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CHiKK OF IHK TOPOGRAPHICAI, KI'KEAU SECOND EUrriON. Ilt.MlI.VTtU fRO.M THF orFICIAL COPT. W A S H I N (J '1' n N . PUBLISHED BY HENRY POLKINHuKN. Sold by Tayloh, Wilde, &. Co., No. 3, Ellioit's buildings, VVashing- rON, D. C, AND AT JaRVIs's BUILDINGS, NoRTH STREKT, BALTIMORE ; W. Taylor, No. 2, Astor House, and Burgess, String£r & Co., New York; G. fV Zeiber, & Co., Philadelphia; Redding & i>o., Sax- ton & Kelt, and Jordan, Swift, & Wiley, Boston; Robinson & Jones, Cincinnati ; NoxiLE & Dean, Louisville, and C, Marshall, Lexington, Ky. ; Amos Head, Charleston, S. C. ; J. C. Morgan, J. B. Steel, and W. McKean, New Orleans, and by all the princi- pal BOOKSELLERS THROUGHOUT THE UnITED StATES. MDCCCXLV. TO Tin: HON. THOMAS HAIIT |] EN TON, Snidlor of l/ir l'i)ihil Sltitvx froia Missoidi, 'V\\v t'ollowiii^- pnu(^s, coinprisiiin- the Nnrnitiv<' ol* ('nptaiii r'Ki;M(»i\rs lirsl and second expeditions, I he coiidncl of wliicli rellerts so nuicli honor on the chiiiacler aiid tahuils ol" thai most meritorious oHicer, whilst tli»! results redound so amply to the credit oi' the country, and to the |)roniotion of know iediic and all \\\v best interests of mankind, is (with ()ermis- sion) very respectfully dedicated by THE PUBLT^IIER. Washixcjton City, In45. \ \$ I l'IJIUJSIIKR>5 rU'KI' ATI-: r Cnptniii of wliicli s (>r thill so iimply of know h [)erinis- BIIER. I Although larRp rtlilion> (i| ihr irporls nl tlicsc Ivvn ii>i|iiiit;iiil ;inil ino.-^l iiiitM*' img rxjirilitioiiM wcri' priiiti'il l>y order (il ( 'iiMLsrc'S, yrl it Iwis liccn mi|i|m)S(iI tlcil (lir |(uli|ir liciiiiirnl wuulit mil lie llicri'liv liilly iiK't. It was hUo JiuIitciI rxpi'iliiMil Id priiil llit' work in it t4hii|ic wliich inii;lil ivrifliT il iiccrsHJblf Id rvrry rciidrr; divrsliiiir i| of iIk- sciriitilic dcliiils, and llir iiHtrnnnniicid iihscrvuliniis 'ind (■idcidiit'ions, wliifli, alllumi'li ol' the lii^hi'si iiniMirlaiicc In tlu' Irrtrni'd fi-vv, coidd Udl l>i' s(i|i|i()scd to allitrd inalcriiil intrrcsl lo iho RWioral rciidcr. A work ol lliis dcscriplion should [lOHHPHM rvrry fucilily for diMsnnination. '["Iicrc^ is nol an individual in om cnlirf iiopulalion lo whom its diiails am nol of irniiortaiwc; Ihcrr is scarcely one lo whom its liases wHI not atVord Crrat iiitcresl. 'I\) every citi/eii of the I'liiletl Slates il addresses ilsplf vvilh pi'diliar lorce, a-, re- InliuR entirely lo Ainrricau aHiiirx, as heiii'^ the result of Auieriean enlerpiise and wkill, and a. dcvplopint; /nailers of \\\v ulinosi importance to American inlercsls. It is entirely a /lau/r innnn- fiiclnri', ami il needs no oilier protertioii than that chcprin-i approbation wliicli the piihiislier (wi:, -lire tlie palriolisni of his fcllow-citi/ens will award lo so meritorious a [troihiction. To the sei riililic puhlii' abroad, as well as lo the liberal minded and iinpiirini; reader ni cverv country, llip work uill be very accpplnble; cxhibitini; as il does a new \ws,i\ in tht- history of the world's sur- face, and spreading out before the eyes ol iiiankiml some of the •.■raiidost scenes in nature, which had scan'cly iver before been viewed by civilized man. 'Japtaiii I'hdmont appear.-; to have been peculiarly well adapted for thu command of these ev ■ pnlitions. Posscssfid of more then an averasji' share id' bodily vii^or, and mental energy and c-i- paoity; success is not to be wondrreii at,- Seldom have so many accessories lo suci-e.ss been united m the leader of such expeditions. The first of lhes(! expeditions terminalcd at the Rocky mounlains, and at the two point, ol greatest interest in that ridge — namely, the South I'ass, and Fremont's Peal;; the former being the lowest depression of the mounlains, through which the road lo Oregon now passes; and (he latter the highest elevation, from the base of which four trreal rivers take their rise, and f1(tw in oppo- .site directions, toward the rising and the setting .sun. 'J'hc, .second, afler approaching the moiuUains by a dilVerent route, eonnerts with the first expedition at lUe Scnith Pass, and Ihenre finds Iho great theatre of its labors west of the Rocky inountains, and liclwcen the Oregon river and North California. The thinl expedition, now commencing, will be direcled lo that .see luin of the Kocky mountains which y;ives rise to the Arkansas, the Itio that of Lewis and Clauke, which has been justly characterized as one of the most cxlraordinarv of the age. Il vvas made in 1801, '.0, and 'fi. These bold advenlurcr.-s first made ' 1 I I l\ I'KKI- ACK, nvtr. to IIS ;ir>)iuint(<() with thf |{')ik'. iiioiint iiii! , .iii>l ilir luniii idm tnl" m| Itnlitns tvho dwfilt in th«ir proximity, «■> wpII «" with ihf < imntry wrsi nl thp ni"iiiit.iiii ■ (n ihf iiiHiih nf ihr Colamhia Till ripr.|j»ir)ri vvim < oMilmtcil with tiiui'h hkill mid hrnvrr\ , .iii'l w .\u- iimli i ureni ohh^ationt ihi'ir hnrdy lUiini'crM ii|hiii iiii until thru nntriiililrii |>,it|i. Till' IP xt r\|irditi(iii w.iH III il III Miijiir /. M. I'iki, mi Ih i.'), 'tt, an! '/■ Tliin i\[i«(lilian wu rontiiifil to tl>i' ii)t|itr \v itrrs nltli'' .Mi>'>iiiviit|)i iiiul llir wruiirii pirt <»( lioiiinliiiiii. Ih. imiduct re- flecli'd iniicli rri'dil ii|iitlhiii( ciiiniiiiiiidiii^ ofrircr. '> We liriii'vi tliiit iiDthinv more wiih dcmr tnwunU ("(|iliiiiim lhi'..r wr 'cm vvdd. niitil ISI!t, when ttri fxiMvlilloii III \hv Kiii'ky nioiiiit liiiK Wiir. |i|.ttitii>il, miij llu' I'liiMnmiiil llifrri'l' iilicnl in (lie IniiidH (Mhjoi (mow (jdIoiu'I) >* 11. liONi., ol till' 'I 'o|M)i;iii|ilii(':il l)iit;iai'i'ri o two rx M llllir lillM. (-UIIIIIKII idi'd pfdilions — till" lirst, in I8l!»-'a0, Id tln' Hmky iinHiiitiiiii-.; llic spcotul, in IHS:), to the couroPK of llif Siiiiil I'firr, lh>' Irikc ol llu- WdihI), iVi-. Nrvcral Mi'idiitilic i^entloiiK'n worr nl- laciicd to ihcHc p\|i"ditioii.^, and llii> lu'coiniN vvliii'li liavp licin |iiil>liHlird of llii'in, PXti'Mdint; to forr octavo voliiiiu'.-i, may In" JU'^tly roiiHiduri-d an hi-iiia tlio lir.sl miMliodicrtl and .tcipnlillc nolicp ol the fountriiM visited. We arc Indciilrd ti> Major lioxi, aiv! to liic scii-nlitic corp^ who accompi iii"d liiiii, lor niMiiy exact Kconraiihica! positions, and loi a i;rcal aiiioimi ol' mader iii^hly iliii.ti.i- tivp id' the pioduclions, natural history, and inhalill.inls ol those distant ic^ion-. Another expedition, niidcr tiovernor < '\hs, assisted hs .Mr. Si iiooli ii ik r and othn t;pntlrni"ii. V hited the head walcis of the Miski '0\ \H'M->. The di..- lance travelled was uboiil • i.xteen liniidred mile:., and allhoiK'h il cannol he muA that the e-xpeflitiou added much to our eeoRraphical oi .scipiililic knowledqe ol ,iny kind, n wa • 'ondiicled with ureal jndgmeiit on tin- pait ol it;, (jaliani eomii.andei, ;uid was proh.ihly the inian. ot Ptjlahlishmn pea-e amoim all the dillerpiil trilirt; ol Indians re.sidin'^ lieiwein the rivers Arkansas and I'latlr. Captain (.'.vNFiKi, II, of ttie Topo:.;raphic.tl nnu'ineer-, mtdp a survey ol a load liom th'' vi-inKy ol F'orl liPavenv\orlh, on the .Missouri, lo Ihal oi' Fort Snelhiif;, on the Misas.sippi, in Ihe year I Pill*. Mr McCov, of .Mis.^oiiii, sill veyed tlip hoiinduric, of icil mi Indian rpf.ei valioiis. The." ..iir • vevf. were afterwards revis'-d, in pari, l>\ th ' late (',i|iiaiii llnoii, of ih-" 'l"opo:4r,ipliic,il Fiiiuinecr .. It IS heheved ihal th"se e.xpcilition- and survey ,i, with a few olhei p.uii.il ;.iitv(Vs and i:iolat"d ob.servationft of particular places, constiinle all thai had been done, of a iialnie approachini; lo a',- curacy, until the year I S3M .Mr. j\i(to!,i.K T, a rreiich i;i'iitlemHn of lii-^h s'-i'iiliii-' all iinmenis, was eii'^atjed al hi' own ex- pense, as a sciendlic traveller, from IH;).} to 18,'(8, in ;i lour lo the rc;;ioii we.-.l oi ihe iipjipr Mi,- f-iBsippi. The result of his researches wa-i a m iji of ihe country, full of inloriiiatioii, and sn..- tained by a nuinprons series of excellent aslronomical oliseuiiion--. lii.^ \arious joinncy ,, were carefully traced upon it, and all the inlbnnalion collated, well dij;csl.od, .ind accurately conipil'd. Jt gave new ideas of tliit coniitiy, and exiended throus'li about live dcjree-, of lonmliide and loin- degrees of latitude. This map was purchased by the (io\ei iimeiil, and Mr. ,\iioi.i,i,r aflei- wards employed to make a similar Hcicntilic nriiiiiK)i^sa>u:i: in the ns^ion norlli of the Misiomi, aiel hetwoen the Missouri and the Mississij)pi. Mr. I''ukiio\ r accompanied .Mr. .\iidi,i,i;r, aslii.ai- fiistanl; and this was his first essay as un explorer. Mr I''(ii;mon r rcceivivl ,i ciiiiiinission a.^ lieu- tenant in the Topo2;raphical Engineers, in the fall of Is;iS. 'J'he ex|)edilion was eii[;ajied m ili duties during the wdrkinu .seasons of lt^3>raplucal iul'onnition of the country :--outh of the Mis- fcouri, between that river and the Kocky mouniain.s, and Mr. Nicoi.i.kt beiim then (April, l'34'4) surteritig from that prostration and sicknesjA under which he linally bunk, lu the fall of that ycAi nil' uli til '' i' I'HKK ACi:. relt in th«tr imhia ri««r. ^li|{aUoni to •nditinn wu rrtnduct n- 1 N I '.I. when II ihi* hnmla ruiniiiii tided <'j:J, Id III'- II were •It xl'ivlinu to (' iiolii'c (il i» ^urii|ll|U' Ills lllll .t|,l l(riil|pin"ii, vl.llll III flip Ollll ' DM ,in Thr dl... ' r,\[ii (liti'iii \Mi|i t;r(Ml. ■Iimi^ |"'.v r. Ill' VI' iiiify in liio yi'ar lie .' ..(ir • iiiU-'iiiecr .. '1 iiiolali'd iMi'; lo il'".- own (v- |»i Mi.- rllld :.ll..- iir\.. uuic i'iiiii|)il>'d. iiiiil lour ,1,1- iillri- 'illii, iiliH :i.i hi . a >- III II' licu- ;t'ii 111 i( , ill' \V111(<>1 thr Mi.s- ;ii, I Mi) that veil I n<*W fXpr-dltloil W.tx rnnfldril lo l,|i'llt>'li ml KlllMONI, v^ ll>> Il I'l liuiilli led the comnuind of thi , IntflltRnirp, iind npliliidi' lor miivinriii, 'Iniun' hi ' ttrrvirn* «• H-iiinfrttii lo grmt » Mr. NiroM.rr. Th* lijlluwinji iiiirr lUvr vmII miU'iiii'iiiI^ iiiiiiili' i t.iriitni ml I'HtMii^i'H vvorihiiii'' . ot iln ini I repoiM>d ill him ihiriiii; thi-> iiiid iIh hiirirriliiiK i \|hmIiIiiiii. A-iMdcinr dI ihr ■■ imiihIi- vvliili Oovernitii'nf lm.< |il;irMii ii|miii hin Ni-rvin-s mid l.thoin, it tn^iy hi- lnrr >l ih-i, lli;ii llif I'rf uliiii, In and wilh llii' ron^i'iil nl ihr .'iriKilr, in Miirch IhhI, Ih'nIovmmI ii|ii>ii liii'iili iiiitil I'm vir, i ihi' hri'M't OOiiiiiir'Mion III (\i|il. till, iiilviiiiriii;^ liiiti r.Mi i^raiiiM iil thr ^iiiiic tiiiii* — a riirr i iiiii|i|iiiii'til, hut mii' whicli, \\t' lii'lii'vr, till will iitiiti' with iis in Hiiyiiiu;, wiih wi'll I'lirncd mid nrhly di'Mnrvid. 'I'lii' imliliHlu'r lliiiiK. lliiii ihi- lirnl' niillinf ol wli.it ii.i I lirni donr low.inU thr ix|i|iiriin» lljr Wi'Htrrii wild-., |iri'\ii)ii4 to Ihi' r\|ii'dilioiiH of ('a|itaiii l''ui.>iii> r, will not Ih' iiniiilrri''ilini; lo thr |iiiltlic. Ill- iifkiiowlt'ilufM liM indfhtciliiiiM lor thr iiiiiti'ri:iU lo .i I'oiimiiiirnalioii wliiih iiii[ii'ir»"l in " 'I'/ir I'lilmi" .1 r< w wrrli-* sinci'. iiiid which liciirxlhc itiiirlxH of (/(// roiri'itniHs. ('ii|il,iiii I'liDMii-. i'h liiliiMN iiiivi' iid'li'il inn h lo mir inrNioiis iiiliiriiKilion in ii iifoi;ni|iIiH'iil, ( om nirni.il, iind .sriiiilirir |Miinl of vi w. 'I'lir tollowini{ I'Nlrinl Iroiii a ri'virw ol' lii< " ri'iioil.," whii II ii|i|iriiici| in ihi' " Siil'iiiinl lihlhu^i iif r" diiiinn ihi' iii I i.ioiilli. will |iii|.iii' llir ii.iiln tm th'' lull ilc\i'lo|iiiii'iil iiiMili' in III!' tollowiiuj |i it{i'-i. "In ut oi;rii|ihi< III iliMCoM'i'y <'ii|il:iiii l''ii kmuni' iiiiM doiic inuili lie hin sliowii ihil llir It, in. it ;i.\ii..- tin- l'ocl iiiiii|i,ir:ili\i'|y r.isv ; Ihii th"" |.ni|iiiilion ol aii'oliili'ly linrrii roniilry i> sitrill ; Ihiil, fVoiii wilhiii I'lii' hninln'd iiiid lilly inilr.. ol ihf .Missouri liontioi to iIh- loiiniiiiili' ol' I'orl l.;ir;iniii', ( IC'i'-' I'l',) Ihrrr is in itcni'rul irriMl )ili'iil\ of Ihr KJiort rnrly uriiss imIIi-iI IuiIIjIo nr.i.ss, W't'slwmd ol' ],ariiiiiti', lor a (■onsiilnahlf diHt. tier, llif ifsioii is h.indy and a|i|iarriilly hti'rilr, and llu' plnT n|' ihc L''ra-H i.s iisiir|U'i| hy ihr iiriMiii'.in, clhcr I'li'-.ililic:*, whrri" tlicri' i -^ ii di'liciciicy of jiasturiiiii', iirc I'iniid on hotli ' idrs ol tlu' tiiiiiiiilaiii' . ('Ii'".r ('\iiriliiion^, liii\vr\i'r, will rmni^h to liadiiii; 'aravaii-s nr lo nni.'.iiiliiiy |iarlir..., ii I, now Inl'.'/- nl llii' inosl |ir;tiiicalilr routes, wliihr tlii'v may inosi ijiiirr.illy liii'l i-iislcnatici' lialliiii iiniinals, ,iiid water and I'liel lor iheiiiselveH. 'I'he road to Orison \\\\\ he iiiiidc ci'iitiiaralivcly ca-A ; iind although the enii(;raiil \\\\'\ e()iilem|i|.ili's lakiiiu ii|i his line ot mar. Ii lo llial dislaiil ri'i;ion iini;lii to lie a I 'I iri /.I'd of, and t;ii irded a','aiii>l, //" (/inii;i'.\, lln illj/iri/'/i.y, diirf lln jirriiliniis //» ir II ■'lurr III ' .iinnnhr, yet lie m.iy he elieeri'd li\ the eirtainly that he will iiiret with nnlhiii;', ImiI \\IihI tor<";i';hl and jinideini m.iy in a f;ieal lie .isnro |irolect him IVom, an I ennrai'i't rniiitie .>, and |iei- ■ .M'raiiee oM-reome I If willlie ealled n]i ni lo e\eii'i.-.e all these i|ii;tlitii . ; :ind the liii'' I i|ani;ei I'll . error into whi'li le' ean I'all is |.> iiuadne Ihal the jonrney is an easy ii;ie, and ihe |.ii| niiil iilleim!; wliieh he will li i\e lo under(^o Irilliii;: and nniiniMirlanI . "The (iriMl S.ill liiiUe, the Keiir Kiser \'alley, and Ihe livei's. Ihe \;il|i\s, ;iimI llie iniiiiiil:iiii . ol I'lHier Calilornia, may lie said to lie now lirsl hroie'lil to the knowled'e ol' eivili/ed man hv itu'k'.'' I [leililioiis. 'The eorreelioii of oiir liirmer !;eo:rra|iliieal errors wilh res|iecl to the river liiirmin i/- I'lni \'. e invr to Cijiliin I iii,'.io\ r; the e\i-.|eiiee ol a '.;rial eentral plain or liasin in ('ililoinia i. r ialili.;lie I hy him, ai is idso the imp'irtanl linl ihal there is no river of anv iia\it;a'>|e M/r whieh li.is Its iiiifi' I (InC'lljl lillii till I'livijii , mill run' iiiiiiiiriilf \ i''illi llir inslrrn ulnfii n/'inn r-iiil iii nl, fjriiil Ihr ('i/linnlilti, helween llllV denrees nl northern latitude .mil the (Jnll' ot (Jalirornia In ,1 military |ioiiil ol' view, tliese e\|ieililions |ioinl mil where I'ort^ and posts may lie iim^l aihanla^eouilv r I'lhli dl'-il, wilh .1 view |.i thi' s il'e o!'cn|ianey ol' Ihe eouiilry and the proleetinii 111' the inliahilant . •nid Ihe trader liom Indian onliaije, m rrmn a'4'.^re.^sions or inlerlerenei s ol' ;iiii, kind. Thi,, «e helicM', was tlie priilesseillv anthori/.ed oli|('il ol ( 'aplain l''reiiioiit's iwprditions ^ lail In .iidenf and iietive temperamenl, and his Iwve of seii'iice and kiiuwledcjo, eoiild not rest salistled with a hare I'rformance of presrriheil dulies. lie has sulimiltcd to hi. eonnliym 'ii and the world, in hi.', uii- (Ti'tendinp; and modest narralive, a va-t hudy of holanieil, fjeolonie d, and ineteorolouieal infniriM IK'H. The soil and the mineral water- ha\e heen siilijecled to .in.dysis. Muii' than fiuir hundred .iiid thirty a.slroiiomie.d ohser\alions arc rei'orih'd, Ihe lalitinle and longitude of impoitanl point H' iiiately delerminr.l, and the elevation of iiiouiiiains iiseeitained. The survey ol ('aplam l''nt- viivr from the eavtward meels that of ('aptiin Wii.kks from Ihe westward, and, so far ;« - i leoni- •lle fill ;dl immeiliale j'ri'lieal purposes^ the iiiip of OreLrmi is I'omplelf . "" l)|ie ^re.ii iiii'ril ol' ( ',ip!ai ii rai^ioN-r a- a IraM'ller is e\p:es-e..l in iln' eoneludiii:; H'li'enie ol 111'. pielator\ iintiee, llesiy.-; "The report, or narrative, el' this extended i xjiedition, like the iimji:, wh.ieh )llie,liali il, will hr strictly confined to whii wis .'.eeii, and to what is luri'-sary lo ,-liow the laee and eharacter of the i'Hinlr\, and to hiM ,-oiiif|!iiii2 to seieiee while lnlfilli:iM the iii-trnetioiis of the (ioverritii'»iit, winch vi I'KKFACi:. br Inlrrwt mitt^t iiM^i \mft to wiharr I hirflv ( nnfi'ni|iliiti il n militurv ln|iii(rttiphi<'al i»lrr i|ri»fii> of poptili \\,^\l^ Imtii iiii|miIiiI In il li\ .tiliiiillintr a itriiili i l.ililinli' nl ilrlml, litil il w.ih iIi>4uii«hI rnwt to wlliarr Id ilir iik(i ,| ii/inrf, iiiiil i>> |irrsnii iiiiihinu, I'lllicr III \\v iiitrrnliv* or in th« inii|i«, wliii'li vs^i- iimI llir rr'>iill itl |iiii«itiM' oli.ri viilioii." <'ii|itiiiii I'lo viiNT i'< now iilwihl on liix iliinl cviirililioti j mi> liHik liirwuril lo hin return with iiini'li iiIi'iikIiik iiMlici|iulioii. W'l* I'l'il iikhiikiI iIiiI iIic i'oMil)iiiiilioii ol Mir hhhIim ni Ida thiM viaiu lo lilt- " Wi'mi" s\ill loriii It |iroilii(iioii vvorlliy of lliiK t'iilii;lilriiril ,\t',v, worthy of oiir nounlry iiiiil oiii (lOVcniMinil, iiiiil Inulily i rrilit.ililr lo iN iinllior. Il will lir, wr iiif roiiv ith'i'il, n fit iif1i>r- iiii; III iIk' rliiMK' o| Iiii>r;iliiir iiihI >-< Iiimi*, Iroiii oiir >oiimk iiimI l|oiiri>liiii;{ Hi'|iiili|ii', l>y ll|i- Initidi o| oiii' ol' liiT iimi.hI liili'iilril iinil iiiniiilil)' noiih. Willi llii'Mt' |tii'liilory olwiMvalioiiM, we Hiilimit llu' lollitwiii^ n iriiili\r lo llii> |Mililii', ;inil rcrl llml wi* iiir oiti'rini! i ritli I'iiikI ol' iiiliUcctlliil riijoyiiii'iit lo u mtn iiiiiik ioiih |i>iiIioii nl mii li'lli I ili/riiN. VV'ahiiin). ION, IKt"). low J liar IntrrMt miKht iMsl beat to K(lh«rr> vp or In lh« iiMiHi, i iiM MISSOURI RIVER AiNl) THE RUCivV MOl^NTAINS, ON THE I.I.VF. OF THE KANSAS AND GREAT IM.ATTK RIVERS. ^ >p. 1 , ^,*1 IMIIST EXri:i)ITIOi\-LvU. r* U'AHniNtiToN, March I, 1S43. To ( ololiol J. J. A'IKHT, «| Chh'Jof the Corps of Ttipdf^rdjihictil /'Intfineers : Siu : At,'i('o;il)ly lo your oidiTs lo cxplor*' aiiM njporf ii|)(»ii llic comilry Ik.'Iwccii tlio (Voniii'is ol' Missouri mid the Souili Pass iu tlio Kocivy luoi.ii- taiiiN, and ou llie luio ol'tliu Kansas and (iruai PlatU> rivers, I sal out irom WashiiiylDii city on the ,'d day o|' May, Ijsl'^, and arrived al St. I^ouis, hy way of New ^'^)rl\,lll'' '-"Jd td' May,U'lif're the necessary |treparati()ns were (■i)ni|iletcMl, and the expechiioM r'otnnK'nced. 1 piocecded in a steand)i)al to (Chouteau's laiidinir, ahoul lour hundred miles hy water iVoni St. Louis, and near Iht; niouih of the Kati'"'! river, whence we proceeded twelve nules to Mr. Cyprian ('h<)ut(;au's tri ling house, whore wo coinplet<;d our final arraiii^'eiuenis for the exi)e(Jiiion. Had weather, which interfered with astronotnieal observations, delayed ns .several days iu thf St. Louit, lively boy of for the de- I give. We It mnR, who iih the bag- lies. A few lock of pro- of the 10th, I did not fail ' llie eiisiiiiiL? our stay at niles on our ict us on tho lie ocean of ilniosl to the )ich we had rged on the iiikhig char- iiiilcs distant lit ten miles a short lime, ibont eleven encamp an s to form a meter. The ;e to graze ; ?s, of which g meal. At picketed — small steel - nty or thirty g the night. caution be- fending the men, who *se guard for led loose to clock, when one or two accident of rarely. We t in the af- ixlled by the e horses set everal men It midnight, irance until md slept on and, as our striiction to 1849.} CAPT. FREMONT'S NARRATIVE. 11* rain; we were all well soaked, and glad when morning came. VVc had a rainy inarch on thi; 12th, but the weather grew fine as the day advanced. We encamped ill a remarkably beautiful situation on the Kansas blulfs, [ 'iwhich commanded a hue view of the river valley, here from three to four Dttiles wide. The central portion was occupied by a broad belt of heavy limber, and neare.r the hills the prairies were of the richest verdure. One [,i;bf the oxen was killed here for food. ■' Wo reached the ford of the Kansas late in the afternoon of the 14th, where the river was two hundred and thirty yards wide, and commenced immediately prej)aratioiis for crossing. I had expected to find the river f )rdable ; but it had been swollen by the late rains, and was sweeping by with an angry current, yellow and turbid as the Missouri. Up to this point, the road we had travelled was a remarkably fine one, well beaten, a. id level — the usual road of a prairie country, ily our route, the ford was otie hundred miles from the mouth of the Kansas river. Several mounted UKMi led the way into the stream, to swim across. The animals were driven in after them, and in a few minutes all had reached the opposite bank in safely, with the ex(^eption ol the oxen, which swam some dis- tance down the river, and, returning to the right bank, were not got over until the next morning. In the mean time, the carts had been unloaded and dismantled, and an India-rubber boat, which I had brought with me for the survey of th(^ Platte river, placed in the water. The boat was twenty feet long and five broad, and on it were placed the body and wheels of a cart, with tlie load belonging to it, and three men with paddles. The velocity of the current, and the inconvenient freight, rendering it didicult to be managed, Basil Lajeunesse, one of our bi^st swimmers, took in his teetli a line attached to the boat, and swam ahead in order to reach a footing as soon as possible, and assist in drawing her over. In this man- ner, six |)assages had been successfully »iade,and as many carts with their contents, and a greater portion of the party, deposited ou the left bank ; but night was drawing near, and, in our anxiety to have all over before the darkness closed in, I put upon the boat the remaining two carts, with their accompanying load. The mat) at the helm was timid on water, and, in his alarm, capsized the boat. Carts, barrels, boxes, and balesj were in a moment floating down the current : but all tlie men who were on the shore jumped into the water, without stopping to think if they could swim, and almost everything — even heavy articles, such as guns and lead — was recovered. Two of the men, who could not swim, came nigh being drowned, and all the sugar belonging to one of the messes wasted its sweets on the muddy waters ; but our heaviest loss was a bag of coffee, which con- tained nearly all our provision. It was a losfi which none but a traveller in a strange and inhospitable country can appreciate ; and often afterward, when excessive toil and long marcliiiig had overcome us with fatigue and weariness, we remembered and mourned over our loss in the Kansas. Carson and Maxwell had been much in the water yesterday, arid both, in consequence, were taken ill. The former continuing so, I remained in camp. A number of Kansas Indians visited us to-day. Going up to one of the groups wlio were scattered among the trees, I found one sitting on the ground, among some of the men, gravely and fluently speaking French, "with as much facility and as little embarrassment as any of ray own party, who were nearly all of French origin. 