  twenty-live  pcmonH,  and 
liii'v  of  muny  nations — American,  French, 
(ii'rin;in,  Canadian.  Indian,  and  colored — 
niiil  niiwt  of  them  young,  Heveral  boinp  nn- 
il r  iwenty-ono  yearHof  ape.  All  knew  that 
ii  ^^trallpo  country  was  to  be  e,xplored,  and 
<l:in>.,erH  and  liardHhipn  to  l)e  encountered  ; 
Imt  no  oit.e  blenched  at  tho  prospect.  On 
I  lit'  contrary,  courage  ami  conH»lence  anl- 
mali'd  (he  whole  narty.  Cheerfulnesc,  rea- 
ilim-r's,  Kubordination,  prompt  obedience,  cha- 
racterized all  ;  nor  aid  any  extremity  of 
|ierii  and  privation,  to  which  we  were  after- 
wanlrt  exiMmed,  ever  belie,  or  derogate  from, 
itie  line  spirit  of  this  brave  and  generous 
commencement.  The  conrse  of  the  narra- 
tive will  show  at  what  point,  and  for  what 
reasons,  we  were  prevented  from  the  com- 


plo(o  oxoriiiion  of  ih»«  plan,  aflor  having 
niadi*  ronnidorahlo  pni|;n'««  iiiMin  it,  and  how 
wo  \^^^rv  lorcod  by  donfft  pUiim  and  mouit- 
tain  ranifoii,  aiul  di*i'p  (iiowa,  far  (o  the 
oniiih,  and  near  to  (ho  l*ari(lr  oronn,  atui 
alonif  tlio  Moxtorii  Irnno  of  tho  Sierra  Nova- 
da  ;  Mhoro,  indt'Ofl,  a  now  and  Nni|ilo  tiold  o( 
exploration  o|N'iiod  itvelf  hoforo  int.  For 
(ho  proMon(,  wo  inii"(  follow  (hit  imrrndvp, 
which  will  llmt  load  u*  Koiith  aloii^;  the  val- 
ley of  Fall  rivor,  and  (ho  oa>i(orn  bane  ol  thr 
('aHi-ado  ran((o,  (o  (be  'I'iNinalh  lako,  trom 
which,  or  itN  ninrgin,  throo  river«  go  in  (hro<< 
dirocdoim— one  weKt,  di  (bo  ocean  ;  anolhrr 
nor(b,  (o  (he  Culuinbia ;  the  third  Miuth,  tu 
California. 

For  (be  kiipport  of  the  party,  I  bad  pro- 
vided lit  V.'ineoiivor  i\  Niipply  of  provihionn 
for  not  lenit  than  three  inonlhn,  con«iM(in^ 
tirincipnlly  of  (loiir,  peuM,  iind  (allow — tho 
latter  being  ii^ed  in  cooking  ,  and,  in  addi- 
tion (r)  tbiM,  I  b:id  purcbaMid  at  the  uiiamon 
Miine  ralifoi'iiia  eiidle,  which  were  to  >m; 
drivrii  on  the  hoof.  We  hud  lUI  mulei«  and 
horHOM — part  of  the  latter  prncnred  (roiit  tiie 
IndiaiiH  about  tli)>  iiiiknioii  ,  and  tor  tbi*  miin- 
(enaiice  of  which,  our  reliance  wait  upon 
(be  gr.tna  which  we  iihoulil  find,  uiid  the  auA 
poroiiH  wood,  winch  wu«  (o  bo  Hulmtitutrd 
when  there  witt  iionr. 

Mr.  Kil7.|iatriek,  with  Mr.  Talbot  and  the 
remainder  of  "be  party,  arrived  on  the  -il»l ; 
.ind  the  eaiiip  was  now  citmely  enK.'%Kt;<l  ia 
the  lidxir  of  preparation.  Mr.  i'tirkiua  buc- 
ceeded  in  obtaining  aa  a  guide  to  the  Tla- 
math  lako  two  InduinH— one  of  whom  had 
boon  there,  mid  boro  the  iiiarki  of  hoveral 
wounda  ho  bad  received  from  hoiiio  of  the 
Indiana  in  the  neigbborhood  ;  and  (be  uthoi 
went  along  for  company.  In  order  to  ena- 
ble us  to  obtain  lior.«ie.'<,  be  diMpatebed  mes- 
sengers to  the  various  Indian  villagCH  in  the 
neighborhood,  informing  tbeiii  that  wo  were 
desiroua  to  purchase,  and  u|>pointing  u  day 
for  tliein  to  bring  thorn  in. 

We  made,  in  the  moan  time,  several 
excursions  in  the  vicinity.  Mr.  I'crkiiw 
walked  with  Mr.  I'rouHs  and  my.Htlf  to  the 
heigbtH,  about  nine  miles  distant,  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  ihf  river,  whence,  in  fine 
weather,  an  oxteu-iivc  view  may  be  had  over 
the  mountains,  including  seven  great  peaks 
of  the  (Cascade  range;  Imt  clouds,  on  ibi:* 
occasion,  destroyed  the  anticipated  p!ea.suie. 
and  we  obtained  bearings  only  to  three  iliat 
were  visible  :  Mount  Hegnier,  St.  llelenw, 
and  Mount  Hiiod.  ()n  (be  heinbts,  about 
one  mile  south  of  (be  mission,  a  very  fine 
view  may  he  had  of  Mount  Hood  and  St. 
Helens.  In  order  to  determine  their  posi- 
tion with  as  much  accuracy  as  possible,  tho 
angular  distances  of  the  peaks  were  moaaur- 
ed  with  tho  sextant,  at  different  fixed  point* 
from  which  they  could  be  seen. 


.fill 


.-   h 


''/^ 


t    .1 


sK 


t'^ 


e' 
-r, 

I- 


-Ik' 


118 


CAl'T.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1843 


The  IndiniiH  lirouRht  in  tlicir  horses  at 
Iho  appdiiited  time,  and  wo  sucicpcded  in 
obtaining'  a  ntinihcr  m  «'Xi'h:in)?o  lor  (nxids ; 
but  tliey  were  rclalivr-ly  much  hi;jher  hero, 
where  pooils  iiio  [ilfity  iuul  ;if  moderate 
prices,  than  wc  h.td  Ioimk!  ihein  in  tho  more 
eastern  part  of  our  voyiiire.  Several  ot'lhn 
Indians  iminired  very  anxiously  to  know  if 
we   had  any  dollars ;    and   the   hordes  wo 

Froc;red  were  much  fewer  in  number  than 
had  desired,  and  of  thin,  inferior  quality  ; 
the  oldest  and  [loorest  bein^j  those  th;it 
were  sold  to  ns.  These  horses,  as  ever  in 
our  journey  you  will  have  occasion  to  re- 
mark, are  valuable  for  hardihood  and  great 
endurance. 

November  21. — At  this  place  one  of  the 
men  was  discharpcd  ;  and  at  the  request  of 
Mr.  Perkins,  a  Chinook  Indi;m.  a  lad  of 
nineteen,  who  was  extrenicly  desirous  to 
"  see  the  whites,"  and  make  some  acquaint- 
ance with  our  institutions,  was  received  into 
ihc  party,  under  iny  special  charge,  with 
the  understanding  that  I  would  again  re- 
turn him  to  his  friends.  He  had  lived  for 
some  lime  in  the  househcdd  of  Mr.  Perkins, 
and  spoke  a  few  words  of  the  English  lan- 
guage. 

November  25. — We  were  all  up  early,  in 
the  excitement  of  turning  towards  home. 
The  stars  were  brilliant,  and  the  morning 
cold — the  thermometer  at  daylight  260. 

Our  preparations  had  been  fi  ly  com- 
pleted, and  to-day  we  commenced  our  jour- 
ney. The  little  wagon  which  had  hitherto 
"arried  the  instruments  I  judged  it  necessary 
to  abandon  ;  and  il  was  accordingly  pre- 
sented to  the  mission.  In  all  our  long  trav- 
elling, it  had  never  been  overturned  or  in- 
jured by  any  accident  of  the  road  ;  and  the 
only  things  broken  were  the  glass  lamps,  and 
one  of  the  front  panels,  which  had  been 
kicked  out  by  an  unruly  Indian  horse.  The 
howitzer  was  the  only  wheeled  carriage  now 
remaining.  We  started  about  noon,  when 
the  weather  had  become  disagreeably  cold, 
with  flurries  of  snow.  Our  friend  Mr.  Per- 
kins, whose  kindn  jss  had  been  active  and  ef- 
ficient during  our  stay,  accompanied  us  sev- 
eral miles  on  our  road  ;  when  he  bade  us 
farewell,  and  consigned  us  to  the  cire  of 
our  guides.  Ascending  to  the  uplands  be- 
yond the  southern  fork  of  the  Ttnancns 
creek,  we  found  the  snow  lying  on  the 
ground  in  frequent  patches,  although  the 
pasture  appeared  good,  and  the  new  short 
grftss  was  fresh  and  green.  We  travelled 
over  high,  hilly  land,  and  encamped  on  a 
little  branch  of  Tinanens  creek,  where  there 
were  good  grass  and  timber.  The  southern 
bank  was  covered  with  snow,  which  was 
scattered  over  itie  ooitom  ,  and  the  little 
creek,  its  borders  lined  with  ice,  had  a  chilly 
and  wintry  look.     A  number  of  Indians  had 


accompanied  us  so  far  on  our  road,  and  re- 
mained with  us  during  the  night.  Two  bad. 
looking  fellows,  who  were  detected  in  .sti'.ij. 
ing,  were  tied  and  laid  before  the  fire,  iiii! 
gu  \rd  mounted  over  them  during  the  niylii 
The  night  was  cold,  and  partially  clear. 

Norrinber  20. — The  morning  was  clniiJv 
and  misty,  and  but  a  few  stars  visible,  Dur 
in^  the  night  \rater  froze  in  the  tents,  an; 
al  .^unrise  the  thermometer  was  at  20-\  J.uli 
fam|)  at  10  o'(dock,  the  roail  leading  alonr' 
tributaries  of  tins  'I'inanens,  and  being,  .sd 
far,  very  good.  \N  e  turned  to  the  right  ai 
the  fork  of  the  trail,  ascending  by  a  h\vv\. 
ascent  along  a  (spur  to  the  dividing  grouinN 
between  th.is  stream  and  the  waters  of  i'.ii; 
river.  The  creeks  we  had  passed  were 
timbered  principally  with  oak  and  otiier  il( 
ciduous  trees.  Snow  lies  everywhere  hiTi 
on  the  ground,  and  we  iiad  a  slight  fall  dtr 
ing  the  morning  ;  but  towards  noon  the  gray 
sky  yielded  to  a  bright  sun.  This  morning 
we  had  a  grand  view  of  St.  Helens  ant 
Regnier  :  the  latter  appeared  of  a  conical 
form,  and  very  lofty,  leading  the  eye  far  up 
into  the  sky.  The  line  of  the  timbert.! 
country  is  very  distinctly  marked  here,  the 
bare  hills  making  with  it  a  remarkable  con- 
trast. The  summit  of  the  ridge  commanded 
a  line  view  of  the  Taih  |)niirie,  and  lliu 
stream  ruiming  through  i*,  uiiich  is  a  trihii- 
tary  to  the  Fall  river,  the  chasm  of  wiiich 
is  visible  to  the  right.  A  sleep  descent  of 
a  mountain  hill  brought  us  down  into  tli« 
valley,  and  we  encamped  on  the  stream  ■' 
ter  dark,  guided  by  the  light  of  tires,  winch 
some  naked  Indians  belonging  to  a  villagu 
on  the  opposite  side  were  kindling  for  us  on 
the  bank.  This  is  a  large  branch  of  the 
Fall  river.  There  was  a  broad  band  ol 
thick  ice  some  fifteen  feet  wide  on  either 
bank,  and  the  river  current  is  swift  ami 
bold.  Ths  night  was  cold  and  clear,  and 
we  made  our  astronomical  observation  tliit 
evening  with  the  thermometer  at  20*^. 

In  anticipation  of  coming  hardship,  and 
to  spare  our  horses,  there  was  much  walk- 
ing done  to-day  ;  and  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  and 
myself  made  the  day's  journey  on  loot 
Somewhere  near  the  mouth  of  this  stream 
are  the  falls  from  which  the  river  takes  its 
name. 

November  27. — A  fine  "icw  of  Moiini 
Hood  this  morning  ;  a  rose-colored  mass  of 
snow,  bearing  S.  85^  W.  by  compass.  The 
sky  is  clear,  and  the  air  cold  ;  the  thermom- 
eter 2^.5  below  zero;  the  trees  and  bushes 
glittering  white,  and  the  rapid  stream  filleil 
with  floating  ice. 

Stiletsi  and  ihc  White  Crane,  two  Indian 
chiefs  who  had  accompanied  us  thus  far, 
took  their  leave,  and  we  resumed  our  jour- 
ney at  10  o'clock.  We  ascended  by  a  steep 
hill  from  the  river  bottom,  which  is  sandj, 


1H43.J 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAUUATIVE. 


119 


to  a  volcanic  plain,  around  which  lofty  hills 
sweep  in  a  regular  furni.  It  is  cut  up  by 
piillit's  of  hasidtic  rock,  escarpments  of 
which  appear  everywhere  in  iho  hills. 
Thin  plain  is  called  the  Taih  |)rairie,  and  is 
upriukied  with  siune  scattered  pines.  Tiie 
rountry  is  now  far  more  interesting  to  a 
iraveiler  than  the  route  along  the  Snake 
iiiid  (,'oluniljia  rivers.  To  our  right  we  had 
always  the  mountains,  from  tlie  midst  of 
whose  dark  pine  forests  the  isolated  snowy 
peaks  were  looking  out  like  giants.  They 
.<crved  us  for  grand  beacons  to  show  the 
rale  at  which  we  advanced  in  our  journey. 
Mount  Hood  was  already  becoming  an  old 
aiMiiiaintance,  and,  when  we  ascended  the 
jirairie,  we  obtained  a  bearing  to  Mount  Jcf- 
tbrson,  S.  23^  \V.  The  Indian  superstition 
lias  peopled  these  lofty  peaks  v;itli  evil  spir- 
its, and  tiiey  have  never  yet  known  the 
iread  of  a  human  foot.  Sternly  drawn 
against  the  sky,  they  look  so  high  and  steep, 
BO  snowy  and  rocky,  that  it  would  appear 
almost  impossible  to  climb  them  ;  but  still  a 
trial  would  have  its  attractions  for  the  ad- 
venturous traveller.  A  small  trail  takes  off 
through  the  prairie,  towards  a  low  point  in 
the  range,  and  perhaps  there  is  here  a  pass 
into  the  Walahmette  vnlley.  Crossing  the 
plain,  wo  descended  by  a  rocky  hill  into  the 
bed  of  a  tributary  of  Fail  river,  and  made 
iui  early  encampment.  The  water  was  in 
holes,  and  frozen  over,  and  we  were  obliged 
to  cut  through  the  ice  ibr  the  animals  to 
drink.  An  ox,  which  was  rather  trou- 
blesome to  drive,  was  killed  here  for 
food. 

The  evening  was  fine,  the  sky  being  very 
clear,  and  I  obtained  an  immersion  of  the 
third  satellite,  with  a  good  observation  of  an 
emersion  of  the  first ;  the  latter  of  which 
1,'ives  Ibr  the  longitude,  121°  02' 43"  ;  the 
latitude,  by  observation,  being  45°  06'  45". 
The  night  was  cold — the  thermometer  dur- 
ing 'lie  ol)servations  standing  at  9°. 

Noimbcr  28. — The  sky  was  clear  in  the 
nionung,  but  suddenly  clouded  over,  and  at 
KiMuise  began  to  s..ovv,  with  the  thermome- 
tor  at  IS'-!. 

We  traversed  a  broken  high  country, 
partly  timbered  with  pine,  and  about  noon 
crossi^d  a  mountainous  ridge,  in  which,  from 
the  rock  occasionally  displayed,  the  forma- 
tion consists  of  compact  lava.  Frequent 
tracks  of  elk  were  visible  in  the  snow.  On 
our  right,  in  the  afternoon,  a  high  plain, 
partially  covered  with  pine,  extended  about 
ten  miles,  to  the  foot  of  the  Cascade  moun- 
tains. 

At  evening  we  encamped  in  a  basin  nar- 
rowly surrounded  by  rocky  hills,  after  a 
day's  journey  of  21  miles.  The  surround- 
i/ig  rocks  are  either  volcanic  products,  or 
highly  altered  by  volcanic  action,  consisting 


of   (piartz    and     reddish-colored     silicinua 
masses. 

Norcinbrr  29. — We  emergrd  from  the 
basin,  by  a  narrow  pu-  ,  upon  a  considerable 
branch  of  Fall  river,  running  to  the  east 
ward  through  a  narrow  valley.  The  trail, 
descending  this  stream,  brought  us  to  a  lo 
cality  of  hot  springs,  which  were  cm  either 
bank.  Those  on  the  left,  wiiich  were 
formed  into  deep  haiidstinn'  basins,  would 
have  been  delightful  baths,  if  the  outer  air 
had  not  been  so  keen,  the  tl."r.iiometer  in 
tlie.se  being  at  89  \  Tiiere  were  otiiers,  on 
the  opposite  side,  at  the  foot  of  an  escarp- 
ment, ill  whi'  /i  the  temperature  of  the  water 
was  13  1\  These  waters  deposited  around 
the  sprini.''  a  brecc'ated  mass  of  (juartz  and 
feld.spp;,  much  of  it  of  a  reddish  color. 

W  J  cros.sed  the  stream  here,  and  ascend- 
ed ar  ain  to  a  high  plain,  from  an  elevated 
point  of  which  we  obtained  a  view  of  six 
of  the  great  peaks — Mount  .Tefferson,  follow- 
ed to  the  southward  by  two  others  of  tho 
same  class;  and  succeeding,  at  a  still  great- 
er distance  to  the  southward,  were  three 
otiier  lower  peaks,  clustering  together  in  a 
branch  ridge.  These,  like  tho  great  peaks, 
were  snowy  masses,  secondary  only  to 
them  ;  and,  from  the  best  examination  our 
time  permitted,  we  are  inclined  to  believe 
that  the  range  to  which  they  belong  is  a 
branch  from  the  great  chain  which  here 
bears  to  the  westward.  The  trail  during 
the  remainder  of  the  day  followed  near  to 
the  large  stream  on  the  left,  which  was  con- 
tinuously walled  in  between  high  rocky 
banks.  We  halted  for  the  night  on  a  little 
by-stream. 

November  30. — Our  journey  tc-Jay  was 
short.  Passing  over  a  liigh  plain,  on  which 
were  scattered  cedars,  with  frequent  beds 
of  volcanic  rock  iu  fragments  inters;-ersed 
among  the  grassy  grounds,  we  arrived  sud- 
denly on  the  verge  of  the  steep  and  rocky 
descent  to  the  valley  of  the  stream  we  had 
been  following,  and  which  here  ran  directly 
across  our  path,  emerging  from  the  moun- 
tains on  the  right.  You  will  remark  that 
the  country  s  abundantly  watered  w  ilb  large 
streams,  which  pour  down  froni  the  neigh- 
boring range. 

Tliese  streams  are  characterized  by  the 
narrow  and  chasm-like  valleys  in  which 
they  run,  generally  sunk  a  thousand  feet  be- 
low the  plain.  At  the  verge  of  this  plain, 
they  frequently  commence  in  vertical  preci- 
pices of  basaltic  rock,  and  which  leave  only 
casual  places  at  which  they  can  be  entered 
by  horses.  The  road  across  the  country, 
vvhich  would  otherwise  be  very  good,  is 
rendered  impracticable  for  wagons  by  these 
streams.  There  is  another  trail  among  the 
mountains,  usually  followed  in  the  summer, 
which  the  snows  now  compelled  us  to  avoid  ; 


:*! 


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IflO 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


1813. 


and  I  have  roa.Hon  to  believe  tliat  lliis,  pass- 
ing nearer  the  licads  of  these  streams, 
would  afford  a  much  better  road. 

At  such  places,  the  pun  carriage  was  un- 
limbered,  and  separately  dencended  by  hand. 
Continuing  a  low  miles  up  the  left  bank  of 
the  river,  wo  encamped  early  in  an  open 
bottom  among  the  piuoa,  a»<l)ort  distance  be- 
low a  lodge  of  Indians.  Here,  along  the 
river  the  bluffs  present  escarpments  seven 
or  eight  hundred  feet  in  height,  containing 
strata  of  a  very  fine  porcelain  clay,  overlaid, 
at  the  height  of  about  live  hundred  feet,  by 
a  massive  stratum  of  compact  basalt  one 
hundred  feet  in  thickness,  which  again  is 
auccecded  above  by  other  strata  of  volcanic 
rocks.  The  clay  strata  are  variously  color- 
ed, some  of  them  very  nearly  as  white  as 
chalk,  and  very  fine  grained.  Specimens 
brought  tVem  these  have  been  subjected  to 
microscopical  examination  by  Professor 
Bailey,  of  West  Point,  and  are  (*onsidered  by 
him  to  constitute  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
deposites  of  fluviatile  infusoria  on  record. 
While  they  abound  in  genera  and  species 
which  are  common  in  fresh  water,  but  which 
rarely  thrive  where  the  water  is  even  brack- 
ish, not  one  decidedly  marine  form  is  to  be 
found  among  them ;  and  their  fresh-water 
origin  is  therefore  beyond  a  doubt.  It  is 
equally  certain  that  they  lived  and  died  at 
the  situation  where  they  were  found,  as  they 
could  scarcely  have  been  transported  by 
running  waters  without  an  admixture  of 
sandy  particles ;  from  which,  however,  they 
are  remarkably  free.  Fossil  infusoria  of'a 
fresh-water  origin  had  been  previously  de- 
tected by  Mr.  Bailey  in  specimens  brought 
by  Mr.  James  D.  Dana  from  the  tertiary 
formation  of  Oregon.  Most  of  the  species 
in  those  specimens  differed  so  nmch  from 
those  now  living  and  known,  that  he  was  led 
to  infer  that  they  might  belong  to  extinct 
species,  and  considered  them  also  as  afford- 
ing proof  of  an  alternation,  in  the  formation 
from  which  they  were  obtained,  of  fresh 
and  salt  water  deposites,  which,  common 
enough  in  Europe,  had  not  hitherto  been 
noticed  in  the  United  States.  Coming  evi- 
dently from  a  locality  entirely  different,  our 
specimens  show  very  few  species  in  com- 
mon with  those  brought  by  Mr.  Dana,  but 
bear  a  much  closer  resemblance  to  those  in- 
habiting the  northeastern  States.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  they  are  from  a  more  recent  de- 
posite  ;  but  the  presence  of  a  few  remark- 
able forms  which  are  common  to  the  two 
localities  renders  it  more  probable  that  there 
is  no  great  difference  in  their  age. 

I  obtained  here  a  good  observation  of  an 
emersion  of  the  second  satellite  ;  but  clouds, 
which  rapidly  overspread  the  sky,  prevented 
the  usual  number  of  observations.  Those 
which  we  succeeded  in  obtaining  are,  how- 


ever, good  ;  and  give  for  the  latitude  of  the 
place  no  35'  23",  and  for  the  longitude 
from  the  satellite  i8io  10'  V!5". 

December  1. — A  short  distance  above  our 
encampment,  we  crossed  this  river,  whirk 
was  thickly  lined  along  its  banks  with  inu 
In  common  with  all  these  mountain  streamti 
the  water  was  very  clear,  and  the  current 
swill.  It  was  not  everywhere  fordatilo, 
and  the  water  was  three  or  four  feetdoepai 
our  crossing,  and  perhaps  a  hundred  feet 
wide.  As  was  frequently  the  case  at  surli 
places,  one  of  the  mules  got  his  ])ack,  con- 
sisting of  sugar,  thoroughly  wet,  and  lunit'il 
into  molasses.  One  of  the  guides  infornu'd 
me  that  this  was  a  "salmon  water,"  an>i 
pointed  out  several  ingeniously-contrived 
places  to  catch  the  fish  ;  among  thepines^in 
the  bottom  I  saw  an  immense  (me,  almut 
twelve  feet  in  diameter.  A  steep  asceiu 
from  the  opposite  bank  delayed  us  again ; 
and  as,  by  the  information  of  our  guides, 
grass  would  soon  become  very  scarce,  we 
encamped  on  the  height  of  land,  in  a  marshy 
place  among  the  pines,  where  there  was  an 
abundance  of  grass.  We  found  here  a  single 
Nez  Perci'  family,  who  had  a  very  handsome 
horse  in  their  drove,  which  we  endeavor- 
ed to  obtain  in  exchange  for  a  good  cow; 
but  the  man  "  had  two  hearts,"  or,  ml  her, 
he  had  one  and  his  wife  had  anotlu.T  :  she 
wanted  the  cow,  but  he  loved  the  iiorse  tun 
much  to  part  with  it.  These  people  attach 
great  value  to  cattle,  with  which  they  are 
endeavoring  to  supply  themselves. 

December  2. — In  the  first  rays  of  the  sun, 
the  mountain  peaks  this  morning  presented 
a  beautiful  appearance,  the  snow  being  en- 
tirely covered  with  a  hue  of  rosy  gold.  We 
travelled  to-day  over  a  very  stony,  elevated 
plain,  about  which  were  scattered  cedar  and 
pine,  and  encamped  on  another  large  branch 
of  Fall  river.  We  were  gradually  ascend- 
ing to  a  more  elevate<l  region,  which  would 
have  been  indicated  by  the  rapidly-increas- 
ing quantities  of  snow  and  ice,  had  we  not 
known  it  by  other  means.  A  mule  wliieh 
was  packed  with  our  cooking  utensils  wan- 
dered off  among  the  pines  unperceived,  and 
several  men  were  sent  back  to  search  for  it. 

December  3. — Leaving  Mr.  Fitzpatrick 
with  the  party,  I  went  ahead  with  the  how- 
itzer and  a  few  men,  in  order  to  gain  time, 
as  our  progress  with  the  gun  was  necessa- 
rily slower.  The  country  continued  the 
same — very  stony,  with  cedar  and  pine ; 
and  we  rode  on  until  cark,  when  we  en- 
camped on  a  hillside  covered  with  snow, 
which  we  used  to-night  for  water,  as  we 
were  unable  to  reach  any  stream. 

December  4. — Our  animals  had  taken  the 
back  track,  although  a  great  number  wen 
hobbled  ;  and  we  were  consequently  delayed 
until  noon.     Shortly  after  we  had  left  this 


1843.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


Itl 


1 


I' 


encampment,  the  mountain  trail  from  the 
Dalles  Joined  that  on  which  we  were  travel- 
ling:. Afirr  paesing  for  several  miles  over 
;in  artciui^ia  plain,  the  trail  entered  a  beauti- 
ful i»ine  forest,  through  which  wo  travelled 
fur  HRveral  hours  ;  and  about  1  oVlock  de- 
(cended  into  the  valley  of  another  large 
oraiicli,  on  the  bottom  of  which  were  spaces 
of  open  pines,  with  occasional  meadows  of 
00(1  grass,  in  one  of  which  wo  encamped. 

ic  stream  is  very  swift  and  deep,  and  about 
40  feet  wide,  and  nearly  half  frozen  over. 
Among  the  timber  here,  arc  larches  140  feet 
hi|i[li,  and  over  3  feet  in  diameter.  We  had 
to-night  the  rare  sight  of  a  lunar  rainbow. 

December  5. — To-day  the  country  was  all 
pine  forest,  and  beautiful  weather  made  our 
journey  delightful.  It  was  too  warm  at  noon 
for  winter  clothes  ;  and  the  snow,  which  lay 
everywhere  in  patches  through  the  forest, 
was  melting  rapidly.  After  a  few  hours' 
ride,  we  came  upon  a  fine  stream  in  the 
midst  of  the  forest,  which  proved  to  be  the 
principal  branch  of  Fall  river.  It  was  oc- 
casionally 200  feet  -vide — sometimes  nar- 
rowed to  50  feet ;  the  waters  very  clear, 
and  frequently  deep.  We  ascended  along 
thu  river,  which  sometimes  presented  sheets 
of  foaming  cascades  ;  its  banks  occasionally 
blackened  with  masses  of  scoriated  rock  ; 
and  found  a  good  encampment  on  the  verge 
of  an  open  bottom,  which  had  been  an  old 
camping  ground  of  the  Cayuse  Indians.  A 
great  number  of  deer  horns  were  lying  about, 
indicating  game  in  the  neighborhood.  The 
timber  was  uniformly  largo  ;  some  of  the 
pines  measuring  23  feet  in  circumference  at 
the  ground,  and  12  to  13  feet  at  six  feet 
above. 

In  all  our  journeying,  we  had  never  trav- 
elled through  a  country  where  the  rivers 
were  so  abounding  in  falls  ;  and  the  name 
of  this  stream  is  singularly  characteristic. 
At  every  place  where  we  come  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  river,  is  heard  the  roaring  of 
falls.  The  rock  along  the  banks  of  the 
ilream,  and  the  ledge  over  which  it  falls,  is 
3  scoriated  basalt,  with  a  bright  metallic 
iiacture.  The  stream  goes  over  in  one 
clear  pitch,  succeeded  by  a  foaming  cataract 
of  several  hundred  yards.  In  the  little  bot- 
tom above  the  falls,  a  small  stream  dis- 
charges into  an  entonnoir,  and  disappears 
below. 

We  had  made  an  early  encampment,  and 
in  ihe  course  of  the  evening  Mr.  Fitzpatrick 
Join^  us  here  with  the  lost  mule.  Our 
lodge  poles  were  nearly  worn  out,  and  we 
found  here  a  handsome  set,  leaning  against 
one  of  the  trees,  very  white,  and  cleanly 
scraped.  Had  the  owners  been  here,  we 
would  have  purchased  them ;  but  as  they 
were  not,  we  merely  left  the  old  ones  in 
their  place,  with  a  small  quantity  of  tobacco. 


December  6. — The  morning  was  frosty 
and  clear.  We  continued  up  the  stream  on 
undulating  forest  ground,  over  which  there 
was  scattered  much  falling  limber.  We 
met  hern  a  village  of  Nez  Perco  Indiana, 
who  appeared  to  be  coming  down  from  the 
mountains,  rind  had  with  them  fine  bunds  of 
horses.  With  them  wero  a  few  Snake  In- 
dians of  ihe  root-digging  sj)ecie.s.  From 
the  forest  wc  emerged  into  an  open  valley 
ten  or  twelve  miles  wide,  through  which  the 
stream  was  (lowing  tranquilly,  upwards  ol' 
two  hundred  feet  broad,  with  occasional  isl- 
ands, and  bordered  with  fine  broad  bottoms. 
Crossing  the  river,  which  here  i.ssuos  from 
a  great  mountain  ridge  on  the  right,  we  con- 
tinued up  the  southern  and  smaller  branch, 
over  a  level  country,  consisting  of  fine 
meadow  land,  alternating  with  pine  forests, 
and  encamped  on  it  early  in  the  evening.  A 
warm  sunshine  made  the  day  pleasant. 

December  7. — To-day  we  had  good  trav- 
elling ground  ;  the  trail  leading  sometimes 
over  rather  sandy  soils  in  the  pine  forest, 
and  sometimes  over  meadow  land  alonj  the 
stream.  The  great  beauty  of  the  country 
in  summer  constantly  suggested  itself  to  our 
imaginations ;  and  even  now  wc  found  it 
beautiful,  as  we  rode  along  these  meadows, 
from  half  a  mile  to  two  miles  wide.  The 
rich  soil  and  excellent  water,  surrounded  by 
noble  forests,  make  a  picture  that  would  de- 
light the  eye  of  a  farmer. 

I  observed  to-night  an  occultation  of  n 
Geminorum  ;  which,  although  at  the  bright 
limb  of  the  moon,  appears  to  give  a  very 
good  result,  that  has  been  adopted  for  the 
longitude.  The  occultation,  observations 
of  satellites,  and  our  position  deduced  from 
daily  surveys  with  the  compass,  agree  re- 
markably well  together,  and  mutually  sup- 
port and  strengthen  each  other.  The  lati- 
tude of  the  camp  is  43°  30'  36 " ;  and  longi- 
tude, deduced  from  the  occultation,  121° 
33'  60 ". 

December  8. — To-day  we  crossed  the  last 
branch  of  the  Fall  river,  issuing,  like  ail  the 
others  we  had  crossed,  in  a  southwesterly 
direction  from  the  mountains.  Our  direc- 
tion was  a  little  east  of  south,  the  trail  lead- 
ing constantly  through  pine  forests.  The 
soil  was  generally  bare,  consisting,  in  great- 
er part,  of  a  yellowish  white  pumice  stone, 
producing  varieties  of  magnificent  pines, 
but  not  a  blade  of  grass  ;  and  to-night  our 
horses  were  obliged  to  do  without  food,  and 
use  snow  for  water.  These  pines  are  re- 
markable for  the  red  color  of  the  bolls ;  and 
among  them  occurs  a  species,  of  which  the 
Indians  had  informed  me  when  leaving  the 
Dalles.  The  unusual  size  of  the  cone  (16 
or  18  inches  long)  had  attracted  their  atten- 
tion ;  and  they  pointed  it  out  to  me  among 
the  curiosities  of  the  counti-y.     They  an 


■  * 


.-i-Ml 


>m 


199 


CAP'I'.  FIlKMnNr.-;  NAKKVTIVK. 


[IA4J 


1813.) 


morn  reinarkalilo  for  their  hrm-  diiimetcr 
than  thuir  hiMjjht,  which  usually  avcrjij;*'!* 
only  iiliDul  I'JO  Ci'ci.  Tho  icatlcls  are  short 
— only  lwi»  or  three  iiicliCM  Iouk,  and  five  in 
a  slieaili  ;    liic  hark  of  a  rt-tl  color. 

Driiinbtr  !). — The  trail  loada  always 
throui^'h  HplcMidid  |)inc  forests.  Crossitig 
dividiiij^  ;j!ouiids  hy  a  very  fino  road,  wo 
(h'M'cndcd  very  gently  toward.^  the  south. 
I'he  weather  was  pleasant,  and  we  halted 
late.  'I'he  soil  was  very  much  like  that  of 
yesterday  ;  and  on  the  surface  of  a  hill, 
near  our  tMicanipnient,  were  tlixjilaycd  heds 
of  [luniico  stone  ;  hut  the  soil  produced  no 
t^rrusN,  and  again  the  animals  fared  badly. 

Ikviinljcr  10. — The  country  began  to 
improve  ;  and  about  1 1  o'clock  we  reached 
a  spring  of  cold  water  on  the  edge  of  a 
savannah,  or  grassy  meadow,  which  our 
gu.dus  informed  us  was  an  arm  of  the  Tla- 
mati:  lake  ;  and  a  few  miles  further  we  en- 
tered upon  :<n  extensive  meadow,  or  lake 
of  gra.ss,  surrounded  by  timbered  mountains. 
This  was  the  Tlamath  lake.  It  was  a  pic- 
turesque and  beautiful  spot,  and  rendered 
more  attractive  to  us  by  the  abundant  and 
e.vcellent  grass,  which  our  animals,  after 
travelling  through  pine  forests,  so  much 
needed  ;  but  the  bruad  sheet  of  water  which 
constituies  a  lake  was  not  to  be  seen.  Over- 
looking it,  immediately  west,  were  several 
snowy  knobs,  belonging  to  what  we  have 
considered  a  branch  of  the  Cascade  range. 
A  low  point  covered  with  pines  made  out 
into  ttie  lake,  which  afforded  us  a  good  place 
for  an  encampment,  and  for  the  security  of 
our  horses,  which  were  guarded  in  view  on 
the  open  meadow.  The  character  of  cou- 
rage and  hostility  attributed  to  the  Indians 
of  this  quarter  induced  more  than  usual  pre- 
caution; and,  seeing  smokes  rising  from  the 
middle  of  the  lake  (or  savannah)  and  along 
the  opposite  shoies,  I  directed  the  howitzer 
to  be  Hred.  It  was  the  first  time  our  guides 
had  seen  it  discharged  ;  and  the  bursting  of 
the  shell  at  a  distance,  which  was  some- 
thing like  the  second  fire  of  the  gun,  amazed 
and  bewildered  them  with  delight.  It  in- 
spired them  with  triumphant  feelings ;  but 
on  the  camps  at  a  distance  the  effect  was 
difleicnt,  for  the  smokes  in  the  lake  and  on 
the  shores  immediately  disappeared. 

The  point  on  which  we  were  encamped 
forms,  with  the  opposite  eastern  shore,  a 
narrow  neck,  connecting  the  body  of  the 
lake  with  a  deep  cove  or  bay  which  receives 
the  principal  affluent  stream,  and  over  the 
greater  part  of  which  the  water  (or  rather 
ice)  was  at  this  time  dispersed  in  shallow 
pools.  Among  the  grass,  and  scattered 
over  the  prairie  lake,  appeared  lo  be  similar 
marshes.  It  is  simply  a  sh  'Uw  basin, 
which,  for  a  short  period  at  t  ^  time  of 
loelting  saowB,  is  covered  with  water  from 


the  neighboring  mouiitaiiin  ;  but  this  pnib- 
ably  soon  runs  off,  and  leaven  for  the  re 
maindcr  of  the  year  a  green  savannah, 
through  the  midst  of  which  the  river  Tla- 
math, which  flows  to  the  ocean,  wind.s  \u 
way  to  the  outlet  on  the  f^outhweslern  suic 

))ccimbrr  11. — No  Indiun.s  made  tlipu 
appearance,  and  I  determined  to  pay  thim 
a  visit.  Accordingly,  the  people  were  galh- 
orcd  together,  and  we  rode  out  towards  tho 
village  in  the  middle  of  thu  'ikc,  which  nix 
of  our  guides  had  previously  visited.  It 
could  not  be  directly  aiproaehed,  as  a  lar);u 
part  of  the  lake  appeared  a  marsh  ;  :in<l 
there  were  sheets  of  ice  among  the  grass, 
ui'  which  our  horses  could  not  keep  llitir 
foo'ing.  We  therefore  followed  the  guidu 
for  u  considnrable  distance  along  the  forest, 
and  then  turned  off  towards  tho  villagf, 
which  wo  soon  began  to  see  was  a  few  Vax^v. 
huts,  on  the  tops  of  which  were  collected 
the  Indians.  When  we  had  arrived  witliin 
half  a  mile  of  the  village,  two  persons  wero 
seen  advancing  to  meet  us  ;  and,  to  pleai>u 
the  fancy  of  our  guides,  we  ranged  ourselvi.i 
into  a  long  line,  riding  abreast,  while  Ihev 
galloped  ahead  to  meet  the  strangers. 

Wo  were  surprised,  on  riding  up,  to  find 
one  of  them  a  woman,  having  never  befoio 
known  a  squaw  to  take  any  part  in  the  busi- 
ness of  war.  They  were  the  village  ciiief 
and  his  wife,  who,  in  excitement  and  alarm 
at  the  unusual  event  and  appearance,  had 
come  out  to  meet  their  fate  together.  Tho 
chief  was  a  very  prepossessing  Indian,  with 
very  handsome  features,  and  a  singularly 
soft  and  agreeable  voice — so  remarkable  as 
to  attract  general  notice. 

The  huts  were  grouped  together  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  which,  from  being  spread 
out  in  a  shallow  marsh  at  tho  upper  end  of 
the  lake,  was  collected  hero  into  a  singlo 
stream.  They  were  large  round  huts,  per- 
haps 20  feet  in  diameter,  with  rounded  top.', 
on  which  was  the  door  by  which  they  do- 
scended  into  the  interior.  Within,  llier 
were  supported  by  posts  and  beams. 

Almost  like  plants,  these  people  seem  to 
have  adapted  themselves  to  the  soil,  and  to 
be  growing  on  what  the  immediate  locality 
afforded.  Their  only  subsistence  at  this 
time  appeared  to  be  a  small  fish,  great  quan- 
tities of  which,  that  had  been  smoked  and 
dried,  wero  suspended  on  strings  about  the 
lodge.  Heaps  of  straw  were  lying  around  ; 
and  their  residence  in  the  midst  of  grass 
and  rushes  had  taught  them  a  peculiari«kill 
in  converting  this  material  to  useful  pur- 
poses. Their  shoes  were  made  of  straw 
or  grass,  which  seemed  well  adapted  fur  a 
snowy  country  ;  and  the  women  wore  on 
their  head  a  closely  woven  basket,  which 
made  a  very  good  cap.  Among  other 
things,  were  parti-colored  mats  about  fotu 


[tA43 

)ut  tliiH  |)rob- 
n  for  the  re- 
II  saviinnah, 
li(!  river  'Tli- 
in,  winds  \u 
western  .suic. 

made  thru 
to  pity  tliuiii 
0  were  fiii\.\\. 

towards  thu 
0,  wliieli  OIK 
visited.  Ii 
u\,  as  ii  lai),'u 
marsh  ;  ami 
g  the  jrrass. 
it  keep  llieif 
cil  the  guidu 
g  the  I'orest , 

llie  village, 
s  a  few  larjrt' 
ere  collected 
rrived  williin 
persons  wero 
rid,  to  pleabu 
a;ed  ourselvc.i 
i,  while  thcv 
ingers. 
g  up,  to  find 
never  hejcire 
t  in  the  biisi- 
village  cliici' 
lit  and  alarm 
learance,  had 
fether.  The 
Indian,  with 
a  singularly 
cmarkablti  as 

ether  on  llm 
being  spread 
ipper  end  of 
into  a  singlo 
id  huts,  ptir- 
■ounded  toj)?, 
ich  Ihcy  <io- 
rVithin,  llier 
iams. 

oj)le  seem  to 
a  soil,  and  to 
iiate  locality 
}nce  at  this 
,  great  qiian- 
smokcd  and 
igs  about  the 
nag  around ; 
idst  of  grass 
pecuiiari«kill 
useful  piir- 
de  of  straw 
dapted  for  a 
len  wore  on 
isket,  which 
mong  othei 
s  about  foui 


1813.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARHATIVR. 


193 


.t--'' 


iVet  squarfi,  which  wo  purchased  to  lay  on 
the  snow  under  our  blankets,  and  to  use  for 
lahlc  cloths. 

Niiinliers  of  singular-looking  dogs,  re- 
•^enililing  wolves,  were  sitting  on  the  tops 
n(  the  huts ;  and  of  these  we  purchased  a 
voting  one,  which,  after  its  birthplace,  was 
lumrd  Tlamath.  The  language  spoken  by 
ihe.se  Indians  is  difTerent  from  that  of  the 
Sho^honee  and  Columbia  river  trilies  ;  and 
i)lh('rwi.sc  than  by  signs  they  cannot  under- 
stand each  otiier.  They  made  us  compre- 
hi.'nd  that  they  wore  at  war  with  the  peo{)le 
who  lived  to  the  southward  and  to  the  east- 
ward ;  but  I  could  obtain  from  them  no 
•orlain  information.  The  river  on  which 
iliey  live  enters  the  Cascade  mountains  on 
ihe  western  side  of  the  lake,  and  breaks 
through  them  by  a  passage  impracticable  for 
travellers ;  but  over  the  mountains,  to  the 
northward,  arc  passes  which  present  no 
nthcr  obstacle  than  in  the  almost  impene- 
trable forests.  Unlike  any  Indians  wo  had 
previously  seen,  these  wore  shells  in  their 
noses.  We  returned  to  our  camp,  after  re- 
maining here  an  hour  or  two,  accompanied 
liy  a  number  of  Indians. 

In  order  to  recruit  a  little  the  strength  of 
iiur  animals,  and  obtain  some  acquaintance 
with  the  locality,  we  remained  here  for  the 
remainder  of  the  day.  By  observation,  the 
latitude  of  the  camp  was  42°  56'  51";  and 
the  diameter  of  the  lake,  or  meadow,  as  has 
been  intimated,  about  20  miles.  It  is  a  pic- 
turesque and  beautiful  spot ;  and,  under  the 
hand  of  cultivation,  might  become  a  -little 
paradise.  Game  is  found  in  the  forest ; 
timbered  and  snowy  mountains  skirt  it,  and 
fertility  characterizes  it.  Situated  near  the 
heads  of  three  rivers,  and  en  the  line  of  in- 
land communication  with  California,  and 
near  to  Indians  noted  for  treachery,  it  will 
naturally,  in  the  progress  of  the  settlement 
"f  Oregon,  become  a  point  for  military  oc- 
cupation and  settlement. 

From  Tlamath  lake,  the  further  continua- 
tion of  our  voyage  assumed  a  character  of 
discovery  and  exploration,  which,  from  the 
Indians  here,  we  could  obtain  no  informa- 
tion to  direct,  and  where  the  imaginary 
maps  of  the  country,  instead  of  assisting, 
exposed  us  to  suiTering  and  defeat.  In  our 
journey  across  the  desert,  Mary's  lake,  and 
the  famous  Buenaventura  river,  were  two 
points  on  which  I  relied  to  recruit  the  ani- 
mals, and  repose  the  party.  Forming, 
agreeably  to  the  best  maps  in  my  possession, 
a  connected  water  line  from  the  Rocky 
mountains  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  I  felt  no 
other  anxiety  than  to  pass  safely  across  the 
intervening  desert  to  the  banks  of  the  Bue- 
naventura, where,  in  the  softer  climate  of 
a  more  southern  latitude,  our  horses  might 
tind  grass  to  sustain  them,  and  ourselves  be 


sheltered  from  the  rigors  of  winter  and  from 
the  iiihoMpitable  dcHcrt.  The  ;,'iii(l('»  who 
had  conducted  us  thus  f;ir  on  our  journey 
w«'re  about  to  rclurn  ;  and  1  ciiiii  uvored  in 
vain  to  olitain  otli'  '  to  lead  ii^,  even  for 
a  fowduyw,  in  the  direction  (ca.st)  which  we 
wialicd  to  go.  The  chief  to  whom  I  ajiplied 
alleged  the  wiiiit  of  liorseH,  and  the  snow  on 
the  mountains  acr(l^^s  which  imr  course 
would  carry  us,  and  the  Hickncss  of  his  fam- 
ily, as  reasons  for  rel'using  to  go  with  us. 

Dectmbcr  i'2. — This  inorning  the  camp 
was  thronged  with  Tlamath  Indians  from 
the  southeastern  shore  of  the  lake  ;  but, 
knowing  the  treacherous  disposition  which 
is  a  remarkable  characteristic  of  the  In- 
dians south  of  the  (Jolumbia,  the  camp  was 
kept  constantly  on  its  guard.  I  was  not 
unmindful  of  the  disasters  which  Smith  and 
other  travellers  had  met  with  in  this  coun- 
try, and  therefore  was  equally  vigilant  in 
guarding  against  treachery  and  violence. 

According  to  the  best  information  I  had 
been  able  to  obtain  from  the  Indians,  in 
a  few  days'  travelling  we  should  reach  ano- 
ther large  water,  probably  a  lake,  which 
they  indicated  exactly  in  the  course  we 
were  about  to  pursue.  We  struck  our  tents 
at  10  o'clock,  and  crossed  the  lake  in  a 
nearly  east  direction,  where  it  has  the  least 
extension — the  breadth  of  the  arm  being 
hero  only  about  a  mile  and  a  half.  There 
were  ponds  of  ice,  with  but  little  grass,  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  way  ;  and  it  was  dif- 
ficult to  get  the  pack  animals  across,  which 
fell  frequently,  and  could  not  get  up  with 
their  loads,  unassisted.  The  morning  was 
very  unpleasant,  snow  falling  at  intervals  in 
large  flakes,  and  the  sky  dark.  In  al)out 
two  hours  we  succeeded  in  getting  the  ani- 
mals over ;  and,  after  travelling  another 
hour  along  the  eastern  shore  of  the  lake,  we 
turned  up  into  a  cove  where  there  was 
a  sheltered  place  among  the  timber,  with 
good  grass,  and  encamped.  The  Indians, 
who  had  accompanied  us  so  far,  returned  to 
their  village  on  the  southeastern  shore. 
Among  the  pines  here,  I  noticed  some  five 
or  six  feet  in  diameter. 

December  13. — The  night  has  been  cold  ; 
the  peaks  around  the  lake  gleam  out  bright- 
ly in  the  morning  sun,  and  the  thermom- 
eter is  at  zero.  We  continued  up  the  hol- 
low formed  by  a  small  afiluent  to  the  lake, 
and  immediately  entered  an  open  pine  forest 
on  the  mountain.  The  way  here  was  some- 
times obstructed  by  fallen  trees,  and  the 
snow  was  four  to  twelve  inches  deep.  The 
mules  at  the  gun  pulled  heavily,  and  walk- 
ing was  a  little  laborious.  In  the  midst  of 
the  wood,  we  heard  the  sound  of  galloping 
horses,  and  were  agreeably  surprised  by  the 
unexpected  sriival  of  our  Tlamath  chief, 
with  several  Indians.     He  seemed  to  have 


-  ''K 


.K;«j: 


mn 


m 

•pi 


m 


m 


194 


CAPT.  FIIKMOXT.S  NAIIUAI'IVK. 


[ISt3 


m 


TouikI  hJH  ronduRt  irihoHpitiiblo  in  li^ttitif^  llio 
Atriin^ors  'Inpnrt  without  :i  f^iiiilo  thrnii|;h 
tho  «n<»w',  and  had  como,  with  a  lew  othtTS, 
lo  pilcit  UM  !i  day  or  two  on  tlie  wny.  Aftor 
trav('llin«  in  an  eaHtorly  direction  throuuli 
the  Ciiresl  for  ahout  four  hours,  we  reached 
.1  (r(ln^tiderahh>  8treain,  with  a  horder  of  ^'xxl 
KriHN  ;  and  here,  by  the  advice  of  our  guides, 
we  cnraniitod.  It  is  al)out  thirty  feet  wide, 
and  two  to  four  feet  deep;  the  water  chsar, 
with  some  current ;  and,  according  to  the 
inforniution  of  our  Indians,  is  the  principal 
aflhu'nt  to  (he  lake,  and  the  head  water  of 
the  Tlamath  river. 

A  very  clear  sky  enabled  mo  to  obtain 
here  to-night  good  observations,  including 
an  emersion  of  the  first  satellite  of  Jupiter, 
which  jrive  for  the  longitude  12 1'^  ao'  42", 
and  for  the  latitude  42"  51'  20".  This 
•Miicrsion  coincides  remarkably  well  with 
the  result  obtained  from  an  occultation  at 
the  encampment  of  December  7th  to  8th, 
1843  ;  from  which  place,  the  line  of  our 
survey  gives  an  easting  of  thirteen  miles. 
The  day's  journey  was  12  miles. 

December  14. — Our  road  was  over  a 
broad  mountain,  and  we  rode  seven  hours  in 
:i  thick  snow  storm,  always  through  pme 
forests,  when  we  came  down  upon  the  head 
waters  of  another  stream,  on  which  there 
was  grass.  The  snow  lay  deep  on  the 
ground,  and  only  the  high  swamp  grass  ap- 
peared above.  The  Indians  were  thinly 
clad,  and  I  had  remarked  during  the  day  that 
they  suffered  from  the  cold.  This  evening 
they  told  me  that  the  snow  was  getting  too 
deep  on  the  mountain,  and  I  could  not  in- 
duce them  to  go  any  farther.  The  stream 
we  had  struck  issued  from  the  mountain  in 
an  easterly  direction,  turning  to  the  south- 
ward a  short  distance  below  ;  and,  drawing 
its  course  upon  the  ground,  they  made  us 
comprehend  that  it  pursued  its  way  for  a 
long  distance  in  that  direction,  uniting  with 
many  other  streams,  and  gradually  becom- 
ing a  great  river.  Without  the  subsequent 
information,  which  confirmed  the  opinion, 
we  became  immediately  satisfied  that  this 
water  formed  the  principal  stream  of  the 
Sacramento  river  ;  and,  consequently,  that 
this  main  affluent  of  the  bay  of  San  Fran- 
cisco had  its  source  within  the  limits  of  the 
United  States,  and  opposite  a  tributary  to 
the  Columbia,  and  near  the  head  of  the 
Tlamath  river;  which  goes  to  the  ocean 
north  of  42°,  and  within  the  United  States. 

December  15. — A  present,  consisting  of 
useful  goods,  afforded  much  satisfaction  to 
our  guides  ;  and,  showing  them  the  national 
flag,  I  explained  that  it  was  a  symbol  of  our 
nation  ,  and  they  engaged  always  to  receive 
it  in  a  friendly  manner.  The  chief  pointed 
out  a  course,  by  following  which  we  would 
•nive  at  the  big  water,  where  no  more 


anow  wiiN  to  ho  found.  Travelling  in  a  di- 
rection N.  GO'-'  I'-,  by  compnM,  which  the 
IiidiaiiN  informed  mu  would  avoid  n  hail 
mountain  tt»  the  right,  we  ero.Hsed  the  Sa- 
cramunto  where  it  turned  to  tlie  s(uith\var>l, 
and  entered  a  grassy  level  plain — a  smallir 
(iraiid  Kond  ;  from  the  lower  enil  of  wlucli 
the  river  issued  into  an  inviting  (Mxiiitry  o| 
low  rolling  hills.  ('roNsiiig  a  hard-fro/rn 
swamp  on  the  farther  side  of  the  Uond,  we 
entered  again  the  pine  forest,  in  which  very 
deep  snow  made  our  travelling  slow  and  la- 
borious. We  were  slowly  but  gradually  a^ 
ccnding  a  mountain  ;  an(l,  after  a  hard  jour- 
ney of  seven  hours,  we  came  to  some  nakcil 
places  among  the  timber,  where  a  few  tufit 
of  grass  showed  above  the  snow,  on  the 
side  of  a  hollow  ;  and  here  wo  encainjied 
Our  cow,  which  every  day  got  poorer,  ux'. 
killed  here,  but  the  meat  was  rather  tou^'li 
Jhcpmber  16. — Wo  travelled  this  morn 
ing  through  snow  about  three  feet  deep. 
which,  being  crusted,  very  much  cut  the 
feet  of  our  animals.  The  mountain  ?till 
gradually  rose  ;  we  crossed  several  spring 
heads  covered  with  quaking  asp  ;  otherwise 
it  was  all  pine  forest.  The  air  was  dark 
with  falling  snow,  which  everywhere  weiijii- 
ed  down  the  trees.  The  depths  of  the  for- 
est were  profoundly  still ;  and  below,  \vk 
scarcely  felt  a  breath  of  the  wind  which 
whirled  the  snow  through  their  branches.  1 
found  that  it  required  some  exertion  of  con- 
stancy to  adhere  steadily  to  one  course 
through  the  woods,  when  we  were  uncertain 
how  far  the  forest  extended,  or  what  lav 
beyond  ;  and,  on  account  of  our  animals,  il 
would  be  bad  to  spend  another  night  on  the 
mountain.  Towards  noon  the  forest  looked 
clear  ahead,  appearing  suddenly  to  termi- 
nate ;  and  beyond  a  certain  point  we  could 
see  no  trees.  Riding  rapidly  ahead  to  this 
spot,  wo  found  ourselves  on  the  verge  of  a 
vertical  and  rocky  wall  of  the  mouiilain. 
At  our  feet — more  than  a  thousand  feet  be 
low — wo  looked  into  a  green  prairie  coun- 
try, in  which  a  beautiful  lake,  some  twenty 
miles  in  length,  was  spread  along  the  foot 
of  the  mountains,  its  shores  bordered  witi: 
green  grass.  Just  then  the  sun  broke  out 
among  the  clouds,  and  illuminated  the  coun- 
try below,  while  around  us  the  storm  rage<l 
fiercely.  Not  a  particle  of  ice  was  to  oe 
seen  on  the  lake,  or  snow  on  its  borders. 
and  all  was  like  summer  or  spring.  The 
glow  of  the  sun  in  the  valley  below  bright- 
ened up  our  henvts  with  sudden  pleasure; 
and  we  made  the  woods  ring  with  joyful 
shouts  to  those  behind ;  and  gradually,  as 
each  came  up,  he  stopped  to  enjoy  the  uiv- 
expected  scene.  Shivering  on  snow  three 
feet  deep,  and  stiffening  in  a  cold  north 
wind,  wo  exclaimed  at  once  that  the  namei 
of  Summer  Lake  and  Winter  Ridge  shoiiM 


[1813 

avcllin(7  in  a  Hi- 
[)ft««,  which  tha 
Id    ikvoiil   n  had 
(•roHMi'd  the  Sa- 
(  I  ho  mujlhwiiril. 
plain — a  Hinallcr 
er  ciul  of  whioh 
iliii>»  <Mniiitry  n|' 
jj  a  liard-fidzfn 
of  tlio  UoikI,  we 
St,  in  which  vpry 
in^  hIow  and  l;i- 
iMit  (rraduallv  »» 
iflcr  a  hard  jour- 
10  to  some  tmkiil 
,hero  a  few  tuft-' 
10  snow,  (in  the 
c  wo  encainiind 
pot  poorer,  wu- 
as  rather  toiitjii 
ellod   this  nuirn 
three  feet  deep. 
y  much  cut  lhi> 
3   inountain   fUW 
d  several  spring 
5  asp ;  other\vin(! 
he  air  was  dark 
erywliere  wfinli- 
leplha  of  the  tor- 
;  and   below,  wc 
the  wind  which 
heir  branches.   1 
:  exertion  of  con- 
'  to   one  course 
'6  were  uncertain 
led,  or  what  lay 
f  our  animals,  w 
ther  night  on  the 
the  forest  looked 
ddenly  to  term!- 
n  point  we  could 
dly  ahead  to  thin 
n  the  verge  of  :i 
[>f  the  mountain. 
thousand  feet  he 
en  prairie  coun- 
ike,  some  twenty 
il  along  the  fooi 
IS  bordered  witi; 
e  sun  broke  out 
ninatcd  the  eoun- 
I  the  storm  ragwl 
if  ice  was  to  be 
w  on  its  borders, 
or  spring.     The 
ley  below  bright- 
sudden  pleasure; 
ring  with  joyfnl 
ind  gradually,  a« 
to  enjoy  the  un- 
g  on  snow  three 
in  a  cold   north 
e  that  the  namei 
ter  Ridge  shoiiM 


IfliS. 


CAl'T.  I'UKMONT'S  N.VIiUATIVE. 


IQ-^ 


li«  applied  til  thoHO  two  proximate  |ilacen  of  | 
^u('ll  Midden  iiiid  violent  contrast.  I 

Wo  were   now  immediately  on  tlio  vergu  ' 
.if  the   forest   land,   in   wliicli  we  had   been  . 
inivi  lliiig  HO  many  dayx  ;  and,  looking  for- 1 
ward  to  the  oiiNt,  «e;iret!  a  tri'o  was  to  bo  ; 
^leii.      Viewed  li'oiii  our  eleviitiou,  the  faix>  | 
if  tilt!   cotiiitry  c.vhibited    only    rocks  and 
:ra<-s,  and  presented  a  region  in  which  thu  | 
itrteniiMia  became  the  principal  wood,  fur- 1 
ni.'thiiii;  to  its  scattered  inhabitants  fuid  for 
ilu-ir  lires,  building  material  for  tliuir  huts, 
ind  Mlu'ltei  for  thu  small  game  which  iiiinis- 
\ftti  to  their  hunger  and  nakedness.    Droad- 
Iv  niaiknd  by  the  boundary  of  the  mountain 
wall,  iind  immediately  below  us,  wei«!  the 
liist   waters  of  that  (j'rcat  Interior  Basin 
wliicii  has  tho  Wahsatch  and   liuar  river 
miiuntains  for   its  eastern,  and  tho   Sierra 
Nevada  for  its  western  rim  ;  and  the  edge 
iif  which  wc  had  entered  upwards  of  three 
muntlis  before,  at  tho  Great  Salt  lake. 

When  wc  had  sufficiently  admired  the 
Keeiie  below,  we  began  to  think  about  de- 
sceuiiiniT,  which  hero  was  impossible,  and 
wti  turned  towards  the  north,  travelling  al- 
v.ay**  along  the  rocky  wall.  We  continued 
i>n  hv  four  or  live  miles,  making  ineffectual 
;iticmpts  at  several  places ;  and  at  length 
sneceedcd  in  getting  down  at  one  which  was 
r.vlicmely  difficult  of  descent.  Night  had 
closed  in  before  the  foremost  reached  the 
bottom,  and  it  was  dark  before  we  all  found 
ouMolves  together  in  the  valley.  There 
were  three  or  four  half  dead  dry  cedar  trees 
on  the  shore,  and  those  who  first  arrived 
kiiiill^d  bright  fires  to  light  on  the  others. 
Ot>e  of  the  mules  rolled  over  and  over  two 
or  tlirco  hundred  feet  into  a  ravine,  but  re- 
covered himself,  without  any  other  injury 
than  to  his  pack  ;  and  the  howitzer  was  left 
midway  the  mountain  until  morning.  By 
iiliservation,  the  latitude  of  this  encampment 
is  42^  57'  32".  It  delayed  us  until  near 
noon  the  next  day  to  recover  ourselves  and 
put  every  thing  in  order  ;  and  we  made  only 
I  short  camp  along  the  western  shore  of  the 
lake,  which,  in  the  summer  temperature  we 
enjoyed  to-day,  justified  the  name  we  had 
Ifiven  it.  Our  course  would  have  taken  us 
to  the  other  shore,  and  over  the  highlands 
beyond  ;  but  I  distrusted  the  appearance  of 
the  country,  and  decided  to  follow  a  plainly 
beaten  Indian  trail  leading  along  this  side 
of  the  lake.  We  were  now  in  a  country 
where  the  scarcity  of  water  and  of  grass 
makes  travelling  dangerous,  and  great  cau- 
tion was  necessary. 

December  18. — We  continued  on  the  trail 
along  the  narrow  strip  of  land  between  the 
lake  and  the  high  rocky  wall,  from  which 
we  had  looked  down  two  days  before.  Al- 
most every  half  mile  we  crossed  a  little 
■Fling,  or  stream  of  pure  cold  water ;  and 


the  graNfj  wan  certainly  a,s  frenh  and  green 
as  in  tho  early  s|iring.  From  the  white 
HtlloreMcencn  along  thu  shore  of  the  lake, 
wo  were  e.iabied  to  judge  that  the  water 
was  impure,  like  that  <>*'  lakes  we  Muhna- 
ijiiently  found  ;  but  the  mud  prevented  us 
from  approaching  it.  Wo  encamped  near 
the  eaMteiii  |)oint  of  the  lake,  whtsro  there 
appeared  between  the  hills  a  broad  and  low 
connecting  hollow  with  tho  country  beyond. 
From  a  rocky  hill  in  the  rear,  I  could  sec, 
marked  out  by  a  lino  of  yellow  dried  grabs, 
thu  bed  of  a  ntream,  wliich  probably  con- 
nected the  lake  with  other  water  in  tho 
Hpring. 

The  observed  latitude  of  this  encampment 
is  4ao  4'2'  37". 

Ihccmber  19. — After  two  hours'  ride  in 
an  easterly  direction,  through  a  low  (jonntry, 
the  high  ridge  with  pine  forest  still  to  our 
right,  and  a  rocky  and  bald  hut  lower  one 
on  thu  left,  wo  reached  a  considerable  fresh- 
water stream,  which  issues  from  tho  piny 
mountains.  So  far  as  wu  had  been  able  to 
judge,  between  this  stream  and  the  lake  wc 
had  crossed  dividing  grounds ;  and  there 
did  not  appear  to  be  any  connection,  as 
might  be  inferred  from  the  impuru  condition 
of  tho  lake  water. 

The  rapid  stream  of  pure  water,  roaring 
along  between  banks  overhung  with  aspens 
and  willows,  was  a  refreshing  and  unex- 
pected sight ;  and  we  followed  down  the 
course  of  tho  stream,  which  brought  us  soon 
into  a  marsh,  or  dry  lake,  formed  by  the  ex- 
panding waters  of  the  stream.  It  was  cov- 
ered with  high  reeds  and  rushes,  and  large 
patches  of  ground  had  been  turned  up  by  the 
squaws  in  digging  for  roots,  as  if  a  farmer 
had  been  preparing  the  land  for  grain.  1 
could  not  succeed  in  finding  the  plant  for 
which  they  had  been  digging.  There  were 
frequent  trails,  and  fresh  tracks  of  Indians  ; 
and,  from  the  abundant  signs  visible,  the 
black-tailed  hare  appears  to  be  numerous 
here.  It  was  evident  that,  in  other  seasons, 
this  place  was  a  sheet  of  water.  Crossing 
this  marsh  towards  the  eastern  hills,  and 
passing  over  a  bordering  plain  of  heavy 
sands,  covered  with  artemisia,  we  encamped 
before  sundown  on  the  creek,  which  here 
was  very  small,  having  lost  its  water  in  the 
marshy  grounds.  We  found  here  trierably 
good  grass.  The  wind  to-night  was  high, 
and  wo  had  no  longer  our  huge  pine  fires, 
but  were  driven  to  our  old  resource  of  small 
dried  willows  and  artemisia.  About  twelve 
miles  ahead,  the  valley  appears  to  be  closed 
in  by  a  high,  dark-looking  ridge. 

December  20. — Travelling  for  a  few  hours 
down  the  stream  this  morning,  we  turned  a 
point  of  the  hill  on  our  left,  and  came  sud- 
denly in  sight  of  another  and  much  larger 
lake,  which,  along  its  eastern  shore,  was 


it. 


hill 


I 


180 


CAPT.  FUKMON'i  3  NAkUATIVK. 


[ISIJ 


lionlnrcd   liy  tho  liish   hliick  rultfe 
wliirli  wulli'il  it  ill  l»v  ii  |in'pi|nl(iiiM  fiuvi  on 


nionri) 


hy  tho   II 

I  liy  II  pri' 
this  Hiili-  'riiniiiKhoiil  linn  n-tjioii  tin*  fiicr 
of  till' roimlrv  in  cliiirJictfii/rd  liy  iIh'm!  yrv- 
ripicPN  (if  lihick  volcanic  rm-k,  (,MMinriilly 
(tncloxiii!?  till!  v.illoys  of  Htri-aniM,  uiul  fro- 
qiii'nlly  trriiiiii:iliii'4  ihi'  IiiIIh.  Ofli-n  in  llii) 
I'oiiiMc  III' iiiir  jDurncy  wn  wmilil  Im  triiiptiMl 
to  coiitiiiui'  mir  riiail  up  llio  ^imiiIi'  aNci-iit  of 
a  hiopiiitr  lull,  wliK'h,  at  tli**  Miininil,  would 
iniiniiiati!  abruptly  iti  a  lilack  precipice. 
Spread  out  over  a  lLMip;tli  of  "20  iiiiIch,  llio 
lake,  when  wc  fuBt  caino  in  viow,  jirosnntod 
a  liandmiiiii;  (-lu'ct  of  walnr  ;  and  I  ;javi!  to 
it  till!  iiaini!  of  i.aki!  Alicrt,  in  lioiior  of  the 
cliiof  of  till!  corp.s  to  wliicli  I  liclonRi'd.  I'lio 
frpwh-wali'r  striain  wc  li:ul  followed  emptied 
into  the  lake  liy  a  little  fdl  ;  and  I  waH 
doubtful  for  a  inoincnt  whether  to  ^n  on,  or 
encamp  at  this  place.  The  miry  ground  in 
the  neigliborhood  of  the  lake  did  not  allow 
US  to  examine  tho  water  conveniently,  and, 
being  now  on  tho  borders  of  a  doHert  coun- 
try, we  were  moving  cautiously.  It  was, 
however,  still  early  in  tho  day,  and  I  con- 
tinued on,  trusting  cither  that  tho  water 
would  be  drinkable,  or  that  we  should  find 
some  little  spring  from  the  hill  side.  We 
were  following  an  Indian  trail  which  led 
along  the  steep  rocky  precipice  ;  a  black 
ridge  aloiij  the  western  shore  holding  out 
no  pro.spcct  whatever.  Tho  white  efllorcs- 
cenccs  wliicli  lined  the  shore  like  a  bank  of 
.tnow,  and  the  disagreeable  odor  which  filled 
the  air  as  soon  as  we  came  near,  informed 
U3  too  plainly  that  the  water  belonged  to  one 
of  those  fetid  salt  lakes  which  arc  common 
in  this  region.  We  continued  until  late  in 
the  evening  to  work  along  the  rocky  shore, 
but,  as  often  afterwards,  tho  dry  inhospita- 
ble rock  deceived  us ;  and,  halting  on  the 
lake,  we  kindled  up  fires  to  guide  those  who 
were  straggling  along  behind.  We  tried 
tho  water,  but  it  was  impossible  to  drink  it, 
and  most  of  the  people  to-night  lay  down 
without  eating  ;  but  some  of  us,  who  had 
always  a  great  reluctance  to  close  the  day 
without  supper,  dug  holes  along  the  shore, 
and  obtained  water,  which,  being  filtered, 
was  sufficiently  palatable  to  be  used,  but 
still  retained  much  of  its  nauseating  taste. 
There  was  very  little  grass  for  the  animals, 
the  shore  being  lined  with  a  luxuriant 
growth  of  chenopodiaceous  shrubs,  which 
burned  with  a  quick  bright  flame,  and  made 
our  firewood. 

The  next  morning  we  had  scarcely  trav- 
elled two  hours  along  the  shore  when  we 
reached  a  place  where  the  mountains  made 
a  bay,  leaving  at  their  feet  a  low  bottom 
around  the  lake.  Here  we  found  numerous 
hillocks  covered  with  rushes,  in  the  midst 
of  which  were  deep  holes,  or  springs,  of 
pure  water  :  and  the  bottom  was  covered 


with  gra^H,  which,  ulthoiigh  of  a  nnlt  atnl 
iinwholcftoiiie  quality,  and  mixed  with  n.iUw 
etllorcitcence.*,  wiis  Ntill  iiliuiid;iiit,  and  iiriili' 
a  good  li:iltiiig  place  to  ri'criiil  our  aiiitirils , 
ami  we  aceorilingly  encamped  here  lor  tlip 
remiiiider  of  the  day.  I  rode  aheail  »evrr;il 
milen  to  aHcertain  if  the.e  w:i!i  any  apjuMr- 
ance  of  a  watercoiiriHO  entering  the  I  ike  ; 
but  found  none,  tlie  hills  presiMviiij,'  tluvr 
dry  character,  and  llie  t-liore  of  llie  likr 
Hjiriiikled  with  the  Haine  wliite  powihiry  miIi 
stance,  and  covered  with  the  Kaiiic  mIii'iiIi'* 
There  weii!  flocks  of  iluckM  on  tho  hik<'. 
and  frequent  track.'*  of  Indians  along  tlu 
whore,  where  the  gra^'.'^  had  been  recciitlv 
burnt  by  their  fires. 

