^ ■'>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) -^ // (./ ^ >^* ^ •vA'^^, <. <' V fe A f/, 1.0 Li 1^ |50 1^ 1^ 1.8 11-25 i 1.4 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. MSBO (716) 872-4503 ^ ^" CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic fJotat/Notas tachniquea at bibliographiquat Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obt*iin tha baat original copy availabia ffcr fiimiing. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographically unlqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa In tha raproduction, or which may aigniflcantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. D D D D D D D Colourad covara/ Couvartura da couiaur I I Covars damagad/ CoLvartura andommag^a Covars rastorad and/or laminotad/ Couvartura rattaurAa at/ou palliculia I I Covar titia missing/ La titra da couvartura manqua |~~| Colourad maps/ Cartas gAographiquas an couiaur Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da couiaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) I I Colourad piatas and/or illustrations/ Planchas at/ou illustrations an couiaur Bound with othar matarial/ RaliA avac d'autras documents Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reiiura sarrte paut causar da i'ombra ou da la distortion la long da la marga int6riaura Blank iaavas addad during restoration may appear within tha text. Whenever possible, these heve been omitted from filming/ ii se peut que certaines pages blenches ajoutias lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans la texte, mais, iorsque cele Atait possible, ces peges n'ont pes AtA filmAes. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppl6mentaires: Tl to L'Institut a microfilm^ la meilleur exemplaire qu'll lul a *t4 poaalbia de aa procurer. Lea dAtaiis da cat exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniquea du point de vue bibllographiqua, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dana la mithoda normale de f ilmage sont indiquto ci-dessous. |~n Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagAea Pages restored and/oi Pages restaurtea at/ou pelliculAes Pages discoloured, stained or foxe« Pages dAcolorAea, tachettea ou piquAas 1^ Pages damaged/ r~~| Pages restored and/or laminated/ ITT^ Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Tl P< 01 fil O b( th si 01 fil si 01 □ Pages detached/ Pages ditachtes r~y] Showthrough/ IJlJ Transparence I I Quality of print varies/ Qualit6 inigaSa de I'impreasion Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du material suppiAmantaire Only edition available/ Seule Mition disponibie Tl 8l Tl w IVI di ei b< "! re m Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totaiement ou partieilement obscurcies par un feuiilet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 4t6 filmAes it nouveau de fapon A obtenir la meilieure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film* au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X XX y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Nationai Library of Canada L'exemplaire filmi fut reproduit grAce d la gindrositi de: Bibliothdque nationale du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibUity of the original copy and In keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont 4t6 reprodultes avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la netteti de rexemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated Impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimis sont filmis en commenpant par le premier [ at et en terminant soit par la derniAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'Impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmis en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'Impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^ (meaning "CON- TINUED "I, or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaTtra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ". le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre filmds d des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, 11 est film6 d partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 , y?r//^rv/ i X / ^/if y r V! o • '? I " 'I f . -'^^ ^"^^^ IM r:,ic si'iivir;:^; If ^'flAIJLE,^ FHEiifj^ r* r 'II . .,,.s u. ■1 'Cl,,-.v( .- ■ "■ •■■■■ >;<|. )':fw.;( ■ • f: 1 '» V J';/|\ J .(-• . p ^v- ■ k .^ T X . I ),;;;» i:l: V .s ; • w* 1850. ^%C . A /'flf. M E M O 1 R «)i' THE LIFIC AXJ) PUBLIC SERVICES OK JOHN CHARLES FREMONT, 1 i: INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS KXPL0RATI0\:4, HT8C0VKRIE8 AND ADVENTURKS ON FIVB SUCCliSSIVR BXPKDITIONS ACROSS TIIK NORTH AMERICAN CONTINKST; VOLUMINOIS SKLKCTIONS FROM HIS PRIVATE AND PUBLIC CORRKSPONDKSCB ; IlIH DEFENCE BEFORE THE COURT MARTIAL, AND FULL REPORi'S OF HIS PRINCIPAL SPEECHES IN THE SENATE OF THE ONITKD STATES. BY JOHN BIGELOW. WITH SPIRITED ILLUSTRATIONS, AND AN ACCURATE PORTRAIT ON STKKL. — *► NEW YORK: DERBY & JACKSON, 119 NASSAU ST. H. W. DERBY & CO., CINCINNATI. 1850. 3371 Knt.,«d .orording to Act of Congre.., in the year 1856. by DERBY k JACKSON, 1« th.- Clork', Offlc. of the Di.trict Court of tb. Uuitnd Stut..i, for the Southern Dmiri.t of Xew York. W. U. TlNKoN, Sturcotypa I ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT, THIS MEMOIR OF ONK WHOSE m Rkspectfi;li,y inscribed by THE AUTHOR. I I -il t PREFACE. i The engro.^sing and universal interest recently awakened, in the subject of this memoir, by the presentation of his name as a candidate for tiie Presidency , is the author's apology for the faults of hasty preparation, which appear in the following pages. He felt, however, that the public were more concerned with the matter than the manner of his work, and \^ould pardon almost anything in its execution more readily than delay. Under this impression he has aimed at but two results — fullness and accu- racy. He has endeavored to lay before the reader every event in the life of Col. Fremont, and the substance of every letter, report, or speech of a public charactei* that he has v. ritten or made, having a tendency to enlighten the country in regard to his qualifications for the highest honors of the Republic. The author is not conscious of having suppressed anything that ought to have been revealed, or of having stated a single fact which he did not believe to be susceptible of proof. To escape the sus- picions, however, to which a biography of a presidential candi- date is necessarily exposed, he has uniformly given official doc- uments and contemporary evidence of the events he records, whenever it was practicable, that his readers may hav« as little trouble as possible in adjusting the measure of allowance to bo < v\ rnF.FACE. iniuU; for Mic partialltioa of political or porsoiuil friciulsliip. A glance at the following pages will satisfy the most cursory ob- H-rver that it is no mere eulogy, but a faithful record of the life of Colonel Fremont, prepared, if not with skill and elegance, at least with diligence and u conscientious regard for truth. lie regrets that the brief time allowed for its preparation, and the pressure of engrossing j)rofessional duties have prevented his making it less unworthy of its subject. i! COKTENTS. — *►■ Parentngp, Birtli and EducHlion, CHAPTER I. tAUM . 11 ClIAI'TEn 11. Chooses his Profession- Marries Jessie Benton, 80 CHAPTER III. Pir*.t Exploring Expedition-Explores the South Pass-Plants the A„,pH. » on U.e highest Peak of the Rocky Mountains-Speech of Ittor ^fn^ . ' 86 CHAPTER IV. Second Exploring Expedition-Kit Carson-Mrs. Fremont withholds OrH»« fv the War Departu.en,_Colonel Benton's Account or the Expelt^^^^^^^^ Inland Sea-Perilous Voyage to its Mands in a linen Boat-Arrives a Fort V.^J couver and fulfills the Instructions of his Government, . '"" CHAPTER V, Second Exploring Expedition continued-Sets out from Fort Vancouver- ver— Interest- ing Indian Council-Speech of Col. Fremont-Journey through the MountlinT Insanity of hi. Men fro.n P.vation and Coid-Preuss'lose. hi wly-A iva,:; the Riinche of Cai.tuin Sutter, .... 'i' rival at 82 vU ' i vin CONTKNTS. CHAPTER VI. Second Exploring Expedition concliiilod— Kiicamps among tlie Digger Indians — TiiL'ir Habits and Cliui'ucicr — Massucro of Tabeau — Recovciy of liis Keiiiains — Return to Utah Lake— Anulyjiiii of tlie Residts of llie Expedition by its Counnand- cr llu CIIArTKU VII. Third Expedition — First Visit to Mariposas— Strange Phases of Indian Life— Fight, Willi llor.se-thii.1" Indians — Loses all liis Cattle in tlie Snow— Hostile Message from Governor Castro — Hoists the Anieriean Flag in California — Col. Benton's Aecount of the Couque>t of California— Kit Carson's Account of a Night Attack l)y a Party of Tlainatli Indians— Pardon of Pico Secretary Marcy's Account of tlie Conquest of Califoruia — Establishes the Independence of California, 123 CHAPTER VIII. Conquest of California completed— Joins Commodore Stockton — Description of his Parly on its arrival at Monterey— Organizes the California Battalion — is appointed M^ijor — Origin of the Controversy between Commodore Stockton and Brigadier- General Kearney — Commodore Stockton's report of the Conquest of South Cali- fornia—Insurrection of the Wali-lali-wali-lah Indians quelled— Capitulation of Couenga— Fremont Governor of California, 168 CHAPTER IX. Origin of the Controversy between Col. Fremont and General Kearney — Is ordered by General Kearney not to re-organize the California Battalion — His Reply — General Kearney claims the Couniiand of the Californian Army — Comuiodore Stockton refuses to yield it — Their Correspondence — New Instructions from Wash- ington — Kearney takes the Conmiand — Fremont is ordered Home — Hostile Corres- pondence with Col. Mason — Arrested at Fort Leavenworth— Invited to a Public Dinner at St. Louis — Letter declining the Invitation — Arrives at Washington, . 189 CHAPTER X.. Fremont arrives at Washington — Demands a Court Martial — Illness and Death of his Mother— Court Martial ordered— Its Organization and Progress - Fremont's Defence- Verdict of the Court — Sentence remitted by the President — Resigns his Commission and retires from the Army, 217 .1 '^ i 'll II CONTENTS. IX 110 CHAPTER XI. PAoa Colonel Fremont projects a fourth Exploring Expedition-California Claims Bill- Speecl,es of Senators lionton, Clarke and U,x-.Map and Geograpl.icul Men.oir- R.purt of Senator Breese-Pr.,fes.sor Torrey's I'lanta, Freniontian^-Gold,-,. Medal from the King c,f Prussia-Letter fron> Huniboldt-Foun.ler-s Medal fro.n the U,.yal Geographical Society of London-Letters from John M. Clayton and Ahbott Lawrence— Reply of Col. Fremont, " .j,, 123 CHAPTER XII. Correspondence between Col. Fremont and Captain Charles Wilkes, 8>!4 CHAPTER XIII. Fourth Expdifion-Encamped in Knn..as-Terrible Journey through the Mountains -Frightful Snow Storm-One hundred and twenty Mules frozen to Death in one Night-Starvation of his Comrades-Meets an unexpected Friend-Reaches tlie Ranche of Kit Carson-Thrilling Letter to his Wife- Adventure with Navahoes Indians, 357 J.. 898 17 CHAPTER XVI. Fremont's Career as United States Senator-Speech on the Indian Agency Bill Speech on the Bill making temporary Provisions for wovking ,rMim"Tf c 7 ^^. a-Chal.enges Senator Foote-Foote. Retraction-Fremont's Le l^ .u ! 40S if 4 1 1 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVII. Return to California— Illness — Candidate for re-election to the United States Senat? — Goes to Europe— Projects liis Fiftii and Last Exploring Tour— His Hardsliips and Triumph — Letter from Purawan — Prairies on Fire — A careless Sentinel — Huerfano Butte — A cheerless Night — Fall of Mules down the Mountains — Tiireate'ied by Indians — How they were repelled — Reduced to eat Horse-meat — They swear not to Eat each other — Freezing, Death, and Burial of Fuller— Declines a Public Dinner in San Francisco — Returns to Washington, ........ 428 CHAPTER XVIII. Col. Fremont comes to reside in New York — Is talked of for the Presidency — Letter to Gov. Robinson of Kansas — Letter to a Public Meeting in New York upon the Subject of Troubles in Kansas — Is nominated for the Presidency by the National Republican Convention— Letter of Acceptance— Letter accepting the Nomination of the " National Americans," 446 CHAPTER XIX. Coaclusion, APPENDIX, . 461 . 4C7 enat» s and rfano (I by r not nner 423 THE LIFE or tter the inal ;ion 440 JOHN CIIARIES FREMONT. -*► . . 461 4C7 I CHAPTER I. PARENTAGE, BIETH AND EDUCATION. In the soci.-il disruptions of the French Revolution, many broken fortunes were replanted in America, and in the words of Chateaubriand, then himself a wanderer m our country, "the names of settlements in the United States became a touching record of the wrecks of European homes," What seemed then only an adverse stroke of fortune to those upon whom it fell, proved the establishment of many prosperous families— the seed scattered by the storm bearing a hundred fold on the rich soil of the New World. During this time, a passenger ship bound to one of the French West Indian possessions, was taken by an English man-of-war on the eve of reaching her destina- tion. The passengers, with the ship, were carried prisoners into one of the English islands, where they experienced the usual rigid treatment of prisoners of war in that day. Among them was a youn*'- French- !( "^ I 12 LIFE AND SKIIVICKS OF JOHN C. FREMONT. man of the name of Fremont, fruin the neigliborhood of Lyons, who was on his way to join an aunt in St. Domingo. . Daring his protracted captivity, M. Fremont eked out tlie scanty prison allowance by basket-making — a com- mon resource among the prisoners — in which his supe- rior taste soon enabled him to excel. Some skill in painting, too, procured him occasional employment in decorating ceilings with the frescoes which are common in the dwellings of the wealthier families of the tropics. After some years' detention, he was finally liberated or escaped (the latter, it is believed), and in his endeav- ors to find his way homeward, finally arrived at Nor- folk, Virginia. Being entirely without resource for the farther prosecution of his homeward voyage, he gave lessons in his native language to the citizens of Norfolk. He was a man of superior accomplishments and high breeding, spoke English fluently, and was a welcome guest in the best society of the city and State. He here b ^- canie acquainted with, and afterwards married, the future mother of John Charles Fremont, Anne Beverley, one of the daughters of Col. Thomas Whiting, of Gloucester county, an orphan, and one of the most beautiful women of her day in the State of Virginia. This Colonel Whit- ing's father was the brother of Catharine Whiting, who was a grand aunt of George Washington.* In her commenced the connection by marriage of the Whitings of Virginia witli the most illustrious family of this, or perhaps of any country ; a connection subsequently drawn still closer by repeated matrimonial alliances.f * Sparks's Washington, vol. i., 648 ; ib. vol. v., 268 ; ib. vol. vi., 296. f lu a brief sketch of his family descent, which General Washington furnished at tu»» reqnpsr of Sir Isaac Heard, in 1792, he says : BIRTH, PARENTAGE, AND EDUCATION. St. i Colonel Whiting, Mrs. Fremont's father, was one of tlie most wealrliy and prominent men of his day in Yirii'inia ; he was a leadinii* member of the House of Bur- gesses, and during the llevolutiun was President of the Naval Board at Williamsburgh (then tlie seat of govern- ment), ofticially the most exalted position, at that time, in tiie CoU^ny.* Prior to the revolution he had been king's attorney. ''Lawrence Wa.^hington, his eldest son (of John Washington, the founder of the family in this country) marrie'l Mildred Warner, daughter of Colonel Augustine Warner, of Gloucester comity, by whom he had two sons, John and Augustine, and one danglUer, named Mildred. He died in 1097, and was interred in the family vault at Bridge's Creek. " John Washington, the eldest son of Lawrence and Mildred, married Catharine Whiting (sister of ColonolThomas Whiting, the grandfather of Mrs. Fremont the elder) of Gloucester county, wheie he settled, died, and was buried. lie had two sons, Warner and Ilonry, and three daughters, Mildred, Elizabeth, and Catharine, all of whom are dead. " Warner Washington married first Elizabeth Macon, daughter of Col. William Macr n, of New Kent county, by whom he had one son, who is now living, and bears the name of Warner. His second wife was Hannah, youngest, daugh*^er of the Honorable William Fairfax, by whom he left two sons and five daughters as follows, namely : Mildred, Hannah, Catharine, Elizabeth, Louisa, Fairfax and Whiting. The three eldest of the daughters are married, Mildred to Throckmorton, Hannah to Whiting, and Catharine to Xelson. After his second marriage he removed from Gloucester, and settled in Frederick county, where he died in 1701. " Warner Washington, his son, married Whiting, of Gloucester, by whom he has many sons and daughters." * * * — Sparks^s Wash- inrffon, vol. i., p. 548. * In Henning's Statutes at Largo, vol. ix., we fiiid the following ordi- nance in relation to this connnission : "May, 1776. — Inteuukoncm. "^n ordinance for establishincf a Board of Coinniisxloners^ to superintend and direct the Naval affairs of this Colony. •' Wfiereas^ the Naval preparations of this Colony will be carried on 14 I-TFE AND SERVICES CF JOHN C. FRKMONT. I I 1 11! Mi lie was also a man of large wealth. lie owned the whole of the land lying between North River and Ware Kiver, in Gloncester connty. His prominence as the president of the Naval Board exposed him specially to the dei)redations of the English on the coast, notwith- standing which, when he died, he left eight separate estates to his eight surviving children, and thirty negroes with each.* The principal residence of the family was at Elmington. with greater expedition and success if proper persons are appointed, whoiie business it sliall be particularly to superintend and direct the same, " Be it therefore ordained, by the delegates of Virginia now in General Convention, and it is herehi/ ordained bij the anthoriti/ of the same, That Thomas Whiting, John Ilutehings, Champion Travis, Thomas Newton, Junior, and George Webb, Esfiuires, be, and are hereby appointed and declared a Board of Commii^sioners," &c., &c. * The following is a copy of Col. Wliiting's will. The estate was largely increased before the division took place : WILL OF THOMAS WHITING, GUAXDFATHER OF COL. FREMONT. "In the name of God. Amen. I, Thomas Whiting, of the Parish of Abingdon, in the County of Gloucester, do make this my last will and testament, as followeih J7iipr!mix, I desire all my just debts to be paid. 1 give to my son, Thomas Whiting, the land purchased of Jos. Devenport and Edward Howe, lying in Al»ington Parish and County afore- 8aid, containing about six hundred acres, more or less, to him and hig Jieirs. I do give unto my said son, Tliomas, the houses and lots I possess in Glostertown, to him and his heirs. I give unto my two sons, Henry Whiting and Horatio Whiting, and their heirs, my two plantations, lying in the Parish and County aforesaid, called and known by the names, Hackney and Rumford, including the land purchased of \Vm. Sawyer, and the land purchased of Robert Coleman's estate, jointly with Col. Warner Lewis — equally to be divided between thorn. It is my wish and desire, that my wife, Eliza Wliiting. take her dower of my lands in those divided to my sons, Henry and Horatio, and not in the land divided to my sou Tliouuis ; but if she should, then I give my son Thomas, in c- le BIRTH, PARENTAGE, AND EDUCATION. 