13 CAPT. FRKMONT'S NARRATIVR. E1848. On all sides was hoard tlio sfraiii^n language of liis own people, wild, and harmonizing well with their appearance. I listened to hitn for some lime with feelings of strange curiosity and interest, lie was now appa* renlly thirty-five years of age ; and, on inquiry, I learned that he had been at St. Loms when a boy, and there had learned the I'^rench language. From one of the Indian wonmn I obtained a fine cow and caU in exchange for a yoke of oxen. Several of them brought us vegetables, pumpkins, onions, beans, and lettuce. One of them brought butter, and from a lialf- breed near the river 1 had the good fortune to obtain some twenty or thirty pounds of coilee. The dense timber in which we had encanqx'd interfered with astronomical observations, and our wet and damaged stores required exposure to the sun. Accordingly, the tents were struck early the next morning, and, leaving camp at six o'clock, we moved about seven miles up the river, to a handsome, open prairie, some twenty leet above the water, where the fine grass atlbrded a luxurious repast to our horses. During tiie day we occupied ourselves in making astronomical observa- tions, in order to lay down the country to this place ; it being our custom to keep up our map regularly in the field, which we found attended with many advantages. The men were kept busy in drying the provisions, painting the cart covers, and otherwise completing our equipage, until the afternoon, when powder was distributed to them, and they spent some hours in firing at a mark. We were now fairly in the Indian country, and it began to be time to prepare for the chances of the wilderness. Friday, June 17. — The weather yesterday had not permitted us to make the observations I was desirous to obtain here, and I therefore did not move to-day. The people continued their target firing. In the steep bank of the river here, were nests of innumerable swallows, into one of which a large prairie snake had got about half his body, and was occupied in eating the young birds. The old ones were flying about in great distress, darting at him, and vainly endeavoring to drive him off. A shot wound- ed him, and, being killed, he was cut open, and eighteen young swallows were found in his body. A sudden storm, that burst upon us in the after- noon, cleared away in a brilliant sunset, followed by a clear night, which enabled us to determine our position ui longitude 95° 3S' 05", and in lati- tude 39° 06' 40". A party of emigrants to the Columbia river, under the charge of Dr. Wliite, an agent of the Government in Oregon Territory, were about three weeks in advance of us. They consisted of men, women, and children. There were sixty-four men, and sixteen or seventeen families. They had a considerable number of cattle, and were transporting their household furniture in large heavy wagons. J understood that there had been much sickness among them, and that they had lost several children. One of the party, who had lost his child, and whose wife was very ill, had left them about one hundred miles hence on the prairies; and as a iumter, who had accompanied them, visited our camp this evening, we availed ourselves of his return to the States to write to our friends. The morning of the 18th was very unpleasant. A fine rain was falling, with cold wind from the north, and mists made the river hills look dark and gloomy. We left our camp at seven, journeying along the foot of the hills whicli border the Kansas valley, generally about three miles wide, and extremelv rich. We halted for dinner, after a march of about thir- £1849. ■ lM9i} CAl'T. FKliMONTVS NARUATIVK 13 )eople, wild, iin for some now appa- lic had been :h language. in (ixcliange , pumpkins, I'roni a luilf- e twenty or d ciicunipcd 11(1 tliiinaccd were slrnelc moved about twenty feet [!past to our ical obscrva- • our (Misloni tended willi ! provisions, ige, until the spent some country, and ss. d us to make lore did not e steep bank ne of which occupied in reat distress, hot woimd- swallows n the after- igiit, which :ind in lati- arge of Dr. about three d children. They had household been much One of the 1 left them r, who had ourselves of was falling, look dark foot of the miles wide, about tliir- After teen miles, on the banks of one of the many liillf tributaries to ihr Kaii- which look lilce trenches in the priiiric, ami are usually well timbered. )ssing this streaui, 1 rode olf some miles to the left, attracteil bv the appearance of a cluster of huts near the mouth of the Vermillion. It tlnras a large but d(!si!rted Kansas village, scattered in an open wood, along the margin of the stream, on a spot chosen with tlu; cusloiiuiry Indian tfondness lor beauty of scenery. The I'awnees had attacked it in the early pipring. Some of the houses were burnt, and others blackened with smoke, and weeds were already getting possession of the cleared places. Riding up the Vermillion river, I reached the ford in time to meet iIk; carts, and, crossing, encamped on its western side. Tiu; weather continued cool, the thermometer being this ev(>ning as low as 4!)°; but iIk; night was sulliciently clear for astronomical obstsrvaiions, which placed us in longitud(! !j()" 04' 07", and latitude 3f>M5' 19". At snnsct, the barometer was at 2S..S 4 o, thermometer 04^. We breakfasted the next morning at hall" past live, and left oiir encamp- ment early. The morning was cool, the thermometer being at 45''. (Quit- ting the river bottom, I Ik; road ran alonu the uplands, over a rolling country, g(;iierally m view of the Kansas, frotn ei-^lit to twelve miles distant. Many large boulders, of a very compact sandstone, of various shades of red, some of them four or five tons in weight, were scattered along the hills; and many beautiful plants in liower, amontr which the (tinurphn viDicscena was a characteristic, enlivened the green of the prairie. At the heads of the ravines I remarked, occasionally, ihickcUs o( salix loni^ifolin, the most connnon willow of the country. We tiavelled nineteen miles, and pitched our tents at evening on the head waters of a small creek, now nearly dry, ' but having in its bed several fine springs. The barouKiter indicated a considerable rise in the country — here about fourteen hundrfxl fe(!t above the sea — and the increased elevation appeared already to have some slight influence upon the vegetation. The night was coliJ, with a heavy tlew; the thermometer at 10 p. m. standing at 4G'', barometer 2S.4y.'>. Our position was in longitude !i(i^ 14' 49", and latitude 39'' 30' 40". I The morning of the 20tli was fine, with a southerly breeze and a bright sky ; and at 7 o'clock we were on the march. The country to-day was rather more broken, rising still, and covered every wli(;re with fragments ' of siliceous limestone, particularly on the summits, when.' they were small, and thickly strewed as pebbles on the siiore of the sea. in these exposed situations grew but few plants; though, whenever the soil was good and protected from the winds, in the creek bottoms and ravines, and on the slopes, they flourished abundantly; among them the umnrpht, ^\!\\\ re- taining its characteristic place. \Ve crossed, at 10 a. m., the Big Vermillion, wiiich has a rich bottom of about one mile in breadth, one-third of which is occupied by timber. Making our usual halt at noon, after a day's march of twenty-four miles, wo reached the Hig Blue, and eiicami)Ld on the uplands of the western side, near a small creek, where was a fine large spring of very cold water. This is a clear and handsome stream, about one lunidred and twenty feet wide, running, with a rapid current, through a well-timbered valley. To-day antelope were seen running over the hills, and at evening Carson brought us a fine deer. Longitude , of the camp 96° 32' 35", latitude ;.J9° 45' OS". Thermometer at sunset 5 75°. A pleasant southerly breeze and fine morning had given place to a gale, witii indications of l>ad v, eather; when, after a march of len miles. , ll^ i.= 1 i 'I [ill \ 14 CAPT. FREMONT'S NARRATIVE, [1849. wo Imltod lo noon on a small nronk, wlionj tli(! wator stood in deep pools. Ill tlio liaiik of the crs(i,\ have always remarked, too, on the flower a large butterfly, so nearly resembling it in color as to be distin- guishable at a little distance only by the motio of its wings. Travelling on the fresh traces of the Oregon emigrants relieves a little the loneliness of the road ; and to-night, after a march of twenty-two miles, we halted on a small creek, which had been one of their encampments. As we ad- vance westward, the soil appears to be getting more sandy, and the sur- face rock, an erratic deposite of sand and gravel, rests here on a bed of coarse yellow and gray and very friable sandstone. Evening closed over with rain and its usual atttiudanf, hordes of rnusiuitoes, with which we were annoyed for the lirst time. June 22. — We enjoyed at breakfast this morning a luxury, very unusual in this country, in a cup of excellent cofTee, with cream from our cow. Hcing milked at night, cream was thus had in the morning. Our mid-day halt was at VVyeth's creeic, in the bed of which were numerous boidders of dark ferruginous sandstone, mingled with others of the red sandstone, already mentioned. Mere a pack of cards, lying loose on the grass, mark- ed an encampment of our Oregon emigrants ; and it was at tlie close of the day when we made our bivouac in the midst of some well-timbered ravines near the Little lilue, twenty-four miles from our camp of the pre- ceding night. Crossing the next morning a luunber of handsome creeks, with clear water and sandy beds, we reached, at 10 a. m., a very beautiful wooded stream, about thirty-five feet wide, called Sandy creek, and some- times, as the Ottoes frequently winter there, the Ottoe fork. The coi . y has became very sandy, and the plants less varied and abundant, with the exception of the amnrphd, which rivals the grass in quantity, though not so forward as it has been found to the eastward. At the liig Trees, where we had intended to noon, no water was to be found. The bed of the little creek was perfectly dry, and, on the adjacent sandy bottom, c«c72, for the first time, made their appearance. We made here a short delay in search of water; and, after a hard day's march of twenty-eight miles, encamped, at 5 o'clock, on the Little Blue, where our arrival made a scene of the Arabian desert. As fast as they arrived, [184«. n deep pools, iratiim about r for want of ber indicated 1 water near, tli(!rn)ometer i(i;iiit but va- purple clus- sunny slopes, ! rose is met . It is scat- j in the dews e nK)st beau- \irie s;igo, as .silver, as the J plants liave le hue of the accompany- J wherever I 1, too, on the to be distin- Travelling he lonehness as, we halted As we ad- and the sur- on a bed of f closed over h wiiich we /ery unusual m our cow. Our mid-day us boulders d sandstone, grass, mark- tlie close of ell-timbered of the pre- on)e creeks, ry beautiful , and some- 'he coi . y nt, with the though not r was to be he adjacent We made 's march of lue, where ley arrived, M"' CAPT. FREMONT'S NAUKATIVn. 15 linen and horses rushed into the stream, where they bathed and (hank to- rether in common enjoyment. We were now in ihi; range of the Paw- [nees, who were accustomed to infest this part of the connlry, .stealing lorses from companies on iheir way to the mouniahis, and, when in sulli- lijient force, o|)enly attackina: and pinndtjring them, and subjecting theiu |to various kinds of insult. For the first tiuK!, therefore, guard was mount- 5d to-i.iglit. Our route the next morning lay U]) the valley, which, bur- lered by hills with graceful slopes, looked nnconmioiily green and b(!au- liful. The stream was about filty feet wide, and three or four d'lej), [fringed by cotton wood and willow, with frequent groves of oak t(ni;intt'd Ibv Hocks of turkeys, (lame here, too, m.ide its appearance in gre.tti;r i)lentv. l^li< were frequently seen on the hills, and now and then an an- telope bounded across our path, or a deer brok(! from the groves. The road in the afternoon was over the upper prairies, several miles from the river, and we encamped at sunset on one of its small tributaries, wh(;re an abundance of prt^le {e'AI»T. FHKMOM".-. NAKK A TIVE. .Inly. Tlioy liail app.iroiilly killed hiillUlo here, ns IvillL' ahoiil, ;iiicl (he Iraiiies wlier(^ the iliijes had lieen s w [1848. iiiniiy bones ^ were sometimes .slaiidiim. 'I'lu! road ol the day had k(!|>l llie valley, rich and well liinhereil, thmii.'h flio country is ueinTally sandy. Mingled with llie tisii.il plants, a lliisil(! 'curJiiiis /t'Kn'n^rap/ius) had I'or tlio last day or two made its appearance; ; and alontrthe river hntloni, fr(if/csc(tniia (r//*i,'-//;/6v/) and milk plan! {(isrlt'pids sf/riaca'') in considi;ral)l(: hullalo. oniiiiu:, •'Hid 111 :i(l IcMVcs tli:it r(//)/lHS,) |iU!i)tly diiriii:^' il tliuiidcr and '(! wr.rc. oiivcl- )ur (!ycs as it seiidiiig up u ^as, wc roacli- wliat is callud (ni ill till! dis- pproacli \voi(! till! wind had j.M'asso.s of tli(! adtli of about luvc produced ;;11 llio [)laii(s Aiiioii'^' \\\v.i\\ luid iiixiiriaiii o mi I OS across ! oC tlu! riv(;r, lay oxtciidcd ujoiiili of iin! Iiundrcd and iifry wo had same erratic 1 1 10 prairies 10 occasional of the Piatto ic astrcjiioiiii- 19", latitude illy when passinur spring, as wc do ng when they arc ■oiint of tlio silki- )(' Mi". Tlic soil Ihm-"' was li^dil hnt rich, though [in some placi.'s rather sandy; and, with the exei'piion of a scattered fringe* [«ong the haul;, the tindier, eonsistini,' priiiei[)ally of poplar, (popu/its via- fii/ifrra,) elm, and hackbcrry, {celtis cr(i.s\iji)li(i,) i.s confmcd almost en- fflrely to the islands. Jioie 2H — We halted to noon at an open reach of the river, which oc- cupies rather more than a fourth of iIk; valley, here only al)out four miles broiid. The camp had been disposed with the usual precaution, the horses ^Mazioi,' at a litil'' distance, attended hy tla; LMiard, and wr; were all sitting (pnetly at our dinner on the grass, wh<,'n suddenly W(! heard the startling cry *Uiu mondv !^^ In nn instant, every man's weapon was in his hand, the horses wen; driven in, hobbled and picketed, and horsemfn were galloping at full sp(!fd in the direction of tlie new comers, screaming and ycdling with the wildest excitement. " flet ready, my lads!" said tile Icadt^r of the api)roaching party to his men, when our wild-looking horstiinen were discovered bearingdown upon them ; ''^ nous allons (ittraper ties coups (Iv l.d^uetli'.''^ They proved to be a small party of fourteen, under tlu; chargt; of a n,..n named John Lee, and, with their baggage Juid provisions strapped to their backs, were inaKing their way on foot to th»' frontier. A brief a(M:()Uiit of their fortun(\s will give some idea of naviga- tion in the Ncbra.vka. Sixty days since, they had left the mouth of Lar- amie's fork, some three hundred mihs above, in barges laden with the furs of the American Fur Company. They start(!d with the annual flood, and, drawing but nine inches water, hoped to make a speedy and pros- perous voyage to St. Louis ; but, after a lapse of forty days, found thenn- selves only one hundred iind thirty miles from their point of departure. They came down rapidly as far as Scott's bliiffs, where their difillculties began. SoiiKMinurs they camo upon places where the water was spread over a great extent, and here they toiled from morning until night, en- deavoring to drag their boat through the sands, making only two or three miles ill as many days. Sometimes they would enter an arm of the river, where there ap|)e:ired a fine channel, and, after descending prosperously for eight or ten miles, would come suddenly u|)on dry sands, and be com- pelled to return, dragging their boat for days against the rapid current ; and at others, they came upon places where the water lay in holes, and, getting out to float off their I'oat, woiUd fiill into water up to their necks, and the next moment tumble over against a sandbar. Discouraged, at length, and fi ding the Platte growing every day more shallow, they dis- charged the principal part of their cargoes one hundred and thirty miles below Fort Lnramie, which they secured as well as possible, and, leaving a few men to guard them, attempted to continue their voyage, laden with some light furs and their personal baggage. After fifteen or twenty days more sirngglmg in the sands, during winch they made but one hundred and forty miles, th-y sunk their barges, made a cache of their remaining furs and pro|)eriy,in trees on tlie bank, and, j)acking on his back what each man could carry, had commenced, the day before we encountered them, their journey on foot to St. Louis. We laughed then at their forlorn and vagabond appearance, and, in our turn, a month or two afterwards, furnished the same occasion for merri- :i /■Y, ill' ' ; CiV i-'i ■'<.' IS ( \vv I Kr.MoNTs \ \i.M;\rivi; ac- wu 10 S(5 [1849. tiHMil l»> otlicrs. I'vt'ii «li<'ir sioik of idltiutro, ilint sinr f/un nnn of t\%*off- iii^inr, wiilioiii wliicli ilic iiii-lil (in' in glooinv, wms niliiply fxImUMled. Ilout V( r, we .sIkmIciiiiI ilinr hi'iiH'Wiinl jniiiiiry hy ;i Miiiill sii|'|i|y jrom , mikI imiilr una ItrcsiMil ol'simic clidiff |»i«'i'«vs, wliwli wi'n- a very acn'|iiali'|c cliani.'c iVoin otir sail pork. In tin* int<-ii-liaiii'<> oi' iirw.s, and tlic tciiowal nl oM (|naililaii*'('s|ii|)s, w i< luiind u li<>i)'U itlial lo (ill a lniNy Imin ; linn luoinilt'il tiiir hni'M's. and l,i('\' slinnldcicd iIumt packs, and we shook hands and parted. .Vnionu ihcin, I had loniid an old coinpanion on iho norlhcrti pranii'. a liard<-ii(*d and hardly m'iv.'i! xcicraii oT ih<> Mioiiniain^ who had lu't'il as nilli'h hat'kfd and Mailed as ;iii old nnHtshtt'lif y)\ INapojcoii's "olil ijiiard.*' IJr ilounshctl inilio soliiKpKi oT La Tiilipc, and his iral nan I uovrr knew. I''iiulnii; thai lif was i-oini; lo iho Slalrs only \wv\\\\ his ronipaiiy was hound in llial diroilion, and that lie was ralliiT inon; willint; lo K'linii willi iin', I look liiin au;ain inio my mtviim!. W't; Irav- rllrd liustlay hnl sovcMilcrn nnkis. At «)ur i^vt'iiing canii", ahonl siinsri, ihioc (imncs wnn discovcrod ap- pvi>ai'liin!4. which onr glasses made oiil lo he Indians. 'I'hcy proved \o i)c t'lieyenne.s — two men, and a i>oy of ihirlcen. Ahonl a inonlli since, thoy had loH their people on the soiilli loik ol IJie river, some three hiiii- drod miles to the wcsi\\;ii(l. and a p.iiiy o| only lour in nmnhrr had heeii tt> the I'awnee villaues on a hoi^e-slcalin^' excoisioii. I'loin which |liey were lotnrnini; niisiiccesslul. 'I'licy wen; miscrahly moiinlcd on wild horses iVom ihe .\rkansas plains, ami had no other weapons than hows ami loiii; sjiears; and li.id iliey heeii discovered hy the I'awiiees, eoiikl not, liy any |M»ssil)ility, iiave escaped. They were; mortified hy their ill success, ami said the I'awnees were coward-, who shin up their li()rs(vs in their lodges at ni^iil. I invited tlinn lo sii|»per with me, and HindoipU and the young ('heyeimc, wlio had hccn (-yiMii^; each other suspiciously ami curiiuisjy. socni iiecaine intiniatc Iriends. After supper, we sal down on the grass, and I placed a sheet ol paper hetween ns, on which lla^y traced rudely, hnl wuli a certaiii degree ol'iclaiive truth, the walercinirsijs of the country which lay heiwci-ii us and their villages, and (d' which I desired to have some iulorniaiinn. Tlioir companions, they told tis, had lakou a ncan'r route over the hills; hui, tlay had n'oun. cd one of tlie sum- nuts to si)y oiU the I'ouniry. whence they luul caught a gliini)S(r of onr party, and, coulideut of good tr(>atiiieut at the jiands of the whiles, hastened to join company. Latitude of the camj) -10' 39' ')!". We made the next morning sixteen miles. I remarked that tiie ground was covered in many places wul< an elllorescenee of salt, and the jdants were not numerous. In tln> i)o(t()ms was freiiuenlly s(,'(!n Irmlcscdulia, and on the dry lenchcs were c^/yvZ/r;/*, tv/c/r/.y, and amorplni. A high wind during the morning had increased lo a violent gale Irom the northwest, which made our afternoon ride cold and unpleasant. We had the wel- come siglit of two butlaloes on one of the large islands, and encamped at a clump of timber about seven miles from our noon ljalt,after a day's march of twenty-two miles. The air was keen the next morning at sunrise, the thermometer stand- ing at 44^ and it was sulliciently cold to make overcoats very comfortable. A few miles brought us into the midst of the bud'alo, swarming in irn- mcnse lunubers over the plains, where they had left scarcely a blade of wn of a wy- ly f'xImUHtcd. I supply from ' lli;il lllii l)llf- III liliilr IIS a (-li.-iii!.',(* lioin Ml! Ill oiil IIC- in ; (lirli wn ' sltiMfJv IkiihIs I lint IIDlllll'I'll mis, will) Ii/kI piili'oii's " old lis ri';il tiaiiM) only biKiiiiis); ^4 lalJHT iiioro w. Wo iiav- ll.scovoroij ap.. Iicy piovril lo tiioiilii siti(;(\ no llnoo liiin- iImt li.ni Itooii I wliii'Ii jtioy iili-d (III wild IS than hows iwiii'o.s, could hy ilicir ill it'ir liorsos in 1(1 l{:Mldi)lph siispicioiisly wo s;il down which ihcy watoi'C(Miist;s of which I lold IIS, had ' oTlIiu siiiii- oi'oiir parly, , hasluiu'd lo U llic i2;roiiiid id tlio i-iaiils r(i(lcsc(nitia «rov«iN ol IiiiiImi. In Ihc siyhl of [iWch u mass of lilo, ilic Iravollor foids u Ntrtuii;)- <'moiioii of frund'-iir. [W« had hriird from a dislanco a (hill and conlin-d miirmnrmL', and, twhiMi wo camo in viow of lln-ir darU masses, Micro wa*; not on • amomi; [uf who did liol led his laait heal ipiickcr. It wa i thr early pait (d Ihc ay, when il'c herds aro feeding; Jind i-very where ihey wi-re m motion. [Here and there a liniv' old Imll was rolhiii; in the L'rass, and clouds of 'diisi rose in the air Irom vaiioiis parls rairic, and onrcamp was In!! of llnir exhilaration. In place oi' tho iplicl mmioloi.y of the maii'li, lelievcil onlv hv th'' er icKiii" of the most excellent meat, and no H!arcity of bread or t(d»acco, they were enjoviii'.' the oai. ot'.i voyai^eiir'.s .Jile, Threi! cows were kilieil li» day. Kit (lar.sini had shot e-ie, aiuj w.'i'i eontimiiiiL,' the chase in ih'' midst of another herd, wli'ii Ins horsr; h^lj lieadloiii;, hill spraii;,' up and joiin.d the llyini^ hand, 'riioii'.di consiflerahly liiirt, he had (he t,'ood lorlniie to break no h(»nis ; and Maxwell, who was mounted on a licet biintcr, captured the r'.inaway after a h;iril chase. Iff was on the point, of shootiii'.,' him, lo av()id the loss of his hridle, (a hand- somely nioiintcd Sp iiiish one,) when be found that his horsi! wa.s able lo come lip with him. Animal; an; fre(pH;ntly lost i>i this way; and it is necessary to keep (lose waicb over them, in the vicinily f>f the boil'ido, in die mid.st of which they .scour oil' lo the plains, and are rarely retaken. One ol' onr mules took a sudden freak into his head, and joined a neigh- boring band to-day. As we were not in a condition to lo.