We  ascended  the  bordering  mounlaiii,  in 
order  to  olit;iin  a  more  perl'ecl  view  of  iIp' 
lake  in  skelcliing  its  figure;  bills  sweep  en- 
tirely around  its  basin,  from  which  the  w,i- 
ters  have  no  outlet. 

Dirrin/jrr  tJ'J. — To-day  we  lofl  this  fur- 
bidding  lake.  Impassable  rocky  ridges  li.n. 
red  our  progress  to  the  eastward,  and  I  :ic. 
corditigly  bore  olT  towards  the  south,  over 
an  extensive  sage  plain.  At  a  eonsulerriMi 
distance  ahead,  and  a  little  on  our  left,  wis 
a  range  of  snowy  mountains,  ami  the  cdiiuiry 
declined  gradually  towards  the  foe',  of  a  liinli 
and  nearer  ridge  immediately  liefire  iix, 
which  presented  the  iValure  of  black  proii- 
pices,  now  becoming  common  to  the  einiii 
try,  On  the  summit  of  the  ridgo,  snowwus 
visible  ;  and  there  being  every  imlicalion  c! 
a  stream  at  its  base,  wo  rode  on  until  iil'ir; 
dark,  but  were  unable  to  reach  it,  and  hiiliiil 
among  the  sage  bushes  on  the  open  jilnii:, 
without  eith>  r  grass  or  water.  The  t«" 
Indiarubber  bags  had  been  filled  with  w.uiv 
in  the  morning,  which  afTordcd  sufliciciit  li>r 
the  camp;  and  rain  in  the  night  forinrl 
pools,  which  relieved  the  thirst  of  the  iiiii- 
mals.  Where  we  encamped  on  the  l)]e;ik 
sandy  plain,  the  Indians  had  made  huts  cr 
circular  enclosures,  about  four  feet  high  ainl 
twelve  feet  broad,  of  artomisia  biibhc'. 
Whether  these  had  been  forts  or  houses,  or 
what  they  had  been  doing  in  such  a  dosrrt 
place,  we  could  not  ascertain. 

December  23. — Tho  weather  is  mild  ;  ilit 
thermometer  at  daylight  38°  ;  the  wind  hav- 
ing been  from  the  southward  for  several  days 
The  country  has  a  very  forbidding  appear- 
ance, presenting  to  the  eye  nothing  but  s;il" 
and  barren  ridges.  We  rode  up  towariU 
the  mountain,  along  the  foot  of  whicii  wt 
found  a  lake,  which  we  could  not  approach 
on  account  of  the  mud  ;  and,  passing  armiml 
its  southern  end,  ascended  the  slope  at  the 
foot  of  the  ridge,  where  in  some  hollows  wa 
had  discovered  bushes  and  small  trees— in 
such  situations,  a  sure  sign  of  water.  We 
found  here  several  springs,  and  the  hill  side 
was  well  sprinkled  with  a  species  offetlu- 


1 


[Id43 

r  II  m\t  mill 
t  with  n:ilint> 
lit,  mill  iiriih: 
iiiir  :itiitii;ils . 
liiMi'  lor  till' 
IkmiI  »(nrr:il 
iiiiv  !i|iiii';»r- 
;r  till'  liki'; 
it'i'vilin  lllt'ir 
III'  tint  lilkr 
owilttry  Mill 
iiiiiif  mIiiii!!" 
Dtl    till'    l:ik''. 

IM     illoll^    till' 

ocii  roiiciitly 

inountiiiii,  in 
I  viinv  (>r  tin 
lU  swrcp  (Ml- 
liii'li  till'  w,i- 

Iffl  this  I'lir- 
jy  ritljro.'*  Ii;ir- 

rd,  ami  I  ric 

otolith,  liver 

,  ronxiilciviMi 

our  li'ft.  \v;i> 
III  tlio  roiiiiliv 

foot  of  ;i  liii:li 

V  lit;fiir(i  ii>. 
'  bliick  jiroii- 

to  llin  uoiiii. 
Jro,  snow  w;i- 
/  imlic'ilion  m 
on  iiiitil  iil'ti . 
I  it,  nml  li:ilii'<! 

0  o])ni  |il;iii', 
cr.  TIk!  t\V' 
ed  with  w.iii' 
[1  sufliciriit  I'ur 

night  loriiic! 
•st  of  the  iiiii- 

on  tho   l)ip:ilv 

made  huts  it 
•  feet  lii<»h  aii'' 
iiiisia    hiishr^ 

or  housos.  n: 

1  sucli  a  dosrrt 

;r  is  mild  ;  tlie 
the  wind  Inn- 
ir  several  d;iys 
iddingr  ap|ie;ii- 
ithingf  but  i<;iL" 
ie  up  tdwarilj 
t  of  wiiicli  wt 
I  not  appnvicN 
passing  aronml 
le  slope  at  the 
mo  hollows  W8 
imall  trees— in 
if  water.  We 
nd  the  hill  side 
ecies  of  fettu- 


1843] 


CAPT.  FIIKMONTS  NAKHATIVR. 


197 


ca — a  hotter  gtana  tlian  md  had  fniiii  I  for 
many  dayn.  Our  rluvalfd  ponition  unvu  uh 
Ik  ^Mio  I  vii'W  ovn'  the  coiiutry,  but  wit  dia- 
(•ti\rri:d  uothiiiK  Vrry  i'iii'oiii.ii;imi;.  Soiilli- 
Miird,  iiliiiiit  tt'ii  iiiilcH  lll^l ml,  wiiH  aiiolhi'r 
biiKkil  l.iki',  towards  v\hicli  a  broad  ful  Ird 
!,1mii^  iIh'  ri<l^t>  ;  mid  ibj;*  app(•arlll^  to  uf- 
rmd  iIm'  luoNt  practi(r.il)li'  route,  I  ditcnuiuitd 
kii  riiutiiiuf  our  jounify  in  tlial  ilirt'clion. 

Dniinfii r  ''21. — W'l!  found  tlin  wal»!r  of 
till'  i.iki'  tob'rably  pure,  and  ciicainpi'd  at  tbo 
t'.iillur  nid.  'riii'ri!  wiro  homo  good  gra«n 
and  raii»'H  along  tho  bliorc,  and  tiio  vi-gola- 
tniii  at  tlii*  placo  cuuHisti.d  principally  of 
clii'iiopodiac(!ou.s  HlirubH. 

Ihci  mill  r  *J;'. — W'o  were  roiincd,  on 
t'liii>tiii;ts  morning,  by  a  di.iidiargu  from  the 
Kii):ill  arni'i  and  howitr.cr,  with  which  our 
)>''opli'  Haluted  the  day ;  and  tho  namu  of 
wiiK-li  wu  be.Uowcd  (ui  tho  laku.  It  was  tho 
firsil  time,  p(!rhap»,  in  tlii-i  rcmnto  and  dcHo- 
litu  region,  in  which  it  hud  boon  so  coin- 
menioratcd.  Always,  on  days  of  religious 
or  iiitiunal  noinmemoration,  our  voyagcurs 
t'xpi'ct  .somu  unusual  allowanno  ;  and,  hav- 
ing nothing  else,  I  gave  them  each  a  little 
htiindy,  (which  was  carefully  guarded,  as 
iiiu;  uf  the  most  useful  articles  a  traveller 
(".III  earry,)  with  some  cofFeo  and  sugar, 
wiiii'li  here,  where  every  eatable  was  a  lux- 
ury, was  sufficient  to  make  them  a  feast. 
Till'  day  was  sunny  and  warm  ;  and,  rc- 
fiuining  our  Journey,  we  crossed  some  slight 
ilividing  grounds  into  a  similar  basin,  walled 
III  on  the  right  by  a  lofly  mountain  ridge. 
Tin;  plainly  beaten  trail  still  continued,  and 
uccasioiially  we  passed  camping  grounds  of 
Uic  Indians,  which  indicated  to  mo  that  wn 
rti  le  liii  one  of  the  great  thorough  fares  of 
ilie  country.  In  the  afternoon  I  attempted 
tn  travel  in  a  mnro  eastern  direction  ;  but, 
iil'ier  a  few  laborious  miles,  was  beaten 
hack  into  the  basin  by  an  impassable  coun- 
try, There  were  fresh  Indian  tracks  about 
the  valley,  and  last  night  a  horse  was  stolen. 
\Vc  encamped  on  the  valley  bottom,  where 
there  was  some  creainlike  water  in  ponds, 
colored  by  a  clay  soil  and  frozen  over. 
tJlienopodiaceoua  bhrubs  constituted  the 
growth,  and  made  again  our  firewood.  The 
animals  were  driven  to  the  hill,  where  there 
was  tolerably  good  grass. 

December  2fi. — Our  general  course  was 
iigain  south.  The  country  consists  of 
larger  or  smaller  basins,  into  which  the 
mountain  waters  run  down,  forming  small 
lakes  ;  they  present  a  perfect  level,  from 
which  the  mountains  rise  immediately  and 
abruptly.  Between  the  successive  basins, 
the  dividing  grounds  are  usually  very  slight ; 
aiid  it  is  probable  that,  in  the  seasons  of 
high  water,  many  of  these  basins  are  in 
communication.  At  such  times  there  is 
evidently  an  abundance  of  water,  though 


now  wo  find  ■rarctdy  luoro  than  the  dry 
b«<d«.  On  filher  hide,  the  niomitaimi, 
though  not  very  hiuli,  appear  to  be  roeky 
itnd  sterile.  Tlip  luMii  in  vvhu-h  we  were 
travi'llinu  'leeliiied  lowurili  tlie  miiiiIiwi>hI 
eoiner,  where  the  iiiouiil:iiii!«  iiidieuted  » 
narrow  outlet  ;  and,  turning  round  a  rocky 
jioinl  or  cape,  wo  continued  u\i  a  literal 
orancli  valley,  in  wiiieh  we  eiii'aiii|ied  at 
niglil  on  a  rapid,  pretty  little  ^t^eall>  of 
fiehli  water,  whieh  wu  found  unexpectedly 
among  llu!  sage  near  the  ridge,  on  the 
right  side  of  the  valley.  It  wa.<  bordered 
with  grasHy  bottoms  and  clumps  ol'  willows, 
the  water  partially  fmzcn.  Tins  bliuaiii 
belongs  to  llio  baMii  svo  htd  lel't.  My  u 
partial  oli.servation  to-night,  our  camp  was 
found  to  be  dire<-tly  on  the  i-Jd  parallel, 
ro-niglil  a  horse  belonging  to  (.'arnon,  one 
of  tho  beht  we  had  in  the  camp,  was  htolen 
by  the  Indians. 

December  07. — Wo  continued  up  the 
valley  of  the  slroam,  the  principal  branch 
of  which  hero  issues  from  a  bed  of  high 
mountains.  We  turned  up  a  biaiu-li  to  the 
left,  and  foil  into  an  Indian  trail,  which 
conducted  us  by  a  good  road  ovur  open 
bottoms  along  lliu  ercek,  where  the  hiutw 
was  five  or  .-jix  inches  ilt,'ep.  (iradually 
ascending,  the  trail  led  tliroiigli  a  good 
broail  pass  in  the  mountain,  wbeic  wo  t'ound 
the  snow  about  one  foot  dee|i.  There  were 
some  remarkably  large  cedars  in  the  pass, 
which  wore  covered  with  an  unusual  ipian- 
tity  of  frobt,  which  we  supposed  might  |ios- 
sibly  indicate  the  neighborhood  of  water ; 
and  as,  in  the  arbitrary  position  of  Mary's 
lake,  we  were  already  beginning  to  look 
for  it,  this  circumstance  contributi'd  to  our 
hope  of  finding  it  near.  l)escen<ling  from 
the  mountain,  we  reached  another  basin,  on 
tho  flat  lake  bed  of  which  we  found  no 
water,  and  encamped  among  the  sage  on 
the  bordering  plain,  where  the  snow  was 
^tiU  about  one  foot  deep.  Among  this  the 
grass  was  remarkably  green,  and  to-night 
the  animals  fared  tolerably  well. 

December  28. — The  snow  being  deep,  I 
had  determined,  if  any  more  horses  were 
stolen,  to  follow  the  tracks  of  tho  Indians 
into  the  mountains,  and  put  a  temporary 
check  to  their  sly  operations  ;  but  it  did 
not  occur  again. 

Our  road  this  morning  lay  down  a  level 
valley,  bordered  by  steep  mountainous 
ridges,  rising  very  abruptly  from  the  plain, 
Artemisia  was  the  principal  plant,  mingled 
with  Fremontia  and  the  chenopodiaceous 
shrubs.  The  artemisia  was  here  extremely 
large,  being  sometimes  a  foot  in  diameter 
and  eight  feet  high.  Riding  quietly  along 
over  the  snow,  we  camo  suddenly  upon 
smokes  rising  among  these  bushes ;  and, 
galloping  up,  we  found  two  huta,  open  at 


■" ..'  I 


<.t, 


■  '  M 


I  "'•: 


*fe 


% 


198 


CAPT.  FUKMONPS  NAUUA'IIVK. 


(1813 


lh<f  top,  .itKl  InoNflly  hiiill  of  ntim',  ^vliinh 
ii|i|H<;irci|  to  havn  t)v«<ti  ili'ni'rtcil  iil  ihi' 
itiHtimt ;  iintl,  lixikint;  liftily  arniiiiil.  wt! 
fi;i\v  m'vcrul  liiiliiini  i>ri  tli«i  frniil  nf  tlm 
rulB"  ni-nr  hvi  !Hi<l  M'vnul  olln-ri  Mcramlw 
linK  III)  llii>  n'u\i'.  We  liitil  rniiir  ii|>iiti  tliiMii 
Md  HU<lclriily,  that  IIk'V  Irt'l  l>''<'ii  wcll-iiiuh 
:<ur|>ri«ril  III  llii'ir  IihIkch.  A  mui'  (\r*>  \\;i» 
hiiiiiini;  III  ilii'  iiiiililli'  ;  n  fvw  l)ii>k)MH  iiiiiiln 
(if  niriiw  wi'ri^  lyiiii;  iilxiiit,  witli  mii*  or  two 
laliliit  HkiiiN;  iinil  tliorr  w;in  a  litllo  KriiHH 
wMliiTcil  altoiit,  iMi  winch  tlioy  h.iil  hrrn 
lyiriir.  •' 'raliilin — lio  !"  llirv  ulioiitod  from 
lilts  hilU — :i  word  wliicli,  in  tho  Siiaki' 
lunju:i(;i>,  ^iKiiififH  tr/iifi — and  remained 
looking  :it  iih  from  lirtiind  tlio  rnckiH.  Ciir- 
Mon  and  (lodcv  nidu  towiud.i  tho  hill,  but 
tho  intn  run  olF  like  deer.  Tlioy  lind  luton 
!«o  niiicli  |>r('HH(>d,  tliiit  a  woman  with  two 
children  had  drii|iiird  lirhind  a  am^o  ItiiNh 
near  the  lodyu,  and  wIhh  C  irMoii  accident- 
ally Htiimhlcd  upon  her,  shu  immediately 
bpfun  Hcroaminjf  in  tho  exlrcmily  of  fear, 
and  Hhiit  her  eyes  fast,  to  avoid  soeiii^ 
him.  >*«ho  was  brought  back  to  tho  ludgu, 
and  wo  endeavored  in  vain  to  open  a  com- 
munication with  the  men.  l)y  dint  of 
presents,  and  friendly  demonstration^,  shn 
was  brought  to  calmncsB ;  and  wo  found 
that  they  belonged  to  the  Snako  nation, 
sneaking  tho  language  of  that  people. 
Kiy:ht  or  ten  appeared  to  live  together, 
under  tho  same  little  shelter ;  and  they 
aocmed  to  havo  no  other  subsistence  than 
the  roots  or  seeds  they  might  have  stored 
up,  and  the  hares  which  live  in  tho  sage, 
and  which  they  arc  enabled  to  track  through 
the  snow,  and  are  very  skilful  in  killing. 
Their  skins  afr()rd  them  a  little  scanty  cov- 
ering. Herding  together  among  bushes, 
and  crouching  almost  naked  over  a  little 
sage  fire,  using  their  instinct  only  to  pro- 
cure food,  these  may  be  considered,  among 
hmnan  beings,  the  nearest  approach  o  the 
mere  animal  creation.  We  have  reason  to 
believe  that  tiiese  liad  never  before  seen 
the  face  of  a  white  man. 

The  day  had  been  pleasant,  but  about 
two  o'clock  it  began  to  blow  ;  and  crossing 
a  .slight  dividing  ground  we  encamped  on 
the  sheltered  side  of  a  hill,  where  there 
was  good  bunch  grass,  having  made  a 
day's  journey  of  24  miles.  The  night 
closed  in,  threatening  snow  ;  but  the  large 
sage  bushes  made  bright  fires. 

December  29. — The  morning  mild,  and 
at  4  o'clock  it  commenced  snowing.  We 
took  our  way  across  a  plain,  thickly  cover- 
ed with  snow,  towards  a  range  of  hills  in 
tho  southeast.  The  sky  soon  became  so 
dark  with  snow,  that  little  could  be  seen  of 
the  surrounding  country ;  and  we  reached 
the  summit  of  the  hills  in  a  heavy  snow 
storm.     On  the  side  we  had  approached, 


thin  had  appeared  to  ho  only  a  riilge  of  low 
hiiln ;  and  we  wore  nurprified  to  liml  mir 
selveit  on  the  Minnmit  of  a  bed  of  liiokin 
motintaini,  which,  an  far  mm  tho  weailiir 
would  iieiinit  un  to  Nee,  declined  rapiillv  tti 
some  (iiw  country  ahead,  preHi'iitiiii(  i 
dreary  and  Muvage  characte.r ;  and  for  i 
moment  I  looked  around  in  donlit  on  iju' 
wild  and  iiilioRiHlalde  propped,  Hciri'ily 
knowing  what  n  :  ^i  to  lake  wliicli  iini^lii 
conduct  us  ti»  Nome  place  o*'  Mheltor  fur  ilic 
night.  Noticing  among  the  hilU  the  bcaij 
of  a  gruHHy  hollow,  I  di'l(>riiiiiied  to  jnlimv 
it.  III  the  lioiii!  that  it  would  conduct  iih  to  i 
Htream.  \N  o  lollowed  a  wimliiig  dcHciui 
for  several  iiiileN,  the  hollow  grailiiallv 
broadening  into  little  moadoww,  and  !)<'• 
cinning  the  bod  of  a  Mtreain  as  we  u>l- 
vnncocl ;  and  towards  night  we  were  agrou- 
ably  Nur|)risod  by  the  appearance  of  a  wil- 
low grove,  whore  we  found  a  Mlielten  I 
camp,  with  water  and  excellent  and  al)iiii- 
ilaiii  grass.  The  grans,  which  wan  ooveriij 
by  tho  snow  on  the  bottom,  wan  long  ainl 
groen,  and  tho  face  of  tho  mountain  liad  a 
more  favorable  character  in  its  vegotalioii, 
being  smoother,  and  covered  with  gooij 
bunch  grass.  The  snow  was  deep,  and  tin 
night  very  cold.  A  broad  trail  had  onternl 
the  valley  from  tho  right,  and  a  short  ill:)- 
tanco  below  tho  camp  wore  the  trackx 
where  a  considerable  party  of  Tiidiaiit  liuii 
passed  on  horseback,  who  had  liiruod  (uii 
to  the  loft,  a|)parcntly  with  the  view  of 
crossing  the  mountains  to  the  eastward. 

December  30. — After  following  the  stream 
for  a  few  hours  in  a  soiithoastorly  diroc 
tion,  it  entered  a  caflon  whore  wo  ecuild  imt 
follow ;  but  determined  not  to  leave  llii.' 
stream,  we  searched  a  passage  below,  whore 
we  could  regain  it,  and  cnlored  a  regulai 
narrow  valley.  The  water  had  now  inoro 
the  appearance  of  a  flowing  creok  ;  several 
times  we  passed  groves  of  wiHows,  and  \vu 
began  to  feel  ourselves  out  of  all  difrioulty. 
From  our  position,  it  wa«  reasonable  to  con- 
clude that  this  stream  would  find  its  outlet 
in  Mary's  lake,  and  conduct  us  into  a  bettor 
country.  We  had  descended  rapidly,  aiiil 
here  we  found  very  little  snow.  On  lioiii 
.sides,  the  mountains  showed  often  stupen- 
dous and  curious-looking  rocks,  which  :it 
several  places  so  narrowed  the  valley,  that 
scarcely  a  pass  was  left  for  the  camp.  It 
was  a  singular  place  to  travel  througii — shut 
up  in  the  earth,  a  sort  of  chasm,  the  little 
strip  of  grass  nnder  onr  feet,  the  rough 
walls  of  bare  rock  on  either  hand,  and  llie 
narrow  strip  of  sky  above.  The  grass  to- 
night was  abundant,  and  wo  encamped  in 
high  spirits. 

December  31. — After  an  hour'^  ride  this 
morning,  our  hopes  were  once  more  de- 
stroyed.    The  valley  opened  out,  and  beforf 


(IH1.1 


1044) 


CAPT.  FUKMONl'M  NAUHAIIVK 


Itf 


iil^n  of  low 
I   find  our 

lit'  liiiiki'ii 
If    wr:ilhtr 

r;i|ii(lly  In 

•"»i'lllinif  :i 
:illil  I'lir  ;i 
)l|l|t  III)  llir 
,  ncirccly 
licli  iiii^lii 
IliT  I'm  ihi' 
l-i  iIm>  Ihm.I 

III     t'llllllW 
llll-t    IIH   to  .1 

11^  (li'Jii'riil 
(;rnilii;ill\ 
fN,   and   Ik  ■ 

;is  wt!  ml- 
rt'crc  iiKicf- 

I'  llf  II    Wil- 
li   Mlii'llcrc  I 
ami   iiliiiii- 
\n»  o.ivcrril 
IM    \l\U^   iiikI 
iritain  liail  :i 
vcf^elalidii, 
with     ^Mdil 
li'<-|),  and  tilt' 
liad  cntrri'il 
a  Nlnirt  dii- 
tlin    trark<i 
Indians  had 
tiirnod  mil 
h«    view  III' 
astward. 
jf  lh(!  Btieain 
stoily  (liri'c- 
\o  (Minld  iiui 
II  loavo  the 
olow,  whiTc 
>d  a  rt'^Miliii 
I  now  more 
ok  ;  si'voriil 
)ws,  and  \vu 
ill  difTienlty. 
lablc  U)  cciri- 
id    its  nutlet 
into  a  bcltur 
rapidly,  and 
■.     On  hotli 
Icn  stupoii- 
9,  which  iit 
valley,  that 
I  camp.     It 
ougli — shut 
n,  the  littlf 
the    rough 
nd,  and  the 
le  grass  to- 
ncamped  in 

W  ride  this 
)  more  de- 
,  and  beforf 


HB  HKuin  liiy  on*  of  llic  dry  IwiMinii.  AHcr 
»(initi  M'ari'h,  wi<  dit('iivt>r<Ml  u  hii^h-wulrr 
outlet,  which  hront(lil  idi  in  a  fi-w  miN-n,  himI 
hy  »  lU'Mct'nt  ot'  nfvcrul  hiindnid  tii(!t.  iiiln 
anolhrr  hm^  hroad  hanin,  m  which  wii  Imind 
ihi)  lied  of  a  Htr^niu,  and  ohluint'd  tmlliciciit 
water  hy  cutting  thu  ten.  Tht)  ^raaa  on  lhi< 
liutlonit  wan  Halt  and  iin|ialalahle. 

Here  wn  concluded  the  year  |H|3,  and 
•  mr  new  year'n  evu  wan  rather  a  Khiorny 
unn.  'I'ho  result  ol' our  journey  he^an  to  ho 
vury  uncertain  ;  the  country  waa  NiuKnlarly 
unl'avorahlu  to  travel ;  the  ((■'i'*'**''*  heini; 
IrMipiently  of  a  very  iinwiioleHnnHt  idiarac- 
t«r,  and  the  hoofs  of  our  aniinaU  weru  mi 
worn  and  cut  liy  thn  rockit,  that  many  of 
them  worn  lamn,  and  could  searcely  hit  ((ot 
alonu. 

JVt'ic  Year''s  day,  IS4I. — We  continund 
down  the  valloy,  iictwuen  a  dry-lookiii|^ 
Idack  ridu;n  on  the  Infl  and  a  moru  tuiowy 
and  \\\\i\\  (inn  on  tho  ri^lit.  Our  roud  wan 
had  alonir  tlin  hottoin,  hcMiif^  hiokcn  hy  u;ui- 
lies  and  impeded  hy  sa((e,  and  Handy  on  the 
hillii,  w  here  there  is  not  a  blade  of  ({ratts, 
nor  dues  any  appear  on  the  mountains,  'I'hn 
^oil  in  many  places  consists  of  a  fine  pow- 
ijcry  Hand,  covered  with  a  saline  efllori's- 
'\e\\co  ;  and  the  general  character  of  the 
couiiiry  is  desert.  During  the  day  wo  di- 
rected ot.i*  course  towards  a  black  capo,  at 
thu  fiiot  of  v-hich  a  column  of  smoke  indi- 
rated  hot  spriLTs. 

f  iniKtrif  Si. — "  Vo  were  on  the  road  early, 
ami  the  face  of  ti.e  countrv  hidden  by  fall- 
in)jr  Huow.  We  travelled  afonx  the  bed  of 
tho  stream,  in  some  places  dry,  in  othcr.s 
eovered  with  ice  ;  the  travelliiifj  beinp  very 
bad,  through  deep  fine  sand,  rendered  teiia- 
cimi.s  by  a  mixture  of  clay.  The  weather 
cleared  up  a  little  at  noon,  and  we  reached 
the  hot  sprinifs  of  which  we  had  seen  the 
vapor  the  day  before.  There  was  a  largo 
field  of  the  usual  salt  grass  here,  peculiar  to 
such  places.  The  country  otherwise  is  a 
perfect  barren,  without  a  blade  of  grass,  the 
only  plants  being  some  dwarf  Fremontias. 
We  passed  the  rocky  cape,  a  jagged  broken 
point,  bare  and  torn.  The  rocks  are  vol- 
canic, and  the  hills  here  have  a  burnt  ap- 
pearance— cinders  and  coal  occasionally  ap- 
pearing as  at  a  blacksmith's  forge.  We 
crossed  the  large  dry  bed  af  a  muddy  lake  in 
a  southeasterly  direction,  and  encamped  at 
night  without  water  and  without  grass, 
among  sago  bushes  covered  with  snow. 
The  heavy  road  made  several  mules  give 
out  to-day  ;  and  a  horse,  which  had  made 
the  journey  from  the  States  successfully 
thus  far,  was  left  on  the  trail. 

January  3. — A  fog,  so  dense  that  we  could 
not  see  a  hundred  yards,  covered  the  coun- 
try, and  the  men  that  were  sent  out  after 
the  horses  were  bewildered  and  lost ;  and 


wo  weru  ctiMHeijuonily  detained  at  camp  un- 
til late  III  the  day.  Our  Hiiiialiun  bad  now 
beioliie    11    nerious    oili'.       We    li.id    re.iihdd 

and  mil   over   the  iiomlion  wheif,  .,< rijin 

iim  in  in 
have    found    .Slary'H 


to  the  bent  miii 


lina 
•uld 


V  pOH«Pnii|<in,  Wi<  ■-•hii 
lake  or  river.  We 
were  e\iMiriitly  on  ihii  vergr  of  Ilic  denorl 
which  had  been  re|ioiled  to  un  ;  and  tin-  ap- 
peariiiico  III'  the  country  wan  ho  rnrluilding, 
tliiil  I  w;iK  .ifr.iid  to  ruler  it,  and  ihiiiiiiined 
III  bear  away  to  the  Moiithward,  keeping 
clohc  along  the  mountuiim,  in  the  full  expeo- 
laiioii  of  reaching  llui  Miiena\eniiira  river. 
i'liiN  iiioriiiiig  I  put  every  man  iti  the  ramp 
on  loot  — niynelf,  of  coume,  luiiiiii;^  the  reat 
— and  in  this  manner  lightened  liy  ilintribu- 
tioii  the  loaiU  <if  thu  aniniiilH.  We  tniNellad 
Hcven  or  eight  niilcM  along  the  xu\\n<  border- 
ing the  valley,  and  encam|ied  wheru  there 
weii^  a  few  bunches  of  grass  on  the  bed  of 
a  lull  torrent,  without  water.  Tiiero  were 
niinie  large  arteiiuHiaM ;  but  the  principal 
(ilant.s  are  clwnopodiacoouH  shrubH.  '1  he 
rock  c'/(n|»o.>tiiig  the  mountaiiiH  is  here 
changod  suddenly  into  white  granite.  The 
fog  »iliiiwed  the  tops  of  the  htlls  at  sunset, 
and  stars  enough  for  obsisrvatioiis  in  the 
cirly  evening,  and  then  closed  over  us  as  be- 
fore.    Latitude  by  observation,  iO '  JH'  15". 

Januarif  1, — 'I'he  fog  to-day  was  still 
inoie  doii.se,  and  the  people  again  wito  bo- 
wildered.  Wo  travelled  a  few  miles  around 
tho  we.itorn  point  of  the  ridge,  and  encamp- 
ed wh(!re  there  were  a  few  tufts  of  grasa, 
but  no  water.  Our  animals  now  were  in  a 
very  alarming  state,  and  there  was  increas- 
ed anxiety  in  tho  camp. 

Januarif  5. — ^Sa^lo  dense  fog  continued, 
and  one  of  tho  mules  died  in  camp  this 
morning.  1  have  had  occasion  to  remark, 
on  such  occasions  as  these,  that  animals 
which  are  about  to  die  leave  the  band,  and, 
coming  into  the  camp,  lie  down  about  the 
fires.  We  moved  to  a  place  where  there 
was  a  little  better  grass,  about  two  niilea 
distant.  Taplin,  one  of  our  best  men,  who 
had  gone  out  on  a  scouting  excursion,  as- 
cended a  mountain  near  by,  and  to  his  great 
surprise  emerged  into  a  region  of  bright 
sunshine,  in  which  the  upper  pans  of  the 
mountain  were  glowing,  while  below  all  was 
obscured  in  the  darkest  fog. 

January  0. — The  fog  continued  the  same, 
and,  with  Mr.  Preuss  and  (-'arson,  1  as- 
cended the  mountain,  to  sketch  the  loading 
features  of  the  cuunlry,  as  some  indication 
of  our  future  route,  while  Mr.  Fif/pat'rick 
explored  tho  country  below.  In  a  veij 
short  distance  we  had  ascended  above  the 
mist,  but  the  view  obtained  was  not  very 
gratifying.  The  fog  had  partially  cleared 
off  from  below  when  we  reached  the  sum- 
mit ;  and  in  tho  awiihwest  corner  of  a  ba- 
sin communicating  with  that  in  which  w» 


W     ■ 


^ul 


I  ^1 

'  '1 


I 


ISO 


CAPT.  KU KMONT'N  NAHUATIVK. 


(It44. 


sinoki',  lA  iiiilt'N  ilmliini,  iniliciiliiit;  iIm'  |)r<'- 
MiMi('i<  of  hot  n\n\i\\in.  'I'liiTi*,  itUo,  ii|i|M>iiri'<l 
lo  Imi  thn  (Millet  III'  lIxiMt'  ilriiiiiiiit;  i-Iiiiiiim-Im 
of  the  rotinlry  ;  nml,  im  hik'Ii  plitrrn  ull'onl- 
nil  iklwayn  nioro  or  Ii*mii  KrimM,  I  ili-lcriiiini'il 
lo  Ki<>«>r  in  thni  iliriTtimi.  'I'liu  tu\u''  ^'' 
liail  iiMfiMulril  n|i|i<'iir«'il  In  Im  riiiiipoiicil  of 
iViiKtiii'iilM  (if  wliitd  ifriiniti'.  Wi<  law  hero 
IraccH  (it' iihi'(>|i  mill  iuiIc|ii|m', 

I'iiiti'rin^  lhi<  iii>i}(liliiiriii(;  Viiiicy,  uml 
rriiNNiriK  thu  lioil  of  nriiillii'r  liikc,  nl'icr  ii  liiinl 
iliiy't  Inivrl  (iv«>r  ((rniiiiil  n(  yii'litinir  iiiihI 
1111(1  Nrtnil,  wi)  ro.wihcil  ilm  H|iriiiifn,  wlicrc 
w«'  roiiiiil  iiii  uliiiiiilnni-c  (if  uriiKN.  wlucli, 
(liiMiuli  (inly  tdlcriilily  ^ond,  niaiNt  liiia  |)l:k(*i>, 
with  ii>r«>n<nr«  to  tliu  |itiiit,  ii  irl'nmliiiiK  ninl 
agri>«<uliln  Rpot. 

I'hia  iH  till*  mo.^t  I'xtraorilinury  inciiiily  of 
hot  i*|irinKii  wc  liiul  nii>t  iliirmu  tlic  joiiriify. 
Till'  liiiNtn  III'  llio  lar^'CNt  on**  lian  a  circuiii' 
rerrncti  of  aovoral  hiinilml  Tcct  ;  liiil  lln'rc 
in  at  one  extremity  a  rin*iilar  npaiT  ol' about 
fll'lccn  i'vol  in  (lianii'ttT,  entirnly  oociipii'il 
liy  tlio  boiling  wntnr.  It  boiln  np  :it  irrccfii- 
inr  intervals,  and  with  iniicli  noiNi>,  The 
water  in  clear,  ami  the  Hprini?  il«>i>p  ;  a  pnli> 
about  Hixteen  feel  lonpf  was  ciNily  inmierNi-il 
in  the  ei)ntre,  but  we  hud  no  ineanN  of  fiiriii- 
in((  a  i^oud  idea  of  the  depth.  It  wan  niir- 
ruiinded  on  the  margin  with  a  iinrder  oC 
firtrn  (^rass, and  near  the  nhorc  the  teinner- 
aturo  of  the  water  was  *.'()«  '.  We  had  no 
ineaiH  of  ascertaining  that  of  iho  centre, 
where  the  heat  was  greatest ;  hut,  by  dis- 
persing the  water  with  a  pole,  the  tempera- 
ture at  the  inarjjin  was  increased  lo  i()8  J, 
and  in  the  contra  it  was  doiibtlcss  higher. 
By  driving  »'io  pole  toward<i  the  bottom,  the 
water  waa  made  to  boil  up  with  inerea.Hed 
forco  and  noise.  There  are  several  other 
interesting  places,  where  water  and  smoke 
or  ^iXH  escape,  but  they  would  re;;uro  a 
inun  description.  The  water  is  inijirf  t^na- 
»cd  with  common  salt,  hut  not  no  in  ich  as 
to  render  it  unfit  for  (general  cooki  )f ;  and 
a  niixturo  of  snow  made  it  pleasant  to 
drink. 

Ill  the  immediate  neighborhood,  the  val- 
ley bottom  is  covered  almost  exclusively 
with  chenopodiaceous  shrubs,  of  greater 
luxuriance,  and  larger  growth,  than  wo  have 
seen  them  in  any  preceding  part  of  the 
journey. 

I  obtained  this  evening  some  astronomi- 
cal observations. 

Our  situation  now  required  caution.  In- 
eluding  those  which  gave  out  from  the  in- 
jured condition  of  their  feet,  and  those  sto- 
lon by  Indians,  we  had  lost,  since  leaving 
the  Dalles  of  the  Columbia,  fifteen  animals  ; 
and  of  these,  nine  had  been  \ct\  in  the  last 
few  days.  I  therefo(^«determined,  until 
we  should  reach  a  country  of  water  and  vee- 


elalinn,  lo  fi'ol  our  way  ahnidl,  hy  having 
the  line  of  route  i  -  plnrrd  n(iiMi<  lil'leen  nr 
twenty  inilrn  m  iidvniice,  itml  only  In  leave 
a  pr<  M'rit  incainpin'H't  when  the  pueri'tnling 
one  wan  known. 

'I'uking  with  me  (iodey  and  Carson,  I 
made  lo.ilny  a  lliiiroii|{li  explnralinn  of  llin 
ni'tghbnriii|{  valleyii,  and  loiind  in  .t  ravine 
in  the  bordering  innunluiiis  a  goml  eamp- 
ing  idace,  where  wan  water  in  spring*,  and 
a  niitneietit  ipiaiitity  ot  grass  for  a  night. 
Overshadowing  the  springs  were  nonii* 
trees  of  the  sweet  eottoii-wood, which,  nlb<r 
I  a  long  interval  of  .ibsenee,  we  saw  again 
Willi  pleasure,  regarding  them  as  hnrlungerH 
of  a  bi'tler  I'oiiiitry.  'I'o  us,  they  wi-re  e|o- 
(iiient  of  green  prairies  and  liulDilo.  We 
toiind  here  a  broad  and  |ilainly  marked  trail, 
on  which  there  wore  tracks  of  horxi-s,  and 
we  appenri'd  to  have  regained  one  of  tlit; 
ihoroughfarMt  which  pasH  hy  the  watering 
plac(>s  of  the  country.  On  the  western 
mountains  of  the  valley,  with  which  thii  of 
the  boiling  spring  conimunieatos,  wo  re> 
marked  scattr'red  cedars — probably  an  indi- 
cation that  we  were  on  the  liorderM  of  the 
limbered  region  extending  to  the  I'acilic. 
We  reached  the  camp  at  sunset,  after  a 
day's  ride  of  about  forty  miles,  'i'he  horwei 
we  rode  wi*re  in  good  order,  being  of  some 
that  were  kept  for  emergencies,  and  rarely 
used. 

.Mr.  I'reuss  had  ascended  one  of  the 
inoiiotains,  and  iiccu]>ieil  the  day  in  sketch- 
ing the  country  ;  and  Mr.  Fitxpatrick  had 
found,  a  few  miles  distant,  a  hollow  of  ex- 
cellent grass  and  pure  water,  to  which  the 
animals  were  driven,  as  I  remained  anothei 
day  to  give  them  on  o|iportunily  to  recruit 
their  strengtti.  Indians  appear  to  be  every- 
where prowling  about  like  wild  animals,  and 
thorn  is  a  fresh  trail  across  the  snow  in  the 
valley  near. 

Latitude  nf  the  boiling  springs,  -lU^  30'  16", 

On  the  9th  wo  crossed  over  to  the  cotton- 
wood  camp.  Attiong  the  shrubs  on  t!ie  hills 
were  a  few  bushes  of  cphidra  occulmlnl^/t, 
which  aflorwanis  occurred  freipiently  along 
our  road,  and,  as  usual,  the  lowlands  were 
(fbcupied  with  urtemisia.  While  the  party 
proceeded  to  this  place,  Carson  and  njyseff 
reconnoitred  tho  road  in  advance,  and  found 
another  good  encampment  for  the  following 
day. 

January  10. — We  continued  our  recon- 
noissance  ahead,  pursuing  a  south  direction 
in  tho  basin  along  the  ridge  ;  the  camp  fol- 
lowing slowly  after.  On  a  largo  trail  there 
is  never  any  doubt  of  finding  suitable  places 
for  encampments.  We  reached  the  end  of 
the  basin,  where  we  found,  in  a  hollow  of 
the  mountain  which  enclosed  it,  an  abun- 
dance of  good  bunch  grass.  Leaving  a  sig- 
nal for  thu  party  to  encamp,  we  continued 


[IMI. 


\Hi\ 


CAPT    I'HKMONT.S  NAUHATIVK. 


181 


our  wny  up  thn  hollow,  inti'iiiliiic  tn  arf 
what  iity  IwynntI  tho  inDiiiiiuirr,  I'lifl  HdI 
low  wan  ■rvniAl  rnili'x  lim^,  iDriiiitiK  a  uood 
|KMa,  lli<<  aiKiw  tlr('|ii>iiiiiK  lo  iilmiit  ^  toot  im 
wii  iK'iri-it  ihi>  Hiiriiinii  ll(<\(in<l,  a  ilrlUi' 
l)4'l\\('<Mi  till'  iiioiiiiliiiim  ijcoi'niiii'il  rn|iii|lv 
iImkiI  tMo  thiiiiMitiiil  U'vl  ;  mill,  (illiii^  ti|>  till 
ilio  lower  Mptiri'.  WAN  II  n\\rt)\  of  uri'ri.  wa- 
ter, Moiiir  twrriiy  niiii'it  hroail  It  lirok'*  ii|i- 
iin  (Mir  I  y*'i<  liko  tli*'  ocriin,  'i'|ii>  nn^liJKtr- 
iii((  |ii'iikN  roau  IiIkIi  iil)ovi*  iia,  luiil  wu  na- 
iiMitlcfl  on<<  of  (li«'ni  to  oliiiiiii  II  Itotiiir  view. 
Thf  wtivra  w«rr  curlitiK  in  Ihii  hrci'Xt't  ntiil 
ilii'ir  )liirk-({roi>n  color  mIiowciI  it  to  li«>  ii 
liody  ot'  itorp  wntrr.  For  i\  loti^  tiiiii<  wr 
Mat  enjoying  tlio  view,  for  wi>  tiiul  lirconH' 
fati|;ii''<l  v^i'h  mouiitainN,  niiil  tlut  fri'i;  i>x- 

Iianar  of  movini^  wiivra  wiin  very  ^^rati'fiil. 
t  wan  M't  like  a  irnn  iii  lli)>  niounlaiiia, 
wliii'li,  from  our  |ioMiiioii,  mtiiumI  to  i'tic'.o«e 
il  aliiioKt  ('iitirfly.  At  thr  wi'Hicrii  i>ii<l  it 
roiiiiiiiinu'ati'd  with  tli«<  liiiu  of  Iiuhiiih  wc 
liail  li'H  n  few  daya  hIiicc  ;  aiid  oti  tho  op- 
|ioHil(*  N.  lu  it  ttwciit  a  riil^ro  of  otiowy  tiiniin- 
iain«.  thi!  fool  of  llic  jfrciit  Sii-rra.  (tn  po- 
sition at  firnt  inclined  iim  to  liclim-o  it  Mary'a 
lake,  l)Ut  till)  rii((u<)d  tnoiinlaiim  wuro  ko  oiw 
lirely  dtm'ordanl  with  doNeri|itionM  of  itn  low 
rush)  MlinrcB  and  oiicn  country,  thai  \\v 
concliiilcd  it  Boinu  unknown  hody  of  water  ; 
whicii  it  afterwards  proved  to  he. 

On  our  road  down,  ihe  next  day,  we  hhw 
liertiN  of  iiioiintaiii  ithccp,  and  eiicaniped  on 
a  little  ntreani  at  ihe  inniith  of  the  defile, 
about  a  niilo  from  the  margin  of  the  \.  ater, 
tu  which  wo  hurried  down  iinint  li.aely. 
The  water  Ih  so  slii^htly  Halt,  that,  at  fir^t, 
wo  tliou),'hl  it  freuh,  and  wmild  lie  plGasaiit 
tu  drink  when  no  other  could  he  had.  The 
shore  waa  rocky — a  handaome  beach,  which 
reminded  us  of  the  seu.  On  some  hruv 
granilr  boulders  that  wcr«  scattered  about 
the  shore,  I  remarked  a  coaling  of  a  calca- 
reous 8ub8tance,  in  some  places  u  few  inch- 
es and  in  others  a  foot  in  thickncHs.  Near 
our  camp,  the  hills,  which  were  of  primitive 
rock,  were  also  covered  with  this  substance, 
which  was  in  loo  great  (piantity  on  the 
mountains  along  the  shore  of  tho  lake  to 
have  been  deposited  by  water,  and  has  the 
appearance  of  having  been  spread  over  the 
rocks  in  mass.* 

*  Tho  label  attached  to  a  specimen  of  this 

rock  WBH  loflt ;  but  I  append  an  analyais  of  that 

whiih,  from  memory,  I  judge  to  bo  the  Hpcci- 

men . 

Carbonate  of  lime    ....       77.31 

Carbanate  of  magnesia  5.25 

Oxide  of  iron l.GO 

Alumina 1.05 

Silica 8.55 

Organic  matter,  water,  and  loss  6.24 


100.00 


Where  wn  had  li.tlleil,  aj>p><ar«<d  to  he  a 
f.tvorile  eniiipin|{  jdarr  for  Indiann. 

Jiinunry  IH. — \Ve  followid  w^wm  abroad 
IimIiiiii  trail  aloii^  ihn  iihiirn  o|  the  laki«  to 
the  Houthward.  h'or  n  Hhnit  Npticp  wi*  had 
room  rnouuh  in  the  boliom  ;  but,  after  trav- 
i'lliii({  a  ^tinrl  diatanee,  thr  water  *iMept  the 
loot  of  the  preciiitloiin  mountains,  the  peaki 
of  which  are  ubniit  II.OOO  feel  iiltose  the 
lake.  Tlie  trail  wound  aloii((  the  liaNO  of 
iheio'  |ireeipiei«a,  against  whieh  the  water 
duNhed  below,  by  a  wny  nearly  ini|>raeiiea" 
hie  lor  the  lio»it/.er.  Ihiriiiif  a  urealir  part 
of  the  mortiiii;(  the  lake  \mim  near!)  IimI  by  a 
niiow  niorni,  and  the  wavcN  hmke  on  the 
narrow  beach  in  a  loni;  line  of  foaiiiiiig  turf, 
five  or  Hix  feet  high,  'i'be  day  wan  iin- 
pleaNantly  cold,  the  wind  driving  the  Know 
nharp  againnt  our  faeen  ;  and,  having  ad- 
vanired  only  about  \'i  miles,  Wii  eneainpod 
III  a  boltoin  formed  by  a  ravine,  covered 
with  goodagraKM,  whieli  wat  frenh  and  green. 

We  did  not  gel  the  howitaer  into  eainp, 
but  were  obhgcil  to  leave  it  on  Ilit!  rorka 
until  morning.  We  saw  ^ev(!ral  llocki  of 
hiieep,  but  did  not  mieceed  in  killing  any. 
DiieliM  were  riding  on  the  waven,  and  mot- 
era!  large  fish  were  neiMi.  'I'be  mountain 
MidcH  were  crimted  with  the  caleareoiiH  ce- 
ment pri'viously  mentioned.  There  wero 
eheno|iodiaceouB  and  other  HhriibH  along  the 
beach  ;  and,  at  the  foot  of  the  rocks,  an 
al)undaiice  of  rphrdiit  orritlcutnli.i,  whose 
(lark-green  color  makes  them  evergreens 
among  the  shrubby  growth  of  tho  lake. 
Towanls  evening  the  snow  began  to  fall 
heavily,  and  tho  country  had  a  wintry  ap- 
pearance. 

Tho  next  morning  tho  snow  was  rapidly 
melting  under  a  warm  sun.  Part  of  the 
morning  was  occupied  in  bringing  up  the 
gun  ;  and,  making  only  nine  miles,  we  en- 
camped on  the  shore,  opposite  a  very  re- 
markable rock  in  tho  lake,  which  had  at- 
tracted our  attention  for  many  miles.  It 
rose,  according  to  our  estimate,  ftOO  feet 
above  tho  water ;  and,  from  the  point  we 
viewed  it,  presented  a  pretty  exact  outline 
of  the  great  pyramid  of  (Jheops.  Like 
other  rocks  along  the  shore,  it  bccmed  to 
1)0  incrusted  with  calcareous  cement.  This 
striking  feature  suggested  a  name  for  the 
lake  ;  and  I  called  it  Pyramid  lake  ;  and 
though  it  may  he  deemed  by  some  a  fanciful 
resemblance,  I  can  undertake  to  say  that 
the  future  traveller  will  find  much  more 
striking  resemblance  between  this  rock  and 
the  pyramids  of  Kgypt,  than  ti;i  lo  in  be- 
tween them  and  the  object  from  which  they 
take  their  name. 

The  elevation  of  this  lako  above  the  sea 
is  4,890  feet,  being  nearly  700  feet  higher 
than  the  Great  Salt  lake,  from  whicli  it  lie* 
nearly  west,  and  distant  about  eight  degre«■^ 


■* 


f 


•1 


I- 

■X 


' .  K* 


J 

ii 


139 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1844. 


of  longitude.  Tito  position  and  elevation 
of  this  lake  make  it  an  object  of  (,riu)(^raplii- 
cal  intcr^at.  It  is  the  nearest  hiku  to  the 
wcHtern  rim,  as  the  Great  Salt  lako  is  to 
the  eastern  rim,  of  the  (I rout  HaMJn  which 
lies  between  the  base  of  iho  Itocky  moun- 
tains and  the  Sierra  Nevada ;  and  the  ex- 
tent and  character  of  which,  its  whole  cir- 
cuinfercncc  and  contents,  it  ia  so  desirable 
to  know. 

Tiie  last  of  the  cattle  which  had  been 
driven  from  the  Dalles  was  killed  hero  for 
food,  and  was  still  in  good  comlitioii. 

January  15. — A  few  poor-loukinif  Indians 
made  their  appearance  this  morning,  and 
we  succeeded  in  gettinfj  one  into  the  camp. 
lie  was  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a  tu- 
nic of  hare  skins.  He  told  us  that  there 
was  a  river  at  the  end  of  the  lake,  but  that 
he  lived  in  the  rocks  near  by.  From  the; 
few  words  our  people  could  understand,  he 
i>pokc  a  dialect  of  the  Snake  langiiage  ;  but 
we  were  not  able  to  understand  en- ugh  to 
know  whether  the  river  ran  in  or  out,  or 
what  was  its  courps  ;  consequently,  there 
still  remained  a  chance  that  this  might  be 
Mary's  lake. 

Groves  of  large  cotton-wood,  which  we 
could  see  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  indica- 
ted that  it  was  a  stream  of  considerable 
size  ;  and,  at  all  events,  wc  had  the  pleasure 
to  know  that  now  wo  were  in  a  country 
where  human  beings  could  live.  Accom- 
panied by  the  Indian,  we  resumed  our  road, 
passing  on  the  way  several  caves  in  the 
rock  where  there  were  baskets  and  seeds  ; 
but  the  people  had  disappeared.  We  saw 
also  horse  tracks  along  the  shore. 

Early  in  the  afternoon,  when  wc  were 
approaching  the  groves  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  three  or  four  Indians  met  us  on  the 
trail.  We  had  an  explanatory  conversation 
in  signs,  and  then  moved  on  together  to- 
wards the  village,  which  the  chief  said  was 
encamped  on  the  bottom. 

Reaching  the  groves,  we  found  the  inlet 
of  a  large  fresh-water  stream,  and  ail  at 
once  were  satisfied  that  it  was  neither 
Mary's  river  nor  the  waters  of  the  Sacra- 
mento, but  that  we  had  discovered  a  large 
interior  lake,  which  the  Indians  informed 
us  had  no  outlet.  It  is  about  35  miles  long  ; 
and,  by  the  mark  of  the  water  line  along  the 
shores,  the  spriug  level  is  about  )2  feet 
above  its  present  waters.  The  chief  com- 
menced speaking  in  a  loud  voice  as  we  ap- 
proached ;  and  parties  of  Indians  armed 
with  bows  a  .d  arrows  issued  from  the 
thickets.  We  selected  a  strong  place  for 
our  encampment — a  grassy  bottom,  nea-ly 
onclosed  by  the  river,  and  furnished  with 
i.bundant  firewood.  The  village,  a  collec- 
aon  of  straw  huts,  was  a  few  hundred  yards 
higher  up.    An  Indian  brought  in  a  large 


fish  to  trade,  which  wu  had  the  iiiuxpresMible 
Matisfaclion  to  find  was  a  salmon  trout;  we 
gathered  round  hi  i  eagerly.  The  Indians 
were  amused  with  our  delight,  and  imme- 
diately brought  in  niimbers ;  so  that  the 
camp  was  soon  stocked.  Their  flavor  waa 
excellent — superior,  in  fact,  to  that  of  any 
fish  I  have  ever  known.  Thoy  wero  of 
extraordinary  size — about  as  large  as  the 
Columbia  river  salmon — generally  from  two 
to  four  feet  in  length.  From  the  informa- 
tion of  Mr.  Walker,  who  passed  among 
some  lakes  lying  more  to  the  eastward,  th's 
fish  is  common  to  the  streams  of  the  inland 
lakes.  He  subsoquently  informed  mo  that 
he  hud  obtained  tiicm  weighing  six  pounds 
when  cleaned  and  the  head  taken  otV;  which 
corresponds  very  well  with  the  size  of  those 
obtained  at  this  place.  They  doubtless 
formed  the  subsistence  of  these  people,  who 
hold  the  fishery  in  exclusive  possession. 

I  remarked  that  one  of  them  gave  a  fish 
to  the  Indian  we  had  first  seen,  which  he 
carried  off  to  h.j  family.  To  them  it  was 
probably  a  feast ;  being  of  the  Digger  tribe, 
and  having  no  share  in  the  fishery,  living 
generally  on  seeds  and  roots.  Although 
this  was  a  time  of  the  year  when  the  fish 
have  not  yet  become  fat,  they  were  excel- 
lent, and  we  could  only  imagine  what  they 
are  at  the  proper  season.  These  Indi-ins 
were  very  fat,  and  appeared  to  live  an  easy 
and  happy  life.  They  crowded  into  the 
camp  mo.'c  than  was  consistent  with  our 
safety,  retaining  always  their  arms  ;  and,  as 
they  made  some  unsatisfactory  demonstra- 
tions, they  were  given  to  understand  that 
they  would  not  be  permitted  to  come  armed 
into  the  camp  ;  and  strong  guards  were  kept 
with  the  horses.  Strict  vigilance  was  main- 
lai.ied  among  the  people,  and  one-third  at  a 
tin  0  were  kept  on  guard  during  the  night. 
There  is  no  reason  to  donbi  that  these  dis- 
positions, uniformly  preserved,  conducted 
our  party  securely  through  Indians  famed 
for  treachery. 

In  the  mean  time,  such  a  salmon-trout 
feast  as  is  seldom  seen  was  going  on  in  our 
camp  ;  and  every  variety  of  manner  in  which 
fish  could  be  prepared — boiled,  fried,  and 
roasted  in  the  ashes — was  put  ir  .o  requisi- 
tion ;  and  every  few  minutes  an  Indian 
would  be  seen  running  off  to  spear  a  fresh 
one.  Whether  these  Indians  had  seen 
whites  before,  we  could  not  be  certain  ;  but 
they  were  evidently  in  communication  with 
others  who  had,  as  one  of  them  had  some 
brass  buttons,  and  we  noticed  several  other 
articles  of  civilized  manufacture.  We  cculd 
obtain  from  them  but  little  information  re- 
specting the  country.  They  made  on  the 
ground  a  drawing  of  ihe  river,  which  ihey 
represented  as  issuing  from  another  lake  in 
the  mourlains  three  or  four  days  distantiin 


[1844. 

l>i('ssible 

rout ;   we 

Indiana 

I   iiiime- 

thiit  tho 

•ivor  wan 

t  of  any 

wero   of 

e  aa  tho 

from  two 

in  forma- 

I    amon{{ 

rard,  tlrs 

ic  inland 

inu  that 


1844.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


iti 


a  direction  a  little  west  of  south  :  beyond 
which,  they  drew  a  mountain ;  and  further 
still,  two  rivers  ;  on  one  of  which  they  told 
us  that  people  like  ourselves  travelled. 
Whether  they  alluded  to  the  settlements  on 
tho  Sacramento,  or  to  a  party  from  the 
Tnited  States  which  had  crossed  the  Sierra 
iihout  three  degrees  to  the  southward,  a  few 
years  since,  I  am  unable  to  determine. 

I  tried  unRuccossfully  to  prev.iil  on  some 
of  them  to  guide  us  for  a  few  days  on  the 
road,  but  they  only  looked  at  each  other  and 
laughed. 

Tlie  latitude  of  our  encampment,  which 
may  be  considered  the  mouth  of  the  inlet, 
is  39^  51'  13"  by  our  observations. 

January  16. — This  morning  we  continued 
our  journey  along  this  beautiful  stream, 
which  we  naturally  called  the  Salmon  Trout 
river.  Large  trails  led  up  on  cither  side  ; 
the  stream  was  handsomely  timbered  with 
large  cotton-woods ;  and  the  waters  weie 
very  clear  and  pure.  We  were  travelling 
along  the  mountains  of  the  great  Sierra, 
which  rose  on  our  right,  covered  with  snow  ; 
but  below  the  temperature  was  mild  and 
pleasant.  We  saw  a  number  of  dams  which 
the  Indians  had  construe  led  to  catch  fish. 
After  having  made  about  18  miles,  we  en- 
camped under  some  large  cotton-woods  on 
the  river  bottom,  where  there  was  tolerably 
good  grass. 

Januaru  ^7. — This  morning  we  left  the 
river,  winch  here  issues  from  the  moun- 
tains on  the  west.  With  every  stream  I 
now  expected  to  see  the  great  Buenaven- 
tura :  and  Carson  huiried  eagerly  to  search, 
on  every  one  we  rf-ached,  for  beaver  cut- 
tings, which  he  always  maintained  we 
should  And  only  on  waters  that  ran  to 
the  Pacific  ;  anc'  the  absence  of  such  signs 
was  to  him  a  ^ure  indication  that  the  water 
had  no  outlet  from  the  great  basin.  We 
followed  the  Indian  trail  through  a  tolera- 
bly level  country,  with  small  sage  bushes, 
which  brought  us,  after  30  niles  journey, 
to  another  large  stream,  timbered  with 
cotton-wcod,  and  flowing  also  out  of  the 
mounta;ns,  but  running  more  directly  to  the 
eastwarr!. 

On  the  way  we  surprised  a  family  of 
Indians  in  the  hills  ;  but  the  man  ran  up 
the  mountain  with  rapidity  ;  and  the  woman 
was  so  terrified,  and  kept  up  such  a  con- 
tinued screaming,  that  we  could  do  noth- 
ing with  her,  and  were  obliged  to  let 
her  go. 

January  18. — TheiP  -.vere  Indian  lodj^es 
and  fish  dams  on  the  stream.  There  were 
no  beaver  cuttings  on  the  river  ;  but  below, 
it  turned  round  to  the  right ;  and,  hoping 
that  it  would  prove  a  branch  of  the  Buena- 
ventura, we  followed  it  down  for  about 
three  hours,  and  encamped. 


I  rod?  out  with  Mr.  Filzpulrick  and  Car- 
son to  reconnoitre  the  country,  which  had 
evidently  been  alarmed  by  llie  news  of  cur 
appearance.  This  stream  joined  with  the 
open  valley  of  another  to  tlio  eastward  ;  but 
which  way  the  main  water  ran,  it  was  im- 
possible to  tell.  Coluiiin.s  of  smoke  rose 
over  tiie  country  at  scattered  intervals — 
signals  liy  which  the  Indians  here,  as  else- 
where, communicate  to  each  other  that 
enemies  are  in  the  country.  It  is  a  signal 
of  ancient  and  very  uni\ersul  application 
among  barbarians. 

Examining  into  the  condition  of  the  ani- 
mals when  I  returned  into  the  camp,  I 
found  their  feet  so  much  cut  up  by  the 
rocks,  and  so  many  of  them  lame,  that  it 
was  evidently  impossible  that  they  could 
cross  the  country  to  the  Rocky  mountains. 
Every  piece  of  iron  that  could  be  used  for 
the  purpose  had  been  converted  info  nails, 
and  we  could  make  no  further  us>i  of  the 
shoes  we  had  remaining.  I  therefoie  de- 
termined to  abandon  my  eastern  coi.rse, 
and  to  cross  the  Sierra  Nevada  iaio  the 
valley  of  tiie  Sacramento,  wiierever  a  prac- 
ticable pass  could  be  found.  My  decision 
was  heard  with  joy  by  the  people,  and  dif- 
fused new  life  throughout  the  camp. 

Latitude,  by  observation,  39°  24'  16". 

January  19. — A  great  number  of  smokes 
are  still  viaible  this  morning,  attesting  at 
once  the  alarm  which  our  appearance  had 
spread  among  these  people,  and  their  igno- 
rance of  us.  If  they  knew  tho  whites, 
they  would  understand  that  their  only 
object  in  coming  among  (hem  was  to  trade, 
which  required  peace  and  friendship  ;  but 
they  have  nothing  to  trade — consequently, 
nothing  to  attract  the  white  man  ;  hence 
their  fear  and  flight. 

At  daybreak  we  had  ii  heavy  snow  ;  but 
sat  out,  and,  returning  u))  the  stream,  wont 
out  of  our  way  in  a  circuit  over  a  little 
mountain  ;  and  encamped  on  the  same 
stream,  a  few  miles  above,  in  latitude  39° 
19'  21"  by  observation. 

January  20. — To-day  we  continued  up 
the  stream,  and  encamped  on  it  close  to  the 
mountains.  The  freshly  fallen  snow  was 
covered  with  the  tracks  of  Indians,  who 
had  descended  from  the  upper  \.'aters,  prob- 
ably called  down  by  the  smokes  in  tlie 
plain. 

We  ascended  a  peak  of  the  range,  which 
commanded  a  view  of  this  stream  behind 
the  first  ridge,  where  it  was  winding  its 
course  through  a  somewhat  open  'valley, 
and  I  sometimes  regret  that  I  did  not  make 
the  trial  to  cross  here  ;  but  whil  we  had 
fair  weather  below,  the  mountu^ns  were 
darkened  with  falling  snow,  and,  feeling  un- 
willing to  encounter  them,  we  turned  away 
again  to  the  southward.     In  that  direction 


w 


if 


m 


■I 


'A 

•a '  f! 


131 


CAIT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1844. 


p   ' 


we  travollfd  tlu;  next  dny  over  a  tolerably 
level  country,  i.  ■iiip  always  tlio  high 
mountains  on  tho  west.  There  was  but 
little  Know  or  rock  on  the  pround  ;  and, 
after  huving:  travelled  21  miles,  we  en- 
camped aijain  on  another  large  stream, 
running  off  to  the  northward  and  eastward, 
to  meet  that  wo  hail  left.  It  ran  through 
broad  bottoms,  having  a  fine  meadow-land 
appearance. 

I-aliliulc  30^  or  53". 

./(Diuiiri/  20. — We  travelled  up  the  stream 
for  about  11  miles  to  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain.s,  from  which  one  branch  issued  in  the 
southwest,  the  other  flowing  from  SSE. 
along  their  base.  Leaving  the  camp  be- 
low, we  ascended  the  range  through  which 
the  first  stream  passed,  in  a  cafion ;  on  the 
western  side  was  a  circular  valley,  about 
15  miles  long,  through  which  the  stream 
wound  its  way,  issuinr  from  a  gorge  in  the 
muin  mountain,  which  rose  abruptly  beyond. 
The  valley  looked  yellow  with  faded  grass  ; 
and  the  tiail  we  had  followed  was  visible, 
making  towards  the  gorge,  and  this  was 
evidently  a  pass  ;  bat  again,  while  all  was 
bright  sunshine  oa  the  ridge  and  on  the 
valley  where  we  were,  the  snow  was 
falling  heavily  in  the  mountains.  I  de- 
termined to  go  still  to  Itie  southward,  and 
encamped  on  the  stream  near  the  forks  ; 
the  animals  being  fatigued  and  the  grass 
tolerably  good. 

The  rock  of  the  ridge  we  had  ascended 
is  a  compact  lava,  assuming  a  granitic  ^- 
pearance  and  structure,  and  containing,  in 
.some  places,  small  nodules  of  ob&idian.  So 
far  as  composition  and  aspect  are  concerned, 
the  rock  in  other  parts  of  the  ridge  appears 
to  be  granite  ;  but  it  is  probable  that  this  is 
only  a  compact  form  of  lava  of  recent  ori- 
gin". 

By  observation,  the  elevation  of  the  en- 
campment was  5,020  feet ;  and  the  latitude 
S80  40'  54". 

January  23. — We  moved  along  the  course 
of  the  other  branch  towards  the  southeast, 
the  country  affording  a  fine  road  ;  and,  pass- 
ing some  slight  dividing  grounds,  descended 
towards  the  valley  of  another  stream.  There 
was  a  somewhat  rough-looking  mountain 
ahead,  \vhich  it  appeared  to  issue  from,  or 
to  enter — we  could  not  tell  which ;  and  as 
the  course  of  the  valley  and  the  inclination 
of  the  ground  had  a  favorable  direction,  we 
were  sanguine  to  find  here  a  branch  of  thd 
Buenaventura  ;  but  were  again  disappointed, 
finding  it  an  inland  water,  on  which  we  en- 
camped after  a  day's  journey  of  24  miles. 
It  was  evident  that,  from  the  time  we  de- 
scended into  the  plain  at  Summer  lake,  we 
had  been  flanking  the  great  range  of  moun- 
tains which  divided  the  Great  Basin  from 
the  wat«rB  of  the  Pacific  ;  and  that  the  con- 


tinued succession,  and  almost  connection, 
of  lakeo  and  rivers  which  we  encountered, 
were  t'.ie  drainings  of  that  range.  Its  rains, 
springs,  and  snows,  would  sufficiently  ac- 
cotmt  fur  these  lakes  and  streams,  numerous 
as  they  were. 

January  '2i. — A  man  was  discovered  run- 
ning towiiids  the  camp  as  we  were  about  to 
start  this  morning,  who  proved  to  Le  an  In- 
dian of  rather  advanced  age — a  sort  of  for- 
lorn hope,  who  seemed  to  have  been  worked 
up  into  the  resolution  of  visiting  the  stran- 
gers who  were  passing  through  the  country. 
He  seized  the  hand  of  the  first  man  he  met 
as  he  came  up,  out  of  breath,  and  held  on, 
as  if  to  assure  himself  of  protection.  He 
brought  with  him  in  a  little  «k'r.  bag  a  few- 
pounds  of  the  ppfids  of  a  pine  tree,  which 
to-day  we  saw  for  the  first  time,  and  whicii 
Dr.  Torrcy  has  described  as  a  new  jecies, 
under  the  name  of  pinus  monophyllus ;  in 
popular  language,  it  might  be  called  the  nut 
pine.  We  purchased  them  all  from  him. 
Tlie  nut  is  oily,  of  very  agreeable  ll^vi  r, 
and  must  be  very  nutritious,  Uo  i!  rr'Stii.  •  :; 
the  principal  subsistence  of  the  trib^  ,;"  ; 
which  we  were  now  travelling.  By  a  jaes- 
ent  of  scarlet  cloth,  and  other  striking  arti- 
cles, we  prevailed  upon  tiii?  nian  to  be  ouv 
guide  of  two  days'  journey.  As  clearly  as 
possible  by  signs,  we  made  him  understand 
our  object ;  and  he  engaged  to  conduct  us 
in  si/ht  jf  a  good  pass  which  he  knew. 
Her:  we  ceased  to  hear  the  Shoshonee  lan- 
guage— that  of  this  man  being  perfectly 
unintelligible.  Several  Indians,  who  had 
been  waiting  to  see  what  reception  he  would 
meet  with,  now  came  into  camp  ;  and,  ac- 
companied by  the  new-comers,  we  resumed 
our  journey. 

The  road  led  us  up  thr  creek,  Ayhich  here 
becomes  a  rather  rapid  mountain  stream, 
fifty  feet  wide,  between  dark-looking  hills 
without  snow  ;  but  immediately  beyond  them 
rose  snowy  mountains  on  either  side,  tim- 
bered principally  with  the  nut  pine.  On  the 
lower  grounds,  the  general  height  of  this 
tree  is  twelve  to  twenty  feet,  and  eight 
inches  the  greatest  diameter  ;  it  is  rather 
branching,  and  has  a  pecul'--  -"nd  singular 
but  pleasant '.  dor.  We  folk.  .  od  the  river 
for  only  a  short  distance  along  a  rocky  trail, 
and  crossed  it  at  a  dam  which  the  Indians 
made  us  <7omprehend  had  been  built  to  catch 
salmon  trout.  The  snow  and  ice  were 
heaped  up  against  it  three  or  four  feet  deep 
entirely  across  the  stream. 

Leaving  here  the  stream,  which  runs 
through  impassable  cafions,  we  continued 
our  road  over  a  very  broken  country,  pass- 
ing through  a  low  gap  between  the  snowy 
mountains.  The  rock  which  occurs  imme- 
diately in  tiie  pass  has  the  appearance  of 
impure  sandstone,  containing  i^cales  of  black 


[1844. 


1844.1 


CAPT.  FUKMONTS  WUU.VTIVK. 


136 


f 


mica.  Thia  may  be  only  a  stratifieii  lava.  I 
On  issuing  from  the  gap,  the  compact  hiva, 
and  other  volcanic  products  usual  in  the 
country,  aijiain  occurred.  We  descended 
from  the  gap  into  a  wide  valley,  or  rather 
liasin,  and  encamped  on  a  small  tributary  to 
the  last  stream,  on  which  there  was  very 
^'00(1  grass.  It  was  covered  with  suchtli;ck 
ice,  that  it  recpiired  some  labor  with  pick- 
axes to  make  holes  for  the  animals  to  drink. 
I'he  banks  are  lightly  wooded  with  willow, 
and  on  the  upper  bottoms  are  sage  and  Fre- 
montia  with  ephedra  occidentalism  which  be- 
gins to  occur  more  frequently.  The  day 
has  been  a  summer  one,  warm  and  pleasant ; 
no  snow  on  the  trail,  which,  as  we  are  all 
on  foot,  makes  travelling  more  agreeable. 
The  hunters  went  into  the  neighboring 
mountains,  but  found  no  game.  We  have 
five  Indians  in  camp  to-night. 

January  25. — The  morning  was  cold  and 
bright,  and  as  the  sun  rose  the  day  became 
beautiful.  A  party  of  twelve  Indians  came 
down  from  the  mountains  to  trade  pine  nuts, 
of  which  each  one  carried  a  little  bag. 
These  seemed  now  to  be  the  staple  of  the 
country  ;  and  whenever  we  met  an  Indian, 
his  friendly  salutation  consisted  in  ofl'ering 
a  few  nuts  to  eat  and  to  trade  :  their  only 
arms  were  bows  and  flint-pointed  arrows. 
It  appeared  that  in  almost  all  the  valleys  the 
neighboring  bands  were  at  war  with  each 
other ;  and  we  had  some  difficulty  in  pre- 
vailing on  our  guides  to  accompany  us  on 
this  day's  journey,  being  at  war  with  the 
people  on  the  other  side  of  a  large  snowy 
mountain  which  lay  before  us. 