15 Col. "VVhiting also enjoyed the notable distinction of having held the infant George Washington in his arms, when he was baptized, an incident which', though my wife should take her dower in his lands us aforesaid, his choice either to take the lands devised to his brothers as aforesaid, or of the lauds before devised to him ; and if he should make choice of the Hackney aud Rum- ford, and the other lands therewith devised, and then in such a case, I give the lands devised to Thomas, to the siiid Henry and Horatio, equally to be divided between them and their heirs : in either case my son Thomas to have my houses and lots and Glostertown, sultject to my wife's dower. I give unto my son, Thomas Whiting, and his heirs, thirty slaves, and that he may have my coachman. Porter, in his part, and boy Dunmore. I give to my daughter, Sarah Whiting, fifteen slaves to her and h' • heirs, and that she may have Peg, Sail's daughter, and also Har- riet, in her part. I give imto my daughter, Catharine Whiting, and her heirs, fifteen slaves, and that she may have Frank, and Patt, and her children, in her part. I give unto my daughter, Kliza T. W'liting, fifteen elaves, to her and her heirs, and that she may have in her part, mulatto Kate and her four children — Dinah, Molly, Will, and Dennis — and as my wife will have her dow<^r iu all my slaves, I desire that she may have in her part — that is, in her dower — three slaves, to wit : the cook Hannah, Abigail, Agatha, Bob, Barnaby, Ailce, and her child. Porter ; Amarillis, Kelson, Egine, Rachel, Sue, Hannah's son Will, Isabel, Lawrane, and Augustie. I give unto my five youngest children, Henry, Horatio, Su- sanna, Jane, and Ann Whiting, all the rest of my slaves — that is, exclu- sive of those before devised — and my wife's dower, to them and their heirs, equally to be divided between them, and after my said wife's death. I also give unto my said five youngest children, herein men- tioned, the slaves she may hold as her dower aforesaid, and their increase to them and their heirs, equally to be divided between them and their representatives ; and it is my desire in the division and allotment of my said slaves, that regard may be had to the ages and sexes of them, so as to make them as nearly equal in value, as may be agreeable to the bequest aforesaid. I give to my son Thomas, my gun, sword, books, and Hector ; also a mare and colt formerly given him. I do appoint my friends, Charles M. Thurston, guardian to my son Thom is, and daughter Ehza ; and do give unto the said Charles M. Timvston full power to sell and dispose of any part of my said son's estate, real and pergonal, if he shall judge it for my said son's interest and advantage so to do. I give I I ;! I 1 1 18 LIFE AND SKRVICK8 OF JOHN C. FUKMONT. trifling perhaps in itself, serves to show the kind of rela- tions suUsistiiiij: between tlie two funiilies. lie was married three times and had tifteen elilldren, eiglit of wliom snrvived liim. llis last wife, Elizabeth 8ewall, by whom he had three of them, including Anne Beverley, al'terwards tlie mother of Colonel Fremont, snrvived him, and married Samuel Carey, by whom she l)ad four children.* Mr. Carey managed the estate so unto my prandson, Thomas ITubard and his lioirs, all the lands I have in Pettiworth I'arish, in tlic ooiuity aforesaid. All the rest of my estate, not heretofore devised, I give to be ccnially divided among all my ehildren, to wit : Thomas, Henry, Horatio, Sarah, Catharine, Eliza T., Susanna, Jane, and Ann Whiting. Lastly, 1 appoint my beloved wife, Eliza Whi- ting, Exeeuirix, and my friends, Charles M. Thurston, John Page of Rosewell, and Warner Lewis, jun.. Executors of this my last will, hereby revolving all wills heretofore by me made. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 15th day of October, Anno Domini 17 8U. *' Thomas Whitixo." " Signed, scaled, published, and declared by the testator as and for his last will, in presence of us, Richard Cauy. Johanna Dun lap, Robert Innis." * This intermarriage with the Carys, established another marit;il con- nexion between the Whiting and the Washington families, a daughter of Col. Carey having married a son of Lord Fairfax, whose cousin's daughter married George Washington's brother, Lawrence. This connexion lends interest to the following extract from a letter written by Washington to George Wm. Fairfax in 1778. *' Lord Fairfax, as I have been told, after having been bowed down to the grave and in a manner shaken hands with death, is perfectly restored and enjoys his usual good health and as much vigor as falls to the lot of ninety. Miss Fairfax was upon the point of marriage in December last, with a relation of mine, a Mr. Whiting; but her ill health delayed it at that time and what has since happened I am notr informed. Your niecea in Alexandria are both married; the elder to Mr. Herbert, the younger I etter I BIRXn, TARENTAOE, AND EDCCATION. 17 iinprovidently tluit the children hy tlic lirst marria^^o Avere ultimately compelled to resort to the cuiirtB tor an account and apportionment of the property.^ to Mr. Ilurvcy Whitinp, Hon of Frank in Borkelov. Mrs. Carey, lior son Col. Carey, Mr, Nioliolas, Mr,«. Aniblor and their rcspcotivo faniiliea wore h11 well Hl)Out two months a^'O. Mis.s Caiey Ih married to Thomas Nelson, second sou to the Secretary. * * * » — Spark:s^s Wnnfihif/ton, vol. v. p. 268. * Amonp the records of the Superior Court of Chaiu'pry held in Rich- mond, June 13th, 1810, there is a petition and decree on tile (one of the fruits we prcsuuu; of the litigation referred to in the text), directing ihat the slave of which the said father Thomas Whiting died possess- ed or to which ho was entitled, and the increase of the females, be divided and allotted to the sevei'al parties accord'ug to their respective rights," by coumiissioners uanu'd in the decree. Tlie award of the commissioners, in itself a sufficiently curious document, runs as follows : "In pursuance of tlie a!)Ove annexed decree. We the subscribers being commissioners named therein, have this day divided the slaves belonging to the estate of Thomas Wliiting deceased, which were pro- duced to us by Robert Cowne, his executor, in the following manner, viz. : "To John Lowry and Susanna his wife the negroes contained In lot No. 1. viz: Bob .Sl(i(\ Coxen $400, Aggy and child Lucy $380, Augusta and children Billey, Harriet, Agnes and Edmond, $8'20, Old Betty — and the estimated value of negroes sold by said Lowry about six years ago $455. " To John C. Pryor, ad'm. of Henry Whiting deceased, the negroes con- tained in lot No. 2, viz. : Peter $400, Barnaba $333, Henry $300, Jane and children, Mary and an infant 10 months old, $165. Lucy and children Betty, Cate, Mariah, and a male infant, $730, Sarah $150, Joe $r)(\ and old Frank $">. "To John Pryor and Ann his wife the negroes contained in lot No. 3, vi/. : Phil $400, Bliick Peter $400, Peggy $300, Hannah* and children Stirling and Salley $580, Billey $250. Eugene $230, and the estimated value of a nogro soM by said Pryor about about two years ago $224, and to Morgan Tomkies, who it appefvrs is entitled to the interest of Charles Grymes aud Jane his wife, the negroes contained in lot No. 4, * The slave Hannnli mentioned In the above list was afterwards Colonel Fremont's nurse^ ^1 111' 1 1) ;i ,i: 18 LIFK AND Sl.KVlCES OF JOHN C. FIIKMONT. rh. : Frnnk $400, niaok IMul f 100, Nelly filOO. Venus and children, Kitty, Daiiifl, rimrlea and IMiil $A'M\ Duiiiel ^'IM. Alice ;?150, and (InrdiuT Frank JjdJlO — and for reasons appiNiiin;; to ns lot No 4 is to pay lot No. !} :5(21 f)i), to lot No. 2, $12 .')(», and to lot No. 1, 50 cents. It also appeam to us after tlie al)Ove allotment wa.s made, that Joe, in lot No. 2, was appraised to ^IM) instead of JJSiW), wherefore it is directed, that lot No. 2, shall pay to the other lots the sum of $1.5 cash. "Given from under our hands this ItUh day of July, lfsi«). RonKiiT Wkst. John Hi-uhks. \Vm. K. Tkuuin." The following entries are taken from a fragment of the Abington church records, which are deposited at the (Jloucester Court-house. They appear to give most of the important niarriagoa and deaths in the family, lor more than half a century, and they also furnish interesting evidence of the solicitude of Col. Whiting, to have all his slaves bap- tized. 1*732, Major Peter Whiting, was buried February 28. 1735, Mary, the daughter of Francis Whiting, and his wife was born 20th April, and baptized 0th of May. 1738, Ann, the daughter of Mr. Beverley Whiting, and his wife was born December 22, and baptized January 12. 1742, Sally, Merit, Tony, Patt, to Wiiiting, baptized June 27. 1742, Catey to Mr. Whiting, born January. 1743, November, Betty to Mr. Hrodr. Whiting. 1743, November, Betty, to Mr. Whiting born. 1744, Rob. to Mr. Beverley Whiting, born February. 1744, Sept. Chevr, Dfty. to Whiting, were baptized. 1744, Eliz. daugh. of Thomas and Eliz. Whiting, born Nov. 29. 1746, Anne, daugh. of Thos. and Eliz. Whiting, born August 22. 1747, Aggy, to Mr. Thomas Whiting, born February 26. 1747, Francis W'hiting was married to Mrs. Frances Perrin, Jan. 24. 1749, Mrs. Elizal)eth Whiting departed this life April 20. 1749, Richard, male slave, to Mr. Thomas Whiting, baptized Oct. 15. 1749, Diana, slave to Mr. Thos. Whiting, baptized January 28. 1750, Esther, slave to Mr. Thomas Whiting, about 8 years old, bap. tized April 8. 1751, Phill. slave to Thos. Whiting, baptized January 26. 1753, Grace, slave to Mr. Thomas Whiting, baptized September 9. T. IJIUTn, PA RENT AG F, AND EDUCATION. 19 nd children, e 1^150, and J 4 is to pay ) cents. It Joe, in lot is directed, r KST. IKKH. 'KUUIN." i Abingfon ourt-hoase. 'vths in the interesting slaves bap- was bom wife was !9. 24. •ct. 15. d, bap. 3r 9. 1764, Henry, slave to Capt. Thomaa Whiting, 2 months old, cap- ti/cd September 15. 1754, Nelley, slave to Mr. Ucverley Whiting, baptized Oct. 19. 1765, Mr. Ueverley Whiting, departed this life. (leaf torn,) Thos. Whiting baptized Sept 7 — (uncertain). 1750, Joe, slave to Capt. Thomas Whiting, born May 20, and bap. tized August 1, 175fi, Frank, slave to Mrs. Whiting, in town, bnptizfHl August 15. 1750, IJoverley, son of John and Mary Whiting, baptized Oct. 18. 1757, Frank, slave to Capt. Thos. Whiting, born April 1, baptized May 8. 176*', Jerry, slave to Capt. Thos. Whiting, baptized Sept. 25. 1758, Amey, " " *' " " February 8. Francis, «' '♦ *' " April 10. 1758, Johnny, slave to Mrs. Whiting, Gloucestertown, baptized May 28. 1758, Else, slave to Capt. Thos. Whiting, baptized August 27. 1758, Beverley, son of Thomius and Eliz. Whiting, born March 10. 1768, Hannah, Frankey, slaves to Capt. Thos. Whiting, baptized April 1, 1759, Beverley, son of Capt. Thos. Whiting, died Oct. 28. 1759, William, son of Capt. Thomas Whiting, died October and waa buried 24. 1759, A negro child belonging to Mrs. Whiting, in Gloucester, died December 3. 1776, Mingo, slave to Mr. John Whiting, died December 8. 1776, Rosse, slave to Col. Thos. Whiting, baptized December 29. Buster, slave to John Whiting, died December 26. 1777, Cattle, slave to Col. Thomas Whiting, baptized January 25. 1777, Bristol, slave to John Whiting, died January. 1760, Amos, slave to Capt. Thomas Whiting, 8 months old, baptized Juno 1. 1760, Phill, slave to Mrs. Eliza Whiting, in town, 10 months old, bap- tized June 1. 1760, Robert, slave to Capt. Thomas Whiting, baptized Sept. 7. 1760, Frederic, at Mrs. Whiting's in Gleu Town, died the last of Oct. and was buried 2d of Nov. 1761, Ben and Ned, slaves to Mrs. Whiting, in Gloucestertown, bap- tized JIarch 22. * 1761, Williai 1, slave to Thos. Whiting, baptized April 19. 1761, John, slave to Capt. Thos. Whiting, baptized May 24. 1761, Frank, slave to Capt. Thos. Whiting, baptized Nov. 1. so '"" ^"^ ""''•'"'■' "' •'OTO C. KBKMOKT. 11 'ii'oneo of tl,<.(r i,„.tlW.t„.,l .?r . ^'•'"■^' '" <=""««- ^>1'" «-<.ro !.Ue,■.^s,o,I rr.l '"'' "■•'*''"'^ '^'""e i\.v all ;.'"""-^ or M.- Ca,; = : ;;™ '"-^^'^'e-eloL i,/,„e '";-' '--''• a. a„ el. : 4 1 nosr,"' '""'™^^ *° ' '"'-go l>ro,,ortion of ,1,; Y' i ]'. •'"^i'"««sse.l of ''0"n loft 1,0,.. AVl,e, e 1," ^''''/'''f "•'"•^•'' '"'d ;™"- l.er .s,We. Mrs. I ,. . * /IT '^ "" """'^ ^'^^^"- ''^'- "gainst what in those chv,'"^ ''' P™""''« for deo,„e,) the greatest .""101,-," '" """ -'•'''« «•"■' f -"a.-n-oge for her wi.h M^i^ ' ^'T'^' '"■™'V-ed '?'■ eo-uuy, who was ve,T neh '^T' "'^^ "*' ^'»"«^'- ^>.nv-two,earsofa^.eJ, f ". ;"" ^^-7 gouty, a„d ^si'- ^'Tor, ■;'-peet .n."lsive to he ;: 1 ■'/"' ''"' ■" <'--7 ^>ecd to hitn. Anne 'esi 7ti r '' "■''" '''' ^""''^ ■ °'"' the importunities of her '"'-t'«nd „« a Lie„-,enanl '!! "'"■"paired faculties. He- f ^ n. BIKTH, I'AKKNTAOE, ANT) KDUOATION. St IS ^Ut Bl'x lior fltep- LMiilios ill di III V or. ts of tlio A'oen tlie n coiiso- lim their liich Imd tor all party. •ss in the '•ess she 'ssed of ich had seven- id e for ^le was rann^ed louces- y^ and nior. Prjor, every sacri- >f her age, 18 and a 1 Ulster AH l<)n<; an she could, hut finally, overcoMc l»y a Hcnse of her honielesrt and dependent conditioji, whi(rh WiTo constantly i)resHed upon her consideration, the (U'spairin^jj oi-phan yicUlcd to her vencral)lc Huitor, and became Mvh. JMaJor l*ryor. ^Marriajjje oidy inci'cabed her regret for the sacrilice to which she had submitted. iShe became melancholy ; shunned the ^:\y society and habits of life to which her husband was addicted, and tlius dra<;ged out twelve lon<^ years of wedded misery. By this time, as they were childless, both had beconio convinced that the hapi>iness of neither would l)e pro- moted by continuing to live longer together, and they separated. As both had iniluential friends, the legisla- ture of the State, which ha]>i)ened to be in session, ])romptly sanctioned their separation, by passing an act of divorce. Not long after both married Jigain, Mrs. Pryor to Mr. Fremont, and Major Pryor, in the TGtli year ()f his age, to his housekeeper. This connexion of course gave great dissatistaction to the Whitings, who were one of the most aristocratic families in Virginia, and could not understand how any person who earned his bread, especially by teaching, could be a gentleman. But Mrs. Pryor liaving taken their advice once, as to lier first marriage, the folly of which she had expiated by many long years of gilded wretchedness, determined in this instance to act for herself, and to give her heart with her hand, to one whom she esteemed Avorthy of botli. She had some means, and he had talents, and both had courage, and they did not feel called upon at the expense of their own happiness to spare that family pride, which had not spared the gentle orphan twelve years before, when she was helpless and dependent. 22 LIFE AND SERVICES OF JOHN C. FREMONT. : t After tlieir marriage, in the gratification of an interest which Mr. Fremont in common with most cultivated Europeans felt in the American Indians, and which the remnants of his wife's fortune enabled him to indulge, they travelled for several years in the Southern States, where large ti*acts of country were still occupied by the aboriginal tribes. The means of communication in that country then were very rude, and tliey travelled as was the custom of the day, when means permitted, with their own carriage, horses, and servants, stopping where conve- nience of towns and dwellings required, and not unfre" quently passing the night in Indian villages or by a camp-tire. It was during one of these excursions that they chanced to pass the night at the inn in Nashville where occurred the personal encounter between Gen. Jackson and Col. Benton — well remembered in that country — the balk from whose pistols passed through the rooms in which they happened to be sitting. And it was during a temporary halt at Savannah, in Georgia, in the progress of the same expedition, on the 21st of January, 1813, tliat Mrs. Fremont gave birth to their eldest chilci and son, John Charles Fremont, the subject of this memoir, who, with his father's name, seems to have inherited also his nomadic instincts. The second child, a daughter, was born in Tennessee, and the youngest, a son, in Virginia ; shortly after which, Mr. Fremont's preparations to return to France were defeated by his death, which occurred in the year 1818. At this time, an elder brother, Francis was in Norfolk, with his family. lie had emigrated early from St. Do- mingo. The loss of his eldest son, a boy of sixteen, M'ho was killed by the bursting of a gun at a fourth of July TT. BIRTH, PARENTAGE, AND EDUCATION. 23 an interest cultivated which the 3 indulge, rn States, ied by the ntiy then le custom heir own fe conve- uot iinfre- 3 or by a sions tliat Nashville een Gen. 1 in that tlirongh And eorgia, )l8t of |to their subject ems to Inessee, jwhich, were 1818. »rfolk, !t. Do- ll, who celebration in Norfolk, saddened the place to him, and he returned with his family to France. lie had been anxious to take with him liis brother's fam-ily, and made it a point with his widow to accompany him. Iler de- cided refusal to leave her own country, occasioned an alienation between them also, and she was" left to her- self with the usual defenceless lot and narrow circum- stances which are not the most uncommon heritage of widows and orphans. Of the brother's family, which returned to France, we have no knowledge, except of the recent dea'th of a daughter named Cornelia, in a convent in South America. The widow, with her young family now removed permanently to Charleston, South Caro- lina. At an early age the eldest boy, with whose future for- tunes we are more particularly concerned, entered the law office of John W. Mitchell, Esq., one of the promi- nent citizens of Charleston. Here he gave such evi- dence of intelligence and industry as greatly to interest Mr. Mitchell, who found pler.cure in directing the capa- city he seemed to possess, and devoted many of his leisure hours lo young Fremont's instruction. The lad's vigorous aj)i)lication required more time than Mr. Mitchell had at his disposal, and, in prosecution of the plan he had formed for him, he placed him under the instruction of Dr. John Roberton, a Scotch gentleman, who had been educated at Edinburgh, and who had established himself as a teacher, principally of ancient languages, at Charleston. A brief but interesting memorial of this part of young Fremont's life from Dr. Roberton himself, who, though bending under the weight of some seventy winters, still :i 2i LIFE AND SKRVICES OF JOHN C. FREMONT. continues in tlie fiiitliful exercise of his profession at Phihidelphia, is preserved in tlie preface to an excellejc interlinear translation of Xenoplion's Anabasis wiiidi was published by him some six years ago. In the course of it ho refers especially to the intellectual and personal habits of Freiiivail,, while under his charge, and commends them to his j^upils, to whom the book is dedi- cat^Tl, as pre-eminently worthy of imitation. " For your further encouragement," he says, " I will here relate a very remarkable instance of patient dili- gence and indomitable perseverance : " In the year 1827, after I had returned to Charleston from Scotland, and my classes were going on, a very respectable lawyer came to my school, I think some time in the month of October, with a youth apparently about sixteen, or perliaps not so much (14:), of middl3 size, graceful in mani-ors, rather slender, but well formed, and upon the whole what I should call hand- some ; of a keen, piercing eye, and a noble forehead, seemingly the very seat of genius. The gentleman stated that he found him given to study, that he had been about three weeks learning the Latin rudiments, and (hoping, I suppose, to turn the youth's attention from the law to the" ministry) had resolved to place him under my care for the purpose of learning Greek, Latin, and Mathematics, sufficient to enter Charleston College. I very gladly received him, for I immediately perceived he was no common 3'ourh, as intelligence beamed in his dark eye, and shone brightly on his countenance, indi- cating great ability, and an assurance of his future pro* gross. I at once put him in the highest class, just beginning to read Caesar's Commentaries, and although at lirst inferior, his prodigious memory and enthusiastic lEMONT. 5 profession at to an excel lerc nabasis w;ii( h i ago. In the itelleetual and lis cliarge, and ■ book is dedi- •n. savs, "I will ' patient dili^ to Charleston ^ on, a very think some 1 apparently 0> of middb r, but well i call hand- le foreJiead, [eman stated e had been Iments, and ion from the him nnder I^Jitin, and College. I *' perceived mied in his lance, indi- future pro- class, just 1 althou jfh uthusiastic r- 1 t 'i i i (•!• I.Kt IIM I' Ti:, IN KANSAS. S WIIK MI;S. .IKSSIK KKKMOST, N K MI If ;ii BTR7H, PARENTAGE, AND EDUCATION. 25 •^Y^ . JTi .-■o had been long at it, in which he also soon excelled. In sliort, in the space of one year he had with the class, and at odd hoiu's he had with nijself, read four boohs of Caisar, Cornelius Xepos, Sallust, six books of Yirgil, nearly all Horace, and two books of Livy ; and in Greek, all Grteca Minora, abont the half of the first volume of GrtEca Majora, and four books of Homer's Tliad. xVnd whatever he read, lie retained. It seemed to me, in fact, as if he learned by mere intuition. I was myself utterly astonished, and at the same time delighted with his progress. I have hinted that he was designed for the church, but when I contemplated his bold, fearless dis])osition, his powtjful inventive genius, his admiration of warlike exploits, and his love of heroic and adventurous deeds, I did not think it likelv he would be a minister of the Gospel. He had not, however, the least appearanco of any vice whatever. On the contrary, he was always the very pattern of virtue and modesty. I could net help loving him, so much did he captivate me by his gentlemanly conduct and extraordinary progress. It was easy to see tiiat he would one day raise himself to eminence. Whilst under my instruction, I discovered his early genius for poetic composition in the following manner. When the Greek class read the account that Herodotus c'ives of the battle of Marathon, the braveiT of Miltiades and his ten thousand Greeks raised his patriotic feelings to enthusiasm, and drew from him expressions which I thought were ei. .bodied, in a few davs afterward, in some well-written verses in a Charles- ton paper, on that far-famed, unequal but successful con- flict against tyranny and oppression; and suspecting ray 2 :( ^*' i • ' 1 1 ..