->(! hor.so.s, I .sent several iikmi in pursuit, and remained in (.'amp, in the hope of recovoriri^ liim; but lost ilie atternrion to no [mr[)ose, as we did not see him aL'aiii. Astroiiomicfd oh.servatioiis jilaccd U.s in longitude 100'' 05' 17", latitude ' 10'^4f»' 55". '/uh/ 1. — AIniii,' our road to-day the prairie bottom wa.s more elevated and dry, and the hills whicji border the ricfbt side f)f the river bif^ber, and more broken aiuJ pictiiicsipK! in iIk; outline, 'f'lie coimliy, too, wa.s bet- ter timbered. As we were riding (piietly along tin; bank, a grand herd of luidalo, some seven or eight hundred in numbr;r, came erowding up from the river, where they had iKV'ti to drink, and commenced crossing the jdain slowly, eating as they went. 'I'iie wind was favorable ; the coolnes.s of the morning invited to (;xercise; the ground was ajiparently good, and the distance across the prairie (two or three miles) gave us a fine opportu- nity to charge them before they could get among the river hills. It wa.s too fine a prospect for a chase to be lost ; and, halting for a few moments, the hunters were bronulit uj) and saddled, and Kit Car.son, Maxwell, and i, started together. They were now somewhat less than half a mile dis- tant, and we rode easily along until within about three hundred yards, when a sudden agitation, a wavering in the band, and a galloping to and fro of some wiiich were scattered along the skirts, gave us the intimation ::J i\- y :: 11. i »■'■'■ "I' ;, Vi I •I 80 (APT. FHKMONTH .NAKHN TIVK [184t. that \vv weru cliscoviTcd, Wo shirlril toi^Mtl.rr at a linnd gallop, riding ■steadily al)i' cliasit huiMnie Nil chgr«)NSilii!ly llilciisc, lli;il wv. wen; scnsililf in nollilll:,' clsr. W«! WOfO now closiim U|)()ii ilifwi rapidly, and (lu; rroiil ol ilu; mass was already ill rapid iiioiioii lor iIh> lulls, and in a lew sicuiids tlio luoviiinciit had corniniini<'att'(l iisrll to iIk; whole herd. A crowd ol' hulls, as nsiial, hroiii^ht up the rciir, and every now nYld then H)U\v. of them laced ahont,and llieii dashed on aller iIm; hand a .short disiance, and tnnied and looked again, as it' nune than hull' inclined to .stanil and liuhl. In a lew inoiiMints, how«iver, diiriii',' which we had het'ii qnieUenini,' onr pace, Hi*; roiil was universal, and we u cie gom^' over the ground like a hniricane. \\ hen at ahi)iil ihirty yards, we t^ave the usual slionl, (the hunter's /^//.v (/e r/utrtfc,) -mhI hroke into the lnird. VV (5 enter- ed on the ^ide, the mass i;iviiiy: way in every dircciion in llii'lr heedless course. Many ol the hulls, less active and less llcel than the cows, pay- ing no attention to ijie ground, and occiipiitd solely with the hunter, were preeipitateil to the earth with threat lorci^, rolling over and over with the violence, ol" the shock, and hardly distinguishahio in the dust. \Ve scpa- ratctl on enteriiii:, each sin^lini; out his L-aine. My horse was a trained hunter, lainons in the west under the name ol' Troveau, and, with his ey«!s llashinii:, and the foam tlyin^ t'roni his mouth, sprang on after the cow like a ti;,'er. In a few nioinenls he hrought me alongside of her. and, rising in the stirrups, I lircd at the distance of a yard, the hall entering at the termination of the long hair, and jiassing near the heart. She fell hoadlong at the report of the gun, and, checking my horse, I looked around lor my companions. At a little disiance, Kit was on the ground, eiigagtul in tying his horse to the horns of a cow which he was preparing to cut U[). Among the scaltiired hands, at some distance helow, I caught a glimpse <-( Maxwell ; and while I was looking, a light wr(!ath of white smol;e curled away from his gun, from which I was too far to hear the report. Nearer, and hetween me and the hills, towards which they were direrting their course, was the hody of the herd, and, giving my horse the rein, we dashed afier iIhmu A thick cloud of dust hung upon their rear, which Ulled my moiah and eyes, and nearly smoth- ered me. In the midst of this I could see nothing, and the bull'alo were not distinguishahle until within thirty I'c.nl, 'I'hey crowded together more densely still as I came upon them, and rushed along in such a compact body, thai 1 could not obtain an entrance — the horse almost leaping upon them. In a few moments the mass divided to the right and left, the horns clattering with a noise heard above every thing else, and my horse darted into the opening. Five or six bulls charged on us as we dashed along the line, but were left far behind ; and, singling out a cow, I gave her my lire, but struck too high. She gave a tremendous leap, and scoured on swifter than before. I reined up my horse, ami the band swept on like a torrent, and left the place quiet and clear. Our chase had led us into dangerous ground. A prairie-dog village, so thickly settled that there were three or four holes in every twenty yards square, occupied the whole bottom for nearly two miles in length. Looking around, I saw only one of the hunters, nearly out of sight, and the long dark line of our caravan crawling along, three or four miles distant. After a march of twenty-four iTiiles, we encamped at nightfall, one mile and a half above the lower end oi Brady's island. The breadth of this arm of the river was eight hur; try now nt»d I l);iiiil a .short II' inclined to wu liud hcuii ;oit»^' over (lii; avu I In; nsuiU I. VV(5 oiiUir- tlu'ir ho«jdl(!ss u! cows, pay- liunlcr, were ;)vcr Willi the it. We scpa- r the imi/ie ot' )in his tnoutli, le hroughl me (livStaiice of a , and passing and, checkini^ distance, Kit ns of a cow iiids, at some was looking, II which I was lills, towards the herd, and, cloud of dnst nearly smolli- biiUalo were ogether more ih a compact leaping upon efi,tlie horns ^ horse darted dashed along gave her my d scoured on ept on like a [1 led us into ed that there led the whole saw only one f our caravan f twenfy-fonr he lower end '^as eight hur; IQ4JI 1 t'M'T FRKMONTM \ AKIt \ TIN 1). 91 dwd and eighty ynrds, and ili«' wati-r nowhero two O-el In »Ii'|)ili. T\m iflland henrs thn nann- of a ni.-iii killrd on this spot soiin' vt'irs nyo. Mis party hnd encamp*)! Ii)'r<>, tlirei; in company, and on*' ul th** niimhtM* wtiil off to hunt, Iftivmi; Hrady atui hiv roinpainon lo^elhcr. 'I'licsi' two had fr(!(|tid, iijid on ll-U! hnnlerVs return lie foimd llrady dead, and was told that he had shut hiuH<.'lf accideiililly. ||i' w.is hurled lieri; Oti tilt! hank ; hot, as nsual, the wolvi!^ h:id torn him mil, and some hii'iiau bones that were lyiii'.,' on the ground wi* supposed were his. 'I'roops of wolves, that were hniii^'inu on the skirts of the hullilo, kept np an uuiiiter- riipted howling duriii'.,' liie iiiufht, ventunii'^' almosi juto y an island into two chrinnels. The .sontlierii is four himd'ed and fifty feet wide, havint,' eighteen or twenty inches wat(!r in the dce'pcsi pku'es. With the exception of a few dry bars, the bed of the riv(;r is generally fpncksands, m which the carts began to siiilv ra|)idly so soon as the mules hailed, so that it was necessary to keep them constantly in motion. The northern channel, two thousand two hundretl and fifty leet wide, was somewhat deeper, baviiii: fre([nently three leet water in the numer- ous small channels, with a bed of coarse gravel. The whole breadth of the Nebraska, immediately below the junction, is live thousand three hun- dred and fifty feet. All our equipage had reached the left b;ink safely at ti o'clock, having to-day made twenty miles. Wc; em.Minpted at the point of land immediately at the junction of the North and Souih forks. He- tween the streams is a low rich [)rairie, extending from their conlluence eighteen miles westwanlly to the bordering hills, where it is five and a half miles wide. It is covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, and along the banks is a sliL,'ht and scattered fringe of cotton wood and willow. In the buffalo trails and wallows, I remarked saline etllorescences, to which a rapid evaporation in the great heat of the sun probably contrib- utes, as the soil is entirely unprotecte'i by timber. In the vicinity of these places there was a bluish grass, which the cattle refuse to t;at, called by the voyageurs '^ herbe sulce," (.salt grass.) The latitude of the junction is 41° 04' 47", and longitude, by chronometer and lunar distances, 1()0°49'43". The elevation above the sea is about two thousand seven hundred feet. The hunters came in with a fat cow; and, as we had labored hard, we enjoyed ^1 .J \ ■'( •J4 r'.\rr. nU'.MONT'H .NAHI{ATI\K [1648. W(>ll i\ Nii|t;i< r i)| iD.-i.^to'i ril>s mid lunuliiis^ (lie r/it/ tVtruitrt of % prairia cook. Mt)st|l|ilaiiiMiis, and I ilirrilori' told (Ikmii io*'go and N«u! wli It It was iluy wtnii biiryiny:. Tiny would (»dn'r\vis«< htvo not Called to K tiini and distroy oiir ini/ie, in i'\|it'rtatioii of soin/>/'v t/c var/if, the (h'y excrement olilie hnH'alo, which, lil<" that oltjieeamel in tho Ara- bian deserts, I'liriiishes to tliu truvtdler u V( ry uood Auh.stititiu fur wood, buriiiii;i; like turf. Wolves in ^'ruat nuinhers siirroiiiidud ns (hirini^ tho niijht, crossiiii,' and recrossiny; from the opposid! henls to our camp, and huwlim; and iroitiiii: about in ihn river until momiiiL!. .////// -1. — The niorniny was very smoky, the Mm shininu; ill (lu! ovrri- tlicir is Mono /tois (Iv vai'fn\ ul ill llio Ara« ito lor wood, IS diiriiii^ till! iir ciiin|), and im'v and ri:d, lay -roalc, and illi'd tlic " rc(i fast, ti l)UiraI() )lv(!s. In its 'I'lit! wolv«s lie ^ot a lit- tlio Cool oi notlier, and to twenty lis IritMids. Hacked tli« .'ly, and the dead. Wo and had I^eaving art like that iincc. It is alle, a little the wind.s to the sur- tincp. We licli, in tlie iigiiig down lave gradu- liiie, which in this way mellow and litis to the elianlhus.) rvrr. iih:m<».ni> NAititxTivi: 'i'^ f ia4s.] Am we were ridhi^ Hlowly utoii'4 ihiN ai'irrnoon, ilotids of dii^t in tlr* 'raviiH'M, ntnotiK iIk' IiiIIn (o ihi; r^dii, Midlinly itirarti'd our aiicntioii, and in u 1«'W iiiiiiiiii'N coliiiiiii alter ctdiiiiiii of loill'.ilo (Miim* f;allo|)iii.; down, niakiiiL! diii'tily to (he riv*'r. My ih«' Inii' Ihi! Icudiiit^ In rds had reach'-il the waiitr, the |ii'niriu wan darkened with lh«' den^e iiiait>uH. liiiiiiMliately b< (ore iiM, when the liands first raiiie ilowii into the vallty, strelehi'd an UnfirokMsi|i' >ide ; ..iid hlill thi'V poiirrd down lioni the ridne on niir right. From hilt to hill, the prairie hotlom wan nrtainiy not leMs than two inile.s wuhs and, allowing the animals to he ten let!! apart, and only leii in a line, there wert! already elevrii thousand III vii'W. SniiM' iiha n ay thus be lormi'd ol tliiM imiiiher when tiny had oeeiipied the whole plain. In a shoit tinn- lliey stnroiiiKh'd lis on evitry side ; extending I'or several miles in (he rear, and forward as far as the eyi; eoiild leaeli ; Ittaving around ii.>. as we advaiiet'd, an open spaei-ol' only iwo or three hniidrt'd yanls. This niovomeiil ol" the bidluto indie.iled to lis llie pit souce ol' Indians on the North tork. 1 hatti'd earii) r than usual, ahoiit forty niihvs from the junction, and all hamls were soon Imsily engaged in preparnii' a Irast to ecttihratt; the day. The liindiiess (d" oiir Iriends at St. Luiiis had provided us with a largo supply of cxci'lleiit pH'serves and rich fruit eake ; and when these were added to a niaccaroni soup, and variously pn-pared dishes of tla; choicest biill'alo iiii'at, erowiied with a cup of rolfce, and enjoyed witli prairie ap- jietite, we felt, as we .sal in barbaric luxury around our smoking supper on tile grass, a greater sensation of eiijoyiiKtiit tlian the Uomaii epieiire at Iiis peri'iiined feast. Hul most of nil it si (•tned to please our Indian friends, who, ill the imreslraiiied (Mijoyment of the moment, diMnanded to know if our •'medicine days came otteii." No re>trainf wa.s exercised al (lie hos- pitable board, and, to tlit; great delight of his elders, our young Indian hnl made himself extremely drunk. Our eiic.uiipmeiil was within a few miles of the place where the road cross(!s to the iXorili fork, and various reasons led nie to divide rny parly at this point. The North fork w.is the principal oliject of my survey, but I was desirous to ascend theSoiith branch, with a view of obtaining some astronomical positions, and detcrniining the mouths of its Iribiita.'ics as far as St. Vrain's fort, (Estimated to Ik; soiik! two hundred miles further up the river, and near to ]..ong's [leak. TIkmc I hoj)ed to obtain some mules, which I found would bo necessary to relieve my horses. In a military point o[ view, I was (b'siioiis to lorm some opinion of the country rtjialive to the establishment ot' posts on a line coimeeting the settlenienls with the South |»ass oi \\\v. Rocky mountains, by w"jy of the Arkansas and the South and Laramie forks of the Plal'e. Crossing the country northwest- wardly from Si. \' rain's fort, to the Ani(;rican company's fort at the month of Laramie, would give me some acquaintance with the allluents wliieh head in the mountains between the two ; I therefore determined to set out the next morning, accompanied by Mr. Preuss and four men, Maxwell, Bernier, Ayot, and IJasil Lajeimesse. Our Chcyennes, whose vill ige lay up this river, also decided to accompany us. Tlie party I left in cliarge of Clement Lambert, with orders to cross to the North fork; and at some convenient place, near to the Coulv.c dcs Frines, make a cache of every thing not absolutely necessary to the fiirtl.or progress of our expedition. From this point, using the most guarded precaution in his march tlirough 94 CAPT. FREMONT'S NARRATIVE. [18411.1 ^I'T' l.li«; I !i: the country, he was to proceed to the American company's fort at the inouth of Laramie's fork, aiul await my arrival, which would be prior to the IGth, asoM that and the following night would occur some occuliationg which I was desirous to obtain at that place. ft July 5. — Before breakfast, all was reudy. We had one led horse ih ad- dition to those we rode, and a pack mule, destined to carry our instrumentsJ provisions, and baggage; thu last two articles not being of very great weight. The instruments consisted of a sextant, artificial horizon, &c., a| barometer, spy glass, and compass. The chronometer I of course kept on my person. 1 had ordered tlic cook to put up for us some flour, coffee, and sugar, and our rifles were to furnish the rest. One blanket, in addition to his saddle and saddle blanket, furnished tlie materials for each man's bed, and every one was provided v ith a change of linen. All were armed with rifles or double barrelled guns; and, in addition to these, Maxwell and myself were furnished with excellent pistols. Tiius accoutred, we took a parting breakfast with our frie'jds, and set forth. Our journey the first day afforded nothing of any interest. We shot a buffalo toward sunset, and, having obtained some meat for our evening meal, encamped where a little timber afforded ns the means of making a fire. Having disposed our meat on roasting sticks, we proceeded to un- pack our bales in search of coffee and sugar, and flour for bread. With the exception of a little parched coflee, unground, we found nothing. Our cook had neglected to put it up, or it had been somehow forgotten. Tired and hungry, with tough bull meat without salt, (for we had not ben able to kill a cow,) and a little bitter coffee, we sat down in silence to oj./ mis- erable fare, a very disconsolate party; for yesterday's feast was yet fresh in our memories, and this was our first brush with misfortune. Each man took his blanket, and laid himself down silently ; for the worst part of these mishaps is, that they make people ill-humored. To-day we had travelled about thirty-six miles. July 6. — Finding that our present excursion would be attended with considerable hardship and unwilling to expose more persons than neces- sary, I determined to send iMr. Preuss back to the party. His horse, too, appeared in no condition to support the journey; and accoiUingly, after breakfast, he took the road across the hills, attended by one of my most trusty men, Bernier. The ridge between the rivers is here about fifteen miles broad, and I expected he would probably strike the fork near their evening camp. At all events, he would not fail to find their trail, and re- join them the next day. We continued our journey, seven in number, including the three Chey- ennes. Our general course was southwest, up the valley of the river, which wus sandy, bordered on the northern side of the valley by a low ridge ; and on the south, after seven or eight miles, the river hills became higher. Six mihs from our resting place we crossed the bed of a consid- erable stream, now entirely dry — a bed of sand. In a grove of willows, near the mouth, were th3 remains of a considerable fort, constructed of trunks of large trees. It was apparently very old, and had probably been the scene of some hostile encounter among the roving tribes. Its soli- tude formed an impressive contrast to the picture which our imaginations invohnifarily drew of the busy scene which had been enacted here. The timber appeared to have been much more extensive formerly than now. There were but few trees, a kind of long-leaved willow, standing ; and pit • CAPT. FREMONT'S NARRATIVE. 85 iny's fort at the ^uid be prior to )mc occultations led horse ifi ad- our instruinentsJ ^ of very great liorizon, &c., a! ■ course kept on flour, cofree,and| [, iu addition to each man's bed, A.11 were armed these, Maxwell s accoutred, we 3 rest. We shot for our evening ns of making a )roceeded to un- )r bread. With J nothing. Our orgotten. Tired d not be n able ence to o.i.' mis- -t was yet fresh ine. Each man •rst part of these ve had travelled e attended with ons tiian neces- His horse, too, coiaingly, after one of my most •e about fifteen fork near their .'ir trail, and re- he three Chey- of the rivei*, alley by a low lills became led of a consid- >ve of willows, constructed of probably been ibes. Its soli- r imaginations ;ed here. The ;rly than now. standing: and 3r ittierous trunks of largo trees were scattered about on the ground. In Mtny similar places I had occasion to remark an apparent progressive de- cay in the timber. Ten miles farther we reached the mouth of Lodge ^ole creek, a clear and handsome stream, running through a broad valley. In its course through the bottom it has a uniform breadth of twenty-two feet, and six inches in depth. A few willows on the banks strike pleas- tntly on the eye, by their greenness, in the midst of the hot and barren ^ands. The umorpha was freqtient among the r-^'Mues, but the sunllower {heli- mthus) was the characteristic ; and llowers of deep warm colors seem most lo love the sandy soil. The impression of the country travelled over to- day was one of dry and barren sands. We turned in towards the river at noon, and gave our horses two hours for food and rest, I had no other thermometer than the one attached to the barometer, which stood at 89'^, the height of the column in the barometer being 2fi '?3) at meridian. The sky was clear, with a high wind from the soutn. At 2, we continued our journey, the wind had moderated, and it became almost unendurably hot, r|ind our animals sulfered severely, in the course of the afternoon, the wind iose suddenly, and blew liard fron) the southwest, with thunder and light- iiing, and squalls of rain ; these were blown against us with violence by the wind; and, halting, we tu;ncd our baoks to the storm uiuil it blew dver. Antelope wore tolerabiy frequent, with a large gray hare; but the former were shy, and the latter hardly worth the delay of stopping to shoot them ; so, as the evening drew near, we again had recourse to an old bull, and encamped at sunset on an island in the Platte. We ate our meat with a good relish this evening, for we were all in fine health, and had ridden nearly all of a long summer's day, with a burning sun rellected from the sands. My companions slept rolled up in their blankets, ind tho Indians lay in the grass near the fire ; but my sleeping place generally had an air of more pretension. Oar rifles were tied to- gether near the muzzle, the buits resting on the ground, and a knife laid on the rope, to cut away iu case of an alarm. Over this, which made a kind of frame, was thrown a largo India rubber cloth, which we used to cover our packs. This made a tent sufficiently large to receive about lialf of my bed, and was a place of shelter for my instruments ; and as I was careful always to put this part against the wind, I could lie here with a sensation of satisfied enjoyment, and hear the wind blow, and the rain ipatter close to my head, and know that 1 should be at least, half dry. Cer- tainly, I never slept more soundly. The barometer at sunset was 26.010, thermometer 81°, and cloudy; but a gale from the west sprang up with the setting sun, and in a few minutes swept away every cloud from the sky. The evening was very fine, and I remained up to take some astro- nomical observations, which made our position in latitude 40° 51' 17", and longitude 103° 07' 00". July 7. — At our camp this morning, at 6 o'clock, the barometer was at 26.183, thermometer 69°, and clear, with a light wind from the southwest. The past night had been squally, with high winds, and occasionally a few drops of rain. Our cooking did not occupy much time, and we left camp early. Nothing of interest occurred during the morning. The same dreary barrenness, except that a hard marly clay had replaced the sandy soil. Buffalo absolutely covered the plain on both sides the river, and whenever we ascended the liills, scattered lierds gave life to the view 46 CAPT. FREMONT'S NARRATIVE. [184S .m llti 1 ,)" !;!''