The  general  level  of  the  country  appear- 
ed to  be  getting  higher,  and  we  were  gradu- 
ally entering  the  heart  of  the  mountains. 
Accompanied  by  all  the  Indians,  we  asc  >  '.- 
ed  a  long  ridge,  and  reached  a  pure  spring 
at  the  edge  of  the  timber,  where  the  In- 
dians had  waylaid  and  killed  an  antelope, 
;nd  where  the  grepter  part  of  them  left  us. 
Our  pacific  conduct  had  quieted  their  alarms ; 
and  though  at  war  among  each  other,  yet 
all  confided  in  us — thank.^  to  the  combined 
efieots  of  power  and  kindne.^ — for  our  arnas 
inbj  ,i<  d  respect,  and  our  little  presents  and 
good  treatment  conoiliated  tht:ir  confidence. 
Here  we  suddenly  entered  snov  six  inches 
deep,  and  the  ground  was  a  little  iOcky  with 
volcanic  fragments,  the  mountain  appearing 
to  be  composed  of  such  rock.  The  timber 
consists  principally  of  nut  pines,  {pinus  mo- 
nophyllus,)  which  here  are  of  larger  size — 
12  to  15  inches  in  diameter;  heapsof  cones 
lying  on  the  ground,  where  the  Indians 
hare  gathered  the  seeds. 

The  snow  deepened  gradually  as  wc  ad- 
vanced. Our  guides  wore  out  their  mocca- 
sins ;  and,  putting  one  of  them  on  a  horse, 
we  enjoyed  the  unusual  sight  of  an  Indian 


who  could  not  ride.  He  could  not  even 
guide  the  animal,  and  appeared  to  have  no 
knowledge  of  horses.  The  snow  was  three 
or  four  feet  deep  in  the  summit  of  the  pass  : 
and  from  this  pomt  the  guide  pointed  out 
our  future  road,  declining  to  go  any  further. 
Helow  us  was  a  little  valley  ;  and  beyond 
Miis  the  mountains  ruse  higher  still,  one 
ridge  above  another,  present mg  a  rude  and 
rocky  outline.  Wo  'kscendud  rapidly  to 
the  valley  ;  the  snow  impeded  us  but  little  ; 
yet  it  was  dark  when  we  reached  the  foot 
of  the  mountain. 

The  day  had  been  so  warm,  that  our  moc- 
casins were  wet  with  melting  snow ;  but 
here,  as  soon  as  the  sun  begins  to  decline, 
the  air  gets  suddenly  cold,  and  we  had  great 
difficulty  to  keep  our  feet  from  freezings 
our  moccasins  being  frozen  pi^rfectly  stiff. 
After  a  hard  day's  march  of  27  miles,  we 
reached  the  river  some  tin.a  after  dark,  and 
found  the  snow  about  a  foot  deep  on  the 
bottom — the  river  being  entirely  frozen  over. 
We  found  a  comfortable  camp,  wh'^ve  there 
were  dry  willows  abundant,  and  we  soon 
had  blazing  fires.  A  little  brandy,  which  I 
husbanded  with  great  care,  remained,  and  I 
do  not  know  any  inedicinc  more  salutary,  or 
any  drink  (except  coffee)  more  agreeable, 
than  this  in  a  cold  night  after  a  hard  day's 
march.  Mr.  Preuss  questioned  whether  the 
lamed  nectar  even  possessed  so  exquisite  a 
flavor.  All  felt  it  to  be  a  reviving  cordial, 
rhe  next  morning,  when  the  sun  had  not 
yet  risen  over  'he  mountains,  the  thermom- 
eter was  2^  below  zero  ;  but  the  sky  was 
bright  and  pure,  and  the  weather  changed 
rapidly  into  a  pleasant  day  of  summer.  I 
remained  encamped,  in  order  to  exumine  the 
country,  and  allow  the  animals  a  day  of  rest, 
the  grass  being  good  and  abundant  under 
the  snow. 

The  river  is  fifty  to  eighty  feet  wide, 
with  a  lively  current,  and  very  clear  water. 
It  forked  a  little  above  our  camp,  one  of  its 
branches  coming  directly  from  the  south. 
At  its  head  appeared  to  be  a  liandscjiiie  pass  ; 
and  from  the  neighboring  heights  we  could 
see,  beyond,  a  comparatively  low  and  open 
country,  which  was  oupposed  to  form  the 
valley  of  the  Buenaventura.  The  other 
branch  issued  from  a  nearer  pass,  in  a 
direction  S.  75°  W.,  forking  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountain,  and  receiving  part  of  its 
waters  from  a  little  lake.  I  was  in  advance 
of  the  camp  when  our  last  guides  had  lei't 
us  ;  but,  so  far  as  could  be  understood,  this 
was  the  pass  which  they  had  indicated,  and, 
in  company  with  'arson,  to-day  I  set  out  to 
explore  it.  Entering  the  range,  we  con- 
tinued in  a  northwesterly  direction  up  the 
vallej ,  which  here  bent  to  the  right.  It 
was  a  pretty,  open  bottom,  locked  between 
lofty  mountains,   which   supplied   frequent 


.r 


136 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  N4.RRATIVE. 


[1844. 


streams  as  wo  advanced.  On  tho  lower 
part  they  wore  covorod  wiih  nut-pino  trees, 
and  above  with  masses  of  pine,  which  we 
eaaily  recopniscd,  from  tho  darker  color  of 
the  foliage.  From  tiic  fresh  trails  which 
oecnrred  frequently  during  tho  morning, 
deur  appeared  to  he  remarkably  numerous 
in  the  mountain. 

Wo  had  now  entirely  left  tho  desert 
countiy,  and  were  cm  the  vergo  of  a  region 
which,  extending  westward  to  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific,  abounds  in  largo  game,  and  is 
covered  with  a  singular  luxuriance  of  vege- 
table life. 

The  little  stream  prew  vapidly  smaller, 
and  in  about  twelve  miles  we  had  reached 
its  head,  the  last  water  coming  immediately 
out  of  the  mountain  on  the  right ;  and  this 
spot  was  selected  for  our  next  encampment. 
The  grass  show  '  ^••'<1I  in  sunny  places; 
but  in  colder  situa  i  i  snow  was  deep, 

and  began  to  occur  in  ^s,  through  which 
the  horses  found  some  Giiiiculty  in  breaking 
a  way. 

To  the  left,  the  open  valley  continued  in 
a  southwesterly  direction,  with  a  scarcely 
perceptible  ascen7,  forming  a  beautiful  pass  : 
the  exploration  of  which  we  deferred  until 
the  next  day,  and  returned  to  the  camp. 

To-day  an  Indian  passed  through  the  val- 
ley, on  his  way  into  the  mountains,  where 
he  showed  us  was  his  lodge.  We  compre- 
hended nothing  of  his  language  ;  and,  though 
he  appeared  to  have  no  fear,  passing  along 
in  full  view  of  the  camp,  he  was  indisposed 
to  hold  any  communication  with  us,  but 
showed  the  way  he  was  going,  and  pointed 
for  us  to  go  on  our  road. 

By  observation,  the  latitude  of  this  en- 
campment was  38°  18'  01",  and  the  eleva- 
tion above  the  sea  6,310  feet. 

January  27. — Leaving  the  camp  to  fol- 
low slowly,  with  directions  to  Carson  to  en- 
camp at  the  place  agreed  on,  Mr.  Fitzpatrick 
and  myself  continued  the  reconnoissance. 
Vrriving  at  the  head  of  the  stream,  we  be- 
^-an  to  enter  the  pass — passing  occasionally 
through  open  groves  of  largo  pine  trees,  on 
the  warm  side  of  the  defile,  where  the  snow 
had  melted  away,  occasionally  exposing  a 
large  Indian  trail.  Continuing  along  a  nar- 
row meadow,  we  reached  in  a  few  miles  the 
gate  of  the  pass,  where  there  was  a  narrow 
strip  of  prairie,  about  fifty  yards  wide,  be- 
tween walls  of  granite  rock.  On  either  side 
rose  the  mountains,  forming  on  the  left  a 
rugged  mass,  or  nucleus,  wholly  covered 
with  deep  snow,  presenting  a  glittering  and 
ioy  surface.  At  the  time,  we  supposed  this 
to  be  the  point  into  which  they  were  gath- 
ered between  the  two  great  rivers,  and  from 
which  the  waters  flowed  off  to  the  bay. 
This  was  the  icy  and  cold  side  of  the  pass, 
and  the  rays  of  the  sun  hardly  touched  the 


snow.  On  the  letV,  the  mountains  rose  into 
peaks  ;  but  they  wore  lower  and  secondary, 
and  the  country  had  a  somewhat  more  open 
and  lighter  character.  On  the  right  were 
several  hot  springs,  which  appeared  remark- 
able in  such  a  place.  In  going  through,  we 
felt  impressed  by  the  majesty  of  the  moun- 
tain, along  the  huge  wall  of  which  wo  were 
riding.  Here  there  was  no  snow  ;  but  im- 
mediately beyond  was  a  deep  bank,  through 
which  we  dragged  our  horses  with  consider- 
able effort.  We  then  immediately  struck 
upon  a  stream,  which  gathered  itself  rapid- 
ly, and  descsnded  quick  ;  and  the  valley  did 
not  preserve  the  open  character  of  the  other 
side,  appearing  below  to  form  a  cation.  We 
therefore  climbed  one  of  the  peaks  on  the 
right,  leaving  our  horses  below ;  but  we 
were  so  much  shut  up,  that  we  did  not  ob- 
tain an  extensive  view,  and  what  we  saw 
was  not  verv  satisfactory,  and  awakened 
considerable  doubt.  The  valley  of  the 
stream  pursued  a  northwesterly  direction, 
appearing  below  to  turn  sharply  to  the  right, 
beyond  which  further  view  was  cut  off.  It 
was,  nevertheless,  resolved  to  continue  our 
road  the  next  day  down  this  valley,  which 
we  trusted  still  would  prove  that  of  the 
middle  stream  between  the  two  great  rivers. 
Towards  the  summit  of  this  peak,  the  fields 
of  snow  were  f'vur  or  five  feet  deep  on  the 
northern  side ;  and  we  saw  several  large 
hares,  which  had  on  their  winter  color,  be- 
ing white  as  the  snow  around  them. 

The  winter  day  is  short  in  the  mountains, 
the  sun  having  but  a  small  space  of  sky  to 
travel  over  in  the  visible  part  above  our 
horizon  ;  and  the  moment  his  rays  are  gone, 
the  air  is  keenly  cold.  The  interest  of  our 
work  had  detained  us  long,  and  it  was  after 
nightfall  when  we  reached  the  camp. 

January  28. — To-day  we  went  through 
the  pass  with  all  the  camp,  and,  after  a  hard 
day's  journey  of  twelve  miles,  encamped  on 
a  high  point  where  the  snow  had  been  blown 
off,  and  the  exposed  grass  afforded  a  scanty 
pasture  for  the  animals.  Snow  and  broken 
country  together  made  our  travelling  diffi- 
cult :  we  were  often  compelled  to  make 
large  circuits,  and  ascend  the  highest  and 
most  exposed  ridges,  in  olrder  to  avoid 
snow,  which  in  other  places  was  banked  up 
to  a  great  depth. 

During  the  day  a  few  Indians  werd  seen 
circling  around  us  on  snow  shoes,  and 
skimming  along  like  birds ;  but  we  could 
not  bring  them  within  speaking  distance. 
Grodey,  who  was  a  little  distance  from  the 
camp,  had  sat  down  to  tie  his  moccasins, 
when  he  heard  a  low  whistle  near,  and, 
looking  up,  saw  two  Indians  half  hiding  oe- 
hind  a  rock  about  forty  yards  distant ;  they 
would  not  allow  him  to  approach,  but 
breaking  into  a  laugh,  skimmed  off  over 


[1844. 


1844.J 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


137 


the  snow,  seeming  to  luive  no  idea  of  the 
power  uf  fire-arms,  and  thinking  them- 
selves perfectly  safe  when  beyond  arm's 
lenuth. 

'r<>-nipht  we  did  not  succeed  in  getting 
the  howitzer  into  ciiinp.  This  was  the 
mo  laborious  day  we  had  yet  passed 
thiuugh,  the  stoep  ascents  and  deep  snow 
exhausting  both  men  and  animals.  Our 
single  chronometer  had  stopped  during  the 
day,  and  its  error  in  time  occasioned  the 
loss  of  an  eclipse  of  a  satellite  this  even- 
ing. It  had  not  preserved  the  rate  with 
wliich  we  started  from  the  Dalles,  and  this 
will  account  for  the  absence  of  longitudes 
along  this  interval  of  our  journey. 

January  '29. — From  this  height  wc  could 
see,  at  a  considerable  distance  below,  yel- 
low spots  in  the  valley,  which  indicated 
that  there  was  not  much  snow.  One  of 
these  places  we  expected  to  reach  to- 
night ;  and  some  time  being  required  to 
bring  up  the  gun,  I  went  ahead  with  Mr. 
Fitzpatrick  and  a  few  men,  leaving  the 
camp  to  follow,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Preuss. 
We  followed  a  trail  down  a  hollow  where 
the  Indians  had  descended,  the  snow  being 
30  deep  that  we  never  came  near  the 
ground  ;  but  this  only  made  our  descent 
the  easier,  and,  when  we  reached  a  little 
affluent  to  the  river  at  the  bottom,  wc  sud- 
denly found  ourselves  in  presence  of  eight 
or  ten  Indiana.  They  seemed  to  be  watch- 
ing our  motions,  and,  like  the  others,  at 
first  were  indisposed  to  let  us  approach, 
ranging  themselves  like  birds  on  a  fallen 
log  on  the  hillside  above  our  heads,  where, 
being  out  of  reach,  they  thought  themselves 
safe.  Our  friendly  demeanor  reconciled 
them,  and,  when  we  got  near  enough,  they 
immediately  stretched  out  to  us  handfuls 
of  pine  nuts,  which  seemed  an  exercise  of 
hospitality.  We  made  them  a  few  pres- 
ents, and,  telling  us  that  their  village  was  a 
few  miles  below,  they  went  on  to  let  their 
people  know  what  we  were.  The  principal 
stream  still  running  through  an  impractica- 
ble canon,  we  ascended  a  very  steep  hill, 
which  proved  afterwards  the  last  and  fatal 
obstac'e  to  our  little  howitzer,  which  was 
finally  abandoned  at  this  place.  We  passed 
throuf'h  a  small  meadow  a  icw  miles  be- 
low, crossing  the  river,  which  depth,  swift 
current,  and  rock,  made  it  difficult  to  ford  ; 
and,  after  a  few  more  miles  of  very  difficult 
trail,  issued  into  a  larger  prairie  bottom,  at 
the  farther  end  of  which  we  encamped,  in 
a  position  rendered  strong  by  rocks  and 
trees.  The  lower  parts  of  the  mountain 
were  covered  with  the  nut  pine.  Several 
Indians  appeared  on  the  hillside,  recon- 
noitring the  camp,  and  were  induced  to 
come  in  ;  others  came  in  during  the  after- 
noon ;  and  in  the  evening  we  held  a  coun- 


cil.  The  Indians  immediately  made  it 
clear  that  the  waN-rs  on  which  wo  were 
also  belong  to  the  CJrcat  Uasin,  in  tln>  »Mlg« 
of  which  wo  had  been  since  tho  17Ui  of 
l)eceml)er  ;  and  it  became  evident  that  we 
liad  still  the  grrat  ridg ;  on  the  left  to  cross 
before  we  could  reach  ihe  Pacific  waters. 

We  explained  to  the  iiidiaiis  tiiat  we 
were  endeavoring  to  find  a  passiigo  across 
the  mountains  into  tiic  country  of  the 
whites,  whom  we  were  going  to  see  ;  and 
told  them  that  wc  wished  tliuni  to  bring  ua 
a  guide,  to  whom  we  would  give  presents 
of  scarlet  cloth,  and  other  ailieles,  which 
were  shown  fo  them.  Tiicy  looked  at  the 
reward  we  offered,  and  coiitbned  with  each 
other,  but  pointed  to  the  snow  on  the 
mountain,  and  drew  their  hands  across  their 
necks,  and  raised  them  above  their  heads, 
to  show  the  depth  ;  and  signified  that  it 
was  impossible  for  us  to  get  through.  They 
made  signs  that  we  must  go  to  the  south- 
ward, over  a  pass  through  a  lower  range, 
which  they  pointed  out ;  there,  they  said, 
at  the  end  of  one  day's  travel,  wc  would 
find  people  who  lived  near  a  pass  in  the 
great  mountain ;  and  to  that  point  they 
engaged  to  furnish  us  a  guide.  They  ap- 
peared to  have  a  confused  idea,  from  re- 
port, of  whites  who  lived  on  the  oilier  side 
of  the  mountain  ;  and  once,  they  tuld  us, 
about  two  years  ago,  a  party  of  twelve  men 
like  ourselves  had  ascended  their  river, 
and  crossed  to  the  other  waters.  Tiiey 
pointed  out  to  us  where  they  had  crossed  ; 
but  then,  they  said,  it  was  summer  time  ; 
but  now  it  would  be  impossible.  I  believe 
that  this  was  a  party  led  by  Mr.  Chiles, 
one  of  the  only  two  men  whom  I  know  to 
have  passed  through  the  California  moun- 
tains from  the  interior  of  the  Basin — 
Walker  being  the  other ;  and  both  were 
engaged  upwards  of  twenty  days,  in  the 
summer  time,  in  getting  over.'  Chiles's 
destination  was  the  bay  of  San  Francisco, 
to  which  he  descended  by  the  Stanislaus 
river ;  and  Walker  subsequently  informed 
mo  that,  like  myself,  descending  to  the 
southward  on  a  more  eastern  line,  day 
after  day  he  was  searching  for  the  Bue- 
naventura, thinking  that  ho  had  found  it 
with  every  new  stream,  until,  like  me,  he 
abandoned  all  idea  of  its  existence,  and, 
turning  abruptly  to  the  right,  crossed  the 
great  chain.  These  were  both  western 
men,  animated  with  the  spirit  of  explqra- 
tory  enterprise  which  characterizes  that 
people. 

The  Indians  brought  in  during  the  even- 
ing an  abundant  supply  of  pine  nuts,  which 
we  traded  from  thetn.  When  roasted, 
their  pleasant  flavor  made  them  an  agreea- 
ble addition  to  our  now  scanty  store  of 
provisions,  which  were  reduced  to  a  very 


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IM 


CAPT.  FUKMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1844. 


low  ebb.  Our  iniiicipul  htoek  web  in  peas, 
whiah  it  is  .<iut  nece-ssary  tt>  say  contain 
scarcely  any  nutriment.  We  liixl  Htiil  a 
little  flour  left,  sumu  colTuc,  and  a  quantity 
of  sugar,  which  I  reserved  as  a  ilefcncp 
against  starvation. 

The  Indians  informed  us  that  at  certain 
seasons  they  liavn  tisli  in  their  waters, 
whicli  wt!  supposed  to  be  salmon  trout ;  lor 
the  rcuiitiiuler  of  the  year  they  Uve  upon 
the  pine  nut.s,  which  form  their  creat  winter 
subsistence — a  portiun  being  always  at 
hand,  siuit  up  in  the  natural  storehouse  of 
the  cones.  At  present,  they  wore  presented 
to  us  as  a  whole  [leopie  living  upon  this 
simple  vegetable. 

liie  other  division  of  the  party  did  not 
come  in  to-ni<;ht,  but  eni;amped  in  the  n[)- 
per  meadow,  and  arrived  the  next  morning. 
They  had  not  succeeded  in  getting  the 
howitzer  beyoml  the  place  mentioned,  and 
where  it  had  been  left  by  Mr.  Preuss  in 
obedience  to  my  orders  ;  and,  in  anticipa- 
tion of  the  snow  banks  and  snow  Rclds  still 
ahead,  foreseeing  the  inevitable  detention 
to  which  it  would  subject  us,  I  reluctantly 
determined  to  leave  it  there  for  the  time. 
It  was  of  the  kind  invented  by  the  French 
for  the  mountain  part  of  their  war  in  Al- 
giers ;  and  the  distance  it  had  come  with 
us  proved  how  well  it  was  adapted  to  its 
purpose.  We  left  it,  to  the  great  sorrow 
of  the  whole  party,  who  were  grieved  to 
part  with  a  companion  which  had  made 
the  whole  distance  from  St.  Louis,  and 
commanded  respect  for  U3  on  some  critical 
occasions,  and  which  might  be  needed  for 
the  same  purpose  again. 

January  30. — Our  guide,  who  was  a 
young  man,  joined  us  this  morning  ;  and, 
leaving  our  encampment  late  in  the  day, 
we  descended  the  river,  which  immediately 
opened  out  into  a  broad  valley,  furnishing 
good  travelling  ground.  In  a  short  distance 
we  passed  the  village,  a  collection  of  straw 
huts ;  and  a  few  miles  below,  the  guide 
pointed  out  the  place  where  the  whites  had 
been  encamped  before  they  entered  the 
mountain.  With  our  late  start  we  made 
but  ten  miles,  and  encamped  on  the  low 
river  bottom,  whore  there  was  no  snow,  but 
a  great  deal  of  ice  ;  and  we  cut  piles  of 
long  grass  to  lay  under  our  blankets,  and 
fires  were  made  of  large  dry  willows, 
groves  of  which  wooded  the  stream.  The 
river  took  hero  a  northeasterly  direction, 
and  through  a  spur  from  the  mountains  on 
the  left  was  the  gap  where  we  were  to  pass 
the  next  day. 

January  31. — We  took  our  way  over  a 
gently  rising  ground,  the  dividing  ridge  be- 
ing tolerably  low ;  and  travelling  easily 
along  a  broad  trail,  in  twelve  or  fourteen 
miles  reached  the  upper  part  of  the  pass, 


when  it  began  to  smiw  thickly,  with  very 
cold  weather.  The  Indians  had  only  the 
usual  scanty  covering,  and  appeared  to  suf- 
fer greatly  from  the  cold.  All  h-ft  us,  ex 
copt  our  guide.  Half  hidden  by  the  storm, 
tiie  mountains  looked  dreary  :  iiud,  as  night 
began  to  ajjproach,  the  guide  siiowed  great 
reluctance  to  go  forward.  1  pl:i«'«d  him 
between  two  rifles,  for  the  way  begun  to  be 
ilifRcult.  Travelling  a  little  fiirlhur,  we 
struck  a  ravine,  which  the  Imlian  said 
would  conduct  us  to  the  river ;  and  as  the 
poor  fellow  sufftred  greatly,  shivering  in 
the  snow  which  fell  upon  his  naked  skin,  I 
would  not  detain  him  any  lunger ;  and  he 
ran  ofT  to  tho  mountain,  where  ho  s;iiil 
tiiore  was  a  hut  near  by.  Ho  hud  kept  the 
blue  and  scarlet  cloth  I  had  given  hiui 
tightly  rolled  up,  preferring  rather  to  endure 
the  cold  than  to  get  theia  wet.  In  the 
course  of  the  afternoon,  one  of  the  men  had 
his  foot  frost-bitten ;  and  about  dark  we  had 
the  satisfiiction  to  reach  the  bottoms  of  a 
stream  timbered  with  large  trees,  auiony 
which  we  found  a  sheltered  camp,  with  ai< 
abundance  of  such  grass  as  the  season  af- 
forded for  the  animals.  We  saw  before  us, 
in  descending  from  the  pass,  a  great  continu- 
ous range,  along  which  stretched  the  vallev 
of  the  river ;  the  lower  parts  steep,  and  dark 
with  pines,  while  above  it  was  hidden  in 
clouds  of  snow.  This  we  felt  instantly  satisfi- 
ed was  the  central  ridge  of  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
the  great  California  mountain,  which  only 
now  intervened  between  us  and  the  waters 
of  the  bay.  We  had  made  r.  forced  march 
of  26  miles,  and  three  mules  had  given  out 
on  the  road.  Up  to  this  point,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  stolen  by  Indians,  we  had 
lost  none  of  the  horses  which  had  been 
brought  from  the  Columbia  river,  and  a 
number  of  these  were  still  strong  and  in  tol- 
erably good  order.  We  had  now  G7  ani- 
mals in  the  band. 

We  had  scarcely  lighted  our  fires,  when 
the  camp  was  crowded  with  nearly  naked 
Indians  ;  some  of  them  were  furnished  with 
long  nets  in  addition  to  bows,  and  appeared 
to  have  been  out  on  the  sage  hills  to  hunt 
rabbits.  These  nets  were  perhaps  30  to  40 
feet  long,  kept  upright  in  the  ground  by 
slight  sticks  at  intervals,  and  were  made 
from  a  kind  of  wild  hemp,  very  much  re 
sembling  in  manufacture  those  coinnmn 
among  the  Indians  of  the  Sacramento  val 
ley.  They  came  among  us  without  any  fear, 
and  scattered  themselves  about  the  fires. 
mainly  occupied  in  gratifying  their  astonish- 
ment. I  was  struck  by  the  singular  ap- 
pearance of  a  row  of  about  a  dozen,  who 
were  sitting  on  their  haunches  perched  on 
a  log  near  one  of  the  fires,  with  their  quick 
sharp  eyes  following  every  motion. 

We  gathered  together  a  few  of  the  moat 


ie^- 


1844.] 


CAPT.  rHK.MONT'S  NAIlllATIVK. 


130 


intelligent  of  the  Indians,  and  held  this  even- 
ing an  interesting  council.  I  cxphiined  to 
them  my  intentions.  I  tuld  thcin  tiiat  wo 
had  come  from  a  very  far  country,  having 
Itoen  travelling  now  nearly  a  year,  and  that 
we  were  desirous  simply  to  go  across  the 
mountain  into  the  country  of  the  other 
whites.  There  were  two  who  appeared 
particularly  intelligent — one,  a  somewhat 
(lid  man.  )le  told  me  tha't,  before  the  snows 
foil,  it  was  si.\  sleeps  to  the  place  wlicre 
tiie  whites  lived,  but  that  now  it  was  im- 
possible to  cross  the  mountain  on  account 
of  the  deep  snow ;  and  showing  us,  as  the 
others  had  done,  that  it  was  over  our  heads, 
he  urged  us  strongly  to  follow  llie  course 
of  the  river,  which  ho  said  would  conduct 
us  to  a  lake  in  which  there  were  many  large 
fish.  Tliere,  he  srad,  were  many  people  ; 
there  was  no  snow  on  the  ground  ;  and  wc 
might  remain  there  until  the  spring.  From 
their  descriptions,  we  were  enabled  to  judge 
that  we  had  encamped  on  the  upper  water 
of  the  Salmon  Trout  river.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  our  communication 
was  only  by  signs,  as  we  understood  no- 
thing of  their  language  ;  hut  they  spoke, 
notwithstanding,  rapidly  and  vehemently, 
explaining  what  they  considered  the  folly 
of  our  intentions,  and  urging  us  to  go  down 
to  the  lake.  Tdh-ve,  a  word  signifying 
snow,  we  very  soon  learned  to  know,  from 
its  frequent  repetition.  I  told  liim  that  the 
men  and  the  horses  were  strong,  and  tiiat 
we  would  break  a  road  through  the  snow  ; 
and  spreading  before  him  our  bales  of  scar- 
let cloth,  and  trinkets,  showed  him  what  we 
would  give  for  a  guide.  It  wa«  necessary 
to  obtain  one,  if  possible  ;  for  I  had  deter- 
mined here  to  attempt  tho  passage  of  the 
mountain.  Pulling  a  bunch  of  grass  from 
the  ground,  after  a  short  discussion  among 
themselves,  the  old  man  made  us  compre- 
hend, that  if  we  could  break  through  the 
snow,  at  the  end  of  three  days  we  would 
I'ume  down  upon  grass,  which  he  showed  us 
would  be  about  six  inches  high,  and  where 
the  ground  was  entirely  free.  So  far,  he 
said,  he  had  been  1 1  hunting  for  elk  ;  but 
beyond  tiiat  (and  he  closed  his  eyes)  he  had 
«een  nothing ;  but  there  was  one  among 
tliem  who  had  been  to  the  wli'tes,  and,  go- 
ing out  of  the  lodge,  he  retu  ned  with  a 
young  man  of  very  intelligent  appearance. 
Here,  said  he,  is  a  young  man  who  has 
seen  the  whites  with  his  own  eyes  ;  and  he 
swore,  first  by  the  sky,  and  then  by  the 
ground,  that  what  he  said  was  true.  With 
a  large  present  of  goods,  ■  ve  prevailed  upon 
this  yuung  man  to  be  our  guide,  and  he  ac- 
quired among  us  the  name  Melo — a  word 
signifying  friend,  which  they  used  very  fre- 
quently. He  was  thinly  clad,  and  nea'' / 
barefoot ;  his  moccasins  being  about  worn 


out.  Wc  gave  him  skins  to  make  a  uew 
pair,  and  to  enable  him  to  perform  liis  un- 
dertaking to  us.  Tho  Iniliiin.s  ri'in:iinod  in 
the  camp  during  the  night,  and  wo  licpt  the 
guide  and  two  others  to  .'<l('rii  in  tho  ludg*- 
with  us — Oarson  lying  aorosM  the  door,  and 
having  made  them  eoiiipicJK'iiil  I  he  Uboofout 
fire-arms.  Tho  snow,  wliicli  liai!  iiitormit' 
ted  in  tho  evening,  coiniiioncod  Ihilii);/  :igain 
in  the  course  of  tho  niglit,  and  it  hiinwon 
steadily  all  day.  In  tiio  nioining  1  acipiaint- 
ed  the  men  with  my  decision,  and  o.xpluineu 
to  them  that  necessity  rcquirod  us  lu  make 
a  great  effort  to  clear  tlio  moiintuius.  I  re- 
minded them  of  tiio  beautiful  valloy  of  tho 
.Sacramento,  with  wliioli  thoy  were  familiar 
from  the  descriptions  of  Ciuson,  who  had 
been  there  some  fifteen  years  ago,  ami  who, 
in  our  late  privations,  had  delighted  us  in 
speaking  of  its  ricii  pastures  and  abounding 
game,  and  drew  a  vivid  contrast  boween  its 
summer  climate,  less  than  a  hundred  miles 
distant,  and  the  falling  .snow  around  ns.  I 
infoined  them  (and  long  experience  had 
given  ihem  confidence  in  my  observations 
and  good  instrument.s)  that  almost  directly 
west,  and  only  about  70  miles  distant,  was 
the  great  farming  establishment  of  Captain 
Sutter — a  gentleman  who  had  formerly 
lived  in  Missouri,  and,  emigrating  to  this 
country,  had  become  the  possessor  of  a 
principality.  I  assured  them  that,  from  the 
heights  of  the  mountain  before  us,  we 
should  doubtless  see  the  valley  of  the  Sa- 
cramento river,  and  with  one  ellbrt  place 
ourselves  again  in  the  midst  of  plenty.  The 
people  received  this  decision  with  the  cheer- 
ful obedience  which  had  always  character- 
ized them ;  and  the  day  was  immediately 
devoted  to  the  preparations  necessary  to  en- 
able us  to  carry  it  into  eil'ecl.  Lcggins, 
moccasins,  clothing — all  were  put  into  the 
best  state  to  resist  the  cold.  Our  guide  was 
not  neglected.  Extremity  of  suffering  might 
make  him  desert ;  we  therefore  did  the  best 
we  could  for  him.  Leggins,  moccasins, 
some  articles  of  clothing,  and  a  large  green 
blanket,  in  addition  to  the  blue  and  scarlet 
cloth,  were  lavished  upon  him,  and  to  his 
great  and  evident  contentment.  Ho  array- 
ed himself  in  all  his  colors ;  and,  clad  in 
green,  blue,  and  scarlet,  he  made  a  gay- 
looking  Indian  ;  and,  with  his  various  pres- 
ents, was  probably  richer  and  better  clotfi- 
ed  than  any  of  iiis  tribe  had  ever  been 
before. 

I  have  already  said  that  our  provisions 
were  very  low  ;  we  liad  neither  tallow  nor 
grease  of  any  kind  remaining,  and  the  want 
of  salt  became  one  of  our  greatest  privations. 
The  poor  dog  which  had  been  found  in  the 
Bear  river  valley,  and  which  had  been  a 
compagnon  de  voyage  ever  since,  had  now 
become  fat,  and  the  mess  to  which  it  be- 


'1 


v,'-: 


■  *! 


lit: 


..^M 


';r 


''''. 
^ 


1t 
H 

m 

m 


140 


CAPT.  FUKMONTS  NAUKA'I'I\  K. 


11814. 


longed  roquc8>0(l  purtiiiHttion  tu  kill  it.  I.ciivo 
waa  ((runted.  Spread  out  on  tliu  unuw,  tlie 
meat  looked  very  (food  ;  und  it  inade  a 
atrengtiicninff  meal  lor  the  greater  part  of 
the  eainp.  Indian!!  hniuglit  in  two  or  tlirto 
rabbits  during  tbo  day,  whicli  weru  piir- 
cliaaed  from  tlinm. 

Tlic  rivor  was  10  to  70  feet  wide,  and 
now  entirely  frozen  over.  It  waa  wooded 
with  large  cotton-wood,  willow,  and  if/(/(/( 
dc  liwuf.  Uy  observation,  the  I  ititude  of 
this  encanipmont  was  3H  '  37'  18". 

Ff/jruari/  "J. — It  had  ceased  snowing, 
and  this  morning  the  lower  air  was  elear 
and  frosty  ;  and  aiy  or  seven  thousand  feet 
above,  the  peaks  of  the  Sierra  now  and  tlicn 
appeared  among  the  roiling  clouds,  which 
were  rapidly  dispersing  before  the  sun.  Our 
Indian  shook  his  head  us  he  pointed  to  tiie 
icy  pinnacles,  shooting  high  uj)  into  the  sky, 
and  seeming  almost  immediately  above  us. 
Crossing  the  river  on  the  ice,  and  leaving 
it  immediately,  we  commenced  the  ascent 
of  the  mountain  along  the  valley  of  a  tribu- 
tary stream.  The  people  were  unu.sually 
silent ;  for  every  man  knew  that  our  enter- 
prise was  hazardous,  und  the  i.ssue  doubtful. 

The  snow  deepened  r.ipidly,  and  it  soon 
became  necessary  to  break  a  road.  For 
this  service,  u  party  of  ten  was  formed, 
mounted  on  t!io  strongest  horses ;  each 
man  in  succession  opening  the  road  on  foot, 
or  on  horseback,  until  himself  and  his  horse 
became  fatigued,  when  he  stepped  aside  ; 
and,  the  remaining  number  passing  ahead, 
he  took  his  station  in  the  rear.  Leaving 
this  stream,  and  pursuing  a  very  direct 
course,  we  passed  over  an  intervening  ridge 
to  the  river  we  had  left.  On  the  way  we 
passed  two  low  huts  entirely  covered  with 
snow,  which  might  very  easily  have  escaped 
observation.  A  family  was  living  in  each  ; 
and  the  only  trail  I  saw  in  the  neighbor- 
hood was  from  the  door-hole  to  a  nut-pine 
tree  near,  which  supplied  them  with  food 
and  fuel.  We  found  two  similar  huts  on 
the  creek  where  we  next  arrived  ;  and, 
travelling  a  little  higher  up,  encamped  on 
its  banki*  in  about  four  feet  depth  of  snow. 
Carson  found  near,  an  open  hill  side,  where 
the  wind  and  the  sun  had  melted  the  snow, 
leaving  exposed  sufficient  bunch  grass  for 
the  animals  to-night. 

The  nut-pines  were  now  giving  way  to 
heavy  timber,  and  there  were  some  im- 
mense pines  on  the  bottom,  around  the  roots 
of  which  the  sun  had  melted  away  the 
snow ;  and  here  we  made  our  camp  and 
built  hug«  fires.  To-day  we  had  travelled 
sixteen  miles,  and  our  elevation  above  the 
sea  was  6,760  feet. 

February  3. — Turning  our  faces  directly 
towards  the  main  chain,  we  ascended  an 
open  hollow  along  a  small  tributary  to  the 


river,  which,  according  to  the  IndiaiiH,  intuai 
from  a  mountain  to  the  aoutli.  Th*<  snow 
was  so  deep  in  the  hollow,  that  wo  wur* 
obliged  to  travel  along  the  tttonp  hill  Mw, 
und  over  spurs,  where  wind  und  sun  hail  in 
places  lessened  the  snow,  and  where  the 
grass,  which  ap])eared  to  be  in  good  <piality 
along  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  wan  ex- 
posed. V\'e  o|icned  our  road  in  the  same 
way  ns  yesterday,  but  niado  otdy  hcvcn 
mile:5  ;  und  encamped  by  soriin  hih  iiiga  at 
the  foot  of  a  high  and  steep  hill,  liy  whicli 
the  hollow  usccnded  to  annther  banin  in  tin 
moimtain.  The  little  htriam  below  wan 
entirely  buried  in  snow.  'I'he  8j)ring.s  wor<; 
shaded  by  the  boughs  of  u  lofty  cedar,  which 
here  made  its  first  appearance  ;  the  unuuI 
height  was  I'^O  to  13U  feet,  uml  one  that 
was  measured  near  by  was  6  feet  in  diam- 
eter. 

There  being  no  grass  exposed  hero,  the 
horses  were  sent  back  to  that  which  we  had 
seen  a  few  miles  below.  We  occupied  the 
remainder  of  the  day  in  beating  down  a  roiid 
to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  a  mile  or  two  diHtunt  : 
the  snow  being  beaten  down  when  moist,  in 
the  warm  part  of  the  day,  und  then  hard 
frozen  at  night,  made  a  foundation  that 
would  bear  the  weight  of  the  animals  the 
next  morning.  During  the  day  several  In- 
dians joined  us  on  snow  shoe-'  Tiicso  were 
made  of  a  circular  hoop,  about  a  foot  in  di- 
ameter, the  interior  space  being  filled  with 
an  open  network  of  bark. 

February  4. — I  went  ahead  early  with 
two  or  three  men,  each  with  a  led  horse,  to 
break  the  road.  We  wore  obliged  to  aban- 
don the  hollow  entirely,  and  work  along  the 
mountain  side,  which  was  very  steep,  and 
the  snow  covered  with  an  icy  crust.  We 
cut  a  footing  as  we  advanced,  and  trampled 
a  road  through  for  the  animals ;  but  occa- 
sionally one  plunged  outside  the  trail,  and 
slided  along  the  field  to  the  bottom,  a  hun- 
dred yards  below.  Late  in  the  day  we 
reached  another  bench  in  the  hollow,  where, 
in  summer,  the  stream  passed  over  a  small 
precipice.  Here  was  a  short  distance  of 
dividing  ground  between  the  two  ridges,  and 
beyond  an  open  basin,  some  ten  miles  across, 
whose  bottom  presented  a  field  of  snow.  At 
the  further  or  western  side  rose  the  miildle 
crest  of  the  mountain,  a  dark-looking  riiigc 
of  volcanic  rock. 

The  summit  line  presented  a  range  of 
naked  peaks,  apparently  destitute  of  snow 
and  vegetation  ;  but  below,  the  face  of  the 
whole  country  was  covered  with  timber  of 
extraordinary  size. 

Towards  a  pass  which  the  guide  indicated 
here,  we  attempted  in  the  afternoon  to  force 
a  road ;  but  after  a  laborious  plunging 
through  two  or  three  hundred  yards,  our 
best  horses  gave  out,  entirely  refusing  to 


11814. 


1844. 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


HI 


H'    SHOW 

WO  wore 
ill  itiilof, 
I)  iiiid  ill 
WTV  fht( 
J  ((iiulity 
wuH  ex- 
o  «unu' 

HCVt'Il 

liii^H  lit 
y  wliicli 
II  ill  til) 

nw     WIIH 

Ks  wori' 
r,  wliirli 
u!  usual 
nu)  tliut 
ill  (iiiiiii- 


mako  any  fiirthor  cfTurt ;  imd,  for  tlin  lim»', 
we  wtrn  brmiKlit  to  ii  htaiiil  Tim  uuiil*' 
inrortiioil  iiH  tliiit  WR  wctv  rntcriiitf  tlio  iltM-p 
snow,  and  lii'r«  licffiin  llio  difliciillii'it  of  tlii! 
inouiilain  ;  and  to  Imii,  iind  alinoNt  to  all, 
our  iMitcrpriHfl  nflt'ini'i!  lio|)(do.sH,  I  n'tunipd 
a  xliort  dihtanrn  back,  to  tli«i  hrnak  in  tlio 
hollow,  \vli»rc  I  met  Mr.  I'itzpairick. 

'I'll*!  caini)  had  hern  all  the  day  ocrupicd 
in  ondravonnn:  to  iiHccnd  tlm  hill,  hut  only  tli«.> 
liexl  liorHPH  had  Hiu'cflcdfd  ;  I  ho  atiiinalN, 
l^cnRrally,  not  liavini;  Butllriont  Mtren^lh  to 
bring  thnn»tdvr>H  up  without  tlio  packn  ;• 
and  all  tlio  lino  of  road  hrtwcun  thin  ami 
the  Hprin((.s  wuh  utrowcd  with  ciiinp  Btciics 
and  r(|uipa(;e,  and  liorHcs  (louiidorin^  in 
snow.  I  thernforn  imiiH'diatcly  ('n('anip('(l 
on  tlio  (rrouiid  with  my  own  iiu'hm,  which 
was  ill  advance,  and  dir('(!l('d  Mr.  Filzpat- 
rick  to  nicamp  at  tho  HpriiifjN,  uiid  Hciid  all 
the  aiiinialn,  in  char^n  of  'I'ahcaii,  with  a 
fltron^r  fjuard,  back  to  ihn  |)Iace  where  they 
had  hcLMi  paHtiired  the  ni^lit  lieforu.  Here 
was  a  .small  .spot  of  level  ground,  j)rolC(!t«!d 
on  one  side  by  the  mountain,  and  on  the 
other  sheltered  by  a  little  ridpe  of  rock.  It 
was  an  open  j^rovo  of  pinex,  which  assimi- 
lateil  m  size  to  the  frraiidiuir  of  the  moun- 
tain, beinsf  fiecpieiilly  six  feet  in  diameter. 

To-ni(;lit  we  had  no  shelter,  hut  we  made 
a  largo  fire  around  the  trunk  of  one  of  the 
huge  nines :  and  cnvcrinfr  the  snow  with 
•mall  houghs,  on  which  we  spread  our  blan- 
kets, soon  made  ourselves  comfortable.  The 
night  was  very  bright  and  clear,  though  tlio 
thermometer  was  only  at  lO".  A  strong 
wind,  which  sprang  up  at  sundown,  made  it 
intensely  cob) ;  and  this  was  one  of  the  bit- 
terest nights  during  the  journey. 

Two  Indians  joined  our  party  hero  ;  and 
one  of  them,  an  old  man,  immediately  be- 
gan  to  harangue  us,  saying  that  ourselves 
and  animals  would  perish  in  the  snow ;  and 
that  if  we  would  go  back,  ho  would  show 
us  another  and  a  better  way  across  the 
mountain.  He  spoke  in  a  very  loud  voice, 
and  there  was  a  singular  repetition  of 
phrases  and  arrangement  of  word.s,  which 
rendered  liis  speech  striking,  and  not  un- 
musical. 

We  had  now  begun  to  understand  some 
words,  and,  with  the  aid  of  signs,  easily 
comprehended  the  old  man's  simple  ideas. 
"Rock  upon  rock — rock  upon  rock — snow 
upon  snow — snow  upon  snow,"  said  he  ; 
"  even  if  you  get  over  the  snow,  you  will 
not  bo  able  to  get  d'^wn  from  the  mountains." 
He  made  us  the  sign  of  precipices,  and 
showed  us  how  the  feet  of  the  horses  would 
Blip,  and  throw  them  off  from  the  narrow 
trails  which  led  along  their  sides.  Our 
Chinook,  who  comprehended  even  more 
readily  than  ourselves,  and  believed  our 
situation  hopeless,  covered  his  head  with 


I  his  blanket,  and  began  to  weep  ami  lament. 
j"  I  wauled  to  nee  ihc  whilcn,"  haul  Ii»  ;  ••  | 
came  aw.iy  from  niv  own  pro|ilc  f  nee  ihn 
whites,  and  I  wouldn't  care  to  dm  nmonK 
lliem  ;  but  hi'ri^"'--anil  br  looked  around 
into  the  cold  night  and  gloorny  forcHt,  and, 
drawing  h\n  blanket  over  Uin  head,  began 
I  again  to  lament. 

I      Seated  around  the  tree,  the  fire  illumina- 
ting :lie  rocks  and  tiie  tall  bolls  of  tin-  |>i(ieii 
round  about,  and  the  old  Indian  baraiii^uiii;j, 
we  presciiti'd  a  i;roiip  of  vei y  seriiius  facen. 
Filiruiin/  .'». — The    night    bad    been    loo 
cold    lo  sleep,  and  we  were   up  very  e.irly. 
Our  guide  was  standing  by  the  fire  with  all 
his  finery  on  ;  and  seeing  liiui  shiver  in  ibn 
cidd,  1    threw  on  his  sboiihler.s  one  of  my 
lilanket.s.      W'e  missed    him   a   few  niiiiiileH 
afterwards,  and  never  saw  him  again.      Ho 
had  deserted.      His  bad  faith  and  treachery 
j  were   in   perfect   keeping  with  the  estimate 
I  of   Indian   cb.iiacler,    which   a    long    iiiter- 
'  course  with  this  people  had  gradually  forced 
I  upon  iDV  mind. 

t  N'l'bile  a  portion  of  the  camp  were  ocou- 
I  pied  in  bringing  up  the  baggage  to  this 
j  point,  the  remainder  were  busied  in  making 
sli!(lges  and  snow  shoes.  1  had  determined 
to  explore  the  mountain  ahe-vr],  and  the 
sledges  were  to  be  used  in  trai  ^porting  the 
baggage. 

The  mountains  h«>ro  consisted  wholly  of 
a  white  micaceous  granite. 

The  day  was  perfectly  clear,  and,  while 

the  sun  was  in  the  sky,  warm  and  plea.'-ant. 

My  observation,  our  latitude  was  3H  '  4*2' 

*i(J"  ;    and  elevation,  by  the   boiling  jjoint, 

7,400  feet. 

February  0. — Accompanied  by  Mr.  F'itz- 
patriek,  I  set  out  to-day  with  a  reconnoitring 
jiarty.  on  snow  shoes.  We  marched  all  in 
single  flic,  trampling  the  snow  as  heavily  as 
wo  coulu,  Jrossing  the  open  basin,  in  a 
march  of  about  ten  miles  we  reached  the 
top  of  one  of  the  peaks,  to  tho  lel't  of  the 
pass  indicated  by  our  guide.  Far  below  us, 
dimmed  by  the  distance,  was  a  large  snow- 
less  valley,  bounded  on  the  western  side,  at 
the  distance  of  about  a  hundred  miles,  by  a 
low  range  of  mountains,  which  Carson  re- 
cognised with  dulight  as  the  mountains  bor- 
dering the  coast.  "  There,"  said  he,  "  is 
the  little  mountain — it  is  15  years  ago  sincn 
I  saw  it ;  but  I  am  just  as  sure  as  if  I  had 
seen  it  yesterday."  Between  us,  then,  and 
this  low  coast  range,  was  the  vaiiey  of  the 
Sacramento  ;  and  no  one  who  had  not  ac- 
companied us  through  the  incidents  of  our 
life  for  the  last  few  months  could  realize 
the  delight  with  which  at  last  we  looked 
down  upon  it.  At  the  distance  of  apparently 
30  miles  beyond  us  were  distinguished  spots 
of  prairie  ;  and  a  dark  line,  which  could  be 
traced  with  the  glass,  was  imagined  to  bf 


t 


':"ti'  ■ 


I   ■;  ■ 


I. 


.1: 


V. 


m 


CAI'T.  FRKMONT'S  NAIIRATIVK. 


[1044 


thn  courio  <»f  iho  'ivor  ;  but  w«)  v%cri!  fvi- 
(loiitly  ut  a  Krcut  livi^lit  iilinvu  tlio  vulley, 
und  uutwouii  lilt  iiiiil  the  |iliiiiiM  Dxtniiduil 
iiiiU'N  III'  MiKiwy  lii'liU  mill  linikcii  nilifru  of 
Iiiiiii-cuviirt'il  iiiiiiiiitaiiiH. 

It  wan  liitu  ill  ill))  ilay  wlini  wo  turiiod 
tusvunl.t  tliu  c!kiii|i ;  uiul  it  ^rtsw  rapiilly  ciiUI 
!ia  it  ilrow  tnwitnltt  iiiulit.  Oiio  ul'  tint  nicii 
bcciiiiui  rationed,  •'iiid  bin  tout  bo((aii  to 
frutJ/i  ,  iiiid,  liiiildiiii;^  u  lire  in  tlio  trunk  iif 
a  dry  old  fcdur,  Mr.  Kitz|mtrick  niiiiaiiiiul 
Willi  liiiii  until  liLs  clotliuH  could  liu  driod, 
and  III)  wan  ill  a  condition  to  como  on,  Al- 
tera day'u  iiiarcli  of  -JO  iniluH,  we  ittra((ult>d 
into  camp,  one  aU«<r  anolliur,  at  ni((bli'all ; 
tbc  K'*''^'''''  'lumber  exccNHively  fatigued, 
only  two  of  tbu  parly  buvini;  ever  travelled 
on  tmuw  ulioesi  before. 

All  our  energiea  woru  now  directed  to 
getting  our  animalu  acroH8  tlio  nuow  ;  and 
It  was  buppoaed  tb..t,  after  all  tlio  baggage 
bad  been  drawn  witit  tbu  sleiglnt  over  lliu 
trail  we  bud  made,  it  would  bu  sudiciontly 
liard  to  bear  our  animals.  At  neveral  [)lace», 
between  tliis  point  and  tbo  ridgo,  wo  bad 
diacovorod  aotno  grassy  spots,  wbero  tbo 
wind  and  sun  bad  dispersed  tbo  snow  from 
tlie  sides  of  tbo  liills,  and  tlieso  were  to  form 
resting  places  to  support  tbo  unimals  for  a 
nigbt  in  their  passage  across.  On  our  way 
across,  wo  bad  set  on  tiro  several  broken 
stumps,  and  dried  trees,  to  mult  boles  in  tbu 
snow  for  tbo  camps.  Its  general  deptb  was 
5  feet ;  but  wo  passed  over  places  wborc  it 
was  20  feet  deep,  as  shown  by  tbo  trees. 

With  one  parly  drawing  sleighs  loaded 
with  baggage,  I  advanced  to-day  about  four 
miles  along  the  trail,  and  encamped  at  the 
first  grassy  spot,  where  we  expected  to 
bring  our  horses.  Mr.  Filzpatrick,  with 
another  party,  remained  behind,  to  form  an 
intermediate  station  between  us  and  the  ani- 
mals. 

February  8. — The  night  hap  been  ex- 
tremely cold  ;  but  perfectly  still,  and  beau- 
tifully clear.  Defore  the  sun  appeared  this 
morning,  the  thermometer  was  3'~>  below 
zero ;  1°  higher,  when  his  rays  struck  the 
lofty  peaks ;  and  0*^  when  they  reached  our 
camp. 

Scen:5ry  and  weather,  combined,  must 
render  these  mountains  beautiful  in  summer  ; 
the  pu;ity  and  deep-blue  color  of  the  sky 
are  singularly  beautiful ;  the  days  are  sunny 
and  bright,  and  even  warm  in  the  noon 
hours ;  and  if  we  could  be  free  from  the 
many  anxieties  that  oppress  us,  even  now 
we  would  be  delighted  here  ;  but  our  pro- 
visions are  getting  fearfully  scant.  Sleighs 
arrived  with  baggage  about  10  o'clock  ;  and 
leaving  a  portion  of  it  here,  we  continued 
on  for  a  mile  and  a  half,  and  encamped  at 
the  foot  of  a  long  hill  on  this  side  of  the 
open  bottom. 


lifriiinr  and  (iiidey,  wlin  ^eattirdav  loom 
iiig  bail  biMMi  HUiil  to  uneeiid  a  liigber  peak, 
got  III,  liiiiigry  and  fatigued.  Tliey  run- 
tirnii'd  what  we  bad  already  tierii.  Two 
other  Mluigbs  arrived  in  the  aflcriiiiiih  ,  and 
the  men  biiiiig  fatigued,  I  gave  tliciii  all  te.'k 
and  sugar.  Snow  cIouiIm  began  to  n>u  in 
the  SSVV.  ;  and,  upprelien«ive  of  a  hicniii, 
which  would  duHtioy  our  road,  1  iwii'  the 
people  back  to  Mr.  r'ily.patrifk,  witli  diroe- 
lions  to  send  for  the  aiiimuls  in  itie  luoniiiig. 
With  mo  remained  Mr.  I'reuit-*,  .Mr.  'r.illtot, 
and  (/arson,  with  Jacob. 

Klevation  of  the  camp,  by  tbu  boiling 
point,  is  7,Uv'0  feet. 

Fihnioi  1/  1). — During  the  night  the  woatli- 
ur  changed,  the  w'nd  rising  to  a  gale,  and 
eommeneing  to  miovv  before  ilayliglil  ;  be- 
fore morning  the  trail  was  covered.  NVe 
ruiiiainud  quiet  in  camp  all  day,  in  the  course 
of  wliicli  the  weather  improved.  Four 
sleighs  arrived  toward  evening,  with  tho 
budding  of  the  men.  W'e  sulfur  miicli  from 
the  want  of  salt ;  and  all  tbu  men  are  be- 
coming weak  from  iiisufTiciunt  food. 

Fchrunry  10. — Tapliii  was  sent  back 
with  a  few  men  to  assist  Mr.  Filzpatrick  ; 
and  continuing  on  with  three  sleighs  carry- 
ing a  part  of  tbo  baggage,  wo  had  tho  satis- 
faction to  encamp  within  two  and  a  half 
miles  of  the  head  of  the  liulluw,  and  at  the 
foot  of  the  last  mountain  ridge.  Hero  two 
large  trees  had  been  set  on  firu,  and  in  the 
holes,  wheru  tbo  snow  had  been  melted 
away,  we  found  a  comfortable  camp. 

Tho  wind  kept  the  air  filled  with  snow 
during  tho  day  ;  the  sky  was  very  dark  in 
the  southwest,  though  elsuwhere  very  clear. 
The  forest  here  has  a  noble  appearance  : 
tho  tall  cedar  is  abundoit ;  its  greatest 
height  being  130  feet,  aii'  circumference 
ao,  three  or  four  feet  above  the  ground  ; 
and  here  I  see  for  the  first  time  the  white 
pine,  of  which  there  are  some  magnificent 
trues.  Hemlock  spruce  is  among  tho  tim- 
ber, occasionally  as  large  as  8  feet  in  diam- 
eter four  feet  above  the  ground  ;  l.ut,  in  as- 
cending, it  tapers  rapidly  to  less  than  one 
foot  at  the  height  of  80  feet.  I  have  not 
seen  any  higher  than  .30  feet,  and  the 
slight  upper  part  is  frequently  broken  ofT  by 
the  wind.  The  while  spruce  is  frequent ; 
and  the  red  pine,  (pinus  Colorado  of  the 
Mexicans,)  which  constitutes  the  beautiful 
forest  along  the  flanks  of  the  Sierra  Neva- 
da to  the  northward,  is  here  the  principal 
tree,  not  attaining  a  greater  height  than  140 
feet,  though  with  sometimes  a  diameter  of 
10.  Most  of  these  trees  appeared  to  differ 
slightly  from  those  of  the  same  kind  on  the 
other  side  of  the  continent. 

The  elevation  of  the  camp,  by  tho  boiling 
point,  is  8,050  feet.  We  are  now  1,000 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  South  Pass  in 


1841 


<AI»T.  FUKMONT'S  NAUUVriVK. 


113 


iho  l{iii*ky  iiiouiiUiiiM  ;  itiul  kIiII  wn  aro  not  ' 
•luiic  ii«c<iiiiliii(;.  Tliii  top  of  II  ilikt  ritl)<i' 
near  wuh  lutrn  ot*  miihw,  iiml  vury  w*'ll  i 
upriiikluil  with  huiM'li  ^ruiiH,  Mutliciiitil  to  |iuh- 
tiiru  till)  itttimulH  two  or  ihri'n  <luy* ;  iiiiil 
lliiN  \v;iN  to  liu  tli)'ir  riiiiiii  |H(iiit  of  HU|i|)ort. 
'I'IiIh  riili;«!  iH  i;<iiii|ionuil  of  ,1  ootii|iiii*t  tra|), 
itr  biiM.ili,  of  a  I'Dluiiiniir  htiuctiiri.'  ;  ovor  tlio 
«iirf;i('<i  uro  Nciittiircil  lar^t*  hoiiMcrN  of  po- 
rouN  tnip.  'I'liu  hilU  iiio  in  iiciny  |)liicija  imi- 
lirely  uuvured  with  niii;iII  fiu^mt'iitM  of  vol- 
r-ikiiK^  rock. 

l'utliii((  Oil  our  Mnow  blioua,  W(>  Riiont  thu 
afternoon  in  uxplorin^  i  ro.til  iihisul.  'I'hn 
ularo  of  llie  onow,  conilniii'il  witli  ^rcat  fa- 
11^110,  hiiil  rnndiituil  many  of  th)i  pioph*  iiiiitr- 
ly  lilinil ;  )nit  wu  uoro  forttinato  in  haviiii; 
Motiii;  liliti^k  nilk  handkrrchittfn,  which,  worn 
an  veil.t,  vory  much  roht'scd  thfoyc, 

FihriKin/  \\.  —  lli^h  sviimI  contiiiui-d,  anil 
our  trail  thitt  morniii|[{  was  nearly  invi!«il)lo — 
huro  anil  ther«!  imiicatL'il  hy  a  little  riil^o  of 
nnow.  Our  Bituiition  hocaiiio  tin'Monio  and 
dreary,  reipiiriiijf  a  htroiij^  exurciso  of  pa- 
tiuiiD)  an<l  resolution. 

Ill  the  ovenin^j  1  received  a  iiiesMayc  from 
Mr.  l''il/,palrick,  acipiainlini?  ">•'  with  the 
utter  failure  of  hin  attempt  to  (fct  our  iiiule.s 
and  horauH  over  thu  8iiow — the  half-iiidden 
trail  had  proved  entirely  too  slii^ht  to  Nup- 
port  ihuiii,  and  they  had  broken  throur;h, 
and  were  plun({ing  ahout  or  lyin^  half  liurieii 
in  snow.  He  was  occupied  in  endeavoring^ 
to  (ict  them  bank  to  \m  camp  ;  and  in  tiie 
mean  time  sent  to  mo  for  fun  her  in.striic. 
lions.  I  wrote  to  him  to  send  the  animals 
immediately  back  to  their  old  nasture.s  ;  and, 
after  having  made  mauls  and  Mhovtd:*,  turn 
in  all  the  strength  of  his  parly  to  open  and 
lieat  a  road  throuf^h  the  snow,  streii^rthenini.' 
it  with  branches  and  boiijrhs  of  the  pines. 

Fvbruary  13. — We  made  mauls,  and 
worked  hard  at  our  end  of  the  road  all  the 
day.  The  wiiwi  was  high,  but  the  sun  bright, 
and  the  snow  thawing.  We  worked  down 
the  face  of  the  hill,  to  meet  the  people  at 
the  other  end.  Towards  sundown  it  began 
to  grow  cold,  and  we  slu)uldercd  our  mauls,  . 
and  trudged  back  to  camp.  | 

February  13. — We  continued  to  labor  on 
the  road  ;  and  in  the  course  of  the  day  had 
the  satisfaction  to  see  the  people  working 
duwii  ths  face  of  the  opposite  hill,  about 
three  miles  distant.  During  the  morning 
we  had  the  pleasure  of  a  visit  from  Mr. 
Fitzpatrick,  with  the  information  that  all 
was  going  on  well.  A  party  of  Indians  had 
passed  011  snow  shoes,  who  said  they  were 
going  to  the  western  side  of  the  mountain 
after  Ash.  Thia  was  an  indication  that  the 
salmon  were  coming  up  the  streams ;  and 
we  could  hardly  restrain  our  impatience  as 
we  thought  of  them,  and  worked  with  in- 
creased vigor. 


The  meat  train  did  not  arrivn  thiw  cvoning, 
and  I  gave  (loday  h'ave  to  kill  our  little  dog, 
(  Tlaiiialh,)  wlin-li  he  prepiireil  m  Indian 
tii.^liion  ;  Hcorehing  olf  the  hair,  and  wuhK- 
iiig  the  fikin  with  itoap  and  niiow,  and  th<*n 
nilting  It  up  into  lueceN,  which  were  l.ijd 
on  the  Miiow.  Mhortlv  aftiMwariU,  the  Hlei){|| 
HI  rived  with  11  .supply  ol  linrMii  meat  ;  aiul 
we  had  to-nit^lit  an  extraordinary  dinner— 
pea-Noiip,  mule,  and  dog. 

Fi'/iriiiirf/  11. — The  dividing  ridge  of  the 
Sierra  in  in  hight  iVoin  iIiih  eiKMiiipnient. 
.Veeompanu'd  by  Mr.  I'reiixx,  I  ascended  to- 
ilay  the  highest  peak  to  the  ri^lil  ;  from 
which  v\c  had  a  beaut il'iil  view  tU'  a  iiiuiin- 
tain  lake  ut  our  feet,  about  lifii;eti  milen  in 
length,  and  so  entirely  Htirroundi'd  by  moiiii- 
taiiifi  that  we  could  not  diucover  an  outlet. 
We  had  taken  with  un  a  ghiK.s  ;  but,  though 
we  <!njoycd  an  exleinled  view,  the  vaPey  wan 
half  hidden  in  iniHt,  im  when  wo  had  Meeii  it 
before.  Snow  could  Ito  diHtinguished  on  thu 
higher  |)art.><  of  the  coant  inountaiim;  east- 
ward, an  far  an  tlio  eyo  could  extend,  it 
ranged  over  a  •errible  iiiaws  of  broken  snowy 
iiKnintaiiiM,  fading  olf  blue  in  the  diHtancu. 
riio  rock  composing  the  Huniinit  consiHts  ul' 
a  very  coarse,  dark,  volcanic  congloinerntfl  ; 
the  lower  |iarts  ajipeared  to  be  of  a  slaty 
structure.  'l"be  highest  trees  were  a  few 
.srattering  cediirN  and  aspens.  l''rom  the 
iinmediato  foot  of  the  ptnik.  we  were  two 
hours  in  .eaehing  the  summit,  and  one  hour 
and  a  (piarter  in  descending.  The  day  had 
been  very  bright,  still,  and  clear,  and  suring 
.seems  to  be  advancing  rapidly.  VVliile 
llio  sun  is  in  the  sky,  tlio  snow  melt  •  rapid- 
ly, and  gushing  springs  cover  the  face  of 
the  mountain  in  all  the  exposed  places  ;  but 
their  surface  freezes  instantly  with  the  dis- 
appearance of  the  sun. 

I  obtained  to-night  some  observations ;  and 
the  result  from  these,  and  others  made  din- 
ing our  stay,  gives  for  the  latitude  38*"  11' 
.57",  hmgitude  120"  i26'  67",  and  rate  of  the 
chronometer  25".82. 

Fchrunr!/ IH. — Wo  had  succeeded  in  get- 
ting our  animals  Hafely  to  the  first  gra.ssy 
hill ;  and  this  morning  I  started  with  Jacob 
on  a  reconnoitring  expedition  beyond  t!ie 
mountain.  Wo  travelled  along  the  crests  of 
narrow  ridges,  extending  down  from  the 
mountain  in  the  direction  of  tbo  valley,  Irom 
which  the  snow  was  fast  melting  awuy.  On 
the  open  spots  was  tolerably  good  grass  ;  and 
I  judged  we  should  succeed  in  getting  the 
camp  down  by  way  of  these.  Tosvards  sun- 
down we  discovered  some  icy  spots  in  a  deep 
hollow ;  and,  descending  the  mountain,  we 
encamped  on  the  head  water  of  a  little  creek, 
where  at  last  the  water  found  its  way  to  tiie 
Pacific. 

The  night  was  clear  and  very  long.  We 
heard  the  cries  of  some  wild  animals,  which 


^1 


4 


h 


W: 


144 


(•APT.  KHKMONTM  NAKRATIVK. 


[Mil. 


had  tiroii  iittrnrti'tl  liy  our  IW,  nnil  ii  tWk  nr 
jrroHi'  |)ii-«ti'M  over  iliirinu  Hu'  iii((lit.  Kvi'ti 
tliOHo  •'Ir.iiiixi'  Hiiiinil'«  limi  Miiirirlliinu  plf^aMari' 
to  ')iir  Hi'tmcK  ill  tliiN  ri'KJDii  ol  nilfiiro  nml 

(loMolntinil. 

Wi!  Ktiirfffl  nijwiii  t^arly  in  llio  iiiorriiit^ 
Tho  rr)*i>k  i«ri|uiro<|  n  rc^^iiliir  bri'iullh  nf 
ftWxit  'JO  ti<<-r.  iirul  wn  MiMti)  tx'ifiin  to  liiMir  thi> 
rimliiMi;  oi  llif  wafiT  Ih'Iow  thf  irr  siirliicc, 
nvnr  wlm-li  wo  trriv<>ll)')l  to  avoid  tlut  kikiw  ; 
a  few  inilcs  Im'Iow  wo  hrokf  tlinnij^li,  wJuto 
Uio  wutor  w«N  Ri>vt<riil  t«>)>t  (|i<i>|i,  niiil  liultod 
to  tnakr'  II  two  niiil  <lry  our  clotlii'H.  NVi* 
(*.ot)tiiiiii><l  II  tew  niiloM  t'lirtliiT,  wiilkiiiK  Inmiii; 
very  lulMirioiiH  without  hiiow  mIioon. 

1  wiiM  now  pcrtt'ctly  Matixrtoil  that  wn  had 
•truck  lht>  Htr«'iun  on  which  Mr.  Sutter  hv«d  ; 
ftnii,  turning  iihoiit,  inndo  a  hnrd  |niHh,  niid 
rotchi'd  tlio  ram|)  at  dark.    Ht'rc  we  had  tho 

{leaMiiri'  to  tind  all  Iho  mmainint;  aniinalH, 
7  in  iiuinhor,  Hafoly  arrived  at  tho  ^jraHMv 
hill  near  tho  camp;  and  hero,  al«»,  we  were 
agreeahly  HiirpriHod  with  tho  Hi^ht  of  an 
ADundanco  ol'  nalt.  Some  of  the  horno  ((uard 
had  irone  to  a  nei)(hlM)rint^  hut  for  pine  muIm, 
and  rtiwcovered  unexpectedly  a  hirge  cake  of 
very  white  fino-|;rained  Malt,  which  the  Indi- 
anH  told  them  they  had  brought  from  tho 
Other  Hide  of  tho  mountain ;  they  UMod  it  to 
eat  with  their  pine  nutH,  and  readily  Hold  it 
for  po<xI«. 

On  the  I9th,  tho  people  wore  occupied  in 
makini;  a  road  and  Drin^fing  npthc  hat^fpiire ; 
and,  on  tho  afternoon  of  tho  next  day,  I' eh. 
ruary  '20,  IStl,  wo  encamped  with  the  ani- 
mals and  all  the  mttlrriel  of  tho  camp,  on  the 
summit  of  tho  Pash  in  the  dividint^  r'lAge, 
1,000  miles  by  our  travelled  road  from  the 
DalleH  of  tho  Columbia. 

Tho  people,  who  had  not  yot  been  to  thin 
point,  climbed  tho  neighboring  peak  to  enjoy 
a  look  at  tho  valley. 

The  temperature  of  boiling  water  gave  for 
tho  elevation  of  the  oncampmont  9,338  feet 
above  tho  sea. 

This  wan  '2,000  foot  higher  than  tho  South 
Pass  in  tho  Rocky  mountains,  and  povrral 
peaks  in  view  rose  several  thousand  (ect  still 
nigher.  Thus,  at  tho  extremity  of  the  conti- 
nent, and  near  tho  coast,  the  phenomenon 
was  seen  of  a  range  of  mountains  still  higher 
than  the  great  Rocky  mountains  themHelves. 
This  extraordinary  fact  accounts  for  tho 
Great  Basin,  and  shows  that  there  mii^t  be 
a  system  of  small  lakes  and  rivers  here  scat- 
tered over  a  flat  country,  and  which  tho  ex- 
tended and  lofty  range  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
prevents  from  escaping  to  the  Pacific  ocean. 
Latitude  38"  44';  longitude  120°  28'. 

Thus  tho  Pass  in  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
which  so  well  deserves  its  name  of  Snowy 
mountain,  is  eleven  degrees  west  and  about 
fcur  degrees  south  of  the  South  Pass. 