-i 26 LIFE AND SERVICES OF JOHN C. FREMONT. Uitcnted scholar to be the aiithor, I went to his desk,'and asked him if lie did not write them ; and hesitatin<]j at lirst, ruther bluishinglj, lie confessed he did. I then said, ' 1 knew you could do such thin^^s, and I suppose you have some such pieces by you, which I should like to see. Do bring them to me.' He consented, and in a day or two brought me a number, which 1 read with pleasure and admiration at the strong marks of genius stamped on all, but here and there requiring, as I thought, a very slight amendment. " I had hired a mathematician to teach both him and myself (for I could not then teach tluit science), and in this he also made such wonderful progress, that at the end of one year he entered the Junior Class in Charles- ton College triumphantly, while others who had been studying for years and more, were obliged to take the Sophomore Class. About tlie end of the year 1828 I left Charleston, but I heard that he hir a long tune on account of his high standing in his studies, good scholarshij), and abundant promise; but at length, irritated with his insubordina- tion and bad example, for which no explanation was given, they expelled him from the college. His application, though interrupted, had been vigor- ous while it lasted, and his acquirements, especially in mathematics, had been remarkable. After this abrupt and perhaps unfortunate termiration of his collegiate career, he engaged in teaching mathematics, principally to senior classes in different schools, and also took charge of the " Apprentices' Library," an evening school under a board of directors, of which Dr. Joseph Johnston was president. But his career as an instructor was destined soon to be interrupted by a succession of domestic calam- ities which exerted an important influence upon his character. It was about this time that the death of his sister, then in her seventeenth year, occurred. Ilis bro- ther, who possessed an ardent and enthusiastic tempera- ment and unusual ability, when but fifteen years of age, in consequence of an association with amateur players, had his taste turned to the stage, on wdiich he imagined that fame and fortune are of easy acquisition. With these ideas, full of the generous impulses which belonged to his age and character, he suddenly, and without con- Bulting his family, left his home to work out his fortune for himself. His brief life g;ive little apace for the "^tnploymeid of iiil EMONT. a veil liair and sfndies. "■'le college, and y tlie faculty, lieart, and not ). The faculty )t of his hiijii ind abundant insubordina- »lanation was I been vfgor- especially in ' this abrupt lis collegiate s, principally ) took charge school under ohnston was «'as destined lestic calam- ce upon his death of his 1. His bro- tic tetnpera- ears of age, 3ur players, le imagined ion. With ih belonged > ithout con- his fortune BIRTH, PARENTAGE, AND EDUCATION. 29 energies which might have realized his youthful expec- tat.ons A few years after this an injury received at a not ,n Lutfalo permanently affected his health, and he returned to Ins mother and died in Charleston, when he was little more than twenty years old The death of his sister and the departure of his bro- her made a harsh inroad on the domestic quiet of his family, and gave a sudden check to the careless and un- reflecting l.abits which had hitherto marked the conduct of the youthful Fremont. He now awoke to the sober interests of life, as circum- stances brought him into ruder contact with them, and he devoted himself to earnest labor, which, since hen, has never been intermitted. ' ovment of 80 LIFE AND SERVICES OF JOHN 0. FKEMONT. CHAPTER II. CHOOSES III8 PROPi?SRION — MARRIES JESSIE BENTON. In 1833, the sloop of war Natchez entered the port of Cliarleston to enforce Gen. Jackson's proclamation against the Nnllifiers. Being thence ordered on a cruise to South America, Fremont, tlien just twenty years of age, obtained through the Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Poinsett, the post of teacher of mathematics, and made in her, in tliat capacity, a cruise of some two and a half years' duration. Siiortly after his return to Charleston, he received from the college, which had once expelled him — Dr. Adams being still its President — the degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts. A law had in the meantime been enacted creating Professorshii^s of Mathematics in the Navy, and Fre- mont was one of a few among many candidates who successfully passed a rigorous examination before a board convened for this purpose at Baltimore, and was appointed to the frigate Independence, But he liad in the meantime decided to labor in a profession which offered a lai'ger field to energy and promised greater rewards, and for which his studies had particularly qualified him. He made his first essay as surveyor and >NT. CH008E8 Uhi I'K' KK8SIUN — MAKUIE8 JKSSIi: BENTON. 81 BENTON. d the port oclamation ered on a ist twenty iiy of the ithematics, some two return to hich had President creating and Fre- ates who before a !, and was le liad in on wliicli greater rticularly ^eyor and i i I railroad engineer in an examination for an improve- ment of the railway line between Charleston and Augusta.* About this time a corps of engineers was organized under the direction of Capt. G. W. Williams, of the United States Topograi)hical Engineers (killed in tlie battle of Monterey), and Gen. W. G. McNeill, lor the ])urpose of making a preliminary survey of a route for a railway line from Charleston to Cincinnati, and Fre- mont was appointed one of the assistant engineers, charged with the exploration of the mountf.in passes between South Carolina and Teimessf^e, wliere ho remained until the work was suspended in the full of 1837. The parties engaged in this work occasionally stopped at the farm houses scattered through the mountains, but more frequently lived in camp, being provided with tents and all the necessary equipage for a camp life, of which this was Fremont's first experience. It was a country well calculated to make such first impressihical engineers which had been re-organized by General Jackson, who provided that half of the corps should ho taken frcut lie had the feasi- lication of ates. Til is lubseqiient our read- ti all situa- n of geo- ing in its S •les Ijin His first i'ontier of with the upon the cean, iie which lis* that ent, Col. ave him ssissipjDi. ne lip to ick, and as an in tliose of Xorth venturous 1, Edward •f Captain mountains named as a particular point to be examined, and its position fixed by him. It was through this pass that the Oregon emigration crossed the mountains, and the exploration of Lieut. Fremont had the double eftect of fixing an important point in the line of the emigrants' travel, and giving them encouragement from the apparent interest which the government took in their enterprise. At the same time, the government, that is, the executive administration, knew nothing about it. The design was conceived by the young lieutenant; the order for its execution was obtained, upon solicitation, from his immediate chief — importing, of course, as to be done by his order, but an order which had its conception elsewhere." Mr. Fremont left Washington, with his instructions, on the second day of May, 1842 ; completed his arrangements at Choteau's trading-house, a few miles beyond the w^estern boundary of the State of Missouri, and set out upon his expedition on the 10th of June. He had collected in the neighborhood of St. Louis twenty-one men, principally Creole and Canadian voyageurs^ who had become familiar with prairie lite in the service of the fu'' companies in the Indian country. Mr. Charles Preuss, a native of Germany, was his assistant in the topographical part of the survey. L. Maxw^ell, of Kaskaskia, had been engaged as hunter, and Christopher Carson (more familiarly known, for his exploits in tlie mountains, as Kit Carson) was his giiide. The persons engaged in St. Louis were : Clement Lam- bert, J. B. L'Espevance, J. B. Lefevre, Benjamin Potra, Louis Gouin, J. B. Dumes, Basil LajounossG, Francois Tessier, Benjamin Cadotte, Joseph Clement, Daniel Simonds, Leonard Benoit, Michel Morly, Bap A t -'il'' ; i i ! i I S8 LIFE AND SERVICK8 OF JOHN C. FRKJIONT. tiste Boriiicr, Ilonore Ayot, Fran9oi8 Latulij^pe, Fran- cois Badean, Louis Menard, Joseph Iluelle, Moise Cliardoniiais, Augiiste Janisse, llapbael Prone. In addition to these, Henry Brant, son of Colonel J. B. Brant, of St. Louis, a young man of niholi'cn years of age, and Randolph, a lively boy of twelve, son of the Hon. Thomas II. Benton, accompanied him. All were Avell armed and mounted, with the exception of eight men, who conducted as many carts, in which were packed the 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 the stock of provision-^, completed the train. The day on which they set out happened to be Friday — a circum- stance wliich his men did not fail to remember and recall during the hardships and vexations of the ensuing journey. For a detailed account of the romantic incidents of this expedition, of its hazards, privations, and achieve- ments ; of its geographical and scientific results, which have received repeated acknowledgment from the most distinguished sources, the reader is referred to the official report, of which several editions have been published in addition to the one printed by Congress for the ufee of the government. We shall content ourselves with a few extracts which will best serve to illustrate some ot the more striking points in Col. Fremont's character. His journey lay along the bed of Platte lliver, through what has since become famous as the South Pass, whicli he first ex})lorcd ; thence north, to the Wind Iliver peiik of the liocky Mountains, which he first ascended, and to which he has j:iven his name ; and thence home bv way of the Loup fork of the Platte River. When the 310NT. FIRST EXPLOliING EXPEDITION. 39 ilippe, Fran. nolle, JVIoj ise one. )f' Colonel J. iiv.:?cn years e, son of the I. All were ion of eight which were instruments, A few loose Ided to the The day on —a circum- ember and the ensuing icidents of d achieve- ults, which a the most he official published the nfee of with a few some ot icter. His through iss, whicli iverjjeiik kIcmI, and home bv Vhen the ^ party arrived on their way out, at Fort Laramie on the 12th of July, they found a bad state of feeling had grown up between the Cheyennes and Sioux Indians on the one hand, and the whites on the other, in consequence of an unfortunate engagement which had recently occurred, iu which the Indians had lost eight or ten warriors. Some eight hundred Indian lodges were ascertained to be in motion against tlie whites, and great alarm had been inspired by the intelligence received of their move- ments. What followed, we have thought of sufficient in- terest to quote at length in Col. Fremont's own words : "Thus it would appear that the country was swarming with scattered war-parties ; and when I heard, during the day, the various contradictory and exaggerated rumors which were inces- santly repeated to them, I was not su/prised that so much alarm prevailed 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 not escape without some sharp encounters with the Indians, '^.i addition to this, he made his will ; and among the circumstances whi(;h were constantly occurring to increase their alarm, this was the most unfortunate; and I found that a number of 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 the junction of Laramie River with the Nebraska. Here I heard a confirmation of the statements 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 village with which their families and the old men had remained. The arrival of the latter was hourly expected, and some Indians had just come in who had left them on the Laramie fork, about twenty miles above. Mr. Bissonette, one of the traders belong- '« s> ■if Ij'i il i! • ih : il I I ]ii!<< III I I iii ! JL. 40 LIFE AND 8ERVICK8 OF JOHN C. FREMONT. ing to Fort Platte, urgfed the propriety of taking with ine an interpreter rthI two or three old men of the village ; in which case, he thouuht there would be little or no hazard in encoun- tering any of the war-parties. The ])rin('ipal danger was in being attacked before they should know who we were. " 'J'hey had a confused idea of the numbers and power of our people, and dreaded to bring upon themselves tlie military force of the United States. This gentleman, who spoke the language llucntly, offered his services to accompany me so tar as the Red Buttes. lie 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 wtnch point it would be impossible to prevail on the 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 tliirty-five miles ; and, tliough 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 ; but the tent was generally occupied by a succession of our cere- monious visitors. Some came for presents, and others for infor- mation of our object in coming to the country ; now and then, one would dart uj) to the tent on horseback, jerk oft" his trap- pings, and stand silently at the door, holding his horse by the halter, signifying his desii'e 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 buftalo robes spread around. The dog was in a large pot over the tire, in the middle of the lodii-e, and immediatelv on our arrival was dished up in lai'ge wooden bowls, one of which was handed to each. The llesh apj)cared very glutinous, witli something of the flavor [ONT. ? with ine an \ge ; in wliich ii'i'se by the a sa\age dog feastt IS ready to dren were Halo robes lie, in the as dished 1 to each. the flavor FIRST EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 41 is :i and appearance of mutton. Feeling sometliing move behind me, I looked round, and found that I had taken my seat among a litter of fat young puppies. Had I been nice in such matters, the prejudice? of civilization might have interfered with my tran- quillity ; but fortunately, I am not of delicate nerves, and con- tinued to e»npty my platter. " The weather was cloudy at evening, with a moderate south wind, and the thermometer, at six o'clock, 85 degrees. I was ii.sappointed in my hope of obtaining an observation of an occultation, which took place about midnight. 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 ther- mometer, at six o'clock, 64 degrees. About nine o'clock, with a moderate wind from the west, a storm of rain came on, accom- j)anied by sharp thunder and lightning, which lasted about an hour. During the day the expected village arrived, consisting principally old men, women, and children. They had a considerable number of horses and large troops of dogs. Their lodges were pitched near the fort, and our camp was constantly crowded with Indians of all sizes, from morning 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 women and chil- dren. 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 special reverence, as mysterious things of ' great medicine.' Of the three barometers which I had brought with me thus far suc- cessfully, 1 fuund that two were out of order, and spent the greater part of the 19th in repairing them — an operation of no small dithculty in the midst of the incessant interruptions to which I was subjected. We had the misfortune to break here a large thermometer graduated to show fifths of a degree, which ! 1 It 1 1 I' r'! 42 LIFE AND 8KRVICE8 OF JOHN 0. FRKMONT. I used to ascertain the temperature of boiling water, and with which I had promised myself some interesting experiments in the mountains. Wo had but one remaining, on which the graduation extended sufficientlj' high ; and this was too small for exact observations. " During our stay here, the i.'in had been engaged in making numerous repairs, arranging pack-saddles, and otherwise preparing for the chances of a rough road and mountain travel. All things of this nature 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 service oi' Mr. liissonette as interpreter, and had taken every means possible in the circumstances to ensure our safety. In the rumors we had heard, I believed that there was much exag- geration, and then they were men accustomed to this kind of life and to the country ; and that these were the dangers of every day occurrence, and to be expected in the ordinary course of their service. They had heard of the unsettled condition of the country before leaving St. Louis, and therefore could not make it a reason for breaking their engagements. Still, I was unwil- ling to take with me, on a service of some certain danger, men on whom i could not rely ; and as I had understood that there were some among them 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 the 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 permission. 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 engagetl him- self to one of the forts, and set oti" with a i)arLy to the Upper Missouri. "I did not think that the situation of the country justified ine m taking our young companions, Messrs. Brant and l^enton, along with us. In case of misfortune, it would have been HKI iMONT. FIRST EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 43 tvater, and with ex])eriinents in on wliich the Avas too small ged in making rwise preparing -el. All things imd me in the ;o proceed the 1 engaged the 1 taken every iir safety. In as much exaer- ) this kind of ngers of every ary course of idition of the Id not make I was unwil- danger, men )d that there 'wardice, and at once, and the amount honor be it ace to come sd him some of tlie men, 'i;nged liim- the Up])er justified me tid Benton, have been thouirht, at the least, an act of great imprudence; and, tliercfore, thou'di reluctantly, I determined to leave them. Kaiidolph had been the life of I'le camp, and iliQ'' petit (/arfon^ was much recrretted by the men, to whom his buoyant spirits had atforded gnat amusement. They all, however, agreed in the i)ropriety of leaving him at the fort, because, as they said, he might cost the lives of some of the men in a fight with the Indians. I ^''July 21. — A portion of our baggage, with our Held 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 liandolj)h, by way of occupation, the regular winding up of two of my chronometers, which were among the instruments left. Our observations showed that the chronometer which I retained for the con'anuation of our voyage, had preserved its rate in a most satisfactory manner. As deducHid from it, the longitude of Fort Laramie is 7 hours 01 minutes 21 seconds, ami from lunar dis- tance, 7 hours 01 minutes 29 seconds — giving for the adopted longitude 104 degrees 47 minutes 48 seconis. Comparing the ti barometical observation made during our stay here, with those of Dr. G. Engleman, at St. Louis, we find for the elevation of the fort above the Gulf of Mexico, 4,470 feet. The winter climate here is remarkably mild for the latitude; but rainy weather is frequent, ami the place is celebrated for winds, of which the prevailing one is west. An east wind in summer, and a south wind in winter, are said to bo always accompanied with rain. " We were ready to depart ; the tents were struck, the mules geared up, and our horses saddled, and we walked up to the fort to take the t>tirrup-cup with our friends in an excellent home- brewed preparation. While thus pleasantly engaged, seated in 1 one of the little cool chambers, at the door of which a man had been stationed to prevent all intrusion from the Indians, a num- 1 ber of chiefs, several of them powerful, fine looking men, forced their way into the room in spite of all opposition. Handing mo pi ,ii; 44 LIFE AND 8KKVICK8 OF JOHN C. FREMONT. the following letter ( in French), they took their seats in silence : [translation.] " Fonx Vlattk, Jtilj/ 1, 1S42. '*'Mu. Fhemont: The chiefs, having assembled in council, have just told ine to warn you not to sot out before the party of younj^ men which irt now out shall have returned. Furthermore, they tell me, that they uro Very s>ire they will fire upon you as soon as they meet you. They are expected back in seven or eight days. Excuse me for muking these ob- servations, but it seems my duty to warn you of danger. Moreover, the chiefs who prohibit your setting out before the return of the warriors are the bearers of this note. *"I am your obedient servant, '"Joseph Bissonettk. " 'By L. B. ClIARTRAIN. "*iVames of some of the Chiefs. — The Otter Hat, the Breaker of Ai*** rows, the Black Night, the Bull's Tail.' " After reading this, I mentioned its purport to my compan- ions ; and, seeing that all were fully possessed of its contents, one of the Indians rose up, and, having first shaken hands with me, spoke as follows : " ' You have come among us at a bad time. Some of our peo- ple have been killed, and our young men, who are gone to the mountains, are eager to avenge the blood of their relations, which has been shed by the whites. Our young men are bad, and if they meet you, they will believe that you are carrying goods and ammunition to their enemies, and will fire upon you. You have told us that this will make war. We know that our great father has many soldiers and big guns, and we are anxious to have our lives. We love the whites, and are desirous of peace. Thinking of all these things, Ave have determined to keep you here until our warriors return. We are clad to see vou aniono" us. Our father is rich, and we expected that you would have brought presents to us — horses, guns, and blankets. But we are glad to see you. \Ve look upon your coming as the light which goes before the sun ; for you will tell our great father that you P fc their seats in -ATTR, July 1, 1S42. -•ouncil, have just >'ouii^' nu'ii wliich inc, that they aro you. Tliey are niiikiijg these ob- . Moreover, the ^ of the warriors BrSSONETTK. . ClIARTRAIN. Breaker of Aiv my compan- i contents, one inds with me, e of our peo- gone to the V relations, nen are bad, arc carrying upon you. low that our are anxious ►us of peace. keep you you finionor kvould Lave But we are ight which 3r that you nnST EXPLORING F.XnCDlTION. 