■ in every (lircclioii. A small drove of wild horses made their appfarance on the low river liottoms, a mile or two to tlic left, and 1 sent off one of the InJ diaiis (wiio seemed very eager to catch one) on my led horse, a spirited audi fleet animal. The savage maiueuvred a little to get llie wind of the horses,! in which he succeeded — approaching within a hundred yards witliout beJ ing discovered. The chase for a few minutes was animated and interest^ ing. My himter easily overtook and passed the hindmost of the wild drovel which the Indian did net attempt to htsso; all his ellbrts being directed tol the capture of the leader. But the strength of the horse, weakened by the! insufficient nourishment of grass, failed in a race, and all the drove escaped.! We halted at noon on the bunk of the river, the barometer at that time be' ing 26.192, and the thermometer 103°, with a light air from the south, ami' clear weather. In the course of the afternoon, dust rising among the hills at a particular place, attracted our attention; and, riding up, we found a band of eighteen or twenty buffalo bulls engaged in a desperate fight. Though butting and goring were bestowed liberally, and without distinction, yet their efforts were evidently directed against one — a huge gaunt old bull, very lean, while his adversaries were all fat and in good order. He appeared very weak, and had already received some wounds, and, while we were look- ing on, was several times knocked down and badly hurt, and a very few moments would have put an end to him. Of course, we took the side of the weaker party, and attacked the herd ; but they were so blind with rage, that they fought on, utterly regardless of our presence, although on foot and on horseback we were firing in open view within twenty yards of them. But this did not last long. In a very few seconds, we created a commotion among them. One or two, which were knocked over by the balls, jumped up and ran off into the hills; and they began to retreat slowly along a broad ravine to the river, fighting furiously as they went. By the time they had reached the bottom, we had pretty well dispersed them, and the old bull hobbled olf, to lie down somewhere. One of his en- emies remained on the ground where we had first fired upon them, and we stopped there for a short time to cut from him some meat for our supper. We had neglected to secure our horses, thinking it an unnecessary precau- tion in their fatigued condition ; but our mule took it into his head to start, and away he went, followed at full speed by the pack horse, with all the baggage and instruments on his back. They were recovered and brought back, after a chase of a mile. Fortunately, every thing was well secured, so that nothing, not even the barometer, was in the least injured. The sun was getting low, and some narrow lines of timber four or five miles distant promised us a pleasant camp, where, with plenty of wood for fire, and comfortable shelter, and rich grass for our animals, we should find clear cool springs, instead of the warm water of the Platte. On our arrival, we found the bed of a stream fifty to one hundred feet wide, sunk some thirty feet below the level of the prairie, with perpendicular banks, bordered by a fringe of green cotton wood, but not a drop of water. There were several small forks to the stream, all in the same condition. With the exception of the Platte botiGm,the country seemed to be of a clay form- ation, dry, and perfectly devoid of any moisture, and baked hard by the sun. Turning olf towards the river, we reached the bank in about a mile, and were de'-ghted to find an old tree, with thick foliage and spreading branches, where we encamped. At sunset, the barometer was at 25.950, Wll .th( fore ^^Q^ adv Ipai ihe fcad but I It' ofi CAPT. FREMONT'S NARRATIVE. 27 iir af^arance oi off one of the In. se, a spirited audi ind of the horses, ards witliout be-l ted and interest- »f the wild drove,! being directed to vcakened by the le drove escappdj r at that time be n the south, aiui Is at a particular band of eighteen lUgh butting and , yet their efforts bull, very lean, e appeared very 3 we were look- and a very few took the side of re so blind with ice, although on n twenty yards jnds, we created ked over by the to retreat as they went. well dispersed One of his en- n them, and we or our supper. cessary precau- lis head to start, se, with all the ed and brought IS well secured, ured. er four or five enty of wood als, we should atte. On our eet wide, sunk dicular banks, ivater. There idition. With of a clay form- l hard by the about a mile, and spreading vas at 25.950. )egan irmometer 81*, with a strong wind from S. 20' K., and the sky partially vered with heavy masses of cloud, which settled a little towards the rizon by 10 o'clock, leaving it sulliciently clear for astronomical ob- rvations, which placed us in latitude -10 ' '.VS 2(»'', and longitude 103- 37". July S. — The morning was very plca.san*. The breeze was fresh from 50° E. with few clouds; the barometer at 6 o'clock .standing at 25.970, id the thermometer at 10°. Since leaving the forks, our route had passed er a country alternately clay and sand, each j)resenting the same naked astc. On leaving camp this morning, we struck again a sandy region, which the vegetation appeared somewhat more vigorous than that '•which we had observed for the last few days ; and on the opposite side of ^e river were some tolerably large groves of lunber. Journeying along, we carne suddenly upon a place where the ground was covered with horses' tracks, which had been made since the rain, and ^dicated the immediate presence of Indians in our neighborhood. The iftalo, too, which the day before had bee!» so numerous, were nowhere in ht — another sure indication that theru were people near. Riding on, we covered the carcass of a buffalo recently killed — perhaps the day before, e scanned the horizon carefully with the glass, but no living object was be seen. For the next mile or two, the ground was dotted with buffalo rcasses, which showed that the Indians had made a surroimd here, and ere in considerable force We went on quickly and cautiously, keeping Ijj^e river bottom, and carefully avoiding the hills; but we met with no Interruption, and began to grow careless again. We had already lost one 43£ our ho-ses, and here Basil's mule showed symptoms of giv'ing out, and .finally refused to advance, being what the Canadians call resf6. He there- fore dismounted, and drove her along before hiin ; but this was a very mI^ow way of travelling. We had inadvertently got about half a mile in l|dvance, but our Cheyennes, who were generally a mile or two in the ar, remained with him. There were some dark-looking objects among e hills, about two miles to the left, here low and undulating, which we d seen for a little time, and supposed to be butfalo coming in to water ; |ut, happening to look behind. Maxwell saw the Cheyennes whipping up riously, and another glance at the dark objects showed them at once to Indians coming up at speed. Had we been well mounted, and disencumbered of instruments, we Aight have set them at defiance ; but as it was, we were fairly caught. it was too late to rejoin our friends, and we endeavored to gain a clump of timber about half a mile ahead ; but the instruments and the tired iUate ^{ our horses did not allow us to go faster than a steady canter, and they ere gaining on us fast. At first, they did not appear to be more than fteen or twenty in number, but group after group darted into view at the p of the hills, until all the little eminences seemed in motion, and, in a w minutes from the time they were first discovered, two or three hun- red, naked to the breech cloth, were sweeping across the prairie. In a w hundred yards we discovered that the timber we were endeavoring make was on the opposite side of the river ; and before we could reach e bank, down came the Indians upon us. .. I am inclined to think that in a few seconds more the leading man, fnd perhaps some of his companions, would have rolled in the dust ; for re had jerked the covers from our guns, and our fingers were on the t8 CAPT. FREMONT'S NAURATIVB. [H m I ; flit triggers; men in such cases generally act from instinct, and a charge froB three hundred naked savages is a circumstance not well calculated promote a c^ol exercise of judgment. Just as he was ahout to fire, Max^ well recognised the leading Indian, and shouted to him in the Indian language, " You're a fool, G — damn you, don't you know me?" Thj sound of his own language seemed to shock the savage, and, swerving liis horse a little, he passed us like au arrow. He wheeled, as I rode ou| toward him, and gave me his hand, striking liis breast and exclaiming "Arapahol" They proved to be a village of that nation, among whor Maxwell had resided as a trader a year or two previously, and recognised him accordingly. VVe were soon in the midst of the band, answering aout to fire, Max] in ill the Indian now me ?" Tlij 1,0, and, swervint led, .'IS I rode oiil and exclaiminj )n, among whoi y, and recognised nd, answering a? very first was, o: ing in the rear' jyenncs, for thej lip that night. six miles ahead he Platte, imme surround. Tliey e, and had beer hen they discov- ig up, astride or hips up. They the meat. e chief requestftc raising tiie herd le bank to view red yards lowc g dogs followed ery little of the IS, and I checked vas about to kiL as clear, with a ometer stood at Cheyennes hac Y lodges of their mediately com- r, they invested erward learned ne in arrangins on 1 had given ler, one of their which had just the wild droves p of her speed. rldly weallh ol little articles its I had given their spears and ne. However, lughingly con- lortified at the 'Our people e laugh at lis," said one of them, "returning to tiio village on foot, in- d of driving back a drove of Pawnee horses." Ho demanded to know I loved my sorrel hunter very much; to which I replied, he was the ject of my most intense atlection. Far from being able to give, I was yself in want of horses ; and any suiigestion of j)arling wiih the few I id valuable, was met with a peremptory refusal. In the mean time, the aughter was about to conunetice on the other side. So soon as they jached it, the Indians separated into two bodies. One party proceeded irectly across the prairie, toward the hills, in an extended line, while the ther went up tht) river; and instantly as they had given the wind to the erd, the chase commenced. The buffalo started for the hills, but were fotercepted and driven back toward the river, broken and running in every direction. Tiie clouds of dust soon covered the whole scene, preventing us from having any but an occasional view. It had a very singular ap- pearance to us at a distance, especially when looking with tlie glass. We were too far to hear the report of the guns, or any sound ; and at every Instant, through the clouds of dust whifh the sun made luminous, ''C could see for a moment two or three bulfulo dashing along, and close be- Iiind them an Indian with his long spear, or other weapon, and instantly Ugain they disappeared. The apparent silence, and the dimly seen figures flitting by with such rupidity, gave it a kind of dreamy efi'ect, and seemed tnore like a picturij than a scene of real life. It had been a large herd when the cer?ie commenced, probably three or four hundred in number; tut, though I watched them closely, I did not see one emerge from tlie fatal cloud where the work of destruction was going on. After remain- ing here about an hour, we resumed our journey in the direction of the village. Gradually, as we rode on, Indian after Indian came dropping along, rladen with meat; and by the time we had iieared the lodges, the back- ward road was covered with the returning horsemen. It was a pleasant contrast with the desert road we had been travelling. Several had joined •company with us, and one of the chiefs invited us to his lodge. The vil- lage consisted of about one hundred and twenty-five lodges, of which twenty were Cheyennes; the latter pitched a little apart from the Arapa- hoes, Tiiey were disposed in a scattering manner on both sides of a broad irregular street, about one hundred and fit\y feet wide, and running along the river. As we rode al.>ng, I remarked near some of the lodges a '. kind of tripod frame, formed ot three slender poles of birch, scraped very i clean, to which were affixed the shield and spear, with some other weap- ; ens of a chief. All were scrupulously clean, the spear head was burnish- ed bright, and the shield white and stainless. It reminded me of the days of feudal chivalry; and when, as I rode by, I yielded to the passing impulse, and touched one of the spotless shields with the muzzle of my gun, I almost expected a grim warrior to start from the lodge and resent my challenge. The master of the lodge spread out a robe for me to sit upon, and the squaws set before us a large wooden dish of buffalo meat. He had lit his pipe in the mean while, and when it had been passed around, we commenced our dinner while he continued to smoke. Grad- ually, five or six other chiefs came in, and took their seats in silence, "When we had finished, our host asked a number of questions relative to the object of our journey, of which I made no concealment; telling him simply that I had made a visit to see the country, preparatory to the es- i ^ JO CAP'J'. KKEMONT'S NAKRATIVE. m \m 1, 1:1 f 't i. m [1949.] tablishmcnt of military posts on tho way to the mw^nteitis. Although this was information of the highest interest to them, and l)y no means •"alculatcd to please theni, it excited no expressiorj of snrprise, and in no way altered the grave courtesy of their demeanor. The others listened and smoked. I reniurUed, that in taking the pipe for tln^ first time, each had turned the slum upward, with a rapid glance, as in oll'ering to the Great Spirit, before he put it in his mouth. A storm had hceii gathering for the past hour, and some pattering drops on the lodge warned us that we had some miles to our camp. Some Indian had given Maxwell a buiiJld of dried meal, whieh was very acceptable, as we had notiiing; and. springing upon our horses, we rode oil at dusk in the face of a cold shower and driving wind. We lound our companions under some densely foliaged old trees, about three miles up the river. Under one of them lay the trunk of a large cottoiiwood, to leeward of whieh tlu! men had kin- dled a fire, and we sat here and roasted our meat in toler.nble shelter. Nearly opposite was the moiuli of one of the most considerable allluents of the South fork, la Fourche aux Castors, (Beaver fork,) heading off in the ridge to the southeast. July 9. — This morning wc caught the first faint glimpse of the Rocky mountains, about sixty miles distant. Though a tolerably bright day, there was a slight mist, and we were just able to discern the snowy sum- mit of " Long's peak," ("' /t'.v deux oreii/en^' of the Canadians.) showing like a small cloud near the horizon. I found it easily distinguishable, there being a perceptible dill'erence in its appearance from the white clouds that were floating about the sky. I was pleased to find that among the traders and voyageiirs the name of " LiOiig's peak" had been adopted and become fi miliar in the country. In the ravines near this place, a light brown sandstone made it:> first ap|)eara!ice. About 8, we tliscerned several persons on horseback a mile or two ahead, on the oppo- site side of the river. They turned in towards tho river, and we rode down to meet them. We found thein to be two white men, and a mu- latto named Jim Beckwitli. who had left St. Louis when a boy, and gone to live with the Crow Indians. He liad distinguished himself among them by some acts of daring bravery, and had risen to the rank of a chief, but had now, for some years, left them. They were in search of a band of horses that had gone otl" from a camp some miles above, in charge of Mr. Chabonard. Two of them continued down the river, in search of the horses, and the American turned back with us, and we rode on towards the camp. About eight miles from our sleeping place we reached Bijou's fork, an aftiuent of the right bank. Where we crossed it, a short distance from the Platte, it has a sandy bod about four hundred yards broad ; the water in various small streams, a few inches deep. Seven miles further brought us to a camp of some four or five whites, (New Englanders, I be- lieve.) who had accompanied Captain Wyeth to the Columbia river, and were independent trappers. All had their squaws with them, and I was really surprised at the number of little fat buffalo-fed boys that were tum- bling about the camp, all apparently of the same age, about three or four years old. They were encamped on a rich bottom, covered witii a pro- fusion of fine grass, and had a large number of fine-looking horses and mules. We rested with them a few minutes, and in about two miles ar- rived at Chabonard's camp, on an island in the Platte. On the heights above, we met the first Spaniard I had seen in the country. Mr. Chabo- Val Wal »i] CAIT. ''Kh'.'ONT'H NARRATIVE. 31 tis.^ Although l)y no means ise, mid in no Ttliers listened irst tiiiK!, each jllcriiii^ to the )V(iu gathering 'urned us that '11 Maxwell a I iiothinu^; and iice of a cold r some densely ic of them lay ! innu had kin- cr.'ible shelter, irablfi alHuents lioading off in of the Rocky ly bright day, e snowy sum- ans.) showing listinguishable, oni the wliite 1 to find that ak" had been iues near this About 8, we , on the oppo- . and we rode II, and a mu- K)y, and gone imsolf among nk of a chief, 1 of a band of |l large of Mr. icarcli of the on towards ched Bijou's hort distance Is broad ; the Imiles further anders, I be- ia river, and and I was t were tum- hree or four witii a pro- horses and o miles ar- Ihe heights Mr. Chabo- [ard was in the service of Bent and St. Vraiii's company, and had left Heir fort some lorty or fifty miles above, in the .spring, with boals laden rith the furs of the last year's trade. He bad met tlit; sanu; fortune as 16 voyageurs on the North fork, and, finding it impossible to |)roceed,had iken up his smnmer's rrsidence on tbis island, which be had named St. lelena. The rivi'r hills appeared to be composed entirely of sand, and le Platte had lost the nuuidy cbaracter of its waters, and bere was toler- [bly clear. From tbe month of the South fork, I had fonnd it occasion- lly broken up by small islands; and at the lime of our journey, which as at a season o f tb(! y ear wlieii tlio waters wore at a favoral)lo stage, it %;as not navigable for any tliin;.