February  21. — We  now  considered  our- 


wlve«  virlorioua  over  Ihft  mnuntnin;  hnvini; 
only  the  dnocent  hitlom  iii,  mid  th<>  vulkiy 
iiiLlrr  our  eye**,  we  felt  Niron;'  hii|ii>  tint  we 
Hhoiild  fiirre  our  way  d)>wn  Hut  tlii«  mim  u 
cn-n*  in  which  the  deori'nt  ««■<  /«//  fin'iie, 
S'ill  deep  lieliN  of  Know  lay  liftwei-ii,  and 
there  wax  a  large  intervening  H|Hire  ut  rmigh- 
liH>king  aiiiiintainM,  thrftiigli  wliidi  wi*  hnil 
yet  to  wi'iil  our  way  <'arNon  rniiHnl  me 
iIiIh  morning  with  an  early  Hre,  ami  we  wi're 
all  up  long  In'fore  day.  in  onl<T  to  pa^-*  the 
Niiow  lleliU  JM'fore  the  huh  hIiomM  rctidi'r  tho 
rruHt  Hofl.  VVe enjoyed  thiHniorniii;^  ti  Mri>no 
atHiinriHe,  whicheveu  here  whs  uiiu  tiially  glo- 
rioiiH  and  lieaiitilul.  Iminedialily  alinM>  tho 
eiiHtern  iiioiiiitiiiiii  vvaN  rejM'ited  a  rlmid- 
roiined  m.i"»H  of  purple  range*,  JMird'-red  with 
bright  yellow  gold  ;  the  |M<akH  nhot  up  into  a 
narrow  line  of  crimHon  cloud,  aliove  whish 
tho  air  was  filled  with  a  greeninh  orange  ; 
and  over  all  wiim  the  Hingumr  In'auty  nf  the 
hliio  nky.  I'ansing  along  a  ridge  which 
coinmaiuled  the  lake  on  our  right,  of  which 
we  began  to  dixcover  an  outlet  through  a 
cliaHni  on  the  west,  we  panMed  over  alternat- 
ing open  ground  and  hanl-criiMted  hiiow 
fieldrt  which  Hiip|)orted  the  animaln,  and  en- 
c,ain|)ed  on  the  ridgo  after  a  joiirr  •'  of  six 
iniles.     The  grass  was  In'tter  tl'  e  had 

yet  seen,  and  wo  were  encampei  lump 

of  trees  twenty  or  thirty  feet  high,  .  ..niiling 
white  pine.  With  the  exception  of  these 
small  clumpH,  tho  ridges  wore  l«iro;  and, 
whoro  tho  snow  found  tho  Hiip[K»rt  of  tho 
trees,  the  wind  had  blown  it  up  into  l>anks 
ten  or  fifteen  feet  high.  It  required  much 
care  to  hunt  out  a  practicable  way,  as  tho 
most  open  places  frequently  led  to  impassa* 
ble  banks. 

We  had  hard  and  doubtful  labor  yet  be- 
fore us,  as  the  snow  appeared  to  lie  heavier 
where  tho  tin)l)cr  began  further  down,  with 
few  open  spots.  Ascendi;""  a  height,  we 
traced  out  tlio  best  line  wo  eould  discorer 
for  tho  next  day's  march,  and  had  at  least 
tho  consolation  to  see  that  the  mountain  de- 
scended rapidly.  The  day  had  l3een  one  of 
April ;  gusty,  with  a  few  occasional  flakes  of 
snow  ;  which,  in  the  afternoon,  enveloped  the 
upper  mountain  in  clouds.  Wo  watched 
them  anxiously,  as  now  we  dreaded  a  snow 
storm.  Shortly  afterwards  we  heard  the  roll 
of  thunder,  and,  looking  towards  the  valley, 
found  it  all  enveloped  in  a  thunder-storm. 
For  us,  as  connected  with  the  idea  of  sum- 
mer, it  had  a  singular  charm ;  and  we 
watched  its  progress  with  excited  feelings 
until  nearly  sunset,  when  tho  sky  cleared  off 
brightly,  and  we  saw  a  shining  line  of  water 
directing  its  course  towards  another,  a  broad- 
er and  larger  sheet.  We  knew  that  these 
could  be  no  other  than  the  Sacramento  and 
the  bay  of  San  Francisco ;  but,  after  our  long 
wandering  in  rugged  mountains,  where  so 


[IHIl. 

;  Uttvlng 
IK  vitlby 

\\n  \n«  It 

•I'll,  nnd 

it  Mll^fli- 

\vi>  liml 
ixril  inn 
\M<  \vi'n» 
pn-'x  tho 
tiiliT  the 
f  II  Hr"n« 
tilly  ifln* 
loivi"  iUo 
1  rliMiiN 
rt'fl  with 
i|i  into  n 
i>   which 

f  of  the 
•  which 
t'  which 
riMi^h  R 
iihcrimt- 

i\      HIIOW 

mill  on- 

"'  of  Bix 

"»  had 

'lump 
..liuling 
of  thoKP 
ro ;  and, 
t  uf  tho 
0  l«nkn 

much 

nn  tho 

inpassa- 


1M4.] 


CAI'T.  KIIKMONT'M  NAHIIATIVK. 


!«• 


frMni«n»lv  w»»  hml  m«t  with  (li«ii|i|H)iiiiiii»tit4, 
una  wIkti'  lh««  croo^ieiif  i>t  I'vcry  tkIk"  iIm- 
pkyi'il  Hitini'  iinkiinwn  litki'  or  river,  wimm'p* 

imt  iilino«t  iiiriii'l  lo  U'limo  thiil  wi*  wi'rit  nt 
Mt  lo  •'<<  i|i>>  iiitii  iliK  |fi>iiiiil  country  of 
which  wi>  IukI  ln'iinl  mo  iiiiiny  t/l>iwiiiK  ili>- 
acripliinK,  itml  ilri'iuli'il  itL'tiiii  to  liiiil  kdiiio 
vAMt  iiitiTior  liikc,  whoxii  liiMi>r  wuti'rx  would 
tirinir  iix  ilii<n|i|Nii!itm<>iit.  On  Ihi*  Moiithcrii 
Hhorc  ol  whiit  ii|i|H>iiri*d  to  In<  lhi>  liny  could 
Im  Imccil  till*  KJctttniinf  linn  when*  cntori'd 
iiiMtlicr  liiri^i*  Htrimin  ;  mid  ii^iiiii  th»  liiiuim- 
vi'iitiirii  roso  tip  in  our  inimU. 

CitrHoii  hud  cntcrcil  Ihn  vnll)>y  mIoiii;  tin- 
Hoiitlicrn  niiU*  of  llio  liiiy,  and  riMiicnilMtrcil 
iicrlt'cliy  to  have  crcmxi'd  tlio  mouth  ol  ii  very 
mg<'  Ntri'iini,  which  they  hud  liccti  ohli^od 
to  riiti ;  liiit  the  country  then  wum  ho  cn> 
tiri'ly  coveri'd  with  wiiler  Iroin  hiiow  iind 
nun.  tint  he  hnd  licen  iihlit  to  form  no  cur* 
rt'ct  iiii|ir<>MNiori  of  wntercoiirMCM. 

We  hud  the  mitiHlnction  to  know  tlint  »t 
ii'Hst  there  wore  |m)o|iIo  helow.  Firi'«  were 
lit  up  in  the  viillpy  juMt  at  ni(;lit,  nppearini; 
to  Im^  ill  iin.twer  to  oiirx  ;  nnd  thcMc  ttiKiiM  ol 
lite  reiiewi'd,  in  Moine  ineartiire,  tho  gaiety 
ot  the  camp.  They  appeared  mo  near,  that 
wti  indued  them  to  he  iimon^f  tho  timber  of 
«<iiue  ol  tlie  nei)rhl)orin(r  rid^uii ;  hut,  havin^f 
llieiii  ciiMHtantly  in  viow  day  al'tur  day,  and 
iii^dit  alter  niirht,  wo  attorwardo  found  tliem 
to  he  lircH  that  had  liocn  kindled  by  tho  Indi- 
iiii-i  uinoiiif  tho  tuldri's,  on  tlio  shoro  of  tho 
liav.  HI)  mileii  diHtant. 

Ainoii}(  tlio  very  few  plantH  that  appeared 
here,  wur*  tho  common  blue  flax.  To-night, 
a  tniile  waH  killed  for  f(M)d. 

FihriKtnj  'J'J. — Our  hreakfaHt  was  over 
loujr  heloro  ilay.  Wo  took  advanta((o  of  the 
coolnesH  of  tho  early  morning  to  got  over 
tlio  Biiow,  which  to-<lay  occurred  in  very 
(loop  luinkfl  amoni;  the  timber ;  but  wo 
Koarclied  out  the  coldoRt  placoH,and  tho  anl- 
niuls  passed  Hiiccorisfiilly  with  their  loadH 
llie  luird  cruMt.  Now  and  then,  the  delay 
of  mukitig  a  road  occanioned  much  labor 
ami  losH  of  time.  In  tho  alter  part  of  the 
(lay,  wo  saw  before  us  a  liandHomo  graBsy 
rid^'o  point ;  and,  making  a  dosporato  puna 
over  a  HIIOW  held  10  lo  16  feet  deep,  we 
iiappily  succeeded  in  getting  the  camp 
across  ;  and  oneampod  on  tho  ridge,  after  a 
man-li  of  throe  miloH.  We  had  again  the 
prosjM'ct  of  a  thunder-Btorm  below,  and  to- 
iii^'lii  wo  killed  another  mule — now  our  only 
rcsniirco  from  starvation. 

We  satistied  ourselves  during  the  day 
that  the  lake  had  an  outlet  between  two 
rau<;es  on  tho  right ;  and  with  this,  the 
creek  on  which  I  had  encamped  probably 
effected  a  junction  below.  Between  these, 
we  were  descending. 

Wo  continued  to  enjoy  the  same  delightful 
weather ;  the  eky  of  the  satMO  beautiful  blue, 

10 


and  Hiich   a  iiun^et   nnd   nanrUo  M  on  nnr 

,\tliiiiic  ciMi^t  we  ccHild  ncarrely  linagin*. 
And  here  iimontf  the  niniuiininx,  '111110  Ut<\ 
almve  the  xeu,  we  have  the  di-epliliii-  Mky 
and  minnv  climato  of  Hmyrna  ami  ralemio, 
which  a  little  map  boforo  me  vhow*  are  tit 
the  iinme  littitiide. 

Tlieeli'Viilioii  alM)\e  llie  Hen,  Ity  the  lM)ilin|{ 
|Hiint.  14  H.fttIA  leef. 

F'-hninrif  'JU.— Thii*  wax  our  moot  dilliciilt 
day  ;  we  were  forced  ofV  the  riduen  hy  tho 
(|iiaMlity  of  itnow  uinoiii/  the  tiinher,  and 
obliged  to  take  to  the  inoiintiiin  mdex,  vvhern 
occa-iioiially,  rockM  and  u  hoiitlicrn  expoturo 
iilliirded  iiH  a  <'liiiiice  to  Mcrsiinlile  along,  lint 
these  were  nteep,  and  xlip|iery  with  xiioW 
and  ice ;  nnd  the  tough  evergreenn  of  tho 
moiintniii  iiii|H*ded  our  way,  tore  our  ^kinN, 
and  i>xliaiiHted  our  patience.  Some  of  iia 
hail  the  mislortiino   to  wear  iiiiKiisMins  with 

Iiiirflirhi'  KolcN,  HO  hiippery  tliut  we  i-oiild  not 
leep  our  feet,  and  generally  crawled  acroaa 
the  Htiow  beds.  Axen  and  mauls  were  no* 
cessary  to-day,  to  inako  a  mad  through  tho 
riiiow.  (ioing  ahead  with  CurNoii  to  ro* 
connoitro  tlin  road,  wo  reached  in  the  alter* 
n-'  <  the  river  which  made  the  outlit  tif  tho 
liii~>'.  CarHoii  Hprang  over,  clear  iicroHS  a 
placo  where  tho  ntreain  was  coinpresspd 
among  rocks,  but  the  finrllrrlir  sole  of  my 
mociissiii  glanced  from  the  icy  ro(!k,  and 
precipitated  me  into  the  river.  It  was  somo 
tew  hoconds  before  I  could  recover  niysolf 
in  the  current,  and  Carson,  thinking  me  liurt, 
jiim|)«>d  in  after  mo,  and  wo  both  had  an  icy 
hath.  Wo  tried  to  nearch  a  while  lor  my 
gun,  which  had  liooii  lost  in  tho  fall,  hut  tho 
C(dd  drove  ui«  out ;  and  making  a  largo  tire 
on  tho  bank,  alter  wo  had  partially  dried 
ourselvfls  wo  wont  back  to  meet  the  camp. 
Wo  atlorwards  found  that  tho  gun  had  been 
slung  under  tho  ico  which  lined  tho  hanks 
of  tho  creek. 

Using  our  old  plan  of  breaking  the  road 
with  alternate  horses,  wo  reached  tho  creek 
in  the  evening,  and  encamped  on  a  dry  open 
place  in  tho  ravine. 

Another  branch,  which  wo  had  followed, 
here  comes  in  on  the  left  ;  and  from  thia 
point  tho  mountain  wall,  on  which  wo  had 
travelled  to-day,  faces  lo  the  south  along  tho 
right  bank  of  tho  river,  where  the  huh  ap- 
pears to  have  molted  the  snow ;  hut  tho  op* 
posito  ridge  is  entirely  covered.  Here,  among 
the  pines,  tho  hill  sido  produces  but  little 
grass — barely  siiificient  to  keep  lil'u  in  the 
animals.  We  had  the  pleasure  to  lie  ruined 
upon  this  afternoon  ;  and  grass  was  now  our 
greatest  solicitude.  Many  of  the  men  looked 
badly ;  and  some  this  evening  were  giving 
out. 

February  24. — Wo  rose  at  three  in  the 
morning,  for  an  astronomical  observationi 
and  obtained  for  the  place  a  latitude  of  38" 


.1 


ir 


i 


146 


CAPT.  FitEiViONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


ri844. 


46'  68";  longitude  120°  34'  20".  The  sky 
was  clear  and  pure,  with  a  sharp  wind 
from  the  northeast,  and  the  thermometer  2® 
below  tiie  freezinjj  point. 

We  continued  down  the  soutli  face  of  the 
mountain  ;  our  road  leading  over  dry  ground, 
we  were  able  to  avoid  the  snow  almost  en- 
tirely. In  the  CGiirse  of  the  morning,  we 
struck  a  f(  ot  puth,  which  we  were  generally 
able  to  keep ;  and  the  ground  was  soft  to 
our  animala'  feet,  being  sandy  or  covered 
with  mould.  Green  grass  began  to  make 
its  appearance,  and  occasionally  wc  passed 
a  hill  scatteringly  covered  with  it.  The 
character  ■->(  the  forest  continued  the  same  ; 
and,  among  the  trees,  the  pine  with  sharp 
leaves  and  very  largo  cones  was  abundant, 
some  of  them  being  noble  trees.  We  mea- 
sured one  that  had  10  feet  diameter,  though 
the  liejght  was  rot  more  than  130  feet.  All 
along,  the  river  was  a  roaring  torrent,  its 
fall  very  great:  and,  descending  with  a 
rapidity  to  which  we  had  long  been 
strangers,  to  our  gr^at  pleasure  oak  trees 
appeared  on  the  ridge,  and  soon  became  very 
frequent;  on  these  I  remarked  unusually 
great  qu'.nttties  of  misletoe.  Rushes  began 
to  make  their  appearance  ;  and  at  a  small 
creel;  where  they  were  abundant,  one  of  the 
messes  was  left  with  the  weakest  horses, 
while  we  continued  on. 

The  opposite  mountain  side  was  very 
sieep  and  continuous — unbroken  by  ravines. 
and  covered  with  pines  and  snow ;  while  on 
the  side  we  were  travelling,  innumerable 
rivulets  poured  down  from  the  ridge.  Con- 
tinuing on,  we  halted  a  moment  at  one  of 
these  rivulets,  to  admire  some  beautiful  ever- 
green trees,  resembling  live  oak,  which 
shaded  the  little  stream.  They  were  forty 
to  fifty  feet  high,  and  two  in  diameter,  with 
a  uniform  tufted  top ;  and  the  summer  green 
of  their  beautiful  foliage,  with  the  singing 
birds,  and  the  sweet  summer  wind  which 
was  whirling  about  the  dry  oak  leaves,  nearly 
intoxicated  us  with  delight ;  and  we  hurried 
on,  filled  with  excitement,  to  escape  entirely 
from  the  horrid  region  of  inhospitable  srow, 
to  the  perpetual  spring  of  the  Sacramenio. 

When  we  had  travelkd  about  ten  miles, 
the  valley  opened  a  little  to  an  oak  and  pine 
bottom,  through  which  ran  rivulets  closely 
bordered  with  rushes,  on  which  our  half- 
starved  hcrses  fell  with  avidity;  and  here 
we  mai^«  our  encampment.  Here  the  roar- 
ing toribi.i;  has  already  become  a  river,  and 
we  had  descended  to  an  elevation  of  3,864 
t?et. 

Along  our  road  to-day  the  rock  was  a 
white  granite,  which  appears  to  constitute 
the  upper  part  of  the  mountiiins  on  both  the 
eastern  and  western  slopes ;  while  between, 
Jbn  central  is  a  volcanic  rock. 

Another  horse  was  killed  to-night,  for  food. 


February  26. — Believing  that  tlic  diffi- 
culties of  the  road  were  passed,  and  leaving 
Mr.  Fitzpatrick  to  follow  slowly,  as  the  con- 
dition of  the  animals  rpquired,  I  started 
ahead  this  morning  with  a  party  of  eight, 
consisting  (with  myself)  of  Mr.  I'reuss  and 
Mr.  T.ilbot,  Carson,  Derosier,  Towns,  i'roue, 
nnd  Jacob.  We  took  with  us  some  of  tliu 
best  animals,  and  my  intention  was  to  pro- 
ceed as  rapidly  as  possible  to  the  house  ot 
Mr.  Sutter,  and  return  to  meet  the  party 
with  a  supply  of  provisions  and  fresh  ani- 
mals. 

Continuing  down  the  river,  which  pursued 
r  very  direct  westerly  course  through  a  niir- 
ow  valley,  with  only  a  very  slight  and  nar- 
row bottom  land,  we  made  twelve  miles,  and 
encamped  at  bome  old  Indian  huts,  apparent- 
ly a  fishing  place  on  the  river,  i  he  bottom 
was  covered  with  trees  of  deciduous  foliagp, 
and  overgrown  with  vines  and  rushes.  On 
a  bench  of  the  hill  near  by,  was  a  field  of 
fresh  green  grass,  six  inches  long  in  some  ol 
the  tufts  which  I  had  the  curiosity  to  meas- 
ure. The  animals  were  driven  here  ;  and  I 
spent  part  of  the  afternoon  sitting  on  a  large 
rock  among  them,  enjoying  the  pauseless  ra- 
pidity with  which  they  luxuriated  in  the  im- 
accustomed  food. 

The  forest  was  imposing  to-daj  in  the 
magnificence  of  the  trees ;  some  of  the 
pines,  bearing  large  conos,  were  10  fe^n  in 
diameter ;  cedars  also  abounded,  and  we 
measured  one  28j  feet  in  circumference,  four 
feet  from  the  ground.  This  noble  tree  seemed 
here  to  be  in  its  proper  soil  and  climate. 
We  fo'md  it  on  both  sides  of  the  Sierra,  but 
most  abundant  on  the  west. 

February  26. — We  continued  to  follow  the 
stream,  the  mountains  on  either  Imml  in- 
creas  ng  in  height  as  we  descended,  and  shut- 
ting up  the  river  narrowly  in  precipicos, 
along  which  we  had  great  difficulty  to  jjret 
our  horses. 

It  rained  heavily  during  the  a.' .  noon,  and 
we  were  forced  off  the  river  to  the  lieiirhts 
above;  whence  we  descended,  at  night-fiil', 
the  point  of  a  spur  between  the  river  aiul  a 
fork  of  nearly  equal  size,  cominjj  in  from  th^ 
right.  Here  we  saw,  on  the  lower  bills,  tlio 
first  flowers  in  bloom.,  which  occurred  sml- 
denly,  and  i'l  considerable  quantity  ;  or.n  of 
them  a  species  of  gilia. 

The  current  in  both  streams  (rattier  lor- 
rrnts  than  rivers)  was  broken  by  larije  Imiil- 
ders.  It  ■  'as  la^e,  and  the  animals  fatiiriiod : 
and  not  succeeding  to  find  a  ford  immediato- 
ly,  we  encamped,  although  the  hill  si-lo  af- 
forded but  a  few  stray  bunches  of  grass,  and 
the  horses,  standing  about  in  the  rain,  looked 
very  miserable. 

February  27. — We  succeeded  in  fordinj; 
the  stream,  ard  made  a  trail  by  which  we 
crossed  the  point  of  the  opposite  hill,  which, 


1)^44.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


i4ir 


on  the  Houtliern  exposure,  was  prettily  cover- 
ed with  j^ret'ii  prass,  and  we  halted  a  mile  from 
our  last  ciicampmont.  The  r  ver  was  only 
about  sixty  feet  wide,  but  rapid,  and  occa- 
sionally deep,  foaming  among  l)oulders,  and 
the  water  beautifully  clear.  Wo  encamped 
on  the  hill  nlope,  as  there  was  no  bottom 
level,  and  the  opposite  ridge  is  continuous, 
affording  no  streams. 

Wo  had  with  us  a  large  kettle  ;  and  a  mule 
l)cing  killed  here,  his  head  was  boiled  in  it 
for  several  hours,  and  made  a  passable  soup 
for  famished  people. 

Below,  precipices  on  the  river  forced  us  to 
the  heights,  which  we  ascended  by  a  steep 
spur  2,000  feet  high.  V.y  favorite  horse, 
Proveau,  had  become  very  weak,  and  was 
scarcely  able  to  bring  himself  to  the  top. 
Travolling  here  was  good,  except  in  crossing 
the  ravines,  which  were  narrow,  steep,  and 
frequent.  We  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  deer, 
the  first  animal  we  had  seen ;  but  did  not 
succeed  in  approaching  him.  Proveau  could 
not  keep  up,  and  I  left  Tr.cob  to  bring  him  on, 
being  obliged  to  press  t  jrward  with  the  par- 
ty, as  there  was  no  grass  in  the  forest.  We 
}irew  very  aiixious  as  the  day  advanced  and 
110  grass  appeared,  for  the  lives  of  our  ani- 
mals depended  on  finding  it  to-night.  They 
were  in  just  such  a  condition  that  grass  and 
repose  for  the  night  enabled  them  to  get  on 
tlie  next  day.  Every  hour  we  had  been  ex- 
pecting to  see  open  out  before  us  the  valley, 
which,  from  the  mountain  above,  seemed  al- 
most at  our  feet.  A  new  and  singular  shrub, 
which  had  made  ils  appearance  since  cross- 
ing the  mountain,  was  very  frequent  to-day. 
It  branched  out  near  the  ground,  forming  a 
clump  eight  to  ten  feet  hign,  with  pale-green 
leaves  of  an  oval  form,  and  the  body  and 
branches  had  a  naked  appearance,  as  if  strip- 
ped of  the  bark,  which  is  very  smooth  and 
iliin,  of  a  chocolate  color,  contrasting  well 
with  the  pale  green  of  the  leaves.  The  day 
was  nearly  gone  ;  we  had  made  a  hard  day's 
march,  and  found  no  grass.  Towns  became 
light-headed,  wandering  off  into  the  woods 
without  knowing  where  ht  was  going,  and 
.facob  "u.-ought,him  back. 

Ne-"..  i;;ght-fall  we  descended  into  the  steep 
ravine  of  a  handsome  creek  thirty  feet  wide, 
and  1  was  engaged  in  getting  the  horses  up 
tiie  opposite  hill,  when  I  heard  a  shout  from 
Carson,  who  had  gone  ahead  a  few  hundred 
yards — "  Life  yet,"  said  he,  as  he  came  up, 
'  life  yet ;  I  have  found  a  hill  side  sprinkled 
with  grass  enough  for  the  night."  We  drove 
along  our  horses,  and  encamped  at  the  place 
about  dark,  and  there  was  just  room  enough 
to  make  a  place  for  shelter  on  the  edge  of  the 
stream.  Three  horses  were  lost  to-day — 
Proveau ;  a  fine  young  horse  from  the  Co- 
lumbia, belonging  to  Charles  Towns ;  and 
another  Indian  horse  which  carried  our  cook- 


ing utensils  ;  the  two  former  gave  out,  and 
the  latff^r  strayed  oil'  into  the  woods  as  we 
reached  the  camp. 

Fehruari/  2i). — Wo  lay  shut  up  in  the  nar- 
row ravine,  and  gave  the  animals  a  necessa- 
ry day ;  and  men  were  sent  back  alter  the 
others.  Derosior  volunteered  to  bring  up 
Proveau,  ti)  whom  ho  knew  I  was  greatly  at- 
tached, as  he  had  been  my  favorite  horse  on 
both  expeditions.  Carson  and  I  climbed  one 
of  the  nearest  mountains ;  the  forest  land 
still  extended  ahead,  and  the  valley  appeared 
as  far  as  ever.  The  pack  horso  was  found 
near  the  camp,  but  Derosier  did  not  get  in. 

March  1. — Derosier  did  not  get  in  during 
the  night,  and  leaving  him  to  follow,  as  no 
grass  remained  here,  we  continued  on  over 
the  uplands,  crossing  many  small  streams, 
and  camped  again  on  the  river,  having  made 
6  miles.  Here  we  found  the  hill  side  cover- 
ed (although  lightly)  with  fresh  green  grass ; 
and  from  this  time  forward  we  found  it  al- 
ways improving  and  abundant. 

We  made  a  pleasant  camp  on  the  river  hill, 
where  were  some  beautiful  specimens  of  the 
chocolate-colored  shrub, which  were  afoot  in 
diameter  near  the  ground,  and  fifteen  to  twen- 
ty feet  high.  The  opposite  ridge  runs  con- 
tinuously along,  unbroken  by  streams.  We 
are  rapidly  descending  into  the  spring,  and 
we  are  leaving  our  snowy  region  far  behind ; 
everything  is  getting  green  ;  butterflies  are 
swarming ;  numerous  bugs  are  creeping  out, 
wakened  from  their  winter's  sleep  ;  and  the 
forest  flowers  are  coming  into  bloom.  Among 
those  which  appeared  most  numerously  to- 
day was  dodecalheon  denlattim. 

We  began  to  be  uneasy  at  Derosier's  ab- 
sence, fearing  he  might  have  been  bewilder- 
ed in  the  woods.  Cnarles  Towns,  who  had 
not  yet  recovered  his  mind,  went  to  swim  in 
the  river,  as  if  it  were  summer,  and  the 
stream  placid,  when  it  was  a  cold  mountain 
torrent  foaming  among  rocks.  We  were 
happy  to  see  Derosier  appear  in  the  evening. 
He  came  in,  and,  sitting  down  by  the  fire, 
began  to  ♦ell  us  where  he  had  been.  He 
imagined  he  had  been  gone  several  days,  and 
thought  we  were  still  at  the  camp  where  he 
had  lefi,  us  ;  and  we  were  pained  to  see  that 
his  mind  was  deranged.  It  appeared  thai  .he 
had  been  lost  in  the  mountain,  and  hunger 
and  fatigue,  joined  to  weakness  of  body,  and 
fear  of  perishing  in  the  mountains,  had 
crazed  him.  The  times  were  severe  when 
stout  men  lost  their  minds  from  extremity  of 
suffering  —  when  horses  died  —  and  when 
mules  and  horses,  ready  to  die  of  starvation, 
were  killed  for  food.  Yet  there  was  no  mur- 
muring or  hesitation. 

A  short  distance  below  our  encampment 
the  river  mountains  terminated  in  precipices, 
and,  after  a  fatiguing  march  of  only  a  few 
miles,  we  encamped  on  a  bench  where  there 


iJ 

i 


if< 


J.' 


'  1  ■! 


it' 


m 


14» 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


ri844. 


were  springs  and  an  abundance  "\  tho  fresh- 
est pras-i.  In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Preiiss 
contmiied  on  down  the  rivtr,  and,  nnaware 
that  we  had  encamped  so  early  in  the  day, 
was  lost.  When  night  arrived,  and  he  did 
not  como  in,  we  l)Cgan  to  understand  what 
had  happened  to  him  ;  but  it  was  too  late  to 
maiffi  any  search. 

March  3. — We  followed  Mr.  Preusb's  trail 
for  a  considerable  distance  along  the  river, 
until  we  roiu-lied  a  place  where  he  had  de- 
sct'uiled  to  the  stream  below  and  encamped. 
Here  we  shouted  and  lired  gims,  but  received 
no  answer  ;  and  we  concluded  that  he  had 
pushed  on  down  the  stream.  I  determined 
to  keep  out  from  the  river,  along  which  it 
was  nearly  impracticable  to  ?ravel  with  ani- 
mals, until  it  aliould  form  a  valley.  At  every 
step  the  country   improved  in   beauty ;  the 

Eincs  were  rapidly  disappearii.fr,  and  oaks 
Bcame  tho  principal  trees  of  the  forest. 
Among  these,  the  prevailing  tree  was  the 
evergreen  oak  (which,  by  way  of  distinction, 
we  shall  call  the  live  oak)  ;  and  with  these, 
occurred  frequently  a  new  species  of  oak 
bearing  a  long  slender  acorn,  from  an  inch  to 
an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  which  we  now 
began  to  see  formed  the  principal  vegetable 
food  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  region.  In  a 
short  distance  we  crossed  a  little  rivulet, 
where  were  two  old  huts,  and  near  by  were 
heaps  of  acorn  hulls.  The  ground  round 
about  was  very  rich,  covered  with  an  exube- 
rant sward  of  grass ;  and  we  sat  down  for  a 
while  in  the  shade  of  the  oaks,  to  let  the  ani- 
mals feed.  We  repeated  our  shouts  for  Mr. 
Preuss  ;  and  this  time  we  were  gratified  with 
an  answer.  The  voice  grew  rapidly  nearer, 
ascending  from  the  river;  but  when  we  ex- 
pected to  see  him  emerge,  it  ceased  entirely. 
We  had  called  up  some  straggling  Indian — 
the  first  we  had  met,  although  for  two  days 
back  we  had  seen  tracks — who,  mistaking 
us  for  his  fellows,  had  been  only  undeceived 
on  getting  close  up.  It  would  have  been 
pleasant  to  witness  his  astonishment;  he 
would  not  have  been  more  frightened  had 
some  of  the  old  mountain  spirits  they  arc  so 
much  afraid  of  suddenly  appeared  in  his  path. 
Ignorant  of  the  character  of  these  people, 
we  had  now  an  additional  cause  of  uneasi- 
ness in  regard  to  Mr.  Preuss ;  he  had  no 
arms  with  him,  and  we  began  to  think  his 
chance  doubtful.  We  followed  on  a  trail, 
still  keeping  out  from  the  river,  and  descend- 
ed to  a  very  large  ere  'k,  dashing  with  great 
velocity  over  a  pre-eminently  rocky  bed  and 
among  large  boulders.  The  bed  had  sudden 
breaks,  formed  by  deep  holes  and  ledires  of 
rock  running  across.  Even  here,  it  deserves 
the  name  of  Uncle  creek,  which  we  gave  to  it. 
We  succeeded  in  fording  it,  and  toiled  about 
three  thousand  feet  up  the  opposite  hill.  The 
mountains  now  were  getting  sensibly  lower; 


but  still  there  la  no  vftlley  on  the  river,  which 
presents  steep  and  locky  banks;  but  here, 
several  miles  from  ti;e  river,  the  country  is 
smooth  and  grassy;  the  forest  has  no  under- 
growth; and  in  tlie  open  valleys  of  rivulets, 
or  around  spring  heads,  tho  low  groves  of 
live  oak  give  the  appearance  of  orchards  in 
un  old  cultivated  country.  Occasionally  we 
met  deer,  but  had  not  the  necessary  time  for 
hunting.  At  one  of  these  orchard  prouiuls, 
we  encamp<>d  about  noon  to  make  an  ellbrt 
for  Mr.  Preuss.  One  man  took  his  way 
along  a  spur  leading  into  the  river,  in  hope 
to  cross  his  trail :  and  another  took  our  own 
back.  Both  were  volunteers ;  and  to  the 
successful  man  was  promised  a  pair  of  pis- 
tols— not  as  a  reward,  but  as  a  toki'u  of  gra- 
titude for  a  service  which  would  free  us  all 
from  much  anxiety. 

We  had  among  our  few  animals  a  horse 
which  was  so  much  reduced,  that,  with  trav- 
elling, even  the  good  grass  could  not  save 
him ;  and,  having  nothing  to  cat,  ho  was 
killed  this  afternoon.  He  was  a  good  ani- 
mal, and  had  made  the  journey  round  from 
Fort  Hall. 

Dodecalheon  (lenlatuin  continued  tho  cha- 
racteristic plant  in  flower ;  and  the  miked- 
looking  shrub  already  mentioned  continued 
characteristic,  beginning  to  put  forth  a  small 
white  blossom.  At  evening  the  men  re- 
turned, having  seen  or  heard  nothing  ol  AJr. 
Preuss ;  and  I  determined  to  make  a  hard 
push  down  the  river  the  next  morning,  and 
get  ahead  of  him. 

March  4. — We  continued  rapidly  along  on 
a  broad  plainly-beaten  trail,  the  mere  tnivel- 
ling  and  breathing  the  delightful  air  being  a 
positive  enjoyment.  Our  road  led  along  a 
ridge  inclining  to  the  rivor,  and  tho  air  and 
the  open  grounds  were  fragrant  with  (lower- 
ing shrubs ;  and  in  the  course  i/\  the  morn- 
ing we  issued  on  an  open  spur,  by  which  we 
descended  directly  to  the  stream.  Here  the 
river  issues  suddenly  from  the  mountnin?, 
which  hitherto  had  hemmed  it  closely  in 
these  now  become  softer,  and  change  fonsi- 
bly  their  character;  and  at  this  point  com- 
mences the  most  beautiful  valley  in  whkh 
we  had  ever  travelled.  We  hurried  to  the 
river,  on  which  we  noticed  a  small  .';an>i 
beach,  to  which  Mr.  Preuss  would  nnt  iraljy 
have  gone.  We  found  no  trace  of  him,  liiit. 
instead,  were  recent  tracks  of  bare-tooted 
Indians,  and  little  piles  of  muscle  shells,  and 
old  fires  where  they  had  roasted  tiif^  fisii. 
We  travelled  on  over  the  river  gromids, 
which  were  undulating,  and  covert'd  with 
grass  to  the  river  brink.  We  halted  to  noon 
a  few  miles  beyond,  always  under  the  shade 
of  the  evergreen  oaks,  which  formed  open 
groves  on  the  bottoms. 

Continuing  our  road  in  the  afternoon,  we 
ascended   to  the  uplands,  where  the  rivei 


ri844. 

river,  which 
;  but  here, 
e  country  ia 
IS  no  nnder- 

ot'  rivniefs, 
w  provt'H  of 
orchiirds  in 
isionally  wk 
ary  time  for 
nl  proiituls, 
i<e  nn  elVort 
:)k  his  way 
ver,  in  hope 
wk  our  own 

anil  to  the 
,  pair  of  pis- 
oiifMi  of  gra- 
1  free  us  all 

lals  a  horse 
it,  with  trav- 
j|(l  not  save 
cat,  ho  was 
a  good  ani- 
'  round  from 

led  the  rha- 
[  the  naked- 
pd  continued 
forth  a  small 
;he  nion  ro- 
ithiiii^'  of  Mr. 
nake  a  hard 
Horning,  and 

lidly  alonjT  on 
mere  tnivel- 
I  air  being  a 
led  along  a 
1  the  air  and 
with  Hower- 
f,\  the  inorn- 
by  wbicii  wg 
n.  Here  the 
e  moniitiiin?, 
t  closely  in 
hango  sensi- 
s  point  corn- 
ley  in  wliinli 
urried  to  the 
.  small  sund 
iuld  niitiirnliy 
e  of  him,  but. 
)f  bare-tooted 
;le  shells,  and 
5tod  the  fish. 
iver  groimdr, 
coveri'il  with 
baited  to  noon 
der  the  shade 
formed  open 

afternoon,  we 
ere  the  rivei 


1844.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


149 


passes  round  a  point  of  preat  beauty,  and 
goes  through  very  remarkable  dalles,  in  cha- 
racter resembling  those  of  the  Columbia. 
Beyond,  we  again  descended  to  the  bottoms, 
where  we  found  an  Indian  village,  consisting 
of  two  or  three  huts ;  we  had  come  upon 
them  suddenly,  and  the  people  had  evidently 
just  run  off.  The  huts  were  low  and  Blight., 
made  like  beehives  in  a  picture,  five  or  six 
feet  high,  and  near  each  was  a  crate,  formed 
of  interlaced  branches  and  grass,  in  size  and 
shafKJ  like  a  very  large  hogshead.  Each  of 
these  contained  from  six  to  nine  bushels. 
These  were  filled  with  the  long  acorns  al- 
ready mentioned,  and  in  the  huts  were 
several  neatly  made  baskets,  containing  quan- 
tities of  the  acorns  roasted.  They  were 
sweet  and  agreeably  flavored,  and  we  sup- 
plied ourselves  with  about  half  a  bushel, 
leaving  one  of  our  shirts,  a  handkerchief,  and 
some  smaller  articles,  in  exchange.  The 
river  again  entered  for  a  space  among  hills, 
and  we  followed  a  trail  leading  across  a  bend 
through  a  handsome  hollow  behind.  Here, 
while  engaged  in  trying  to  circumvent  a  deer, 
we  discovered  some  Indians  on  a  hill  several 
hundred  yards  ahead,  and  gave  them  a  shout, 
to  which  they  responded  by  loud  and  rapid 
talking  and  vehement  gesticulation,  but  made 
no  stop,  hurrying  up  the  mountain  as  fast  as 
their  legs  could  carry  them.  We  passed 
on,  and  again  encamped  in  a  grassy  grove. 

The  absence  of  Mr.  Preuss  gave  me  great 
concern  ;  and,  for  a  large  reward,  Derosier 
volunteered  to  go  back  on  the  trail.  I  di- 
rected him  to  search  along  the  river,  travel- 
ling upward  for  the  space  of  a  day  and  a 
half,  at  which  time  I  expected  he  would 
meet  Mr.  Fitzpatrick,  whom  I  requested  to 
aid  in  the  search ;  at  all  events,  he  was  to 
go  no  farther,  but  return  to  this  camp,  where 
a  cache,  of  provisions  was  made  for  him. 

Continuing  the  next  day  down  the  river, 
we  discovered  three  squaws  in  a  little  bot- 
tom, and  surrounded  them  before  they  could 
make  their  escape.  They  had  large  conical 
baskets,  which  they  were  engaced  in  filling 
with  a  small  leafy  plant  (erndium  cicutari- 
um)  just  now  beginning  to  bloom,  and  cov- 
ering the  ground  like  a  sward  of  grass. 
These  did  not  make  any  lamentations,  but 
appeared  very  much  impressed  with  our  ap- 
pearance, speaking  to  us  only  in  a  whisper, 
and  offering  us  smaller  baskets  of  the  plant, 
which  they  signified  to  us  was  good  to  eat, 
making  signs  also  that  it  was  to  be  cooked 
by  the  fire.  We  drew  out  a  little  cold  horse 
meat,  and  the  squaws  made  signs  to  us  that 
the  men  had  gone  out  after  deer,  and  that 
we  could  have  some  by  waiting  till  they 
came  in.  We  observed  that  the  horses  ate 
with  great  avidity  the  herb  which  tiiey  had 
been  gathering  ;  and  here  also,  for  the  first 
time,  we  saw  Indians  eat  the  common  grass 


— one  of  the  squaws  pulling  several  tufte, 
and  eating  it  with  apparent  relish.  Seeing 
our  surprise,  she  pointed  to  the  horses  -,  but 
wo  could  not  well  understand  what  she 
meant,  except,  perhaps,  that  what  was  good 
for  the  one  was  good  for  the  other. 

We  encamped  in  the  evening  on  the  shore 
of  the  river,  at  a  place  where  the  associated 
beauties  of  scenery  made  so  strong  an  im- 
pression on  us  that  we  have  given  it  the 
name  of  the  Beautiful  Camp.  The  undulat- 
ing river  shore  was  shaded  with  the  live 
oaKs,  which  formed  a  continuous  grove  over 
the  country,  and  the  same  grassy  sward  ex- 
tended to  the  edge  of  the  water ;  and  we 
made  our  fires  near  some  large  granite 
masses  which  were  lying  among  the  trees. 
We  had  seen  several  of  the  acorn  caches  du- 
ring the  day  ;  and  here  there  were  two  whioli 
were  very  large,  containing  each,  probably, 
ten  bushels.  Towards  evening  we  heard  a 
weak  shout  among  the  hills  behind,  and  had 
the  pleasure  to  see  Mr.  Preuss  descending 
towards  the  camp.  Like  ourselves,  he  had 
travelled  to-day  25  miles,  but  had  seen 
nothing  of  Derosier.  Knowing,  on  the  day 
he  was  lost,  that  I  was  determined  to  keep 
the  river  as  much  as  possible,  he  had  not 
thought  it  necessary  to  follow  the  trail  very 
closely,  but  walked  on,  right  and  left,  cer- 
tain to  find  it  somewhere  along  the  river, 
searching  places  to  obtain  good  views  of  the 
country.  'jViwards  sunset  he  climbed  down 
towards  the  river  to  look  fcr  the  camp ;  but, 
fin''iM(r  II,)  trail,  concluded  that  we  were  l)e- 
hi  ntd  walked  back  until  night  came  on, 
wJn  I:  . 'ing  very  much  fatigued,  he  coll'^ct 
ed  drill  whuI  and  made  a  large  fire  among 
the  rocks.  'F'Ik  next  day  it  became  more 
serious,  and  he  oncampcil  again  alone,  think- 
ing that  we  must  ivc  taken  me  other 
course.  To  go  back  would  have  b*  en  mad- 
ness in  his  weak  and  starved  condiiion  and 
onward  towards  the  valley  was  his  mly 
hope,  always  in  expectation  o(  reaching  it 
soon.  His  principal  mean  r<f  subsistence 
were  a  few  roots,  which  the  hunters  call 
sweet  onions,  having  very  little  taste,  but  a 
good  deal  of  nutriment,  growing  lerally 
in  rocky  ground,  and  requirinL'  od  deal 

of  labor  to  get,  as  he  had  onl)  ket  knife. 

Searching  for  these,  he  found  a  nest  of  big 
ants,  which  he  let  run  on  his  hand,  and 
stripped  them  off"  in  his  mouth  ;  these  had  an 
agreeable  acid  taste.  One  of  his  greatest 
privations  was  the  want  of  tobarco  ;  and  a 
pleasant  smoke  at  evening  woidd  have  been 
a  relief  which  only  a  voyageur  could  appre- 
ciate. He  tried  the  dried  leaves  of  the  live 
oak,  knowing  that  those  of  other  oaks  were 
sometimes  tised  as  a  substitute;  but  these 
were  too  thick,  and  would  not  do.  On  the 
4th  he  made  seven  or  eight  miles,  walking 
slowly  along  the  river,  avoiding  as  much  M 


!^ 


m 


% 


11' 


y 


% 


■u 


lao 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1844. 


possible  to  climb  the  i>iilf«.  In  little  pools  ho 
caught  Hoine  of  the  smallpst  kind  of  fwps, 
which  he  swallowed,  not  bo  much  in  the 
gratification  of  hunper,  as  in  the  hope  of  ob- 
taining some  stipnjjth.  Scattered  along  the 
river  wore  old  (if  j-p'acen,  where  the  Indians 
had  roa.ied  miu*clt's  and  acorns  ;  but  though 
he  searched  diligently,  he  did  not  there  suc- 
ceed in  finding  cither.  Flo  had  collected 
fire  wood  for  the  nin^ht,  when  he  heard  at 
some  distance  from  the  river  the  barking  of 
what  he  thought  were  two  dogs,  and  walked 
in  that  direction  as  quickly  as  ho  was  able, 
hoping  to  find  there  some  Indian  hut,  but 
met  on  y  two  wolves  ;  aiul,  in  his  disappoint- 
ment, tne  gloom  of  the  forest  was  doubled. 

Travelling  the  next  day  feebly  down  the 
ri\er,  he  found  five  or  six  Indians  at  the  huts 
of  which  we  have  spoken ;  some  were  paint- 
ing themselves  black,  and  others  roasting 
acorns.  Being  only  one  man,  they  did  not 
run  off,  but  received  him  kindly,  and  gave 
hira  a  welcome  supply  of  roasted  acorns. 
He  gave  them  his  pocket  knife  in  return, 
and  stretched  out  his  hand  to  one  of  the  In- 
dians, who  did  not  appear  to  comprehend  the 
motion,  but  jumped  back,  is  if  he  thought  he 
was  about  to  lay  hold  of  liim.  They  seemed 
afraid  of  him,  not  certain  as  to  what  he 
was. 

Travelling  on,  he  came  to  the  place  where 
we  had  found  the  squaws.  Here  lie  found 
our  fire  still  burning,  and  the  tracks  of  the 
horses.  The  sight  gave  him  sudden  hope 
and  courage ;  and,  following  as  fast  as  ne 
could,  joined  us  at  evening. 

March  6. — We  continued  on  our  ro* 
through  the  same  surpassingly  bea-.  .ul 
country,  entirely  unequalled  for  the  pastur- 
age of  stock  by  anything  we  had  ever  seen. 
Our  horses  had  now  become  so  strong  that 
they  were  abie  to  carry  us,  and  we  travelled 
rapidly — over  four  miles  a"  hour  ;  four  of  ns 
riding  every  alternate  hour.  Every  few 
huudred  yards  we  came  upon  a  little  band  of 
deer ;  but  we  were  too  eager  to  reach  the 
settlement,  wftich  we  momentarily  expected 
to  discover,  to  halt  for  any  other  than  a  pass- 
ing shot.  In  a  few  hours  we  reached  a  large 
fork,  the  northern  branch  of  the  river,  and 
equal  in  size  to  that  which  we  had  descend- 
ed. Together  they  formed  a  beautiful 
stream,  60  to  100  yards  wid  ?■ ;  which  at  first, 
igPorant  of  the  nature  of  the  country  through 
which  that  river  ran,  we  took  to  bo  the  Sa- 
eramento. 

We  continued  down  the  right  bank  of  the 
river,  travelling  for  a  while  over  a  wooded 
upland,  where  wo  had  the  delight  to  discover 
tracks  of  cattle.  To  the  southwest  was  visi- 
ble a  black  column  of  smoke,  which  we  had 
frequently  noticed  in  descending,  arising 
fipom  the  fires  we  had  seen  from  tho  top  of 
the  Sierra.    From  the  upland  we  descended 


into  broad  groves  on  the  river,  consistina  of 
the  evergreen,  and  a  new  species  of  while 
oak  with  a  large  tufted  top,  and  three  to  six 
feet  in  diameter.  Among  these  was  no 
brushwood  ;  and  tlie  grassy  surface  gave  to 
it  the  appearance  of  parks  in  an  old  settled 
country.  Following  tiio  tracks  of  th-  horses 
and  cattle  in  search  of  p  iple,  we  discovered 
a  small  village  of  Indians.  Home  of  tliese 
had  on  shirts  of  civilized  matiufacturo,  but 
were  otherwise  naked,  and  we  could  under- 
stand nothing  from  them  ;  they  appeared  en- 
tirely astonislied  at  seeing  us. 

We  made  an  acorn  meal  at  nonn,  and 
hurried  on  ;  the  valley  being  gay  with  flow- 
ers, and  some  of  the  banks  being  "hsojntoiy 
go'.dei'  with  the  Califouiian  poppy  (fsrh- 
scholtzia  croo'a).  Here  the  grass  was  smooth 
a"d  green,  and  the  groves  very  open ;  the 
large  oaks  throwing  a  broad  shade  among 
sunny  spots.  Shortly  afterwards  we  {^.ive  a 
shout  at  the  appearance  on  a  little  bluff  of  a 
neatly  built  adobe  house  with  glass  win- 
dows. Wo  rode  up,  but,  to  our  disappoint- 
ment, found  only  Indians.  There  was  no 
appearance  of  cultivation,  and  we  could  see 
no  cattle,  and  we  supposed  the  place  had 
been  abandoned.  We  now  pressed  on  more 
eagerly  than  ever ;  the  river  swept  round  in 
a  large  bend  to  the  right ;  the  hills  lowered 
down  entirely ;  and,  gradually  entering  a 
broad  valley,  we  came  unexpectedly  into  a 
large  Indian  village,  where  the  people  look- 
ed clean,  and  wore  cotton  shirts  anu  various 
other  articles  of  dress.  They  immediately 
crowded  around  us,  and  wo  had  the  inex- 
pressible delight  to  find  one  who  spoke  a  lit- 
tle indiflerent  Spanish,  but  who  at  first  con- 
founded us  by  saying  there  vere  no  whites 
in  the  country  ;  but  just  then  i  well-dressed 
Indian  came  up,  and  made  his  salutations  in 
very  well  spoken  Spanish.  In  answer  to 
our  inquiries,  he  inform?d  U3  that  we  were 
upon  the  R^'  dc  lis  Ameticanos  (the  river  of 
the  Americitn"),  and  that  it  joined  the  Sa- 
cramento river  about  10  miles  below.  Never 
did  a  name  sound  more  sweetly  !  We  felt 
ourselves  among  our  countrymen  ;  for  the 
name  of  American,  in  these  diistant  parts,  is 
applied  to  the  citizens  of  the  United  States. 
To  our  eager  inquirioc,  he  answered,  "  I  am 
a  vaquero  (cow  herd)  in  the  service  of  Capt. 
Sutter,  and  the  people  of  this  ranchcriu 
work  for  him."  Our  evident  satisfaction 
made  him  unmunicative ;  and  he  went  on 
to  say  that  Capt.  Sutter  was  a  very  rich 
man,  and  always  glad  to  see  his  country 
people.  We  asked  for  his  house.  He  an- 
swered, that  it  was  just  over  the  hill  before 
us ;  and  ofiered,  if  we  would  wait  a  moment, 
to  take  his  horse  and  conduct  us  to  it.  We 
readily  accepted  his  civil  offer.  In  a  short 
distance  we  came  in  sight  of  the  fort ;  and, 
passing  on  the  way  the  house  of  a  settler  on 


1844.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


Itl 


the  opposite  side  (a  Mr.  Sinclair),  we  forded 
the  river ;  and  in  a  few  iniies  were  met  a 
short  ilifitanco  from  the  fort  by  Capt.  Butter 
himself.  He  gave  us  a  most  frank  and  cor- 
dial reception — conducted  us  immediately  to 
his  residence — and  under  his  hospitable  roof 
wo  had  a  night  of  rest,  enjoyment,  and  re- 
freshment, whicii  none  but  ourselves  could 
appreciate.  But  the  party  left  in  the  moun- 
tains with  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  were  to  be  at- 
tended to;  and  the  next  morning,  supplied 
with  fresh  horses  and  provisions,  I  hurriod 
oil"  to  meet  them.  On  the  second  day  W9 
met,  a  few  miles  below  the  forks  of  the  R\o 
(le  los  A  mericanos ;  and  a  more  forlorn  and 
pitiable  s\^l,t  thai,  they  presented,  cannot 
well  be  im  gined.  They  were  all  on  foot — 
each  maii,  weak  and  emaciated,  leading  a 
horse  or  mule  as  weak  and  emaciated  as 
themselves.  They  had  experienced  great 
ditHculty  in  debcending  the  mountains,  made 
i^lippery  by  rains  and  melting  snows,  and 
many  horses  fell  over  precipices,  and  were 
killed ;  and  with  some  were  lost  the  packs 
tJiov  carried,  .imong  these,  was  a  mule 
wiili  the  plants  which  we  had  collected  since 
leaving  Fort  Hall,  along  a  line  of  2,000 
miles  travel.  Out  of  sixty-seven  horses  and 
mules  with  which  we  commenced  crossing 
the  Sierra,  only  thirty-three  reached  the  val- 
ley of  the  Sacramento,  and  they  only  in  a 
condition  to  be  led  along.  Mr.  Fitzpatrick 
and  his  party,  travelling  more  slowly,  had 
Ijoen  able  to  make  some  little  exertion  at 
hunting,  and  had  killed  a  few  deer.  The 
scanty  supply  was  a  great  relief  to  them ; 
loT  sevr>rai  had  be.'^n  made  sick  by  the  strange 
anci  unwholesome  food  which  the  preserva- 
tion of  life  compelled  them  to  use.  We 
stopped  and  encamped  as  soon  as  we  met ; 
and  a  repast  of  good  beef,  excellent  bread, 
and  delicious  salmon,  which  I  had  brought 
nlong,  were  their  first  relief  from  the  sufrer- 
'm^;a  of  the  Sierra,  and  their  first  intro- 
duction to  the  luxuries  of  the  Sacramento. 
It  required  all  our  philosophy  and  forbear- 
arice  to  prevent  plenty  from  becoming  as 
hurtful  to  us  now,  as  scarcity  had  been  be- 
fore. 

The  next  day,  March  8th,  we  encamped 
at  the  junction  of  the  two  rivers,  the  Sacra- 
mento and  Americanos ;  and  thus  found  the 
whole  party  in  the  beautiful  valley  of  the 
Sacramento.  It  was  a  convenient  place  for 
the  camp  ;  and,  among  other  things,  was 
witliiu  reach  of  the  wood  necessarj'  to  make 
the  pack  saddles,  which  we  shouldf  need  on 
onr  long  journey  home,  from  which  we  were 
farther  Histant  now  than  we  were  four  months 
before,  when  from  the  Dalles  of  the  Colum- 
bia we  so  cheerfully  took  up  the  homeward 
line  of  march. 

Captain  Sutter  emigrated  to  this  country 
from  the  western  part  of  Missouri  in  1838- 


1839,  and  formed  the  first  settlement  in  the 
valley,  on  a  large  grant  of  land  which  he  olv 
tained  from  the  Alexican  Government.  He 
had,  at  first,  some  trouble  with  the  Indians; 
but,  by  the  occasional  exercise  of  well-timed 
authority,  he  has  su'  '-oeded  in  converting 
them  into  a  peaceable  and  industrious  peo- 
ple. The  ditches  around  his  extensive 
wheat  fields;  the  making  of  the  sun-dried 
bricks,  of  which  his  fort  is  constructed  ;  the 
ploughing,  harrowing,  and  other  agricultural 
operations,  are  entirely  the  work  of  these 
Indians,  for  which  they  receive  a  very  mo- 
derate compensation — principally  in  shirts, 
blankets,  and  other  articles  of  clothing.  In 
the  same  manner,  on  application  to  the  chief 
of  a  village,  he  readily  obtains  as  many  boys 
and  girls  as  ho  has  any  use  for.  There 
were  at  this  time  a  number  of  girls  at  the 
fort,  in  training  for  a  future  woollen  factory; 
but  they  were  now  all  busily  engaged  in 
constantly  watering  the  gardens,  which  the 
unfavorable  dryness  of  the  season  rendered 
necessary.  The  occasional  dryness  of  some 
seasons,  I  understood  to  be  the  only  com- 
plaint of  the  settlers  in  this  fertile  valley,  as 
It  sometimes  renders  the  crops  uncertain. 
Mr.  Sutter  was  about  making  arrangements 
to  irrigate  his  lands  by  means  of  the  Rio  de 
los  Americanos.  He  had  this  year  sown, 
and  altogether  by  Indian  labor,  tliree  hun- 
dred fanegas  of  wheat. 

A  few  years  since,  the  neighboring  Rus- 
sian establishment  of  Ross,  being  about  to 
withdraw  from  the  country,  sold  to  him  a 
large  number  of  stock,  with  agricultural 
and  other  stores,  with  a  number  of  pieces 
of  artillery  and  other  munitions  of  war ;  for 
these,  a  regular  yearly  payment  is  made  in 
grain. 

The  fort  is  a  quadrangular  adobe  struc- 
ture, mounting  twelve  piece?  of  artillery 
(two  of  them  brass),  and  capable  of  admit- 
ting a  garrison  of  a  thousand  men ;  this,  at 
present,  consists  of  forty  Lidianj,  in  uniform 
— one  of  whom  was  always  found  on  duty 
at  the  gate.  As  might  naturally  be  expect- 
ed, the  pieces  aie  not  in  very  good  order. 
The  whites  in  the  employment  of  Capt.  Sut- 
ter, American,  French  and  German,  amount, 
perhaps,  to  thirty  men.  The  inner  wall  is 
formed  into  buildings,  comprising  the  com- 
mon quarters,  with  blacksmith  and  «)th(  r 
workshops  ;  the  dwelling  house,  with  a  lar^v^ 
distillery  house,  and  other  buildings,  occu- 
pying more  the  centre  of  the  area. 

It  is  built  upon  a  pond-like  stream,  at 
times  a  running  creek  communicating  with 
the  Rio  de  los  Americanos,  which  enters  the 
Sacramento  about  two  miles  below.  The 
latter  is  here  a  noble  river,  about  three  hun- 
dred yard.s  broad,  deep  and  tranquil,  with 
several  fathoms  of  water  in  the  channel,  and 
its  banks    continuously  timbered.      There 


1\ 

II!! 


■I 'IV 


m 


•^M. 


m 


'M 


^\ 


152 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1844 


were  two  vi'hhpIh  belonginp  to  dipt.  Sutter 
at  anchor  nonr  tlii>  landing — one  a  large 
two-mast 0(1  ligliter,  ami  iho  othor  a  Hchoo- 
ncr,  which  wan  nhortly  to  proceed  on  a 
voyage  to  Fort  Vancouver  for  a  cargo  of 
goodn. 

Sinro  his  arrival,  several  other  persons, 
principally  AtncricanH,  have  estiibliHhed 
themselves  in  the  valley.  Mr.  Sinclair,  from 
whom  I  experienced  much  kindness  during 
my  stay,  is  HOttled  a  few  miles  distant,  on  the 
Rio  do  los  Americanos.  Mr.  Coudrois,  a 
gentleman  from  (iiermany,  has  established 
himself  on  Feather  river,  and  is  associated 
with  Captain  Sutter  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits. Amoncr  other  improvements,  they  are 
about  to  introduce  the  cultivation  of  rape 
seed  (brasxira  rapus),  which  there  is  every 
reason  to  believe  is  admirably  adapted  to  the 
climate  and  soil.  The  lowest  average  pro- 
duce of  wheat,  as  far  as  wo  can  at  present 
know,  is  thirty-five  fanegas  for  one  sown  ; 
but,  as  an  instance  of  its  fertility,  it  may  be 
mentioned  that  Seiior  Valejo  obtained,  on  a 
piece  of  ground  where  sheep  iiad  l)oen  pas- 
tured, 800  fanegas  for  eight  sown.  The 
produce  being  different  in  various  places,  a 
very  correct  idea  cannot  be  formed. 

An  impetus  was  given  to  the  active  little 
population  by  our  arrival,  as  we  were  in 
want  of  everything.  Mules,  horses,  and 
cattle,  were  to  be  collected  ;  the  liorse  mill 
was  at  work  day  and  night,  to  make  suffi- 
cient flour;  the  blacksmith's  shop  was  put  in 
requisition  for  horso  shoes  and  bridle  bits  ; 
and  pack-saddles,  ropes,  and  bridles,  and  all 
the  other  little  equipments  of  the  camp,  weie 
again  to  be  provided. 

The  delay  thus  occasioned  was  one  of  re- 
pose and  enjoyment,  which  our  situation  re- 
quired, and,  anxious  as  we  were  t«  re- 
sume our  homeward  journey,  was  regretted 
by  no  one.  In  the  meantime,  I  had  the  plea- 
sure to  meet  with  Mr.  Chiles,  who  was  re- 
siding at  a  farm  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river  Sacramento,  while  engaged  in  the  se- 
lection of  a  place  for  f  settlement,  for  which 
he  had  received  the  necessary  grant  of  land 
from  the  Mexican  Government. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  we  had  parted 
near  the  frontier  of  the  States,  and  that  he 
had  subsequently  descended  the  valley  of 
Lewis's  fork,  with  a  party  of  ten  or  twelve 
men,  with  the  intention  of  crossing  the  in- 
termediate mountains  to  t!ie  waters  of  the 
bay  of  San  Francisco.  In  the  execution  of 
this  design,  and  aided  by  subsequent  infor- 
mation, he  left  the  Columbia  at  the  mouth 
of  Malheur  river ;  and  making  his  way  to 
the  head  waters  of  the  Sacramento  with  a 
part  of  his  company,  travelled  down  that 
river  to  the  settlements  of  Nueva  Helvetia. 
The  other  party,  to  whom  he  had  committed 
bia  wagons,  and  mill  irons  and  saws,  took  a 


course  further  to  the  south,  and  the  wagnni 
and  their  contents  were  lovt 

On  the  22(1  we  made  a  preparatory  move, 
and  encamped  near  the  settlement  of  Mr. 
Sinclair,  on  the  led  bank  of  the  Rio  de  los 
Americanos.     I  had  discharged  five  of  the 

a;  Neal,  the  blacksmith  (an  excelleij 
man,  and  an  unmarried  man.  who  hac 
done  Ills  duty  faithfully,  and  had  been  of 
very  great  service  to  me),  desired  to  remain, 
as  strong  inducements  were  offered  here  to 
mechanics.  Although  at  considerable  in- 
convenience to  myself,  his  pood  conduct  in- 
duced me  to  comply  with  liis  reijuoKt;  and 
I  obtained  for  him,  from  Captain  Sutter,  a 

I)resent  compensation  of  two  dollars  iinil  a 
lalf  per  diem,  with  a  promise  that  it  should 
be  increased  to  five,  if  he  proved  as  good  a 
workman  as  had  been  represented.  lie  was 
more  particularly  an  agricultural  blacksmith. 
The  other  men  were  discharged  with  their 
own  consent. 

While  we  remained  at  this  place.  Den.. 
sier,  one  of  our  best  men,  whoso  steady 
good  conduct  had  won  my  regard,  wandered 
off  from  the  camp,  and  never  returned  to  it 
again  ;  nor  has  he  since  been  heard  of. 

March  24. — Wo  resumed  our  journey 
with  an  ample  stock  of  provisions  and  a 
large  cavalcade  of  animals,  consisting  of 
130  horses  and  mules,  and  about  thirty  head 
of  cattle,  five  of  which  were  inilcii  cows. 
Mr.  Sutter  furnished  us  also  with  an  Indian 
boy,  who  had  been  trained  as  a  vaquero,  and 
who  would  be  serviceable  in  managing  our 
cavalcade,  great  part  of  which  wore  nearly 
as  wild  as  bulfalo;  and  who  was,  besides, 
very  anxious  to  go  along  with  ua.  On*-  di- 
rect course  home  was  east ;  but  the  Sierra 
would  force  us  south,  above  five  hundred 
miles  of  travelling,  to  a  pass  at  the  head  ol 
the  San  Joaquin  river.  This  pass,  reporteo 
to  be  good,  was  discovered  by  Mr.  Joseph 
Walker,  of  whom  I  have  already  spoken, 
and  whose  name  it  might  therefore  appro- 
priately bear.  To  reach  it,  our  course  lay 
along  the  valley  of  the  San  Joaquin— tiie 
river  on  our  right,  and  the  lofty  wall  of  the 
Impassable  Sierra  on  the  left.  From  that 
pass  we  were  to  move  southeastwardly, 
having  the  Sierra  then  on  the  right,  una 
reach  the  "  Spanish  trail"  deviously  traced 
from  one  watering  place  to  another,  wliicli 
constituted  the  route  of  the  caravans  from 
Puebla  de  Ins  Angeles,  near  the  coast  of  the 
Pacific,  to  Sanla  Fi  of  New  Mexico.  From 
the  pass  to  this  trail  was  160  miles.  Fol- 
lowing that  trail  through  a  desert,  relieved 
by  some  fertile  plains  indicated  by  the  re- 
currence of  the  term  veffas,  until  it  turned 
to  the  right  to  cross  the  Colorado,  our  course 
would  be  northeast  until  we  regained  the 
latitude  we  had  lost  in  arriving  at  the  Eutak 
lake,  and  thence  to  the  Rocky  mountains  at 


[1844. 

:l>o  wagoni 

tory  move, 
ptit  of  Mr. 
Ilio  (le  lo8 
five  of  the 
II  oxcoIIpi  t 
n.  wlio  har 
11(1  hopii  of 
1  to  rninain, 
rod  liorp  to 
idomblo  iii- 
coiidiirt  ill- 
:'(mr'st ;  niid 
ill  Sutter,  a 
>lliirs  1)11(1  a 
lat  it  should 
(1  aa  {I'Hxl  a 
d.     Ho  was 
blarkHinilli. 
1  with  their 

place,  Dero- 

[lOHO  steady 
■d,  wandered 
^turned  to  it 
'ard  of. 
)ur  journey 
isions  and  a 
consistinp  of 
lUhirty  head 
inilcli  cows, 
til  an  Indian 
raqiiero,  and 

anajrinp  oui" 
were  nearly 
vas,  besides, 
US.  On--  di- 
it  the  Sierra 
five  hundred 
:  the  head  ot 
lass,  reportec 

Mr.  Joseph 
?ady  spoken, 
refore  appro- 
r  course  lay 
Joaquin— the 
,y  wall  of  the 
From  that 
theastwardly, 
le  right,  iino 
iously  traced 
lotlier,  which 
aravans  from 

coast  of  the 
exico.    From 

miles.     Fol- 

sert,  relieved 
icd  by  the  re- 
ntil  it  turned 
lo,  our  course 
regained  the 
;  at  the  Eutah 

mountains  at 


1844.] 


CAPT,  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


IM 


the  head  of  the  Arkaniiag.  This  courae  of 
travellin(r,  forced  upon  uh  by  the  structuro 
of  the  country,  would  occupy  a  computed 
dJHtanco  of  two  thouHand  miles  before  wu 
reached  the  head  of  the  Arkansas ;  not  a 
settlement  to  be  seen  upon  it ;  and  the 
names  of  places  alonj;  it,  all  hein;^  Spanish 
or  Indian,  indicated  that  it  had  been  but  lit- 
tle trod  by  American  feet.  Though  long, 
and  not  free  from  hardships,  this  route  pre- 
Bcnted  some  points  of  attraction,  in  tracing 
the  Sierra  Nevada — turning  the  Grfiat  Basin, 
perhaps  crossing  its  rim  on  the  south — com- 
pletely solving  the  problem  of  any  river,  ex- 
cept the  Colorado,  from  the  Rocky  moun- 
tains on  that  part  of  our  continent — and 
seeing  the  Boutncrn  exiremity  of  the  Groat 
Salt  hike,  of  which  the  northern  part  had 
been  examined  the  year  before. 

Taking  leave  of  Mr.  Sutter,  who,  with 
several  gentlemen,  accompanied  us  a  few 
miles  on  our  way,  we  travelled  about  eight- 
een miles,  and  encamped  on  the  Rio  de  Ida 
Cosumnrs,  a  stream  receiving  '  ■  name  from 
the  Indians  who  live  in  its  valley.  Our  road 
was  through  a  level  country,  admirably 
Nuited  to  cultivation,  and  covered  with 
groves  of  oak  trees,  principally  the  ever- 
^rreen  oak,  and  a  large  oak  already  men- 
tioned, in  form  like  those  of  the  white  oak. 
The  weather,  which  here,  at  this  season, 
can  easily  be  changed  from  the  summer  heat 
of  the  valley  to  the  frosty  mornings  and 
bright  days  nearer  the  mountains,  conti- 
nued delightful  for  travellers,  but  unfavora- 
t)le  to  the  agriculturists,  whose  crops  of 
wheat  began  to  wear  a  yellow  tinge  from 
want  of  rain. 

March  25. — We  travelled  for  28  miles 
over  the  same  delightful  country  as  yester- 
day, and  halted  in  a  beautiful  bottom  at  the 
ford  of  the  K  io  de  los  Mukelemnes,  receiving 
its  name  from  another  Indian  tribe  living  on 
the  river.  The  bottoms  on  the  stream  are 
broad,  rich,  and  extremely  fertile ;  and  the 
uplands  are  shaded  with  oak  groves.  A 
«howy  lupinr/s,  of  extraordinary  beauty, 
growing  four  to  five  feet  in  height,  and  co- 
vered with  spikes  in  bloom,  adorned  the 
banks  of  the  river,  and  filled  the  air  with  a 
light  and  grateful  perfume. 

On  the  26th  we  halted  at  the  Arroyo  de 
las  Calaveras  (Skull  creek),  a  tributary  to 
the  San  Joaquin — the  previous  two  streams 
entering  the  bay  between  the  San  Joaquin 
and  Sacramento  rivers.  This  place  is  beau- 
tiful, with  open  groves  of  oak,  and  a  grassy 
sward  beneath,  with  many  plants  in  bloom ; 
some  varieties  of  which  seem  to  love  the 
shade  of  the  trees,  and  grow  there  in  close 
small  fields.  Near  the  river,  ancl  replacing 
the  grass,  are  great  quantities  of  ammole 
(soap  plant),  the  leaves  of  which  ar«  used  in 
California  for  making,  among  other  things, 


mats  for  saddle  cloths.  A  vine  with  a  small 
white  flower  (mehlhria!)  called  here  la 
yerha  hucmi,  and  which,  from  its  iihimduncc, 
gives  name  to  an  islani'  and  town  iii  the  bay, 
was  t()-(hiy  very  fre(|uoiit  on  our  nuul — some- 
times  running  on  the  ground  or  climbing  the 
trees. 

March  27. — To-day  wo  travelled  steadily 
and  rapidly  up  the  valley;  for,  vvilli  our  wild 
animals,  any  other  gait  was  iin|)OHsihle,  and 
making  about  five  miles  an  hour.  During 
the  earlier  part  of  the  day,  our  ride  had  been 
over  a  very  level  prairie,  or  rattier  a  succes- 
sion of  long  stretclies  of  prairie,  separated  by 
lines  and  groves  of  oak  timber,  growing  along 
dry  gullies,  which  arc  filled  with  water  in 
seasons  of  rain ;  and,  perhaps,  also,  by  the 
melting  snows.  Over  much  of  this  extent, 
the  vegetation  was  sparse  ;  the  surface  8how« 
ing  plainly  the  action  of  water,  which,  in  the 
season  of  flood,  the  Joaquin  spreads  over  the 
valley.  About  1  o'clock  we  came  again 
among  innumerable  flowers  ;  and  a  few 
miles  further,  fields  of  the  beautiful  blue- 
flowering  lupine,  which  seems  to  love  the 
neighborhood  of  water,  indicated  that  we 
were  approaching  a  stream.  Wo  here  found 
this  beaiittftil  slrub  in  thickets,  some  of 
them  being  1*^  feet  in  height.  Occasionally 
three  or  four  plants  were  clustered  together, 
forming  a  grand  bouquet,  about  90  feet  in 
circumlerencd,  and  10  feet  high  ;  the  whole 
summit  covered  vith  spikes  of  flowers,  the 
perfume  of  which  is  very  sweet  and  grateful, 
A  lover  of  natural  beauty  can  imagine  with 
what  pleasure  we  rode  among  these  flower- 
ing groves,  which  filled  the  air  with  a  light 
and  delicate  fragrance.  We  continued  our 
road  for  about  half  a  mile,  interspersed 
through  an  open  grove  of  live  oaks,  which, 
in  form,  were  the  most  symmetrical  and 
beautiful  we  had  yet  seen  in  this  country. 
The  ends  of  their  branches  rested  on  the 
ground,  forming  somewhat  more  than  a  half 
sphere  of  very  full  and  regular  figure,  with 
leaves  apparently  smaller  than  usual. 