45 ei have seen us, and that we are naked and poor, and have no- lliiiii; to eat; and he will send us all tliose thin-o appeared r<'asonal)lo ; but I WJis awaie that they had iu view only the present object of de- taining nie, ami were unwilling I should go further into tht country. In reply, I asked them, through the interpretation of Mr. lioudeau, to sele(;t two or three of their number to accom- p.iny us until we should meet their people — they sliould spread tlicii- robes in my tent and eat at my table, and on our return I would give tliem presents in reward of their services. Tiiey de- clined, savino- that there were no vounfj men left in the villaijej and that they were too old to travel so many days on horseback, and preferred now to smok»i their pipes in the lodge, and let the warriors go on the war path, liesides, they had no power over the young men, and were afraid to interfere with them. In my turn I addressed them : '♦'You s;iy 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 friendship to us ; but you are not willing to unrlergo the fatigue of a few days' ride to save our lives. We do not believe wliat you have said, and will not listen to you. \Yhate\er a chief among us tells his soldiers to do, is done. We are the soldiers of the great chief, your father. He has told us to come heie and see this country, and all the Indians, liis childien. Why should we not go ? Before we came, we heard that you had killed his people, and ceased to be his children ; but we came among you peaceably, holding out our liands. Now we find that the stories we heard are not lies, and that you are no longer his friends and children. We have thrown away our bodies, and will not turn back. When you told ns 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. We are few, and you are many, and may kill us all ; but there will be much crying in 40 LIFE AND 8EKVICK8 OF JOUN 0. FUKMONT. ,1 :; . I iii '. your villaijos, for m.'vny of your young niou will stay Itoliinij, and forrairio in the 'louses, and my er, we sluill be you will say it ino; with those IS to be ifiiiiicd Is, wo returned r parti njr salu- L>ts (the Bull's o send a younc )t' our evening poor,' said he ; .' I described and, shaking , and this last clians in tho ountered a f the week, ht and the that not a to be found ians whom r\y starved heir reced- of liorses eaten, or advised 1 FIRST EXPLORINa EXPEDITION. 47 Fremont, to return. Tho latter called up hU men, . inforuHMl tliem of vvliat lie had heard, and with that ■ inflexibility of purpose and faith in biinscil', whieli alwavfl seem in hours of greatest ])eril to have pur- tained hiin, avowed his lixed deterniiiuition to proeeed ill the execution of the enterpriso for whieh he liud been commipsioned, at the same time givinf; them to under- Btand that, in view of the dani;ers to whieh they were exposed, it was optional with them to go with him or to I'eturn. " Among them," says Fremont, " were some five or six whon I knew would remain. We had still ten days' provisions; and should no game be found, when this stock was expended, we had our horses and mules, which we could eat when other means of subsistence failed. ]iut not a man flinched from the midertaking. 'We'll eat the mules,' said Jjasil Lajeunesse ; and there- upon we shook hands with our interpreter and his Indi- ans, and parted. Witji them I sent back one of my men, Dumes, whom the eftects of an old wound in the leg rendered incapable of continuing the journey on foot, and his horse seemed on the point of giving out. Hav- ing resolved to disencumber ourselves immediately of everviliiuii' not absolutelv necessary to our future cfjjera- tions, I turned directly in toward the river, and encamped on the left bank, a little above the place where our council had been held, and where a thick grove of willows offered a suitable spot for the object I had in view." Mr. Fremont then proceeds as follows : "Tho carts having been discharged, the covers and wheels were taken off, and, with the frames, carried into some low places among the willows, and concealed in the dense foliage in such a ! 11 I ili: ^i 48 LIFE AND SERVICES OF JOHN C. FREMONT. manner that tlie glitter of the iron work might not attract the observation of some straggling Indian. In the sand, 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 designed to be carried along with us separated and laid aside, and the remaining part carried to the hole and carefully covei-ed up. As much as possible, all traces of our proceedings were obliterated, and it wanted but a rain to render our cache safe beyond discovery. All the men were now set at work to arrange the pack-saddles and make up the packs. " The day was very warm and calm, and the sky entirely clear, except where, as usual along the summits 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 had been taken out, and the lower part slightly raised. Near to it was standing the barometer, which swung in a tripod frame ; and within the lodge, where a small fire had been built, Mr. Preuss was occupied in observing the temperature of boiling water. At this instant, and without any ■warning until it was within fifty yards, a violent gust of wind dashed down the lodge, burying under it Mr. Preuss und about a dozen men, who had attempted to keep it from being carried awav. I succeeded in savinrj the barometer, which the lodo-e was carrving ofi" with itself, but the thermometer was broken. We had no others of a high graduation, none of those which remained going higher than 130° Fahrenheit. Our astronomi- cal observations gave to this place, which we named Cache camp, a longitude of 106° 38' 26", latitude 42° 50' 53"." The care with which Mr. Fremont records the pre- servation of this barometer lends interest to his subsequent account of its destruction and the ingenuity with which he repaired its loss. In crossing the New Fork of Green river al)out a week after the events last REMONT. bt not attract the 3 sand, whicli liad a Jarge hole was he meantime, all nd, and wliatever ed and laid aside, carefully covei-ed proceedings were r our cache safe work to arrange ky entirely clear, he mountainous n masses. Our the heat the 3r part slightly r, which swung where a small 1 observing the nd without any It gust of wind euss and about I being carried liich the lodge er was broken, of those which 3ur astronomi- id Cache camp, I'ds the pre- test to liis le inffeniiitv ig the Xew ■ events last ^Mli it ! I 1! : m U: ill!; !i H . nti;.MiiM' n. A.N IS niK \.mi:hi(an i i.A(i on nii; inciii-si I'KAK oi- iiu i.ik kv .moin i iI.ns. FIEST EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 49 described, the current was very swift, and lie accident- ally broke it. It M'as the only barometer he had bee-i able to preserve up to that point in his journey, and in recording the calamity in his journal, he adds: MIIIN r il.SS, " A grecat 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 contradictory ; and now their snowy ]ioaks rose majesticall}^ before me, and the only means of giving them authentically to science, the object of my anxious solici- tude by night and day, was destroyed. We liad brought this barometer in safety a thousand miles, and broke it almost amoncf the snow of the mountains. The loss was felt by the whole camp — all had seen my anxiety, and aided me in preserv- ing it. The height of these mountains, considered by the hunters and traders the highest in the whole rano-e, had been a theme of constant discussion among them ; and all had looked forward with pleasure to the moment when the instrument, which they believed to be true as the sun, should stand upon the summits, and decide their disputes. Their grief was only inferior to my own." The skill and patience exhibited by him in repairing his loss illustrates one of the most characteristic and remarkable traits of Mr. Fremont's character — his fer- tility of resource and his habitual self-reliance. The incident cannot be better described than in his own words. "As soon as the camp was formed," he says, "I set about endeavoring to repair my barometer. As I have already said, this was a standard cistern barometer, of Trouo-hton'a construe- tion. The glass cistern had been broken about midwav ; but as the instrument had been kept in a proper position, no air had ' 1 i '{. LIFE AND SERVICES QF JOHN C. FREMONT. found its way into the tube, the end of wliicb liad always rtMnained covered. I had Avith nie a number of vials of toler- ably thick glass, some of wliich were of tlie same diameter as llie cistern, and I spent the day in slowly working on these, cn-ocfs, like the liutterflies which I found at far liiglicr elevations in the chain of the Andes, and also within the limits of perpetual snows, had boon iiivohiiitarily dra-n thither by ascending currents of air. I hiivo v^vcii seen large-v'"^" . Icpidoptera, which had been carried far out to sea by land winds, drop on the ship's deck, at a considerable distance from the land, in the South Sea. ''Fremont's map and geographical researchos embrace the immense tract of land extending from the confluence of Kansas Iliver witli the Missouri, to the cataracts of the Cohiniliia, and the Missions of Santa Barbara, and the Pueblo de los Angelos, in X(^w California, ])resonting a sjjace amounting to 28 degrees of longitude (about llJdo miles) between the Sith and -lotli parallels of north latitude. Four Inuidred points have been hypsometrically determined by barometrical measurtiiionts, and for the most part, astronomically; so that it has been rendered ix)ssible to delineate the profile above the sea's level, of a tract of land measuring 3,600 miles, with all its inflections, extending from the north of Kansas to Fort Vancouver, and to the coasts of the South Sea (alnu)st 720 miles more than the distance from Madrid to Tol)olsk), As I believe I was the first who attempted to represent, in geognostic profile, the configura- tion of Mexico and the Cordilleras of South Ameri/'a (for the half-per- spective projections of the Siberian traveller, the Abbe Chappe*, were based on mere, and, for the most part, on very inaccurate estimates of the falls of rivers); it has aflbrded me special satisfaction to there find the graphical method of representing the earth's configuration in a ver- tical direction, that is, the elevation of solid over fluid parts, achieved on so vast a scale. In the mean latitudes of 37^ to 40-", the Rocky Moun- tains present, besides the great snow-crowned summits, whose height may be compared to that of the Peak of Tenerille, elevated plateaux of an extent scarcely to be met with in any other part of the world, and whoso breadtli from east to west is almost twice tluit of the Mexican highlands. From the range of the niountains which begin a little west- ward to Fort Laramie, to the further .side of the Wah.<riiii^ of tho (,'olorado of tlio (iuif of (Jalifornia; and on tlio other was tlio Wind Iliver valley, where wero tho heads of tlie Vellow- Rtoue branch of the Missouri ; far to tho north, we j.ist could discover tlie snowy heads of tho Trols Tctons, wliero wore tho source of tho Missouri au'l Columbia rivers; and at tho southern extremity of the ridufo, the peaks were plainly visible, amonij which were some of tho sorings of the Nebraska or Platte River. Aiound us, tho whole i^cene had one main strikinnr feature, whicli was that of terrible convulsion. Parallel to its length, tlie ridgo was split info ch;tsms and fissures ; between which rose the thin lofty walls, terminated with slender minarets and columns. Accordinir to the barometer, the. little crest of tho wall 0)1 which we stood was three thousand five liundrc' and seventy feet above tliat place, and two thousand seven liundred and eighty above the little lakes at the bottom, immediately at our feet. Our camp at the Two Hills (an astronomical station) bore Bouth 3° east, whicdi, with a bearing afterward obtained from a fixed |»osition, enabh;d us to locate the peak. The bearing of the Tfois Tetons was north 50° west, and tho direction of tho cen- tral ridii'o of the Wind Kiver mountains souUi 30° east. occupies tho whole space Ijctwoeu the true Rocky Mountains and the Calil'ornian t:no\vy const rauf^e from M'-^ to 45-^ north liititude. This district. w])ich is ti kind of l>roixd longitudinal valley, like that of tho Lake Titicaca, has been named the (rrcat B((sin, l)y Joseph Walker and Captain Fremont, tvavcllers well acquainted with those western regions. It is a (crra inco;/uiia of at least 8,000 geographical (or 128,000 English) square miles, and almo.^t uninhabited, and full of salt lakes, the largest of which is J5,010 l*arisian (or 'l,'2oo English) feet above the level of tlio 5en, and is connected with the narrow Lake Utah,* into which ' Hock River ' {Timpan Ogo, in the Utah language) pours its copious stream." — Hum- boldfn Aspects of Xnturp. Pp. 82-"-!. •freraont : Report n/th« Exploring Erpeftiticn, pp. ir>4 and 273— 2T6. f FIRST KXPLOKING KXPLDITION. 57 ns, which r| On one 'pi'ing of i •tliL'i- \v;i3 i W'lUny- ist couh-l wui'u tho southern ', anioni:; to River. .^ feature, J lenglli, n which ■ rets and 5t of tho Ire' and d red and y at our on) boro from a irincf of i the een- ;i tuid the This t of the kcr and regions. English) c liirgost, ■1 of tlio V River ' ■Hum' "TIio summit rock was jruoisa, succeeded by sionitlc, gneiss. Sieiiife and fcMspar succeeded in our descent to the snow lino where we found a fchlspathic; ( a laro-o ;i rubber, rain. It ice fouiul is u giant the Earl lie narra- :;en(lecl in tlio west- d by any nd of our >e}-ed the tlie cross rond tliG national itteinpt licli lie .lilts of >se our bi'cak- vvith us f water, provisions for tf-n or twelve davs. We paddled down tl.o river ripidly, for our little craft was Ijnlit as a duck <>n the water; and tli(f sun bail been some tiuie riNcu, when we beard bi't'ore tis a liollow roar, wblcli we supposed i(» be ibat of a fall, of wbicli wo bad lie.ird a vai^nu; rumor, but whose exact locality no one had l)eeii able to describe to us. Wo were approaidjina^ a ridg<3, tliroiii>h whi(di the river passes by a ])laco called ' canon' (pro- iiouncetl I'diiyon), a Spanish word, siiMiifying a ])iiled up on either side; but, after be liad walked about five minutes, everything like shore disappeared, and the vertical wall came squarely down into the water. He therefore waited until we came up. An ugly pass lay befoi'e us. We had made fast to the stern of the boat a strong rope about fifty feet long ; and three of tlie men clambered along among the rocks, and with this rope let her down slowly througli the pass. In several places high rocks lay scattered about in the channel ; and in the narrows it required all our strength and skill to avoid staving the boat on the sharp points. In one of these, the boat proved n little too broad, and stuck fast for an instant, while the water flew over us ; fortunately it was but for an instant, as our united strength forced lier immediately through. The water swept overboard only a sextant and pair of saddle-bags. I caught the sextant as it passed by me, but the saddle-bags became the prey of the whirlpools. We readied th.e place where Mr. Preuss was standing, took liim on board, and, with the aid of the boat, put the men with the rope on the succeeding pile of rocks. AVo found this passage much worse than the previous one, and o.ui^ position was rather a bad one. To go back was impossible ; before us the cataract was a sheet of foam ; and shirt up in the chasm by the rocks, which, in some places, seemed almost to meet overhead, the roar of water was deafening. We pushed off again ; but, after making ^ little distance, the force of the cur- rent became too great for the men on shore, and two of them let go the rope. Lajeunesse, the third man, hung on, and was jei'ked lieadlbremost into the river from a rock about twelve feet liigh ; snd down the boat shot like an arrow, Basil followino- v^ in tlie rapid current, and exerting all his strength to keep in mid- chnnnel — liis lioad only seen occasionally like a black spot in ih^ white foam. How far he went, T do not exaotlv know ; but FIE8T EXPLOKINO EXPEDITION. 61 e greater save our nipted to in places ed about 3 vertical 'e waited I ad made jet long ; )cks, and n several id in the I staving t proved be water ir united !r swept :ight the he prey 'uss was oat, put . Wg !ind quit ossible ; in tlie nost to ushod le cur- em let id was ve feet ino- I'o n mid- pot in but 3 .7 ■■-?• i we succeeded in lurning the boat into an eddy below. "Cr^ Dicn,'' said Uasil L.'ijcuncsse, as lie arrived inunodiately after us, ' Je croia hlcti que jai na^/c tin dcini mile.^ lie had owed his life to his skill as a swimmer, and I determined to take him and the two others on board, and trust to skill and fortune to reach the other end in safety. \Vo placed ourselves on our knees, with the short paddles in our hands, the most skillful boatman being at the bow; and again we commenced our rapid descent. " We cleared rock after rock, and sliot past ftdl after fall, our little boat seeming to play with the cataract. We became Hushed with success, and familiar with the danger ; and, yielding to the excitement of the occasion, broke forth together into a Canadian boat song. Singing, or rather shouting, we dashed along ; and Avere, I believe, in the midst of tlie chorus, when the boat struck a concealed rock immediately at the foot of a fall, which Avliirled lier over in an instant. Three of my men could not swim, and my first feeling was to assist them, and save some of our clVects; but a sharp concaission or two convinced me that T had not yet saved myself. A few strokes brought me into an eddy, and I landed on a pile of rocks on the left side. Looking around, I saw that Mr. Preuss liad gained the shore on the same side, about twenty vards below ; and a little climbinsT: and swimminq; soon brought him to my side. On tlie opposite side, against the wall, lay the boat, bottom up; and Lambert was in the act of saving Descoteaux, whom he had graspe 1 i ■Li : I of the journey, our journals and registei's of astronomical and baroiiic'tric'.'il observations, had been lost in a nionient. But it >vas no time to indulge in regrets; and I iuiinediately set about fcndeavoi'ino- to save soniethino- fiouj the wreck. Makino- oiir- selves understood as well as possible by signs (for nothing could be heard in the roar of waters), wc commenced our operations. Of everything on board, the only article that had been aved ■was my double-barreled gun, which Descoteaux had caught, and clung to with drowning tenacity. The men continued down the liver on the left bank. Mr. Preuss and mvself descended on the side we were on ; and Lajeuncsse, with a paddle in his hand, jumped on the boat alone, and continued down the canon. She was now light, and cleared every bad place with much less difficulty. In a short time he was joined by Lambert, and the search was continued for about a mile and a half, which was as far as the boat could proceed in the pass. "Here the walls were about five hundred feet high, and the fragments of rocks from above had choked the river into a hoi- low pass, but one or two feet above the surface. Through this and the interstices of the rock, the water found its way. Fa- vored beyond our expectations, all of our registers had been recovered, with the exception of one of my journals, which con- tained the notes and incidents of travel, and topographical descriptions, a number of scattered astronomical observations, principally meridian altitudes of the sun, and our barometrical register west of Laramie. Fortunately, our other journals con- tained du[)licates of the most important barometrical observa- tions which had been taken in the mountains. These, with a few scattered notes, were all that had been preserved of our me- teoroloo'ical observations. In addition to these, we saved the circle ; and these, with a few blankets, constituted everything that had been rescued from the waters. " The day was running ra])idly away, and it was necessary to reach Goat Island, whither the party had preceded us, before night. In this uncertain countr}', the traveller is so much in the I FIRST EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 63 nical and . But it set about viug Dur- i ing could aerations. ;cn cived .. i caught, • led down ended on le in his he canon. 