^ drawing six inches water. Tlie current was very swift — tbe bed of tbe stream a coarse gravel. From the place at which we had encountered the Arapaboes. tbe Platte had been tolerably well hinged with timber, and tbe island here had a fine grove of very large cotton woods, under whose broad shade ibe tents ■were pitched. There was a large drove of horses in tbe opposite jjrairie bottom: smoke was rising from the scattered fires, aiiu tbe encampment bad quite a i)atriarcbal air. Mr. C. received us hospitably. One of the peopUi was sent to gather mini, with llie aid of wb'ch be concocted very good julep; and some boiled bull'do tongue, and coffee with the luxury of sugar, were soon set before us. The people in his employ were gene- tally Spaniards, and amoui:: them I saw a young Spanish woman from Taos, whom 1 found to be Beckwilli's wife. Jii/ij 10. — We parted with our hospitable host after breakfast the next morning, and readied St. Vrain's fort, about forty-five miles from St. Hele- na, late in the evening. This post is situated on tbe South fork of the Platte, immediately under the mountains, about seventeen miles east of Long's peak. It is on tbe right bank, on the verge of the upland prairie, about forty feet above the river, of wliich the immediate valley is about six hun- dred yards wide. Tbe stream is divided into various branches by small islands, among whicb it rims with a swift current. The bed of the river is sand and gravel, the water very clear, and here may be called a mountain Stream. This region appears to be entirely free from the limestones and inarls which give to the Lower Platte its yellow and dirty color. The Black hills lie between tbe stream and the mountains, whose snowy peaks glitter a few n.iles beyond. At the fort we found Mr. St. Vrain, M'ho re- ceived us witli much kindness and hospitality. Maxwell had spent the last two or three years between this post and the village of Taos ; and here he was at home, and among his friends. Spaniards frequently come over in search of employment ; and several came in shortly after our arrival. They usually obtain about six dollars a month, generally paid to them in goods. They are very useful in a camp, in taking care of horses and mules ; and I engaged one, who proved to be an active, laborious man, lind was of very considerable service to me. The elevation of the Platte here is five thousand four hundred feet above the sea. The neighboring mountains did not appear to enter far the region of perpetual snow, which Was generally confined to the northern side of the peaks. Oti the south- ern, I remarked very little. Here it appeared, so far as I could judge in tbe distance, to descend but a few hundred feet below the summits. I regretted that time did not permit me to visit them; but the proper Object of my survey lay among the mountains further north ; and I looked 4^orward to an exploration of their snowy recesses with great pleasure. h 3a CAPT. fui:mont'8 naukative. [iMa. The piiioy region of tlin mountains to the south wus «vnrek>ped in smokeJ aMtl I was inlorniecl hud hecn on lire lor several months. PiL 'a peak ii{ said to be visihht I'rom this piuce, about one hundred miles to the south' ward; but the smoky stale of the utmosjihero prevented my seeing it. I The wefiiher contimied overeast during my May here, so that 1 failed in doicrrnining the latitude, but obtained good observations for time on the mornings of the 11th and 12th. An a:^sumcd latitude of 40*^22' 30" frornl the evening [losiiion of the 12th, enabled me to obtain, for a tolerably cor- rect lojigitude, 105° 12' 12". Jnlxj 12. — 'I he kindness of Mr. St. Vrain had enabled mo to obtain al couple of horses and llirce good mules; an(l,\viih a lurther addition to our' party of the Spaniard whom I had hired, and two others, who were going to obtain service at Laramie's fork, we resumed our journey at 10, on the morning of the 12th. We had been able lo procure nothing at the post, in the way of provision. An expected supply from Taos had not yet arrived, and a few pounds of collee was all that could be spared to us. In addition to this, we had dried meat enough for the first day ; on tlie next, we expected to iiiid butfalo. From this post, according to the estimate ot the country, the fort at the mouth of Laramie's fork, which was our next point of destination, was nearly due north, distant about one hundred and twenty-five miles. For a short distance, our road lay down the valley of the Platte, which resembled a garden in the splendor of fields of varied flowers, which filled the air with fragrance. The only timber I noticed consisted of poplar, birch, Cottonwood, and willow. In something less than three miles, we crossed Thompson's creek, one of the alliuents to the left bank of the South fork — a fine stream about sixty-five leer wide, and thiee feet deep, Journeying on, the low dark line of the Hl.ick hills lyh)g between us and the momitaius to the lei't, in about ten miles from the fort, we reached Cacht a la Paudrc, wliere we halted to noon. This is a very beautiful moun- tain stream, about one hundred feet wide, flowing with a full swift cur- rent over a rocky bed. We halted under the shade of some cottonwoods, with which the stream is wooded scatieringly. In the upper part of its course, it runs amid the wildest moimtain scenery, "and, breaking through the Black hills, falls into the Platte about ten miles below this place. In the course of our late journey, I had managed to become the possessor ot a very untractable mule-r-a perfect vixen — and her I had turned over to my Spaniard. It occupied us about half an hour to-day to get the saddle upon her; but, once on her back, Jose could not be dismounted, realizing the accounts given of Mexican horses and horsemanship ; and we contin- ued our route in the afternoon. At evening, we encamped on Crow (?) creek, having travelled about twenty-eight miles. None of the party were well acquainted with the country, and I had great difliculty in ascertaining what were the names of the streams we crossed between the North and South forks of the Platte. This 1 supposed to be Crow creek. It is what is called a salt stream, and the water stands in pools, having no continuous course. A fine-grained sandstone made its appearance in the banks. The observations of the night placed us in latitude 40° 42', longitude 104° 57' 49". The barom- eter at sunset was 25.231 ; attached thermometer at 66°. Sky clear, except in the east, with a light wind from the north. July 13. — There being no wood here, we used last night the bois dc s:i [1848. >ped in smoke, I Pill's peak is s to the south- I my soiiing it. hut I i'uilud in for time on the )°22' 30" from I tolerably cor- [110 to obtain a addition to our' [!rs, who wero •journey at 10, ! nothing at the aoshad not yet pared to us. In r ; on liie next, the estimate ol h was our next le hundred and e Platto, which jrs, which filled listed of poplar, three miles, wc ift bank of the Ithiec feet deep, jetween us and reached Cache )eautifui inoun- I full swift cur- ie cottonwoods, per part of its feakiiig through this place. In [he possessor ot turned over to get the saddle [nited, realizing ind we contin- travelled about tinted with the rere the names is of the Platte, (alt stream, and fine-grained fvations of the The baroni- [y clear, except rht the bois dc ]54g,J CAPT. FKH.MON'ra NAKHATIVC. 33 [iMtcAe, which ia vnry ph'iiiiriii. At our camp this iiiorniim, ilic barometer was at 2.^ 2;]/) ; tin; ult;ulii'il ilifiinnmetrr asiiir!ig('. \\v. srcin now to he pass- ling along the base of a pl;U(!au of tlu; HIack hills, in which ihi^ tormation [consists of nnirls, some of them white and liiminated ; llu* foimtry to the jloft rising suddenly, and falling; olfgrndually and unilorinly i<» the right. In five or six miles of a northeasterly course, we st nick a liiifh ndge. I tiroken into conical peii s, on whose summits large boulders were gathered ill heaps. 'I'he mai>neiic diieetioii of the ridge is northwest and south- east, the glitt(!riiig white of its precipitous sides makim,' it visible formally miles to the south. It is composed ol a soft earthy liiiH-siono :ind cnarls, resembling that, iKireaftcr described, in the neighboihood of the (Jhimncy rock, on the North fork of the Platte, easily worked by tho winds and rains, and sometimes moiiMttl into very fantastic shapes. Ai the foot of the northern slo|)e was the !)e(l of a creek, some fcrly fei I wide, coming, l)y frecpient falls, from i\ni Ixjiieh above. It was shut in by hii;li perpen- dicular banks, in which weie strata of wliito lamiiiateii marl. Its bed was perfcictly dry, and the leading feature of the whole region is one of remarkable aridity, and perfect freedom Iroiii moisture. In about six miles we crossed the bed of another dry creek ; and, continuing our ride over a high level prairie, a little before sundown W(! came suddenly upon a beautiful creek, which revived us with a feeling of delighted sur- prise by the |)leasant coniiasl of the deep verdure; of its banks with the parched desert we had passed. Wo. had sufl'ered much t(j-day, both men and horses, for want of woler; having met with it but onct! in our unin- torrupted marcii of Ibrty miles, and an exclusive mea: diet creates much thirst. '•''Las heitids tienen nmcha humhrc," said tiie young Si)aniard, inquir- ingly ; *'i/ la genie tuinhienr said I, " amigo, we'll camp h(!re." A stream of good and clear water ran winding about through the little valley, and a herd of bulfalo were cpiietly feeding a little distance below. It was quite a hunter's j»aradise ; and while some ran down toward the band to kill one for supper, others collected hois ile vache for a fire, there being no wood ; and I amused myself with hunting for plants among the grass. It will bo seen, by occasional remarks on the geological formation, that the constituents of the soil in these regions are good, and every day served to strengthen the imi)rcssion in my mind, confirmed by subsequent ob- servation, that the barren appearance of the country is due almost en- tirely to the extreme dryness of the climate. Along our route, the country had seemed to increase constantly in elevation. According to the indica- tion of the barometer, we were at our encampment 5,440 feet above the sea. The evening was very clear, with a fresh breeze from the south, 50° east. The barometer at .sutiset was 24.862, the thermometer attached showing 68°. I supposed this to be a fork of Lodge Pole crock, so iar as J could determine from our uncertain means of information. Astronomi- chI observations gave for the camp a longitude of 101° 39' 37", and lati- tude 41° 08' 31". 3 3 i*. CAPT. FRKMONT'H NARPATIVR. [184t. ( / Juii/ It — Th(! wind loniiiiiiod ircnli ironi ihc Miiiutqiiartnr in the morn- itiK ; the day Immiik <-l*ai, wiili rlio excrpiioii of ii low cIoikIm in iho hori- zon. At fnir «'ani|> nl (» tiNdork, iho hriglit of ihr li.itoriMMnr was 24.830, Uu! atiaclKMl ihtriiionK'tcr (il". Our coiii.sviou.sly dtv ac^ribod. I had nuvi-r Htiiii any thing which impro cd .so strongly on my mind a feoliii-j: of disolation. The valley, through which ran the watoMJ of Horse cr(!<'k, lay in viow to the norih, l)nt too t.;r to liavo any iiilluonc on the inimcdiatt' viow. On the pi-ak of tho riilgc. wh'/ro I was slandill^, Aome t-ix or seven hiindn'd feet above the river, the wind was high and bleak; the barren ami arid country .seemc' as if it had been swept by fires, and in (jvory dir<'('.iion tho same (!ull asti colored hue, dtiriveil from the formation, met th'' «ye. On the snnnnils wore sonu! .stunted pines, many of them dead, all wearing the same aslu'ii hue (d' desolation. VVf loll the place with pleasure ; and, after we had dcscondod sev(!ral hundri'il foot, halted in one of the ravines, which, at the distanct! of every mile o; two, cut the llanks of tlu; rit !^li hicak ruigi*,| pr«!VMmsly df- itronu'ly (MI iiiv riiii ilie wat«ir> «! any iiitltK^nc I Wiis standing, was high and hecn swept by -!, (hjrivrd from } stunted pines, tosolation. We several hiuulretl I cvrry mile or , wearing soinn- exchang(5 the ant«^r. Though they were cov- rmed the bottom lit grass, among a ;) and a (luati- r pari. ches deep, with d struck it too enjoyed nearer 0, the attached nd a moderate botit four miles reek. Looking le to the north oi lines of wooded Id see along its oon halt, three e most easterly. wed an easterly n bend to the d, as I was in- this locality a i' our encamp- w miles to the hich runs the lly be called a j;e is the same , on the North 'he winds and The pass into C.M'T KUKMONTrt N.XKU.-V PIVR i$ I lOothen'f holn is about two unleN wii! >, nnd tho lull on the wetiteru nuh* Imitated, in an extraordinary inuniuir, i tiui.vsivc iDrtiried place, with a ns- nmrkabli* fulness of detail. The rock is mail and earthy limeNtone, white, witliiHii the lea>t appearance of vegeiaii<)n. iiid niueh ri'stimbles mu.sonry .|kt a hiilo distnnco; and hero it Mwccps around a hvel aiea two or thre»j hundred y ages cut by tin* watrrs of the lull; and whor»', with a hrcadtli scarcely large enough for the passage of a hors«', the walls rise thirty and forty feet perpendicularly. 'I'iiis formation supplies tlnj discoloration of tlas Platte. At sunset, the hoight of the mercurial columti was 2.0. /)()(), the attaclu.d thermometer «(/', and wind moderate from S. 2%'^ E. (Jlouds covered the sky with the rise of the moon, but I succeethjd in obtaining the usual astronomical observations, which placed us in latitude* 41° 40' l;i", and longitude 104'^ 24' 'Mi' . Juhj 15. — At (i this morning, the barometer was .it 25.51. "i, the thermoni- efer 72"; tin? day was fine, with some clouds looking dark on the south, with a fre.sh breeze from the same quarter. We found that in our journey across the country we had kept too much to the eastwnrd. This morning, accord- ingly, W(! travelleii by compass some l."") or 20" to the west of north, and struck Mie Platte some thirteen miles below Fort Laramie. Tlie day was extremei/ hot, and among the hills the wind seemed to have just issued from an ovxMi. Our horses were much distressed, as we had travelled hard ; and it was with some dilliculty that they were all brought to the Platte; which we reached at 1 o'clock. In riding in towards the river, we found the trail of our carts, which appeared to have passed a day or two since. After having allowed our animals two hours for food and repose, we resumed our journey, and towards the close of the day came in sight of Laramie's fork. Issuing from the river hills, we came first in view of Fort Platte, a post belonging to Messrs. Sybille, Adams, & Co., situated immediately in the point of land at the jimclion of Laramie with the Platte. Like the post we had visited on the South fork, it was built of earth, and still unfinished, being enclosed with walls (or rather houses) on three of the sides, and open on the fourth to the river. A few hundred yards brought us in view of the post of the American Fur Company, call- ed Fort John, or Laramie. This was a large post, having more the air of military construction than the fort at the mouth of the river. It is on the left bank, on a rising ground some twenty five feet above the water; and its lofty walls, whitewashed and picketed, with the large bastions at the I ^t f' J<1 t M*"]'. FKKMONI H NMUIVIIVK .'UihIi'm, ^nvlt it (piitn nil tiii|HiNiti^ ;i|i)>ciirnni'r m i|ii< iintrrtnin light of I VriiiUK. A ('lu^U'l' iM l<>tlL;)'s, wht< li llii; lllll^ll:u;l) lolil IH lu>loiigt'd to Siimx ImliitiiN, w.'iN |»itclii'il iiikIit tin* w;iIIn, and, wiili tin* Otin hnric ■jrriMihd III lilt* niiick liilh iiid llir |)iiMiiiiii'iil peak <>(' Ltiriiiiiif iitoiiiituiii, strongly dniwii iii iIp' rltiii It hi oi ilic wcstrrn sky, wlini' ilii' miii hiid iilr*'i(dy .N<(,th(> wlmlo litriiitMl ;it ilit> niniiirni u Nirikiiiuly Id itiitiliil tMiiiirc. From llic n)iii|tiiiiy ill Si. Lmiiin I li;id li'ilcrs lor Mr. Iloiidciii, tiin :., •illu- man in cliarui! nl' tliu post, liy wliom | was ri'«'<>ivcil with '^ri'al h(>s|)ilaliiy and .'III ('iriciciit kiii(hit>.s.s, whhh was mvaliiahlif to iid' diiiiiiL' my slay iti lh«' ('(iinili y. I loinid our iMopIr •iii' iiii|ird on iho hunk, a vhoit (h^iancn abovii (ho lort. All wm; well ; and, in l\u^ uiijoym<'iit of a hoiiniilnl slip- per, wliit'h coll'i'c and hri'ad inadi' hixinioiis lu lis, wi) soon I'orgot ilm fu- tit^iifs ol' tli«< last Icn d.iy>. •/f//// Hi. — I toiiiid dial, diiiiii'^' my .ihriicr, ihi* siliiation of alltiirs had lmd^r^ollo soiiir chaiimi! : and ihc usual ([iiict and Nomi'whal inoiioioiioiiM rcgularily id' llut ramp had ).'ivrn plai*(> lo rxrilMiwiit and alarm. Tlii! circiim.siaia'cs wliirh ocrasjuiird iliis cliaiD^'i' wdl he loiiiid iianalcd in (ho Icdlowing tf.Mracl Ironi ilu; n>iiiiial ol Mr. i'rt'iiss, wliifh comnu'iiccs with iIk! day ut' uiir .separation on the Sotiih link ut the Platte. Extract ft'oni tfiv jintrmil of Mr. /'ri'irss. *'Jn/i/ (I — Wo ero.ssod the plateau or Iiii;hlniid between the two lorks in ahoiit SIX hours. I lei my hoisu git as slow as he liked, to iiidiMiMiijy ns l)o!h lor th(! |)revioiis liardsliip; and ahoni noon we reaelierl the North I'ork. Theri' was no siijii lliai our parly had passed; W(! rode, ilmridori', lo some piiu' trees, iinsad.ili'd ihe liorMS, and slreielu-d our limhs on the j»ras8, awaiting the arrival ol' our trompaiiy. Al'ier reniainiii;^^ jiere Iwo hours, my eompanion heeaiin! iiiipaiicnt, momileil his lioise a::ain. and rode oil" down ihe river lo set; d' lie (.-oiild discover oiir people. I Hit so inarodi! yet,ljial it was a lioiiil>'«( idea to me lo hestriile theJ saddl(! ;ii,Min; so 1 lay still. I knew liny eoiild not come any other way, and then my companion, oiu' of die hcvi uien of llie company, would not ahandon me. The siin wenldown; he did not conu!. Uneasy 1 did not feel, but ve'ry hungry; I luul no provisions, bnf 1 eonid make a lire; and as I esjiiiMl two doves in a tree, I tried lo kill one; hut it needs a better marksman than ir.yself to kill a Utile bird wiiha rille. 1 made a larire fire, liowiiver, lighted my [)ipe — this iriii' iVieml of mine in every emerij^cMicy — lay down, and let my thoie^dils wandi r (o ihe ilir east. It was not many minutes alU.-r when 1 heard the tramp of a hor^ie, and my faithful companion was by my side. He had foiml ihe party, who hud been delayed by making their caelum about j^evcji miles bijlow. To the good supper which he brought with him I did iniple justice. \h' had forgollen salt, and I tried the soldier's substitute in time of war, and used gunpowder ; but it an- swered badly — bitter enough, but no llavor of kitchen salt. 1 slept well ; and was only disturbed by two owls, which were attracted by the fire, and took their place in the tree under which wo slept. TluMr music seemed as disagreeable to my companion as to myself; ho fired his rifle twice, and then they let us alone. '■^July 7. — At about 10 o'clock, the party arrived; and we continued our iourney through a country which otfered but little to interest the traveller. The soil was much more sandy than in tiie valley below the conlluence vMn' rH\:>ti}\r!< wiujxrivK of tlifl forki^, afnl till" f'a«'«' Ml llm roiiiiliy ln» Ihii/iT |irnMnil»M| lln- r-frt'^l n of iiHiiirs had i.-il rn'iiiMiiMKMiM III al.-irrii. 'The ti.'innii'il III iju) oiiinit'iK'ON witli lin two forks in lo iiKlciiiiiijy IIS clicfj iln! Norlli rod*', ihcrdorc, |ir liiiihs on tlii! liii!/ liiTt! (wo M> illiilill. .'iiui |>lo. I I'clt so s:ul(ll(! :ii,Miri; lllld tllCM III/ :il);iii(luii inu. I'l-'ol, 1)11 1 v«;ry 1 1 as I osj)i(Ml tiT niarksiiian liic, li()W(!Vi!r, y — lay down, iniiiiites aflur iiioii was by d Ijy niaUiiig )or which he it, and I tried r ; hilt it aii- I slept well ; d hy tlie fire, Their music lircd his rifle joiitinued our the traveller, le confluence i«K K r«'i'ii whi'h IiikI IhiIhtjo rhMiiirtrri/'-d II. TIim ri«'h ifriiH"* whn now I foniid only iii dinpurist'd spoli, on lov\r i;iotiiMh, rind on llin holtom liiiid of Ithc Ntr*>aiii'<. A lon^C droiiuhl, juini'd to I'Xtri'nin liciit, had mo purclird up th«' iipp'T prairi' s, that tln'y w«ri' in inany plrwrs hald, or covi'ird unly Iwitli a thill ^towth of ytdlow iiiid pooi ;'r.ivs. 'I'Im- iiaiiiri' of (Im> soil fii* jdcrH It I'Xiri'iiK'ly NiiHntptihln to ihn vii'isMluih's of th«i rlirnaln. Mi'twuMt tho folks, and from ihrir jiioction lo thi' Itlark hilh, the formaiion con- Uists of ill. II I and a soft nurihy liini'stoiD', with ur;initi<' sandNtotif. Such a IbrinalMii r;innol ^ivo riNu to a siirili- mmI ; and, on «nir ri'inrn in Sipi«'iii- h(>r, when the coimlry hud been walrred hy fr«'ipient rtiiiiN, ihe vallny of till' IMalle lookml like u ^ardi'ii ; so riih was the vrrdiirr o! lli»' Kfiisses, and M) hiXMiiaiit flu* hlooiii of ahiindaiii IIiwits. 'I'Im; wild snqr hi't^ins to make lis appiMiaiicc, and liniher is m» mmicc th iI we ^niM^rally niadf oni fires of the /utis tie. luir/if, With th«' exception of now and then an isolated tree or two, slandiiii,' like a li^^ht house mi the nver hank, there is none whal«'V«T to he scf'ii. *' ,/ii/i/ s. -Diir road toilay was a solitary one Nou^ame made its appear- ance -iiol even a liiiHulo or a stray anltdope ; and nothing occurred to hn-ak the monotony until ahont fi o'clock, wlirii (li*> caravan made asiuhl.Mi halt. Tfiere was a uallnpinv in of scoiiis and h(M■.^elllen from every side — a hiir- ryiiii,' to ami I'ro in noisy eonrii.sion ; rilli-s were taken from their cover ; bullet pouches i3\aimiied : in short, there was thr; cry of « Indians,' heard ai^'aiii. I hid hecoine so much aeciislome'd to these alarms, that now they made hut liiiji' impression on me; ;iiid hefoie I had lime to hecome fx- citeil, the new comers were ascertaiip'd id he whites. It was a laii^i; parly of traders and trappers, conducted hy Mr. Ilridi^er, a man we'll known in the history of the country. As the sun was low, and there was a fine grass patch not far ahead, they turned hae!; and encniiped for the nrjlit willi us. Mr. Mrid^er was invited to supper; and, alter ilie ////>/« rlolh wa'i removed, we listened with eaj»er interest to an account of their adventures. What they had mot, we would he likely to eiiitoimter; the chanciis which had hefalleii lliein, would nrohahly leippen to us ; and W(! looked upon their life as a jtielure of OP* own. lie informed us that the condition of the country had hei^ome (JXceedill^ly daiiL,'erous. 'V\w. Sioux, who had been badly (hspo.sed, had broken out inio open hi^lility,arid in the preced- ing autumn his party had encountered them m a severe etii/agenient, in which a niunher of lives had fiec.ii lost on holh .sides. Miiited with the Cheyenne and (iros Ventre Indians, they were scouring tiie upper country in war parties of great force, and were at this time in tlie neighborhood of the /itd Unites, a famous landmark, which was directly on our path. They had declared war upon every living thing which sliould be found westward of that point ; though their main object was lo attack a large cain[) of whites and Snake Indians, who had a rendezvous in the Sweet Water valley. Availing himself of his intimate knowledge of tlie country, he had reached Laramie by an unusual route through the Black hills, and avoided coming into contact with any of the scattered parties. Thie gen- tleman offered Ids services to accompany us so far as tlie head of the Sweet Water ; but the absence of our leader, which was deeply regretted by us cU, rendered it impossible for us to enter upon such arrangement. In a Camp consisting of nieti whose lives had been spent in this, country, I ex- pected to find every one prepared for occurrences of this nature; but, to 38 CAPT. FKEMON'l'H NARRATIVE. [1848. i, mi my great surprise, I fourxl, on the contrary, thai this news had thrown them all into the greatest coiisteriialion ; and, on every side, I heard only one exclamation, ' // n\)j aura jms <1e vie pour nous.' All the night, scat- tered groups were assembled aronml the fires, smoking their pipes, and listening with the greatest I'liutTMoss to exaggerated details of Indian hos- tilities; and in the morning I lound the camp dispirited, and agitated by a variety of confhcting opinions. A majority of the people wore strongly disposed to return ; bnt ("lament Ijambcrt, with some five or six others, professed their determination to follow ' ir. Freii:ont to the utf(M'most limit of his journey. The others yielded to their remonstrances, and, some- what asliamed of their cowardice, concluded t^) advance at least so far as Laramie fork, eastward of which they were aware no danger was to be apprehended. Notwithstanding the confusion and excitement, we were very early on the road, as ihe days were extremely hot. and we wore anxious to profit by the freshness of the morning, 'riic soft marly form- ation, over which we were now journeying, Irequently oilers to the trav- eller views of remarkable and picturesque beauty. To several of these localities, where the winds ami tiie rain have worked the bluffs into curious shapes, the voyageurs have given names according to some fan- cied resemblance. One of these, culled the Court-house, we passed about six miles from our encampment of last night, and toward noc.!