The  Californian  poppy,  of  a  rich  orange 
color,  was  numerous  to-day.  Elk  and  several 
oands  of  antelope  made  their  appearance. 

Our  road  was  now  one  continued  enjoy- 
ment ;  and  it  was  pleasant,  riding  among  this 
assemblage  of  green  pastures  with  varied 
flowers  and  scattered  groves,  and  out  of  th6 
warm  green  spring,  to  look  at  the  rocky  and 
snowy  peaks  where  lately  we  had  suffered 
so  much.  Emerging  from  the  timber,  we 
came  suddenly  upon  the  Stanislaus  river, 
where  we  hoped  to  find  a  ford,  but  the  stream 
was  flowing  by,  dark  and  deep,  swollen  bv 
the  mountain  snows ;  its  general  breadth 
was  about  60  yards. 

We  travelled  about  five  miles  up  the  river, 
and  encamped  without  being  able  to  find  a 
ford.    Here  we  made  a  large  coral,  in  order 


^< 


'Si^ 


IM 


CAPT.  FRKMONT'S  NAIIRATIVK. 


1 1844. 


to  bo  able  to  catclj  a  nufflcipiU  riuinlH>r  or 
oil"  wild  aniinalN  to  relieve  thoMO  previouHly 
packed. 

Under  the  nliado  of  the  oaku,  alontf  the 
river,  I  noticed  irmliiim  cicutariiim  in  bloom, 
eiffht  or  fPM  irichen  hi((h.  Thin  i«*  the  pliint 
which  we  hud  Mcen  the  HquawH  (ra'heriiiK  on 
the  Rio  de  Ioh  AmcricanoH.  Hy  the  inhahit- 
anti*  of  tiic  valley,  it  in  highly  enteemcd  for 
fatfeniiiK  cuttle,  which  apfwar  to  bo  very 
fond  of  It.  Hero,  where  the  «oil  Ite^inH  to 
be  Handy,  it  supplies  to  a  conHideruble  extent 
the  w  ant  of  prnHH. 

DeHJrouH,  119  far  n«  poBoible,  without  delay, 
to  include  in  our  examination  the  San  Joa- 
quin river,  I  returned  this  morning  down  the 
StaniHJaun  for  17  miles,  and  again  encam|)ed 
without  having  found  a  fording  place.  Alter 
following  it  for  8  miles  further  the  next 
morning,  and  finding  ourselveH  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  San  Joaquin,  encamped  in  a  hand- 
Bome  oak  grove,  and,  several  cattle  bemg 
killed,  we  ferried  over  our  baggage  in  their 
skins.  Here  our  Indian  boy,  who  probably 
had  not  much  idea  of  where  ho  was  going, 
and  began  to  be  alarmed  at  the  many  streams 
which  we  were  rapidly  nutting  between  him 
and  the  village,  desurtea. 

Thirteen  head  of  cattle  took  a  sudden 
fright,  while  we  were  driving  them  across 
the  river,  and  galloped  off.  I  remained  a 
day  in  the  endeavor  to  recover  them ;  but, 
finding  they  had  taken  the  trail  back  to  the 
fort,  let  them  go  without  further  effort. 
Here  we  had  several  days  of  warm  and  plea- 
sant rain,  which  doubtless  saved  the  crops 
below. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  we  made  10  miles 
across  a  prairie  without  timl)er,  when  we 
were  stopped  again  by  another  large  river, 
which  is  called  the  Rio  de  la  Merced  (river 
of  our  Lady  of  Mercy).  Here  the  country 
bad  lost  its  character  of  extreme  fertility,  the 
soil  having  become  more  sandy  and  light ; 
but,  for  several  days  past,  'ts  beauty  had  been 
increased  by  the  additional  c.v  nation  of  ani- 
mal life ;  and  now,  it  is  crowded  with  bands 
of  elk  and  wild  horses ;  and  along  the  rivers 
are  frequent  fresh  tracks  of  grizzly  bear, 
which  are  unusually  numerous  in  this  coun- 
try. 

Our  route  had  been  along  the  timber  of  the 
San  Joaquin,  generally  about  8  miles  distant, 
over  a  high  prairie. 

In  one  of  the  bands  of  elk  seen  to-day, 
there  were  about  200 ;  but  the  larger  bands, 
both  of  these  and  wild  horses,  are  generally 
found  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  which, 
for  that  reason,  I  avoided  crossing.  I  had 
been  informed  below,  that  the  droves  of  wild 
horses  were  almost  invariably  found  on  the 
western  bank  of  the  river ;  and  the  danger 
of  losing  our  animals  among  them,  together 
with  the  wish  of  adding  to  our  reconnois- 


Nnnro  the  numeroun  Ntr.  amn  which  run  down 
from  the  Sierra,  decided  me  to  travel  up  tho 
oaMtern  Imnk. 

Ajirit  '2. — Tho  day  wan  orrupicd  in  build- 
ing a  boat,  and  ferrying  our  baggage  acroM 
tho  river;  and  wo  encam|M<d  on  the  Itnnk. 
A  large  tinhing  eagle,  with  white  head  and 
tail,  was  slowly  sailing  along,  fooking  uft(>r 
salmon  ;  un<l  there  were  some  pri>tty  birds  in 
the  timber,  with  partridges,  ducks,  and  gopw 
innumerable  in  the  neighborhoo«l.  VV'o  Wi-rc 
struck  with  tho  tauienPHs  of  the  latter  bird  at 
Helvetia,  scattered  about  in  flocks  near  the 
wheat  fields,  and  eating  grass  on  the  prairie  ; 
a  horseman  would  rido  by  within  30  yards, 
without  disturbing  them. 

April  .3. — To-day  wo  touched  severii! 
times  tho  Han  Joaquin  river — here  a  fine- 
looking  tnmquil  stream,  with  a  slight  cur- 
rent, and  apparently  deep.  It  resembled  the 
Missouri  in  color,  with  occasional  p.intsnf 
white  sand ;  and  its  banks,  where  stoop, 
were  a  kind  of  sandy  clay  ;  its  average  width 
appeared  to  be  about  eighty  yards.  In  the 
Iwttoins  are  freouent  ponds,  where  our  ap- 
proach disturl)ed  multitudes  of  wild  towl, 
principally  geese.  Skirting  along  the  tim- 
i)er,  wo  frecjuently  started  elk ;  and  largo 
bands  were  seen  diuring  tho  day,  with  ante- 
lope and  wild  horses.  The  low  country  and 
the  timber  rendered  it  difficult  to  keep  the 
main  line  of  the  river;  and  thi«  evening  wc 
encamped  on  a  tributary  stream,  about  live 
miles  from  its  mouth.  On  the  prairie  border- 
ing ■  San  Joaquin  bottoms,  there  occurred 
during  the  day  but  little  grass,  and  in  its 
place  was  a  sparse  and  dwarf  growth  of 
plants ;  the  soil  being  sandy,  with  small  bare 
places  and  hillocks,  reminded  mo  much  of 
the  Platte  bottoms ;  but,  on  approaching  tho 
timber,  we  found  a  more  luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion ;  and  at  our  camp  was  an  abundunco  of 
grass  and  pea  vines. 

The  foliage  of  the  oak  is  getting  darker; 
and  everything,  except  that  the  weather  is  a 
little  cool,  shows  that  spring  is  rapidly  ad- 
vancing ;  and  to-day  wo  had  quite  a  summer 
rain. 

April  4 — Commenced  to  rain  at  daylight, 
but  cleared  off  brightly  at  sunrise.  We  fer- 
ried the  river  without  any  difficulty,  and  con- 
tinued up  the  San  Joaquin.  Elk  were  run- 
ning in  bands  over  the  prairie  and  in  the 
skirt  of  the  timber.  We  reached  the  river 
again  at  the  mouth  of  a  large  slough,  which 
we  were  unable  to  ford,  and  made  a  circuit 
of  several  miles  aroun''..  Here  the  country 
appears  very  flat;  oak  trees  hav^  entirely 
disappeared,  and  are  replaced  by  a  large 
willow,  nearly  equal  to  it  in  size.  The 
river  is  about  a  hundred  yards  in  breadth, 
branching  into  sloughs,  and  interspersed 
with  islands.  At  this  time  it  appears  sufG- 
ciently  deep  for  a  small  steamer,  but  its  na* 


were 


of  fr< 


1844.1 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


!A6 


11844. 

nn  down 
l  lip  tho 

in  biiilil- 
^c  ttcnmn 
hn  Imnk. 
Iicad  ami 
log  uftt-r 
y  birdH  in 
md  K('<'w 

Wo  WlTt' 

tor  l)ir(l  III 

1  iiciir  th»' 

10  prairie ; 

30  ynrds, 

d    Hpvenii 
ro  a  tine- 
«Up[ht  ciir- 
'inbitMl  till' 
.1  p  intH  of 
lere   htri'p, 
>ragp  width 
Is.     I»  tl>" 
(ro  our  ap- 
wild  low!, 
ig  tlio  tim- 
and   larpo 
with  antc- 
iountry  and 
to  keep  llio 
evening  we 
1,  about  live 
airie  border- 
;re  occurred 
,  and  in  its 
growth  ol 
h  Hmall  bare 
no  much  of 
oaching  tho 
■iant  vegcta- 
bundanco  of 

ting  darker; 
weather  is  a 
s  rapidly  ad- 
te  a  summer 

at  daylipht, 
ie.    We  fer- 
ilty,  and  con- 
k  were  riin- 
1  arid  in  the 
lod  the  river 
lough,  which 
ade  a  circuit 
the  country 
lav^  entirely 
by  a  large 
size.    The 
in  breadth, 
interspersed 
,ppearB  suffi- 
jr,  but  its  na- 


vigation would  1)0  broken  by  HliallowH  at  1 
water.  Hearing  in  townnln  the  river,  wo 
wore  again  forced  otF  by  another  iiloiigh ; 
mid  paHHing  around,  ttteered  towardH  a  clump 
of  treeHim  the  river,  and,Uiiiling  there  ('(hhI 
<rraM,  encamped.  Tho  prairiex  ahuig  the 
left  hank  are  alive  with  immetiKe  drovoH  of 
wild  liorHeH ;  and  they  had  been  Keen  during 
the  day  at  every  o|)oning  through  the  wcmnIh 
which  atVorded  iih  a  view  arro«n  tho  rivor. 
Latiliule,  by  obHcrvation,  37**  08'  00";  lon- 
gitude l'J0-.|ft'2'2". 

Ajiril  ft. — During  the  earlier  part  of  the 
ilay'ti  rido,  tho  country  proHonted  a  lacus- 
trine appearance  ;  the  river  wuh  deep,  and 
nearly  on  a  level  with  tho  Biirroiinding  coun- 
try ;  its  banks  rained  like  a  lovee,  and  fring- 
itl  with  willows.  Over  tho  bordering  plain 
were  interspersed  sjiots  of  prairie  among 
tk'Idh  o{  luU  (bulrushes),  which  in  this  coun- 
try are  cal'd  /M/an;.«,  and  little  ponds.  On 
the  (ipnositu  side,  a  lino  of  timber  was  visi- 
iilo,  which,  according  to  information,  points 
out  the  course  of  tho  slough,  which  at  times 
I  if  high  water  connects  with  tho  8an  Joa- 
ijiiiii  river — a  la.go  body  of  water  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  valley,  called  the  Tul6 
hilvLH.  The  river  and  all  its  sloughs  are 
very  full,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  lake  is 
iiDW  discharging.  Here  elk  were  frequent- 
ly Htarted,  and  one  was  shot  out  of  a  band 
wiiich  ran  around  us.  On  our  left,  the 
•Sierra  maintains  its  snowy  height,  and 
imisses  of  snow  appear  to  descend  very  low 
tiiwiirds  tho  plains  ;  probably  the  late  rains 
ill  the  valley  were  snow  on  the  mountains. 
We  travelled  37  miles,  and  encamped  on  the 
river.  Longitude  of  the  camp,  120°  28' 
U",  and  latitude  36"  49'  12'. 

.1/'///  6. — After  having  travelled  fifteen 
iiiiieb  along  the  river,  we  made  an  early  halt, 
tinder  tho  shade  of  sycamore  trees.  Here 
we  found  the  8an  Joaquin  coming  down 
from  the  Sierra  with  a  westerly  course,  and 
checking  our  way,  as  all  its  tributaries  had 
previously  done.  We  had  expected  to  raft 
t!ie  river  ;  but  found  a  good  ford,  and  en- 
iiunpcd  on  the  opposite  bank,  where  droves 
lit  wild  horses  were  raising  clouds  of  dust 
oil  the  prairie.  Columns  of  smoke  were 
visible  in  the  direction  of  the  Tul6  lakes  to 
the  southward — probably  kindled  in  the  tu- 
lareti  by  the  Indians,  as  signals  that  there 
were  strangers  in  the  valley. 

We  made,  on  the  7th,  a  hard  march  in  a 
cold  chilly  rain  from  morning  until  night — 
lie  weather  so  thick  tliat  we  travelled  by 
compaiis.  This  was  a  traverse  from  the  San 
Joaquin  to  the  waters  of  the  Tul«  lakes, 
and  our  road  was  over  a  very  level  prairie 
country.  We  saw  wolves  frequently  during 
the  day,  prowling  about  after  the  young  an- 
telope, which  cannot  run  very  fast.    These 


were   numerous   during  'ue  day,  and  two 
wore  caught  by  the  ju'ej/ie. 

[jite  in  tho  liltoriKHwi  .ve  diHCovered  thn- 
Imt,  which  was  fnu.id  to  ln>  proves  of  oak 
trees  on  a  dry  am»,o.  Tlh>  rain,  which  had 
fallen  in  frequent  (•liowerx.  poured  di>v'»;  in  a 
storm  at  siiuMet,  \v  III  a  Htrniiir  wind,  which 
swept  (itr  till'  cloiiil'",  and  left  a  cleat  ;  ky. 
Riding  on  tliron^'h  tl<e  timber,  nlioiit  dark 
we  loiiiiil  aliiindaiit  wati  r  in  f<inall  iioihIh,  20 
to  30  yp.rdM  in  diumetir,  with  clear  deep 
water  and  sandy  lieds,  bordered  with  bog 
rushes  (Jiiiinix  rjyiisus),  und  a  tall  rush 
(frirpu)!  lacuniiis)  iwi-lve  fee*  higli.and  sur- 
rounded near  the  margin  vvitli  willow  tree* 
in  bloom  ;  airuing  them  one  which  resem- 
bled salix  ini/riri)ijes.  The  oak  of  the 
groves  was  tne  same  already  mentioned, 
with  small  leaves,  in  form  like  those  of  the 
white  oak,  and  forming,  with  tho  cverg.een 
oak,  tho  cliaracteristic  trees  of  the  vnllo;. . 

April  8. — After  a  rido  of  two  miles 
through  brush  and  open  groves,  we  reached 
a  large  stream,  called  the  River  of  the  Lake, 
resembling  in  size  the  San  Joaquin,  and 
being  al)out  100  yards  broad.  Thi.i  is  the 
principal  tributary  to  the  Tiilo  lakes,  which 
collect  all  the  waters  in  the  upper  part  of 
tho  valley.  While  wo  were  searching  for  a 
ford,  some  Indians  appeared  on  the  opposite 
bank,  and,  having  discovered  that  we  were 
not  Spanish  soldiers,  showed  us  the  way  to 
a  good  ford  several  miles  above. 

The  Indians  of  the  Sierra  make  frequent 
descents  upon  tho  settlements  west  of  tho 
Coast  Range,  which  they  keep  constantly 
swept  of  horses  ;  among  them  aremanywho 
are  called  Christian  Indians,  being  relugces 
from  Spanish  missions.  Several  of  these 
incursions  occurred  while  we  were  at  Hel- 
vetia. Occasionally  parties  of  soldiers  fol- 
low them  across  the  C  oast  Range,  but  never 
enter  the  Sierra. 

On  tho  opposite  side  we  found  some  forty 
or  fifty  Indians,  who  had  come  to  meet  us 
from  the  village  below.  We  made  them 
some  small  presents,  and  invited  them  to  ac- 
company us  to  our  encampment,  which, 
after  about  three  miles  through  fine  oak 
proves,  we  made  on  the  river.  We  made  a 
lort,  principally  on  account  of  our  animals. 
The  Indians  'wrought otter  skins, and  several 
kinds  of  fish,  and  bread  made  of  acorns,  to 
trade.  Among  them  were  several  who  had 
come  to  live  among  these  Indians  when  the ' 
missions  were  broken  up,  and  who  spoke 
Spanish  fluently.  They  informed  us  that 
they  were-  called  by  the  Spaniards  viaiisitos 
(tame),  in  distinction  from  the  wilder  tribes 
of  the  mountains.  They,  however,  think 
themselves  very  insecure,  not  knowing  at 
what  unforeseen  moment  the  sins  of  the  lat- 
ter may  be  visited  on  them.    They  are  dark' 


'•?■ 


I   ■>• 


1  ;■ 


4 


9 


m 

1 1 

■V 


1M 


CAPr.  I'UKyo.NT'H  NARRATIVE. 


[1844 


iikinni'il,  liiit  liiinilMiiino  nml  intollipfont  In- 
(liatiH,  iiriit  livi>  |>rinri|Milly  nn  acDrrit  ntui  the 
rooN  lit'  tlir*  tiil<t,  of  which  uUo  their  hiitH 
nre  mmlf. 

My  <tt)M«»rviition,  tlio  Intitml.'  of  tho  iti- 
rnttinmi'tit  Im  .'}({"  •2\'  OU",  and  lungituJu 
lU)*"  11'  i()». 

April  <). — For  Hoverftl  mHoM  wo  hnd  very 
Mid  fiuvclliiiif  ovor  whiit  in  r;ill<><l  nttti'ti 
i;rmiiMl,  ir\  which  the  finrm'H  wero  frt'fiiii'ntly 
up  tit  thfir  l<tio('H.  Miikini.'  Idwiirdx  a  line 
of  limlKT,  w(«  foimd  ii  Mmall  forrluliio  utrniim, 
bcyori'l  wliicfi  tho  roiintry  imiirovcd,  niid  the 
f^riinH  licciitiio  rxrrllctif  ;  iind,  rroHHiiii'  ii 
iiiimlii'r  of  dry  luid  tiinhprcd  arrm/nn,  wv 
travolli'd  until  late  through  o|i<'n(ifil<  ftrnvon, 
and  tMic:im|i('d  amonj^a  roIlcctinnDf  HtrmimH. 
Tht>Ht>  vvi'H!  running  amon^;  ru-iioN  and  vvil- 
Iowh;  and,  an  nNiinl,  flocl<H  of  hlnrhliirds 
announced  our  approach  to  wntor.  Wo 
havp  liori"  approached  considcrnlily  noaror  to 
the  oasfprn  Siorra,  which  hIiovvm  vory  plain- 
ly, Htill  covorod  with  masHcuof  8now,  which 
yosforday  and  to-day  han  also  appoarcd 
ftlinndant  on  tho  Poant  Ranpo. 

April  10. — To-day  wo  mado  another  lonjj 
jonrnoy  of  ahout  forty  milos,  through  a 
country  unintoroHtinsr  and  Hat,  with  very 
littlo  grasH  and  a  sandy  soil,  in  which  sovoral 
hranchpM  wo  crossed  had  lost  thoir  wator. 
In  tho  ovoning  tho  face  of  tho  country  ho- 
cnnio  hilly ;  and,  turning  a  fow  miles  up 
towards  tho  mountains,  wo  found  a  good  en- 
campment on  a  pretty  stream  hidden  among 
tho  hills,  and  handsomely  timhorod,  princi- 
pally with  large  cotton  woods  (p)^?//M,s,  difter- 
mg  from  any  in  Michaux's  Sylva).  Tho 
seed  vessels  of  this  tree  wore  now  just  ahout 
bursting. 

Several  Indians  camo  down  tho  river  to 
see  »»8  in  tho  evening;  wo  gave  them  supper, 
and  cautioned  them  against  stealing  our 
horses;  which  they  promised  not  to  attempt. 

April  ]  I. — A  broad  trail  along  the  river 
hero  takes  out  among  the  hills.  "Biien 
camino "  (fjood  road),  said  one  of  flio  In- 
dians, of  whom  we  had  inquired  about  tho 
pass  ;  and,  following  it  accordingly,  it  con- 
ducted us  beautifully  through  a  very  broken 
country,  by  an  exccilont  way,  which,  other- 
wise, wo  should  have  found  extremely  bad. 
Tnkr'n  separately,  the  hills  pre.sent  smooth 
and  graceful  outlines,  but,  together,  make 
bad  travelling  ground.  Instead  of  grass,  tho 
whole  face  of  the  country  is  closely  covered 
with  crodlum  cicutarinm,  hero  only  two  or 
throe  inches  high.  Its  height  and  beauty 
varied  in  a  remarkable  manner  with  the  lo- 
cality, being,  in  many  low  places  which  we 
passed  during  the  day,  around  streams  and 
springs,  two  and  three  feet  in  height.  The 
country  had  now  assumed  a  character  of 
aridity ;  and  the  luxuriant  green  of  these 
Uttle  streams,  wooded  with  willow,  oak,  or 


Myrruiiiiri',  lof)ked  very  n-froshing  anion|;  th« 
sandy  hilU. 

In  the  evening  we  encainpod  on  a  large 
creek,  with  abundant  wiiter.  I  noticed  liere 
in  bloom,  for  the  tiri«t  lime  since  leaving  tlie 
Arkansas  wafi-rs,  tho  Minifiitis  Julantt. 

April  \'2. — Along  our  road  to-day  tin' 
country  was  alt«igether  ftandy,  and  vegetation 
ineiiger.  I'.-hnlra  (X'ri'lrnliilin,  which  wo 
had  lirsf  f  en  in  the  neighlK>rho«Hl  of  the 
I'yramid  lake,  made  its  ap|H>arance  here,  and 
in  tho  coiir-e  of  the*  day  Ix'caine  very  ii!;iui- 
dant,  and  in  largo  buf<heti.  TowanU  Ihc 
close  of  the  altemooii,  wo  reaclifd  a  tolcrii- 
lilv  large  river,  which  emptieM  into  a  huiiiII 
lake  at  the  head  (d'  tho  valley  ;  it  is  abimt 
lliirty-live  yards  wi<le,  with  a  i  tony  iinil 
gravelly  bed,  and  tho  swiftest  stream  we 
have  crossed  since  leaving  tho  bay.  Tin' 
bottoms  pnMliiced  no  grass,  though  well 
timbered  with  willow  and  cottcmwood  ;  nnd, 
ttOer  awcentling  it  for  several  miles,  wo  inmlc 
a  lato  encampment  on  a  littlo  bottom,  wiih 
scanty  gniss.  In  greater  part,  tho  vegefn- 
tion  alotig  our  road  consisted  now  of  rare 
and  unusual  plants,  among  which  muny 
were  entirely  new. 

Along  the  lM)ttoms  wore  thickets  consist- 
ing of  several  varieties  of  shrubs,  wliirli 
made  hero  their  first  appoaranco;  andanidii).' 
these  was  (inrryn  elliplica  (Lindley),  a  small 
tree  belonging  to  a  very  peculiar  natiirHl 
order,  and,  in  its  general  appearance  fgrow- 
ing  in  thickets),  resembling  willow.  It  now 
becanifi  common  along  tho  streams,  frr- 
(juently  Hup|dying  the  place  of  salix  longi- 
folia. 

April  13. — The  wator  was  low,  and  a  few 
miles  above  wo  forded  the  river  at  a  rapid, 
and  marched  in  a  southeasterly  direcliitii 
over  a  less  broken  country.  The  mouiitaiiw 
were  now  very  near,  occasionally  loominf; 
out  through  fog.  In  a  few  hours  wo  reiulird 
the  bottom  of  a  creek  withotit  water,  nvor 
which  the  sandy  beds  were  dispersed  in 
many  branches.  Immediately  where  wo 
struck  it,  tho  timber  terminated  ;  and  beluw, 
to  tho  right,  it  was  a  broad  bed  of  dry  nnd 
bare  sands.  There  were  many  tracks  of 
Indians  and  horses  imprinted  in  tho  sand. 
which,  with  other  indications,  informed  us 
was  the  creek  issuing  from  the  pass,  and 
which  we  have  called  I'ass  creek.  Wc  as- 
cended a  trad  for  a  few  miles  along  the 
creek,  and  suddenly  found  a  stream  of  water 
five  feet  wide,  running  With  a  lively  current, 
but  losing  itself  almost  immediately.  This 
little  stream  showed  plainly  the  manner  in 
which  the  mountain  waters  lose  themselves 
in  sand  at  the  eastern  foot  of  the  Sierra, 
leaving  only  a  parched  desert  and  arid  plains 
beyond.  The  stream  enlarged  rapidly,  and 
the  timber  became  abundant  as  we  ascended. 
A  new  species  of  pine  made  its  appearance, 


[1844 

imong  th« 

n  a  InTRp 
itiiM'd  lirri' 
"aviiifr  III'" 
tlavn. 
((.(lay  tin- 
voijotiition 
w\\k\\  wo 
M)(l  of  lli« 
o  liorp.iinil 
very  ii!;iim- 
twiiril«  llif 

i>(|  II  toltTll- 

[)fo  a  Miiiill 
it  in  alxiiit 

I  tony   mill 

Htrctuii  \vi' 

Imy.  Thn 
lioii^h  well 
iwoihI  ;  nii'l 
(>M,  wo  nmdc 
Dottom,  with 
,  tho  vont'ta- 
now  of  run; 
vhicli   inuny 

kets  conoift- 
iruhK,  wliirli 
!•,  nnil  nniiiii(.' 
ilipy),aRmnll 
iiliar  untiirHl 
riincc  fRriuv- 
llow.  U  now 
strcairiH,  frr- 
f  salix  lonifi- 

)W,  nnil  n  few 
T  at  a  mpiil, 
>rly  (lirprUitii 
'ho  mountains 
mlly  looming,' 
rs  wc  roiirlipii 
it   watrr,  nvpr 
(licpersctl  in 
LT    whore    wc 
il ;  and  below, 
eil  of  dry  nml 
any  tracks  of 
in  tho  siuiJ. 
,  inforiml  us 
tlio  pass,  iind 
reek.     Wc  as- 
iles  along  the 
tream  of  water 
lively  current, 
diately.    TWb 
he  manner  in 
age  themselves 
of  the  Sierra, 
and  arid  plain* 
d  rapidly,  and 
-D  we  ascended, 
its  appcarsnce, 


181  (.] 


CAIT   FUKMONTH  NAKHATIVi;. 


ift7 


with  rovrrfil  kiniU  of  oiik-*,  nii<l  a  Muioty  of 
trooF«;  anil  tho  ooiuitry  v\v\i\ii'Uu  \tn  npfM'Hr- 
iinoo   HiidiliMiiy  nml  ontiroly,  wo   found  our- 
mdvrri  ii|{iiiii   tnivi'lliiiir  ninoni;  the  old  or- 
cliird-liko  |iliiron,      Iti-ro  we   Kidcctod   a  lU'- 
li^rliilnl  <'ii<'iiin|iiM<'iit   ill  a   liiiiid'iiino  ^roni 
ii;ik  liiilliiw,  whoro,  aniiin|,r  ihi>  opoii  lntlU  ol 
tlio  troo-<,  wnM  iin  aliiiiuliint   xwitrd   ot  tfriiMs 
and  pt'ii  vinoH.     In  tlii>  ovonin^  a  ChriHtiiin 
Indian  rndo  into  the  ninip.  woll  ih'i'MHod,  with 
liiii^r  Hiiiirx,  and   a   innili/mi,  iinil   K)H'iikin(( 
.'^jmni'li  (liionfly-     It  wan  nn  imrxpcctod  iip- 
parition.  and  a  htran^o  and  ploitp^ant  Hiirht  in 
tliiw  doMohitc  cfor^iooi  a  nioMnliiin — an  Indian 
laco,  MpaniHli   coMtiinio,   jinirlin^    ^piirf*,  and 
liorno  <'(|iiip|iri|  at)or   tho   Spanish   iminiior. 
Ilo  in!iirinc<l  inu   that  ho  liolon;.rod  to  ono  of 
iho   SpiiniHh   iniNxions  to   tho  couth,  distant 
two  or    thron  dayH*   rido,  and   that    ho  had 
olifiiinod  from  tho  prioNtH  icavo  to  Hpond  a 
li'w  diiyM  with   liiM    rolations   in  tho  Siorra. 
Ilaviujj  i<oon  iih  ontor  tho  puss,  he  had  conio 
ili)wn   to  vjKit  UH.     Mo  appoarrd   familiarly 
ii('(|ii:iiiilod  with   tho   roiintry,  and   iravo  mo 
(li>Hnito  and  clear  information   in   ro(;ard  to 
tho  do8ort  rojfion  eaHt  of  tho  mountains.     I 
had  ontorod  the  paHH  with  a  Htronp  dispof^i- 
tititi  to  vary  my  roiito,  and  to  travel  directly 
luroHH  towardrt  tho  (treat  Salt  lake,  in  tho 
view  of  obtaining  nomo  acfpiaintance  with 
tho  interior  of  tho  <ireat   BiiHin,  while  pnr- 
Hiiin;' a  direct  course   for  tho  frontier;  but 
hi>»  roproHontation,  which  described  it  as  an 
arid  and  barren  desert,  that  had  repulsed  by 
Its  Htorilitj  all  tho  aitempts  of  tho  Indians 
fopiMiotrato  it,  determined  me  for  the  present 
to  ri'iiiKpiish  the  plan;  and,  agreeably  to  hi.s 
ndvico,  after  crossinff  tho  Sierra,  continue 
')iir  intended  route  along  its  eastern  base  to 
tlie  Spanish  trail.     By  this  route,  a  party  of 
MX   Indians,  who  had  come  from   a   great 
river  in  tlio  eastern  part  of  the  desert   to 
trado  witli  his  people,  had  just  started  on 
their  return.     He  would  himself  return  the 
next  day  to  San  Fernando ;  and  as  our  roads 
wiiiiid  be  the  same  for  two  days,  ho  offered 
his  pervicea  to  conduct  us  so  far  on  our  way. 
His  offer  waa   gladly  accepted.     The  fog, 
which  had  somewhat  Interfered  with  views 
in  the  valley,  had  entirely  passed  oflif  and 
left  a  clear  sky.     That  which  had  enveloped 
us  in  the   neighborhood   of  the   pass  pro- 
ceeded evidently  from  fires  kindled  among 
the  tulares  by  Indians  living  near  the  lakes, 
«nd  which  were  intended  to  warn  those  in 
tho  mountains  that  there  were  strangers  in 
the  valley.     Our  position  was  in  latituc'c  36° 
17'  12",  and  longitude  118"  36'  03". 

April  14. — Our  guide  joined  us  this  mom- 
iTig  on  the  trail;  r».nd,  arriving  in  a  short 
distance  at  an  open  bottom  where  the  creek 
forked,  we  continued  up  the  right-hand 
branch,  which  was  enriched  by  a  profusion 
of  flowers,  and  handsomely  wooded  with 


xyciinioro,  oukx,  roitonwuiNl,  and  willow, 
with  other  tri'OH,  and  Hoini-  nhrnliliy  piunia. 
In  iti^  long  xtrin^i  ol  liailH,  tliii  nyi-ittnoro 
dilli'rit  Irotii  that  ol  the  I'nitod  Niuti"<,  ami  in 
Iho  /i/f</(i>iifi  iM-riJfiiliilin  of  lliKikor  -  a  ni'W 
Mpoi'ioH,  recently  diHcnlNMl  ninoii^'  tho  plaiiU 
collectoil  in  Iho  vovago  ^\\  the  Nijpliiir.  Thr 
cotfiinwood  variini  JIh  foliage  with  while 
tiiltH,  iiiid  tlio  r<>iitlii>ry  m'oiIh  wito  llsing 
plontiriilly  tliroiii;h  the  lux.  <  ■(xi-cborriew, 
iii',irly  riiio,  were  very  aliiindunt  uii  llii>  iiioun* 
tain  ;  ami  a:*  wo  paHHcil  llii>  dividing  (rroiindii, 
which  wore  not  ver\  vnny  to  iixcortain,  Iho 
air  waN  t'lllod  with  pi-rliinio,  as  il  wo  were 
oiitoriiig  a  hi)r|i|y  ciiltiviiti'il  giirdi>ii  ;  iiiul, 
iiiKti>iii|  III' (rriM'ii,  oiirpathwiiy  iitid  tltc  nuMin* 
tain  .xidort  wore  covered  with  tlolil  ul  ji-iiow 
llowors,  which  lioiowaH  the  previiilin;;  color. 
Our  ioiirnoy  to-day  wwi*  in  tho  inid.ot  of  an 
adviincod  npring,  wIioko  green  and  lloral 
lioniity  oUI'rfil  a  deliglittiil  confrnHt  to  the 
«andy  valley  we  hud  jiikI  Iclt.  All  the  day, 
snow  waH  in  night  on  the  butt  of  the  iiioiin- 
tain,  which  frowned  down  upon  us  on  tho 
right ;  but  we  behold  it  now  with  loolings  of 
pleasant  security,  as  we  rode  almig  licivveon 
groon  trees,  and  on  (lowerH,  with  hiiinining 
birds  and  other  leathered  Iricnilw  of  tlio  trii- 
veller  (  Mlivoning  tho  ^'orolle  spring  air  Ah 
we  reac'iied  the  summit  of  this  lioautiful 
pass,  and  obtained  a  view  into  the  eastern 
country,  we  Haw  at  once  that  her^  was  the 
place  to  take  leave  of  all  such  pleasant 
sceiiOH  as  tlioso  around  lis.  The  distant 
mountains  were  now  bald  rocks  again;  and 
below,  the  land  had  any  color  but  green. 
Taking  into  consideration  tho  nature  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  we  found  this  pass  an  excel- 
lent one  for  horses  ;  and  with  a  liitie  lalior, 
or  perhaps  with  a  more  perfect  examination 
uf  Iho  localities,  it  might  \>f  made  siitllcient- 
ly  practicable  for  wagons.  Ifs  latitude  and 
longitude  may  be  considered  that  of  our 
last  encampment,  only  a  few  miles  distant. 
The  elevation  was  not  taken — our  half-wild 
cavalcade  making  it  too  troublesome  to  halt 
before  night,  when  once  Ptarfed. 

We  here  left  the  waters  of  the  bay  of  Sac 
Francisco,  and,  though  forced  upon  them 
contrary  to  my  intentions,  I  cannot  regret 
the  necessity  which  occasioned  the  deviation. 
It  made  mo  well  acquainted  with  the  great 
range  of  tho  Sierra  Nevada  of  the  Alta  Cali- 
fornia, and  showed  that  this  broad  and  ele- 
vated snowy  ridge  was  a  continuation  of  the 
Cascade  Range  of  Oregon,  between  which 
and  the  ocean  there  is  still  another  and  a 
lower  range,  parallel  to  the  former  and  to 
the  coast,  and  which  may  be  called  the  Coast 
Range.  It  also  made  me  well  acquainted 
with  the  basin  of  the  San  Francisco  bay, 
and  with  the  two  pretty  rivers  and  their 
valleys  (the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin), 
which  are  tributary  to  that  bay ;  and  cleared 


I5A 


CAl»T.  I'llKMON'I'H  NAKIIAIIVK. 


[1844 


up  noinr  |H)infi»  in  ip>o(/rnpliv  on  wliirli  orror 

liiiil  l()n({  pri'viiili'tl      It  linil  I n  ronxlitntly 

ru|iritii(Miti'i|,  AM  I  liiivi*  iilri'itily  HUti'tl,  that 
tlic>  iMiy  i»r  Hun  Frnniiiii)  ojmmh'iI  fur  ihti)flii< 
ii)U«ri(ir,  liy  ■omi>  rivrr  ruining  down  tntin 
tho  iMtMi'  oi  tltx  Rocky  inoiintHinx,  timl  ntton 
wliii'li  Mii|i|i<Hi>i|  Htri'iiin  till)  n'lini'  of  llio 
iliiiMiHViiitii.i  liiiil  lM.ti>n  lii'Ntowi'd.  Our  olt- 
•(•rvatiiinM  ol  tin*  Sii>rra  Novmlit,  in  thn  Imi^ 
tliNtiiiKu*  Iroui  tho  head  ol  tho  Sai'rniwnto  to 
t*ii>  hflad  ol  thn  Sun  Joui|iiin,  utid  of  Iht*  val- 
ley licjow  if,  \vhi«'h  colU'c.tH  all  lh<'  wntorn  of 
til'!  Sun  FrunciMCD  hay,  mIiow  thut  thix  ni>i- 
thi'r  it  nor  cmi  Im>  tho  cnr*i\  No  rivor  from 
tho  inti-rior  dooi,  or  run,  cnHH  tho  Siorra 
Nwvad'i — ifMolf  nioro  loOv  than  tho  rocky 
inoiintuinrt ;  and  u*«  to  tho  llnonavontiiru,  tho 
mouth  of  which  noon  oii  tho  ooaMi  ^uvo  tho 
idoa  uiid  tho  namo  of  Iho  ropiilod  grout  rivor, 
it  in,  in  fact,  u  Hinnll  Mtroam  of  no  mtiNo- 
ijnoiico,  not  only  holow  tho  Siorra  Novadn, 
but  uctuallv  Iwlow  thu(.'i>ai«t  Uango^-tukin;; 
itrt  rirto  williin  half  a  do^^roo  of  the  ocoan, 
ruiinin}r  parallol  to  it  lor  uhoiit  two  dojrrooi-, 
und  then  fallin(f  into  tho  I'acilic  noar  ^^on- 
teroy.  Thore  i»  no  ofKMiing  from  tho  bay  of 
San  [''runci^co  into  tho  intorior  of  the  conti- 
nent. The  two  rivers  which  How  into  it  are 
comparatively  nhort,  and  not  per|)endictilar 
to  the  coaHt,  but  lateral  to  it,  and  haviii'r 
tlioir  head.H  towards  Ore},'on  and  Moiitiiern  ( 'uU 
ifnrnia.  Thoy  open  linen  of  commiinicaticm 
north  and  Hoiith,  anil  not  caHtwardly  ;  and 
lliUH  thin  want  of  interior  communication 
tVom  tho  Sail  Franc Ihco  bay,  now  fully  as- 
certained, yivofl  jjreat  additional  value  to  the 
Columbia,  which  standu  alone  um  the  onlv 
great  river  on  the  Pacific  slope  of  our  conti- 
nent which  leads  from  the  ocean  to  tho 
Rocky  Hinuntains,  and  opens  a  line  of  com- 
munication from  the  sea  to  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi. 

Four  compith'ros  joined  our  guide  at  tho 
pass ;  and  two  going  back  at  noon,  the  others 
continued  on  in  company.  Descending  from 
tho  hills,  we  reached  a  country  of  fine  grass, 
where  tho  eiUHlium  cicutariurn  finally  uisap* 
peared,  giving  place  to  an  excellent  quality 
of  bunch  grass.  Passing  by  some  springs 
where  there  was  a  rich  sward  of  grass 
among  groves  of  largo  black  oak,  wo  rode 
liver  a  pluin  on  which  the  guide  pointed  out 
.1  ypot  where  a  refugee  Christian  Indian  had 
been  killed  by  a  party  of  soldiers  which  had 
unexpectedly  penetrated  into  the  mountains. 
Crossing  a  low  sierra,  and  descending  a  hol- 
.ow  wliere  a  spring  gushed  out,  we  were 
struck  bv  the  sudden  appearance  of  yi/cca 
trees,  which  gave  a  strange  and  southern 
character  to  the  country,  and  suited  well 
with  the  dry  and  desert  region  we  were  ap- 
proaching. Aasociated  with  the  idea  of  bar- 
ren sands,  their  stiff  and  ungraceful  form 
makes  them  to  the  traveller  the  most  repul- 


nlvo  troc  in  the  vi'grlRhli»  kingdom  Follow- 
ing thi*  hollow,  wo  xhortly  cnnio  ii|Kin  u  crrok 
'imliorod  with  lurgo  hliuk  onk,  which  yrt 
had  not  put  lorth  n  loaf.  Thoro  wni«  a  Hmnll 
rivuU't  of  running  wator,  with  giNwl  i;ru«it. 
/ifiril  10. — Tho  IndiitiiM  who  had  uccoiu- 

INiniod  tho  guido  rcturnod  thiN  inoriiii''r,  and 
piirchnsfd  from  thom  a  SpaniMh  Huddli>  uinl 
long  Mpurs,  us  roininiHroiu'oa  of  tho  time ; 
ami  for  a  fow  yurd^  of  Mrarlot  clolli  thoy 
gave  mo  a  horso,  whitdi  uftorwarilM  iM'caiiti' 
IiknI  for  othor  Indians. 

We  conlinuod  a  short  diHtunco  dov^n  thi 
crook,  in  which  our  guido  iiilurmod  iii 
thut  tho  water  very  soon  diNuppotirod,  aiul 
tiirnofl  directly  to  tho  southward  along  tin- 
foot  of  tho  mountain  ;  the  trail  on  which  wc 
rode  ap|M>ariiig  to  doscrilio  tho  oaMtom  limit 
of  travol,  whero  water  and  ^'niss  toriiiinutcd. 
(!rosNing  a  low  spur,  which  Ixinlorod  '!'« 
crook,  wo  desconded  to  a  kiml  of  plitiri 
among  tho  lower  spurs  ;  tho  doscrt  lioing  in 
full  view  on  our  loft,  apparently  illiinitalilo 
A  hot  mist  lay  over  it  to-dny,  through  whirl 
it  had  u  white  and  glistoning  appoaninco; 
hero  und  there  n  fow  dry-lcHiking  hi  'h  s  mid 
isolated  bluck  ridges  rose  suddenly  upon  it. 
"Thoro,"  said  our  guido,  stretching  out  hi.-, 
hand  towards  it,  "  there  are  the  grout  llitiiii:< 
(plains),  tin  h'tij  dffiia  ;  vo  htiij  zitaiii — muln . 
there  is  noithor  water  nor  grass — notliin 
every  animal  that  goes  out  upon  tlioiii,  ''oh.' 
It  was  indooddiHuml  to  look  upon,  and  hard  > 
conceive  so  great  a  change  in  so  short  adin- 
tance.  One  might  travel  tho  world  over, 
without  lindinif  a  valley  innro  fresh  uin!  ver- 
dant— more  Imral  and  sylvan — more  mIiv 
with  birds  and  animals — more  bounteously 
watered — than  we  had  left  in  the  Sun  Joa- 

3uin:  here,  within  a  few  miles'  rido,  a  vast 
esert  plain  spread  before  us,  from  wliich  tho 
boldest  traveller  turned  away  in  despair. 

Directly  in  front  of  us,  at  some  distance  to 
the  southward,  and  running  out  in  an  onKt- 
erly  direction  from  tho  mountains,  stretclieil 
a  sierra,  having  at  the  eastern  end  (perhaps 
60  miles  distant)  some  snowy  peaks,  on 
which,  by  tho  information  of  our  guide,  snow 
rested  all  the  year. 

Our  cavalcade  made  a  strange  niid  gro- 
tesque appearance ;  and  it  was  impossible  to 
avoid  renecting  upon  our  position  and  com- 
position in  this  remote  solitude.  Within 
two  degrees  of  the  Pacific  ocean;  already 
far  Boutn  of  the  latitude  of  Monterey ;  anJ 
still  forced  on  south  by  a  desert  on  one  huiid 
and  a  mountain  range  on  tho  other ;  guided 
by  a  civilized  Indian,  attended  by  two  wild 
ones  from  the  Sierra ;  a  Chinook  from  the 
Columbia ;  and  our  own  mixture  of  Ameri- 
can, French,  German—all  armed  ;  four  or 
five  languages  heard  at  once  ;  above  a  hun- 
dred horses  and  mules,  half  wild ;  American, 
Spanish,  and  Indian  dresses  and  equipments 


[1844. 

lorn  F'»ll«)w- 
)  ii|K)n  II  creek 
k,  wliicli  yet 
rn  wuH  n  Mmall 

II  liiiil  iicciitn- 
iiKiriiii'',  atui 

InIi   Mlllllil)'   lUlll 

of  till'  tiinc ; 
let  cliilli  tlic'v 
nriiril-4  In'Oiiiiii' 

[ICO  »li)wn  thr 

intiirincil    ih 

iipprurril,  and 

i-aril  aliiti((  tlif 

on  wliifli  wi' 

oaMtcrn   limit 

nt^  Icrininiitcii. 

IxiriliTod    'I'i 

kind    of    I'luti 

iMcrt  lii'in^  ill 

liy   iilitiiitiiliit' 

tliri>ii;;li  wliid 

r  ii|ip«'i»runcp; 

t\[t  III  '/•  n  mill 

lonly  upon  it. 

tcliin;;  out  liio 

ic  prt'iit  llitiiiif 

ZllCil/^—  llllilll  . 

iiHH — nntliiii,: 
on  tlii'iii,  ■''«»«." 
on,  niid  liard    > 

80  nliort  iiiiii*- 
p  world  over, 
fresh  siiid  vor- 
n — iniiri'  iilivo 
■o  l)o\int<'oiisly 

llu'  Htm  Joii- 
«'  ride,  a  vast 
frotn  wliicli  tlio 
in  despair, 
iincj  distiinrc  to 
lit  in  iin  onst- 
ain-»,  strotclied 
n  end  (perhaps 
wy  peiik.s,  on 
)ur  fjiiide,  snow 

ango  nnd  gro- 
8  impot«o)il)lo  to 
iition  and  coin- 
tude.  Within 
)cean ;  already 
yionteroy ;  and 
rt  on  one  hand 

other;  guided 
h1  by  two  wild 
nook  from  the 
lire  of  Ameri- 
rmed ;  four  or 

above  a  hun- 
ild ;  American, 
ind  equipments 


18 1 1 


CWr,  FU I : MONTH  NAUR.VI'IVK. 


lAO 


inti'rmintflod— Miicli  waa  our  r<iin|irMitlnn. 
Our  miirrli  vvn^  a  wort  ot  pnM'i'«<ion,  Hroiiln 
iihi'itd,  iiud  nil  the  Mitiikt ;  n  Iroiit  and  roar 
tiviHinh  ;  tlio  |Mi<'k  nnlnialii,  \>nuipiy(v,  and 
lioriii'd  ratllt',  in  tlii>  ('ctiln' ;  iitidtho  whoii* 
'iri'ti-liinj^  a  (pmrti>r  of  ii  iniii*  nioiii;  our 
ilfi'piry  jiiilli.  In  (Iiim  form  w  joii.i  yi-d  ; 
l'N)kni(r  more  a^  il  wn  Udon^fd  to  Ania  lliitn 
I  I  till'  Hiiiti'd  Hlalt'n  ol  AiiK'rii'ii. 

NV't»  roiitiiiui>d  ill  II  noiitlicrly  dirortion 
tiniHi*  tlH>  plain,  to  wliicli,  hn  wi>ll  mn  to  m 
I  III'  coiiiitry,  M)  lur  iim  w»*  coiihl  mi<i»,  tint  i/kc 
•/iri'CK  (^avc  a  Htnin(/»»  and  f<iiij(uliir  cliii- 
I  u  it'r  H<»vt'ral  nrw  pliints  iipiM'iirud,  ainou^ 
Ahicli  witM  a  xyifopliylliici'oiiH  xliriili  (zi/nif 
I'hiiUiiin  ('iilifitniiriini,  'I'orr.  and  Kn-iii.), 
MHiu'liiiH's  ten  fi'of  ill  lu'ij^lit ;  in  loriii,  and 
III  the  pliancy  of  itn  hraiiilicH,  it  ix  rather  n 
'irai't-fiil  plant,  Itn  li-avcs  nro  Minatl,  cover- 
I'd  with  a  reHinouM  Huhxtnnce ;  and,  pnrticii> 
lirly  when  briiiMod  and  cruMlu'd,  exhale  a 
MiiKulur  hut  very  agreeabh)  and  rplreshini^ 
iidiir.  Tliirt  Nhriib  and  the  yucrn,  with  many 
viirietien  of  cactUH,  make  iho  chariicteriKtic 
r<'atun.^H  in  the  vegetation  for  a  longdiMtancp 
ti)  the  oaHtward.  Along  the  foot  of  the 
iiioiintain,  twenty  miloM  to  tlie  aonthward, 
n-d  Ntri|K>M  of  tlowcrH  were  viHiblo  during  the 
iniirning,  which  we  HuppoNed  to  l)0  vario- 
;;at(.'d  Handritimoi.  We  rode  ntpidly  during 
llie  day,  nnd  in  the  a<\erni)on  emergeil  from 
till'  ijurcii  forcHt  at  the  foot  of  an  Ditttinr  of 
the  Hierrii  before  ii8,  and  came  among  the 
•ii'Ids  of  riowera  we  had  seen  in  the  n»orn- 
iiig,  wliich  couHinted  principally  of  the  rich 
(Miige-colored  Californian  poppy,  mingled 
with  other  flowers  of  brighter  tintn.  Reach- 
iiijr  the  top  of  the  spur,  which  wn«  covered 
with  fine  bunch  grass,  and  where  the  iiillH 
wore  very  green,  our  guide  pointed  to  a 
•mall  hollow  in  the  mountain  before  us,  nay- 
in;,',  "  A  rsle  pietlra  hay  fiffua."  He  ap|M'ar- 
od  to  know  every  nook  in  the  country.  We 
roiitinued  our  beautiful  road,  and  reached  a 
-spring  in  the  slope,  at  the  foot  of  the  ridge, 
:'iiining  in  a  green  ravitie,  among  granite 
Colliders ;  here  nigiit-ahade,  and  liorclcrd  of 
tmckwiieat,  with  their  white  blossoms  around 
t'li"  n:ruiiito  rocks,  attracted  our  notice  as  fa- 
"liliar  plants.  Hevcral  antelopes  wore  seen 
iinong  the  hills,  and  some  large  hares.  Men 
wore  sent  back  this  evening  in  search  of  a 
wild  mule  with  a  valuable  pack,  which  had 
i.iannged  (as  they  frequently  do)  to  hide 
iNolf  along  the  road. 

Hv  observation,  the  latitude  of  the  camp 
;>>  :U">  41'  42";  and  longitude  118°  20'  00". 
The  next  day  the  men  returned  witli  the 
mule. 

April  17. — Crossing  the  ridge  by  a  beau- 
tiful pass  of  hollows,  where  several  deer 
broke  out  of  the  thickets,  we  emerged  at  a 
^inall  salt  lake  in  a  vallon  lying  nearly  east 
and  west,  where  a  trail  from  the  mission  of 


Siin  Hwnniftituni  cnm«*a  In  The  Inkn  is 
alMMil  1,'iUO  ynrdN  in  diaiiielpr ;  ■M.iiiiiiidod 
on  the  iiiariiin  by  a  white  nalty  Ixirdur, 
which,  by  the  riiiuII,  reminded  u>t  Hlightly  ol 
I.iikf»  AU'rt.  'I'lu're  are  Koiiie  cnUnimiMMlN, 
with  willow  and  eldi'r,  around  the  lake  ;  ami 
tlie  water  ih  a  little  «alt,  although  imt  en- 
tirely unlit  lur  drinking.  Here  s\o  turned 
directly  to  the  eiutwanl,  along  the  trail, 
which,  from  iN'ing  Hulduiii  iipied,  U  aliiioNt 
iniiKirceptible  ;  and,  alter  traveijjng  a  lew 
iiiliei«,  our  guide  hailed,  and,  |i<iintiiig  to  Ilio 
hardly  vimbli)  trail,  "/ii/io  ia  mmuui,"  Haid 
he,  "  nn  x/  jiiinlr — \it  iiiimi>i>\"  \\,<  |iiMiit- 
ed  out  a  black  Iniiit!  on  tliu  |dain  at  tlie  loot 
of  the  mountain,  where  wu  would  tliid  water 
to  encamp  at  night ;  and,  giving  hiin  a  [ire- 
Kent  ol  knives  and  m-aritt  cloth,  \\»<  xhook 
hanilM  anil  parted.  He  bore  oil' moiiiIi,  ami  in 
a  day's  riile  would  arrive  at  Han  l-'ernundo, 
one  of  several  missions  m  this  part  of  (.'ali- 
loriiia,  where  ilie  country  is  so  beuiitilul  that 
it  iri  consiilereil  a  paradise,  anil  the  iiume  of 
itH  principal  town  {I'lnhlu  itn  /ns  An^ilia) 
would  make  it  angelic.  We  coMiniied  on 
through  a  succession  of  valleys,  and  came 
"-'o  a  most  beautiful  s|Mit  of  llower  liuUU : 
iiibiead  of  green,  the  hilu  were  perple  and 
orange,  with  unbroken  beds,  into  which 
each  color  was  separately  gathered.  A  pale 
straw  color,  with  a  bright  yellow  the  rich 
red  orange  of  the  iK^ppy  ininglod  with  lielda 
of  piirjde,  covered  the  spot  with  a  Moral 
beauty ;  and,  on  the  border  of  the  sandy  de- 
serts, seemed  to  invite  the  traveller  to  go  no 
fartlrer.  Riding  along  through  the  perlumed 
air,  wo  soon  alter  entorn'ii  a  dehie  over- 
grown with  the  ominous  iirL'imsin  tritlvn- 
liilit,  which  conducted  ns  into  a  sandy  plain 
covered  more  or  loss  densely  with  lorests  of 
yucca. 

Having  now  the  snowy  ridgo  on  our  right, 
we  continued  our  way  towards  a  dark  hulte, 
L)elongiiig  to  u  low  sierra  in  the  plain,  and 
which  oiir  guide  hud  pointed  out  lor  a  land- 
mark. Late  in  the  day,  the  familiar  growth 
of  Cottonwood,  a  line  of  which  was  visible 
ahead,  indicated  our  approach  to  a  ereek, 
which  wo  reached  where  tho  water  spread 
out  into  sand.H,  and  u  liltlo  below  sank  en- 
tirely. Here  our  guide  had  intended  we 
should  pass  the  night ;  but  there  was  not  a 
blade  of  grass,  anil,  hoping  to  find  nearer  the 
mountain  a  little  for  the  night,  we  turned  up 
the  stream.  A  hundred  yards  above,  we 
found  the  creek  a  tine  -Iream,  sixteen  feel 
wide,  with  a  swiil  current.  A  dark  night 
overtook  us  when  we  reached  the  hills  at 
the  foot  of  the  ridge,  and  we  were  obliged 
to  encamp  without  grass ;  tying  up  what 
animals  we  could  secure  in  the  darkness, 
the  greater  part  of  the  wild  ones  having  free 
range  for  the  night.  Here  the  stream  was 
two  feet  deep,  swift  and  clear,  issuing  from 


8 


100 


CAPT.  FRRMONT'S  NARRATIVE 


[1844. 


a  neighboring  snow  peak.  A  few  mile  h  bo- 
fore  reachin^j  this  cnu-k,  wo  had  crossod  a 
broad  dry  river  bed,  which,  nearer  tlie  hills, 
the  hunters  had  found  a  bold  and  handsome 
stream. 

April  18. — Some  parties  were  cnpaged  in 
huntinij  lip  the  Hcatteroil  horses,  and  others 
in  H(  '.rchinjj  ibr  {fiass  above  ;  botii  were 
succcsslnl,  and  late  in  the  day  we  encamped 
among  sotne  spring  heads  of  tho  river,  in  a 
hollow  vThich  was  covered  with  only  tolera- 
b'y  good  grasses,  the  lower  ground  bein<,'Lii- 
tirely  overgrown  with  large  brnchei  of  the 
coarse  stilV  grass  (ntrex  silrlirnsis). 

Our  latitude,  by  observation,  was  31°  27' 
03";  and  longitude  117°  13'  00". 

Travelling  close  along  the  mountain,  we 
followed  up,  in  tho  afternoon  of  the  19th, 
another  stream,  in  hopes  to  find  a  grass- 
patch  like  that  of  the  previous  day,  but  wore 
deceived ;  except  some  scattered  bunch 
grass,  there  was  nothing  but  rock  and  sand  ; 
and  even  the  fertility  of  the  mountain  seem- 
ed withered  by  the  air  of  the  desert.  Among 
the  few  trees  was  the  nut  pine  (pinus  mono- 
phyllus). 

Our  road  the  next  day  was  still  in  an 
easter'y  direction  along  the  ridge,  over  very 
bad  travelling  ground,  broken  and  confound- 
ed with  crippled  trees  and  shrubs  ;  and, 
after  a  difficult  march  of  eighteen  miles,  a 
•wneral  shout  announced  that  we  had  struck 
the  gri:at  object  of  our  seach — the  Spanish 
TRAIL — which  here  was  running  directly 
north.  The  road  itself,  and  its  course,  were 
equally  happy  discoveries  to  us.  Since  the 
middle  of  December  we  had  continually  been 
forced  south  by  mountains  and  by  deserts, 
and  now  would  have  to  make  six  degrees 
of  nor<fti?jg',  to  regain  the  latitude  on  which 
we  wished  to  crosu  the  Rocky  mountains. 
The  course  of  the  road,  therefore,  was  what 
we  wanted ;  and,  once  more,  we  felt  like 
going  homewards.  A  road  to  travel  on,  and 
the  right  course  to  go,  were  joyful  consola- 
tions to  us ;  and  our  animals  enjoyed  the 
)eate>i  track  like  ourselv^os.  Relieved  from 
Lha  rocks  and  brush,  our  wild  mules  started 
off  at  a  rapid  rate,  and  in  fifteen  miles  we 
reached  a  considerable  river,  timbered  with 
Cottonwood  and  willow,  where  we  found  a 
bottom  of  tolerable  grass.  As  the  animals 
had  suffered  a  great  deal  in  the  last  few  days, 
I  remained  here  all  next  day,  to  allow  them 
the  necessary  repose ;  and  it  was  now  ne- 
cessary, at  every  favorable  place,  to  make  a 
littlo  halt.  Between  us  and  the  Colorado 
river  we  v.cre  aware  that  the  country  was  ex- 
tremely poor  in  grass,  and  scarce  for  water, 
there  being  many  jomadas  (day's  journey), 
or  Jong  stretches  of  fortv  to  sixty  miles,  with- 
out water,  where  the  road  was  marked  by 
bones  of  animals. 
Although  in  California  we  had  met  with 


people  who  had  passed  over  this  trail,  we  had 
been  able  to  obtain  no  correct  information 
about  it;  and  the  greater  part  of  what  we 
had  heard  was  found  to  be  only  a  tissue  of 
falsehoods.  The  rivers  that  vvi>  foinid  on  it 
were  never  mentioned,  and  others,  parli;;ular- 
ly  described  in  name  and  locality,  were  sub- 
sequently seen  in  another  part  of  the  coun- 
try. It  was  described  as  a  tolerably  good 
sandy  road,  with  so  little  rock  as  sciirceTy  to 
require  the  animals  to  be  shoil ;  and  we  found 
it  the  roughest  and  rockiest  road  wo  had  ever 
seen  in  tl.c  country,  and  which  nearly  de- 
stroyed our  band  of  line  mules  and  horses. 
Many  tnimals  are  destroyed  on  it  every  year 
by  a  disease  called  tho  foot  evil ;  and  a  tra- 
veller should  never  venture  on  it  without 
having  his  animals  well  shod,  and  also  carry- 
'iiw  extra  shoes. 

Latitude  34°  34'  11";  and  longitude  117" 
13'  00". 

The  morning  of  the  22d  was  clear  and 
bright,  and  a  snowy  peak  to  the  southward 
shone  out  higli  and  sharply  defined.  As  has 
been  usual  since  we  crossed  the  mountains 
and  descended  into  the  hot  plains,  we  had  n 
gale  of  wind.  We  travelled  down  the  right 
bank  of  tho  stream,  over  sands  wliich  are 
.somewhat  loose,  and  have  no  vci  ire,  but 
are  occupied  by  various  shrubs.  A  clem 
bold  stream,  60  feet  wide,  and  several  feet 
deep,  had  a  strange  appearance,  running  be- 
tween perfectly  naked  banks  of  sand.  The 
eye,  however,  is  somewhat  relieved  by  wil- 
lows, and  the  beautiful  green  of  the  sweet 
cottonwoods  with  v/hich  it  is  well  wooded 
As  we  followed  along  its  course,  tho  river, 
instead  of  growing  constantly  larger,  gradu- 
ally dwindled  away,  as  it  was  absorbed  by 
the  sand.  We  were  now  careful  to  take  the 
old  camping  places  of  the  annual  Santa  Fd 
caravans,  which,  luckily  for  us,  had  not  yet 
made  their  yearly  passage.  A  drove  of  se- 
veral thousand  horses  and  mules  would  en- 
tirely have  swept  away  the  scanty  grass  at 
the  watering  places,  and  we  should  have 
been  obliged  to  leave  the  road  to  obtain  suh- 
sistence  for  our  animals.  After  riding  20 
miles  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  we  found 
an  old  encampment,  where  we  halted. 

By  observation,  the  elevation  of  this  en- 
campment is  2,250  feet. 

April  23. — ^The  trail  followed  still  alonjr 
the  riv  .,  which,  in  the  course  of  the  morn- 
ing, entirely  disappeared.  We  continue:! 
along  the  dry  bed,  in  which,  after  ?.n  intervul 
of  about  16  miles,  the  water  reappearec'  in 
some  low  places,  well  timbered  with  cotton- 
wood  and  willow,  where  was  another  of  the 
customary  camping  grounds.  Here  a  party 
of  six  Indians  came  into  camp,  poor  and  hun- 
gry, and  quite  in  keeping  with  the  character 
of  the  country.  Their  arms  were  bows  of 
unusual  length,  and  each  haxl  a  large  gourd, 


[1844. 

trail,  wo  had 
intorinatinn 
of  wliat  we 
y  a  tissue  of 
»  tbdiid  on  it 
•s,  parlitMiiar- 
y,  weif  Hub- 
oi  111'?  coun- 
)loral)ly  L'ood 
Id  HCiircely  to 
ami  we  lound 
1  wo  liail  ever 
li  nenriy  do- 
i  and  iiorses. 
I  it  every  year 
il ;  and  a  tra- 
in it  willioiit 
nd  also  carry- 

jngitude  117° 

/as  clear  and 
he  southward 
ined.  As  lias 
the  mountains 
lins,  we  had  a 
jown  the  right 
ids  wliicli  lire 

0  vcr  'lire,  but 
■ubs.  A  cleai 
id  several  leet 
ze,  running  be- 
of  sand.  Tlie 
blieved  by  wil- 

1  of  the  sweet 
well  wooded. 

irse,  tho  river, 
'  larger,  gradii- 
13  absorbed  by 
•eful  to  take  the 
jHual  Santa  Fe 
IS,  had  not  yet 
A  drove  of  sc- 
ales would  eii- 
xanty  grass  at 
e  should  havo 
1  to  obtain  sub- 
After  riding  '2\) 
^tion,  we  found 
'9  halted. 
;ion  of  this  en- 
wed  still  alon^r 
je  of  the  morii- 
We   continue:! 
ifter  ?.n  interval 
reappearec'  in 
•ed  with  colton- 
another  of  the 
Here  a  party 
),  poor  and  hun- 
;h  the  character 
3  were  bows  of 
d  a  large  gourd, 


1814.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAIlIlAriVK. 


161 


strengthened  with  meshes  of  cord,  in  which 
ho  carried  water.  They  proved  to  be  tho 
Mohalivo  Indians  mentioned  by  our  recent 
guide  ;  and  from  one  of  them  who  spoke 
Spanish  fluently,  I  obtained  some  interesting 
information,  which  I  would  be  glad  to  intro- 
duce hero.  An  account  ot  the  people  inha- 
liiting  this  region  would  undoubtedly  possess 
interest  for  tho  civilized  world.  Our  journey 
homeward  was  fruitful  in  incident;  and  the 
coiMitry  through  which  we  travelled,  although 
a  desert,  allorded  much  to  excite  the  curiosi- 
ty of  tho  iKjtauist;  but  limited  time,  and  the 
rapidly  advancing  season  for  active  opera- 
tions, oblige  me  to  omit  all  extended  descrip- 
tions, and  liurry  briefly  to  the  conclusion  of 
this  report. 

The  Indian  who  spoke  Spanish  had  been 
educated  for  a  number  of  years  at  one  of  the 
Spanish  missions,  and,  at  the  breaking  np  of 
tl'.ose  establishments,  had  returned  to  the 
mountains,  where  he  had  been  found  by  a 
party  of  Mohahve  (sometimes  called  Amu- 
chaba)  Indians,  among  whom  he  had  ever 
since  resided. 

He  spoke  of  the  leader  of  the  present  par- 
ty as  "  mi  amo  "  (my  master).  lie  said  they 
lived  upon  a  large  river  in  the  southeast, 
which  the  "  soldiers  called  the  Rio  Colora- 
do ;"  but  that,  formerly,  a  portion  of  them 
lived  upon  this  river,  and  among  the  moun- 
tains which  had  bounded  the  river  valley  to 
the  northward  during  the  day,  and  that  here 
iking  the  river  they  had  raised  various  kinds 
>f  melons.  They  sometimes  came  over  to 
trade  with  the  Indians  of  the  Sierra,  bringing 
with  them  blankets  and  goods  manufactured 
by  the  Monquis  and  other  Colorado  Indians. 
They  rarely  carried  home  horses,  on  account 
of  the  difficulty  of  getting  them  across  the 
desert,  and  of  guarding  them  afterwards 
from  the  Pa-utan  Indians,  who  inhabit  the 
Sierra,  at  the  head  of  the  Rio  Virgen  (river 
of  the  Virgin.) 

He  informed  us  that,  a  short  distance  be- 
low, this  river  finally  disappeared.  The  two 
different  portions  in  which  water  is  found  had 
received  from  the  priests  two  different  names  ; 
and  subsequently  I  heard  it  called  by  the 
Spaniards  the  Rio  de  las  Animas,  but  on  the 
map  we  have  called  it  the  Mohahve  river. 

April  24. — We  continued  down  the  stream 
(or  rather  its  bed)  for  about  eight  miles, 
where  there  was  water  still  in  several  holes, 
and  encamped.  The  caravans  sometimes 
continue  below,  to  the  end  of  the  river,  from 
which  there  is  a  very  long  Jornada  of  per- 
haps sixty  miles,  without  water.  Here  a 
singular  and  new  species  of  acacia,  with  spi- 
ral pods  or  seed  vessels,  made  its  first  appear- 
ance ;  becoming  henceforward,  for  a  consi- 
derable  distance,  a  characteristic  tree.  It 
was  here  comparatively  large,  being  about 
120  feet  in  height,  with  a  full  and  spreading 

11 


top,  tho  lower  branches  declining  towards 
the  ground.  It  afterwards  occurred  of  smaller 
size,  frequently  in  groves,  and  is  very  fra- 
grant. It  has  been  call(>d  by  Dr.  Torrey 
spiroliibinm  odoratnm.  The  zygophyllacooiiM 
shrub  had  been  constantly  characteristic  of 
the  plains  along  the  river;  and  here,  among 
many  new  plnnts,  a  new  and  very  remarka- 
ble species  of  eringonum  (erini^onum  ivjla- 
linn,  Von.  &l  Frem.)  made  its  first  appear- 
ance. 

Our  cattle  had  become  so  tired  and  poor 
by  this  fatiguing  travelling,  that  three  of 
them  were  killed  here,  and  the  nieat  dried. 
The  Indians  had  now  an  occasion  for  a  great 
feast,  and  were  occupied  the  remainder  of 
the  day  and  all  the  night  in  cooking  and  eat- 
ing. There  was  no  part  of  the  animal  for 
which  they  did  not  find  some  use,  except  the 
bones.  In  the  afternoon  we  were  surprised 
by  the  sudden  appearance  in  the  camp  of  two 
Mexicans — a  man  and  a  boy.  The  name  of 
the  man  was  Andreas  Fxientes;  and  that  of 
the  boy  (a  handsome  lad,  11  years  old),  Pa- 
blo Hernandez.  They  belonged  to  a  party 
consisting  of  six  persons,  the  remaining  four 
being  the  wife  of  Fuentes,  and  the  father 
and  mother  of  Pablo,  and  Santiago  (iiacome, 
a  resident  of  New  Mexico.  With  a  caval- 
cade of  about  thirty  horses,  they  had  come 
out  from  Puebla  de  los  Angeles,  near  the 
coast,  under  the  guidance  of  Giacome,  in 
advance  ol  the  great  caravan,  in  order  to 
travel  more  aJ  leisure,  and  obtain  better  grass. 
Having  advanced  as  far  into  the  desert  as 
was  considered  consistent  with  their  saftty, 
they  halted  at  the  Arrhilelte,  one  of  the  cus- 
tomary camping  gi  nnds,  about  80  miles 
from  our  encampment,  where  there  is  a  spring 
of  good  water,  with  sufficient  grass ;  and 
concluded  to  await  there  the  arrival  of  the 
great  Caravan.  Several  Indians  were  soon 
discovered  lurking  about  the  camp,  who,  in 
a  day  or  two  after,  came  in,  and,  after  behav- 
ing in  a  very  friendly  manner,  took  their 
leave,  without  awakening  any  suspicions.- 
Their  deportment  begat  a  security  which 
proved  fatal.  In  a  few  days  afterwards,  sud- 
denly a  party  of  about  one  hundred  Indians 
appeared  in  sight,  advancing  towards  the 
camp.  It  was  too  late,  or  they  seemed  not 
to  have  presence  of  mind  to  take  proper 
measures  of  safety ;  and  the  Indians  charged 
down  into  their  camp,  shouting  as  they  ad- 
vanced, and  discharging  flights  of  arrows. 
Pablo  and  Fuentes  were  on  norse  guard  at 
the  time,  and  mounted  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  country.  One  of  the  princi- 
pal objects  of  the  Indians  was  to  gel  possee- 
sion  of  the  horses,  and  part  of  them  imme- 
diately surrounded  the  band ;  but,  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  shouts  of  Giacome,  Fuentes  drove 
the  animals  over  and  through  the  assailasts, 
in  spite  of  their  arrows;  and,  abandoning  tha 


1  '■il 


f< 


«?' 


i.' 