1 much less , and the h was as , and the iito a hol- :| Dugh this 1 vay. Fa- lad been ■A ft hich con- ,Ji graphical ervations, ometrical - nals con- observa- e, with a ' our me- 1 ;aved the rerything 1 •essarv to ■'■i IS, before ch in the power of clmnce, tliat we became somewhat unea'^^y in regard to llieni. Shuiikl anything have occurred in ttio brief interval of oar PC'paralion, to prevent our rt^oining them, our situation would be railier a desperate one. We had not a morsel of provi^^ions our arms and amTuinition were gone — and v/ere entirely at tlje niercv of anv straggling party of savages, and not a little in Janger of starvation. We therefore set out at once in two par- ties. Mr. Preuss and myself on the left, and the men on the opposite side of the river. Climbing out of the canon, we found ourselves in a very broken country, where we were not yet able to recognize any locality. In the course of our descent through the canon, the rock, which at the upper end was of the decom- posing granite, changed into a varied sandstone formation. The hills and points of the ridges were covered with fragments of a yellow sandstone, of whi<;h the strata were sometimes displayed in the broken ravines which interrupted our course, and made our walk extremely fatiguing. At one point of the canon the red argillaceous sandstone rose in a wall of five hundred feet, surmounted by a stratum of white sandstone; and in an opposite ravine a column of red sandstone rose, in form like a steeple, about one hundred and fifty feet high. The scenery was extremely picturesque, and notwithstanding our forlorn condition, we were frequently obliged to stop and admire it. Our progi'ess was not very rapid. We had emerged from the water half naked, and, on arriving at the top of the precij)ice, I found nnself with only one moccasin. The fragments of rock made walking painful, and I was frequently obliged to stop and pull out the thoins of the cactus, liere the prevailing plant, and with which a few minutes' walk covered the bottom of my feet. From tliis ridge, the river emerged into a smiling prairie, and descend- ing to the bank for water, we were joined by Benoist. The rest of the paity were out of sight, having taken a more inland route. Wo cr(>s>ed ilie river repeatedly — sometimes able to ford it, and sonic'tinit's swimming — climbed over the riiJijes of two more canons, and towards evening reached the cut, which we here !, 1 if I "1 ih ^ i : It! i 1 ' .' 1 ' ! '' A \ 1 1 1 ! ' - 1 ( I Si .11 I I i I i ! i 1 I I t i' C4 LIFE AND SERVICi:3 OF JOHN C. FRPMONT. named tlie Hot Spring jv.ite. On our previous visit in July, we had not entei'cd this pa?s, reserving it for our descent in the boftt ; and when we entered it this evening, Mr. Preuss was a few hundred feet in advance. Heated with the long inarch, ho came suddenly upon a fine bold spring gushing from the rock, about ten feet above the river. Eager to enjoy the crystal water, he threw himself down for a hasty draught, and took a mouthful of water almost boilino- hot. He said nothino- to Benoist, who laid himself down to drink : but the steam from the water arrested his eagerness, and he escajied the liot draught. We had no ther- mometer, 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 Avas heard from the rock, which I suppose to be produced by the fall of the water. The strata immediately where the issue is a fine white and calcareous sandstone, covered with an incrusta- tion of common salt. Leaving this Thermopylre of the West, in a short walk we reached the red rida'e whi(;h has been described as lying just above Goat Island. Ascending this, we found some fresh tracks and a button, which showed that the other men had alreadv arrived. A shout from the man who had first reached the top of the ridge, responded to fi-om below, informed lis that our friends were all on the island ; and we were soon among them. We found some pieces of bufialo standing around the fire for us, and managed to get some dry clothes among the people, A sudden storm of rain drove us into the best shelter we could find, where we slept soundly, after one of the most fatiguing days I have ever experienced." On the ITtli of October, Colonel Fremont was cat St. Louis, and on the 29tli in Washington. His report was co)ni)leted and in the liands of the War Department before the winter was over. It was called for by the Senate, and when reported. Dr. Linn, then one of the J ^^, FIRST EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 65 Jiilv, we it in the was fi few , he crime •ck, about water, he outhful of who laid rrestod his 1)0 ther- hold my s. There selves by How noise led by the issue is a incrusta- e West, in described )und some ither men lad first iiformed ere soon U around monor the st shelter the most IS at St. )ort was artment :* by the e of tho I senators from the State of Missouri, accompanied a motion to print extra copies with some complimentary remarks, which we give as reported in the Congreimioial Globe of that date : " In support of his motion," Mr. L. said, " that in the course of tlie last summer a very interesting expedition had been un- dertaken to 'tlie Rockv Mountains, ordered bv Colonel Abert, chief of the Topographical Bureau, with the sanction of tlie Se(!retary of War, and executed by Lieut. Fremont of the Topon'ra})liical Engineers. The object of the expedition \\ is to examine and report upon the rivers and country between the frontiers of Missouri and the basis of the Rocky Mountains; and especially to examine the character, and ascertain the latitude and longitude of the South Pass, the great crossing phu;e to these mountains on the way to the Oregon. All the objects of the expedition have been accomplished, and in a way to be bene- ficial to science and instructive to the general reader, as well as usefi'l to the government. "Supplied with the best astronomical and barometrical instru- ments, well qualified to use them, and accompanied by twenty- five voi/agcurs^ enlisted for the purpose at St. Louis, and trained to all the hardships and dangers of the prairies and the moun- tains, Mr. Frejnout left the mouth of the Kansas, on the frontiers of Missouri, on the 10th of June; and, in the almost incredil)ly short s])ace of four months, returned to the same point, without an accident to a man, and with a vast mass of useful observa- tions, and many hundred specimens in botany and geology. "In executing his instructions, Mr. Fremont proceeded up the Kansas Kiver far enough to ascertain its character, and then crossed over to the Great Platte, and pursued that river to its source in the mountains, where the Sweet Water (a head biandi of the Platte), issues from the neighborhood of tho South Pass. He reached this Pass on the 8th of August, and describes it as a wide and low depression of the mountains, where the ascent is as ;i'ii : \ I M M G6 LIFE AND SICRVICES OF JOHN C. FREMONT. easy as tliat of tho hill on \vhi(;li tliis Capitol stands, and where a ])Iainlv-beatc'n waofon road leads to the Oreufon, throuo-h the valley of I^cwis's River, a fork of the Columbia. lie went tliioiiuli llie pass, and saw tlie liead waters of the Colorado, of the (jiiilf of Califoi'nia; and leavinq; the vallevs to induliye a landiible curiosity, and to make some useful observations, and attended by four of his men, he climbed the loftiest peak of the Rocky Mountains, until then untrodden by any known liumRn being; and, on the IStli of August, looked down upon ice and snow some thousand feet below, and traced in the distance the valleys of the rivers which, taking their rise in the same elevated ridge, flow in opposite dii'ections to the Pacific Ocean and to the Missis.-ippi. Fi'om that ultimjite point he returned by the valley of the Great Platte, following the stream in its whole course, and solvinj all questions in relation to its navigability, and the character of the country thn.ugh which it Hows. " Over the whole course of this extended route, barometrical observations were made by Mr. Preniont, to ascertain elevations both of the plains and of the mountains ; astronomical observa- tions woe taken to ascertain latitudes and longitudes; the face of the country was marked as arable or sterile; the facility of travelling, and the practicability of routes noted ; the grand features of rature described, and some presented in drawings; military positions indicated ; and a lai'ge contribution to geology and botany was made in the varieties of plants, flowers, shrubs, trees, and grasses, and rocks and earths, which were enumerated. Drawings of some grand and striking points, and a map of the whole route, illustrate the report, and facilitate the uncierstand- ing of its details. Eight carts drawn by two mules each accom- panied the expedition ; a fact which attests the facility of travel- lino- in this vast re^'ion. Herds of buffaloes furnished subsistence to the men; a short, nutritious o'rass, sustained the horses and mules. Two boys ( one of twelve vears of aire, the other of »"•' eighteen), besides the enlisted men, accompanied the expedition, and louk their share of its hardships ; which proves that boys, I I ! FIRST EXPLOlilNO EXPEDITION. 67 1 where lo-li the e went •ado, of dulge a 3ns, and k of the human ice and mce the elevated id to the le valley course, and the metrical I ovations observa- le face ity of grand awings ; geology shrubs, erated. of the rstand- accom- travel- istence >es and her of edition, boys, ns Avell as men, are able to traverse the country to the Rocky Moiinfiiiiis. " Tli(3 ! ?sult of ;dl his observations Mr. Fremont had condensed into a brief report — enough to make a document of niiioly or one hundred pages; and believing that tliis document would be of general enterest to the whole country, and beneficial to science, as well as useful to the government, I move the printing of the extra number wliich has been named. " In making this motion, and in bringing this report to the notice of the Senate, I take a great })leasure in noticing the activity and importance of the TopooTapbical Bureau. Under its skillful and vigilant liead [Colonel Abert] numerous valuable and incessant surveys are made ; and a mass of information collected of the highest importance to the country generally, as Avell as to the military branch of the public service. This report proves conclusively that the country, for sevcial hundred miles from the fVontier of Missouri, is exceedingly beautiful and fertile ; alternate woodland and prairie, and cert^iin portions well supplied with water. It also proves that the valley of the river Platte has a very rich soil, atlordiiig great facilities for emigrants to the west of the Kockv Mountains." The London AthcncGum^ of Marcli, 1814, coniincnces a review of tliis re])ort in tlie following coinplinieutary terms, Mdiich we quote to sliow the impression it pro^ duced in the literary eircles of the old world : " The government of the United States did well when in furtherance of the resolution to surve "lie road across the Great Western Prairie and the Rocky Mountains to the Oreii'on terri- tory, it selectetl Lieut. P^reinont for the execution of the work. AVe have rarely met with a production so perfect in its kind as the unpretending pamphlet containing this report. The narrative, clear, full and lively, occupies only 70 pages, to which are appended 130 [>ages, iilled with the results of botanical researches, S* ii n ■i I\ I I \. ll •II W I I I !!;: l!' i';i;i 68 lh^e and si:kvice3 of john v. fkemont. of nRtrononiical and metcorologiacal observations. "What a con- trast does tills present to tlie voluminous ein])lin(>ss and con- ceited rliodoinontado so often brouijlit forth l>y our costly expeditions. The country c^ono over by Lieut, Fremont is cer- tainly not the must interesting; in the world, nor is it quite now. Yet he is evidentlv not the man to travel 2,000 miles without observing inu(;h which is worthy of being recorded or to write a ])age which is likely to prove tedious in the reading. Ilis points of view are so well chosen, Ins delineation has so much iruth and sj)irit, and his general remarks are so accurate and compre- hensive, that under Ins guidance we find the far west prairies nearly as fresh and tempting as the most favored Arcadian scenes, tlio hallowed groves of which were never trodden by the foot of squatting emigrant or fur trader." :., f' ! i I I M SECOND KXPLOlilNQ EXI'EDITION. 60 CIIAPTEPt IV. by the SECOND KXrLOKINO EXPEDITION KIT CAKSON MKS. FRE- MONT WITH HOLDS OUDERS FROM THE WAR DEPART^IENT COLONEL UKNTIJn's ACCOUNT OF THE ]':X1'EDITI0N DIS- COVERS THE INLAND SEA PERILOUS VOYAGE TO ITS ISLANDS IN A LINEN P>OAT ARRIVES AT FORT VANCOUVICR AND FULFILLS THE INSTRUCTIONS OF HIS GOVERNMENT. The results of Col. Fremont's first expedition were BO unexpected, and his success altogether so extraordi- nary, that his government took no time to deliberate upon the propriety of sending him again into a field of duty, where he made the department of the public ser- vice, with which he was connected, appear to so much advantage. He had scarcely seen his maps and report through the press, before he embarked on a second expe- dition, from the same point on the frontier, but wuth puj'poiscs even more comprehensive than those with which he set out in lSi2. lie was instrncted to connect the exploration with the surveys of the Pacific coast, by Captain AVilkes, who had commanded the South Sea Exploring Expedition, so as to give a connected survey of the interior of our continent. His party consisted principally of Creole and Canadian Fi'ench and Americans, amounting in all '• :*a 1:1 11 !! ,1 n\> M\ Vo LIFK AND ^^Kia ICKS (IF Joirx C. FUKMOXT. to o\) UK'ii ; aiiiniinr wlioiii wuro scvcnil wlio accompa- iiicHl him in liis lirst (.'X|K'adean, Oliver Beaidien, Bai)tiste 13ernier, John A. Ca]n})bell, John G. Campbell, Mannel Chap- man, Itansoni Clai'k, Philibert Courteaii, Michel CreliSj "William Creuss, Clinton Deforest, Baptisto Derosier, Basil Lajeunesse, Fi'anc/ois Lajeunesse, .Henry Lee, Louis Menard, Louis Montreuil, Samuel Neal, Alexis Pera, Franf;ois Pera, J times Power, Paphael Proue, Oscar Sar])y, Baptistc Tabean, Charles Tai>lin, Baptistc Tesson, Auguste Vasquez, Joseph Verrot, Patrick White, Ticry Wright, Louis Zindel, and Jacob Dodson, a free young colored man of Washington city, who yolunteered to accompany the expedition. Two Delaware Lidiaua were engaged to accompany the expedition as hunters. L. Maxwell, who had accompanied the expedition as one of the hunters in lSi2, being on his way to Taos, in Xew Mexico, also joined him. IJe was subsetpiently joined by his invaluable friend, Kit Carson, whom he I SECOA'D F.XrLOKIN(r KXI'KDlTION. 71 f -was so fortunate as to full in "vvith on the coniines of Kc'W Mexico.''* Tlio i)arty was armed generally wiili irallV carbines, which, with a l)rass 12-lb. howitzer, had been l'unii>iie(l to ? •osiei' L ) ee. rone. ion &S, * As Kit Carson lignrcs .'^oniowhat pxtonsivcly in the reports of Col. rreniont, to wlioni lie proved of iiuiileiiliihle service in eiuli of his seve- ral expioiiii^r expediliods, we submit tliu following bketeh of his life f gathered iiiainlv iVoiii his own lips. Cliristopher Carson was horn in Kentucky in the year 1810 or 1811 ; his fallier ha\iii,: l»e(Mi one of the early settlers, and also a noted hunter and Indian ii',diter. In the year following,' Kit's l)ii'th the I'andly nioveii to the territory of Missouri. On this frontier, bred to horiler life, he remained to the a;;e of lifteen, when he joined a trading party to Santa i'e. In- stead of returning. Kit found liis way by various adventures south, through New Mexico to the Copper mines of Chihuahua, where he passed nine months as a teamster. g When about seventeen he juade his first expedition as a trapper on the I Rio Colorado of ('alii'ornia. The enterprise was successful, though utteiuled witli considerable dangers, the Mexicans being oven at that early tlay very jealous of American enterprise. lie made good hid return to Tao in New Mexico, and soon after joined a trapping party to the head waters of the Arkansas River, whence he went northward to the region of the Rocky Mountains which gives rise to the Mississippi and Columl)ia rivers, where he remained engaged in the trapping busi- ness eiglit years. He became noted throughout that region ami on liotli sides of the Rocky Mountains, as a successful trapper, an unfail- ing shot, an unerring guide, and I'or bravery, sagacity, ami steadiness iu all circumstances. He was chosen to lead in almost all enterprises of unusual danger, and in all attacks on the Indians. At one time with a party of twelve, he tracked a band of near sixty Crows who had stolen some of the horses belonging to the trappers ; cut loose the animals which I were tied within ten feet of the strong fort of logs in which the Indians had taken shelter; attacked them and made good his retreat with the V. covered horses, an Indian of another party who was with the trappers bringing away a Crow scalp as a trophy. In one cond)at with the Rlack- tVet Indians, Carson received a rille ball which luoke his lel't slioulder. Save this, he escaped the manifold dangers to which he was exposed wiiliout serious bodily injury. Of eom'se in so turbulent and unrestrained a life, where there were no I s : i'.i ,' :'tl I ! Miiiii: ' i..< 111' IK .: m f7ti 72 MFls AND Br.nviCKS OK .TOFfX f. FRliMONT. liimlVoin the United States Arsenal tit St. Louis, .'i«^'ree- al)ly to tlio orders of Col. S. W. Kearney, conmiaiidini; the third iniiitarv divi.^ion. We are thus ])arti('idar in mentioning tliiti piece of ordnance lor reasons ^\■ill{'h laws and no prisons, thoic wore not iinfreqiK'nt porsoniil rcncoiilicrt anioMfij.Ht tlio trnpjt(>rs, nor could the incst pt'iicoiibly (liMposi'd ulwavfl avoid tlicm. On one (u'ciision a KriMudiinan wiio ran!vt'(» us a Imliy, and hail wiiippi'd a frood many Canadians, insulted tlio Anioricaiis hy sayinj; tlioy weiT otdy lit to lio whipped with switohos. Carson resented this instdutlv l)V sa\Iiii' that he was the most triflin'' one anion;' the Anieri- cans, and that tlie lirap^art jiad l)etter he^in with him. After exchang- ing a few more Avords, each went away and armed him.-elf, Carson with a pistol, the Frenchman with a rille, and both mounteil lor the liglit. Riding up until tlie horses' lieads nearly touched — both li.cd almost aL the same instant. Carson was a little the (pilokcst, however, and his ball passing through the Fi-enehmaii's head, made him jerk up his gmi, and sent the l)all, which was intended for Carso- heart, grazing by his loft eye and singeing his hair. This is, he says the only serious j)ersonivl quarrel he ever had. Col. Fremont owed his good fortune in jjrocurlng Carson's services to an accidental meeting on l)oard the steamboat above St. Louis, neither liaving ev(>r heard of the otiier before, as he was setting out on his first expedition. Carson remained with him until he rocrossod the mountains. His courage, tidcdity, and excellent character, so completely won the heart of his commander that in his second expedition he was glad to avail himself of Kit's services, on falling in with him as he chanced to do on the confines of Now Mexico. Kit again left the party on its arrival this side of the mountains — not however, until Fremont had obtained a promise froni hiin to join the third expedition in case one should bo organized, a proniise which he faithfully kept under circumstances calcu- lated to test his devotion to his late commander. In the interim between the second and third expeditions, Carson liad settled himself near Tao.s and had begun to farm, preparing to lead a quiet life, when he received a note from Fremont, written at Bent's Fort reminding him of his ])ro- Uiise and telling him that he waited there for him. In four days from liie receipt of this note, Carson joined the party, having !