< came in sight of the celebrated Chimnei/ rock. It looks, at this distance of about thirty miles, like what it is called — the long chimney of a steam factory es- tablishment, or a shot tower in Haltimore. Nothing occurred to interrupt the quiet of the day, and we eticamped on the river, after a march of twen- ty-four miles. Buifulo had become very scarce, and but one cow had been killed, of which the meat had been cut into thin slices, and luuig around the carts to dry. '■'■July 10. — We continued along the same fine plainly beaten road, which the smooth surface of the country afforded us, for a distance of six hundred and thirty miies, from the frontiers of Missouri to the Laramie fork. In the course of the day we met some whiles, who were following along in the train of Mr. Bridger ; and, after a day's journey of twenty-four miles, encamped about snnse* at the Chimney rock. It consists of marl and earthy limestone, and the weather is rapidly diminishing its height, which is now not more than two hundred feet above the river. Travel- ers who visited it some years since placed its height at upwards of five Imndred feet. '■'■July \\. — The valley of Mic North fork is of a variable breadth, from one to four, and sometimes six miles. Fifteen n^iles from tfie Chimney rock we reached one of those places where the river strikes the bluffs, and forces the road to make a considerable circuit over the uplands. This presented an escarpnicnt on the river of about mtie hunUi ?d yards in length, and is familiarly known as Scott's bluffs. We had made a journey of thirty miles before we again struck the river, at a place where some scanty grass afforded an insufficient pasturage to our animals. About twenty miles from the Chimney rock we had found a very beau- tiful spring of excellent and cold water ; but it was in such a deep ravine, and so small, that the animals could not profit by it, and we therefore halted only a few minutes, and found a resting place ten miles fuiuier on. The plain between Scott's birjfs and Chimney rock was almost n ^vs had thrown Je, I heard only the night, scat- ihcir pipes, and s ol" Itidiuii hos- \nd iigituted by .0 wore stroiK^ly e or six olhors, : ntterniosl Hrnit cos, aiid. some- It least so fur as Dger was to be anient, \ve were , and we virore oft marly form- ers to the trav- everal of these the bluffs into g to some fan- re passed about nocLi came in istance of about team factory es- red to interrupt march of twen- e cov liad been d liiuig around f beaten road, distance of six 3 Laramie fork. )llowing along of twenty-four insists of marl ling its height, river. Travel- nvards of five breadth, from tlie Chimney kes the bluffs, the uplands, nnicii ^d yards had made a place M'-here our animals, a very beau- deep ravine, we therefore miles fuither was almost i^2.^ CAPT. KKEMONT'S NAHKATl\'i:. ff^ Bntirely covered with drift wood, consisting principally of cedar, which, re were informed, liad been supplied from the Black hills, in a liood five )r SIX years since. ^ July 12. — Nino milfs from our encampment of yosit-rday we crossed [orse creek, a shallow stieam of clear water, about seventy yards wide, falling into the Platte on tin; righ* bank. It was lightly limbered, and jreat quantities of drift wood were piled up on the banks, a[)pearing to be supplied by the creek IVoiii above. Afttr a jouruffy o( twenty-six miles, re encamped on a rich bottom, which alfordcd fine grass to our animals. Buffalo have entirely disap|)eared, and we live now upon the dried meat, wiiich is excceditigly poor food. The marl and eartliy limestone, which constituted the formation for several days past, had changed during the day into a com[)act while or grayish white liiaestoiie, sometimes contain- ing hornstone ; and at the ])lace of our encampment this evening, some strata in the river hills crop|) -d out to the lieight of thirty or forty feet, consisting of a fitie-graintd granitic sandstone; one of the strala closely resembling gneiss. ^^ July 13. — To-day, about 4 o'clock, we reached Fort Laramie, where we were cordially received; we pitched our camp a little above the fort, on the bank of J^aramie river, in which the pure and clear water of the mountain stream looked refreshingly coo', and made a pleasant contrast to the muddy, yellow waters of the Platte." I walked up to visii our friends at the fort, which is a qjadrangular structure, built of clay, after the fashion of the iMexicans, vviio are gene- rally employed in building thetn. The walls aie about fifteen feet high, surmounted wiMi a wooden palisade, and form a portion of ranges of houses, which entirely surround a yard of about one hundred and thirty feet square. Livery apartment has its door ar.u wiiulow — all, of course, opening on the inside. There are two entrances, op^)ositc each other, and midway the wall, one of which is a large and public entrance : the other smaller and more private — n sort of postern gate. Over the great entrance is a square tower with loopholes, and, like the rest of the work, built of earth. At two of the angles, and diagonally opposite each other, are large squpre bastions, so arranged as to sweep the four faces of the walls. This post belongs to the American Fur Company, and, at the time of our visit, was in charge of Mr. 15ou Jeau. Two of tlie com|)aiiy's clerks, Messrs. Galpin and Kellogg, were with !-.im, and he had in the fort about sixteen men. As usual, these had found wives among the Indian squaws; and, with the usual accompaniment of children, the place had (juiie a populous appearance. It is hardly necessary to say. that the object of the establish- ment is trade with the neighboring tribes, who, in the course of the year, generally irmke two or three visits to tlie fort. In addition to this, traders, wun a i,maTi outfit, are constantly kept amongst them. The articles of *rade consist, on the one side, almost entirely of buffalo robes; and, on the other, of blankets, calicoes, guns, powder, and lead, with such cheap or- naments as glass beads, looking-glasses, rings, vermilion for painting, to- bacco, and principally, and in spite of the prohibition, of spirits, brought into the country in the form of i.lcohol, and diluted v.Mlh water before sold. While mentioning this fact, it is but justice to the American Fur Company to state, that, throughout the country, I have always found them strenuously opposed to the introduction of spirituon liquors. But, m 40 ("APT. FRKMO.NT'.S NAKKA'IIN K. [1842. 1 , -U. ! • ! I «ri: li ill fho prosciil sfalo of iliiiis^s, when tlio ooniUry i"< snpplitHl with alcohol, when a kri; o[ it will purcliase from an Indian tivcry lliiiii^lu! possesses — Iiis I'nrs, Ins lodge, Ins liors(!s, and ovcii lii.s wife and cIiiMren — and when an^ vaijahond wlio has iiionoy onoiii;h to pnrchase a innio can go into a villag«! and tradn ai:aiiisl llunn snccossfnily, willioiit withdrawing entirely iVoni the trade, it is impossible for them to di^ oiitinne its nse. In their oj)position to this pra'Mice, the company is snsiaiiied, not only by theirj oM'^'ation to the laws of the conntry and the welfare of the Indians, hut clearly also, on groimds of jxilicy ; for, with heavy inid (expensive outfits, they contend at manifestly great disadvantage airaiiist the numerous inde- pendent and unlicensed traders, wiio enter the country from various ave- nues, from the United States and from Mexico. Iia\'ing no other stock in trade than some kegs of li([uor, which they sell at the modest price ol tiiirty-six ('ollars ])er gallon. The dilfei'ciice between the regular trader and tlu! coKrenr dcs hois, (as the Freiieli call the itinerant or peddling tra- ders,) with respect to the sale of spirits, is here, as it always has been, fix- ed and permanent, and growing out of the naiuie of tlieii trade. The regular trader looks ahead, and has an interest in the preservation of the Indians, and in the regular pursuit of their business, and the preservation of their arms, horses, and every thing nccessr.ry lo their fut.ire and perma- nent success in hunting : the coureur f/cs hois has no permanent iriterest, and gels what he can, and for what he can, iVom every Indian he meets, even at the risk of disablin;2; him from doing any ilimg moreat hunting. The fort had a very cool and clean appearance, Tlie great entrance, in which I found the genllemen assembied, and which was f ''cd, and about fifteen feet loi wc; were. wll They iiad a confused idea ol" tho numbers and jiowerof our people, aii(i ou dreaded to bring upon themselves tho military force of tho United States, an This gentleman, who s])ok(! tlu; language lluently, oll'ered his services to tio ace 'r^pany me so far as ilie Ked IJuttos. lie was desirous to join the lai !arg' " ■ on its return, for purpos'**' of trade, and it would suit his views, ast as wm. ay own, to go with us to the Huites; beyond which point it m^ would be impossible to prevail on a Sioux to venture, ou account of their rer fear of the Crows. From Fort Laramie to the Rod Hullos, by the ordi- wa nary road, is one hundred and thirty-five miles ; and, though only on the bee threshold of danger, it seemed better to secure the services of an inter- oth preter for the partial distanc(>, than to have none at all. A! So far as frequent interruption from the Indians woidd allow, we occii- ev( pied ourselves m making some astronomical calculations, and bringing up Tl: the general map to this stage of our journey ; but the tent was generally as occupied by a succession of our ceremonious visiters. Some came for to presents, and others for information of our object in coming to the country: m\ now and then, one would dart up to the tent on horseback, jerk oft' his lifi trappings, and stand silently at the door, holding his horse by the halter, oc signifying his desire to trade. Occasionally a savage would stalk in with Tl an invitation to a feast of honor, a dog feast, and deliberately sit down St and wait quietly until I was ready to accompany him. I went to one ; ga the women and children were sitting outside the lodge, and we took our ce seats on buftalo robes spread around. The dog was in a large pot over th the fire, in the middle of the lodge, and immediately on our arrival was ar dished up in large wooden bowls, one of which was handed to each, dc The flesh appeared very glutinous, with something of the flavor and ap- pearance of mutton. Feeling sometningmove 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 prejudices of civiUzation might have interfered with my tranquillity ; but, fortunately, I am not of delicate nerves, and continued quietly to empty my platter. The weather was cloudy at evening, with a moderate south wind, and the thermometer at 6 o'clock 85°. I was disappointed in my hope of ob- th at P< til ei ta Ij [U tiie country, ant i|)<^ vviflioiii som« lir tiiad*' his will nirriiii,' to iiicroasol iikI liiiil u iMirubei if had ro(]H(!.stc(l to| I'l.'Uic, which liaj ivcr with the NcJ ■Ills uivL'n abovt not' oil fhf trail o ) join the villa;,'.- iioil. The urrivd •ive ju.st come i iilcs above. Mi rt,'(Hl the propriety <'M of the village, :aril in encounter in being attackod 1)1* our people, and ihe United States, red his services to L'sirons to join the lid suit his views, lid which point it account of their ittes, by the ordi- oiiirh only on the ices of an inter- allow, we occu- and bringing up t was generally Some came for to the country: ick, jerk oft' his sc by the halter, Id stalk in with rately sit down I went to one ; nd we took our large pot over our arrival was anded to each. 3 ilavor and ap- I looked round, young puppies, tion might have not of delicate louth wind, and my hope of ob- CAPT. I'KKMONT'H N.\HK.\TIVi; 43 13.] ling an observation of an oicnltalion, which took place about luidn; ht. ^e moon brought with her heavy banks of clouds, through which she trcoly made her appearanct! (biiiiiu; the night. The morning of the IHth was cloudy and calm, the thernionieter at (J tiluck al (if. About )), with a moiieiate wind from the w(!si, a storm of Jn came on, accoippaiiird by .sharp ibnnder and liyhliiing, winch last«.'d font an iumr. During tli(! day ilin exptjcted villagt; arrived, coii.sisting laapally of old men, women, and children. 'I'liey had a considerable d i 'I'hcir lodi I linniher ot Ijorses, and lar^'^. Iriio|)s ol dogs. i ncir loupes were piicliei near the fort, and our camp was ci^iislautly crowded wilh Indians of all 8iB(!s, from morning until night; at which time some of the soUkjis gHU- erally came I. drive them all olf to the village. My icMit was the only )loce which liiey respected. I!im-(! rjiily came the ehi(;l's and men of dis- tinction, and generally one of ilieni remained to drive away the women and children. The numenuis strange iivstruments, appli(!d to still stranger Uits, excited awe and admiralion aiuong them, and those which I used in talking with the sun and stars ihey looked upon with rs[)ecial rever- ence, as mysterious tliinu;; of •• ^real medicine." Of the three barometers wiiich I had brouifht with ine thus far successfully. I (oiind that two were out of order, and spent llu; 1,'reater ])art of the I !Uh in repairing them — an oj)eration of no small dib'itailty in the midst of the incessant inl(!rrup- tions to which I was siibjecK-d. VV(! had the misforluiie to break here a large thermometer, graduaU'd to show fifths of a degree, which I used to atcertain the tempera'ure of boiling water, and with which I had promised Myself some interesting experiments in the mountains. We hiid l)Ut one remaining, on which the graduation extended snlliciently liigh ; and this was too small for exact obst'rvations. During our stay here, the men had been engaged in making: numerous repairs, arranging pack saddles, and otherwise prcparini^ for the chances of a rough road pikI mountain truvel. All things of (his nature being ready, 1 githered iheui aroiuid mo in the evening, and told them that " I had determined to proceed the next day. They were all well armed. I had engaged the .services of Mr. Bissonette as interpreter, and had taken, iiuthe circumstances, every possible means to insure our safety, in the rumors we had heard, I believed there was much exaggeration, 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 expecied in the ordinary course of their .service. They had heard of the unsettled condition of the country before leaving St. Louis, and thercfoi ; could not make it a reason for breaking their en- gagements. Still, I was unwilling to take wilh me, on a service of some certain danger, men on whom I could not rely ; and as I had understood that there were among th<.nn some who were disposed to cowardice, and anxious to return, they had but to come forward at once, and state their desire, and they would be discharged with the amount duo to them for the time they had served." To their honor be it said, there was but one an.ong 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 th3 ridicule of the men, and let him go. The day after our departure, he engaged himself to one of the forts, and set off with a party for the Upper Missouri. I did not think that the .situation of the country justified me in taking our young companions, Messrs.^. Brant and Benton, along with us. In case of misfortune, it would have been thought, at the least, an act of Sir m ! I* Win. ^ Ulilffiii I* iiiii w 44 ('APT. KKKMONT'H NAHKATIVi:. [igJ great imp) lul'MiCf' ; and t}ierofc)r«\ thoiii^h r( Incfaiilly, I diitcrmined to Icai them. Kaiulolpli had hi; th ir. (fai[)Ui, t(iok charge ot a l:)ar(»mt'if'i', wnicli lie engagea to oDsen during my absence; and I intrusted t«» Uantlolph, by way of occupatio' the reL'idar winding up of two of my chronometers, which were amoiigtl instruments lei't. Our observations showed that the chronometer which retained I'or the continuation of our voyage had preserved its rate in a nxi satisfactory maimer. As deduced from it. the longitude of Fort Laramie 7/j. or ar.iuul tVom lunar distance l/i. 01' 2\)"; giving for the adopti in longitude 104*^ 47' 43". Comparing the barometrical observatiotis mad ^I during our stay here, with those of Dr. G. Kiigelman at St. Louis, we fi for the elevation of the fort above the (iulf of Mexico 4,470 feet. Th be winter chmate here is remarkably mild for the latitude; but rainy weatln ^a is frequent, and the plnce is celebrated for winds, of which the prevailiii, ^ one is west. An east wind in summer, and a south wind in winter, ar said to be always accompanied with rain. We were ready to depart; the tents wore striick, the mules geared Uj ^'^ and our horses saddled, and we walked up to the fort to take the stirrvj "* cvp with our friends in an excellent home-brewed preparation. Will thus pleasantly engaged, .seated in ono of tlie liule cool chambers, at tli door of which a man had been stationed to prevent all intrusion from tli Indians, a number of nl\efs, several of them powerful fine-looking mei ?" forced their way into the room in spite of all opposition. Handing me lli ';'" following letter, thev took their seats in silence : ^*^ no " Four Platte, Juillet I, 1842. ^Y, "Mvi. Fremont : Les ches s'etant as?embles presentement me diseii .u de vous avertir de ne point vous mettre en route, avant que le parti d jeunes gens, qui est en dehors, soient de retour. De plus, ils me disen .l qu'ils sont trc certains qu'ils feront feu a la premiere rencontre. 11> .. doivent otre de retour dans sept i\ huit jours. Excusez si je vous fais co observations, mais il me semble qu'il est mon devoir de vous avertir di J^^ danger. MOme de plus, les chefs sont les porteurs de ce billet, qui vou defendent de partir avant le retour des guerriers. " Je suis votre obeissant serviteur, "JOSEPH IHSSONETTE, " Par L. B. CHARTRAIN. thi fir inf W8 an " Les noms de quelques chefs. — Le Chapeau de Loutre, le Casseur de Fleches, la Nuit Noir, la Queue de Bocuf." [Translation.] "Fort Platte, July 1, 1842. "Mr. Fremont: The chiefs, having assembled in council, have just told me to warn you not to set out before the party of young men which w< sa W( sn B( fei th th us sa te ^^ CG (•APT. FRi: MONT'S iXAUK ATIVK. 45 tlctcrmined to lea? tlio '^ petit gargoA spirits had a/FordeJ iropricty of leavin] livfsot'somooftlij notes and oI)nervJ it> of the i^oniloniei] rigagod io obsorv vay of occupation ich were amoiin;tl irononieter which cd its rate in a mo ! of Fort Laramie ing for the adopli observations mad ; St. Louis, we fm ;o 4,470 feet. Tli I but rainy weatlit hich the prevailin, nm\ in winter, rir i mules geared uj take the stirrni reparation. Wiii )l chambers, at th intrusion from th fine-looking mei Handing me th Juillet I, 1842. tement me diseii nt que le parti d plus, ils me diseir re rencontre. Ih i je vous fais co- vous averdr di, ce billet, qui vou< ETTE, !HARTRAIN. re, le Casseur de July 1, 1842. uncil, have jusi ung men which -low out shall have returni.'d. Furthermore, they tell mo that ihi^y are Try sure they will fire upon yon as soun as they meet you. They are pected l)ack in seven or eii^lit d iVN. Excuse me for n\ukin%' theso ob- fvations, but it seems my duty to warn you of daiiut r. Moreover, the jefs who prolubit your .-eiting out before the return of the warriors are bearers of this note. *' I am your obcdiont servant, -JOSEPH HISSONE'ri'E, " Jiy L. IJ. ( llAKTKALN. i' *• Samia of some, of the chiefs. — The Otter Hat, the Breaker of Arrows, the Black Night, the iJuir.s Tail." After reading this. I meniioned its purport to my companions ; and, see- ing that all were fully possessed of its contents, one ol the Indians rose up, and, having first shaken hands with me, spoke as follows : .♦' Vou have come amoiii,!; us at a bad time. Some ol' our [)Oople have b«en killed, and our young nujii. who are gone to the mountains, are eager to avenge the blooil of their relations, which has been shed by the whites. Our young men aiv^ bad, and, if they meet you, they will believe that you are carrying goods and amnumition to their 'Micmies, 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. Wo love the whites, and are desirous of peace. Think- ing of all these thing.?, we have deiermined to keep you here until our warriors return. We arc glad to s<.>e you aujong us. Our lather is rich, and we expected that you would have brought prooents to u.s — horses, and guns, and blankets, liut wt; are g!ad to see you. We look upon your coming as the light which goes betorc; the sun ; for you will teli oui great father that you have seen us, and that we are naked and poor, and liave nothing to eat; and he will send us ail these tilings." He wa^ followed by the others, to the same elloct. The observations of the savaije appeared reasonable ; but I was aware that they had in view only the present nbject of detaining me, and were unwilling I should go I'urtlier into the country. In reply, I asked them, through the interpretation df Mr. Hondoau, to select two or three of their nnndjer to accompany us until we ^-hoiild meet their people — they should spread their robes in my tent and eat at my table, and on our return I would give them presents in reward of their services. They declined, saying that there were no youDg men left in the village, and that they were too old to travel so many days on horseback, and preferred now to smoke their pipes in the lodge, and let the warriors go on the war patli. Besides, they had no power over the young men, and were alVaid to inter- fere with them. In my turn I addressed tliem : '-You say that you love the whites; why have you killed so many already this spring? You say that you love the whites, and are full of many expressions of friendship to Us ; but you are not willing to undergo the fatigue of a few days' ride to save our lives. We do not believe what you have said, and will not lis- ten to you. Whateve. a chief among us tells his soldiers to do, is done. We are the soldiers of ttie great chief, your father. He has told us to oome here and s^^e this country, and all the Indians, his children. Why Mi CAPT. FKKMONT'M NAKI{.