'A  !li' 


^i 


162 


CAI'T.  FRKMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


L1844. 


reat  to  their  fiitc,  carried  thorn  off  at  speed 
across  the  f>liiin.  Knowing  iJiat  ihoy  would 
1)0  pursued  by  the  Indiana,  without  making 
any  halt  except  to  shift  their  saddles  to  other 
horses,  tiiey  drove  them  on  for  about  sixty 
miles,  and  this  morniMglel't  them  at  a  water- 
ing place  on  the  trail,  called  Agua  de  To- 
niaso.  Without  giving  themselves  any  time 
foi  rest,  they  hurried  on,  hoping  to  meet  the 
Spaiiish  (^aravan,  when  they  discovered  my 
camp.  I  received  them  kindly,  taking  them 
into  my  own  mess,  and  promised  tliem  such 
aid  as  circumstances  might  put  it  in  my 
power  to  give. 

Aiiril  25. — We  left  the  river  abruptly,  nnd, 
turning  to  the  north,  regained  in  a  few  miles 
tJie  main  trail  (which  had  left  the  river  sooner 
than  ourselves),  and  continued  our  way 
across  a  lower  ridge  of  the  mountain,  through 
a  miserable  tract  of  sand  and  gravel.  We 
crossed  at  intervals  the  broad  bods  of  dry 
gullies,  where  in  the  season  of  rains  and 
melting  snows  there  would  be  brooks  or  rivu- 
lets ;  and  at  one  of  these,  where  there  was 
no  iidication  of  water,  were  several  freshly- 
dug  holes,  in  which  there  was  water  at  the 
depth  of  two  feet.  These  holes  had  been 
dug  by  the  wolves,  whose  keen  sense  of  smell 
had  scented  the  water  under  the  dry  sand. 
They  were  nice  little  wells,  narrow,  and  dug 
straight  down,  and  we  got  pleasant  water 
out  of  them. 

The  country  had  now  assumed  the  cha- 
racter of  an  elevated  and  mountainous  de- 
sert ;  its  general  features  being  black,  rocky 
ridges,  bald,  and  destitute  of  timber,  with 
sandy  basins  between.  Where  the  sides  of 
these  ridges  are  washed  by  gullies,  the  plains 
below  are  strewed  with  beds  of  large  pebbles 
or  rolled  stones,  destructive  to  our  soft-footed 
animals,  accustomed  to  the  grassy  plains 
of  the  Sacramento  valley.  Through  these 
sandy  basins  sometimes  struggled  a  scanty 
stream,  or  occurred  a  hole  of  water,  which 
furnished  camping  grounds  for  travellers. 
Frequently  in  our  journey  across,  snow  was 
visible  on  the  surrounding  mountains ;  but 
their  waters  rarely  reached  the  sandy  plain 
below,  where  we  toiled  along,  oppressed  with 
thirst  and  a  burning  sun.  But,  throughout 
this  nakedness  of  sand  and  gravel,  were  many 
beautiful  plants  and  flowering  shrubs,  which 
occurred  in  many  new  species,  and  with 
greater  variety  than  we  had  been  accustom- 
ed to  see  in  the  most  luxuriant  prairie  coun- 
tries ;  this  was  a  peculiarity  of  this  desert. 
Even  where  no  grass  would  take  root,  the 
naked  sand  would  bloom  with  some  rich  and 
rare  flower,  which  found  its  appropriate  home 
in  the  arid  and  barren  spot. 

Scattered  over  the  plain,  and  tolerably 
abundant,  was  a  handsome  leguminous  shrub, 
three  or  four  feet  high,  with  fine  bright-pur- 
plo  floweta.    It  is  a  new  psoralea,  and  oc- 


curred frequently  henceforward   along  our 
road. 

Beyond  the  first  ridge,  our  road  bore  a  lit- 
tle to  the  east  of  north,  towards  a  gap  in  a 
highe''  line  of  mountains ;  and,  alter  travel- 
ling about  twenty-live  miles,  wo  arrived  at 
the  AfTita  de  Tomnso — the  spring  whore  the 
horses  had  been  left ;  but,  as  we  expected, 
they  were  gone.  A  brief  examination  of  the 
ground  convinced  us  that  they  had  been 
driven  off  by  the  Indians.  Carson  and 
Godey  vohmteered  with  the  Mexiciin  to  pur- 
sue them ;  and,  well  motmted,  the  three  set 
off  on  the  trail.  At  this  stopping  place  there 
were  a  few  bushes  and  very  little  grass.  Its 
water  was  a  pool ;  but  near  by  was  a  spring, 
which  had  been  dug  out  by  Indians  or  trav- 
ellers. Its  water  was  cool — a  great  refresh- 
ment to  us  under  a  burning  sun. 

In  the  evening  Fuentes  returned,  his  horse 
having  failed ;  but  Carson  and  Godey  had 
continued  the  pursuit. 

I  observed  to-night  an  occiiltation  of  o' 
Cancri,  at  the  dark  limb  of  the  moon,  which 
gives  for  the  longitude  of  the  place  116"^  23' 
28";  the  latitude,  by.observation,  is  36°  13' 
08".  From  Helvetia  to  this  place,  the  posi- 
tions along  the  intervening  line  are  laid  down 
with  the  longitudes  obtained  from  the  chro- 
nometer, which  appears  to  have  retained  its 
rate  remarkably  well ;  but  henceforward,  to 
the  end  of  the  journey,  the  few  longitudes 
given  are  absolute,  depending  upon  a  subse- 
quent occultation  and  eclipses  of  the  satel- 
lites. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  a  war- 
whoop  was  heard,  such  as  Indians  make 
when  returning  from  a  victorious  enterprise ; 
and  soon  Carson  and  Godey  appeared,  driv- 
ing before  them  a  band  of  horses,  recognized 
by  Fuentes  to  be  part  of  those  they  had  lost. 
Two  bloody  scalps,  dangling  from  the  end  of 
Godey's  gun,  announced  that  they  had  over- 
taken the  Indians  as  well  as  the  horses. 
They  informed  us,  that  after  Fuentes  left 
them,  from  the  failure  of  his  horse,  they  con- 
tinued the  pursuit  alone,  and  towards  night- 
fall entered  the  mountains,  into  which  the 
trail  led.  After  sunsefthe  moon  gave  light, 
and  they  followed  the  trail  by  moonshine 
until  late  in  the  night,  when  it  entered  a  nar- 
row defile,  and  was  difficult  to  follow.  Afraid 
of  losing  it  in  the  darkness  of  the  defile,  they 
tied  up  their  horses,  struck  no  firo,  nnd  lay 
down  to  sleep  in  silence  and  in  darkness. 
Here  they  lay  from  midnight  till  morning. 
At  daylight  they  resumed  the  pnrMiit,  ami 
about  sunrise  discovered  the  horses ;  and, 
immediately  dismounting  and  tying  up  their 
own,  they  crept  cautiously  to  a  rising  ground 
which  intervened,  from  the  crest  of  which 
they  perceived  the  encampment  of  four  lodges 
close  by.  They  proceeded  quietly,  and  had 
got  within  thirty  or  forty  yards  of  their  ob- 


[1844. 


1844.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


163 


ong  our 

ore  a  lit* 
<rap  in  a 
r  travel- 
rrivcd  at 
/here  the 
[•xpocted, 
ion  of  the 
lad  been 
rson  and 
in  to  pur- 

thrce  pet 
lace  there 
rass.     Its 

a  spring, 
is  or  trav- 
it  refresh- 

,  his  horse 
Jodey  had 

lion  of  o' 
)on,  which 
ell6'*  23' 
is  35"  13' 
;,  tlie  posi- 
I  laid  down 
1  the  chro- 
etained  it3 
brward,  to 
longitudes 
in  a  fiubsc- 
the  satel- 

ay,  a  war- 
ians   make 
criferprise ; 
ared,  driv- 
recognizcd 
■y  had  lost, 
tlie  end  of 
^  had  over- 
le  horses, 
ucntes  left 
,  they  con- 
ards  night- 
which  the 
^  ve  light, 
moonshine 
;ered  a  nar- 
iw.    Afraid 
defile, they 
•(?,  and  lay 
darkness, 
morning, 
nnniit,  and 
)rsca ;   and, 
ng  up  their 
ing  ground 
,t  of  which 
four  lodges 
J',  and  had 
if  their  ob- 


ject, when  a  movement  among  the  hor.ioa 
ditfcovered  them  to  the  Indians;  giving  the 
war  shout,  they  instantly  charged  into  the 
camp,  regardless  of  the  iiiunher  which  the 
fmir  lodges  would  imply.     The  Indians  re- 
ceived  them   with   a  Hight  of  arrows  shot 
from  their  lung  bows,  one  of  which  piissed 
through  (Jodey's  shirt  collar,  barely  missing 
the  neck ;  our  men  fired  their  ri(k'.s  upon  a 
steady  aim,  and   rushed   in.     Two   Indians 
were  stretched  on  the  ground,  fatally  pierced 
with  bullets ;  the  rest  lied,  except  a  lad  that 
was   captured.      The   scalps   of  the   fallen 
were  instantly  stripped  off;   but  in  the  pro- 
cess, one  of  them,  who  had  two  balls  through 
his  body,sprnng  to  his  feet,  the  blood  stream- 
ing from  his  skinned  head,  and  uttering  a 
hideous  howl.     An  old  squaw,  possibly  his 
mother,  stopped  and  looked  bacK  from  the 
mountain  side  she  was  climbing,  threatening 
and  lamenting.    The  frightful  spectacle  ap- 
palled the  stout  hearts  of  our  men ;  but  they 
did  what  humanity  required,  and  quickly  ter- 
minated the   agonies  of  the  gory  savage. 
They  were  now  masters  of  the  camp,  which 
was  a  pretty  little  recess  in  the  mountain, 
with  a  line  spring,  and  apparently  safe  from 
all  invasion.     Great  preparationf  had  been 
made  to  feast  a  large  party,  for  it  was  a  very 
proper  place  for  a  rendezvous,  and  for  the 
celebration  of  such  orgies  as  robbers  of  the 
desert  would  delight  in.     Several  of  the  best 
horses  had  been  killed,  skinned,  and  cut  up  ; 
for  the  Indians  living  in  mountains,  and  only 
coming  into  the  plains  to  rob  and  murder, 
make  no  other  use  of  horses  than  to  cat  them. 
Large  earthen  vessels  were  on  the  fire,boiling 
and  stewing  the  horse  beef;  and  several  bas- 
kets, containing  fifty  or  sixty  pairs  of  mocca- 
«ins,  indicated  the  presence,  or  expectation, 
of  a  considerable  party.     They  released  the 
boy,  who  had  given  strong  evidence  of  the 
stoicism,  or  something  else,  of  the  savage 
character,  in  commencmg  his  breakfast  upon 
a  horse's  head  as  soon  as  he  found  he  was 
not  to  be  killed,  but  only  tied  as  a  prisoner. 
Their  object  accomplished,  our  men  gathered 
up  all  the  surviving  horses,  fifteen  in  number, 
returned  upon  their  trail,  and  rejoined  us  at  our 
camp  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day.   They 
had  rode  about  100  miles  in  the  pursuit  and 
return,  and  all  in  thirty  hours.  The  time,  place, 
object,  and  numbers,  considered,  this  expedi- 
tion of  Carson  and  Godey  may  be  consiuered 
among  the  boldest  ancf  most  disinterested 
which  the  annals  of  western  adventure,  so 
full  of  daring  deeds,  can  present.     Two  men, 
in  a  savage  desert,  pursue  day  and  night  an 
unknown  body  of  Indians  into  the  defiles  of 
tin  unknown  mountain — attack  them  on  sight, 
without  counting  numbers — and  defeat  them 
in  an  instant — and  for  what  ?    To  punish 
the  robbers  of  the  desert,  and  to  avenge  the 
wrongs  of  Mexicans  whom  they  did  not 


know.  I  repeat ;  it  was  Carson  and  Godey 
who  did  this — the  fornier  an  Amcrirnu,  born 
in  the  Uoonslick  county  of  Missouri ;  the  lat- 
ter a  Frenchman,  born  in  Kt.  I,onis — and 
both  trained  to  western  enterprise  from  early 
life. 

Ry  the  information  of  Fiicntos,  wo   had 
now  to  make  a  long  stretch  of  forty  or  fifty 
miles  across  a  pliiin  whicii  lay  lK.'tween  us 
and  the  next  possible  camp  ;  and  wo  resum- 
ed our  journey  late  in  the  afternoon,  with  the 
intention  of   travelling  through   the  nitfht, 
and  avoiding  the  excessive  heat  of  the  day, 
which  was  oppressive  to  our  animals.     For 
several   hours  we  travelled  across   a  high 
plain,  passing,  at  the  opposite  side,  through 
a   cafion   by   the  bed  of  a  creek  running 
northwardlij  into  a  small  lake  beyond,  and 
both  of  them  being  dry.     We  had  a  warm, 
moonshiny  night ;    and,  travelling  directly 
towards  the  north  star,  we  journeyed  now 
across  an    open   plain  between    mountain 
ridges  ;  that  on  the  left  being  broken,  rocky, 
and  bald,  according  to  the  information  of 
Carson  and  Godey,  who  had  entered  here  in 
pursuit  of  the  horses.  The  plain  appeared  co- 
vered principally  with  the  zysofhyllum  Call- 
fiirnkum  already  mentioned ;  and  the  line 
of  our  road  was  marked  by  the  skeletons  of 
horses,  which  were  strewed  to  a  considera- 
ble breadth  over  the  plain.    We  were  after- 
wards always  warned,  on  entering  one  of 
these  long  stretches,  by  the  bones  of  these 
animals,  which  had  perished  before  they  could 
reach  the  water.     About  midnight  we  reach- 
ed a  considerable  stream  bed,  now  dry,  the 
discharge  of  the  waters  of  this  basin  (when 
it  collected  any),  down  which  we  descended 
in  a    northu-eslerly  direction.      The   creek 
bed  was  overgrown  with  shrubbery,  and  se- 
veral hours  before  day  it  brought  us  to  the 
entrance  of  a  caiion,  where  we  found  water, 
and  encamped.     This   word  caHon  is  used 
by  the  Sjianiards  to  signify  a  defile  or  gorge 
in  a  creek  or  river,  where  high  rocks  press 
in  close,  and  make  a  narrow  way,  usually 
difllcult,  and  often  impossible  to  be  passed. 

In  the  morning  we  found  that  we  had  a 
very  pour  camping  ground :  a  swampy, 
salty  spot,  with  a  little  long,  unwholesome 
grass  ;  and  the  water,  which  rose  in  springs, 
being  useful  only  to  wet  the  mouth,  but  en- 
tirely too  salt  to  drink.  All  around  was 
sand  and  rocks,  and  skeletons  of  horses 
which  had  not  been  able  to  find  support  for 
their  lives.  As  we  were  about  to  start,  we 
found,  at  the  distance  of  a  few  hundred 
yards,  among  the  hills  to  the  southward,  a 
spring  of  tolerably  good  water,  which  was  a 
relief  to  ourselves  ;  but  the  place  was  too  poor 
to  remain  long,  and  therefore  we  continued 
on  this  morning.  On  the  creek  were  thick- 
ets of  spirolobium  odoratum  (acacia)  in 
'  bloom,  and  verj'  fragrant. 


'  !\i? 


I 


|;ffl 

m 


Ifri 


CAPT.  i'REMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


\\SU 


Passuiff  tliruiigh  the  canon,  we  entered 
another  sandy  biinin,  throiijjh  which  the  dry 
stream  bod  coiitiniied  its  northwesterly 
course,  in  which  direction  appeared  a  high 
•nowy  mountain. 

We  travelled  through  a  barren  district, 
where  a  heavy  gale  was  blowing  about 
the  loose  sand,  and,  after  a  ride  of  eight 
miles,  reached  a  li<.rge  creek  of  salt  and  bit- 
ter water,  running  in  a  westerly  direction, 
to  receive  the  stream  bod  we  had  left.  It  is 
called  by  tlie  Spaniards  Amargosa — the  bit- 
ter water  of  the  desert.  Where  we  struck 
it,  the  stream  bends;  and  we  contini;nd  in  a 
northerly  course  up  the  ravine  of  its  valley, 
passing  on  the  way  a  fork  from  the  right, 
near  which  occurred  a  bed  of  plants,  con- 
sisting of  a  remarkable  new  genus  of  cruci- 
fercc. 

Gradually  ascending,  the  ravine  opened 
into  a  green  valley,  where,  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain,  were  springs  of  excellent  water. 
We  encamped  among  groves  of  the  new 
acacia,  and  there  was  an  abundance  of  good 
grass  for  the  animals. 

This  was  the  best  camping  ground  we  had 
seen  since  we  struck  the  Spanish  trail.  The 
day's  journey  was  about  twelve  miles. 

April  29. — To-day  we  had  to  reach  the 
Archilette,  distant  seven  miles,  where  the 
Mexican  party  had  been  attacked  ;  and  leav- 
ing our  encampment  early,  we  traversed  a 
part  of  the  desert,  the  most  sterile  and  repul- 
sive that  we  had  yet  seen.  Its  prominent 
features  were  dark  sierrax,  naked  and  dry ; 
on  the  plains  a  few  straggling  shrubs — 
among  them,  cactus  of  several  varieties. 
Fuentes  pointed  out  one  called  by  the  Span- 
iards bisnada,  which  has  a  juicy  pulp,  slight- 
ly acid,  and  is  eaten  by  the  traveller  to  allay 
thirst.  Our  course  was  generally  north ; 
and,  after  crossing  an  intervening  ridge,  we 
descended  into  a  sandy  plain,  orlmsin,  in  the 
middle  of  which  was  the  grassy  spot,  with 
its  springs  and  willow  bushes,  which  consti- 
tutes a  camping  place  in  the  desert,  and  is 
called  the  Archilette.  The  dead  silence  of 
the  place  was  ominous ;  and,  galloping  ra- 
pidly up,  we  found  only  the  corpses  of  the 
two  men  :  everything  else  was  gone.  They 
were  naked,  mutilated,  and  pierced  with  ar- 
rows. Hernandez  had  evidently  fought,  and 
with  desperation.  He  lay  in  advance  of  the 
willow  half-faced  tent,  which  sheltered  his 
family,  as  if  he  had  come  out  to  meet  dan- 
ger, and  to  repulse  it  from  that  asylum.  One 
of  his  hands,  and  both  his  legs,  had  been  cut 
off.  Giacome,  who  was  a  large  and  strong 
looking  man,  was  lying  in  one  of  the  willow 
■belters,  pierced  with  arrows.  Of  the 
women  no  trace  could  be  found,  and  it  was 
evident  they  had  been  carried  ofF  captive. 
A  little  lap-dog,  which  had  belonged  to  Pa- 
blo's mother,  remained  with  the  dead  bodies, 


and  was  frantic  with  joy  at  seeing  Pablo 
ho,  poor  child,  was  frantic  with  grief ;  and 
filloil  the  air  with  lamentation.^  fur  his  tathor 
and  mother.  Mi  pailrr  '  AH  madn: ! — was 
his  incefl!>ant  cry.  When  wo  behold  thiti 
pitiable  sight,  and  pictured  to  ourse'ves  the 
fate  of  the  two  women,  carried  off  by  sava- 
ges so  brutal  and  so  loathnomo,  all  compunc- 
tion for  the  scalped-alive  Indian  ceased  ;  and 
we  rejoiced  that  Carson  and  Godey  liad  been 
able  to  give  so  useful  a  lesson  to  these 
American  Arabs,  who  lie  in  wait  to  murder 
and  plunder  the  innocent  traveller. 

VVe  were  all  too  much  allected  by  the  sad 
feelings  which  the  place  inspired,  to  remain 
an  unnecessary  moment.  The  niglit  we 
were  obliged  to  pass  there.  Early  in  tlie 
morning  wo  left  it,  having  first  written  a 
brief  account  of  what  had  happened,  and  put 
it  in  the  cleft  of  a  pole  planted  at  the  spnng, 
that  the  approaching  caravan  might  learn 
the  fate  of  their  friends.  In  commemoration 
of  the  event,  we  called  the  place  Agua  de 
Ilei-nanuz — Hernandez's  spring.  By  obser- 
vation, its  latitude  was  35*  51'  21". 

April  30. — We  continued  our  journey  over 
a  district  similar  to  that  of  the  day  before. 
From  the  sandy  basin,  in  which  was  the 
spring,  we  eHcrcd  another  basin  of  the  same 
cnaracter,  surrounded  everywhere  by  moun- 
tains. Before  us  stretched  a  high  range, 
risinnr  still  hifrher  to  the  left,  and  terminatini' 
m  a  snowy  mountam. 

After  a  day's  march  of  24  miles,  we  reached 
at  evening  the  bed  of  a  stream  from  which  the 
water  had  disappeared  ;  a  little  only  remained 
in  holes,  which  we  increased  by  dijrginji ; 
and  about  a  mile  above,  the  stream,  not  yet 
entirely  sunk,  was  spread  out  over  the  .sands, 
affording  a  little  water  for  the  animals.  The 
stream  came  out  of  the  mountains  on  the 
left,  very  slightly  wooded  with  Cottonwood, 
willow,  and  acacia,  and  a  few  dwarf  oaks ; 
and  grass  was  nearly  as  scarce  as  water.  A 
plant  with  showy  yellow  flowers  (Stanleija 
integrifolia)  occurred  abundantly  at  intervals 
for  the  last  two  days,  and  eriogonnm  infla- 
turn  was  among  the  characteristic  plants". 

May  1. — The  air  is  rough,  and  overcoats 
pleasant.  The  sky  is  blue,  and  the  day 
bright.  Our  road  was  over  a  plain,  towards 
the  foot  of  the  mountain ;  zygophyllnm 
Califomicum,  now  in  bloom  with  a  small 
yellow  flower,  is  characteristic  of  the  coun- 
try ;  and  cacti  were  very  abundant,  and  in 
rich  fresh  bloom,  which  wonderfully  orna- 
ments this  poor  country.  We  encamped  at 
a  spring  in  the  pass,  which  had  been  the 
site  of  an  old  village.  Hero  we  found  excel- 
lent grass,  but  very  little  water.  We  dug 
out  the  old  spring,  and  watered  some  of  our 
animals.  The  mountain  here  was  wooded 
very  slightly  with  the  nut  pine,  cedars,  anH 
a  dwarf  species   of  oak ;  and   among  the 


[1814 


1844.J 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


m 


! — was 

fid    tlUH 


hich  thP 
remained 
digging-; 

not  yet 
le  sands, 
Is.    The 

on  the 

ttonwood, 

rt  oaks ; 

water.    A 

Slanleija 

intervals 

inn  infia- 

ilauts. 

overcoats 

the  day 

towards 
ophyllum 

a  small 
he  coun- 
and  in 
Uy  orna- 
amped  at 
been  the 
■ind  excel- 

Wo  dug 

le  of  our 
g  wooded 
dars,  unH 
inong  the 


thraha  were  Purshia  Iridentala,  artemisia, 
And  ephedra  occitlcnialis.  The  niiinerouH 
■hrubn  which  conxlitute  the  vegetation  ef 
the  plains  are  now  in  bloom,  with  flowers  of 
white,  yellow,  red,  and  purple.  The  con- 
tinual rockH,  und  want  of  water  and  grass, 
begin  to  be  very  hard  on  our  mules  and 
horses ;  but  the  principal  loss  is  occasioned 
by  their  crippled  feet,  the  greater  part  of 
those  left  being  in  excellent  order,  and 
■carcely  a  day  passes  without  some  los.^; 
and,  one  by  one,  Fuoutes's  horses  are  con- 
stantly dropping  behind.  Whenever  they 
give  out,  he  dismounts  and  cuts  ofl'their  IsiWa 
and  manes,  to  make  saddle  girths ;  the  last 
advantage  one  can  gain  from  them. 

The  next  day,  in  a  short  but  rough  ride 
of  I'J  miles,  wo  crossed  the  mountain;  and, 
descending  to  a  small  valley  plain,  encamped 
at  the  loot  of  the  ridge,  on  the  bed  of  a  creek, 
where  we  found  g(Mxl  grass  in  suflicient 
quantity,  and  abundance  of  water  in  holes. 
The  ridge  is  extremely  rugged  and  broken, 
presenting  on  this  side  a  continued  precipice, 
and  probably  aflbrds  very  few  passes.  Many 
digger  tracks  are  seen  around  us,  but  no  In- 
diao.-*  were  visible. 

Maj/  3. — After  a  day's  journey  of  18  miles, 
in  a  northeasterly  direction,  we  encamped  in 
the  midst  of  another  very  large  basin,  at  a 
camping  ground  called  Ids  Vegas — a  term 
which  the  Spaniards  use  to  signify  fertile  or 
marshy  plains,  in  contradistinction  to  llanns, 
which  they  apply  to  dry  and  sterile  plains. 
Two  narrow  streams  of  clear  water,  foui  or 
tive  feet  deep,  gush  suddenly,  with  a  quick 
current,  from  two  singularly  large  springs ; 
these,  and  other  waters  of  the  basin,  pass  out 
in  a  gap  to  the  eastward.  The  taste  of  the 
water  is  good,  but  rather  too  warm  to  be 
tgreeable;  the  temperature  being  71°  in  the 
one,  and  73*  in  the  other.  They,  however, 
afforded  a  delightful  bathing  place. 

May  4. — We  started  this  morning  earlier 
than  usual,  travelling  in  a  northeasterly  di- 
rection across  the  plain.  The  new  acacia 
(spirolobium  odoratum)  has  now  become  the 
characteristic  tree  of  the  country ;  it  is  in 
bloom,  and  its  blossoms  are  very  fragrant. 
The  day  was  still,  and  the  heat,  which  soon 
became  very  oppressive,  appeared  to  bring 
out  strongly  the  refreshing  scent  of  the 
zygophyllac'eous  shrubs  and  the  sweet  per- 
fume of  the  acacia.  The  snowy  ridge  vve 
had  just  crossed  looked  out  conspicuously  in 
the  northwest.  In  about  five  hours'  ride,  we 
crossed  a  gap  in  the  surrounding  ridge,  and 
the  appearance  of  skeletons  of  horses  very 
soon  warned  us  that  we  were  engaged  in 
another  dry  jomada,  which  proved  the  long- 
est we  Iiad  made  in  all  our  journey — between 
fifty  and  sixty  miles  without  a  drop  of  water. 
Travellers  through  countries  affording 
water  and  timber  can  have  no  conception  of 


our  intolerable  thirst  while  journeying  aver 
the  hot  yellow  sundH  of  this  elevated  conn* 
try,  where  the  heated  air  seems  to  be  entire- 
ly deprived  of  moisture.  We  ato  occasion- 
ally the  bimada,  and  moistened  our  mouths 
with  the  acid  of  the  sour  dock  {rumex  vemt- 
siis).  Hourly  expecting  to  find  water,  we 
continued  to  press  on  until  towards  midnight, 
when,  after  a  hard  and  uninterrupted  march 
of  16  hours,  our  wild  mules  began  running 
ahead  ;  and  in  a  mile  or  two  we  came  to  a 
bold  running  stream — so  keen  is  the  sense 
of  that  animal,  in  these  desert  regions,  in 
scenting  at  a  distance  this  necessary  of  life. 

According  to  the  information  we  had  re- 
ceived, Sevier  river  was  a  tributary  of  the 
Colorado  ;  and  this,  accordingly,  should  have 
been  one  of  its  affluents.  It  proved  to  be  the 
Rio  d<:  (os  Angeles  (river  of  the  Angels) — a 
branch  of  the  liio  Virgen  (river  of  the  Vir- 
gin). 

May  5. — On  account  of  our  animals,  it 
was  necessary  to  remain  to-day  at  this  pluce. 
Indians  crowded  numerously  around  us  in 
the  morning;  and  we  were  obliged  to  keep 
arms  in  hand  all  day,  to  keep  them  out  of 
the  camp.  They  began  to  surround  the 
horses,  which,  for  the  convenience  of  grass, 
we  were  guarding  a  little  above,  on  the  river. 
These  were  immediately  driven  in,  and  kept 
close  to  the  camp. 

In  the  darkness  of  the  night  we  had  made 
a  very  bad  encampment,  our  fires  being 
commanded  by  a  rocky  bluff  within  60  yards  ; 
but,  notwithstanding,  we  had  the  river  and 
small  thickets  of  willows  on  the  other  side. 
Several  times  during  the  day  the  camp  was 
insulted  by  the  Indians;  but,  peace  being  our 
object,  I  kept  simply  on  the  defensive.  Some 
of  the  Indiana  were  on  the  bottoms,  and  others 
haranguing  us  from  the  bluffs ;  and  they  were 
scattered  m  every  direction  over  the  hills. 
Their  language  being  probably  a  dialect  of 
the  Utah,  with  the  aid  of  signs  some  of  our 
people  could  comprehend  them  very  well. 
They  were  the  same  people  who  had  mur- 
dered the  Mexicans;  and  towards  us  their 
disposition  was  evidently  hostile,  nor  were 
we  well  disposed  towards  them.  They  were 
barefooted,  and  nearly  naked ;  their  hair  gath- 
ered up  into  a  knot  behind ;  and  with  his 
I  jw,  each  man  carried  a  quiver  with  thirty 
or  forty  arrows  partially  drawn  out.  Besides 
these,  each  held  in  his  hand  two  or  three  ar- 
rows for  instant  service.  Their  arrows  are 
barbed  with  a  very  clear  translucent  stone,  a 
species  of  opal,  nearly  as  hard  as  the  dia- 
mond ;  and,  shot  from  their  long  bow,  are  al- 
most as  effective  as  a  gunshot.  In  these 
Indians,  I  was  forcibly  struck  by  an  exprss- 
sion  of  countenance  resembling  that  in  a 
beast  of  prey  ;  and  all  their  actions  are  those 
of  wild  animals.  Joined  to  the  restless  mo- 
tion of  the  eye,  there  is  a  want  of  mind — an 


166 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1814. 


abHonco  of  thought — and  an  action  wholly 
by  impulao,  strongly  cxpressoil,  and  which 
constantly  recalls  tho  siiniliirity. 

A  man  who  appeared  to  be  a  chief,  with 
two  or  throe  others,  forced  himaelf  into  camp, 
bringing  with  liim  his  arm.^,  in  spito  of  my 
orders  to  the  contrary.  When  shown  our 
weapons,  he  bored  his  ear  with  his  fingers, 
and  said  ho  could  not  hear.  "  Why,"  said 
he,  "  there  are  none  of  you."  Counting  the 
people  around  the  camp,  and  including  in  the 
nuinhor  a  mule  which  was  being  shod,  he 
made  out  2i.  "  So  many,"  said  he,  nhowing 
tho  number,  "  and  we — we  are  a  great 
many ;"  and  he  pointed  to  the  hills  and  moun- 
tains round  about.  "  If  you  liavo  your  arms," 
said  he,  twanging  his  bow,"  we  have  these." 
I  had  some  difficulty  in  restraining  the  peo- 
ple, particularly  Carson,  who  felt  an  insult 
of  this  kind  as  much  as  if  it  had  been  given 
by  a  more  responsible  being.  "  Don't  say 
that,  old  man,"  said  he ;  "  don't  you  say  that 
— your  life's  in  danger  " — speaking  in  good 
English  ;  and  probably  the  old  man  was 
nearer  to  his  end  than  he  will  be  before  he 
meets  it. 

Several  animals  had  been  necessarily  left 
behind  near  the  camp  last  night ;  and  early 
in  the  morning,  before  the  Indians  made  their 
appearance,  several  men  were  sent  to  bring 
them  in.  When  I  was  beginning  to  be  un- 
easy at  their  absence,  they  returned  witli  in- 
lorniiition  that  tlipy  had  boen  driven  off  from 
the  trail  by  Indians  ;  and,  having  followed 
t!io  tracks  in  a  short  distance,  they  found  the 
animals  cut  up  and  spread  out  upon  bushes. 
In  the  evening  I  gavo  a  fatigued  horse  to 
some  of  tlie  Indians  for  a  feast ;  and  the  vil- 
lage which  carried  him  off  refused  to  share 
with  the  others,  who  made  loud  complaints 
from  the  rocks  of  the  partial  distribution. 
Many  of  these  Indians  had  long  sticks,  hook- 
ed at  the  end,  which  tiiey  used  in  hauling  out 
lizards,  and  other  small  animals,  from  their 
holes.  During  the  day  they  occasionally 
roasted  and  ate  lizards  at  our  iires.  These 
belong  to  the  people  who  are  generally  known 
under  the  name  of  Diggers  ;  and  to  these  I 
have  more  particularly  had  reference  when 
occasionally  speaking  of  a  people  whose  sole 
occupation  is  to  procure  food  sufficient  to 
support  existence.  The  formation  here  con- 
sists of  fine  yellow  sandstone,  alternating  with 
a  coarse  conglomerate,  in  which  the  stones 
are  from  the  size  of  ordinary  gravel  to  six  or 
eight  inches  in  diameter.  This  is  the  forma- 
tion which  renders  the  surface  of  the  coun- 
try so  rocky,  and  gives  us  now  a  road  alter- 
nately of  loose  heavy  sands  and  rolled  stones, 
which  cripple  the  animals  in  a  most  extraor- 
dinary manner. 

Un  the  following  morning  we  left  the  Rio 
de  los  Angeles,  and  continued  our  way  through 
the  same  desolate  and  revolting  country, 


where  lizardii  were  the  only  animal,  and  the 
tracks  of  the  li/ard  catern  the  principal  sign 
of  human  l)eing8.  After  twenty  miles' 
march  through  a  rond  of  hills  and  heavy 
sands,  wo  reached  the  most  dreary  river  I 
have  ever  seen — a  deep  rapid  stream,  almost 
a  torrent,  nassing  swiftly  by,  and  roaring 
against  obstructions.  Tho  banks  were 
wooded  with  willow,  acacia,  and  a  frequent 
plant  of  tho  country  already  mentioned 
(Garrya  elliptica),  growing  in  thickets,  re- 
sembling willow,  and  bearing  a  small  pink 
flower.  Crossing  it,  we  encamped  on  tho 
left  bank,  where  we  found  a  very  little  grass. 
Our  three  remaining  steers,  being  entirely 
given  out,  were  killed  here.  By  the  boiling 
point,  the  elevation  of  the  river  here  is  4,0G0 
feet;  and  latitude,  by  observation,  36"  41' 
33".  The  stream  was  running  towards  the 
southwest,  and  appeared  to  come  from  a 
snowy  mountain  in  the  north.  It  proved  to 
be  the  Rio  Virgen — a  tributary  to  the  Colo- 
rado. Indians  appeared  in  bands  on  the  hills, 
but  did  not  come  into  camp.  For  several 
days  we  continued  our  journey  up  the  river, 
the  bottoms  of  which  were  thickly  overgrown 
with  various  kinds  of  brush ;  and  the  sandy 
soil  was  absolutely  covered  with  the  tracks 
of  Diggers,  who  followed  us  stealthily,  like 
a  band  of  wolves ;  and  we  had  no  opportunity 
to  leave  behind,  even  for  a  few  liours,  the 
tired  animals,  in  order  that  they  might  be 
brought  into  camp  after  a  little  repuso.  A 
hoise  or  mule,  left  l)ehind,  was  taken  off  in  a 
moment.  On  the  evening  of  the  8tli,  having 
travelled  28  miles  up  the  river  from  our  first 
encampment  on  it,  we  encamped  at  a  little 
grass  plat,  where  a  spring  of  cool  water  is- 
sued from  the  bluff.  On  the  opposite  side 
was  a  grove  of  cottonwoods  at  the  mouth  of 
a  fork,  which  hero  enters  the  river.  On  ei- 
ther side  the  valley  is  bounded  by  ranges  of 
mountains,  everywhere  high,  rocky,  and 
broken.  The  caravan  road  was  lost  and 
scattered  in  the  sandy  country,  and  we  had 
been  following  an  Indian  trail  up  the  river. 
The  hunters  the  next  day  were  sent  out  to 
reconnoitre,  and  in  the  meantime  we  moved 
about  a  mile  farther  up,  where  we  found  a 
good  little  patch  of  grass.  There  being  only 
sufficient  grass  for  the  night,  the  horses 
were  sent  with  a  strong  guard  in  charge  of 
Tabeau  to  a  neighboring  hollow,  where  they 
might  pasture  during  the  day ;  and,  to  be 
ready  in  case  the  Indians  should  make  any 
attempt  on  the  animals,  several  of  the  best 
horses  were  picketed  at  the  camp.  In  a  few 
hours  the  hunters  returned,  having  found  a 
convenient  ford  in  the  river,  and  discovered 
the  Spanish  trail  op  'he  other  side. 

I  had  been  engaged  in  arranging  plants ; 
and,  fatigued  with  the  heat  of  the  day,  I  fell 
asleep  in  the  afternoon,  and  did  not  awake 
until  sundown.    Presently  Carson  came  to 


1844.1 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


I(i7 


me,  and  reported  that  Tnbcaii,  who  early  in 
the  day  had  left  hin  poet,  and,  without  my 
knowledge,  rode  back  to  the  camp  wo  had 
left,  in  Hparcli  of  a  lame  mule  had  not  re- 
turned, While  we  were  cpcakinjr,  a  smoke 
rose  B\iddenly  from  the  cottonwood  grove  l)o- 
low,  which  plainly  told  us  what  hau  befallen 
him  ;  it  was  raised  to  inform  the  surround- 
ing Indiana  that  a  blow  had  been  struck,  and 
to  toil  Uwm  to  bo  on  their  guard.  Carson, 
with  scvprnl  men  well  mounted,  was  instantly 
sent  down  the  river,  but  returned  in  the  night 
without  tidings  of  the  missing  nian.  They 
went  to  the  camp  \vc  had  left,  but  neither  he 
nor  the  mule  was  there.  Searching  down 
the  river,  they  found  the  tracks  of  the  mule, 
evidently  driven  along  by  Indians,  whose 
tracks  were  on  each  side  of  those  made  by 
the  animal.  After  going  several  miles,  they 
came  to  the  mule  itself,  standing  in  some 
bushes,  mortally  wounded  in  the  side  by  an 
arrow,  and  left  to  die,  that  it  might  be  after- 
wards butchered  for  food.  They  also  found, 
in  another  place,  as  they  were  hunting  about 
on  the  ground  for  Tabeau's  tracks,  some- 
thing that  looked  like  a  little  puddle  of  blood, 
but  which  the  darkness  prevented  them  from 
verifying.  With  these  details  they  returned 
to  our  camp,  and  their  report  saddened  all  our 
hearts. 

Maj/  10. — This  morning  as  soon  as  there 
was  light  enough  to  follow  tracks,  I  set  out 
myself,  with  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  and  several 
men,  in  search  of  Tabeau.  We  went  to 
the  spot  where  the  appearance  of  puddled 
blood  had  been  seen ;  and  this,  we  saw  at 
once,  had  been  the  place  whore  he  A^'^  and 
died.  Blood  upon  the  leaves,  and  beaten 
down  bushes,  showed  that  he  bad  got  his 
wound  about  twenty  paces  from  where  he 
fell,  and  that  he  had  struggled  for  his  life. 
He  had  probably  been  ahot  through  the 
lungs  with  an  arrow  F'om  the  place  where 
he  lay  and  bled,  it  could  he  seen  that  he  had 
been  dragtred  to  the  river  bank,  and  thrown 
into  it.  r^o  vestige  of  what  had  belonged  to 
him  could  be  found,  except  a  fragment  of  his 
hor.se  equipment.  Horse,  gun,  clothes — all 
became  the  prey  of  these  Arabs  of  the  New 
World. 

Tabeau  had  been  one  of  our  best  men, 
and  his  unhappy  death  spread  a  gloom  ovei 
our  party.  Men,  who  have  gone  through 
such  dangers  and  sufferings  as  we  had  seen, 
become  like  brothers,  and  feel  each  other's 
lo6s.  To  defend  and  avenge  each  other,  is 
the  deep  feeling  of  all.  We  wished  to 
avenge  his  death  ;  but  the  condition  of  our 
horses,  languishing  for  grass  and  repose, 
forbade  an  expedition  into  unknown  moun- 
tains. We  knew  the  tribe  who  had  done 
the  mischief — the  same  which  had  been  in- 
sulting our  camp.  They  knew  what  they 
deserved,  {\nd  had  the  discretion  to  show 


themselves  to  us  no  more.  The  day  l)efor©, 
they  infested  our  camp;  now,  not  one  ap- 
peared ;  nor  did  wo  ever  afterwards  see  but 
one  who  even  belonged  to  the  same  tribe, 
and  he  at  a  distance. 

Our  camp  was  in  a  basin  below  a  deep 
canon — a  gap  of  two  thousand  feet  deep  in 
the  mountain — through  which  the  Wi«  Virffen 
passes,  and  where  no  man  or  beast  could 
foil  w  it.  The  Spanish  trail,  which  we  had 
lost  in  the  sands  of  the  basin,  was  on  the 
opfiosite  side  of  tho  river.  We  crossed  over 
to  it,  and  followed  it  northwardly  towards  a 
gap  which  was  visible  in  the  mountain.  We 
approached  it  by  n  defile,  rendered  difHcult 
for  our  barefooted  animals  by  the  rocks 
strewed  along  it ;  and  here  the  country 
changed  its  cliaractcr.  From  the  time  we 
entered  tho  desert,  the  mountains  had  been 
bald  and  rocky  ;  here  they  began  to  be  wood- 
ed with  cedar  and  pine,  and  clusters  of  trees 
gave  shelter  to  birds — a  now  and  welcome 
sight — which  could  not  have  lived  in  the 
desert  we  had  passed. 

Descending  a  long  hollow,  towards  tho 
narrow  valley  of  a  stream,  we  saw  before  us 
a  snowy  mountain,  far  beyond  which  ap- 
peared another  more  lofty  still.  Good  bunch 
grass  began  to  appear  on  the  hill  sides,  and 
here  we  found  a  singular  variety  of  inter- 
esting shrubs.  Tho  changed  appearance  of 
the  country  infused  among  our  people  a 
more  lively  spirit,  which  was  heightened 
by  finding  at  evening  a  halting  place  of  very 
good  grass  on  the  clear  waters  of  the  Santa 
Clara  fork  of  the  Rio  Virgen. 

May  11. — Tho  morning  was  cloudy  and 
quite  cool,  with  a  shower  of  rain — the  first 
we  have  had  since  entering  the  desert,  a  pe- 
riod of  twenty-seven  days ;  and  wo  seem  to 
have  entered  a  difTorent  climate,  with  the 
usual  weather  of  the  Rocky  mountains. 
Our  march  to-day  was  very  laborious,  over 
very  broken  ground,  along  the  Santa  Clara 
river ;  but  then  the  country  is  no  longer  so 
distressingly  desolate.  The  stream  is  pret- 
tily wooded  with  sweet  cottonwood  trees^ 
some  of  them  of  large  size ;  and  on  the  hills, 
where  the  nut  pine  is  often  seen,  a  good  and 
wholesome  grass  occurs  frequently.  This 
cottonwood,  which  is  now  in  fruit,  is  of  a 
different  species  from  any  in  Michaux's  Sylva: 
Heavy  dark  clouds  covered  the  sky  in  the 
evening,  and  a  cold  wind  sprang  up,  making 
fires  and  overcoats  comfortable. 

May  12. — A  little  above  our  encampment, 
the  river  forked ;  and  we  continued  up  the 
right-hand  branch,  gradually  ascending  to- 
wards the  summit  of  the  mountain.  As  we 
rose  towards  tho  head  of  the  creek,  the 
snowy  mountain  on  our  right  showed  out 
handsomely — high  and  rugged  with  preci- 
pices, and  covered  with  snow  for  about  two 
thousand  feet   from  their   summits  down. 


IM 


CAPr.  FKKMONTS  NAItUATIVK. 


[IS44. 


Our  anlmala  wore  iomowliat.  rcpaiJ  for  thoir 
hard  marches  by  an  excellent  camping  ground 

Stho  iiimmit  of  the  ridge,  which  forum  hero 
B  dividing  chain  between  the  waters  of  the 
Rio  Viraen,  which  goes  Houth  to  the  (.'olora- 
do,  and  those  of  Sevier  river,  flowing  north- 
wardly, and  belonging  to  the  (treat  DnHin. 
We  considered  oiirBOlvei  an  crossing  the  rim 
of  the  banin ;  and,  entering  it  at  this  point,  we 
found  here  an  extensive  mountain  meadow, 
rich  in  bunch  graaa,  and  fresh  with  numerous 
ipringfl  of  clear  water,  all  refreshing  and 
delightful  to  look  upon.    It  was,  in  fact,  that 
las  Vegas  dc  Santa  Clara,  wliich  had  been 
BO  long  presented  to  us  as  the  terminating 
point  of  the  desert,  and  where  the  nnnuai 
caravan   from   California  to    Now   Mexico 
halted  and   recruited   for   some  weeks.     It 
was  a  very  suitable  place  to  recover  from 
the   fatigue   and  exhaustion  of  a   month's 
BDtTering  in  the  hot  and  sterile  desert.     The 
meadow  was  about  a  mile  wide,  and  some 
ten  miles  long,  bordered  by  grassy  hills  and 
mountains — some  of  the  latter  rising  two 
thousand  feet,  and  white  with  snow  down  to 
the  level  of  the  vegaa.    Its  elevation  above 
the  sea  was  5,280  feet ;  latitude,  by  obser- 
▼ation,  37"  28'  28" ;  and  its  distance  from 
where  we  first  struck  the  Spanish  trail  about 
four    hundred    miles.     Counting  from  the 
time  we  reached  the  desert,  and  began  to 
flkirt,  at  our  descent  from  Walker's  Pass  in 
the  Sierra  Nevada,  we  had  travelled  650 
miles,  occupying  twenty-seven  days,  in  that 
inhospitable  region.     In  passing  before  tlie 
great  caravan,  we  had  the  advantage  of 
finding  more  grass,  but  the  disadvantage  of 
finding  also  the  marauding  savages,  who 
had  gathered  down  upon  the  trail,  waiting 
the   approach   of  that  prey.     This  greatly 
increased  our  labors,  besides  costing  us  the 
life  of  an  excellent  man.     We  had  to  move 
all  day  in  a  state   of  watch,  and  prepared 
for  combat — scouts  and  flankers  out,  a  front 
and  rear  division  of  our  men,  and  baggage 
animals  in  the  centre.     At  night,  camp  duty 
was  severe.     Those  who  had  toiled  all  day, 
had  to  guard,  by  turns,  the  camp  and  the 
horses,  all  night.     Frequently  one  third  of 
the  whole  party  were  on   guard  at   once; 
and    nothing  but  this  vigilance   saved   us 
from  attack.      We    were    constantly  dog- 

Sed  by  bands,  and  even  whole  tribes  of 
le  marauders ;  and  although  Tabeau 
was  killed,  and  our  camp  infested  and 
insulted  by  nome,  while  swarms  of  them 
remained  on  the  hills  and  mountain  sides, 
there  was  manifestly  a  consultation  and  cal- 
culation going  on,  to  decide  the  question  of 
attacking  us.  Having  reached  the  resting 
place  of  the  Vegas  de  Santa  Clara,  we  had 
complete  relief  from  the  heat  and  privations 
of  the  desert,  and  some  relaxation  from  the 
sererity  of  camp  duty.     Some  relaxation, 


and  reliixjition  only — for  camp  guards,  horse 
guardM,  and  scouts,  are  indlNpnnsable  from 
the  time  of  leaving  the  frontiers  of  Missouri 
until  we  return  to  thnm. 

After  wo  left  the  Vet^as,  wc  had  the  grati- 
fication to  bo  joinurl  by  the  famous  hunter 
and  tr.'ipnor,  Mr.  Joseph  Walker,  whom  I 
have  beturo  mentioned,  and  who  now  ba> 
caniu  our  guide.  Ho  had  left  California 
with  the  great  caravan  ;  and  perceiving, 
from  the  signs  along  the  trail,  that  there 
was  a  party  of  whites  ahead,  which  ho 
judged  to  bo  mine,  ho  detached  himself 
from  the  caravan,  with  eight  men,  (Ameri- 
cans,) and  ran  the  gauntlet  of  the  deser* 
robbers,  killing  two,  and  getting  some  of  th< 
horses  wounded,  and  succeeded  in  overta- 
king us.  Nothing  but  his  groat  knowledge 
of  tne  country,  great  courage  and  presence 
of  mind,  and  good  rifles,  could  have  brought 
him  safe  from  such  a  perilous  enterprise. 

May  13. — Wo  remained  one  day  at  this 
noted  place  of  rest  and  refreshment ;  and, 
resuming  our  progress  in  a  northeastwardly 
direction,  we  descended  into  a  broad  valley, 
♦ho  water  of  which  is  tributary  to  Sovier 
lake.  The  next  day  we  came  in  sight  of 
the  Wah-satch  range  of  mountains  on  the 
right,  white  with  snow,  and  here  forming 
the  southeast  part  of  the  Great  Basin. 
Sevier  lake,  upon  the  waters  of  which  we 
now  were,  belonged  to  the  system  of  lakes 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Basin — of  which, 
the  Great  Salt  lake,  and  its  southern  limb, 
the  Utah  lake,  were  the  principal — towards 
tho  region  of  which  we  were  now  approach- 
ing. We  travelled  for  several  days  in  this 
direction,  within  the  rim  of  the  Great  Basin, 
crossing  little  streams  which  bore  to  the  left 
for  Sevier  l&ke  ;  and  plainly  seeing,  by  the 
changed  aspect  of  the  country,  that  we  were 
entirely  clear  of  \he  desert,  and  approaching 
the  regions  which  appertained  to  the  sys- 
tem of  the  Rocky  moomains.  We  met,  in 
this  traverse,  a  few  mounted  Utah  Indians, 
in  advance  of  their  main  body,  watching  the 
approach  of  the  great  caravan. 

May  16. — ^We  reached  a  small  salt  lake, 
about  seven  miles  long  and  one  broad,  at  the 
northern  extremity  of  which  we  encamped 
for  the  night.  This  little  lake,  which  well 
merits  its  characteristic  name,  lies  imme- 
diately at  the  base  of  the  Wah-satch  range, 
and  nearly  opposite  a  gap  in  that  chain  of 
mountains  through  which  the  Spanish  trail 
passes ;  and  which,  again  falling  upon  the 
waters  of  the  Colorado,  and  crossing  that 
river,  proceeds  over  a  mountainous  country 
to  Santa  F6. 

Mat/  17. — After  440  miles  of  travelling 
on  a  trail,  which  served  for  a  road,  we  again 
found  ourselves  under  the  necessity  of  ex- 
ploring a  track  through  the  wilderness. 
The  Spanish  trail  had  borne  oflT  to  the 


1844.] 


CAI»T.  FREMONT'S  NARUATIV'E. 


100 


•outhoaMt,  croBHing  the  VVuh-iiiilcli  ranK<!. 
Our  courae  led  to  tlic  iiortliuakt,  ulutig  the 
foot  of  that  range,  mid  leaving  it  un  the 
right.  The  mountain  preaontcd  itnelf  to  uh 
under  th>.  i'orui  of  neveral  ridgea,  riding  one 
above  tlio  othor,  rocky,  and  wooded  with 
pine  and  cedar  ;  tlic  lattt  ridge  covered  with 
anew.  Sevier  river,  flowing  nortliwardly  to 
the  lake  of  the  aaine  name,  collects  ita  prin- 
cipal watora  from  this  section  of  the  Wah- 
satch  chain.  We  had  now  entered  a  region 
of  great  pastoral  promise,  abounding  with 
fine  streams,  the  rich  bunuli  grass,  soil  that 
would  produce  wheat,  and  indigenous  flax 
growing  as  if  it  had  been  sown.  Consistent 
with  the  general  character  of  its  bordering 
mountains,  this  fertility  of  soil  and  vegeta- 
tion does  not  extend  far  into  the  Great 
Dasin.  Mr.  Joseph  Walker,  our  guide,  and 
who  has  more  knowledge  of  these  parts  than 
any  man  I  know,  informed  me  that  all  the 
country  to  the  left  was  unknown  to  him, 
and  that  even  the  Digger  tribes,  which  fre- 
quented Lake  Sevier,  could  tell  him  nothing 
about  it. 

May  20.— We  met  u  band  of  Utah  In- 
dians, headed  by  a  well-known  chief,  who 
had  obtained  the  American  or  English 
name  of  Walker,  by  which  he  is  quoted 
and  well  known.  They  were  all  mounted, 
armed  with  rifles,  and  use  their  rifles  well. 
'Tiio  chief  had  a  fusee,  which  he  had  carried 
8iung,  in  addition  to  his  rifle.  They  were 
journeying  slowly  towards  the  Spanish  trail, 
to  levy  their  usual  tribute  upon  the  great 
Californian  caravan.  They  were  robbers 
of  a  higher  order  than  those  of  the  desert. 
They  conducted  their  depredations  with 
form,  and  under  the  color  of  trade  and  toll 
for  passing  through  their  country.  Instead 
of  attacking  and  killing,  they  alfect  to  pur- 
chase— taking  the  horses  they  like,  and  giv- 
ing something  nominal  in  return.  The 
chief  was  quite  civil  to  me.  He  was  per- 
sonally acquainted  with  his  namesake,  our 
guide,  who  made  my  name  known  to  him. 
He  knew  of  my  expedition  of  1842 ;  and, 
as  tokens  of  friendship,  and  proof  that  we 
had  met,  proposed  an  interchange  of  pres- 
ents. We  had  no  great  store  to  choose  out 
of;  so  he  gave  me  a  Mexican  blanket,  and 
I  gave  him  a  very  fme  one  which  I  had  ob- 
tained at  Vancouver. 

May  23. — We  reached  Sevier  river — the 
main  tributary  of  the  lake  of  the  same  name 
— which,  deflecting  from  its  northern  course, 
here  breaks  from  the  mountains  to  enter  the 
lake.  It  was  really  a  fine  river,  from  eight 
to  twelve  feet  deep ;  and,  after  searching  in 
vain  for  a  fordable  place,  we  made  little 
boats  (or,  rather,  rafts)  out  of  bulrushes, 
and  ferried  across.  These  rafts  are  readily 
made,  and  give  a  good  conveyance  across  a 
liver.     The  rushes  are  bound  in  bundles. 


and  tied  hard  ;  tiio  buudlun  are  tied  down 
upon  polos,  as  closo  as  tbvy  can  bo  pressed, 
and  fashioned  like  a  boat,  in  bving  broader 
in  tliu  middle  and  pointed  at  the  ends.  The 
rushes,  being  tubular  and  jointed,  aru  light 
and  strong.  The  raft  swims  well,  and  m 
shoved  aloug  by  poles,  or  paddled,  or  puslied 
and  pulled  by  swimmers,  or  drawn  by  ropes. 
On  this  occasion,  we  used  ropes — one  sit 
each  end — and  rapidly  drew  our  little  float 
backwards  and  forwards,  from  siioro  to 
shore.  The  horses  swam.  At  our  place 
of  crossing,  which  was  the  most  northern 
point  of  its  bend,  the  latitude  was  39  J  22' 
10".  The  banks  sustained  the  charactej 
for  fertility  and  vegetation  which  we  had 
seen  for  some  days.  The  name  of  this 
river  and  lake  was  an  indication  of  our  ap- 

()roach  to  regions  of  which  our  people  had 
•een  the  explorera.  It  was  probably  named 
after  some  American  trapper  or  hunter,  and 
was  the  first  American  name  we  had  met 
with  since  leaving  the  Columbia  river. 
From  the  Dalles  to  the  point  where  we 
turned  across  the  Sierra  Nevada,  near  1,000 
miles,  we  heard  Indian  names,  and  the 
ereater  part  of  the  distance  none ;  from 
Nueva  Helvetia  (Sacramento)  to  las  Vegas 
de  Santa  Clara,  about  1,000  more,  all  were 
Spanish ;  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Pa- 
cific, French  and  American  or  English 
were  intermixed ;  and  this  prevalence  of 
names  indicates  the  national  character  of 
the  first  explorers. 

We  had  here  the  misfortune  to  lose  one  of 
our  people,  J'raiKjois  Badeau,  who  had  been 
with  me  in  both  expeditions  ;  during  which 
he  had  always  been  one  of  my  most  faithful 
and  eflicient  men.  He  was  killed  in  drawing 
towards  him  a  gun  by  the  muzzle  ;  the  ham- 
mer being  caught,  discharged  the  gun,  dri- 
ving the  ball  through  his  head.  We  buried 
him  on  the  banks  of  the  river. 

Crossing  the  next  day  a  slight  ridge  along 
the  river,  we  entered  a  handsome  mountain 
valley  covered  with  fine  grass,  and  directed 
our  course  towards  a  high  snowy  peak,  at 
the  foot  of  which  lay  the  Utah  lake.  On 
our  ri^ht  was  a  bed  of  high  mountains,  their 
summits  covered  with  snow,  constituting  the 
dividing  ridge  between  the  Basin  waters 
and  those  of  the  Colorado.  At  noon,  we  fell 
in  with  a  party  of  Utah  Indians  coming  out 
of  the  mountain,  and  in  the  afternoon  en- 
camped on  a  tributary  to  the  lake,  which  ia 
separated  from  the  waters  of  the  Sevier  by 
very  slight  dividing  grounds. 

Early  the  next  day  we  came  in  sight  of 
the  lake ;  and,  as  we  descended  to  the 
broad  bottoms  of  the  Spanish  fork,  three 
horsemen  were  seen  galloping  towards  us, 
who  proved  to  be  Utah  Indians — scouts 
from  a  village,  which  was  encamped  near 
the  mouth  of  the  river.     They  were  armed 


CAI'T.  FRF.MONT'S  NAUU.VTIVK. 


[1844. 


with  riflflfl,  aud  their  horirii  worn  in  (^noil 
eoiidition.  We  cncaniiiffd  rieiir  thnin,  on  the 
fipaniiili  fork,  which  m  onn  of  tho  principal 
tribiitariea  to  the  lake.  Finding  tliu  IndianH 
troiil>l(<iioinr,  und  dpniroua  to  remain  hrrn  ii 
day,  wo  runiovod  tho  next  mornint;  farthor 
down  tho  lake,  and  rncanipod  on  a  fortilo 
bottom  near  the  foot  of  tho  name  moiintain- 
niiH  ridffo  which  bordcrn  tho  (Jrcat  Salt 
lakp,  and  alon)(  which  wo  had  Journoy<'d  tho 
proviouH  .Septombor.  Hero  tho  principal 
plants  in  bloom  wore  two,  which  wcro  ro- 
markalilo  an  alTordint;  to  tho  Snako  Indian^ 
—the  one  an  abundant  supply  of  food,  and 
tho  other  the  most  uauful  amonp  th')  nnpli- 
oatiuns  which  thoy  use  for  wounds.  Thuso 
were  tho  kooyah  plant,  ffrowiny  in  fields  of 
txtraordinary  luxuriance,  and  couvollaria 
itellttta,  which,  from  the  experience  of  Mr. 
Walker,  is  the  best  remedial  plant  known 
amonK  those  Indians.  A  few  miles  below 
us  was  another  village  of  Indians,  from 
which  we  obtained  some  fish — among  them 
a  few  salmon  trout,  which  were  very  much 
inferior  in  size  to  those  along  the  Califor- 
nian  mountains.  The  season  for  taking 
them  had  not  yet  arrived  ;  but  the  Indians 
were  daily  expecting  them  to  oome  up  out 
of  the  lake. 

Wo  had  now  accomplished  an  object  wo 
had  in  view  when  leavmg  tho  Dalles  of  the 
Columbia  in  November  last :  wo  had  reach- 
ed the  Utah  lake  ;  but  by  a  route  very  dif- 
ferent from  what  we  had  intended,  and 
without  sufficient  time  remaining  to  make 
tho  examinations  which  were  desired.  It 
is  a  lake  of  note  in  this  country,  under  the 
dominion  of  the  Utahs,  who  resort  to  it  for 
fish.  Its  greatest  breadth  is  about  15  miles, 
stretching  far  to  the  north,  narrowing  as  it 

((oos,  and  connecting  with  the  Great  Salt 
ake.  This  is  the  report,  and  which  I  be- 
lieve to  be  correct ;  but  it  is  fresh  water, 
while  the  other  is  not  only  salt,  but  a  satu- 
rated solution  of  salt ;  and  here  is  a  problem 
which  requires  to  be  solved.  It  is  almost 
entirely  surrounded  by  mountains,  walled  on 
the  north  and  east  by  a  high  and  snowy 
range,  which  supplies  to  it  a  fan  of  tributa- 
ry streams.  Among  these,  the  principal 
river  is  the  Timpan-ogo — signifying  Rock 
river — a  name  which  the  rocky  grandeur  of 
its  scenery,  remarkable  even  in  this  coun- 
try of  rugged  mountains,  has  obtained  for  it 
from  the  Indians.  In  the  Utah  language, 
og-wdh-be,  the  term  for  river,  when  cou- 
pTed  with  other  words  in  common  conversa- 
tion, is  usually  abbreviated  to  ogo ;  timpan 
signifying  rock.  It  is  probable  that  this 
river  furnished  the  name  which  on  the  older 
maps  has  been  generally  applied  to  the 
Great  Salt  lake  ;  but  for  this  I  have  prefer- 
red a  name  which  will  be  regarded  as  high- 
ly oharacteriatio,  restricting  to  the  river  the 


deaoriptivo  t*^rm  Timpnn-ngn,  and  looving 
for  tho  I  aUo  inio  which  it  flown  tho  niiiiio  of 
lh«  people  who  roaiilo  on  itn  chores,  and  by 
which  It  18  known  throughout  the  country. 

'I'ho  volumn  of  wator  nfTordod  by  tho 
Timpiiii  ogo  is  probably  oqiial  to  that  of  the 
Sfivicr  rivor ;  and,  at  tho  timo  of  our  visit, 
there  wwn  only  one  pliico  in  the  liiko  valloy 
at  which  the  SpaniNn  fork  was  fordabltt.  In 
tlx'  cove  of  mountains  along  its  caMtcrn 
Hhoro,  thtt  lake  is  bordered  by  a  plain,  whom 
tho  soil  is  gont^rally  good,  anti  in  groiitor 
part  fertile  ;  watered  by  a  delta  of  prettily 
timbered  nUeams.  This  wnuhl  bo  an  ox 
ccllont  locality  for  stock  farma  ;  it  is  gener- 
ally covered  with  good  bunch  grasn,  and 
would  abundantly  produce  tho  ordinary 
grains. 

In  arriving  at  ths  Utah  lake,  we  had  com- 
pleted an  immense  circuit  of  twelve  dogreea 
diameter  north  and  south,  and  ten  degrees 
east  and  west ;  and  found  ourselves,  in  May, 
1814,  on  the  same  sheet  of  water  which  we 
had  hf'  in  September,  1843.  The  Utah  is 
the  lorn  limb  of  the  Great  Salt  lake  ; 

and  thu.^  we  had  seen  that  remarkable  sheet 
of  water  both  at  its  northern  and  southern 
extremity,  and  were  able  to  fix  its  position 
at  these  two  points.  The  rircuif  which  wo 
had  mode,  and  which  had  cost  us  eight 
months  of  timo,  and  3,600  miles  of  travel- 
ling, had  given  us  a  view  of  Oregon  and  of 
North  California  from  the  Rocky  mountains 
to  the  Pacific  ocean,  and  of  the  two  princi- 
pal streams  whicb  form  bays  or  harbors  on 
the  coast  of  that  sea.  Having  completed 
this  circuit,  and  being  now  about  to  turn 
the  back  upon  the  Pacific  slope  of  our  con- 
tinent, and  to  recro^s  the  Rocky  mountains, 
it  is  natural  to  look  back  upon  our  footuteps, 
and  take  some  britf  view  of  the  leading 
features  and  general  structure  of  the  coun- 
try we  had  traversed.  These  are  peculiar  and 
striking,  and  differ  essentiallv  from  the  At- 
lantic side  of  our  country.  The  mountains 
all  are  higher,  more  numerous,  and  more 
distinctly  defined  in  their  ranges  and  direc- 
tions ;  and,  what  is  so  contrary  to  the  natu- 
ral order  of  such  formations,  one  of  these 
ranges,  which  is  near  the  coast,  (the  Sierru 
Nevada  and  the  Coast  Range,)  presents 
higher  elevations  and  peaks  than  any  which 
are  to  be  found  in  the  Rocky  mountains 
themselves.  In  our  eight  months'  circuit, 
we  were  never  out  of  sight  of  snow ;  and 
the  Sierra  Nevada,  where  we  crossed  it, 
was  near  2,000  feet  higher  than  the  South 
Pass  in  the  Rocky  mountains.  In  height, 
these  mountains  greatly  exceed  those  of  the 
Atlantic  side,  constantly  presenting  peaks 
which  enter  the  region  of  eternal  snow ; 
and  some  of  them  volcanic,  and  in  a  fre- 
quent state  of  activity.     They  are  seen  at 


t.^ 


1844.] 


(AIT.  I'UlIMON'rs  NAUUATIVE. 


171 


creut  dintuncut,  uml  kukIu  lliu  traveller  in 
nU  cuurata. 

Tliti  cuurtnu  ;iii(i  iluvulioii  of  titittic  raiiKeit 
ffivo  (liri'ftiun  to  tliu  iivotm  uiuI  t-lmriietur  to 
ttio  <'i)UHi.  N>,  Kit'iit  iivur  (ItiL'H,  or  euii,  tiiko 
it«  iisu  liuluvv  tliu  CiUfiido  uiiil  .Sii^riu  Nu- 
vadu  lAUiH'-  ;  tliti  distaiieu  to  lliu  mui  lii  too 
aliort  to  udiiiit  of  It,  Tliu  rivi;rs  of  tlm  San 
KruiiciiM  )  buy,  which  uro  tliu  laij(t'»t  iil'icr 
the  Ctduinbiii,  uru  liioiil  to  tiuit  Iniy,  utui 
liitcrul  to  iho  ciiiiHt,  liiivinK  lluijr  auurci'H 
about  on  a  Itnu  with  thu  Dulles  of  the  (-'o- 
lumbia,  and  runiiiii)j  each  in  a  valley  of  iln 
own,  between  Cuaot  ran(;u  and  thi;  ('ancade 
uiid  Sji'rra  Ncvaiia  ran(;<*.  The  ( 'oluinbia 
ts  tlio  (inly  river  which  traveitten  the  whole 
breadth  of  the  cmiiitry,  breaking  through 
all  the  raiigea,  and  entering  the  sea.  Draw- 
ing ilM  waters  from  u  seetion  of  ten  de- 
^'riteu  of  latitude  in  the  Hucky  rnountuiiis, 
which  uro  collected  into  one  atreani  by 
ihree  main  forka  (Lewib'a,  Clark's,  and  the 
North  fork)  near  llio  centre  uf  the  Oregon 
valley,  thia  great  river  thcncu  proceeds  by 
u  single  channel  to  the  sea,  while  its  three 
forktt  lead  each  to  a  puas  in  the  mountains, 
which  opens  the  way  into  the  interior  of 
the  continent.  This  fact  in  relation  to  the 
rivers  of  thia  region  gives  an  imincnsu  val- 
ue to  tho  Columbia.  Its  moulli  is  the  only 
iHlet  and  outlet  to  and  from  the  aca  ;  its 
three  forks  lead  to  tho  paasea  in  the  moun- 
laina  ;  it  is  therefore  the  only  line  of  com- 
munication between  the  Pacific  and  the  in- 
terior of  North  America  ;  and  all  operations 
of  war  or  commerce,  of  national  or  social 
intercourse,  must  be  conducted  upon  it. 
This  givea  it  a  value  beyond  estimation,  and 
would  involve  irreparable  injury  if  lost.  In 
this  unity  and  concentration  of  its  waters, 
tho  I'aeilic  side  of  our  continent  diflers  en- 
tirely from  the  Atlantic  aide,  where  the 
waters  of  tho  Alleghany  mountains  are  dis- 
persed into  many  rivers,  having  their  difTer- 
ent  entrances  into  the  sea,  and  opening 
many  lines  of  communication  with  the  in- 
terior. 

The  Pacific  coast  is  equally  dilTerent 
■fom  that  of  the  Atlantic.  The  coast  of 
the  Atlantic  is  low  and  open,  indented  with 
numerous  bays,  sounds,  and  river  estuaries, 
accessible  everywhere,  and  opening  by  many 
channels  into  the  heart  of  the  country.  The 
Pacific  coast,  on  the  contrary,  is  high  and 
compact,  with  few  bays,  and  but  one  that 
opens  into  the  heart  of  the  country.  The 
immediate  coast  is  what  the  seamen  call 
tron  bound.  A  little  within,  it  is  skirted 
by  two  successive  ranges  of  mountains, 
standing  as  ramparts  between  the  sea  and 
the  interior  country  ;  and  to  get  through 
which,  there  is  but  one  gate,  and  that  nar- 
row and  easily  defended.  This  structure 
of  the  coast,  backed  by  these  two  ranges  of 


tnouiitaliia,  with  its  concAntralion  and  unity 
of  wutriN,  givfH  to  ihij  couiiirv  an  iiiiuicine 
niihtaiy  nlrciitjtli,  and  will  |iitil).tbly  niiilor 
Ort'^on  the  luoul  iinpngiiable  country  tn 
till)  w«irld. 