-old house and farm for less than half the sum he had first expended on it, and put his f;imily under the protection of a friend, the late Gov. Bent, until ho should return from a certainly long and dangerous journey. This pro- NT. iiiiiisutdini; rticulur in ;ons Nvliicli (il reiiconticrt I posed iilwiiy.s ,s a Itiilly, and ans hy huyiiif^ I'csciitod this \^ till' AiiuM'i- il'tcf I'xclmiig- ("iirsDii with a for the liglit. lod alniost at r, nnd liis bull I lii.^ ,VN(;KRors PASSAGK TlIHOL(iH .\ (.ANnN IS TllK IM.A (TK Kl \ KK— I'.UiK 5S. SECOND FXPLOETXG EXPEDITION. will appear presently. Three men were oj^pecially ue- tailed for its service, nnder the cluirgc of Louis Zindei, a native of Germany, who had bi^en nineteen years a iion-eoniniissioneil otKcer of artillery in the Prussian arniv, and rcu'ularly instructed in the duties of his pro- fession. The camp equipage and provisions were trans- ])orted in twelve carts, drawn each by two mules ; and a light covered wagon, mounted on good springs, had been provided for the safe carriage of instruments. These were: One refracting telescope, by Frauenhofer; one reflecting circle, by Ganibey ; two sextants, by Tr(uighton ; one pocket chronometer, ^No. S3T, by Goifo, Falmouth ; one pocket chronometer, Ko. 730, by Brock- baidv ; one syphon barometer, by Bunten, Paris ; one cistern barometer, by Fiwe tt Shaw, oS'ew York ; six thermometers, and a number of small compasses. To make the exploration as useful as possible, Mr. Fremont determined to vary the route to the liocky Mountains from that followed in the year 1842. The route was then up the valley of the Great Platte Piver to the South Pass, in north latitude 428 ; the route low determined on was up the valley of the Kansas Piver, to the head of the Arkansas River, and to some pass in the mountains, if any could be found, at its source. P)V making this deviation from the former route, the problem of a new road to Oregon and Californiaj i'< a 'J » : toetion uiitortun;\tely proved iiisiif^iciont, for at the infamous Taos massa- cre which soon ensued, Carson's brotlier-in-la\v was massacred, and Mrs. Carson only saved her life by iiiglit, leaving her liouse to be pillaged by the Mexicans. When Carson was in Washington in 1847, he received from President Polk the comndssion of lieutenant in the ritle regiment of which Col. Fremont was Ueutcnant colonel. i ifUl .-* } \^ WJ^ T4 LIFE AND SEKVICES OF JOHN C. FEEMONT. iJ! 1 .1 : climate more iroiiial, iniglit l)c solved; and a l)ettcr knowledge obtained of !in inipoi'tant river, and the connli'v it drained, while the great object of the expe- dition woidd find its ])oint of commencement at the ter- mination of the former, -which was at that great gate in the I'ido-o of the liockv iloimtains called the South Pass, and on the lofty ])eak of ihe mountain which over- looks it, deemed the highest peak in the ridge, and I'rom the o})i)osite sides of wliich four givat i'i\ers take their rise, and tlow to the Pacific or the Mississi})]>i. The party started tVom the little town of Kansas on the 2!.)th of May, IS-to, and did not get hack to the United States au'ain nnlil Ani-'ust of the followinii: year. "What tiiev accomi)li>hcd and what thev endured could not be niore ibi-eij)ly described than it has been by Colonel J>enton, who gives facts in regard to the course taken by our government towards this expedition which were never before reveale' it. The fact \vas, that his fir>t exjioliiiou baielv tinished, Mr. Fremont sought and obtained orilers t'or a second one, and Avas on the frontier of Missouri with his com- mand when orders arrived at St. houis to stoj> him, on the ground that he hail made a military eipiipmeiit which the ])eace- ful nature of his e-eoM-raphical pursuit did not re(piire! as if In- dians did not kill and rob scientific men as well as others if not in a condition to defend themselves. The pai'ticidar point of coni- jilaint was that he had taken a small iiioimtain howit/.er, in ad- dition to bis ritles ; and which, he was intbnued, was charn-ed to ]iiui, althoueh it had been furnished upon a I'e^'ular re(|uisitiou on the cotmnandant of the arsenal at Si. Louis, aj>pi'o\'e(l hv the cominauiler of the military department (Colonel, afterward (ieii- eral Kearney). Mr. Fi'emont had left St. Louis, and was at the froiiiiei', Mrs. l-'remont beini^ re(piested to examine the letters that came after him, and Ibrward those which he ought to le- ccive. She read the countermanding orders and detained them I and Fremont knew nothing of their existeiu-e, until after he had retui'ned from one of tlie most marvellous and eventful ex]ieditions of modern times — one to which the United Siatt's are indehteil (among other thing.-) tor the present own- er-hip of Calilbrnia, instead of seeing it a Ib'itish jiosses.-iou. The writer of thid V^iew, who was then in St. I^ouis, ajiproNcd of the course which his daughter had taken (for she liad stopped \w 11 n I : i J I! li 1!^ i U *r \H. r ■ i iFt!:' ! I TO LIFE AND SF.RVTCKS OF JOnX C. FHEMONT. llie orders boforo lie know it) ; nTuI lie wrote a letter to the (,le])artnient ciuiiltMiiiiiii^- the recall, repulsing' the repriinaiid Aviiich li;i(i been l;.vi>-hetain from J'lesideiit 'Jyler. And such is the inside view of this j)iece of histoiy — very dillerent from what documentary evidence wouhl make ii. "'J"o com])lete his sui'vey across the continent, on the line of travel between the State of Missouri and the tide-water region of the Columbia, was Frenu>nt's object in this expedition ; and it was all that he had obtained oiders for doing; butoidya small part, and to his mind, an insignitit-ant part, of what iie })ropos?d doing. People had been to the mouth of the Columbia before, and his andiition was not limited to making tracks nliore others had made them Liel'ore him. Thei'e was a \ast region beyond the Rocky Mountains — the whole western slope of oui' continent — of which but little was known ; and of that little, nothing with the accur;icy of science. All that vast region, moi'e than seven hundred miles srpiare — equal to a great kingdom in Europe — was an unknown laiK.l — a sealed book, which he lonofod to open, and to read. Leaving the frontier of Missouri in May, 1843, and often diverging from his route for the sake c»f expand- ing his held of obsei\ation, he hail arrived in the tide-water region of Columbia in the month of November; and had then com[)'eted the whole sei'vice which his orchu's emliraced. Lw might then have returned npon his tracks, or been brought home i '■ !i SECOND EXPLORING EXPEDITION. Tr [• to the pi'iinjvnd ii cotirt- of Will" ii;i ; tlio (("()!( >nel i)iiit o\\\- ciitiiroiif? i()S(' <>])i- s return, of J '(3)111- exploi'cr ic brevet J view of .imentary ic line of ■ r i'('!j,'ion ion ; and va small pr(>])ns':^d ;;, before, re others beyond ;ontinent nothing ore than n Europe jngetl to in May, ■ expand- i.le-water hail then •efle(l with fultilling ;ui order, lie would have done so, Not so tiie young explorer. \\\\n jield his di])hinia fi'oin nalui'e, and not tVoui the United States Mdi- tarv Aea(h'mv. lie was at F»*rt Vaneouvei', guest of the h«>vpi. table l>r. M(d.aiighlin, (Jovei'uor of the British Hudson liay ]-"ur Company ; and obtainerl fi'om him all ])0s.sible intormati()n npon his intended line of return — faithfully given, but which jdoveil to he disastrously eri'oni'ous in its leading and governing feafui'i.'. A southeast route to cross the great nidcnown region diau'onally through its heart (making u line from the Lower Cohimbia to the Upper Colorado of the Gulf of t';ilit'ornia), was his line of retui'U : twenty-live men (the same who had eome with him fioiii the Unit<'(l States) and a hundred horses, wei'e his (■I jiiiiiiiieut ; and the commencemi'iit of winter the time <)f start- ing — all without a guide, relying upon their guns for support; and, in tiie last resort, upcju their horses — such as .■should give out ! ior one that could cairy u man. or a pack, could nut bo b^jiared f.jr food. •• All the maps n|) to that time liad shown this region traversed fVom east to west — from the base of the Koeky Mountains to the j>av of San h'raneisco — bv a irreat river called the JJacna Veil- tuni : which niay be translated, the Good Chance. (j!o\ern(jr Mchaughlin lielieved in the existence of this river, and made out a conjectural manuscri|)t map to show its j)Iace and course. Fremont believed in it, and his jilan was to reacdi it before the dead t)f winter, and then hvbernate unon it. As a o'reat J'iver lie knew that it must have some rich bottoms, covered with wood ;'n(l u'l'ass, where the wild animals would collect and shel- ter, when the simws aui I i reczmg wimjs (lro\e ihc an fi th 'om tne th plains: and with tliese animals to liveon, aiKJ u'rass tor the hoi'ses he exiKH'ted to a\(>id ^uli'el•iIl;'', if not ti and Wood tor iires, enjov comlort, during his solitary soj(jurn in that remote and pro- ftiund wildei'uess. " J b' proceeded — soon encountered deep snows which impeded o 1 M its. i I rji^p ii !. i m Hi li ::. ii^j:! ;i(5| f\ 78 LIKE AND SERVICES OF JOHN C. FliEMONT. progress upon tlic lii^'lil;uisnes to ariv sea) — skirted an enornioiis cliain 'd' iiK)nntain on the ri^ifht, hiininous witli Lrlitt(M'iiie" whi.e snow — saw stran^'o luilians, who ino>tlv lied— f)niid a desiM't — no l»iiena ViMilura; and death fioin cold and famine stai'lni:^ lUiu in the face. The failure to lind the river, or tidings of it, r.nd the ]tossibility of its existence seeming to be forbid by the sti'ucturo of the country, and hybei-nation in the inhospitable desert being iuipossible, and the ut what miles! u}) and down that snowv mountain which the Indians rold him no men could cross in tin.' winter — wtiich woidd have snow U]i<)n it as dee]) as the trees, and places where people would sh'p oil", and fall half a mile at a time ; — a fate which actually befell a mule, [lacked with the precious burden of botanical specimens, collected along a travel of two thousand miles. No rewar*)\\ iIumii wltc \V()im1I;iii«I or uaki'd I'dC ]>l ii'iiiLT till! (la\' llio cliMiiN li.i'l iM'cii ^'al li'Tiii'^ Mack o\fr lilt! iiioiiuiaiiM to tliu wcstwai'il, ainl, wliilc we wiM'c lookin"- a storm lairsL (.lowu with siiiMcii fury u|ioii iluj lake, ainl ciiiiii •ly >i> lav as we coiilil si.'o, ali>ii': Itio liiil I he islands from our vii'W. hliores tlicro was not a soljini'v tree, and hut little ajipcarai th ICO ast ot' Li'i'ass ; anil on WcIum's l'\)i'k, a few milc^ Im-Iow our encampment, the timber was ijathei'ed into ^•l■ov^■s, and tiieii dis- a|>i>eai'ed entirely. As this apjieai'eiiii' c'lieamp- ment, with e-ooi ] isv. i>s and an abuiidauee of inches (''7 usi'hnii h//f/n(i!n). At sunset the thei'mometer was 55"; the evening clear and calm, wiili some cumuli. St'pUmhc r i. tie moi'uinij; was calm ami dcai", with a tem- perature at sunrise of 39° 5'. The day was spent in active preparation for our intended voyai;'e on the lake. On the edg'e of the stream a favorable s})ot was selected in a ^^rove, ami, felliiin'tlie timber, we made ;i sti'one^ con'dl, or horse i>en, for the animals, and a little I'ort ibr the peo|)le who wore to I'emain. AVe were now probably in the country of the Utah Indians, though none reside npoii the lake. 'J'he India-ruiiber boat was repaired with prepared cloth and g'lun, and tilled -.villi air, in readiness for the next day. The provisions which Carson had brouglit wltli him being now exliausted, and our stotdc reduced to a small ipianlily of roots, I determined to retain with me only a suflicieiit number of men ibr the execution of our u iie>iL!"n ami accorduiu'lv seven were sent back to Fort Hall, under the guidance of Fran(;ois L.'ijeunesse, u ho, having been t'or many years a trapper in iho I'ountrv, war- considered an (.'xperienced mountaineer. Though lliey were ])ro viae Willi !'0O(., 1 1 lorsc ate till! roail was a re- markably plain one, of only four days' jouniev for a horseman, they became bewildered (as we at'lerw.tiJ.s learned), and lo.-.ing 'II r ?^1 «; !t'' 82 lAli: AND SKliVKKS UF JollN C. I'la.Mo.NT. \i l'! i tlic'ir wav, AVHTiilorod aliout tlii> couiitiy in partitas of one or two, i'oat'liiii'4 til'' fori alioiit, a week afhTwar'l.H Sonu' sti'an'^'lcil in of iIk'IiiscIvcs, ami tin; oiIkts wcrtj broils-Ill in l>y ln'liaiis wlio liail ]iirlure; but clouds in tli<^ east luaile nie lose an occul- laiion. The summer fi'on'>< were sin^iiiii; around us, and llie eveii- iiiLf was Very pleasant, with a temperatui'e of 0(')° — a nie'lit of a more souihei'ii autumn. J'^or our su[»per we had //n.iiipah, the most a^'i'eeablv llaNored of the I'oots, seasoned by a small fat duck, which had come in the way of Jacob's ritle. Around our tire to-nie'ht were many siieculations on wliat to-morrow would briiiL;' forth, and in our l)usy conjectures we fancied that wo should lind e\erv one of the lai'u'e islands a tano-led wilderness of trees and shrubbery, teeming with game of every description that the nein-hboring roe-ion alforded, and which the foot of a white man or Indian had never violated. Freipiently, during the day, clouds had rested on the summits of their lofty mountains, and we believed that w^' >hould lind clear streams and springs of freshwater; and we indul^'ed in antici[iations of the luxurious repasts \\ilh which we were to indomnit'v ourselves for [)ast pri- vations. Neithoi', in our diu"i'tli('r in a very insecure luarincr, flio ni.iki'i' lia\ in^- lufu allnwcl st» liiilo limn in i.ln; ('(Mislnirtiuu thai lit' was dMi^-cil to ciowil ilii- laliur of two nuiUihs into >t'vt)- I'al days. 'I'lio insiruriiy of tlio l)oal was .scnsiMv I't'lr liv us; and min^'K'd willi tliu ciitliu^iasui and rxcitcnicni tJia' we all fell al the prospect of an undoi'takiuu; which had ticscr before, been acconi[ilislied, was a certain iinpi'e-sion ot' dannxT, sulli- c'ieiit, to Li'i\i! a si.'i'ions character to our conNer>ation. 'I ho momentary view which had been had of the lake the day before, its c-reat extent ;ind ru^-nred islands, <'iiiily seen amidst tiio waters in the obscurity of the sudden storm, were well calculated to heinhten the idea of undelined daiin'er with which tho lake was m-Mieiallv assoi;ialed. ^^ Si'pteitihcr 8. — A calm, clear day, with a sunrise tomperaturo of 41'^. In view of our pi^ >cnt, enterprise, a part of the c(]uip- meiit of the boat had b(;en niadi; to consist in thri/e air-ti^'ht baii-s, about three feet loiin", and caj)abl(; ea(di of (H)ntainini; tivo gallons. These iiad been tilled with water the niu'Iit before, and were now placeil in the boat, with (jur blaidcets and instru- ments, (consisting of a sextant, telescope, s[)y -glass, thermometer, and barometer. " We h.'fi the camp at sunrise, and had a very pleasant voyage down the river, in which there was generally eight or ten feet of water, deepening as we neared tho mouth in the latter part of the day. In tho course of the morning we discovered that two of the cylinders leaked so much as to retiuire one man constantly at the bellows, to keep them sullitnently full of air to support tho boat. Altliough we had made a very early start, we loiteifd so much on tho way — stop[»ing every now and then, and tloating silenth- aloU"", to u'ct a shot at a n'oose or a duck — that it wa:j late in the day when wo reached the outlet. The river here ui\;dcd into several branches, filled with lluvials, and so very shallosv that it was with dilliculty wo could get tho boat along, beino- obliged to set out and wade. Wo encamped on a low ' tei IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^^ v^^* V^ 1.0 I.I IL25 1 1.4 |50 ■"^" ■■■ u£ mi 122 MM 1,6 P> v: '^ c'y Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716) 873-4503 •O^ iV 4=. 7j S} IMF. AND SKIiVICKA OF JOHN 0. FliF.MoNT. 'r. m point amoiifj rushes aiis of the night was enlivened by millions of water fowl. Latitude (by observation) 41° 11' 2G" ; and longitude 112° 11' ;3U". " S'^ptcnihcr 9. — The day was elear and cahn ; tlie thermome- ter at sunrise at 40°. As usual wilh the trapj)ers on the eve of anv enterprise, our people h;id made dreams and theirs haj)- poiH^d to be a bad one — one whiidi always preceded evil — and (■(>n-^('(jnenllv thev looked \erv gloomy this morning; but we hurried througli our breakfast, in oi'der to make an eai'ly start, and have all the (lav before us for our adventui'e. The channel in a short distance became so shallow that our navigation was at an end, being n)ei'ely a sheet of soft nnid, with a few iii'-hes of water, and sometimes none at all, forming the low-water shore of the lake. All this ])lace was absolutely covered wilh llocks of screaming plover. We took oil" our clothes, and, geiting overboard, commenced drai>'<>nng the boat — makini>', bv this oiie- ration, a veiy curious trail, and a very disagreeable smell in stir- ring up the nukl, as we sank above the knee at eveiy step. The Avater here was still fivsh, with only an insipid and disagree- able taste, probal)ly derived from the bed of fetid mud. After proceeding in this way about a mile, avo came to a small black ridge on the bottom, beyond which the water became suddeidy salt, beginning gradually to deepen, and the bottom was sandy and firm. It was a remarkable division, separating the fresh waters of the rivers from the briny water of the lake, which Avas enlirelv saturakd with common salt. Pushino; our little vessel across the narrow boundary, wo snrani)er em 1 of ]] Jear Kisor vallev. So lon^f as we con Id touch the bottom with our patldles, we were very i;ay ; but ofradually, as the water deejiened, \v« becaiiij more still in our frail Lateau of ^um cloth distended with aii-, and with )>a>tcd seams. Althoug-h tiie day was vcuy calm, there was a consitlera- ble swell on the lake ; and there were white patches of foam on the surface, which were slowlv movin^r to the southward, indi- catino: the set of a current in that direction, and recallino" the recollection of the whirl[)ool stories. The water continueeinu" more closely examined, this was ibund to be composed, to the de]>th of seven or eight and twelve inches, cnlii'cly of the larivc of insects, or, in common language, of the skins of worms, about the size of a grain o:' oats, which luid been washed up by the waters of the lake. "The clill's and masses of rock along the shoi'e were whit- ened by an incrusiation of salt where the waves dashed up against them ; and the evaporating water, whicli had been left in holes and hollows on the surfjice of the rocks, was covered with a crust of salt about one-eighth of an inch in thickness. It appeared strange that, in the midst of this grand reservoir, one of our greatest wants lately hail been salt. Ex- posed to be more perfectly dried in the sun, this became very white and tine, having the nsual flavor of very excellent coin mon salt, without any foreign taste ; but only a little was col- lected for present use, as there was in it a number of small black insects. " Cai'rying with us the barometer, and other instruments, in the afternoon Ave ascended to the highest point of (he island — a bare rocky peak, 800 feet above the lake. Standing on the summit, we enjoyed an ext»Mided view of the lake, euclos<^d iu a basin of ruog'ed mountains, wdiich sometimes left marshy (bits and extensive bottoms between them and the shore, and in other places came directly down into the wnter with bold arid precipi- BECOND i:xri';inNG KXl'KDITION. tons bluffs. Followinii witli our rjbisses the irrojijuhir slioros, we sojii'clifd 1')!" sdiac iinlicatioiis of ;i (•oiuiiiiiiiicalioii willi (iIIrt b()s the almost irresistible desire to continue our exploration ; but the lengthening snow on the mountains was a plain indication of the advancing season, and our frail linen boat appeared so insecure that I was unwilling to trust our lives to the uncertainties of the lake. I therefore unwillingly resolved to terminate our survey liere, and remain satisfied for the present with what we had been able to add the unknovn geography of the region. We felt pleasure also in remendicring that we were the tirst who, in traditionary aniials of the country, had yisited the islands, and broken, with the cheerful souuil of human yijices, the long soli- tude of the ])lace. From the point where we were standing, ihe ground tell otf on e\eiT side to the water, giving us a pertect view of the island, wddch is twelve or thirteen miles in circuni- lerence, being simply a rocky hill, on which thei'e is neither water nor trees of anv kind; although tlie Fre/nonfta rrnnicU' -It , t LIKK AND SKUVICKS <>F JullN C. FKLAIONT. laris, ^vliii'li \v;i^; in ^-ivat ;i])Uii«laii(;o, iiiii;'lit oasilv bo inistiiken for lii niK ■V at a (li> aiif aiit scM'iiiL'il here to Ui'liu'lil Hj a (.'