\TI\ E. m ( % ^m c r' r [18-41 should we not s^a? IJcCoro wv camo, we IkmhI ilmt yoii !iad killed hi |)(!o|)le, juid (:(!iise(l to hu his chil Ireii ; hut wn ciiim; aiuong you peaceablv| lioliiing out our hands. Now we find that the stories we heard are no lies, and that you are no longer his Irieiids and children. Wo have thrown away our bodies, and will not turn hack. When you told us that yoii^B^ young men would l last habitation of whites shut out from our view. The road led over an interesting jilatcau between tjie North fork of tl: Platte on the right, and Laramie river on the left. At the distance of tei miles from the fbit, we entered the sandy bed of a creek, a kind of defile shaded by precipitous rocks, down which we wound our way for severa hundred yards, to a place where, on the left bank, a very large spriii: gushes Willi considerable noise and force out of the liini-stonc rock. It i> called ''the Warm Spring," and furnishes to the hitherto dry bed of tli" creek a considerable rivulet. On the opposite side, a little below the spring, is a lofty limestone escarpment, jxutially shaded by a grove o; large trees, whose green foliage, in contrast with the whiteness of the rock, renders this a picturesque locality. The rock is fossiliferous, and, so fara^ I was able to determine the character of the fossils, belongs to the carbonil- erous limestone of tlie Missouri river, and is probably the western limit oi that formation, lieyoiid this point I met with no fossils of any descrip- tion. I was desirous to visit the Platte near the point where it leaves tin; Black hills, and therefore followed this stream, for two or three miles, to the mouth ; where I encamped on a spot which afforded good grass and prtle {egnlf!e/um) for our animals. Our tents having been found too thin to protect ourselves and the instruments from the rains, which in this elevated country are attended with cold and unpleasant weather, I hatl procured from the Indians at Laramie a tolerably large lodge, about eigh- teen feet in diameter, and twenty feet in height. Such a lodge, when properly pitched, is, from its conical form, almost perfectly secure againsr the violent winds which are frequent in this region, and, with a fire in the centre, is a dry and warm shelter in bad weather. I3y raising the lower [1841 u !ind killed hJ ig you peaceably! '0 hoard are ric Wo |j;ive throwj )l(l us tliut yuiiJ iris were .stroiiM ' in their h-viulj III ihur»j will ijH cu will stay I).] iriountaiiis. 1)1 I lorget to covi will sweep avv;i, n. See ! I hav when the sun ' any thiui; to ic I could do noli. )lhmg was to I s, we returned i salutations ha ) arrived to tci ith us; and it' 1 Id join us there id expects you t( nded to encamp, e liills, and tlii^ forth fork of th distance of tei kind of defik', way for severa ry large spriii. one rock. It i> dry bed of tli^ itlle below tlic by a grove o; nessof the rock, lis, and, so fara> to the carbonil- western limit oi of any descrip- it leaves the three miles, to ood grass and found too thill which in this weather, I had ge, about eigli- a lodge, when secure against ith a fire in the nng the lower ».] CAPr. FREMONT'S NARUATIVR. 47 Urt, 80 ns to permit tiie breeze to pass freely, it is converted info a pious- Mil suininer n'sidciice, with the extraordinary advantayo of being otuirely free from inn.Mpiitoe.s, one o( which I have mver seen in an Indian lodge. ''hile we were eiiira^ed very nnskilfnlly ni (irfciin,' tins, the interpreter, ^Ir. Ui.sst)nclte, arrived, accompanied by the Indian and his wife. She uighed at our awkwardness, and offered her as^istanee, of which we were requeiilly afh'rw.ird oliligod to avail ourselves, l.'.;|.ire the men uctpiired liitlicieni experiiiess to pitch it withouf dilliciiliy. From this place wa jnd a fme view of the gorge wher«! the IMalle issucis from the Mlack hills, {hanging its character abruptly from a mountain stn.'ani into a river of tin; plains. III. mediately around us the valley of ih«! stream was tolerably |)pen ; and at the distance of a few miles, where tiie river had eui its way through the hills, was the narrow cleft, on one side of which a lofty preci- i)ice ol' bright red rock rose vertically al)ove the low hills which lay be- Jween us. Ju/y ii2, — In (lie morning, while breakfast v;is being prepared, I visited this place with my favorite man, Basil Lajeimesse. Entering so far as there was looting for the mules, we disimninted, and, tying our aniiuals, continued our way on foot. Like the whole ronntry, the scenery of the river liad nnder^one an entire change, and was in this place the most beautiful I have ever seen. The breadih of the stream, generally near that of its valley, was from two to three hundrcid leet, with a swift cur- rent, ocfasion.iljy br<»ken by rapids, and the water [lerfe-ctly clear. On cither side rose the red precipices, vertical, and sometimes overhanging, two and four liimdr(;d feet in heiglii, crowned with green summits, on which were scattered a few pines. At the foot of the rocks was the usual iietritns, formed of masses fallen from above. Among the pines that grew here, and on the occasional banks, were the cherry, {cerosus virginiaua,) currants, and grains de \nv\\{ {shepherd in ar^^enfen.) Viewed in the sun- shine of a pleasant morning, the scenery was of a most . iriking and ro- mantic beauty, which arose from the pictnresrp > disposition of the objects, and the vivid contrast of colors. I thought with much pleasure of onr approaching d'sccnt in the canoe through sucii interesnng places; and, in the expeciation of being able at that time to give to them a full examina- tion, did not now dwell so much as might have bofin desirable upon the geological formations along ihe line of the river, where they are developed with great clearness. The upper portion of the red strata consists of very compact clay, in which are occasionally seen imbedded large pebbles. Below was a stratum ol compact red sandstone, changing a little above the river into a very hard siliceous litnestcj /- There is a !^mall but hand- soaie open prairie immediately below this place, on the left bank of the river, which would be a good locality for a military post. There are some open groves of cotton wood on the Platte. The small stream which comes in at this place is well timbered with pine, and good building rock is abundant. If it is in contemplation to keep open the communications with Oregon 'erritory, a show of military force 'i this country is absolutely necessary ■, &nd a combination of advantages renders the neighborhood of Fort Lara- mie the most suitable place, on the line of the Platte, for the establishment of a military post. It is connected with the mouth of the Plaiie and the Upper Missouri by excellent roads, which are in frequent use. and woMld ;■» I 4 ■p' 48 IJAI'T. FUEMONTM \AKIl\TIVE. m not 111 any way mU'rl'To with lh<' rango ot tim btii: Mo [184S on wliich (hJ jieigliboriiiK Itidiuiis iii:iiiily ilopctiil lor .sii|»|i|tor> It lii's.it tlm iViot oij a l)rol\un and nioinitainoiis ri'UMr)ii, :ilonLr whioli, hy llic "slahlislnno.it small posts Ml iIk' n"'i„'liboilii)oi| ol St. \' ram .s loit, on the .SoiiMi fork the l'lattL>,and Honl's fort, on llic Arkansisji, a lino of cointmuiiratioii wonli f>e forint'd, by i?ood wtrj^on roads, with t)iir .soiitlmrn miitivry posis, whicL would cnlirniy roiniiiaiid thu mountain pass(3s, hold soiikj of ijio n\o< tronhlesoine iriht.'s in clieok, and protect and faoiiitai*) oiii iiittMeoinso wii the ncighhorins? Spanish seltlenu'iits. The valleys of the rivers on wliici they would he situated art: fertile; the eomifry. which supports iininensi herds ot hnll'alo, is adniirahly adapted to i;ra'/iiiiif ; ami herds of rattle inii;,lr be maintained by the posts, or ol^iaiiied Irom (he Spanish country, whicl; already supplies a porlion of their provisions to the trading; posts meniioneij above. Just as we wore leavim,' tlio camp this nioniin?, our Indian raino up, and stated his intention ol not proeeedin;^ any turther until he hid seen the horse which I int(Mi(Jed to give him. I fell stroiiiily tempted to drivt him out of (he euinp; but his presence appeared to give contidence to tny men, and the inter|)retpr thou-'lit it absolutely necessary. I was there- fore obliged to do what he reiiuested, and pointed oiU the animal, witli which he seemed satisfied, and wo conlinu<>d our joiiin y. I had ima- gined (hat Mr. IJissoiietic's long lesideiice had tnade him accpiuinled with the country, aii(J. acconling to his advice, proceecNid diredly lorward, without attempting to regain the usual road, lie ai'ierwanl inl'ormed nn' that he had rarely ever lost sight ot the fort; but tin; ell'ect of the mistake was to involve us for a day or two among the hills, wiiere, although we lost no time, we encountered an exceedingly rougli road. 'I'o the south, along oiu* line of march to-day, the main c;liain of the lilack or Laramie hills rises precipitously, 'I'ime did not permit me to visit them; but, from com))arative information, the ridge is composed of the coarse sandstone or conglomerate hereafter described. It appears to enter the region of clouds, which are arrested in (heir course, and lie in masses along the su.nmits. An inverted cone of black cloud (cumulus) rested during all the I'oreiioon on the lofty p<' ik of Laramie mountain, which I estimated to be about two thousand feet above the tort, or six thousand five hundred above the sea. We halted to noon on the Fourche •/i/wt-r^", so called from beiiiir timbered principally with the Hard umi're, (a species of poplar,) with which the valley of the little stream is tolerably well wooded, and which, with large expansive summits, grows to the height of sixty or seventy feet. The bed of the creek is sand and gravel, the water dispersed over the broad bed in several shallow streairis. We found here, on the right bank, in the shade of the trees, a fine spring of very cold water. It will be re- marked that I do not mention, in this portion of the journey, the tempera- ture of the air, sand, springs, &c. — an omission which will be explained in imF? CAIT. FHKMONTH NAIIKATIVE. V) ■ilo, on which th, voiild roiidur an )iMiiiiini(;:ifii)ii !>«; I inifrtMi.'iliate In 1 coaiiiiiMiN us ari ami uthiir Itidiaib, tln' Swi'ni lYiite Ill's ;it III*! loot I nslahlislimo.'il d ihc .Soii'h fork o: tnuiiic.'jK^ii woiil. I'.'iiy posis, which DMKj oi tlio mosi r iiiforcoiuse witl, <• livcis on whici supports iiiimeiist rtlsoCcaltlu niigli; ih country, which j; posts uiemioiid Indian caino U|i, intil lie lind seen tuuipiiid to dnvi jonhdenct; to my y. I was there, tiiu aniniul, with y. I had inia- lini aoipiaintcd Uirerily lorwai'd, ard iu'Drrned iiu; ::f olihu mistake It', althouijih we liii chain of the n permit me to is composed of It appears to uise, and lie in Olid (cumulus) imie mountain, the tort, or six on the Fourche 10 Hard umbre, !am is tolerably , grows to the crsed over ihe the right bank, It will be re- y, the tempera- )e explained in le courne of the narrative. In my svurch for plants, I was well rowardi'd .., ^ll this place. \"^j^f With th*' change in the gnolugical formatinti on leaving Fort I^uramic, he wholo face ot the country iius cniinly altered i(N iippcurunce. Ku^t- rurd (d that meridian, the principal tdijecls which strike the eye of a travel- jr art: iht: al'sence of tnul)er, and tlu! immeiisr ixpansr (d' prairie, covered rith the v»r lure of rich grasses, and lii^ddy ad;ipied ft»r pasturage. Wher- ver they are nut dislurhed hy iho vicinity OC man, large herdn of huHulo ive uniujalion to this country. Weslwuid of Laramie river, the region is liandy, and appinntly sterile; and the place of the gra.ss is usurped f)y the rtanisiti and tdhcr odoriferous jilant.-, to whost; i^rowth the sai.dy soil nd diy air of this clevateil region seem hi;,dily f.ivorable. One of the prominent characieriiitics in the face of the country is the ex- raordiiiary ahiindance of (he ar/iT/ti.siiis. 'I'luiy grow every where — on ho hills, and over the river bottoms, in lomrli. twist( d, wiry clumps ; and, herever ilie beaten track was left, Ihey rundend the progress of lluj carls ough and slow. As the country increaNcd in elevation on our advance o the west, iliey increased in size; and the whole air is strongly impreg- laled and saturated with the odor of eaiupli >r and spirits ot turpentine Ivhich bt I'Mi'^'s lo this plant. This climate has been found very favorable lo the restoration of health, pariicnlarly in cases of consumption ; and pos- •ibJy the respiration of air so highly imprt ;,'nated by aromatic plants may liave some inlluence. Our dried mi at had given out, and we began to be in want of food; but one of the hunters killed an antelope this evening, which afforded some relief, although it did iioi go fur among so many hungry men. At 8 o'clock at uiiihl, afier a march of twenty-seven mili!>, we icucliedour proposed en- campnunt on the Fcr-uChevu/, or llorst: shoe, creek, lleri; we found good grass, with a great quantity o( prfie, which furnished good food for ^ur tired animals. This creek is well timbered, principally with Hard amiird, and, widi tin? exception of \)vat crei k, which we had not yet reach- .ed, is the largest atlliiL!il of the right bank between l.aramie and the mouth of the Sweet Water. July 2'A. — The present year had been one of unparalleled drought, and throughout the country the water liad been almost dried up. Uy availing themselves of the annual rise, the traders had invariably succeeded in carrying their furs to the Missouri ; but this season, as has already been mentioned, on both forks of the Platte they had entirely failed. The greater number of the springs, and many of the streams, which maiic halting places for the voyugeurSf had been dried up. Every where the soil looked parched and burnt ; the scanty yellow grass crisped under the foot, and even tlie hardiest planis were destroyed by want of moisture. I think it necessary to mention this fact, because to the rapid evaporation in such an elevated region, nearly five thousand feet above the sea, almost wholly unprotected by timber, should be attributed much of the sterile appearance of the country, in the destruction of vegetation, and the numerous saline efflorescences which covered the ground. Such I afterward found to bo the case. I was informed tliat the roving villages of Indians and travellers had never met with dilliculty in finding an abuiidauce of grass for their horses ; and now it was after great search that wo were able to find a scanty patch Oi grass, sufficient to keep them from sinking ; and in the course of a day 4 M 4 oo CArr. rKHMoNT'H NARHATIVK. [IR41 "■■i |i . «:;'• i II or twt) ilii.*y hf^nn to Miliar vory nuirli. W«i IoiiikI notu; ro-dny nt noon; himI, III iliD I'oiirMi' ol'otir siN'irrli on ilu! I'laittt, oiiiiMt to u urovo of i;ottuii. wo lil, wli'TU MHiii] Iii>li.iii villauo \i.u\ ri'rciiily ciKriiinixiI. Hoin^hs of tli«| ml >(ir.sc 1)1 rottoiiwood yol i;ri'rii i-nvnrd lib; mroiiud, wliult (hi! Iiidiai 'iid c down to t(!i'd ilii'ii lioiii-H ii|)iMi. It is only in t'lc winter iliat lind i<> tliiii nnvuiM ol .Mistaiiiini( tlu'in ; and tliiir rvstni to it at lliis tinni wnil u »trilr| till* rinilirr pr^M'(Mitioi) ot'onr jiuii'iiry. Sluntly .iin had li-lt this |)!. >nt^ til' camn ^tiiopinif ni Itii' iiliii'in o\ lti(hans. Wo tiiriinj m iniincdiati'ly toward tlio nvi-r, winrli hero had a suu'p lii;^h hank, win r.- wc lonnrd with ihu rarls a very cIom burricadi% roslnn^ on thi; river, within which thu animals wuro »f the Wind river valley, m iIk; hopu of beini» abk' to fall upon some small parties of (.'row Indiin.-. 'I'lie remainder were letnniin^ down till! Platte, in .-eaitered parties ol' ten and twenty; and those whom wu had enconntereel belojiired to those who had advocated ai illai k' on the emi- grants. Several of the men sn'ji;gested shouting the i tho spot; but I promptly discoimti'iiunced any Mich proceeding. . .. y fiirllhr inforimjd me that bnllalo were very scaiee, and liitl(3 or no gra^-s to b(! found. There had been no rain, and innumerable quantities of grasshoppers had destroy- ed the grass. This insi.'Ct had been so mmiHioiis since leaving Kort l^a ra- mie, that tho ground seemed alive with ihem ; and in walking, a little moving cloud preceded onr foolsti'ps. This was bad news. No grass, no jjullalo — food for neither hoi so nor man. I gave Ihein some plugs of to- bacco, and they wont oil', ajiparently well satisfied to be clear of us ; for my men did not look uj)oii them very lovingly, and they glanced suspi- ciously at our warlike preparations, and the littlo ring of rilles which sur- rounded them. They were evidently in a bad iiuinor, and shot one of their hor cs when they had left us a short distance. We continued our march, and, after a journey of about twenty-one miles, encamped on the Platte. J)nrmg the day, I had occasionally remarked among the hills tho psora/ea escu/enh/, the bread root of the Indians. Tho Sioux use this root very extensively, and I liave frequently met with it among them, cut into ihin slices and dried. In the course of tlio even- ing wo were visited by six Indians, who told us that a larger parly was en- camped a few miles above. Astronomical observations placed us in lonci- tude 101° 59' 59", and latitude 42° ;j9' 25". We made the next day twenty-two miles, and encamped on tlie right fo-ilny nt noon; grovi) of tjotiorJ MfMt'.'fl.S of tli«| Itidiai ';i(l (>u|l iliat »iir.so ill I at this tinio wml (■l 'Ins Iklmii to |)r<>J i(Mi(l*'(l alloi(<.'llii>r| 'Hoping' ill witlii I tlio iivtr, which arts a vi'ry ch).si Is wcro stroiit^ly 'loaded, and ini.ii ion Ity '.'liicli till iidiaii, liaU ^^o||l! (i hy I wo Sioux, Y .soiiitr ('onrnscd ' which had htjcu : liociv liidi>|icii(l- 1, and cainu ni;^li (d' alliiolvinu; the y had hroktMi up ,M-catrr portion ol iti'iidcd to return ablij to tail upon : letiiriiiiii,' down e whom wo had on Iho oini- tho spot ; hut I irlhv.r intorinod loll lid. 'Vluiw. urs had destroy- /iiiJi; Fort I^ara- alkini?, a little No grass, no no phii^s of to- :i«!ar of us ; for 1,'laiiced suspi- illes which siir- ul shot one ol 'onty-one miles, nally reniurkod e Indians. The y met with it I! ol the cveii- r parly was eii- eJ iiM in lonci- W.) r\n'. ntKMONTH' NARHA'nVK 51 )( l-l on the right ink of tho PIflttf, wluMn a h.uidiioriif iiicudow iillordrd toliTihly j^ooil [tiHN. TIdtu were iIh' r<'ni:tinH of mi old fort htMi*, ilirovvn np in Moniit dd«Mi ein«)rK«'iicy, and on ilui oppoinjio mdu was a pirinr«'N(pii> hiiiir of rru'nnou^ siuk.'mIoim* I'll) re was .1 hnndsoiii<< urovc ii liitli' !il)ov««, and fiit<-i«'d ^ronps of iri>(*.s hdidirrd Iho river. Mnlfalo m ide iln'tr apptuir- Ice tins afli'rnoon, aii carefully stcu'tid away in the carts, and this I resolved should only hcj encroached upon wh(;n our rilles shonlii fail to |)rocure us present support. I determined to reach the iiKunitaiiis, if it were in any way possible. In the mean time, hull'alo were plenty, lu six Itiies from our encampment, (which, by way of distinction, we shall call Dried Meal camp,) we crosscnl a handsome stnnini, called Lit Fourchc JSoinie. It is well limbered, and, among the llowers in bloom on its banks, I remarked several uaters. Five miles further, we made our noon halt, on the hanks of the Platte, ill Ihe shade of some coilonwoods. There were luire, as g(!n(!rally now aloniif the river, thickets of li'tppopJitiXy the i(ritin.s dc hd'uj of the country. Tliey were of two kiiuls — one b(!aring a red berry, (tho shvjilicrdid argen- till of Nuttall ;} the other a yellow berry, of which the Tartars arc said to Uiake a kind of rob. , By a meridian observation, tlu) latitude of the place was A'i^ 50' 08". It was my daily practice to lalce observations of the sun's meridian altitude; and why they are not given, will appear in the sequel. Eight miles further we reached the mouth of Deer creek, where we encamped. Here was an abundance of rich grass, and our animals were compensated for past priva- tions. This stream was at this time twenty feet broad, and well timbered villi Cottonwood of an uncommon size. It is the largest tributary of the Platte, between the month of tiie Sweet Water and the Laramie. Our as- tronomical observations irave. for the mouth of the stream a longitude of lUG^ OS' 2\", and latitude A'i'' 5^' 24". July 21. — Nothing v/orihy of mention occurred on this day ; we trav- I (APT. FUEMONT'8 NARRATIVK. [1848 *|f "i.n i ' , -KB'*' F*' m 'i\W6 later tlian usual, iiaving spent some fimo in scardiintj for grass,! crossing and rccn'ssiiiL' the river before we could fuid ;i snMicient quantilyf lor our uuiriuilft. 'I'uwurd dusk, we cncanipi'd iinion<^' sonje artemisial l)ushes, two and threcj teet in height, where some scuiterr-d patches ofl short toii3:h grass allorded a scanty supply. In crossing, we had occasioiil to obsoive that llu! river was frequently too deep to ho Corded, tnough we| always succeed* d i.i fuid'')g a place wht-re the water did not en*?r the: carts. The stream contiiuied very clear, with two or three huiidr«d (w,\ breadth of water, and the sandy bed and banks were frequently cover'j! with large round i)ohi)!cs. We had travelled this day iwenly-seven mile,,! The main chain of the Black hills was here only al out seven miles u, the south, on the right bank of the river, rising abruptly to the height oi eight and twelve lunidred feet. Patches of grt'cn giass in the ravines on the steep sides marked the presence of springs, and the summits were clad vith pines. July 28. — In two miles from our encampment, we reached the place where the regular road crosses the Platte. Tliere was two hundred feet breadth of water at this time in the bed, which has a variable width ot eight to fifteen hundred feet. The channels were generally three feet deep, and there weie large ;uig.ilar roc.';s on the bottom, which made the ford in some places a little diilicu't. Even 3t its low stages, this river cannot be crossed at random, and this has always been used as the best ford. The low stage of tlie waters the present year had made it fordable in almost any pari of its course, where access could be had to its bed. For the satislaction of travellers, I will endeavor to give some descrip- tion of the natiue of the road from Laramie to this ])oint. The nature of the soil may be inferred from its geological Ibrmation. The limestone ai the eastern limit oi tins section is succeeded by limestone without fossils. ix great variety of sandstone, consisting principally of red sandstone and fine conglomerates. The red sandstone is argillaceous, 'vitli compact white gypsum or alabaster, very beautiful. The other sandstones are gr?y, yel- low, and ferrugiiious, sometimes very coarse. The apjiarent sterility of the country must therefore be sought for in other causes than the nature of the soil. The face of the country cannot with propriety be called hilly. It is a succession of long ridges, made by the numerous streams which come down from the neighboring mountain range. The ridges have an undu- lating surface, with some such appearance as the ocean presents in an or- dinary breeze. The road which is now gener; Uy followed through this region is there- fore a very good one, without any difficult ascents to overcome. The principal obstructions are near the river, where the transient waters of heavy rains have made deep ravines with steep banks, which renders fre- quent circuits necessary. It will be remembered that wagons pass this road only once or twice a year, which is by no means sufficient to break i,iown the stubborn root; of the innumerable artemisia bushes A partial absence of these is often the only indication of the track ; and the rough- ness produced by their roots in many places gives the road the character of one ncAvly opened in a wooded country. This is usually considered the worst part of the road east of the mountains; and, as it passes through an open prairie region, may be much improved, so as to avoid the greater part .