Ditl'iuing  NO  iniirh  from  thn  Atlantic  Hide 
<if  our  continent,  in  roai>t,  luountaiii.i,  ikud 
rivers,  thu  Paciliu  utile  dillcra  from  u  in 
atiolli'i'  iiiottt  raid  and  Niugular  fi.iliire — 
that  »f  lliii  (ircat  iiilcrior  liaMiii,  of  ulm  h  I 
liiivo  MO  often  spoken,  and  the  whole  form 
and  character  of  which  I  was  «o  anxioun  to 
UMoertain.  Its  uxiotciicc  nt  voui^hcd  for  by 
such  of  the  American  traders  and  huuti-rs 
as  have  soiiio  kiiuwitidge  of  that  region  ; 
tln!  Htructiiro  of  the  fciierra  Nevud.i  range 
of  mountains  re({uiro«  it  to  be  there  ;  and 
my  own  observations  conlirm  it.  Mr. 
Joseph  Walker,  who  is  so  widl  aiMjuaiiited 
in  those  parts,  informed  mu  that,  t'loin  thu 
Great  Salt  lake  west,  there  was  a  suecca- 
Nion  of  lakes  and  rivers  which  have  no 
outlet  to  tho  sea,  nor  any  connection  with 
the  ('idumbia,  or  with  the  (Colorado  of  the 
(iulf  of  ('alifornia.  He  described  some 
of  these  lakes  as  being  largo,  with  iiuiiktous 
streams,  and  even  considerable  rivers, 
falling  into  them.  In  fact,  all  concur  in 
tho  general  report  of  thcae  interior  rivers 
and  Takea  ;  niid,  for  want  of  understanding 
tho  force  aii>i  power  of  evaporation,  which 
ao  soon  establishes  an  G(|uilibrium  between 
tho  loss  and  supply  of  waters,  the  table  of 
whirljionis  and  subterraneous  outlets  has 
gained  belief,  as  the  only  imaginable  way 
of  carrying  off  the  waters  which  have  no 
visible  discharge.  The  structure  of  the 
country  would  require  this  formation  of  in- 
terior lakes  ;  for  the  waters  which  would 
collect  between  the  Rocky  mountains  and 
tho  Sierra  Nevada,  not  being  able  to  cross 
this  formidable  barrier,  nor  to  get  to  the 
Columbia  or  the  Colorado,  must  naturally 
collect  into  reservoirs,  each  of  which  would 
have  its  little  system  of  streams  and  rivers 
to  supply  it.  This  would  bo  the  natural 
effect ;  and  what  I  saw  went  to  confirm  it. 
The  Great  Salt  lake  is  a  formation  of 
this  kind,  and  quite  a  large  one ;  and  hav- 
ing many  streams,  and  one  considerable 
river,  four  or  five  hundred  miles  long, 
falling  into  it.  This  lake  and  river  I  saw 
and  examined  layself;  and  also  saw  the 
Wah-satch  and  Bear  River  mountains  which 
enclose  the  waters  of  the  lake  on  the  east, 
and  constitute,  in  that  quarter,  the  rim  of 
the  Great  Ilasin.  Afterwards,  along  the 
eastern  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  where 
we  travelled  for  forty-two  days,  I  saw  the 
line  of  lakes  and  rivers  which  lie  at  tke 
foot  of  that  Sierra ;  and  which  Sierra  is 
the  western  rim  of  the  Basin.  In  going 
down  Lewis's  fork  and  the  main  Columbia, 
1  crossed  only  inferior  streams  coming  in 


171) 


CAIT.  FKKMONT'S  NAKUAi'lVE. 


[1844. 


rrnin  tUf  IrO,  aurh  M  cotiM  draw  ihcir 
WKti'r  rriim  a  ahnrt  ilmtotii'ii  only  ;  iitul  I 
oUeii  pi:ivv  lliu  niiiiiiitaiiia  nt  lliiMr  hnnilii, 
wliitr  Willi  arum  ;  mIiioIi,  all  aoeiiuiiU  Haul, 
(livntrd  ihii  wutnra  of  thn  darrl  from  Ihoae 
of  til"  (  oliiiiiliia,  Aiiil  which  cniiid  ho  no 
oiiiri  timii  tint  raiii(r  of  nioiinlaiiiN  which 
ruriii  ilii>  run  of  llin  Daniii  on  ita  northt^rn 
Kiiliv  Ami  in  rrliirninK  from  California 
aloiii;  tlio  .S|)aiiiHli  trnil,  aa  far  ua  thn  h><ail 
of  tli((  Santa  Clara  fork  of  tlio  Hio  VirK«n, 
1  croaaod  only  amall  atruama  making  llxur 
way  Noiitli  to  tliu  Colorado,  or  loat  in  aand — 
KM  thi]  Mo-hah-vn  ;  wliilo  to  thn  N'ft,  loHy 
luoiintaina,  thiiir  aiininiita  white  with  xnow, 
woru  o|\(Mi  viaiblfl,  and  which  niitat  have 
turned  watvr  to  thn  north  aa  wolt  aa  to  thn 
aoiith,  and  thua  vonatitiitt'd,  on  thin  part, 
till'  aiiiithf'rn  rim  of  tho  llaain.  At  the 
hitad  of  ihn  Santa  Clara  fork,  and  in  tho 
Vo;ra8  do  Sanla  Clara,  wn  croaat'd  tho 
ridgo  which  parted  tho  two  ayatnna  of 
waters.      Wo    entered    tho   Haam  nt  that 

Iioint,  and  have  trnvellod  in  it  over  aiiice, 
lavinij  ila  aouthoaatorn  rim  (tho  VVah-aatoh 
mountain)  on  the  right,  and  croaHiiig  tho 
•Iroama  which  flow  down  into  it.  Tho  cx- 
iatonoo  uf  tho  Haaiii  ia  therefore  an  catah- 
lislied  fact  in  my  mind  ;  ita  extent  and  cnn- 
tenta  arc  yet  to  hn  hcttor  aacertaincd.  It 
cannot  bo  loaa  than  four  or  five  hundred 
tnilea  each  way,  and  muat  lio  principallv  in 
the  Alta  (Jalifornia  ;  the  doniarcation  lati- 
tude of  i2^  probably  cutting  a  sogmeut 
fiom  tho  noilli  part  of  tho  rim.  Of  ita  in- 
terior, but  littln  ia  known.  It  ia  called  a 
desert,  and,  from  what  I  aaw  of  it,  sterility 
may  be  its  prominent  characteriatic ;  but 
whero  there  is  bo  much  water,  there  must 
be  some  oasis.  The  great  river,  and  tho 
gruat  lake,  reported,  may  not  bo  etpial  to 
the  report ;  but  whore  there  is  so  much 
snow,  there  must  bo  streams  ;  and  where 
there  is  no  outlet,  there  must  be  lakes  to 
hold  the  accumulated  waters,  or  sands  to 
•wallow  them  up.  In  this  eastern  part  of 
the  Dusin,  containing  Sevier,  Utah,  and  the 
Great  Salt  lakes,  and  the  rivers  and  creeks 
falling  into  them,  we  know  there  is  good 
■oil  and  good  grass,  adapted  to  civilized 
settlements.  In  the  western  part,  on  Sal- 
mon Trout  river,  and  some  other  streams, 
the  same  remark  may  be  made. 

The  contents  of  this  Great  Basin  are  yet 
to  be  examined.  That  it  is  peopled,  we 
know  ;  but  miserably  and  sparsely.  From 
ull  that  I  heard  and  saw,  I  should  say  that 
humanity  here  appeared  in  its  lowest  form, 
and  in  its  most  elementary  state.  Dis- 
persed in  single  families;  without  fire-arms ; 
eating  seeds  and  insects;  digging  roots, 
(and  hence  their  name,)— such  is  the  con- 
dition of  the  greater  part.  Others  are  a 
(tngree  higher,  and    live  in  communities 


upon  aomn  l4kn  or  rivAf  that  aiipplUa  Hah, 
mid  from  Mliich  llicy  rcpuUc  llin  mianrabla 
l^'UK''  ■  1^"'  i^abbit  la  tho  lar|{i)at  animal 
known  HI  lliia  doaorl ;  ita  flt'ith  Alforda  a 
little  mr.-tt;  and  ihuir  hag-likii  rovnring  la 
made  of  ita  nkina.  Tho  wild  aago  ia  thair 
only  woiwl,  and  hrro  it  la  of  oxtraordi- 
nary  aixo  -iionii'tiini'a  u  foot  in  dintiiotar, 
and  atx  or  i'it(lit  loot  hi)(h.  It  aorvra  fur 
fuel,  for  building  tnatnrial,  for  ahflllnr  to  thn 
rabliita,  and  for  nuiiio  aort  of  covoriiiii  for 
thn  ftii't  and  Inga  in  cohl  wnatluir.  Siirh 
urn  tho  acooiiiita  of  tlir  iiihabitanta  and  pro- 
duciiona  of  tho  (treat  llaMn  ;  and  wliioh, 
though  iiiipci'fo't,  muat  have  miiiio  founda- 
tion, and  oxritc  our  deairo  tu  knu<v  tlia 
whole. 

Tho  wholo  idnaofauch  a  duanrt,  and  such 
a  poopio,  in  a  novelty  in  our  country,  and 
excitca  Aaiatic,  not  American  idcaa.  Iiitn 
rior  baaina,  with  their  own  ayatcma  of  lukut 
and  rivera,  and  oHen  sterile,  are  comrnuii 
enough  in  .\aia  ;  pooplu  atill  in  tho  ninnien- 
tary  atato  of  families,  living  in  deaerta,  willi 
no  other  occupation  than  the  mere  animal 
anarch  for  food,  may  atill  ho  seen  in  that 
ancient  quarter  of  tho  gUho  ;  but  in  Ameri- 
ca such  tliinga  arc  now  and  atrungc,  un- 
known and  unaiiapcrtod,  nnil  discredited 
when  related.  Hut  I  flatter  myself  that 
what  is  diacovorod,  though  not  enough  to 
aatiafy  curiosity,  is  sufficiont  to  excite  it,  and 
that  subsequent  explorations  will  complet« 
what  has  been  commenced. 

This  account  of  the  Great  Basin,  it  will 
be  remembered,  belongs  to  tho  Alta  Cali- 
fornia, and  ha.s  no  application  to  Oregon, 
whose  capabilities  may  justify  a  separate 
remark.  Ueferring  to  my  journal  for  par- 
ticular descriptions,  and  tor  sectional  boun- 
daries between  good  and  bad  districts,  I  can 
oaly  say,  in  general  and  comparative  tornia, 
that,  in  that  oranch  of  agriculture  which  im- 
plies the  cultivation  of  grains  and  ataplo 
crops,  it  would  be  inferior  to  tho  Atlantio 
States,  though  many  parts  are  auporior  for 
wheat ;  while  in  tho  rearing  of  flocks  and 
herds  it  would  claim  a  high  place.  Its 
grazing  capabilities  are  great ;  and  even  in 
the  indigenous  grass  now  there,  an  element 
of  individual  and  n;  tional  wealth  may  be 
found.  In  fact,  tho  valuable  grasses  begin 
within  one  hundred  and  fiftv  miles  of  the 
Missouri  frontier,  and  extend  to  the  Pacific 
ocean.  East  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  it  is 
the  short  curly  grass,  on  which  the  bufTalo 
delight  to  feed,  (whence  its  name  of  buffalo,) 
and  which  is  still  good  when  dry  and  appa- 
rently dead.  West  of  those  mountains  it  is 
a  larger  growth,  in  clusters,  avid  hence  called 
bunch  grass,  and  which  has  a  second  or  fall 
growth.  Plains  and  mountains  both  exhibit 
them  ;  and  I  have  seen  good  pasturage  at  an 
elevation  of  ten   thousand    feet.     In  this 


IIM4.) 


CAPT.  FIIKMONTM  NARUATIVK. 


173 


(■|MMil;ini*iiMM  prixlui*!  lli«  IrtiiliiiK  or  trKvclliii); 
ourit«aitK  cm  llii<l  aultniRti'iicff  I'or  thnir  uiii- 
inaU  ,  uihl  III  iiiiliiiiry  o|ii*ruiiiMi«  any  iiiiiii- 
bcr  ol'citvitlry  iiiiiv  lin  imtvuil,  uikI  uny  iiiiiii- 
b«r  iifi'iUtlit  limy  no  drivnii  ;  iiiul  llnm  inni 
au<l  lioMi'M  lin  Niip|iiirti<il  nil  loh|{  <>X|irilit|iinii, 
ami  t'vin  in  wintn',  in  tlio  Mhcllvrnil  aitiia- 
tiiinn. 

<  oinninri-iitlly,  tlio  vuliiti  of  ttio  Ori<|{on 
country  iniint  lit*  ffri'ut,  wuiilitui  an  it  i*  hy 
llm  iiiirlli  I'lirido  nonui — I'rontlng  Ahiii — 
(iroildi'intr  iiiitny  nt'  ilui  vlniu'iila  ot'  ciiin- 
inurcii — niiltl  itiul  hcitllliy  in  ilN  cliiiiuli* — 
iukI  IxTiiiitiiitt,  iia  it  iiutiiritlly  will,  it  llio- 
ruiii^hl'irn  I'ur  llio  Kant  India  iind  Chiriii 
lrii<lu. 

'riiiiiinir  mir  Curcn  nncn  innrp  pnniwnrd, 
on  till'  niiuiiint;  iif  iliu  '.i7tli  wi;  left  iIid  I'tuh 
1  iki',  iuiil  rontitiiiuil  lor  two  dayn  to  iiMrond 
Uie  S|iani(tli  Cork,  uliicli  \h  dixpurHud  in  nil- 
ineiiiiiH  liritnuhnH  aiiion|{  very  ruKK^-^'  iiioiin- 
luin'<,  u  liicli  uH'okI  I'tuv  paitHCN,  miil  render  ii 
t'iiiiiiliar  iieiniitiiit:knc<!  witli  llieiii  lUMreititury 
to  i|i«'  triivellor.  'I'iic  Btri'iiiu  can  Hcurcily 
lit)  Hiihl  to  liavo  u  viill»y,  the  iiiounlaiiiH  riniiiK 
ul'teii  iilirii|itly  tVoin  tlio  watpr'it  vdgo  ;  but  a 
({ooii  trail  I'iieilitiited  our  travelling,  and  tlieru 
were  tVei(ueiit  iHittoina,  covered  with  cxecl- 
lent  (ri:tt*8.  Thu  HtroaiiiH  are  prettily  and 
vaiioiiAly  wooded  ;  and  cverywliorc  the 
muuntain  uhows  ({ruBs  and  timber. 

At  our  encampment  un  the  evening  of  the 
28th,  near  the  head  of  one  of  the  branches 
we  had  ascended,  strata  of  bituminouH  liine- 
stono  were  displayed  in  an  escarpment  on  the 
river  blutrs,  in  which  were  ctmtainod  a  vari- 
ety of  fossil  shelis  of  new  species. 

It  will  be  remembered,  that  in  crossing 
this  ridge  about  120  miles  to  the  northward 
*n  AuuuHt  last,  strata  of  fossilifurous  rock 
were  discovered,  which  have  been  referred 
to  the  oolitic  period  ;  it  is  probable  that 
these  rocks  also  belong  to  the  same  forma- 
tion. 

A  few  miles  from  this  encampment  wo 
reached  the  bed  of  the  stream  ;  and  cross- 
ing, by  an  open  and  easy  pass,  the  dividing 
ridge 'which  separates  the  waters  of  the 
Great  Basin  from  those  of  the  Colorado, 
we  reached  the  head  branches  of  one  of  its 
larger  tributaries,  which,  from  the  decided 
color  of  its  waters,  has  received  the  name 
of  White  river.  The  snows  of  the  moun- 
tains were  now  beginning  to  melt,  and  all 
the  little  rivulets  were  running  by  in  rivers, 
and  rapidly  becoming  difhcult  to  ford.  Con- 
tinuing a  tew  miles  up  a  branch  ''f  White 
river,  we  crossed  a  dividing  ridge  between 
its  waters  and  those  of  the  Uintah.  The 
approach  to  the  pass,  which  is  the  best 
known  to  Mr.  Walker,  was  somewhat  diffi- 
cult for  packs,  and  impracticable  for  wag- 
owi — all  the  streams  bemg  shut  in  by  nar- 


row ravinen,  and  the  narrow  trail  ali.ii^  ilm 
■tt<i<p  hill  Midi**  allowiii;(  ilin  (>iiiiaii|{i>  oldnly 
oni*  uiiiiintl  lit  a  tiiiiii.  From  (lie  iniinniil  wn 
hud  a  lhii>  view  of  llin  mmuy  Id  ;ir  Itivnr 
rniiKe  ;  uml  there  were  ntiil  ii'iniiimi^  lieiU 
of  itnow  nil  the  eojil  Midi'N  of  tlm  liilU  near 
tho  pa««  W'v  deneeiideil  liy  ii  niirrow  ra- 
vine, III  uIiiitIi  was  rapully  uiiilii'ied  a  little 
branch  ol  the  IMiilah,  and  hailed  to  nonn 
about  1,A00  feet  below  the  pax«,  ;it  an  ele- 
vation, by  tho  boiling  point,  of  n,!l()0  feet 
above  the  nea. 

The  next  day  we  deNPeinled  iiiittipf  tbo 
river, anil  ultoiit  imoii  reaclieil  u  pniiit  where 
tliiee  fork:«  eoine  lot(etlier.  Konling  one  of 
theH«  Willi  Hiiine  ililllciilly,  we  eoiitiMiinl  up 
the  middle  lnuneh,  whirli,  fintii  tiie  enlor  of 
ill*  watem,  is  iiamed  the  Kd!  river.  Tin*  few 
pimxex,  and  extremely  iu(,'),'ril  iiatiiri'  of  the 
••oiintry,  yive  to  it  threat  htrrii;<lii,  and  heeiirc 
the  IJtaliH  from  the  intniMiui  of  their  eno- 
mien.  ('rotiHing  in  tlm  urirriiocui  n  soiiifl' 
what  broken  hi;;lilinii,  c-ii\i>rri|  in  iilaccs 
with  fine  graHMes,  and  willi  ii'dar  on  the  hill 
miles,  wc  eniMiniied  at  evcniM;,'  on  aiiollior 
Iriluitarv  to  the  I'^i/i/r//;,  eiillnl  llie  Ihu/ii.vn 
fork.  riie  water  waH  very  elear,  tin)  stream 
not  being  yet  Hwnlleii  by  this  im  liiin/  snows  , 
and  wu  forded  it  without  any  tlilllriilly.  It 
ii«  a  considerable  branch,  lii.iii)r  Hjircid  out 
by  iHlaiiilN,  tho  largest  arm  tiling  iitinul  a 
hundred  feet  wide  ;  and  the  niitiiu  it  bears 
is  probably  that  of  some  old  Krencii  trap- 
per. 

TH'i  next  day  wo  continued  down  tlm 
river,  which  wo  were  twice  obliged  tocrosM  ; 
and,  thu  water  having  risen  diiniig  the  iiigbl, 
it  was  aluiost  everywhere  too  deep  to  be 
forded.  After  travelling  about  sixteen 
miles,  we  encamped  again  on  the  left  bank. 

I  obtained  here  an  occullation  of  ■*  .SVor- 
pii  at  the  ilark  limb  of  the  moon,  which 
gives  fur  the  longitude  of  the  place  112'^ 
18'  30",  and  the  latitude  40^  18'  53  ". 

June  1. — We  left  to-day  the  Duchesne 
fork,  and,  after  traversing  a  broken  country 
for  about  sixteen  miles,  arrived  at  noon  at 
another  considerable  branch,  a  river  of  great 
velocity,  to  which  tho  Iramicrs  have  im- 
properly given  the  name  of  Lake  fork.  The 
name  applied  to  it  by  thu  Indians  signifies 
great  swiftness,  and  is  the  same  which  they 
use  to  express  the  speed  of  a  racehorse. 
It  is  spread  out  in  various  channels  over 
several  hundred  yards,  and  is  everywhere 
too  deep  and  swift  to  be  forded.  At  this 
season  of  the  year,  there  is  an  uninterrupted 
noise  from  the  large  rocks  which  are  rolled 
along  the  bed.  Allor  infinite  difficulty,  and 
the  delay  of  a  day,  we  succeeded  in  getting 
the  stream  bridged,  and  got  over  with  the 
loss  of  one  of  our  animals.  Continuing  our 
route  across  a  broken  country,  of  which  the 
higher  parts  were  rocky  and  timbered  with 


174 


CAl  r.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1844. 


eodar,  and  the  lower   parts  covered   with 

Siod  grass,  wo  reached,  on  iho  afternoon  of 
e  3d,  the  Uintah  fort,  a  trading  post  hc- 
longinir  to  Mr.  A.  Roubidcau,  on  the  jirinci- 
pal  fork  of  the  Uintah  river.  We  found  tlie 
stream  nc'ly  as  rapid  and  difTicult  us  the 
Lake  fork,  divided  into  several  channels, 
which  were  too  broad  to  be  bridged.  Willi 
the  aid  of  gnides  from  the  fort,  wo  succeed- 
ed, with  very  great  difticully,  in  fording  it ; 
and  encamped  near  the  fon,  which  is  situ- 
ated a  short  distance  above  the  Junction  of 
two  branches  which  make  the  river. 

By  an  immersion  of  the  1st  sutcllrtc, 
(agreeing  well  with  the  result  of  the  occul- 
tation  observed  at  the  Duchesne  fork,)  the 
longitude  of  iho  post  is  109°  56'  42",  the 
latitude  40°  87'  45". 

It  has  a  motley  garrison  of  Canadian  and 
Spanish  engages  and  hunters,  with  the  r.sual 
number  of  Indian  women.  We  obtained  a 
small  supply  of  sugar  and  coffee,  w'tti  some 
dried  meat  and  a  cow,  which  -..as  a  very 
accepiable  change  from  liie  pinoli  on  which 
we  had  subsisted  for  some  weeks  past.  I 
strengthened  my  party  at  this  place  by  the 
addition  of  Auguste  Archambeau,  an  ex- 
cellent voyageur  and  hunter,  belonging  to 
ihe  class  of  Carson  and  Godey. 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th  we  left  the 
foit*  and  the  Uintah  river,  and  continued 
our  road  over  a  broken  country,  which  af- 
forded, however,  a  rich  addition  to  our  bo- 
tanical collection  ;  and,  after  a  march  of 
25  miles,  were  again  checked  by  another 
stream,  called  Ashley's  fork,  where  we 
were  detained  until  noon  of  the  next  day. 

An  immersion  of  the  2d  satellite  gave  for 
this  place  a  longitude  of  109°  27'  07",  the 
latitude  by  observation  being  40°  28'  07". 

In  tha  afternoon  of  the  next  day  we  suc- 
ceeded in  finding  a  ford  ;  and,  after  travel- 
ling fifteen  miles,  encamped  high  up  on  the 
mountain  side,  where  we  found  excellent 
and  abundant  grass,  which  we  had  not  hith- 
erto seen.  A  new  species  of  elymus,  which 
had  a  purgative  and  weakening  eifect  upon 
the  animals,  had  occurred  abundantly  since 
leaving  the  fort.  From  this  point,  by  ob- 
servation 7,300  feet  above  the  sea,  we  had 
a  view  of  the  Colorado  below,  shut  up 
amongst  rugged  mountains,  and  which  is 
the  recipient  of  all  the  streams  we  had  been 
crossing  since  we  passed  the  rim  of  the 
Great  Basin  at  ine  head  of  the  Spanish 
fork. 

On  the  7th  we   had  a  pleasant  but  long 

•  This  fort  was  attacked  and  taken  by  a 
band  of  the  Utah  Indians  oinco  we  pu^ed  it ; 
and  the  men  of  the  garrison  killed,  the  women 
carried  off.  Mr.  Roubideau,  a  trader  of  .St. 
Louis,  was  absent,  and  bo  escaped  the  fate  of 
th«  rest 


day's  journey,  through  beautiful  little  val- 
leys  and  a  high  mountain  country,  arrivinfl 
about  evening  at  the  verge  of  a  steep  and 
rocky  ravine,  by  which  we  descended  to 
"  Brown's  holc.''^  This  is  a  place  well 
known  to  trappers  in  the  country,  where  iho 
canons  through  which  the  Coloru'lo  runs  ex- 
pand into  a  narrow  hut  pretty  v.illey,  about 
sixteen  miles  in  length.  'I'ho  river  was 
several  hundred  yards  in  breadth,  swollen 
to  the  lop  of  its  hanks,  near  to  wliieli  it  was 
in  many  places  fift  en  lo  twenty  feet  deep. 
Wo  rejKiircd  a  skin  l)oat  which  had  been 
purchased  at  the  fort,  and,  after  a  delay  of  a 
day,  reached  the  opposite  banks  with  much 
less  delay  than  had  been  encountered  on  the 
Uintah  waters.  Accoriing  to  iiifurnr.ilion, 
the  lower  end  of  the  valley  is  the  most 
eastern  part  of  the  Colorado  ;  and  the  lati- 
tude of  our  encampment,  which  was  oppo- 
site to  the  remains  of  an  old  fort  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  river,  was  40<^  46'  27",  and,  by 
observation,  the  cK  .'ation  above  the  sea 
5,150  feet.  The  bfvring  to  the  entrance 
of  the  canon  '>el'  vv  was  south  20^  east. 
Here  the  river  venters  between  lofty  preci- 
pices of  red  rock,  and  the  country  below  is 
said  to  assume  a  very  rugged  character  ; 
the  river  .md  its  afiluents  passing  through 
canons  which  forbid  all  access  to  the  water. 
This  si  altered  little  valley  was  formerly  a 
favorite  wintering  ground  for  the  trappers, 
as  it  i.tforded  them  suflUcient  pasturage  for 
the:;  animals,  and  the  surrounding  mcun- 
tains  are  well  stocked  with  game. 

We  surprised  a  floek  of  mountain  sheep  aa 
v/e  descended  to  the  river,  and  our  hunters 
killed  several.  The  bottoms  of  a  small 
stream  called  the  Vermilion  creel:,  v.hich 
enters  the  left  bank  of  the  river  a  short  dis- 
tance below  our  encampment,  were  :;overed 
abundantly  with  F.  vcrmicularis,  ai  d  otiier 
chenopodiaceous  shrubs.  From  the  lower 
end  of  Biown's  hole  we  issued  by  a  remark- 
ably dry  canon,  fifty  or  sixty  yards  wide, 
and  rising,  as  we  advanced,  to  the  height 
of  six  or  eight  hundred  feet.  suing  from 
this,  and  crossing  a  small  green  valley,  we 
entered  another  rent  of  the  same  nature, 
still  narrower  than  the  other,  the  rocis  on 
either  side  rising  in  nearly  vertical  pre  npi- 
ces  perhaps  1,500  feet  in  height,  'ihesa 
places  are  mentioned,  to  give  some  idea  of 
the  country  lower  down  on  the  Colorado 
to  which  the  trappers  usually  apply  tho 
name  of  a  canon  country.  The  canon 
opened  upon  a  pond  of  water,  where  w» 
halted  to  noon.  Several  flocks  of  mountain 
sheep  were  here  among  the  rocks,  which 
rung  with  volleys  of  small  arms.  In  the 
afternoon  we  entc-ed  upon  an  ugly,  barren, 
and  broken  country,  corresponding  well  with 
that  we  had  traversed  a  few  degrees  north, 
on  the  same  side  of  the  Colorado.     The 


1844.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


175 


Vermilion  creok  afforded  u.s  brackish  water 
nnd  itidifffrent  \xi"iH>i  for  tlie  iiiglit. 

A  few  scattered  cedar  trees  were  the 
only  iiiii>roveinciit  of  the  country  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  ;  and  at  a  little  spring  of  had 
water,  where  we  halted  to  noon,  we  had  not 
even  the  shelter  of  these  from  the  hot  rays 
of  the  sun.  At  night  we  encamped  in  a  fine 
p~ove  (if  cotlon-wood  trees,  on  the  banks  of 
ihe  Elk  Head  river,  the  principal  fork  of 
the  Yampuh  river,  commonly  called  by  the 
trappers  the  Bear  river.  We  made  liere  a 
very  strong  coral  and  fort,  and  formed  the 
camp  into  vigilant  guards.  The  country  we 
were  now  entering  is  constantly  infested  by 
war  parties  of  the  Sioux  and  other  Indians, 
and  la  considered  among  the  most  dangeroi 
war  grounds  in  the  Rocky  mountains  ;  par 
ties  of  whites  having  been  repeatedly  de- 
feated on  this  river. 

On  the  11th  we  continued  up  the  river, 
which  i.s  a  coiisiderable  stream,  fifty  to  a 
hundred  yards  in  width,  handsomely  and 
continuously  wooded  with  groves  of  the 
narrow-leaved  cotton-wood,  (populus  an- 
gustifulia ;)  with  these  were  thickets  of 
willow  and  grain  du  bauf.  The  character- 
istic plant  along  the  river  is  F.  vermiciila- 
ris,  which  generally  covers  the  bottoms ; 
mingled  with  this,  are  saline  shrubs  and  ar 
temisia.  The  new  variety  of  grass  which 
we  had  seen  on  leaving  the  Uintah  fort  had 
now  disappeared.  The  country  on  either 
side  was  sandy  and  poor,  scantilv  wooded 
with  cedars,  but  the  river  bottoiuvs  afford- 
ed good  pasture.  Three  antelofies  were 
killed  in  the  afternoon,  and  we  encamped  a 
little  below  a  branch  of  the  river  called  St. 
Vrain's  fork.  A  few  miles  above  was  the 
'ort  at  which  Frapp's  party  had  b^-^n  de- 
feated two  years  since  ;  and  we  pass^^ii  dur- 
ing the  day  a  place  where  Tarso^  ha<?  been 
fired  opon  so  close  that  oxif  of  the  men  had 
fiv<3  b»<)'  .-ts  through  his  body.  Leaving 
th.8  iivrr  the  next  morning,  we  took  our 
way  across  thii  hills,  wh«re  every  hollow 
had  a  spriDg  of  running  water,  with  good 
grass. 

Yesterday  and  to-day  we  have  had  before 
our  eyes  the  high  moufitains  which  divide 
the  Pacific  fr<'j>m  the  Mississippi  waters  ; 
and  enteririj?  here  among  the  lower  spurs, 
or  foot  hills  of  »he  range,  the  face  of  the 
country  began  to  improve  with  a  magical 
rapidity.  Not  only  the  river  bottoms,  but 
the  hills,  were  covered  with  grass  ;  and 
among  the  usual  varied  flora  of  the  moun- 
tain region,  these  were  occasionnlly  blue 
with  the  showy  bloom  of  a  lupinus.  In  the 
t.'onrse  of  the  morning  we  had  the  first  glad 
view  of  buffalo,  and  welcomed  the  appear- 
ance of  two  old  bulls  with  as  much  joy  as  if 
they  had  been  messengers  from  home  ;  and 
when  we  descended  to  noon  on  St.  Vrain's 


fork,  an  affluent  of  Green  river,  the  hunter.^ 
brought  in  mountain  sheep  and  the  meat  of 
two  fat  bulls.  Fresh  entrails  in  the  river 
showed  us  that  there  were  Indians  above ; 
and,  at  evening,  judging  it  unsafe  to  encamp 
in  the  bottoms,  which  were  wooded  only  with 
willow  thickets,  we  ascended  to  the  spurs 
above,  and  forted  strongly  in  a  small  aspen 
grove,  near  to  which  was  a  spring  of  cold 
water.  The  hunters  killed  two  fine  cows 
near  the  camp.  A  band  of  elk  broke  out  of 
a  neighboring  grove  ;  antelopes  were  run- 
ning over  the  hills ;  and  on  the  opposite 
river  plains,  herds  of  buffalo  were  raising 
clouds  of  dust.  The  country  here  appeared 
more  variously  stocked  with  game  than  any 
part  of  the  Rocky  moun*c.ins  we  had  visit- 
ed ;  and  its  abundance  is  owing  to  the  ex- 
cellent jiasturage,  and  its  dangerous  char- 
acter as  a  war  ground. 

June  13. — There  was  snow  here  near 
our  mountain  camp,  and  the  morning  was 
beautiful  and  cool.  Leaving  St.  VraiH's 
fork,  we  took  our  way  directly  towards  the 
summit  of  the  dividing  ridge.  The  bot- 
toms of  the  streams  and  level  places  were 
wooded  with  aspens ;  and  as  we  neared  the 
summit,  we  entered  again  the  piny  region. 
We  had  a  delightful  morning's  ride,  the 
ground  affording  us  an  excellent  bridle  path, 
and  reached  the  .summit  towards  midday,  ni 
an  elevation  of  8,000  feet.  With  joy  and 
exultation  we  saw  ourselves  once  more  on 
the  top  o-f  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  beheld 
a  little  stream  tak>«g  its  course  towards  the 
rising  sun.  It  was  an  affluent  of  the  Platte, 
called  Pullam\s  fork,  and  we  di  .cended  t<i 
noon  upon  it.  It  is  a  pretty  stream,  twenty 
yards  broad,  and  bears  the  name  of  a  trap- 
per wlio,  some  years  since,  was  killed  here 
by  the  Gros  Ventre  Indians. 

Issuing  from  ihe  pines  in  the  afternoon, 
we  saw  spread  owt  before  us  the  valley  of 
the  Platte,  with  tli<»  pass  of  the  Medicine 
Butte  beyond,  and  i^ome  of  the  Sweet  W^ater 
mountains  ;  but  a  smoky  haziness  in  the  air 
entirely  obscured  thf  Wind  River  chain. 

We  were  now  about  two  degrees  south  of 
the  South  Pass,  and  our  course  home  would 
have  been  eastwardly  ;  but  that  would  have 
taken  us  over  ground  already  examinfed, 
and  therefore  without  the  interest  which 
would  excite  curiosity.  Southwardly  there 
were  objects  worthy  to  be  explored,  to  wit ; 
the  approximation  of  the  head  waters  of 
three  different  rivers — the  Platte,  the  Ar- 
kansas, and  the  Grand  River  fork  of  the  Rio 
Colorado  of  the  gulf  of  California  ;  the  Pass- 
es at  the  heads  of  these  rivers ;  and  the 
three  remarkable  mountain  coves,  called 
Parks,  in  which  they  took  their  rise.  Ona 
of  these  Parks  was,  of  course,  on  the  west- 
ern side  of  the  dividing  ridge ;  and  a  visit 
to  it  would  require  us  once  more  to  cross 


179 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1844. 


the  summit  of  tho  Rocky  mountains  to  the 
west,  and  then  to  recross  to  the  east ; 
making,  in  all,  with  the  transit  wo  had  just 
accomplished,  three  crossings  of  that  moun- 
tain in  this  section  of  its  course.  But,  no 
matter.  The  coves,  the  heads  of  the  rivers, 
the  approximation  of  their  waters,  the  prac- 
ticability of  the  mountain  passes,  and  the 
locality  of  the  thrke  Parks,  were  all  ob- 
jects of  interest,  and,  although  well  known 
to  hunters  and  trappers,  were  unknown  to 
science  and  to  history.  We  therefore 
changed  our  course,  and  turned  up  the  val- 
ley of  the  Platte  instead  of  going  down  it. 

We  crossed  several  small  aiFlluents,  and 
again  made  a  fortified  camp  in  a  grove. 
The  country  had  now  become  very  bpauti- 
ful — rich  in  water,  grass,  and  game  ;  and  to 
these  were  added  the  charm  of  scenery  and 
pleasant  weather. 

June  14. — Our  route  this"  morning  lay 
along  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  over  the 
long  low  spurs  which  sloped  gradually  down 
to  the  river,  forming  the  broad  valley  of  the 
Platte.  The  country  is  beautifully  watered. 
In  almost  every  hollow  ran  a  clear,  cool 
mountain  stream  ;  and  in  the  course  of  the 
morning  we  crossed  seventeen,  several  of 
them  being  large  creeks,  forty  to  fifty  feet 
wide,  with  a  swift  current,  and  tolerably 
deep.  These  were  variously  woodc  d  with 
groves  of  aspen  and  cotton-wood,  witli  wil- 
low, cherry,  and  other  shrubby  trees.  Buf- 
falo, antelope,  and  elk,  were  frequent  dur- 
ing the  day  ;  and,  in  their  abundance,  the 
latter  sometimes  reminded  us  slightly  of 
the  Sacramento  valley. 

We  halted  at  noon  on  Potter's  fork — a 
clear  and  swift  stveam,  forty  yards  wide, 
and  in  many  places  deep  enough  to  swim 
our  animals  ;  and  in  the  evening  encamped 
on  a  pretty  stream,  where  there  were  sever- 
al beaver  dams,  and  many  trees  recently  cut 
down  by  the  beaver.  We  gave  to  this  the 
name  of  Beaver  Dam  creek,  as  now  they 
are  becoming  sufficiently  rare  to  distinguish 
by  their  name  the  streams  on  which  they 
are  found.  In  this  mountain  they  occurred 
more  abundantly  than  elsewhere  in  all  our 
journey,  in  which  their  vestiges  had  been 
scarcely  seen. 

The  next  day  we  continued  our  journey 
up  the  valley,  the  country  presenting  much 
the  same  appearance,  except  that  the  grass 
was  more  scanty  on  the  ridges,  over  which 
was  spread  a  scrubby  growth  of  sage ;  but 
still  the  bottoms  of  the  creeks  were  broad, 
and  afforded  good  pasture  grounds.  We 
had  an  animated  chase  after  a  grizzly  bear 
this  morning,  which  we  tried  to  lasso.  Fu- 
entes  threw  the  lasso  upon  his  neck,  but  it 
slipped  off,  and  he  escaped  into  the  dense 
thickets  of  the  creek,  into  which  we  did  not 
like  to  venture.     Our  course  in  the  after- 


noon brought  us  to  the  main  Platte  river, 
here  a  handsome  stream,  with  a  uniform 
breadth  of  seventy  yards,  except  where 
widened  by  frequent  islands.  It  was  appa- 
rently deep,  with  a  moderate  current,  anj 
wooded  with  groves  of  largo  willow. 

Tho  valley  narrowed  as  we  ascended,  and 
presently  degenerated  into  a  gorge,  through 
which  the  river  passed  as  through  a  gate. 
We  entered  it,  and  found  ourselves  in  tiie 
New  Park — a  beautiful  circular  valley  of 
thirty  miles  diameter,  .valled  in  all  round 
with  snowy  mountains,  rich  with  water  and 
with  grass,  fringed  with  pine  on  the  moun- 
tain sides  below  the  snow  line,  and  a  para- 
dise to  all  grazing  animals.  The  Indian 
name  for  it  signifies  "  cow  lodge,"  of  which 
our  own  may  be  considered  a  translation  • 
the  enclosure,  the  grass,  the  water,  and  thd 
herds  of  buffalo  roaming  over  it,  naturally 
presenting  the  idea  of  a  park.  We  halted 
for  the  night  just  within  the  gate,  and  ex- 
pected, as  usual,  to  see  herds  of  buffalo  , 
but  an  Arapahoe  village  had  been  before 
us,  and  not  one  was  to  be  seen.  Latitude 
of  the  encampment  40^  52'  44".  Elevation 
by  the  boiling  point  7,720  feet. 

It  is  from  this  elevated  cove,  and  from  the 
gorges  of  the  surrounding  mountains,  and 
some  lakes  within  their  bosoms,  that  the 
Great  Platte  river  collects  its  first  waters, 
and  assumes  its  first  form  ;  and  certainly  no 
river  could  ask  a  more  beautiful  origin. 

June  16. — In  the  morning  we  pursued 
our  way  through  the  Park,  following  a 
principal  branch  of  the  Platte,  and  crossing, 
among  many  smaller  ones,  a  bold  stream, 
scarcely  fordable,  called  Lodge  Pole  fork, 
and  which  issues  from  a  lake  in  the  moun- 
tains on  the  right,  ten  miles  long,  in  tho 
evening  we  encamped  on  a  small  stream, 
near  the  upper  end  of  the  Park.  Latitude 
of  the  camp  40°  33'  22". 

June  17. — We  continued  our  way  among 
the  waters  of  the  Park,  over  the  foot  hilh 
of  the  bordering  mountains,  where  we 
found  good  pasturage,  and  surprised  and 
killed  some  buffalo.  We  fell  into  a  broad 
and  excellent  trail,  made  by  buffalo,  where 
a  wagon  would  pass  with  ease  ;  and,  in  the 
course  of  the  morning,  we  crossed  the 
summit  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  through  a 
pass  which  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
we  had  ever  seen.  The  trail  led  aiueng 
the  aspens,  through  open  grounds,  richly 
covered  with  grass,  and  carried  us  over  an 
elevation  of  about  9,000  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea. 

The  country  appeared  to  great  advantage 
in  the  delightful  summer  weather  of  the 
mountains,  which  we  still  continued  to  en- 
joy. Descending  from  the  pass,  we  found 
ourselves  again  on  the  western  waters  :  and 
hailed   to   noon   on   the   edge   of   anothei 


1844.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


177 


mountain  valley,  called  the  Old  Park,  in 
which  is  formed  Grand  river,  one  of  the 
principal  branches  of  the  Coloriido  of  Cali- 
fornia. We  were  now  moving  with  some 
caution,  as,  from  the  trail,  we  found  the 
Arapahoe  village  had  also  passed  this  way. 
As  we  were  coming  out  of  their  enemy's 
country,  and  this  was  a  war  ground,  we 
were  desirous  to  avoid  them.  After  a  long 
afternoon's  march,  we  halted  at  night  on  a 
small  creek,  tributary  to  a  main  fork  of 
Grand  river,  which  ran  through  this  portion 
of  the  valley.  The  appearance  of  the 
country  in  the  Old  Park  is  interesting, 
though  of  a  different  character  from  the 
New  ;  instead  of  being  a  comparative  plain, 
it  is  more  or  less  broken  into  iiills,  and  sur- 
rounded by  the  high  mountains,  timbered 
on  the  lower  parts  with  quaking  asp  and 
pines. 

June  18. — Our  scouts,  who  were  as  usual 
ahead,  made  from  a  butte  this  morning  the 
signal  of  Indians,  and  we  rode  up  in  time  to 
meet  a  party  of  about  30  Arapahoes.  They 
were  men  and  women  going  into  the  hills — 
the  men  for  game,  the  women  for  roots — 
and  informed  us  that  the  village  was  ea- 
camped  a  few  miles  above,  on  the  main 
fork  of  Grand  river,  which  passes  through 
tlie  midst  of  the  valley.  I  made  them  the 
usual  presents  ;  but  they  appeared  disposed 
to  be  unfriendly,  and  galloped  back  at  speed 
to  the  village.  Knowing  that  we  had 
trouble  to  expect,  I  descended  immediately 
into  the  bottoms  of  Grand  river,  which 
were  overflowed  in  places,  the  river  being 
up,  and  made  the  best  encampment  the 
ground  afforded.  We  had  no  time  to  build 
a  fort,  but  found  an  open  place  among  the 
willows,  which  was  defended  by  the  river 
on  one  side  and  the  overflowed  bottoms  on 
the  other.  We  had  scarcely  made  our  few 
preparations,  when  about  200  of  them  ap- 
peared on  the  verge  of  the  bottom,  mount- 
ed, painted,  and  armed  for  war.  We 
planted  the  American  flag  between  us  ;  and  a 
short  parley  ended  in  a  truce,  with  some- 
thing more  than  the  usual  amount  of  pres- 
ents. About  20  Sioux  were  with  them — 
one  of  them  an  old  chief,  who  had  always 
been  friendly  to  the  whites.  He  informed 
me  that,  before  coming  down,  a  council 
had  been  held  at  the  village,  in  which  the 
greater  part  had  declared  for  attacking 
us — we  had  come  from  their  enemies,  to 
whom  we  had  doubtless  been  carrying  as- 
sistance in  arms  and  anununition  ;  but  his 
own  party,  with  some  few  of  the  Arapahoes 
who  had  seen  us  the  previous  year  in  the 
plains,  opposed  it.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  it  is  customary  for  this  people  to  at- 
tack the  trading  parties  which  they  meet 
in  this  region,  considering  all  whom  they 
meet  on  the  western  side  of  the  mountains 
12 


to  bo  their  enemies.  They  deceived  me 
into  the  belief  that  I  should  find  a  ford  at 
their  village,  and  I  could  not  avoid  ac- 
companying them  ;  but  put  several  sloughs 
between  us  and  their  village,  and  forted 
strongly  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  which 
was  everywhere  rapid  and  deep,  and  over 
a  hundred  yards  in  breadth.  The  camp 
was  generally  crowded  with  Indians;  and 
though  the  baggage  was  carefully  watchsd 
and  covered,  a  number  of  things  were 
stolen. 

The  next  morning  we  descended  the 
river  for  about  eight  mdes,  and  halted  a 
short  distance  above  a  canon,  through  which 
Grand  river  issues  from  the  Park.  Here 
it  was  smooth  and  deep,  150  yards  in 
breadth,  and  its  elevation  at  this  point 
6,700  feet.  A  frame  for  the  boat  tisjing 
very  soon  mad«,  our  baggage  was  ferried 
across  ;  the  horses,  in  the  mean  tune,  swim- 
ming over.  A  southern  fork  of  Grand 
river  here  makes  its  junction,  nearly  op- 
posite to  the  branch  by  which  we  had  en- 
tered the  valley,  and  up  this  we  cop.';inued 
for  about  eight  miles  in  the  afternoon,  and 
encamped  in  a  bottom  on  the  left  bank, 
which  afforded  good  grass.  At  our  en- 
campment it  was  70  to  90  yards  in  breadth, 
sometimes  widened  by  islands,  and  separa- 
ted into  several  channels,  with  a  very  swift 
current  and  bed  of  rolled  rocks. 

On  the  20th  we  travelled  up  the  left  bank, 
with  the  prospect  of  a  bad  road,  the  trail 
here  taking  the  opposite  side ;  but  the 
stream  was  up,  and  nowhere  fordable.  A 
piny  ridge  of  mountains,  with  bare  rocky 
peaks,  was  on  our  right  all  the  day,  and  a 
snowy  mountain  appeared  ahead.  We 
crossed  many  foaming  torrents  with  rocky 
beds,  rushing  down  to  the  river ;  and  in  the 
evening  made  a  strong  fort  in  an  aspen 
grove.  The  valley  had  already  become 
very  narrow,  shut  up  more  closely  in 
densely  timbered  mountains,  the  pines 
sweeping  down  the  verge  of  the  bottoms. 
The  coq  de  prairie  {tetrao  europhasianus) 
was  occasionally  seen  among  the  sage. 

We  saw  to-day  the  returning  trail  of  an 
Arapahoe  party  which  had  been  sent  from 
the  village  to  look  for  Utahs  in  the  B,ayou 
Salade,  (South  Park  ;)  and  it  being  probable 
that  they  would  visit  our  camp  with  the 
desire  to  return  on  horseback,  we  were 
more  than  usually  on  the  alert. 

Here  the  river  diminished  to  35  yards, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  number  of  affluents 
we  had  crossed,  was  still  a  large  stream, 
dashing  swiftly  by,  with  a  great  continuous 
fall,  and  not  yet  fordable.  We  had  a  de- 
lightful ride  along  a  good  trail  among  the 
fragrant  pines ;  and  the  appearance  of  buf- 
falo in  great  numbers  indicated  that  there 
were  Indians  in  the  Bayou  Salade,  (South 


178 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVP]. 


[1844. 


Park,)  by  whom  they  were  driven  out.  We 
halted  to  noon  under  the  ahado  of  the, pines, 
anJ  the  weather  was  most  delightful.  The 
country  was  literally  alive  with  buffalo  ; 
and  the  continued  echo  of  the  hunter's 
rifles  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  for  a 
moment  made  mo  uneasy,  thinking  pcrha;)s 
they  were  engaged  with  Indians  ;  but  in  a 
short  time  tliey  came  into  camp  with  the 
meat  of  seven  fat  cows. 

During  the  earlier  part  of  the  day's  ride, 
the  river  had  been  merely  a  narrow  ravine 
l)ct\veen  high  piny  mountains,  backed  on 
both  aides,  but  particularly  on  the  west,  by 
a  lino  of  snowy  ridges ;  but,  after  several 
hours'  ride,  the  stream  opened  out  into  a 
valley  with  pleasant  bottoms.  In  the  after- 
noon the  river  forked  into  three  apparently 
equal  streams;  broad  buffalo  trails  leading 
up  the  left  hand,  and  the  middle  branch,  in- 
dicating good  passes  over  the  mountains ; 
but  up  the  right-hand  branch,  (which,  in 
the  object  of  descending  from  the  mountain 
by  the  main  head  of  the  Arkansas,  I  was 
most  desirous  to  follow,)  there  was  no  sign 
of  a  buffalo  trace.  Apprehending  from  this 
reason,  and  the  character  of  the  mountains, 
which  are  known  to  be  extremely  rugged, 
that  the  right-hand  branch  led  to  no  pass,  I 
proceeded  up  the  middle  branch,  which 
formed  a  flat  valley  bottom  between  timber- 
ed ridges  on  the  left  and  snowy  mountains 
on  the  right,  terminating  in  large  buttcs  of 
naked  rock.  The  trail  was  good,  and  the 
country  interesting ;  and  at  niglitfall  we 
encamped  in  an  open  place  among  the  pines, 
where  we  built  a  strong  fort.  The  moun- 
tains exhibit  their  usual  varied  growth  of 
flowers,  and  at  this  place  I  noticed,  among 
others,  thermopsis  montana,  whose  bright 
yellow  color  makes  it  a  showy  plant.  This 
has  been  a  characteristic  in  many  parts  of 
the  country  since  reaching  the  Uintah 
waters.  With  fields  of  iris  were  aquilegia 
carulea,  violets,  esparcette,  and  straw- 
berries. 

At  dark,  we  perceived  a  fire  in  the  edge 
of  the  pines,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  val- 
ley. We  had  evidently  not  been  discovered, 
and,  at  the  report  of  a  gun,  and  the  blaze  of 
fresh  fuel  which  was  heaped  on  our  fires, 
those  of  the  strangers  were  instantly  ex- 
tinguished. In  the  morning,  they  were 
found  to  be  a  party  of  six  trappers,  who  had 
ventured  out  among  the  mountains  after 
beaver.  They  informed  us  that  two  of  the 
number  with  which  they  had  started  had 
been  already  killed  by  the  Indians — one  of 
them  but  a  few  days  since — by  the  Arapa- 
hoes  we  had  lately  seen,  who  had  found 
him  alone  at  a  camp  on  this  river,  and  car- 
ried off  his  traps  and  animals.  As  they 
were  desirous  to  join  us,  the  hunters  return- 
ed with  them  to  their  encampment,  and  we 


continued  up  the  valley,  in  which  the  stream 
rapidly  diminished,  breaking  into  snnil  trib- 
utaries— every  hollow  affording  water.  At 
our  noon  halt,  the  hunters  joined  us  with 
the  trappers.  While  preparing  to  start 
from  their  croampment,  they  found  them- 
selves suddenly  burrounded  by  a  parly  of 
Arapahoes,  who  informed  them  tliiit  their 
scouls  had  discovered  a  largo  Utah  village 
in  the  Bayou  Salade,  (South  Park,)  and 
that  a  large  war  party,  consisting  of  almost 
every  man  in  the  village,  except  those  who 
were  too  old  to  go  to  war,  were  going  over 
to  attack  them.  The  main  body  had  as- 
cended the  loft  fork  of  the  river,  which  af- 
forded a  better  pass  than  the  branch  we  were 
on  ;  and  this  party  had  followed  'i"r  trail,  in 
order  that  we  might  add  our  ftrtv  lo  theirs. 
Carson  informed  them  that  we  were  too  far 
ahead  to  turn  back,  but  would  join  them  in 
the  bayou  ;  and  the  Indians  went  off  appa- 
rently satisfied.  By  the  temperature  of 
boiling  water,  our  elevation  here  was  10,430 
feet ;  and  still  the  pine  forest  continued, 
and  grass  was  good. 

In  the  afternoon,  we  continued  our  road — 
occasionally  through  open  pines,  with  a  very 
gradual  ascent.  We  surprised  a  herd  of 
buffalo,  enjoying  the  shade  at  a  small  lake 
among  the  pines ;  and  they  made  the  dry 
branches  crack,  as  they  broke  through  the 
woods.  In  a  ride  of  about  three-cpiarters  of 
an  hour,  and  having  ascended  perhaps  800 
feet,  we  reached  the  summit  of  the  divid- 
ing TLiDCn,  which  would  thus  have  an  esti- 
mated height  of  11,300  feet.  Plere  the 
river  spreads  itself  into  small  branches  and 
springs,  heading  nearly  in  the  summit  of  the 
ridge,  which  is  very  narrow.  Immediately 
below  us  was  a  green  valley,  through  which 
ran  a  stream ;  and  a  short  distance  opposite 
rose  snowy  mountains,  whose  summits  were 
formed  into  peaks  of  nalred  rock.  We 
soon  afterwards  satisfied  ourselves  that  im- 
mcdialely  beyond  these  mountains  was  the 
main  branch  of  the  Arkansas  river — most 
probably  heading  directly  with  the  little 
stream  below  us,  which  gathered  its  waters 
in  the  snowy  mountains  near  by.  Descrip- 
tions of  the  rugged  character  of  the  moun- 
tains around  the  head  of  the  Arkansas, 
which  their  appearance  amply  justified,  de- 
terred me  from  making  any  attempt  to  reach 
it,  which  would  have  involved  a  greater 
length  of  time  than  now  remained  at  my  dis- 
posal. 

In  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  we  de- 
scended from  the  summit  of  the  Pass  into 
the  creek  below,  our  road  having  beon  very 
much  controlled  and  interrupted  by  the  pines 
and  springs  on  the  mountain  siilu.  Turn- 
ing up  the  stream,  we  encamped  on  a  bot- 
tom of  good  grass  near  its  head,  which 
gathers  its  waters  in  the  dividing  crest  of  the 


1844.] 


CAPr.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


179 


Rooky  mouiitaina,  and,  according  to  tlio  l)c.st 
informalion  wc  could  obtain,  separated  only 
by  the  rocky  wall  of  the  ridge  from  the  head 
of  the  main  Arkansas  river.  By  tiie  obser- 
vations of  the  evening,  tiie  latitude  of  our 
encampment  was  39'^  20'  24",  and  south  of 
which,  therefore,  is  the  head  of  the  Arkan- 
sas river,  The  stream  on  which  wo  had 
ericamped  is  the  head  of  eitiicrthc  Fontaiiif- 
qui-f)(inif,  a  branch  of  the  Arkansas,  or  the 
remotest  head  of  the  soiitli  fork  of  the 
Platte  ;  as  whicii,  you  will  find  it  laid  down 
on  the  map.  But  descending  it  only  through 
a  portion  of  its  course,  we  have  not  been 
able  to  settle  this  point  satisfactorily. 

In  the  evening,  a  band  of  bufl'alo  furnished 
a  little  excitement,  by  ciiarging  through  the 
oamp. 

On  the  following  day,  we  descended  the 
stream  by  an  excellent  buffalo  trail,  along 
the  open  grassy  bottom  of  the  river.  On 
our  right,  the  bayou  was  bordered  by  a 
mountainous  range,  crested  w'th  rocky  and 
naked  peaks  ;  and  below,  it  had  a  beautiful 
park-like  character  of  pretty  level  prairies, 
interspersed  among  low  spurs,  wooded 
openly  with  pine  and  quaking  asp,  contrast- 
ing well  with  the  denser  pines  which  swept 
around  on  the  mountain  sides.  Descending 
always  the  valley  of  the  stream,  towards 
noon  wo  descried  a  mounted  party  descend- 
ing the  point  of  a  spur,  and.  judging  them  to 
bo  Arapaboes — who,  defeated  or  victorious, 
were  equally  dangerous  to  us,  and  with 
whom  a  fight  would  be  inevitable — we  hur- 
ried to  po.st  ourselves  as  strongly  as  possible 
on  some  willow  islands  in  the  river.  We 
had  scarcely  halted  when  they  arrived, 
proving  to  be  a  party  of  Utah  women,  who 
told  us  that  on  the  other  side  of  the  ridge 
their  village  was  fighting  with  the  Arapa- 
hoes.  As  soon  as  they  had  given  us  this  in- 
formation, they  filled  the  air  with  cries  and 
lamentations,  which  made  us  understand 
that  some  of  their  chiefs  had  been  killed. 

Extending  along  the  river,  directly  ahead 
.>f  us,  was  a  low  piny  ridge,  leaving  be- 
"ween  it  and  the  stream  a  small  open  bottom, 
on  which  the  Utahs  had  very  injudiciously 
placed  their  village,  which,  according  to  the 
women,  numbered  about  300  warriors.  Ad- 
vancing in  the  cover  of  the  pines,  the  Ara- 
pahoes,  about  daylight,  charged  into  the  vil- 
lage, driving  ofT  a  great  number  of  their 
horses,  and  killing  four  men  ;  among  them, 
the  principal  chief  of  the  vilhiiio.  They 
drove  the  horses  perhaps  a  mile  ')oyond  the 
village,  to  the  end  of  a  hollow,  whore  they 
had  previously  forted  at  the  edge  of  the 
pines.  Here  the  Utahs  hnd  instantly  at- 
tacked them  in  turn,  and,  acourding  to  the 
report  of  the  women,  were  getting  rather 
the  best  of  the  day.  The  women  pressed 
us  eagerly  to  join  with  their  people,  and 


would  immediately  have  provided  us  with 
the  best  horses  at  the  village  ;  but  it  was 
not  for  us  to  interfere  in  such  a  fontlict. 
Neither  party  were  our  frienil«,  o  •  under  our 
prolectiiui  ;  and  each  was  ready  to  piry  up- 
on us  that  couid.  Hut  wc  (;ouIil  not  help 
feeling  an  unusual  excitement  at  being  with- 
in a  few  hundred  yards  of  a  fight,  in  whifh 
500  leen  were  closely  engaged,  and  hearing 
the  sharp  cracks  of  their  rifles.  We  were 
in  a  bad  position,  and  subject  to  he  attacked 
in  it.  Either  party  which  we  might  inert, 
victorious  or  defeated,  was  certain  to  fall 
upon  us  ;  and,  gearing  up  immediately,  we 
kept  clo.so  along  the  pines  of  the  ridge,  hav- 
ing it  between  us  and  the  village,  and  kciep- 
ing  the  scouts  on  the  summit,  to  give  us 
notice  of  the  approach  of  Indians.  As  we 
passed  by  the  village,  whicli  was  immedi- 
ately below  us,  horsemen  were  galloping  to 
and  fro,  and  groups  of  people  were  gathered 
around  those  who  were  wounded  and  dead, 
and  who  were  being  brought  in  from  the 
field.  We  continued  to  press  on,  and,  cross- 
ing another  fork,  which  came  in  from  the 
right,  after  having  made  fifteen  miles  from 
the  village,  fortified  ourselves  strongly  in 
the  pines,  a  short  distance  from  the  river. 

During  the  afternoon.  Pike's  Peak  had 
been  plainly  in  view  before  us,  and,  from 
our  encampment,  bore  N.  87^  E.  by  com- 
pass. This  was  a  familiar  object,  and  it 
had  for  us  the  face  of  an  old  friend.  At  its 
foot  were  the  -springs,  where  we  had  spent 
a  pleasant  day  in  coining  out.  Near  it  were 
the  habitations  of  civilized  men ;  and  it 
overlooked  the  broad  smooth  plains,  which 
promised  us  an  easy  journey  to  our  home. 

The  next  day  we  left  the  river,  which 
continued  its  course  towards  Pike's  Peak  ; 
and  taking  a  southeasterly  direction,  in 
about  ten  miles  we  crossed  a  gentle  ridge, 
and,  issuing  from  the  South  Park,  found 
ourselves  involved  among  the  broken  spurs 
of  the  mountains  whi'^h  border  the  great 
prairie  plains.  Although  broken  and  ex- 
tremely rugged,  tho  country  was  very  inter- 
esting, being  well  watered  by  numerous  af- 
fluents to  the  Arkansas  river,  and  covered 
with  grass  and  a  variety  of  trees.  The 
streams,  which,  in  tKe  upper  part  oi  liieir 
course,  ran  through  grassy  and  ojKn'  hol- 
lows, after  a  few  miles  all  descended  into 
deep  and  impncticablo  canons,  through 
whu'h  they  found  their  way  to  liie  Arkan- 
sas valley.  Htn»  the  bufTalo  trails  we  had 
followed  were  dispersed  among  the  hi'ilss  or 
crossed  over  into  the  more  open  valleys  of 
other  Mreams. 

During  the  day  our  road  was  fatiguing 
and  (lifTicult,  reminding  ua  much,  by  its  sti  >"p 
and  rooky  character,  of  our  triwelling  tho 
year  btloie  among  the  N>  wvl  river  moun- 
tains ;  but  always  at  nighl  we  found  soma 


180 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[1844. 


grassy  l)ottnni,  which  afTorded  us  a  pleasant 
camp.  In  the  deep  suchision  of  these  lit- 
tle streams,  we  found  always  an  abundant 
pasturage,  and  a  wild  luxuriance  of  plants 
and  trees.  Aspens  and  pines  wore  the  pre- 
vailing timber;  on  the  ereeks,  oak  was  fre- 
quent ;  hut  the  narrow-leaved  cotton-wood, 
{pofiuhi.i  aii<ru.itifolia,)  of  unusually  large 
size,  and  seven  or  eight  feet  in  circunifer- 
onoe,  was  the  principal  tree.  With  these 
were  mingled  a  variety  of  shrubby  trees, 
which  aided  to  make  the  ravines  almost  im- 
pnnetrable. 

After  several  days'  laborious  travelling, 
we  succeeded  in  extricating  ourselves  from 
the  mountains,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
28th  encamped  immediately  at  their  foot, 
on  a  handsome  tributary  to  the  Arkansas 
river.  In  the  afternoon  we  descended  the 
stream,  winding  our  way  along  the  bottoms, 
which  were  densely  wooded  with  oak,  and 
in  the  evening  encamped  near  the  main 
river.  Continuing  the  next  day  our  road 
along  the  Arkansas,  and  meeting  on  the 
way  a  war  party  of  Arapahoe  Indians,  (who 
had  recently  been  committing  some  out- 
rages at  Bent's  fort,  killing  stock  and  dri- 
ving off  horses,)  we  arrived  before  sunset  at 
the  Pueblo,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Fontaine- 
qui-bouit  river,  where  we  had  the  pleasure 
to  find  a  number  of  our  old  acquaintances. 
The  little  settlement  appeared  in  a  thriving 
condition  ;  and  in  the  interval  of  our  ab- 
sence another  had  been  established  on  the 
river,  some  thirty  miles  above. 

June  30. — Our  cavalcade  moved  rapidly 
down  the  Arkansas,  along  the  broad  road 
which  follows  the  river,  and  on  the  1st  of 
July  we  arrived  at  Bent's  fort,  about  70 
miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Fontaine-qui- 
bouit.  As  we  emerged  into  view  from  the 
groves  on  the  river,  we  were  saluted  with  a 
display  of  the  national  flag  and  repeated 
discharges  from  the  guns  of  the  fort,  where 
we  were  received  by  Mr.  George  Bent  with 
a  cordial  welcome  and  a  friendly  hospitality, 
in  the  enjoyment  of  which  we  spent  several 
very  agreeable  days.  We  were  now  in  the 
region  where  our  mountaineers  were  accus- 
tomed to  live  ;  and  all  the  dangers  and  dif- 
ficulties of  the  road  being  considered  past, 
four  of  them,  including  Carson  and  Walker, 
remained  at  the  fort. 

On  I  In;  5th  we  resunit^d  our  journey  down 
the  Ailiiinsas,  travelling  along  a  broad  wag- 
on road,  and  encanipt;d  about  twenty  miles 
below  till-  fort.  On  the  way  we  met  a  vt  ry 
large  vi!  age  of  Sioux  and  Cheyenne  In- 
dians, who,  with  the  Arapahoes,  were  re- 
turning from  the  crossing  of  the  Arkansas, 
where  they  had  been  to  meet  the  Kioway 
and  (>amanche  Indians.  A  few  days  previ- 
ous they  had  massacred  a  party  of  fifteen 
Dela wares,  whom  they  had  discovered  in  a 


fort  on  the  Smoky  Hill  river,  losing  in  the 
affair  several  of  their  own  i)eo]ilf .  They 
were  desirous  that  we  shouhi  btar  a  pacific 
message  to  the  Dolawares  on  the  frontier, 
from  whom  they  expected  retaliation  ;  arul 
wo  passed  through  them  without  any  diffi- 
culty or  delay.  Dispersed  over  the  plain  in 
scattered  bodies  of  horsemen,  and  family 
groups  of  women  and  children,  wilh  dog 
trains  carrying  baggage,  and  long  lines  o( 
pack  horses,  their  appearance  was  pictu- 
resque and  imposing. 

Agreeably  to  your  instructions,  which  re- 
quired me  to  complete,  as  far  as  practica- 
ble, our  examinations  of  the  Kansas,  I  let) 
at  this  encampment  the  Arkansas  river, 
taking  a  northeasterly  direction  across  the 
elevated  dividing  grounds  which  separate 
that  river  from  the  waters  of  the  Platte. 
On  the  7th  we  crossed  a  large  stream,  about 
forty  yards  wide,  and  one  or  two  feet  deep, 
flowing  with  a  lively  current  on  a  sandy 
bed.  The  discolored  and  muddy  appear- 
ance of  the  water  indicated  that  it  proceed- 
ed from  recent  rains  ;  and  we  are  inclined 
to  consider  this  a  branch  of  the  Smoky  Hill 
river,  although,  possibly,  it  may  be  the  Paw- 
nee ibrk  of  the  Arkansas.  Beyond  this 
.stream  we  travelled  over  high  and  level 
prairies,  halting  at  small  ponds  and  holes  of 
water,  and  using  for  our  fires  the  bois  de 
vache,  the  country  being  without  timber. 
On  the  evening  of  the  8th  we  encamped 
in  a  cotton-wood  grove  on  the  banks  of  a 
sandy  stream  bed,  where  there  was  water  in 
holes  sufficient  for  the  camp.  Here  several 
hollows,  or  dry  creeks  with  sandy  beds, 
met  together,  forming  the  head  of  a  stream 
which  afterwards  proved  to  be  the  Smoky 
Hill  fork  of  the  Kansas  river. 

The  next  morning,  as  we  were  leaving 
our  encampment,  a  number  of  Arapahoe  In- 
dians were  discovered.  They  belonged  to 
a  war  party  which  had  scattered  over  the 
prairie  in  returning  from  an  expedition 
against  the  Pawnees. 

As  we  travelled  down  the  valley,  water 
gathered  rapidly  in  the  sandy  bed  from  ma- 
ny little  tributaries  ;  and  at  evening  it  had 
become  a  handsome  stream,  fifty  to  eighty 
feel  in  width,  with  a  lively  current  in  small 
channels,  the  water  being  principally  dis- 
persed among  quicksands. 

Gradually  enlarging,  in  a  few  days'  march 
it  became  a  river  eighty  yards  in  breadth, 
wooded  with  occasional  groves  of  cotton- 
wood.  Our  road  was  generally  over  level 
uplands  bordering  the  river,  which  were 
closely  ooverud  with  a  sward  of  buffalo 
grass. 

On  the  10th  we  entmnd  again  the  buffalo 
range,  where  we  had  found  tht'i*t-  animals 
so  abundant  on  uur  outward  Jou-'uey,  ani 
haln'il  for  ai  day  aniong  numerous  herds,  in 


1844.] 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NAHHATIVK. 


ISl 


m 


order  to  make  a  provision  of  meat  sufficient 
to  curry  uh  to  the  frontier. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  wo  encamped,  in 
a  pleasant  oveninpr,  on  a  liigli  river  jirairie, 
the  stream  liein^  less  than  a  hundred  yards 
broad.  Diirinjr  the  nij^ht  we  liad  a  sncces- 
sion  of  thunder  slormw,  with  heavy  ami  eon- 
Ijnnous  rain,  and  towards  ninrninfj  the  water 
suddenly  burst  over  the  banks,  flooding  the 
bottoms,  and  becominfj  a  large  river,  five  or 
six  hundred  yards  in  breadth.  'I'he  dark- 
ness of  the  njirlit  and  incessant  rain  had 
concealed  from  the  guard  the  rise  of  the 
water ;  and  the  river  broke  into  the  camp 
so  suddenly,  that  the  bajLrgngo  was  instantly 
covered,  and  all  our  perishable  collections 
almost  entirely  ruined,  and  the  hard  labor 
of  many  months  destroyed  in  a  moment. 

On  the  17th  we  discovered  a  large  village 
of  Indians  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  a 
handsomely  wooded  stream  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river.  Readily  inferring,  from 
the  nature  of  the  encampment,  that  they 
were  Pawnee  Indians,  and  confidently  ex- 
pecting good  treatment  from  a  people  who 
receive  regularly  an  annuity  from  the  Gov- 
ernment, we  proceeded  directly  to  the  vil- 
lage, where  we  found  assembled  nearly  all 
the  Pawnee  tribe,  who  were  now  returning 
from  the  crossing  of  the  Arkansas,  where 
they  had  met  the  Kioway  and  Camanchc 
Indians.  We  were  received  by  them  with 
ihe  unfriendly  rudeness  and  characteristic 
Lusolcnce  which  they  never  fail  to  display 
whenever  they  find  an  occasion  for  doing  so 
with  impunity.  The  little  that  remained 
of  our  goods  was  distributed  among  them, 
but  proved  entirely  insufficient  to  satisfy 
their  greedy  rapacity  ;  and,  after  some  de- 
lay, and  considerable  difficulty,  we  succeed- 
ea  in  extricating  ourselves  from  the  village, 
and  encamped  on  the  river  about  fifteen 
miles  below.* 

The  country  through  which  we  had  been 
travelling  since  leaving  the  Arkansas  river, 
for  a  distance  of  260  miles,  presented  i.>  the 
eye  only  a  succession  of  far-stretching  green 
prairies,  covered  with  the  unbrjken  verdure 
of  the  buffalo  grass,  and  sparingly  wooded 
along  the  streams  with  straggling  trees  and 
occasional  groves  of  cotton-wood  ;  but  here 
the  country  began  perceptibly  to  change  its 
character,  becoming  a  more  fertile,  wooddd, 
and  beautiful  region,  covered  with  a  profu- 
sion of  grasses,  and  watered  wilh  innumera- 
ble little  streams,  which  were  woo»led  with 
oak,  large  elms,  and  the  usual  varieties  of 

*  In  a  receut  report  to  the  department,  from 
Major  Wharton,  who  visited  the  Pawnee  vil- 
lages with  a  military  force  some  months  after- 
wards, it  is  stated  that  the  Indians  had  intended 
to  attack  our  party  during  the  night  we  remain- 
wl  at  this  encampment,  but  wrc  prevented  by 
the  interposition  of  the  Pawnee  Loupe. 


timber  common  to  the  lower  course  of  the 
Kansas  river. 