(jiii;'emal air, ^'I'ouinij in cxtrau r.litiarv liixuriaiK-c soncu to ui^■Ilt IrcL liii;'li, ami \\a^ \<'i\- aliuiidaiit on the upper \ v i>arls of th U3 islainl, where it was ahiiost ihe oiil}' jihaiit. 'J'his is eiuineiit- Iv a .saline .shrill) it.< ave.s liave a vei'v salt taste; ano I it 1 II xu- riates in saline soils, where it is usually <'i cliaracteristic. It is widely dilhise.l over all this country. A (•lr.'no])Otliaceous slirub, which is a new species of ohionk (<). rigida, 7ci/v', i^* Fnm.), wae e(jually charae.teristic of the lower ])arts of the i ^land. The.se two are the si rikinu; plants on the island, and i)eloni^ to a class of plants wh.icli form a ])roniiuent feature in the ve^'c- tation of this country. ( >n the lower ])arts of the island, also, a prickly pear of very larn^e size was frecpient. On the shoi'o, near the water, was a woolly species of phnca ; and a new spe- cies of uiiibellit'erous plant (leptotccmla) was scattered about in verv considerable abundance. These constituted all the vei-'eta- tion that now appeared upon the island. " I accidentally left on the sunnnit the brass cover to th^ object end of my spy-glass ; and as it Avill probably remain there undisturbed by Indians, it Avill furnish matter of specu- lation to some future traveller. In our excnirsions about the island, we did not meet with any kind of animal ; a magpie, and another larger bird, ])robably atti'acted by the smoke of our lire, paid us a visit from the shore, and were the only living things seen during our stay. The rock constituting the clirt's along the shore \Nhere we were encamped, is a talcous rock, or steatite, Avith brown spar. " At sunset, the temperature was 70°. AVe had arrived just in time to obtain a meridian altituile of the sun, and other (.)l)sorvations were obla!;ied this evoning, vliich ]>lace our camp in latllude 41°10' 42", and longitude 112° 21' 05" fi'om Greenwich. From a di.scussion of the barometrical obser- vations made diirinuf our stay on the shores of the lake, we have adopted 4,200 feet for its elevation above the gulf of Mexico. SFX'OND KX]'i,oui.\a r.xrrniTiMN. 89 am -'c li- the >ie. ice er- ive CO. In the first disa]>]>()iiitiiU'Tit \v(> iMt from the trong gale ot' wiiiii, almost directly olf the shore, and raising a considerable sea, in which our boat straineil verv miicli. It romdieiied as we m^t away from the island, and it required all the etlbrts of tlie men to make any head against the wind and soa, the gale rising with the sun ; ain] there was danger of being blown into one of the ojKMi reaches beyond the island. At the distance of half a mile from the beach, the depth of water was sixteen I'eet, with a clay bottom; but, as the working of the boat was very severe labor, and during the operation of rounding it was necessary to cease paddling, during which the boat lost considerable way, I was unwilling to discourage the men, and reluctantly gave up my intention cf ascertaining the depth, and the character of the bed. There was a genei'al shout in the boat wIkmi we found oursidves in one fitliom, and we soon after lainled on a low point of mu-l, immediately under the buttc of the peninsula, where we unluade i :; S I \- t'« ^1 t IP I- 00 LIFE AND SKUVICK^ OV .KMIX C. FUKMONT. tlio boal and cai'i'icil tin; haLX^viLr'' alx.iit a (|iiat(<'i' of a iiiiK; t3 firmer fji-oiiiid. \\\i an'ivt.'il jiist, in lime tor meridian ()l)serva- l.ioii, ;iiid carrieci ilie liaromi'tcr lo the summit ot" the hntle, whic'i is 500 feet, al)Ove the lake. Mr. I'rcuss set oil' <»n t'txit tiir ihe (.'amp, whieh was aliouL nine miles disianl ; Hasil aeeom|ianyini^ liim to biin^' haek horses lor the boat, and baii'LjaL'"'-*. "The rude-luokini^ slielter we raiselace of recent encampment entirely covered. Tho low plain through winch ^ve rode to the camp was covered with a compact growth of shrubs of extraordinary size and luxuriance, 'llie soil was sandy nnd saline; Hat jdaces, resembling the beds of |)onds, that were bare of vegetation, and covered with a pow- (hM'y white salt, being interspersed among tlie shrid)s. Artemisia ti'identata was very abundant, but the plants were principally fialine; a large and vigorous chenopodiaceous shrub, live to eight feet high, being characteristic, with Fremoiitia vermieii- lai'is, and a shrubby plant which seems to be a new saliconiia, AVe reached the camp in time to escape a thunder storm which bh'udcened the skv, and were received with a dischar^fe of the howitzer by the people, who, having been unable to see any- thing of us on the lake, had begun to feel some uneasiness." On tlio 4tli of Xovciiiber, Col. Fi-emoiit and Iiis party reiicdit'il Fort A^aiicouver, on the Coluiubici lliver, 'I'VIl- hi.li iiiif sc;it- ui'o; 'ens. isefactory to have c'oni))leted th lere his astroiioiiiieal ol)servatioiis, he ditl not teel tliat lor such a I'easou he woii lid 1) .1" ;tilie(l 111 waitiiin' h»r favorable wi'allier. ile theref(U'e siii'nilied his intention to his coinpiinioiis t(j set out for the east without an hour's iinnece.-isary delay. )0\V- lisia )a lly to i«ai- Viia, IllCll tl le mv- liis ter. T U2 mm; AM) SKliVICKS OF JoIlN C. FliKMONT. Cil APTE \l Y. SECOND i:xri.(i!MN(; kximidiiiox ((txiiNTi;!) — >v:v!^ orr viioyi i''(HM' VA.\(<»rvi;i: — i.\i i;Ki>ii.\(r Indian coiNcir. — simikcii OF COL. FKi MoNl' .UirK'Ni:V 'rillJort;!! '1III-: MiUNlAINS INSANllV OK HIS MFX FiCoM I'KIVATloN AN D ('( H.D— I'Ul.FS.S LOSKS IIJS WAV Ai:ivlVAL AT TllK KAM.llF OF CAl'TAIX bL'TTi;j{. •■ t' n v-y T>f two clays, |)ro}>araf ions for tluMi* rotuni were coiii- 2)lL'tt'(l, and on tlio loth of NovciuIkt, his llltle party omhai'kc'd on tlicii' lioitU'\var(l Jounu'V, in which lie coii- teiiiidati'd a circuit to the south and southeast, and the exploration of tlie (ireat J'asin between the liocky ^Mountains and the Sicr/'a JS^vada. Three j»rinci})al objects were iiuHcated, by re])ort or by maps, as beinuj on this route, the character or exi??tence of which ho ^vislled to ascertain, and which he assumed as land marks, or leading;" jxiints, on tlie projected line of return. Tlie iirst of these }>oinls was the TUimaih Lake, on the table-land between tlie head of Fall liiver, which conies tu the Columbia, and the Sacramento, "W'hich ii'oi's to the bay of San Trancisco; and fiom which lake a river of the same name makes its way westwardly direct to the ocean. The ])(\sition of this lake, on the line of inland communication beLweeu FKc'oxn I xi'i.oijTNTf Kxrrnrnox. O.'l Oron^nn nnd Calitoniia; Ua j^roxiinity to tlio doniai-kii- tioii l)()ini(lary of latihido 42"; its iiiipiitcMl (luul)lo cliaractiT of lak»', f>r iiK'iidow, accoi'diiiL,^ to the reason ot' the year; and tlu' lioslilo and wnrlikc cliai-actcr uttri- l)iito(l to the Indians ai)out it — all niadi^ it a di'siraMo ohj(.'Ct to visit and cxaniinc. .Fnun this lake ho intcndiMl to n;o ahoiit southeast, to a repiM'ted lako callcfl Mary's, distajit sonu^ days' journey in the (ireat JIadii; and thence, still on soutlu -ist, to the reputed JJuenai'tutura lliver, which has had a place in many maps, couiiteiiancini;' a belief in the e.\isteiice of a great river flowinij from tlie Rocky ^I(;untains to the ])ay of San Francisco. From the I'uenavt'ntura his destination was that section of the llockv Mountains wliich includes the lieads of Arkansas liiver, and of the opposite waters of the Califoriua u'ulf; and thenco down tlie Arkansas to I'ent's fort, and liome. This was his projected line of return — a great part of it abso- lutely new to geograpliical, botanical, and geological science — and the subject of eiulless rumors of lakes, rivers, deserts, and savages hardly above the condition of wild animals, all tending to inllame iiis curiosity and love of adventure to its highest j^itch. It was a serious enterprise, at the commencement of winter, to undertake the passage of such a region, and M'ith a party consisting only of twenty-five persons, and they of many nations — American, French, German, Canadian, Indian, and colored — and most of them young, sevei-al of them being under twenty-one years of age. All knew that a strange countiy was to bo explored, and ss, readiness, siil»<>nliii!ition, jirotiipt (tbedi- eiiee, eliariicterized all; i!<»r did any extn'iiiiiy ot" jti'ril <»r j>rivation, to wliieh I hey wi-re at'lerwards expoM'd, nays Mr. I'Veiiiont, eviT Ixdie, or den»uate iVoiii, llio line hjiirit of this hrave and <;eiieroUs coiiiiiieiiei'ineiit. lie was not j»ei'nntted to execute this plan j)reeisely .MS he had mai'ked it ont ; hii! we must refer to his oilh'ial report, those; who wish t(» know how lie was t'oreed ]»y (h'si'rt i)laiiis and mountain raui^es, and deej* snows, I'ar to the south, and aloni:; the we>U'i'n ha^e of the (Sierra N I' vada ; where, indeefaetorv idea (»f tho Ijurdships endured by him and his heroical party (Inriui:: the eleven months that he was stru«'>iiin<'' for a. ]>assa^'e over the mountains, hy a few extracts iVom his jiuirnal for the months of January, February, aiul March, which are here submitted. jS'o one can rise from the jterusal of them without feelin*:^ that the jiowers of human endurance had never been no fully tested before. ,1 -i; i. !■; ; '"''January 2S(h. — To-day wo went tlir-""'!;!! nio pa^^s with all the (';nii|», and, at'tcr a hard day's journey of twelve mile*, eucaniiu'd on a liio'li point where the snow liaij been lilown otf, and the exposed grass afforded a scanty jiastnre for tiui animals. Snow and broken eountiy toi;ether made our travellini;- liiflieult. We were often eoinj)t'lled to make lari^^o circuits, and asctuid the liii^liest and most exposed ridges in oi'ik;r to avoid snow, wlii(dx in otJK'r places was hanked \\y> to a great depth. * * * '* 'l"o-nis of an cfliiiso of a 8at«'llilc this (;vt'nin;,^ It ha^l not j.itfscrvL'd llio rate with wliitdi wo slarti'd from iht- Oallcs, and this will arcoimt f<»r the ah>cnco of lonn^itiidoH aloiitr this intt-ival of our jomiioy. ^*Ji(nuary 2'jfh. — Several hniians appeared dii the hiilsido, reconnnitriiiL; the camp, and were imhiiM-d to louu! in ; oilu-rs came in diiiin'^^ the aft'-rnonn ; and in ihti eveniii'^ we held a coniuil. The linlians immcdiatclv niadu it dear that the waters on which W""^ were, also belong to the (Ircat Uasin, in the ed'^e of which we had been since the 17th of Decendter; and it becuino evident that we had still the irreat riilLfe on the loft to cross before we could reach the racitlc waters. *' We explained to the Indians that we were oiuleavoring {o find a j)assat;e ai-ross the mountains into the country of the whites, ■whom we were ijuinrr to see ; ami t<»ld them that we wished them to bring us a guide, to whom W(i would give |)resent9 of scarlet cloth, and other articles, which were shown to th»Mn. They looketl at the reward we oll'ered, and conferreil with ea(di other, but i)ointed to the snow on the mountains, ami drew their Iianda across their neck anil raised them above their lu;ads, to show the depth : and signilied that it was imjiossiWle for us to get throtiMfh. 'J'hev made sie-ns that we must per meadow, and arrived the next morning. Thcv liad not succeeded in trettino; the liowitzer bevond the place m»-ntioned, and where it had been left by M". Preussin obedience to my orders; and, in anticipation of the snow-banks and snow- fields 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 tlie kind invented by tiie French for the mountain part of their war in Algiers; and the distance it had come witli 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 dis- tance from St. Louis, and commanded respect for us on some critical evasions, and which might be needed for the same pur- pose again. '"'■ Jduaarij 30. — Our guide, who was a young man, joined us this morning; and leaving our encampment late in the day, we descended the river. * * * * " With our late start we made but ten miles, and encamped on the lower river bottom, where 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. * * * * " January 31. — We took our way over a fjentlv risinsf cfround, the dividing ridge being tolerably low ; and travelling easily along a broad trail, in twelve or fourteen miles reached the upper {lart of the pass ; when it began to snow thickly, with verv cold weather. The Indians had onlv tlie usual scanty 6KC0ND EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 97 US Nve on roat our of covering, and appeared to sufter greatly from tli-e cold. All left us, ex('e})t our guide. Half hidden by the storm, the mountains looked dreary ; and, as night began to approacii, the guide showed great reluctance to go forward. I placed him between two rilles, for the wav began to bo dillicult. Travelling a little further, we struck a ravine, which the Indian said would con- duct us to the rivc'i and as the poor fellow suffered greatly, shivering in the snow which fell upon his naked skin, I would not detain him any longer; and he ran off to the mountain, where he said there was a hut near by. He had kept the blue and scarlet cloths I had given him tightly rolled up, preferring rather to endure the cold than to get them wet. In the course of the afternoon, one of the men had bis foot frost-bitten ; and about dark we had the satisfaction to reach the bottoms of a stream timbered with large ti'ees, among which we found a sheltered camp, with an abundance of such grass as the season aflforded for the animals. " 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 Vvere perhaps thirty to forty feet long, kept upright in the ground by slight sticks at intervals, and were made from a kind of wild hemp, very much resembling in manufacture those common among the Indians of the Sacramento valley. They came among us without any fear, and scattered themselves about the fires, mainly- occupied in gi-atifying their astonishment. I was struck by the singular appearance of a row of about a dozen, who were sitting on their haunches perched on a log near end of the fires, with their quick sharp eyes following every motion. " We gathered together a few of the most intelligent of the Indians, and held this evening an interesting council. I explained to them ray intentions. I told them that we had come from a very far country, having been travelling now nearly a year, and that we were desirous simply to go acro,-4s the mountain into the 'I u h'l W i] m 08 LIFE AXD SKRVICES OP JOHN C. FRKMONT. tJ ."■ country of the other whites. There were two who appeared particularly intelligent — one, a somewhat okl man. He told me that, before the sri.- tell, it was six sleeps to the place where the whites lived, hut tiiat now it was impossible to cross the mountain on account of the deep snow ; and showing us, as the others had done, that it was over our lieads, he urged us strongly to follow the course of the river, which he said would (conduct us to a lake in which thei'e were many large fish, lliere, he said, were many people ; there was no snow on the ground ; and we n)ight remain there until the spring. " P'rou) their descriptions, we were enabled to judge that we had encamped on the upper waters of the Salmon Trout Kiver. It is hardly necessary to say that our oomnmnication was otdy by signs, as we understood nothing of their language ; but they spoke, notwithstanding, rapidly and vehemently, explaining what thev considered the follv of our intentions, and urginj; us to yo down to the lake. Tah-ve^ a word signifying snow, we very soon learned to know, from its frequent repetition. I told him that the men and the horses were strong, and that we A-ould break a road through the snow ; and spreading before him our bales of scarlet cloth, and trinkets, showed him what we would give for a guide. It was necessary to obtain one, if possible, for I had determined here to attempt the passage of the moun- tain. Pulling a bunch of grass from the ground, after a short dis ussion among themselves, the old man made us comprehend, that if we could bi-eak through the snow, at the end of three days we would come down upon grass, which he showed us Avould be about six inches high, and where the ground was entirely free. So far, he said, he had been in hunting for elk ; but beyond that (and he closed his eyes) he had seen nothing ; but there was one among them who had been to the whites, and, going out of the lodge, he returned 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. m SECOND EXPLORTNO EXPEDITION. 99 Witb a large present of goods, we prevailed upor this young man to he our guide, and he acquired among us the name Melo — a word signifying friend, which they used very frequently. He was thinly clad, and nearly barefoot ; Ids moccasins being about worn out. We gave him skins to make a new pair, and to enable him to perform his undertaking to us. The Indians remained in the camp during the night, and we kept the guide and two others to sleep in the lodge with us — Carson lying across the door, and havino; made them eonr,rehend the use of our fire-arms. The snow, which had intermitted in the evening, comm.enced falling again in the course of the night, and it snowed steadily all day. " In the morning I acquainted the men with my decision, and explained to tliem that necessity required us to make a great eftbrt to clear the mountains. I reminded them of the beautiful valley of the Sacramento, wich which they were familiar from the descriptions of Carson, who had been there some fifteen years ago, and who, in our lute privations, had delighted us in speaking of its rich pastures and abounditig game, and drew a vivid contrast between its summer climate, less than a hundred miles distant, and the falling snow around us. 1 informed them (and long experience had given them confidence in my observa- tions and good instruments) that almost directly .vest, and only about seventy miles distant, was the great farming establishment of Captain Sutter — a gentleumn who had formerly lived in Mis- souri, and, emigrating to this country, had become the possessor of a principality. I asrured them that, from the heights of the mountains before us, we should doubtless see the valley of the Sacramento River, and with one eftort place ourselves again in the midst of plenty. The people received this decision with the cheerful obedience which had always characterized them; and tlie day was immediately devoted to the preparations necessary to enable us to carry it into effect. Leggings, moccasins, clothing — all were put into the best state to resist the cold. Our guide was not neglected. Extremity of suiferiug might m • i i^ II,' 1;, I. 3m .fi 11 I ^ IS: I' :.|ii M^ 100 LIFE AND SEKYK'I':S OF .lOlIN C. FKEMONT. make him depcrt : we tliorcfore did tlie best we could for liim. L('le to see the whites, and I woukln't care to die among them ; but here' — and he looked around in the cold night and gloomy forest, and drawinof ]ns blanket over his head, beijan again to lament. "Seated around the tree, the tire illuminating the rocks and the ii ■ II? '; ! |^( fl 102 LIFE AND SERVICES OF JOHN 0. Fia::M(»NT- !! I iil:. 