♦"the inequalities it now presents. From he mouth of the Kansas to t}\c Green river valley, west of the CAPT. FFEMONT'S NAKUATIV 10. 53 archintj for grass,! sijflicient quantityj If? some artemisial ittcrod patches ofl ', we had occasioii[ Corded, tnough wel did not en^ir theS tree hiiiid'od feetf rocjiieiitl/ coreredl /em V seven mile.] lit seven miles to -' to the height oi ill the ravines on lunmits were clad •eached the place two hundred feet variable width o| Iv three feet deep, made the ford in i river cannot be G best ford. The ible in almost any ve some descrip- t. The nature of riie limestone at e without fossils, sandstone and 1 compact white les are grt'y, yel- aront sterility of an the nature of le called hilly. It ims which come have an undu- resents in an or- region is there- pvercome. The sient waters of lich renders fre- igons pass this fficient to break ihes A partial and the rough- d the chaidcter ■ considered the ses through an Lhe greater part sy, west of the -Kky mountain^^ there is no such thing as a mountain road on the line of imraunication. We continued our way, and four miles beyond the lord Indians were iiscovf-cd again ; and I halted while a party were sent forward to ascertain ho they were. In a short time they returned, accompanied by a number If Indians of the O-ilaliah hand of Sioux. From them we received some iteresting information. They had formed part of the great village, which ey informed us had broketj up, and was on its way home. 'I ne greater iart of the village, iuohuling tli3 Arapahoes, Choyennes, and Oglallahs, lad crossed the Platte eight or ten miles below the mouth of the Sweet *!Water, and wore now behind the mountains to the south of us, intending to regain the Platte by way of Deer creek. Tlitiy had taken this unusual toute in search of grass and game. They gave us a very discouraging -|)icture of the coiaitry. The great drought, and the plague of grasshop- tjpers, had swept it so that scarce a blade of grass was to be .seen, and Ihere was not p buli'alo to be found in the whole roijion. Their people, -they further said, had been nearly starved to death, and we would find their road marked by lodges which they had thrown away in order to move more rapidly, and by the carcasses of the horses which they had eaten, Or which had perished by starvation. Such was the prospect before us. When ho had fmishcd the interpretation of the.se things, Mr. Bissonette immediately rode up to me, and urgently advised that I should entirely abandon the further iiroserutioii of my exploration. " />f meilleure avis )qiieJR pourrais voiia dormer c'est de vlrer de suited '■ The best advice I fcan give you, is to turn back at once." It was his own intention to re- turn, as ve had now reached the point to which lie had engaged to attend me. In leply, I called up my men, and connnunicated to them fully the information I had just received. I then expressed to them my fixed de- termination to proceod to the end of the enterprise on which I had been sent; but as the sifnatioti of the country gave me .some reason to appre- hend that it might he attended with an unfortunate result to some of us, •I would leave it optional with them to continue with me or to return. Among them were sonie five or six who I knew would remain. We had still ten days' provisions; and, should no game be found, when this stock was expetuied, wo had our horses and nmles, which we could eat when other means of subsistence failed. But not a man Jlinched from the undertaking. " We'll eat the mules," said iiasil Lajeunesse ; and thereupon we shook hatids with our interpreter and his Indians, and parted. With thf^m I sent back one of my men, Dumes. whom the effects 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. Having re- solved to disencumber ourselves immediately of every thing not abso- lutely necessary to our future operations, I turned directly in tows'd. the river, and en'^amped on the left bank, a little above the place where our council had been held, and where a thick grove of willows ottered a suit- able spot for the object I iiad in view. The 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 manner that the ffUtter of the iron work might not attract the observation of some straggling Indian. In the sand, which had been blown up into waves among tlie willows, a large hole was then dug, ten feet square, and six deep. In the mean time, tl ' %l ■ i ■ -i » »1 !'!■ rill ■'i ii tiP'ii ri'i'! s> !;»■ U v. *i I ■» 'C ,> fB- r-t J-til r.l (APT. FKKMONT'H NMIUATIVK. [I84J ;ill our cilccis iiiwl hi-cii sjirriid out upon ilir i^miiiid, find wimtovor wj »l('sii;ii<'d It) I'l' ciiiird iiloiis,' Willi us M'|i,iial( d mid laid aside, and the rJ niiiiiiin'4 P'M'l call icd lo lli(> litdt; and i^nrclnlly I'dvcri'd ii|i. Asninclial possiMo, all li'Mccs ol' our proccfdiii^s wore oliliicraird, and it wanfcd biJ n rain lo rcndfr our rdr/ir sulo hcyond discovciv. All llm ukmi woro \un siM at work to arraip^r ihc pjtck saddles and make np the patdts. The day was v»'ry waiin ninl oaltn, and ilie sky eiilir«dy clear, exc(!| where, jis iiMial aK>ny: the sninmils ol the nn»nnl!iiiions ridtftj opposite, ijn elonds l;:»d cDimrcLialed in masses. Our lodvM- had heen planted, and, aecoinit ot il;;: heal, the uroinid pins had hreii taken out, and the lowij pari sliuhily raised. Near to it was standinu ilie haronieler, which swim. in n tripod iVaine; and within the lodu;(\ where a small lir«! had hceii hiiili Mr. I'reiiss was otciipu d in ohserviii!; the lemperalnre of hoiliiii; walci At tins iiisiant. and wiihonl any warning; niilil 11 was wnliin fifty y;u(l^ a violent i-usl ol' wind dashed di)wn the lodi"^ ini,'her thai 135"^ Fahrenheit. Oiir astronomical ohservations ^ave to this place, wliicl we named ('(ic/ir camp, a loiiifitude of !()()'' lis' i.M»", latitude -lii" 5t)' 5A' Jult/ 2!i. — All our arrangements haviiiL!; been eompleU'd, we left the I'li campmeiU ai 7 o'clock this morniiiir. In this viciniiy tluj ordinary roai leaves the I'lalte, and crosses over lo the Sweet Water river, which r strikes near Kt.ck liide|iendence. Instead of jollowin^ this road, I hm determined to k.'i p the immediate valley of the l*iail(^ so far as the nnmll of tlie Sweet Water, in the expectation of (indniif belltM- i^Mass. To this I was further prompled by the nature of toy instructions. To Mr. Carsoi was assii;ned the oilice of ijuidc, as we had now reached a part of tlw country with which, or a great part of which, long residence had inadi him familiar. In a few miles we reached iIk; UimI linttes, a f;imous land- mark in this coiniiry, whose geological composition is red sandstone, liino- stone, and calcareous sandstone and pniUliiig stone. The river here cuts its way through a ridge ; on the eastern side of i' are the lot'ty I'scarpnieiits of red argillaceous L-andstone, which are called the Red liuttes. In this passage the stream is not much compressed 01 pent up, there beiim a bank of considerable though variable breadth on either side. ImnuHJiately on entering, we discovered a band of bulfalo The hunters tailed to kill any of them; the leading hunter being throwL into a ravine, v.'hich occasioned some delay, and in the mean time the lierd clambered up the steep face of the ridge, it is .-iometimes wonderful to see these apiiarently clumsy animals make their way up and down the most rugged and broken precipices. We halted to noon before we had cleared this passage, at a spot twelve miles distant \xo\\\ CV/c/jecamp, where we found an abundance of grass. So far, the account of the Indians was found to be false. On the banks were willow and cherry trees. The cherries were not yet ripe, but in the thickets were mnnerous fresh tracks of the grizzly biar, which are very fond of this fruit. The soil here is red, the composiiion being derived from the red sandstone. About seven miles brought us through the ridge, in which the course of the river isnordi and south. Here the valley opens out broadly, and high walls of the red formation present themselves among the hills to tlie east. We crossed -^1 nnd wimtovnr wii il iisidc, and the n I lip. An much a , .111(1 it waiWeil b ilm iiKui woro no in piKiks, liridy cicnr, asrv ridi,'!! opposiir, (III II pl.'uilcd, and, n out, and (hii lowi t'lcr, \vhi«;li swim, lin; Ik'uI I)o«mi hiiili ■ oC lioiliufr vvalc! wiihin filly yard^ iid(!r it Mr. I'nuis loiM hriiis^ cariici l()dt;o was cany VV(; had no ()th(!r ;<>inu: liii,di(!r ih;ii > this place, whid liUido -jy" 50' 5:i ^d, wo h5rt tlio I'll Ihc onhiiary rorn ;r liver, which r dii.s road, I hiti I'iir as the nioial i;rass. To this I 'I'o Air. CarscM ed a part of tl )42.] CAPT. nJKMoNT's N \ i.'i; \ ri\ K . ) ) leiice had rnadi !, a t'aiuoiis land sandstone, hmo. Nisiern side of it .vhich are called 1 con)pressed oi ahle breadth on •and of bulfalo er being throwi, mean time the imes wonderful ) and down tlie before we had /jeeamp, whore iG Indians was ly treea. The nis fresh tracks 'lie soil here ls About seven le river is iiordi ■alls of the red . We crossed Sijre a pretty liMlc .Tei'k, an allhicni of ilu; n^lit bank-. It is w»dl iiinl"'!- d will) I'lftioMxVood in this vicniity, ami tin- absinllic has lost its shrnb- Ike cliaracler, and bcuonics .small ncrs 'ix iiud ci'dit feet m bright, iind t "^Bometiiiirs ('ii;lii incln's in di;inn'lcr. Tu'n or ilnri! miltts ab()Vrrow make oni crossing amoiiL'; the rllg^ed hills to Ihe Sweet, \Val(!r river. Accordingly we turned back and descend<;d the fivtJt to an island near by, which wa.s about twenty acrfis in size, covered Ivilh a Inxiiiiant growth of gra.s.s. The formation here I found highly interesiiiig. Iinmediat(!ly at this islami lla; iiv(!r is again shut up in the jugged hills, which come down to it from the main ridge in a succession l|pf spurs three or four hundrc'd feet liii^di, and alternated with green level prdii'illotis or meadows, bordc^reid on the nvcir banks with thickets oi" wil- low, and having many plants to inttirest the traveller. The island lies be- tween two of these ridgcjs, three or four hundred yards a{)art, of which that on the right bank is composed (;ntir(dy of red argillaceous sandstone, "with thin layers of iibrous gypsum. On the Udl bank, the ridge i> com- posed entirely of siliceous pudding stone, the pebbles in the numerous strata increasing in size from the. top to the bottom, where they are as large as a man's head. So far as I was able; to determine, these strata in- -line to tli<; northeast, with a dip 'd ribont 1,0". This pudding stone, or "icongloinerale formation, I was enabled to trace ilirough an extended range of country, from a few miles e ^ ol ihe meridian of Fort Laramie to where I found it superposed on the granite of the Uocky mountains, in longitude 109'^ 00 . From its a{)pearaiice, ili<; mam chain of the Lmaiiue mountain is composed of this rock; and in a miiriM r ol' places I I'ound isolated hills, which served to mark a former level, which bad I 'icn probably sweid away. These conglomerates are very friable, and easily dec mposed ; and I am inclined to think this formation is the source ir')ui which was derived the great deposile of sand and gravel which torn. , the surface rock of the prairie country west of the Mississi[)pi. Crossin;^ the ridge of red sandstone, and traversing the Mttle prairie which lies to the southward of it, we made in the afternoon rm v.xciirsion to a place which we have called the Hot Spring Gate. This ; ice has much the ap. pearance of a gate, by which the Plalle passes through a ridge composed of a white and calcareous sandstone. The length of the passage is about four hundred yards, with a smt oth green prairie on either side. Through this place, ihestream ilows w th a quiet current, unbroken by any rapid. and is about seventy yards wide between the walls, which rise perpen- \'(i CAPT. FFiCMONT'S NARRATIVE. [184S F ■% ■•5; tin ' ill •licnlarly from tlie wator. To that 011 tlin right bank, which is the nwerj the barometer gave a lM'ij;ht of three hmulrcd and sixty feet. This pl-^cel will bo more particularly liescribccl hereafter, as we passeil through it oi, our return. We saw here nnmerotis lierJs of mountain sheep, and frequently hcardl he volley of raltlinir stones which aceouipatiied their rapid desfOiit down) the steep hills. This was tlu^ first place at which wo had killed any o([ these animals ; and, in coiiscquenre of thl« circmTistaiicc, atid of tlift| ubundancc of those sheep or j»oats. (for they are called by each nnme,) w gave to our encampment tlu; n;uiie of (loat IsUuid. Their llcsh is mudi estee whatever to the goat. The longitude of this place, resulting from chronometer and lunar distances, and an occulta- tion off Arietis, is 107° 13' JfJ", and the latitude 42^33' 27". One of our horses, which had given out, we left to receive strength on the island,, intend- ing to take her, perhaps, on our return. Juli/ 31. — This morning we left the course of the Platte, to cross over 10 the Sweet Water. Our way, for a few miles, lay up the sandy bed of a dry creek, in which I found several interesting plants. J^eaviiig this, we ■wound ou; way to the summit of the hills, of which the peaks are here eight hundred feet above the Platt<>, b;ire and rocky. A long and gradual slope led from these hills to the Sweet Water, which we reached in fifteen miles from Goat Island. I made an early encampment here, in order to give the himtersan opportunity to procure a supply from soveml bands of buffalo, which made tlieir appearance in the valley near by. The stream here is about sixty feet wide, and at this time twelve to eighteen inches deep, with a very modera current. The adjoining prairi are snndy, but the immediate river bottom is a good soil, which afforded an abundance of soft grten grass to our horses, and where I found a variety of nif cresting plants, which made their ap- pearance for the first time. A raiii to-night made it unpleasantly cold; and there was no tree hefo, to enable n:-i to pitch our single lent, the poles of which had been left ai Cache camp. Wc had, therefore, no sheltsr except what was to be found under cover of the ahsinthR bushes, which grev/ in many thick patches, one or two and sometimes three feet high. August 1. — The hunters went ahead tliis morning, as bulTalo appeared tolerably abundant, and I was desirous to secure a small stock of pro- visions; and we moved about seven miles up the valley, and encamped one mile below Rock Independence. This is an isolated granite rock, about six hundred and fifty yards lo g, and forty in heiglit. Except in a depression of the summit, where a little soil supports a scanty growth n 4 t a a CAPT. FIIKMONT'S NARRATIVE. 57 vhich is the nwerJ ■ i'eot. This phcel ssed through it oJ 1 frofincntly heard ipicl dcsfCiit (lownl had lvill(!fl any o( lUicc, and of'thfil y each nnnie,) we heir flesh is much' r of (he AHogativ (his atiinial three r. hasc, weighing 1 I'y our j)arty ai so of tliose horns own precipices tn ? where tlicy can- the marrow occu- )oiu the thickness 3olor of onr com- anco. Except in 'I'lic longitude of 3, and an occuha- 27". One of our the island,, intend- it(e, to cross over the sandy bed of eaving this, we e peaks are lieic ong and gradual eachcd in fifteen icre, in order to overal bands of /■. Tlie stream eighteen inches vcr bottom is a s to our horses, made their ap- easantly cold; ) lent, tiie poles lOve, no shelter bushes, which nies three feet ilt'alo appeared 1 stock of pro- md encamped i granite rock, It. Except in scanty growth shrubs, with a solitary dw.irf pine, it is cntirelv hare. Everywhere ithin siJT or eight feet of the ground, wjuire th intacc is sufficiently looth, and in some places sixty or eighty feet abovt lie rock is inscribed lith the names of travellers. Many a name famous in the history of this luntry, and some well known to science, are to be found mixed among se of the traders and of travellers for j)leasure and curiosity, and of mis- naries among the savages. Some of these have b(!en wa>h(>d away by to rain, but the greater tunnher arc still very legiblo. The position of lis rock is in longitude 107 ' Oii', latitude 12° 29' Mi". W'r remained at r camp of August 1st until noon of tlio next day, occupied in drying nieaf. Hv observation, the longitude of the place is 107*^ 25' 23", latitude 48° 29' 5(i". .« Aiii^ust 2. — Five niiles above Rock Independence we camo to a place #lled the Devil's Gate, wh(>rc the Sweet Water cuts through the point of 'rii/./Iy bf^fM* — t!ioonlyo wo (MK'DtiiiiiTrtl diiriiij,' tli(' jdunicy w.is si-cn sfiiiiMhIitit,' iipnmnMp;t roi'ks. As u (' piisscd over a sliylu rise iicir llu^ iivfr, w»5 ciiili^lit llic fir viinv o\ 111'- \\ iimI rivrr inoimt.iiiis, ;»|)|M';iriiii;, ;ii lliis distmic.! of ahoii sovoiity miles, lt> he i\ low and dark nioiiii(;iiM(Mis ridi^'c. 'I'lm vuiw dissipnj <'d in :i nMinnMil llic pictures wliicli li.id liecn ereiited i;i onr nunds, hy nriiii dosenpliDns (t| lravell(>rs, who have eitni|»,ned these nionnlains to the Alp ill Swil/erhuid. and speak of the. ghltermi,' pe;iks which ri.su in icy luiijtsti amidst the eiern.il glaciers nine or ten thousand leet into the rc/^ioti olClH nal snows. The nakechiess olthe river was reheved hy i^roves <»(' willnw whert? we encamped at nitjht, alter a m;irch ol i\\«!nly-six miles ; and n lui'rous hrii,'htct)lor(Ml (lowers had made (he river bottom look «;ay as garden. NN e lound here a horse, which had heen ahatidoned l)y the h (iiaus, because his hool's liad been s(» nniih worn that he was imablui travel; and, durnii; llu^ mght. a dog caini^ Mit(» the camp. »iiiHii.s/ I. — Our camp was at the loot ol' the ijraniltMnoimtains, wlm we ehmbed this morning to tak(^ some haromtMrical h(Mghts; and In among liie rocks was stMiii the (irsi maifpie. On our rettu'ii, we sa w di at the mouth ol' the IMalto river. W r Idt her(! one of our horses, wlm was unaltle to proceed farther. A few miliisistniu ol a grayish micactMuts sandstoim atid f'mo.-grainod coi glomerales. struck it again, and (Micatnped. alt(M" a it)uruey of twonty-liv nnles. Astronouiica! ohservalions placed us in latitude 4ii" 32' :U)", an Jongitude lO.s^' 30' 13". v'Jt!ij^i/\/ 5. — The luorning was dark, with a driving rain, and (hsagroe ably cold. We contimted our route as usu.il : hut. the weather became s bad, that we were glad to avail ourselves o! the shelt(M' ofFered by a snia island, about t( n miles above otir la.st encampment, which was coverti with a dense growth of willows. There was line grass for our animals and the tnnher all'orded us comfortable proU'ciiou and good fires. In lli< afternoon, the sun hroke through the clouds lor a si: )rt time, and the ba rometer at "). p. m., was at 2:{.71.3, the thermometer (iO", with the wiiii strong from the northwest. Wo availed ourselves of the line weather ti make ex(Mnsions in the neighboriiood. 'i'he river, at tliis place, is bolder ed hy hills ol the valley formation. They are of moderate height; one o the highest peaks on the right hank being, aceonling to the barometer, oii' hundred and eighty feet above the river. On the left bank they are highei They consist of a line white clayey sandstone, a white calcareous sandstoiio and coarse sandstone or pudding stone. •/Sui^^Ksf 6. — It contimied steadily raining all the day ; but,iiotwitlistaiul ing, we left our encampment in the afternoon. Our animals had bec[ much refreshed hy their repose, and an abundance of rich, soft grass, whici had been much improved by the rains. In about three miles, we reaciicc the entrance of a kanyon, where the Sweet Water issues upon the niort open valley we had passed over, humediately at the entrance, and super imposed directly upon the granite, are strata of compact calcareous sand' stone and chert, alternating with fine wliite and reddish white, and iiiif gray and red sandstones. These strata dip to the eastward at an angle o; about IS^, and form the western limit of the sandstone and limestone forma tions on the hue of our route. Here we entered among the primitive rocks. The usual road passes to the right of this place ; but we wounfi 3 ri«4 \y bojtr— tho only on iiihliiit; iipnm»uif»(|] r, wo Ciiiiylit lli(> lir Ills (lislaiic of ;ilii)|J y iii;in| iioiintaiiis to tlin Al|> r|| list! ill ley in;i)is ltd llic n';j;i(Ui olCiij l»y i^iovcs i){' willdu' ly-'ari(ioiii(l liy (lir li hat he was uiiablci inp. iu^ nioiintaiiis, wliii al h«Mglils; and \m r n'tiiiti, W(! saw m. ol' our liorsos, wIik ' (Mirampmntit wo li /orsitii; ail iiiKJiiliiiiii and rmo-graiiied ca>\ iiriity oi" Iwoiily-liv lido '12" '32' MO"", ail ii; rain, and disai'rci 5 wcallior bncaiiH! ^ ci- oflored by a siiia , which was covorc ass for our aniinal I i,M)od fires. Ill 111 rt time, and the hi (i(V', with the win (h(; line weathor i this place, is border erate height ; one o ) the barometer, on )ank they are highci alcarecus sandstoin ; but,notwithstaii(l ' animals had bt^i hySoft grass, whici miles, we reaeiiei acs npon the tnon ntrancc, and super ct calcareous sand' sh white, and iiiu vard at an angle o: id limestone forma long the primitive :e ; but we wouii! (An* ki{i:montm wiujatin k fl»» rrtthor srramltl'd, our way up llu' narrow valley lor several hoiu"-. ^ildui'ss Mini (li-iordrr wrro fiu" cliar.K'icr ol llihi ^n•||('ry. 'I'lie river had )cn swollen by the lati^ rains, aiid eaine rnsbiii'j; lliroii