.\i;  wo  advanced,  the  country  steadily 
improved,  gradually  assimilating  ilsdf  m 
appearance  to  the  northwe.'itern  part  of  the 
.State  of  Missouri.  The  btaulil'nl  .swan!  of 
the  buffalo  grass,  which  is  reuardiMl  as  tlio 
best  and  most  nutritious  found  on  liie  prai- 
ries, appeared  now  oidy  in  |)atc!ieN,  heinj 
rejjlaced  by  a  longer  and  coar.-icr  grass, 
which  covered  the  face  of  the  country  lux- 
uriantly. The  difference  in  the  clin'raeter 
of  the  grasses  became  suddenly  eviilcnt  in 
the  weakened  condition  of  our  animaU, 
which  began  sensibly  to  fail  as  smm  as  w« 
quilted  tho  buffalo  grass. 

The  river  preserved  a  uniform  i'rcu(it!i 
of  eighty  or  a  hundred  yards,  with  hroa^l 
bottoms  continuously  timbered  with  large 
cotton-wood  trees,  among  which  were  in- 
terspersed a  few  other  varieties. 

While  engaged  in  crossing  oneof  liie  n  i- 
merous  creeks  which  freipiently  iii;i<'(li(l 
and  checked  our  way,  sonRlijiics  olilijj-in:^ 
us  to  ascend  them  for  several  miles,  one  (^f 
the  people  (Alexis  Ayot)  was  shot  throuj.Mi 
the  leg  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  nlle 
— a  mortifying  and  painful  inischan(;e,  to  be 
crippled  for  life  by  an  accident,  after  having 
nearly  accomplished  in  safety  a  long  and 
eventful  journey,  lie  was  a  young  man  of 
remarkably  good  and  cheerful  temper,  and 
had  been  among  the  useful  and  efficient  r.icn 
of  the  party. 

After  having  travelled  directly  along  its 
banks  fur  two  hundred  and  ninety  miles,  we 
left  the  river,  where  it  bore  suddenly  off  ia 
a  northwesterly  direction,  towards  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Republican  fork  of  the  Kan- 
sas, distant  about  siyty  miles  ;  and,  continu- 
ing our  easterly  course,  in  about  twenty 
miles  we  entered  the  wagon  roar!  from  .Santa 
Ve  to  Independence,  and  on  the  last  ilay  of 
July  encamped  again  at  the  little  town  of 
Kansas,  on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  river. 

During  our  protracted  absence  of  fourteen 
months,  in  the  course  of  whieli  we  had  ne- 
cessarily been  exposed  to  great  varictic-i  of 
weather  and  of  climate,  no  one  case  of  sick- 
ness had  ever  occurred  among  us. 

Here  ended  our  land  journey  ;  and  the 
day  following  our  arrival,  we  fouml  ou;- 
solves  on  board  a  steamlioat  rapidly  gliding 
down  the  broad  Missouri.  Our  travel  worn 
animals  had  not  been  sold  and  di.-per.-^ed 
over  the  country  to  renewed  labor,  but  were 
placed  at  gin)d  pasturage  on  the  frontier, 
and  are  now  ready  to  do  their  part  in  the 
coming  expedition. 

On  the  6th  of  August  we  arrived  at  St. 
Louis,  where  the  party  was  finally  disband- 
ed ;  n  great  number  of  the  men  ha\ing  their 
homes  in  tho  neighborhood. 

AndiiMiB  Fueutes  also  remained  here,  hav- 


188 


CAPT.  FREMONT'S  NARRATIVE. 


[I8U 


ing  readily  found  omployment  fur  tho  win- 
ter,  and  is  ono  of  tho  nwn  (ingagod  tu  ao- 
company  mo  tho  nronont  ycur. 

Pablo  Ilornandoz  romuins  in  tiie  family 
of  Senator  Uonton,  where  ho  ia  well  taken 
care  of,  and  conciliates  ^ood  will  by  his  do- 
cility, intulligonco,  und  amiability.  Gonnral 
Almonte,  tho  Mexican  minister  at  Wash- 
ington, to  whom  ho  was  of  course  made 
known,  kindly  offered  to  tuko  charge  of 
him,  and  to  carry  him  back  to  Mexico ;  but 
the  boy  preferred  to  remain  where  ho  was 
until  no  got  an  education,  for  which  ho 
•hows  equal  ardor  and  aptitude. 

Our  Chinook  Indian  had  his  wish  to  B«e 


the  whites  fully  gratified.  He  accompanied 
mo  to  \Vuithin(j:ton,  and,  after  remaining 
several  months  ut  tho  Ciilumliiu  colln({e,  was 
sent  by  the  Indian  department  to  Phibdel- 
phia,  whore,  among  other  tliiiigN,  he  learned 
to  read  and  writu  well,  and  spoiik  tho  Eng- 
lish language  with  some  (hiunoy. 

He  will  accompany  mo  in  a  few  days  to 
tho  frontier  of  Mn^souri,  whenou  ho  will  bu 
sent  with  some  one  of  the  eniigrnnt  compa- 
nies to  tho  village  at  tho  Dalles  of  tho  (Jo- 
lumbia. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Bt.  Capl.  Topi,  i^ng inters. 


CAPT.  I'WEMONT'S  MAUUATIVE. 


in 


TABLE  OF  DISTANCES 


ALONa 


THE  ROAD  TRAVELLED  DY  THE  EXPED'.TION  IN  1813  AND  1844 


OUTWARD  JOURNEY. 

From  Kansas  Landing  to  Fort  Vancouver. 


Date. 

8| 

a  ^ 
Si  "^ 

8-! 

Localitiea 

Dato. 

ince  travel- 
each  day. 

lance  from 
sas  landing. 

LocnlitioM. 

1- 

<=>! 

|3 

u 

1»43. 

Miles. 

Milet. 

1843. 

Miles. 

Miles. 

May  39 

7 

7 

July  29 

6 

807 

30 

22 

29 

30 

24 

831 

31 

26 

55 

31 

30 

861 

lune    1 

23 

78 

Aug.  1 

26 

887 

9 

28 

100 

2 

31 

918 

Medicine  Bow  river 

3 

23 

123 

3 

26 

944 

4 

18 

141 

4 

18 

962 

North  fork. 

5 

19 

160 

6 

19 

981 

6 

14 

174 

7 

30 

1,011 

7 

8 

182 

8 

29 

1,040 

8 

5 

187 

Junction  of  Smoky 

9 

26 

1,066 

Sweet  Water 

Hill  and  Repub- 

10 

23 

1,089 

lican  forks. 

11 

29 

1,118 

10 

1 

188 

12 

25 

1,143 

11 

34 

212 

13 

\  15 

1,152 

South  pass. 

IS 

28 

240 

1,167 

13 

18 

258 

14 

'25 

1,192 

14 

17 

275 

15 

29 

1,221 

Green    river,   or   Rio 

16 

21 

296 

Colori^do. 

17 

14 

310 

16 

26 

1,247 

18 

23 

333 

17 

21 

1,268 

19 

18 

351 

18 

32 

1,300 

ao 

26 

377 

19 

28 

1,328 

SI 

27 

404 

20 

30 

1,358 

82 

26 

430 

21 

26    ' 

1,384 

23 

2o 

456 

22 

37 

1,421 

S4 

34 

490 

23 

12 

1,433 

1 

25 

26 

516 

Crossing  of  the  Re- 

24 

22 

1,455 

pubhcan. 

25 

8 

1,463 

Beer  Spriugs. 

26 

24 

540 

26 

21 

1,484 

27 

27 

567 

27 

21     , 

1,505 

28 

30 

597 

28 

27     1 

1,532 

39 

21 

618 

29 

17 

1,549 

30 

26 

644 

South  fork. 

30 

19 

1,568 

Idy     1 

32 

676 

31 

26 

1,594 

2 

29 

705 

Sept.  1 

22 

1,616 

3 

28 

733 

2 

17 

1,633 

4 

18 

751 

St.  Vrain's  fort 

3 

3 

1,636 

Mouth  of  Bear  river. 

36 

4 

755 

4 

6 

1,642 

87 

26 

781 

5 

27 

1,669 

38 

20 

801 

6 

25    j 

1.694 

184 


CAPT.  FKKMONT'S  NAUUATIVE. 
TABLK  OF  DISTANCES— Continued. 


1 

1^ 

If 

"u 

If 

Data. 

|1 

li 

LooalitiMk 

Dale. 

z,-^ 
l^ 

LooalitlM. 

P 

IJ 

|l 

1843. 

MiUi. 

Mile: 

16-13. 

Milei. 

MiU». 

Seot.    8 

30 

1,714 

Shore  of   the   Salt 

Oct.    9 

24 

2.2.M 

lukc. 

10 

9 

2.2.16 

Fort  BoM. 

!) 

8 

1,722 

Iiiuiid   in  the  Salt 

11 

90 

2,276 

lakf. 

12 

97 

2,303 

10 

98 

1,750 

13 

90 

2,323 

19 

13 

1.763 

14 

99 

2,345 

13 

27 

1,790 

15 

96 

2,371 

14 

94 

1,814 

16 

13 

2,384 

15 

l\i 

1,833 

17 

91 

2.105 

It) 

96 

1,8.VJ 

18 

90 

2,425 

17 

94 

1,H83 

19 

91 

9,446 

lb 

93 

1,!)U6 

Fort  Hall. 

90 

19 

9.458 

8s) 

12 

1,»18 

91 

5 

9,463 

84 

10 

1,928 

American   fuila    on 

29 

16 

9,479 

Lcwin'm  fork. 

94 

18 

9,497 

S5 

13 

1,041 

95 

18 

2,515 

36 

17 

1,938 

36 

3 

2,518 

Fort    Nez   Pero«,  al 

27 

i>n 

1,978 

the  mouth  of  Wa* 

•JK 

2.-) 

2,003 

UhwalHh  riv«fr 

•J!» 

21 

2,027 

98 

19 

2,537 

30 

2(i 

2or.3 

99 

19 

2,556 

Oft.      1 

16 

2,069 

30 

91 

9,577 

'2 

2!) 

2,098 

31 

26 

9,603 

3 

U\ 

2,114 

Nov.   1 

23 

2,626 

4 

I'J 

2,133 

9 

19 

9,645 

ii 

2G 

2,159 

3 

17 

9,669 

« 

22 

2,181 

4 

14 

9,676 

Dalles. 

7 

23 

2,204 

6&7 

90 

9,766 

Fort  Vancouver. 

8 

90 

2,230 

HOMEWARD  JOURNEY. 

From  the  Dalles  to  the  Missouri  river. 


Date. 

stance  travel- ; 
d  each  day. 

istance  from 
the  Dalies. 

Localitica. 

Date. 

stance  travel- 
d  each  day.     | 

li 

OQ 

Localitiefl. 

» 

Q^ 

Q 

1843. 

Miles. 

Miles. 

1843. 

ilfi7e«. 

Miles. 

Hov.  25 

12 

12 

Dec.    4 

9 

147 

26 

22 

34 

5 

11 

158 

27 

13 

47 

6 

19 

177 

^8 

21 

68 

7 

25 

902 

29 

2  J 

89 

8 

19 

221 

30 

10 

99 

) 

9 

14 

935 

Dec.     1 

6 

105 

10 

15 

250 

Tlamatb  lake. 

9 

11 

116 

il         12 

5 

955 

3 

39 

138 

r 

1         13 

12 

367 

CAPT.  FIIKMONT'S  NAUHATIVE. 
TAULK  OF  DISTANCKS— Continuofl. 


rM,   ai 
)f  Wb. 


1^^ 

H 

h 

h 

DaU.    ! 

1 

h 

Locnlitiea. 

Data. 

h 

liOoalitim. 

1843. 

M^lf». 

Milf. 

1644. 

MUf». 

Milt: 

Pec.   U 

ai 

288 

F«b.  91 

5 

1,006 

15 

91 

3U9 

' 

22 

3 

1,(109 

16 

9 

•MS 

Kurnmor  lake 

23 

5 

1,014 

17 

G 

:m  1 

24 

12 

1,026 

18 

90 

341 

25 

14 

1,040 

19' 

91 

365 

*J6 

14 

l.O.Vl 

90 

96 

310 

Lake  Abort. 

27 

1 

LO.'iS 

• 

81 

fi 

397 

28 

10 

1,065 

S9 

99 

426 

Mar.    1 

6 

1,071 

93 

7 

433 

2&3 

10 

l.OHl 

94 

13 

446 

Ctirifltmaa  lake. 

4 

7 

1,088 

95 

14 

460 

5 

20 

1,108 

96 

91 

481 

6 

34 

1,142 

Nueva  Ilolvetia. 

97 

94 

505 

24 

16 

1,158 

98 

16 

521 

25 

18 

1,176 

99 

15 

536 

26 

21 

1.197 

30 

17 

553 

97 

42 

1,239 

31 

18 

571 

28 

17 

1,256 

1844. 

29 

8 

1,264 

Ian.      1 

20 

591 

April  1 

10 

1,274 

9 

95 

616 

, 

3 

22 

1.296 

3 

7 

623 

1 

4 

18 

1,314 

4 

7 

630 

.         5 

37 

I.. -151 

5 

2 

632 

6 

15 

l,3(i6 

6 

15 

647 

Great  Boiling  upring. 

7 

50 

1,416 

9 

11 

658 

8 

6 

1,422 

10 

10 

668 

9 

31 

1,453 

11 

10 

678 

10 

40 

1,493 

19 

6 

684 

Pyramid  lake. 

11 

24 

1,517 

13 

12 

696 

12 

15 

1,532 

14 

9 

705 

13 

27 

1,559 

Pons  ill  tlio  .Slerru  No- 

15 

12 

717 

vada. 

16 

18 

735 

14 

32 

1,591 

17 

22 

757 

15 

32 

1,623 

18 

8 

765 

17 

39 

1,662 

19 

18 

783 

18 

3 

1,665 

90 

5 

788 

19 

15 

1,680 

91 

94 

812 

20 

33 

1,713 

Spanish  trail  at  Mo 

93 

14 

826 

hahve  river. 

93 

95 

851 

22 

20 

1,733 

94 

20 

871 

23 

33 

1,766 

95 

25 

896 

24 

8 

1,774 

97 

12 

908 

25 

25 

1,799 

1 

9B 

12 

920 

27 

43 

1,842 

9i 

7 

927 

28 

12 

1,854 

30 

11 

938 

29 

7 

1,861 

31 

26 

964 

30 

24 

1,885 

Feb.     2 

16 

980 

May     1 

15 

1,900 

3 

7 

987 

2 

12 

1,912 

4 

3 

990 

3 

18 

1,930 

7 

4 

994 

4 

57 

1,987 

8 

1 

995 

6 

18 

2,005 

Rio  Virgvn. 

10 

3 

998 

7 

10 

2,015 

90 

3 

1,001 

Summit  of  the  Sier- 

8 

18 

2,033 

1      ra  Nevada. 

9 

1 

2,034 

s>. 


'^A 

o .  ^-^  ^.^^. 


t-  V 


v-. 


W 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


%-. 


1.0 


1.1 


111  lU   12.2 


u 


140 


Hiotpgraphic 
•   Sciences 
Corporation 


<>. 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREIT 

WnSTIR,N.Y.  USM 

(716)t73-4S03 


^'^. 


■^^^ 


166 


CAP'r.  FREMONT'S  NAURATIVE. 
TABLli  OF  DISTANCES— Continued. 


1 

•  :  J 

travel- 
day. 

.a  ^^ 

Date. 

1 

|1 

|l 

Localitu<«. 

Duto. 

|5| 

TxH'nliticM. 

1844. 

MHe». 

Milr,. 

1814. 

Milr». 

Milea. 

May   10 

21 

2,05« 

Jiiiio  22 

15     , 

2,913 

nnvoii  Siilado,  (South 

11 

12 

2,070 

Park.) 

19 

11 

2,0S4 

VcgaBilc^uiilttC'laru. 

23 

36 

2,949 

13 

15 

2,099 

24 

21 

2.970 

to 

21 

2,120 

25 

21 

2.991 

IG 

17 

2,1.37 

26 

11 

3,002 

17 

17 

2.15-1 

27 

10 

3,(112 

VJ 

27 

2,181 

28 

21 

3,033  ' 

30 

22 

2.203 

29 

30 

3,003     I'uiltln, oil  ilic  Arkuu- 

21 

31 

2,234 

HILS. 

2h> 

23 

2,257 

30 

37 

3,100 

93 

12 

2.2G9 

Sevier  rivor. 

July    I 

33 

'«,133     D.miI'h  lort. 

S4 

23 

2,292                                      1 

5 

20 

3,l.'i3 

25 

32 

2,324 

6 

31 

3,18-1 

2(* 

9 

2,333     Utah  luke. 

7 

31 

3,215  ' 

27 

22 

2,355  ; 

8 

28 

3,243     llond-\vnli>r  of  Smo- 

28 

25 

2,380 

ky  Hill  lurk  of  the 

29 

25 

2,405 

KuuHati. 

30 

31 

2,43G 

y 

27 

3,270 

31 

IG 

2.4.')2 

10 

28 

3."i!»H 

Juiw     1 

IG 

2,468 

12 

24 

3,322 

2 

« 

2,476 

13 

30 

3, .152 

3 

21 

2.497 

Uiiituli  fort. 

15 

lU 

.•»,3<i2 

5 

2G 

2,523 

IG 

23 

3,:<y5 

6 

15 

2,538 

17 

32 

3,117 

7 

30 

2,568    Green  river,  (Browu'ttI 

lb 

24 

3,141 

'  ' 

hole.) 

19 

29 

3,470 

9 

3G 

2,604 

20 

29 

3,499 

10 

30 

2,634 

21 

23 

3,.')22 

11 

30 

2,GG4 

22 

17 

3,.'->39 

12 

2G 

2,690 

23 

26 

3,r.G5 

13 

26 

2,716 

24 

22 

3..^j87 

14 

23 

2,739 

25 

19 

3,606 

15 

25 

2,764     New  Park. 

2G 

24 

3,630 

IG 

26 

2,790 

1 

27 

18 

3,648 

17 

33 

2,823 

Old  Park. 

28 

22 

3,670 

16 

13 

2,836 

29 

12 

3,682 

19 

16 

2,852 

30 

12 

3,694 

30 

27 

2,879 

31 

8 

3,702 

Kansas  landing 

31 

19 

2.898 

Aug.  1 

7 

3,709 

Miasouri  river. 

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and  the  public  at  liirKO. 

The  sources  froin  which  the  iiinterlals  of  tho  present  work  hnvo  been  derived,  are  such  ns  to  render  K  dcservlnR  of  Ua« 
Dlmost  confldencc.  The  best  and  latest  have  been  invariably  resorted  to,  and  Innumenble  volumes,  both  Urilish  and  Con- 
tinental, have  iH-en  consulted  nnd  ciim|>ared.  A  large  |Hirlio''  of  the  wor'i  has  Ik'CU  derived  from  the  iiersonnl  e.\|M'rieucu 
of  the  Editor,  and  lliu  processes  of  various  laboratories  and  iiianiirniliiries,  many  of  which  he  can  highly  recomini'iid,  from 
having  Inspected  their  application  on  nn  extensive  -cnle.  The  Iruli-^criiiilnatu  adoption  of  matter,  witiio>'t  kxaminatium, 
has  been  uniformly  avoided,  and  in  no  InsUince  has  any  process  been  admitted,  unless  it  rested  u|K)n  some  well-known 
fact  of  science,  or  came  recommended  on  good  authority. 

Books  of  practical  receipts  in  general,  hitherto  have  been  compiled  with  little  regard  to  order  or  science.  In  thi.s 
respect  there  was  a  vacancy  to  be  filled.  Bomething  between  the  silliness  of  ignorant  qiinckery,  nnd  the  |iriifoiind  and 
extensive  developments  of  l!re's  Invaluable  Dictionary,  was  wanted,  adapled  to  domestic  purposes,  which  ini|;ht  jiratify  Ilia 
Amateur  desirous  to  make  u  familiar  ex|icrimcnt,  and  also  Impart  skilful  directions  to  the  Mistress  of  ihc  llou'^elmlil,  'ipoii 
•nmbcrlcss  matters  which  constantly  require  her  attention  and  Jisdginpiil. 

Mr.  Cooley*.s  (.'vi-loimidia  amply  supplies  the  deficiency,  in  its  :ipplic:iiiiin  to  all  tho  ordinary  pur|H)scs  of  life.  The 
Means  to  promote  eomfort  and  economy  in  the  domicll  nrc  unfolded.  Uakers,  and  Confictioners,  and  Uroccrs,  es|)cclally, 
wtU  learn  from  It  the  most  advantageous  methods  to  secure  good  articles  tit  the  lowest  cost.  Chemists  and  IlriiH):i-'ts  will 
comprehend  liie  iiiii''t  iipproved  and  scienllfic  methods  to  obtain  tlie  miP'sI  etilcts  of  llielr  pharmaceutical  liibur'^.  A;:ricnl 
turUts  will  (11  ciivrr  i<ie  iiiii>i  profitible  manner  to  engage  In  a  liirse  v.iriiiy  of  their  numerous  occupations  in  the  Dairy 
Ihe  Field,  the  Sl:ibli-,  and  the  runii-yard.  Manufacturers  and  MeelmMlcs  who  are  engag>  d  in  the  working  of  Copper,  Irbn, 
Tin,  Loud,  <;iii-',  I'lrftiinrry,  tills,  nnd  Wool,  will  be  lienefited  by  Ihe  multiplicity  of  valuable  inforniiilion  in  their  rcrpcfr 
Qts  departments,  ('allco  Printers  and  Dyers,  and  the  Workers  In  India  Ilubber,  also,  will  derive  cxteii|te  additions  la 
Ihalr  knowledge  from  this  Volume.  Bookbinders,  Taper  Makers,  and  Typographers  will  alio  And  their  bl|ffe$i  explained, 
while  Dentists  and  Thonogrnphcrs  will  equally  be  Interested  in  tho  increased  knowledge  which  they  will  imbibe  of  tholi 
MepecUve  arts  nnd  professinni,  from  BIr.  Cooley's  laborious  researches.  Hence,  hi*  CTCLor«iUA  or  Feactical  Bccurri 
0ttm  tm  ■£  ntnon*  advaatages  nnpanllelcd  by  any  timilor  prodnctloB. 

9  *  •• 


SUPPLEMENT   TO  DR.  URES  DICTIOXARY, 

D    APri.KTO.V  II  CO.  IIWB  JfST  rUlil.lSIIKI), 

RECENT   IMPROVEMENTS    IN    ARTS.    MANUFACTURES,  AND  MINES  ; 

B«ing  •  8u|i|ilitmrnl  to  hli  Diclioniry. 

HY  ANDRKW  I'RK,  M.  I),  F.  R.  H.,  *r  ,  Ilc. 

0«*  Tiilamn.Hvu  ,  nr:lOO|ifi(oa  itn<l  noir 'J'M  ul  tltor.ilo  wool  cult,  in  f>t|i<'r  i:ov»r,  1 1,  or  iiiilioap  t<i  iimtcli  tliu  l)ictiuiiar]r,tl  ^ 

Aiiii>ii;t<t  ilin  ni'iii)  urticlai  ontirsly  new,  »nil  otbort  truatoil  at  grualvr    langtli  in  tliii  luppltiinvnt  tliiin  lii  llio  futinrr  ••!> 
liiMM  ul'tliu  Uicliunary,  will  bo  ruunil — 

AriTic  Aiiu— Alcohol— Ahiiow  Root  (Id  gruwl^  trA  |iro|icrti<'ii)  -Ai>ti:ii4<i  Willi  (with  a  noli.;"  of  llin  mrci  mTuI 
Uhofi  of  MM.  Arago  .uul  Miilot  at  Groni'llo,  nnir  Pari*)— IUv^rmm  Uklk  ('•  Ih.)  mjritery  of  biuwinu  it  iik'Ih  |iliilo»o|.liir«illjf 
■tutllcit  mill  inroni|iiiriilil7  liottnr  unilnriluuJ  in  Munich  lliitn  in  I^nnlon,  iiml  tlirougliuut  lluviiilu  Ibun  in  Kri;:li>iiJ  ")  lltii'i'i  ri 
(with  a  coiii|ilii(u  ili'icniiliuli,  with  flgurei,urth<-  |jr(o  Ailloioi>i<-  ll.ikirit  «  ut  Itci'trnnl  inil  I'uilriniouth.)  lliTi'Mct  (ila  umi 
onl  inaniirirtnri'.)  IIrk4|i  (wiih  an  occount  uf  liio  ('ii'in-li  iiii|<rov<>iiii-nla,  iirroinpiiiiicil  with  plaiK  of  ovna  )  IIbilk  iJak- 
inu  (now  MK'tlioil,  iiccuinp;inioil  with  illuitration*  )  ('•■no  rRi^ti<i(i  (iilu<tr»ti'il  with  r'l.ilHii.itc  i-iitt  oCilic  iniMt  rcrunt  im 
proVMiiinnti.)  Cti  omkl  ('ALorm  (a  ilcinriptiun  of  .Mr,  Km  'I'iiIIhii'^  iinprovi'inciit  on  I'hiitojfraphy.)  ('AiuM.i(n  now  pro 
eBKi  of  the  III  inuf.ii'turo  of)  Caouiciiolt  (full  inforoMlion  of  lhi>  rfcrnt  upplii-iiiioii  of  Ciioiil  ■lionc  to  Ih"  urU,  undfr  Hook- 
himliii;;,  Ilrihliii^  .Mucliino  iinJ  KUitiu  Uitnijii.)  Chi.oratk  un'oitiii  ClloroLtrc  (n  nnw  rontriltntion  from  cxIiMiiivr  )>■ 
porinifliitiil  rr^iMirrlicA.)  CorPKK.  I>Aiii!tiiRKoTTri  (nn  clilKiratr  urtirlo  ilrtcriptivc  of  nil  Iho  nuwl  rei-mt  iiiiprovfmi'ntR,  'lo 
nunpiiniril  with  illu«trutlon«.)  KLiciito-METALLUROT  (n  foil  urrounl,  with  illiintrulion*,  uf  thin  import. mt  iippliriition  of  mi 
rncu  to  till)  1141';-  o:  liff.)  K^itMctLinu  (account  of  a  rorcnt  patunl.)  KvArniiATio^  (a  new  pntnit  for  generating,  purifyin;-, 
■ml  roiiih'iniiis  •team)  F£iiilr^TATio!«  (u  u»i!ful  ronipanion  to  account  uf  ll'ivaiiun  Boor)  KurL  (an  rlilioriito  loriii  ol 
B»|K;riiiii'iili'  on  llin  incanurnmaiit  of  hiiat,  oiiil  the  i|ualiti<-i  of  <liir<-ri-tit  kimli  of  Coal  )  0»t  LiuilT  (thi<  arli.Io  conlribultti 
by  an  iiitu'lli;,'i'iit  friuml  of  Dr.  I'ru'i  may  bo  coniitlcrix!  aa  a  ulan  aril  tn-uliia  on  the  lubji'Ct,  itoccupica  twenty  luiir  pngi>ii,  hi>4 
i*  illuiilratiMl  with  many  I'lulMirule  ruta  )  (•cLtTi?>B  (arnornpanii-il  with  illuitrationa  )  (lUA^to  (n  full  ui-i-ount  of  thia  im|M>r 
laiit  uitii'le  for  thu  ,\{;rii'ulturi«l,  from  extnniive  fX|>vriinont»  on  inmplca  uf  every  ilracriptiun.)  IIati.  iLi.tiMi^ATioN,  L'uai 
of,  (a  valo.tlilu  iirtiilu  on  tlio  UilTuaion  ami  economy  of  I.iijht,  with  illuatration<.)  Iro:<  anil  HiicLTiMii  (ile«cription,  with  ftg- 
area,  ofthu  \i'»\  pl.ma  of  tho  apparatua  for  the  hot  uir  lilaat,  ami  for  fui-iling  Iho  hlaat  furnace  with  minu,  liinoatone,  onil  (Uul.) 
LAMPa  (on  till)  eoiMtriiction  of  Lainpa  for  burning  apiril*  of  Tui|K>nlino  otherwiau  Ciiinphcno.)  Liaiiicr  («onie  obncrvutioiii 
on  the  proi'e.14  ufl' iiiiiin:;.)  I.EArHER  Morocco  (it<  manuficlurc.)  I.r.ArHUR  .SrLiTriMo  (account  of  vurioui  iiimlea  with  il- 
u«tr  itioiii.)  Mai.t  (tho  quantity  of  malt  coniiiinoil  liy  tho  varioua  breweriua  of  l>onili>n,)  Mktallic  Amai.>  <i<  (recent  eco- 
Hoiiiieu.  -iii'ilioil  of  improving.  IIctallic  Htatiitici  (rollectrd  to  the  present  pcrioil  )  MiMCt,  (ciulaining  a  iletuileil  uv- 
roniit  ol  thu  »'orkiii|>  of  .Minea,  with  their  prixluettona,  in  varioii,  part*  of  Ihu  world.)  .Ml'>i|Ui:t  (a  itafo  uinl  ainiple  conatrik'- 
lion  of,  will)  ili)t:illeil  I'uta.)  OiLi(tho  in  inuftrturoof  .''kei*  (.'Ri:aiii!<<i  Q|ft,now  forllio  llrat  time  roproacnte.l  hy  u  cumpleto  aol 
nTfijuri'i  i-xliiliilinj;  the  various  pnrta  of  tho  W'eilgc  Htaiiiping  .^lill.)  Paper  (partirularu  of  tlin  most  rucent  improvemontix 
with  illiHlratioiia.)  I'kitkr.  Pc«rl,  Artificial  anj  DcADa  (paitinilira  of  new  machinery  for  tho  niuuufacture,  with  ilhai- 
iTittiona.)  PiloTiKiRVPilT  (ila  proccaa  )  PoTTER'a  Ovem  (a  new  patent.)  PRl't«i«lE  uf  PuTAaii  (ill  nianuf.inliire,  Willi  illua- 
trntioiii.)  I'riiuLiMo  of  Inon  (n  new  planofan  economical  furnace  for  converting  caat  iron  into  bar  or  nnlleaMu  iron  )  Hac- 
tHARoMcrr.R  (a  nnw  Irililo  pointing  out  the  proportion  of  auga.-,  or  the  laccharino  matter  of  mall,  coni:iiiieil  in  tho  aolulton  I'l 
any  apocitie  gravity.  Hilr  (new  analyaia  of.)  Silver  (tho  extraction  of  from  lead.)  SMoKE-PnETK!<Tio:<i  (iletuila  iiTan  uit- 
n>onptioiiahle,aiinpl'3  and  aucceaaful  plan  for  efTerting  the  rontiiinniation  of  aodoairablo  an  object  )  i>i>u\  (now  etpcrimoola.) 
l'ri:<<iiNn  (a  short  hut  Hyatcmatic  viow  of  the  admirable  aelf  acting  a^atcin.  whereby  all  operation)!  in  a  cotton  factory  ar  ) 
linked  together  in  regular  aucceaaion,  and  co-operate  with  little  or  no  manual  aid,  toward  turning  nul  a  perfect  product.) 
Kri^iTa  (with  a  new  table.)  Starch  (accompanied  with  a  detailed  illuatration.)  Steel  (a  new  iinproveinenl,  with  cut*. ) 
Srii.L  (with  til*  iniixt  rerunt  French  improvements. /  Sugar  of  Potatoes  (fully  inveatigated  from  profexxionul  roauurtwi  ) 
Ti:a  (rocenl  n.TperiniuntH  and  ronmrka  on  ita  pruportioa.)  Tobacco  (ia  diacuaacd  at  conaidoralile  length,  chiefly  friini  evideuco 
rocenily  given  before  tho  Ilouao  of  Cummona.)  ToRToiaK-SHELL  (ita  manufacture  into  varioua  iibjertx  )  I'unrEMiiifa. 
BriHiTa  (experiniciita  from  varioua  koata.)  VErtTiLATio.t  (Iho  most  improved  mode.)  Water-Mi. verai.  (several  tiiblca  ui- 
^ibiting  the  nature  and  composition  of  tho  most  celebrated  mineral  waters  uf  (le.nany  )     White  IjEao  'description  oi  a  new 

Mtunt.)    Woou-l'AviNa  (doacriptivo  of  tlio  beat  ayateni.)     WoooPriiervimu  (tho  ayatein  adoptu  I  by  the  inuxt  cininont  oagl- 

^eni.)     Zi.ic  (recent  improvement*  in  the  manulacturc  of  thia  metal.)    With  an  Appendix  entitled  CiiLUUTitr  SiuPLirisc; 

Quide  to  Practitioners  in  toitin    Alkalia,  .^cida,  and  Itleaching  Substancca,  in  several  departmunta  uf  tho  Cbomical  Aria 

BV  THE  SAME  AUTHOR. 
Recently  Published,  the  fourth  .Imcricanfrom  the  third  London  edition, 

A     DICTIONARY 

OF 

ARTS,    xMANUFACTURCS,    AND    MINES: 

.:t;'^TAl.VING    A    CLEAIl    EXPO-SITION    OF    THKHl    PlU.\CIl'[.i:.S    AND    FK.VCTICE, 

ILLU.STR.\Ti:0  WITH  1011  WOOD  E.N'tJUAVI.NGS. 
Dun  atuut  vuhimo,  ivo,  uf  131 1  pages,  strongly  liouaj  in  loatlier,  $3 ;  or  in  two  vu|i|in>is,  $5  50. 
in  every  point  iif  vi  iw,  a  work  likii  the  jircMTit  cm  Id  re.;ir.l-l  aa  a  liMi-tit  ilono  to  lle;i)reli;al  aal   pru'lical  seienM 
*  oiniiii'ir- ani  industry,  and  an  important  addition  to  a  sp  Tics  uf  literature  the  exclu^iivo  pro.luction  of  thu  prcucnt  con. 
Mtv,  and  tli»  piDsenl  statu  uf puacu  and  civiji/atiun. — iihen)rum, 

l)r  Vri'N  Dietionury,  of  which  the  American  edition  'n  now  coniplulud,  is  a  sinpundoua  proof  of  porsovpiiii:;  assiduity,  eonft- 
'tlMd  with  guniiij  -ind  tasto.  For  all  the  benefit  of  inditidiial  cnterprisu  in  thu  practical  arts  and  manufieinrea,  and  for  tb« 
rfihanceiiieiit  oftjeneral  prosperity  through  the  oxtonainn  of  accurate  knowledgo  of  (Hilitical  oconoiny,  wo  have  nut  any  work 
^ortliy  to  bu  runipared  with  this  im|>ortant  volume.  We  are  c  rnvmced  that  inaniifacturora,  morchitnis,  tradesmen,  atudanU 
rf*  natural  and  uxpertuiuntul  philoaophy,  invenlivo  mechanic*,  men  of  opulonce,  muiubora  of  legislatures,  and  all  who  deair*  la 
/Mnprcheiid  something  of  the  rapidly  accelerating  progress  uf  those  discoveries  which  facilitate  the  supply  uf  hutnao  waata, 
jvl  tho  augmentation  uf  social  comfort*  with  the  oatiunal  weal,  will  find  tbi*  iuvdluablo  Dictionary  a  perennial  iOiikM  til 
Mlutar/  instructioa  and  edif/ing  eigo/ueat. — JVU.  InttL  « 


VALUABLE  AORICULTURAL  WORKS, 

puni.isiiiii)  it\  I)  Arrt.i:T(p\  ,\'  co.,  joo  juiOADWAV. 
RURAL    EC  ON  O  M  Y  ; 

CIIBMI.<<I'IIV,   PIIVHIftf,   AM)    .Mi:ilMIl'>l.iii;vi    <iu',  tllKMIMTUY    AI'l'UKU  TO    AtJUKLMIIlBi 

iiy  J.  n.  n()rissA\(;AULT, 

Mi'nilic  r  ul'llii'  liKlitiili'  ■>!  I'r  ■nri',  I'lr. 

TnA\)»i,ATr,i),  wiTir  an  ivriiuuniniv  ^m»  suikh,  mv  ukohuk  i,\w,  A«jniiM*LTiTia«T 

One  li:iiiiUiiiiiit  voliiiiif,  l','iii(i.  of  .'ilMI  iKigfit.      l'rii-(>  |    M, 

•' Thf  NiilijiM'iM  iiri',  V»'a«'lalili'  l'liy'<Mil<i|(> ,  iiml  ilic  ('lirmiciil  ('niiilitiitinn  of  Jin  Hiit»'<iinii'i'n,  Hir- 
thnriix;  rnnu  iiinl  Jiih'iv*,  .Miiiiiiri--,  Kniiiiinii  iir<'r>i|M,  Kt'>'iliii)(iir  .\iiiiii;ili«,  Aniiniil  Origin,  llniiioiiiy 
of  Aiiiinal'i,  St<ii-k  in  (ii-nunil  ami  ilx  jiroiliK.'lion  nl'  .Mainiri's,  I'aiti-ninK  i>l'  DuiiicMlitr  (4|(irk,  ui><l  Mulvor- 
oinginal  <'itn-iil<'rali<)iiit — nil  iIkmk  Munjfci't,  willi  '.Ix'ir  sariouii  luniii-i'tiiiim,  aru  iri-aliMl  \>y  tlxii  auilior 
id  a  rli'ar,  alil<'  and  KaliHlactDry  nianiDT,  ami  tin-  pliilntniijiv  ul'  tlio  \\  Imlu  niatUT  ('on.sitlfri.'il  in  ilit  ruia- 
linn  nml  a|i|>iir:iliilit y  In  m;;i ii'iiltnr>>.  Tlii'  wnrk  is  the  i'ruil  of  a  long  lil'u  itf  hIuiI)'  aiid  u.xiiurinient, 
nnd  il4  |u<rii-<al  will  aid  tlii'  (arim-r  gr<Mtly  in  nhlainiiig  a  piuriicul  and  ni  iuntific  knuwlcd^fu  uf  liiit 
profexsimi  " — .Imrricmi  .lirriciilturi.it. 

"To  l.ii'lii;{  lii'lonjt!!  iIk'  merit  of  a  di^rovcri-r.  IIi-  li-d  ilio  way  in  tlio  ap|ili(-ali>)n  of  exact 
•cienre  to  a!;rii'iiltiir  'iiit  Ins  1-4,  with  all  lli^^  traii»ii'ml>'nt  nii-ril,  a  tri'int'iidoiiH  tliPori/iT.  No  micli 
ohjerlioti  Iji-s  a;r:iin-4t  M  Moiii-manK;iiilt,  who  |ir<>i'i'i-dM  aN  f-ari'l'iilly  and  irxpi'rinicnlallv  a^  if  in  hia 
own  lal>oraiory,and  texts  all  Win  vii'ws  iijion  lii^  rami  liefure  giving  tliein  to  (liii  world  It  is  tins  that 
givuH  itiieli  valiiii  to  Ills  hook,  xrhieh  wi^  wan  ily  eoinim-nd  to  oiir  axrieiilinral   frientU. —///<//''/(>  .Idc. 

"  A  iiioru  eoin|ileti>  tnaiiiial  i-aniiot  liu  de<irfd." — Coiirirr  anil  t'.niiuirrr. 

••  W'e  rejoieu  that  thiM  work  of  an  etniiieiil  Fruiicli  teaelier  of  Agrieiiltnral  Sricneo  linn  boon 
placed  hel'oru  tliu  Aiiiuriean  piihlie." — Tnlninn, 

"  Tlio  inrorinatioii  it  impartrt  is  exeuedingly  full  and  eoniprelienHivi)  ;  it  liao  for  the  farim-r  tho 
groat  ineril  of  exemption  from  Hcienlifiir  teeliiiiealities." — .V.    V.  I'ommrrrial  .iilrrrlinrr. 

"  Wo  arc  Hali-tlied  that  a  valiiahle  addition  has  heun  inadtt  to  thi*  ainoiint  of  important  agrieiillnral 
information  witlnn  uiir  reach.  M.  ltoiii.ssaii;;anlt  ix  not,  l>y  any  ineatiH,  n  mere  theorist,  or  man  of 
iciunnu — ho  is  a  praetiral  fanner,  wali.liiiig  elo.xely  all  tliu  ujiurations  of  liin  nlantation,  and  handling 

'to  Jay,  an  well  as  I  no 


tlio  balance  himself,  weighing  his  ealves,  tV'.,  from  day  to  Jay, 


liaii  nscortained  with  cxaetneii!*  the  rosultd  iiuw  pro(liico<l. 

TUB 


Farmer's  Cabinet 

IWUMKR'S  AM)  KMIGIUNT'S  HAND-BOOK: 


prodiico  ol'  hii  licldx, 


BKIN(J 

A   FULL   A\D  COMI'LF.TP:   Gl]]AJK  FOIt   TIIK    FAKMRIl   AM)   EMKMIANT; 

^      eo>irAiNiN(i 

7%c  Cli'ir'ni'^-  llir  F,in.tt  and   Prnhif  l.iml — Uanleninif  —Fanninsr  ffcneruUy — Furrierij — t'noking — 

Tkc  Prti:ciiti:m  anil  Cure  of  n'mci.sin  —triih  Co/)io>is  fiLilriiilinnii,  Tables,  Utciprsi,  and  Hints 

AiiAiTKi)  TO  Kvi:iiv  «"i,Ass  ()|-  rnrvTiiY  Ki:siiii;.\is. 

Ihj  J   T.  M.inSII.ll.L,  .hithnr  of  "  The  F.mi^^rant's  Tnir  (hiiili.' 

On'  \  (iliimo,  l^mo.     Illiislrat>Ml  with  numerous  eiits.     Itoiiml  in  leather.     ^1. 

"Thin  volume  for  eiiizens  who  aro  t  iigaged  in  agrieiiltural  oreiipalioiis  in  the  newly  settled  dis- 
trielg  is  of  the  verv  highest  value  ;  iiltlioiigli  its  worth  is  efpial  to  every  Ameriean  I'armer  and 
Hinigrant,  whuther  he  removes  from  the  Kastern  Stales  or  from  Knrope  to  fix  his  domicil  on  our 
Western  lands,  or  even  rnsides  in  ihe  'ilder  seiilemenls.  In  this  hand-hook,  full  of  Niiii|.lii  iiy  and 
adaptation  to  all  persons  who  livo  in  the  eonnlry,  the  reader  will  learn  ahnndant  and  relialilu  iiifur- 
mation  respec  ling  the  purchase  and  clearing  of  timber  land— the  gi-neral  management  of  an  AinericaB 
l,.rui,  as  io  its  buildings,  fences,  dairy,  the  liousehold  tleparlment  and  rookery,  with  wliic  h  is  incor- 
porated a  large  number  uf  ihu  iiiosl  UHofiil  directions  appi  rtaining  to  domestic  life  and  eeoiioinT — 
iho  nature  of  the  diseases  in  the  animals  on  a  farm,  with  the  remedies  for  them— an  illuNtration  of  thu 
eimmon  maladies  of  the  human  family,  with  hints  for  the  iireservatioii  of  health.  The  Friiit-garden, 
nnd  Forest  and  Fruit-trees  next  are  illustrated.  Then  follows  direclions  to  cultivate  Dyer's  Madder 
— to  Cure  aii'l  Pack  Provisions  fur  Europe;  to  make  Lard-oil  ;  and  to  obtain  Hops;  all  which  are 
repres<Mite(|  as  liighty  profitable  articles  for  the  maker.  Al\er  which  is  intrudmed  a  synopsis  of  ilio 
(.Vm^titiition  of  lin-  I 'niied  States,  and  the  natural i/.at ion  ami  |ire-em|ition  liiws.  To  which  is  ap|>ended 
a  Mi-icelhinv  of  information  upon  almost  every  prominent  mailer  which  is  crim'iined  with  tli«;  atlairb 
of  a  farm,  wlietlii-r  in  the  houso  or  the  stable,  the  field  or  the  barn.  IVlr.  Marshall's  manual  e.\|dainH 
about  fiHeeii  hundred  different  subjects.  It  seems  dilfieiilt  to  specify  what  additional  information  a 
fanner  or  an  enii^r.int  can  rerpiire  in  a  hand-book  of  experimental  and  prriclieal  intelligence  upon 
agricultural  topics  " — Litcyary  liulletin. 

"  One  of  the  most  useful  works  we  ever  saw.  We  can  point  to  no  other  book  so  good  for  tho 
emigrant  farmer." — lioslon  Morninn  Post. 

"  It  ishiicli  a  l)o(d<  as  every  emigrant  from  Knrupe,  every  man  who  'goes  West  '  to  settle,  ought 
to  have.  Manv  will  think  they  cannot  atl'oril  it,  and  pay  at  least  a  hundred  dollars  in  losses  fur  tha 
knowledge  they  might  have  derived  from  it.  " — Tiihuiir. 

' D.  A.  A-  CO.  HAVE  ALSO  .ll'ST  I'lllLISIlEP, 

STABLE   ECON'OMY; 

bbi.no  a  tukatisi;  o.\  tiik  .M\s'\(;r,Mr.\r  "r  iini;.-*!.-!.  i.\  i!i:t.\iiu.\  to  staiii.!.\(j,  r.Ruo.MiNU. 

KKKOrNc;.  VVATKItl.N*;,  A.M)  WOKKIMJ. 

nV  JOHN  STHWART, 

Veterinary  Stirgeoii.  and  Intoty  ProleMorof  Vetorinnry  Moilinific   in  tlio  Aml'Tii'miin  I'tiivi'r«ily,  Oh«gow. 
From  tlie  third  Cnglifili  edition,  witii  Siutua  nnJ   .Aililitiom.  it.lniitiii^  ii  t»  Air  -riiMii  Pnoil  mid  Cliiniiii*.     Ily  A.  !)•  AlAIN, 
Bditot  ol  the  Anericaa  Agr.julturiaU — Illu>li^iU-d  with  iiumurou*  K'ljr  ivjn^'t.     O.io  vuluiin!,  IJino.     Prko,  81. 


■ 


STANDARD    EPISCOPAL    WORKS 

PuhVuhed  bif    I).  Aitpltton  4*  Co.,  Nrw-York. 
THE  KINCJOM  OF  CHRI8T1  MAQEE  ON  ATONEMENT  AND 


Or,  llliitii  ri'i4|M<riiiig  till-  I'riiK-ipli't,  ('i)iHiiliitiiiii, 
Niiil  Onlinaiici-K  III'  tint  Ciilliulir  ('liiircli.  Ily 
Trrilirirk  hi'iiitmi  Miiiirirf,  M  A.,  niii|iliiiii  i>l' 
(iiiv'-i  MiMiiiliil,  I'rnruH^iir  III' r'.MKli!«ti  l.ili'r.'itnri! 
uii<i  lli:4i<iry,  KiiiK'n  ('nllfj^r,  l.nniliKi.  (Iim- 
vli'giint  iii-tiivi)  voluinu  olMioii  |»i;{i'ii.     iji'J  .'tO. 

PALMER'S  TREATISE  ON  THE 
CHURCH. 

K  Tri'iitJHO  (in  llin  (.'liiirrli  nf  Clirixl.  Di'itigniil 
I'liii'lK  I'lr  llio  iiHi!  i>rSliiilriiu  ill 'I'ln-iilitKy  Ity 
lli«  lliv  Win.  I'.iliiii  r,  M.  A.,  nl"  Wnrrf'ili'r 
riilli';^!',  Oxfiiril  I'.ilili'il,  wiili  Niilt'H,  liy  tlm 
ItiKlK  l(.-v  \V.  H.WIiiltiiiKliiiii,  I).  I).,  lliMlMi|i 
of  (lie  l'r<iti>Mliilit  K|ii4rii|iiil  riilirrll  ill  llli'  l)l<i- 
rusi'  III'  .Miiryliiiiil.  Twii  vhIuiiich,  Hvo,,  limiil- 
■oiiii'ly  |iriii(ril.     if^T%. 

PAROCHIAL  SERMONS. 

\\y  Joliii  jjiiirv  .NnwiiiMti,  l(.  I».,  rdlinv  uf  Orii'l 
<Jiilli'i(f  ami  Virir  ol'  St  Alary  llm  Virniiix, 
Oxtiird.  Till)  NIX  voliliiicH  III'  till!  Liiliiluii  nil- 
tiiill  r<iiii|iii'li)  ill  Ivvn  uli'gaiit  Hvo.  viilciliun  nl' 
ii|iw.irils  iil'liDI)  |i:i|{i>.4  earli.     $•*>. 

BURNET'S  HISTORY  OF  THE  RE- 
FORMATION. 

Tlio  lliilnry  ol'lln'  llirnriii.iliiiii  iifllii)  (Iliiircli  i/ 
Kii'.'l  III'!,  Iiy  (iilliirl  liiirtu't,  l>.  I).,  lite  Lord 
niiliii|i  III'  SaliKliiiry  —  vvitli  tlu!  ('<illi'i:tiiiii  (il 
Ri'citi'iU  aiiii  a  ri)|ii<iiiH  liiili'x,  icvi^i-ii  iiml  cor- 
recli-ii,  with  aililitmiial  Nntrs  ami  a  l'ri'la<-i>,  liy 
till-  |{.v.  1;.  Nauw,  I)  I).,  lain  I'mii'ssiir  iir.Mii- 
derii  lii^tiiry  in  tln^  I'liivurMily  uf  O.xl'uril.  II- 
lll^t^  it'  <l  witli  a  rri>nlis|iii>ci)  iiiiil  twiMiiy-tlirce 
|MirtriiN,  rdnniii^  I'mir  Hvo.  voluiiii-s.      -j-l. 

riii-a|i  I'diiiiiti,  witlioiit  till)    ItiTiirds,  3  voliiiiiux, 


Hvi 


no. 


BURNET  ON  THE  XXXIX.  ARTI- 
CLES. 

An  llxponilion  ol'tlii!  'i'liirty-Ninti  .Xrtirlon  of  the 
Cliiir.'li  of  r.iiglaiid,  l»y  (Jillii-rt  Itiiriift,  I).  I)., 
hitii  l5isl'.o|)  of  .Salisli-.jry.  With  an  .\p|i<!ndix, 
ciiiil  i'iiiiij5  llin  .'Viij^Mliiir^  Conri'ssicin,  ('rt'cd  ol" 
l'ii;i('  I'iiH  IV  ,  tVc.  Ili'visfil  and  rorri'cti'd, 
tvitli  r(i|ii<iiH  Noti's  and  additional  Ri-ri'ri-iiri.'s, 
by  tliu  Iti'V.  Jaiiii;!*  It  I'agi-,  A  M.,  i>r(ini't!ii!< 
Coili'gi',  Cainhridgo.     Omi  vol.,  octavo.     igi'J. 

OGILBY  ON   LAY   BAPTISM. 

An  Oittliiii-  id'lliu  Argiiinrnt  afS.'iin.Ht  thi.-  Vaiidilv 
of  Lay  ISa|ilisin.  Hy  Julin  l>.  Ogilliy,  I)  {)'., 
Prolissnr  III'  Mi'clusia.Ktical  History.  One  vol., 
fiiino.     7'i  v.U. 

PEARSON  ON  THE  CREED. 

An  I'<x|io.-iitioii  of  till'  CriJi'd,  l»y  John  IV.-ir.'jnn, 
I).  I)  ,  lato  nisliop  of  ('hii.NtiT.  With  iiii  Ap- 
pendix, <-oiitainiiig  tlm  principal  (iriM:U  and 
Latin  l-'rcnl.^.  lli;visfd  ami  corrertcd  hy  tlie 
|{i!v.  W  S.  Dohson,  .M.  A.,  Piti  rlioiise,  Cam- 
bridge.    Olio  iiutidsuine  8vo    volume,     '^'i. 


SACRIFICE.' 

l)iHriiiiriii>i«  iind  l>i4Ni>rliiiionii  on  tin'  Si  riplurul 
DoL'IriiH'.v  of  AloiH'ini'iii  and  Sariifiif,  :iiiil  011 
ihn    prinripal    Argiinii'iili    iidvaiii-i  •!,  am!    llii* 

mode  of  |{i'a'<onilli(  I'lliplovi'd  tiy  (lie  I  >ppone|ll4 
of  ihoit"  Ooi'trilleil  at  hi'iit  \\y  tli''  r.-Lilili^ln  d 
(liiirrh  l(>  the  late  im>~t  !(•  v  Win.  Mi{im'. 
It.  I)  ,  \ri  lilii^hiip  of  Dnliliii,  'I'vvii  vidiiiiieo, 
riiy.ii  ""Ml  ,  lieaiitit'iilly  priiili  d.     '^'\. 

THE  PRIMITIVE  DOCTRINE  OF 
ELECTION; 

Or,  an  lliiitorii  al  Impiirv  inio  ijii<  lijiaiiiy  and 
Caii'talioii  of  Srripliiral  Kh  1  iinn,  ai  ri'ri-i\ed 
and  maintainrd  in  the  I'riniilive  Cliiirrli  ■.( 
rhri-l.  Hy  <Ji'cir(?i!  Stanley  Tain  r,  M.  I)  ,  au- 
thor of  "  liillieiiltiiM  of  |{  i;ii.iiii«ni,"  '•  Ditliiiil- 
tii.'H  of  Inlidelily,  "  «.Vi'.  Complete  in  oni:  \id- 
uiiie,  octavo,     jjil  7."». 

PRACTICAL  SERMONS 

Tor  ofury  Sunday  and  I'rimipal  lliil\d.iv  in  ihi* 
Year.  Hy  the  R.-v.  Charl-M  nradley,'  A  .M . 
Two  voU  of  I'.ngliiili  tditiiiii  in  0110.     ^1  r>(l. 

PAROCHIAL  SERMONS. 

I're.K  hed  at  ('l:i|.hain  ami  (ila>l>iir\ .  Ity  the  Rev 
('liarles  llradL-y.  Frojii  the  (e-veiiih  \'.U'^\\h\\ 
edition,  two  volunu'Hin  0110.     ,'*il  'J.'i. 

Till'  t\vi<  MiliiiiH'i  of  till'  .\iiirriiMn  oilillii'i,  v'linlniiiing  fmi 
voliitiH'.  til' till*  Knu'lmh,  tiouiMl  iti  dip'  voliim--.     .^'i  .'ill. 

♦,*  Till' fiiriiicirH  III'  llrii'lli'Y  urn  lii,'lily  rui:  i.niui'iiili'il  liy 
"iiijiii'Mt  iliviiii'i  olvHlDut  ili'iiiiininiitliMi.. 


Cfc^RCtTRlAN'S  LIBRARY. 

Thu  ynK^t'i  of  ihi.s  Heries  are  uiiil'iriu  in  *\\  le,- 
and    higiif)'    repommended    by   the    Ki^tiop't    aii'i 
('iergy  of  tho  Protestant  I'.piseoiial  Cliureli. 

riio  Crnni  III  riirlit ;  .Mi.'ilit'iliiiiiii  iiii  uiir  Hivl'iur. 


IIIKIK 

inino 


ul 


I VK^*,  llinhon.     ScriiKMH.     Hmiii ^1 

(Xill.llV'H  [rf'cturi'ii  iiii  llin  (.'Iiii n'li  in  l''M;,'hiii<l  iiml  ,\iiii'ri<'>i 

II'miiii ^T1 

.M.\USII.\!,r/.-<   Nolo   m\    KiiitcMipu'y       K-liloil    liy    Wiiin- 

wri^lit.     I'Jiiiii i....l  '.1.^ 

."^I'KM'KR'."^  Clirinliiui  ln«lru('li'il  in  tlni  \\';iyH  ortl.ii  (iinii,  I 

mill  I  III'  Cliiiri'li,     I  (lino I  >J.'i 

.\i:U'M  \.N"S  .Suriii'iin  iin  Snliji'i-l.  ol"  lliii  lliv.     |-Jniii..l   'J.'i 

M.W.M.Vi;  on  tlio  I'lilty  nl'tliii  Clinri-li.      Iilnio I  IKI 

.V  KI''.MriS,ortlii>  Iniitiition  ol'i  lirml.  i'nin|i|i  ti-,   IG11111..I  i).l 

HIII:kI,i)('K'S  rriidliiill'lirliiliiin.     H^im I  (iil 

SI'l.\i'KK>H  Miiniiiilol' Privnlo  llcvotlnn       ICnio I   im 

\VII,S().\''.-<  SaiT.i  rrivaln,  coiiipli'tr       li'm I  00 

nil'KTOV'S  lli.l.iry  ollho  Kiirly  Kiifli-li  Cliiir.li I   (10 

l.YllA  .\I'<».-<rol,|(*.V      Kroni   llic    IMili    Oxl'.uil   cJilion. 

i^'ino 73 

r.\(;i",T'H  Tali'nor  lliu  VilliiBi-.     a  ml".     Him 1  75 

SI 'TTO.N'S  Dmre  Vivrro,  l.i.'urii  tn  l.ivo       Mmu 1  00 

.Mi'ilitiilionii  iin  the  Hiicraiiiont.     Ilinio I   (Xl 

Di.ni  Mciri,  l.i'iini  111  Dio.     Il'.nid I  00 

TIKM'CIITH  in  I'ast  Yi'nrii.     rnilry.     Iiimo 1  25 

CIIKISTM.AS  IIKI,I,.S,  anilolliir  I'liiniii.     Ilinio 74 

TAVI.OU'S  (iiil.lon  (irovc.     ICiiio 50 

T.WLOK'.S    Kpiitropucy  A««cili'il  ami    iMiiintaineil.     JRino 

1  00 

KIT'S    Doiilili)    \Vlln>M   or.lhu    Cliiiri'li.       ."•'croud   edition. 

I'.'llMl 1   00 

(Jltl'.SI.KY'.S  Purirnit  lip  nn  Kn-ili-li  <'liiir.lwiiim 7S 

KV.X.NS'.S  lliii  Uify  of  Viilt'lu-'iiil.     ItMiio 75 


THE    COMPLETE    WORKS   OF    RICHARD    HOOKER, 

WITH  A.N  AC'C(JI'.Nr  Oh'  MIS  I.lli:  AM)  01". ATH.  IIY  ISAAC  WAI.ToN. 
ARRANGED  BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  KEBLE,  A.  M. 

WITH     A    CO  M  I'  L  E  r  E    GENERAL    INDEX, 

rO  WHICH  IS   APPENDED  AN  I.SDEX  OF  TEXTS  OF  SCRIPTURE  PREPARED  EXPRESSLY  FOR  THIS  KmriO*. 

Three  volumes  of  Oxford  edition  in  two  handsome  Svo.  volumes.     Price  $4. 

'*  Hookor'i  wai  eeitainiy  tne  nnait  mina  ihnt  emplojred  iUcir  on  Theological  atudlei  lubioquently  to  th*/  Heformatioa  la 
England,  nnd  lili  great  work, '  The  Lawi  or  Eccloiiaaticul  Polity,'  la  likoly  to  Tulfil  the  pro|^hecy  of  CIeip«iit,  and  last  untii 
k«  ftnii  Hre  thall  comunw  all  leaminf."— iHrnseu'  Skttchu  <iflki  Rtfarmttum, 


m 


COMMON  SCHOOL  LIBRARY. 


D.    APPLETON    Sl    COMPANY 


ni  the  r-OMMON 


^•M')'i.'i'"i'A'r..".".ri'*'°'?..**'^^'''r"'  '■"•••"•i"'''"  ■n<l  otlnrn,  lo  Uirir  wellknowii  M>ric 

M  IMNM<  l.lnUAKi 

niMiiM'i 

vuluiiii 

U.  A.  A-  To.  Iinvx  iiiiiiienMix  iHlrrx  Ironi  DinJricl  Nclio«»l  HHi)^rinirni|pnU,  uiil  otiiera  cont.i'ctpJ  wilti 
I  oiiiiiiuu  t>fliuul»,  Iruiii  vuriiuiM  mi  tiomt  oi  llii<  «tiUi>,  ■itcukiiiK  very  liinlily  ol  tliw MTiua. 


4MII,  I.IKU  AUV  Tim  iMNilm  citiii|>OHiim  llim  M-ricM  Imvn  all  U'rii  M^lrrt")!  wilh  limit  rarr,  noiiibiniui 
wmiitt  Willi  iiiNiruclioii ;  mill  nt  ilir  Miiiin  time,  avoidiiiK  every  IIiiiik  urctariaii  iii  lU  (eiKlriirv.  'niS 
iirm»ri<  Nlnmuly  ami  iifitlly  liouixl  in  li>«lltrr. 


Work  ^I'll  WiiKM.    Hy  Mary  llowiU. 


I.itllii  (  inn  iiimpIi  Care. 
Wliii'li  iNlliM\ViM<rl 
WlioNlinll  Im<  'JrralPMt? 


Ho|>n  on,  lldiio  ever. 
Hrive  uiitl  'iTirive, 


1)n. 
I)u. 
l>o. 
l)o 

1)0. 

IV). 

1)0. 

Ry  Harriet  Martiuoau 
Ky  .Mm.  Nuiiilliaiii. 
Ity  ( 'iipt.  Marry  all 


HvoIm. 


Nuwiiiu  uiul  Ufapiiiii. 

AJiiM*  (rajiklin. 

IVaaaiil  uiiil  the  Prince 

Tin*  Twill  .NiMleni. 

Moxlcriiiaii  Kcaity 

Lookiiig-glaw  lor  tlie  Miii«l.    Many  platf*. 

■BOOND 

My  Own  J<tory.  Uy  Mary  llowitt 

'I'lie  Two  A|i|iri>nticra.  Do. 

Love  anti  Money.  |)o. 

No  .Smim*  like  ( 'ommon  Kenae.      IH, 

My  l'iirli>  lli«>  (^lo<;kiiiuker.  !)<>. 

Tlie  Karnit'r'M  Duiiahtcr.    Hy  .Mn».  Cameron. 

YounK  student.    Hy  Madame  <iiii/ot.  3  vok 

l>oinei4ic  Tulea.    Hy  llunnali  More. 

KuralTalea.  ■  Do. 

Woman'a  Worth    or,  Uinta  lo  Raiae  the  Female 

Character. 
Voung  Man  nt>in  Home.    By  J.  A.  Jamea. 


29  yolnir.M«  97.M.— cnxTAma 

Tlrwl  of  HoiiM<keet)inK.    By  T.  «.  Arthur. 

Karly  l-'rii>ndNlii|i.    Hy  Mra.  Copley. 

The  l'o|iliir  «in»ve.  I»o. 

Kiml  liiiiirrKMKtiiN.  Hjr  Mra.  Ellia. 

DaniK'm  oi  UiiiinR  Out.  Ho. 

Komiii<>rvill)<  Hall.  l)o. 

Life  and  .\dv)'ntiireaor  Heury  lludaou.    By  Um 

aiilhorol  I  iiHe  Philip.  ^^        ' 

Advrnturea  ol'  <  apt.  John  Smith.    Ry  do. 
I.ilti  and  Adveiiiiirea  ol  Henian  (^ortM.    By  do 
HawiiiiiKN  ol  (ifiiiiui.    Hy  Aiiite  I'ratt. 
KeiKhlh-y'ii  Mylhn|oiry. 


•«•    Any  volume  of 
I  he  Book  of  the  United  Blatoi  Army.  Dy  Pmf  Pro*L 

l)ii.  do.  Navy.  l>o. 

Dn.  iln.  IndlaBi.        l)o. 

The  Knmier'i  unit  Knii(nint'*t  Ilit^Spok. 
Hlru'iirt'ii  Hliililn  I'ViiiKiiny.     lUIIU^V  A.  0.  Allen, 
7.«rhi)kki^'a  InriiloiiU  of  tViclHl  l.,iro. 


thiH 


'ip|nti 


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I. no 

I  (Ml 
I. (Ml 

l.uu 

l.(K) 


Volomaat  t7.90l— containb 
N-ttlcnt  in  Canada.  3  vuU.    ByCapt.  MurryaM. 
Th»«  Crofton  Hoj-a.    By  Harriet  Martincnu. 
Adventiirca  of  Daniel  Boone. 
I'hilip  Uandolpli.    A  Tale  of  VirKJnia.    By  Mwy 

(icrlriido. 
RowniiN  HiRtory  of  the  Frencli  Revolution.    9  vola. 
Soulhry'H  Life  of  Oliver  Cromwell. 
Uov'h  Manual— Containing  the  Principica  ol'  Con- 

diirt,  A'c. 
(■irl'M  Munual.  Do.  do. 

MiniHter'M  Family.    Hy  Mra.  Ellia. 
Liehig'M  Familiar  I^ttera  on  Chemintry. 

Ifl  Volnmest  19me. 

■eriea  can  be  had  aepAratelf. 


The  DniiKlilcra  of  Knalnnd.    Hy  Mr*.  Ellli 
I)«.    Wlvp«  <io.  do.   - 

I»o.    Woiiirn         do.  do.  • 

1)0.    Moilien         do.  do.  - 

niilxoi'it  IIIXoryorCivllixailoB 

The  I'nriiier'i  Treniinre.    -       .        •       . 


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Ini  mailer,  viirioiix  workx  on  ihoie  mibjcru  In  iclnnre  nnd  iirl,  itrriilliirlv  Inlerealinf  to  the  ren'.denu  of  town*  iind  vH 
l.><v*i  wLilo  ut  tliokuiuo  tUiui  lliey  an;  iiul  beyond  llie  comprflinniilon  of  lliu  junior  |Nirlion  uf  ili«  connnuuitv'. 

COMPLETE    TEXT-BOOK    OF   HISTORY. 

A  MANUAL  OF  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  HISTORY: 

By  W.  CooKE  Tavuik,  LL.  D.,  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin. 

REVISED,  WITH  ADDITIONS  ON  AMERICAN  HISTORY, 

By  C.  8.  Henry,  D.  D.,  Prof,  of  History  in  the  I  nivereity  of  N.  York. 

One  handaoma  volume,  Bvo.,  of  em  riagea.    tte.as. 

*a*  For  convenience  aa  a  Claaa-book,  the  Ancient  or  Modem  portion  can  be  had  aeparately. 


I  Ani'ICnt  IIiDToaT,  containing  the  Political  History, 
(iCUKriiphiail  I'iMitlon,  and  Soclul  Slate  of  the  I'rlncliMl 
Nntlon«  of  Antii|uity,  carefully  digested  ftttm  the  .\n- 
rleni  Writers,  and  lllustmiea  by  the  discoveries  of 
Miitlcrn  dcliolnrs  and  Travolten. 

Tliis    iNirtiun  li  one  nf  the  best  compunds  of  Ancient 
History  that  ever  yet  has  appeared.    It  contains  a  complete 
.ail  for  the  collcglnle  lecturer;  and  Is  an  essential  hand- 
book for  the  stuiluni  who  Is  desirous  to  liecoine  acqunlnled 
with  nil  that  if*  memorable  In  general  srralar  archoioloffy. 
n.  MoPKax  lits-mav,  containing  the  Rise  ami  Progress  of 
tkn  Priiicipnl  Kiiropean  Nations,  their  Political  History, 
ami  (he  CliiiiiBes  In  their  Social  Condition,  with  a  History 
lA  the  Colonics  founded  by  Europeans,  and  a  Chapter  on 
the  United  States. 

This  Manuiil  of  Modem  History,  hj  Mr.  Taylor,  Is  the 
moat  valiinlile  and  instructive  work  concerning  the  general 
tul(iects  which  !i  comprehends,  that  can  be  round  in  the 
whole  department  uf  hlstorirjit  litaraturo. 


Mr.  Ja|ikd  BrAaas,  In  speaking  of  this  Manual,  says : 

"  As  a  c<iinpend  of  General  lliiilory  adapted  to  the  lue  of 

students,  and  to  the  time  allotted  to  them  I'or  this  branch  of 

study,  I  im  Inclined  to  think  thiit  work  preferable  to  tlioite 

which  have  preceded  It." 

President  Siikldin,  of  the  WatervlUe  College,  says  of  It: 

"  I  hiivo  devoted  as  much  time  as  I  have  Deen  able,  m 

an  cxaniiniition  of 'Taylor's  Manual  of  Ancient  anil  Modem 

llUtiirj' ;'  nqd  I  feel  prepared  to  s.iy,  that  I  look  upon  It  n^ 

the  nioKt  valuable  work  which  I  have  seen, /vrfAr  purpoin 

for  ttkifk  «K«^  a  Manual  it  likdf  to  b*  u$»d Wherever 

Hgtneral  teit-book  ofhlatory  Is  needed,  the  work  of  Taylor, 
as  iiiililislied  hy  yon,  seems  to  me  well  litted  (br  the  purnoae." 
The   following   is    fVom    President  Ibslbrooke,  of  East 
Tennessee  University.    Speaking  of  the  Manual,  he  toys : 

"  Ills  an  lavaluabln  work.  As  a  Text  B<Mik  or  Manual  of 
genemi  history,  it  is,  in  my  opinion,  unsurpaiased.    The  ad 
ditlonal  chapter  on  the  hUtory  of  the  United  States,  will 
make  It  still  more  acceptable  to  Attieriean  readers  " 


LECTURES  ON  MODERN  HISTORY: 

By  Thomas  Arnold,  D.D.,  Author  of  "The  History  of  Rome,"  etc.,  etc. 
With  an  Introduction  and  Notea,  by  Henrt  Reed,  Prof,  of  EuRlish  Literature  in  the  Univeraity  of  Pennay  Iv'a 

One  handsome  volume,  ISino.    tl-SS. 
mt  Lectures  were  considered  by  their  author  as  purely  Introductory,  and  were  intended  lo  exeile  a  more  vivla 
I  tn  the  study  of  Modem  History ;  and  there  Is  no  book  better  ralrulated  for  tiiat  purpose  tlun  this ;  nor  has  r*" — 
Ml  lasned  one  so  latensciy  iaterestinc  to  Teacher  as  well  as  Pupil. 
%*  This  voluma  fimns  a  portion  of  the  third  series  of  the  above  l^lbrary 


fOMMON 

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Ifiiry.    'I1i« 

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jJy. 

ubI,  layi : 
to  the  OM  of 
his  branch  of 
able  to  thme 

le,  Myi  of  It : 
Dcen  able,  ti> 
I  anil  Modern 
ok  upon  It  a« 
r  tht  purpo$n 
.  .  Wherever 
rK  of  Taylor, 
tho  purpose." 
nke,  of  East 
ibI,  he  iiiyi : 
or  MhiiuhI  of 
eil.  The  a<l 
I  States.  Witt 
loni" 


Pennaylv'a 


a  more  vivki 
DorhMtiMn