1 tall boles of the pines round about, and the old Indian harangu- ing, wo presented a e;roup of very serimis faces. " February 5. — The night had been too cold to sleep, and we were up very early. Our guide was standing by the tire, with all his finery on : and peeing him shiver in the cold I threw on his shoulders one of my blankets. We missed him a few minutes afterwards, and never saw him again. He had deserted. His bad faith and treaxihery were in perfect keeping with the estimate of Indian character, which a long intercourse with this people had gradually forced upon my mind. * * * " February 23. — This was our most difficult day ; we were forced oft' the ridges by the quantity of snow among the timber, and obliged to take to the mountain side, where occasionally rocks and a southern exposure aitbrded us a chance to scramble along. But these were steep, and slippery with snow and ice, and the tough evergreens of the mountains impeded our way, tore our skins, and exhausted our patience. Some of us had the misfortune t*^ wear moccasins with parfteche soles, so slippery tJiat we could not keep our feet, and generally crawled across the snow beds. Axes and mauls were necessary here to-day, to make a road through the snow. Going aheatl with Carson to reconnoitre the road, we reached in the afternoon the river whioli made tlie outlet of the lake. Carson sprang over, clear across a place where the stream was compressed among the rocks, but the parjleche sole of my moccasin glanced from the icy rock, and precipitated me into the river. It was some few seconds before I "ould recover myself in the current, and Carson, thinking me hurt, jumped in after me, and we both had an icy bath. We tried to search awhile for my gun, whi(;h had been lost in the fall, but the cold drove us out ; and makinnr a larffe fire on the bank, after we had partially diied ourselves, we went back to meet the camp. We afterwards found that the gun had been slung under the ice which lined the banks of the creek. " February 24. — We rose at three in the morning, for an astro- nomical observation, and obtained for the place a latitude of 38° SECOND EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 103 46' 58", longitude 120° 34' 20". The sky was clear and pure, with a sliHrp wind tVoni tlio northeast, and the thermoiuetor two degrees below the freezing point. * * * " Another horse was killed to-night, for food. * " My favorite horse. Proveau, had heconie very weak, and was scarcely able to bring himself to the top. I left Jacob to bring bim on, being obliged to press forward with the party, as there was no grass in the forest. We grew very anxious as the day advanced and no grass appeared, for the lives of our animals de- pended on finding it to-night. They were in just such a condi- tion that grass and repose for the night enabled them to get on the next dav. '■'"February 29. — We lay shut np in the narrow ravine, and gave the animals a necessniy day ; and men were sent bar;k after the others. Derosier volunteered to bring np Proveau, to whom he knew I was greatly attached, as he had been my favorite horse on both expeditions. Carson and I climbed one of the nearest mountains; the forest land still extended a^-.ead, and the valley appe.-ired as far as ever. The pack horse was found near the camp, but Derosier did not get in. * * *' We began to be uneasy at Derosier's absence, fearing that he miyht have been bewildered in the woods. Charles 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 Dei'osier appear in the evening. He came in, and, sitting down by the fire, began to tell us where he had been. He imagined that he had been gone several days, and thought we were still at the cimp where he had left us; and we were pained to see that his mind was deranged. It appeared that 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 murmuring or hesitation. ft i I 1 1U4 LIFE AND Si:itVICE8 OK .lOiJN C. IHKMONT. r ii •'■ ! I . ;'■ ■ " A sliort distance below our encainj)inent the river mountains terminated in precipices, and, after a tatiiiniitit,^ march of only a tew miles we encamped on a bench where were sj)rings and an abundance of the freshest i>-i'ass. In the meantime Mr. I'reuss continued on down the river, and, unaware tliat weliad encamped so early in the day, was lost. AVhcn nioht arrived, and lie did not come in, we bep^an to understand what had hai)})ened to Lim ; but it was too late to make any searcli. " March 3. — We followed Mr. Treuss's trail for a considerable distance alono; tlie river, until wo reached a place where ho had descended to the stream below and encamped. Here we shouted and fired c^uns, 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 travel with animals, until it should form a valley. * " We repeated our shouts for Mr. I'reuss ; and this time we "were gratilied with an answer. The voice grew rapidly nearer, ascending from the river; but when wo expected to see him emerge, it ceased entirely. We had called up some straggling Indian — the lirst wo had met. althouuh for two days back we had seen tracks — who, mistaking us for liis fellows, had been only undeceived on getting close up. Igrlbrant of the character of the people, we had now an additional cause of uneasiness in regard to Mr. Preuss ; he had no arms with him, and we began to think his chance doubtful. *' The mountains now were getting sensibly lower ; but still tliere is no valley on the river, which presents steep and rocky bf.nks ; but here, several miles from the river, the country is smootli .Mpd grassy ; the forest has no undergrowth; and in the open valleys or rivulels, or around spring heads, the low groves of live oak give the appearance of orchards in an old cultivated country. At one of these orchard grounds, we encam[)ed about noon to make an eftbrt 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 ])romised a pair of pistols — not as a SECOND KXrLORINO KXPKDITION. 105 reward, but as a token of gratitude for a service which would free us all from uuich anxiety. " We had among our few animals a horse which was so much reduced, that \nth travelling, even the good grass could not save him : and, havinsjf nothiiiuf to oat, he was killed this afternoon, lie was a good animal, and had made the journey round from Fort llall. ****** " The absence of Mr. Preuss gave me great concern ; and, for a largo reward, Derosier volunieered to go baitk on the trail. I directed him to search along the river, travelling upward for tho 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 further, 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 bottom, and surrounded them before they could make their escape. They had large conical baskets which they were engaged in filling with a small leafy plant, (erodium cicuta- rium) just now beginning to bloom, and covering the ground like a sward of grass. They did not make any lamentations, but appeared very much impressed with our appearance, speaking to us only in a whisper, and offering us smaller baskets of tho 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 wait- ing till they came in. We observed that the horses ate with great avidity the herb which they had been gathering; and here also for the first time, we saw Indians eat the common grass — one of the squaws pulling several tufts, and eating it with appa- rent relish. Seeing our surprise, she pointed to the horses ; but we could not well understand what she meant, except, perhaps, that what was good for the one was good for the other. ******** "Towards evening we heard a weak shout among the hills 5* il lOG LIFE AJfU SKRVICK3 OF JOHN C. FliEMONT. r: 11 behind, and had tho pleasure to see Mr. PrtMhss decending towards tho camp. Like ours(»Ivos, lie liad travelled to-day twcMty-fivo miles, but had seen nothing of Dcrosier. Knowing, on the Nli<-'ro the p«'(i|>lt' looked clean, and wori! cotton s.'iiits and varions other articles of dress. They ininieiliately crowde'l ftronnd us and wo had tho inexpressihlo d«>lieht to tuid one who spoko u little indill'erent Spanish, hut who at lirst con- Ibnnded us hy sayinn' tJiero wore no whites in theeountiy; but just then a well-dressed Indian eaine up, and ni.ido his salutations in very well spoken Spanish. In answer to our imjuiries, he informed us that we were upon tho Jiio tie Ins Ainct'icanos (tho river of tho Americans), and that it joined the Sacramento Uivor about ten miles below 1 Never did a namo sound more sweetly* We felt ourselves amonij our countrymen; for tho name of American, in tliose parts, is a])i)Iied to tho citizens of the United States. To our eager iuiiuiries ho answered, 'lam a vaqucro (cow licrd) in tho service of Caj)tain Sutter, and tho people of this ranchcria work for liim.' Our evident satisfaction made him communicative ; and ho went on to soy that Captain Sutter was a very rich man, and always glad to see his country people. We asked for his house, lie answered that it was just over tho hill before us; and olleretl, if wo would wait a moment, to talc© his horse and conduct us to it. Wo i jadily accepted liis civil oiler. In a short distance wo came in sight of the fort ; and, passing on the way the house of a settler on the opposite side (a Mr. Sinclair), we forded the river; and in a few miles were met a short distance from tho fort by Captain Sutter Iiimself; lie gave us a most frank and cordial reception — conducted ua immediately to his residence — and under liis hospitable roof we had a niglit of rest, enjoyment and refreshment, which none but ourselves could appreciate. But the j)arty left in the mountains with Mr. Fitzpatrick were to be attended to ; and the next morn- ing, supplied with fresli horses and provisions, I hurried off to BF-CONI) i:XPI,OUIN(» F,X['f:i»niON. 100 moot thfiTi. On llio spcoml l< :lit th lt(Ml, I. ])in;ii>lt) sii;iit Uian tliey prcsfiitcti, fuiiiiot, well Im^ imiiL,nn»M Tlicy worn all on foot — viu:h man, weak and omaciafoil, Irail- \\)i('('s, and were killed ; and with somo were lost tho 2)(ii'k8 they carried. Amun<^ these was a mule with tho plants, which wo had collected since leavini; Fort Hall, alont; a liiie of 2,000 miles travel. Out of sixty-seven horses and mulos with which we commenced crossiui^ tho Sierra, only thirty-threo reached tlio valley of tho Sacramento, ai\d they only in a comli- tion to bo led aloni^. " Mr. Fitzpatrick and his party, travelling more slowly, had been able to make some little cxertiini at huntimjf, and had killed a few deer. The scanty supply was a great relief to them ; for several had been made sick bv the stranuo annntains to tlio I'acilic Ocean, and of tlie two ])finci[)al streams wbicli form bays or harbors on the coast of that sea. Dnrim; the entire eight months he was never out of tlie siglit of snow, and tlio point "wliere they crossed the Sierra Kevada was was near 2,000 feet higher than the South Pass of the llocky ]\[ountains. AV'itli one singU; quotation more to ilhistrate Mr. Fremont's faculty of generalization, wo close our account of this expedition. " Having complotecl tliis circuit, and being now about to turn tlic back upon the raciiic slope of our continent, and to recross the Rocky Mountains, it is natural to look back upon our foot- steps, and take some brief view of the leading features and geneial structure of the country we had traversed. These are peculiar and striking, and dilfer essentially from the Atlantic side of our country. The mountains all are higher, more numerous, and moi'e distinctly detlned in tlieir ranges and directions; and, >vliHt is so contrary to the natural order of such formations, one of these ranges, which is near tho coast (the Sierra Nevada and the Coast liange), presents liigher elevations and peaks than any whicli are to be found in the liocky 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 tlie Ilocky Mountainr. In height, these mountains greatly exceed those of the Atlantic side, con- stantly presenting peaks which enter the region of eternal snow ; and some of them volcanic, and in a frequent state of activity. They are seen at great distances, and guide the traveller in his courses. "The course and elevation of these ranges give direction to the rivers and cliaracter to the coast. No c'reat river does, or can SECOND EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 117 take its rise below tlio Cascade and Sierra Nevada ran i:^e ; tiie distance to the sea is too sliort to admit of it, Tlie rivers of the San Franeisco bay, wliicli are the lari^cst after the C'ohnubia, are local to that bay, and hiteral to the coast, having their sources about on a line witli the Dalles of the Cc^hinibia, and running each in a valley of its own, between Coast = nge and the Cascade and Sierra Nevada range. The Columbia is the only river which traverses the whole breadth of the country, breakinGf throuMi all the raniifes, and enterino- tke sea. Draw- ing its waters from a section of ten degrees of latitude in the ]\ocky Mountains, which are collected into one stream by three main forks (Lewis's, Clark's, and the North Fork) near the centre of the Oregon valley, this great river thence proceeds by a single (diannel to the sea, while its three forks lead each to a pass in the mountains, whicdi opens the way into the interior of the continent. This fact, in relation to the rivers of this region, gives an innnense value to the Columbia. Its mouth is the oidy iidet and outlet to and from the sea ; its three forks lead to the passes in the mountains; it is, therefore, the only line of communication between the Pacitic and the interior of North America ; and all operations of war or commerce, of national or social intercourse, must be conducted upon it. Tins gives it a value beyond estimation, and would involve irreparable injury if lost. In this unity and concentration of its waters, the Pacitic side of our continent dili'ers entirely from the Atlantic side, where the waters of the Alleghany Mountains are dispersed into many rivers, having their ditlerent entrances into the sea, and opening many lines of communication with the interior. "The Pacific coast is equally difierent from that of the Atlantic. The coast of the Atlantic is low and open, indented with numerous bays, sounds, and river estuaries, accessible every- ■where, and opening by many channels into the heart of the country. The Pacitic coast, on the contrary, is hio'h and compact, with few bays, and but one that opens into the heart of the country. The ijiimediate coast is what the seamen call 118 LIFE AND 8ERVICK3 Off JOHN 0. FREMONT. nv; iron bound. A littlo witliin, it is skirted by two successive ranges of mountains, sian- as ramparts between tlio sea and the interior coimtry ; and to get throui^li which, there is but one pite, and that narrow and easily defended. Tliis structure of the coast, baciced by these two ranges of mountains, witii its concentration and unity of waters, gives to the country an irmnense military strength, imd will probably render Oregon the most imj)regnable country in the world. " Ditiering so much ^rom the Atlantic side of our continent, in coast, mountains, and rivers, the Pacific side ditiers from it in RTiother most rare and sini^-ular feature — that of the Gi'eat interior Basin, of which I liave so often spoken, and the whole form and character of wliich I was so anxious to ascertain. Its existence is vouched for by such of the American traders and himters as have some knowledge of that region ; the structure of the Sierra Nevada range of moimtains requires it to be there ; and my own observations confirm it. Mr. Joseph Walker, who is so well acquainted in those parts, informed me that, from the Great Rait Lake west, there was a succession of lakes and rivers which have no outlet to the sea, nor any connection with the Colum- bia, or with the Colorado of the Gulf of California. He described some of tliese lakes as being large, with numerous streams, and even considerable rivers, falling into them. In fact, all concur in the general report of these interior rivers and lakes ; and, for want of understanding the force and power of evaporation, which so soon establishes an equilibrium between the loss and supply of waters, the fable of whirlpools and subter- raneous 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 interior lakes ; for the waters which would collect between the Rocky Mountains and the 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 SECOND KXPLOlllNG EXPEDITION. 119 i be the natu'ul eilect ; and what I saw went to confirm it. The Great 8alt Lake is a forniatiun of this kinil. and quite a huge une ; and having many streams, and one considerable river, four or five hundred miles lono;, falling into it. This lake and river T saw and examined myst'lf; and also saw the Wah-satch and ]^ear River mountains which enclose the waters of the lake on the east, and constitute, in that quarter, the rim of the Great Basin. 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 the foot of that Sierra ; and which Sierra is the western rim of the liasin. In going down Lewis's Fork and tlie main Columbia, I crossed only inferior streams coming in from the left, such as could draw their water from a short distance only ; and I often saw the mountains at their heads, white with snow ; which, all accounts said, divided the waters of the desert from those of the Columbia, and which could be no other than the range of mountains which form the rim of the Basin on its northern side. And in returning from California along the Spanish trail, as far as the head of the Santa Clara Fork of the Uio Virgen, I crossed only small streams making their way south to the Colorado, or lost in sand — as the Mo-hah-ve ; while to the left, lofty mountains, their summits white witii snow, were often visible, and which must have turned water to the north as well as to the south, and thus constituted, on this part, the southern rim of the Basin. At the head of the Santa Clara Fork, and in the Vegas de Santa Clara, we crossed the ridge which paited the two systems of waters. We entered the Basin at that point, and have travelled in it ever since, having its southeastern rim (the Wah-satch Moun- tain) on the right, and crossing the streams which flow down into it. The existence of the Basin is, therefore, an established fact in my mind ; its extent and contents are yet to be better ascertained. It cannot be less than four or five hundred miles each way, and must lie principally in the Alta Califoniia; the deraarkation latitude of 42° probably cutting a segment from ill ';1 I JLM) LIFIC AND BKIIVKJKS OK JOHN C. FUKMONT. m ' - I'- :i' m tlio iiorlli part of \ho rim. Of its interior, but littlo is known. It is ('allt'd ;i (icsn't, and, from what I saw of it, sterility may l>o its j)romiiieiit characteristic; i)ut wliero tliero is so much water, tliere must ho some 0(tscs. The i^reat river, and the L!,'reat lake, re|)(>i'tc(l, may not be ('(|ual to the repcM't; but where tlier«! is so mucji shdw, there must be streams; and whcM'e there is no outlet, tliei-e must be hakes to hold tiio accumulat.ed waters, or sands to swallow them uj). In this eastern part of the Hasin, containin;;' Seviei', Utiih, and the (Jreat Salt laki's, and the riveis and creeks falliuL;' into them, we know there is oxx.d soil and ^ood grass, adapted to civili/ed settlements. Tn tlie western j)art, on Salmon Trout Kiver, and some other streams, the same remark may be made. "The contents of tliis (Jreat 13asin are yet to be examined. That it is peopled, we know ; but miserably and wparsely. From all that I lieard aiul saw, I should say that humanity hero ai>i>eared in its lowest form, and in its most elementaiy state. dispersed in sino-le families; witliout lire-arnis; eatini^ setxls and insects; dig"i;Mnr occnpation tiian tiio mere animal search tor food, may still 1)0 seen in that ancient qnaffei* of the i^lolic ; hnt in Amciica such things are new and strange, unknown and unsns|M'cled, and dis- eretlilcd when related. Tuit 1 tlatter myself that what is discovei'e(l, thoni;li not enoni^h to satisfy ciiriosify, is snfllcii-nt to excite it, and that subsequent explorations will complete what, lias l)(!en commenced. "I'his account of the Oreat 13asin, it will be remembered, belono's to the Alta ('alifornia, ami has no ap[)lication to Oregon, whose capabilities may justify a separate remark. Keferriiiij to my journal for particular deficriptions, and for Sectional boundari(>s between good and bad districts, I can only say, in general and comparative terms, that, in that branch of agriculture which implies the cultivation of grains and staple crops, it would be inferior to the Atlantic States, though many parts aie superior for wheat; while in the rearing of (locks and herds it would claim a high place. Its grazing capabilities are gieat; and even in the indigenous grass now there, an element of indi\idual aiid national wealth may be found. In fact, the valuable grasses begin within one liundred and lifty miles of the Missouri frontier, and extend to the Pacitic ocean. P^ast of the Kocky mountains, it is the short curly grass, on which the butialo delight to feed (whence its name of butValo), and which is still good when dry and apparently dead. West of those mountains it is a larger growth, in clusters, and hence called bunch grass, and which has a second or fall growth. Plains and mountains both exhibit them ; and I liave seen good pasturage at an elevation of ten thousand feet. In this spontaneous pro- duct the trading or travelling caravans can find subsistence for their animals ; and in military operations any number of cavalry may be moved, and any number of cattle may be driven; and thus men and horses be supported on long expedi- tions, and even in winter, in the sheltered situations. 6 ! 123 MFK AXD 8ERVICK3 OF JOHN 0. FRKMONT. t •' Commorcially, tlic vnhio of tlic Oronfon country must be great, wa>lio