Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-03-25
THE FAR WEST.

year by Lieutenant FREMONT of the Topo-
graphical Corps. In making the motion to
print the Report, Mr.. LINN of Missouri support
ed it in the following terms. We shall look
with much interest for this valuable docu-
ment #. EH#H
"Mr. LINN said that in the course of the last
summer very interesting expedition had been
undertaken TO the Rocky Mountains, ordered
by Col. Albert, chefof the Typographical Bu-
reau, with the sanction of the Secretary at
War, and executed by Lieut.. Fremont of the
| Typographical Engineers. The object OF the
expedition was 10 examine and report upon the !
rivers and the country between the frontiers of
Missouri and the base of the Rocky Mountains; /;
and especially to examine the character, and
ascertain the latitude and longitude of the |
South Pass, the great crossing place in these
mountains on the way to Oregon. All the OBJ
jects of the expedition have been accomplished
and in way to be beneficial to science, and
instructive to the general reader, as well as
useful to the Government
Supplied with the best astronomical and
barometrical instruments, well qualified to use
them, and accompanied by twenty-five vow
AoERs, enlisted for the purpose at St Lopis
and trained to all the hardships and dangers
of the praries and mountains, Mr. Fremont
left the mouth >of the Kansas, on the frontiers
| of Missouri, on the 10th of June; and, i'll the
almost incredibly short space of four months,
returned 20 the same point, without an acc-
dent OF man, and with a vast mass of useful
observations and many hundred specimens in
botany and geology.
In executing his instructions Mr. Fremont
proceeded up the Kansas river far enough to
ascertain it's character, and then crossed over
to the Great Platte, and pursued that river to
its source in the mountains, where the Sweet
Water "a head branch of the Platte) issues
from the neighberhood of the South Pass He
reached the pass on the sth August, and de-
scribes ii as wide and low depression in the
mountains, where the ascent is as easy as that
on the hill on which this Capitol stands, and
where plainly beaten wagon road leads to
the Oregon through the valley of Lewis's ri
yer, fork ofthe Columbia.
''N "''t ''h''SH N'C ass anu i'lc Hcdu-
waters OF the Colorado of the Gulf of California,
and, leaving the valleys to indulge laudabe
curiosity, and 10 NAL Ike some useful observations
and attended by four of his men climbed the
loitiest peak of the Rocky Mountains until
then untrodden by any known human being !;
and, on the 18th August, looked down upon
the ice and snow some thousand feet below, and
traced in the distance the valleys of the rivers
which, taking their rise in the same elevated
, ridge flow in opposite directions to the Pacific
, ocean and to the Mississippi. From that uli-
mate point he returned by the valley of the
Great Platte following the stream in its whole
course, and solving all questions TO its navi-
gability, and the character of the country
y. through which i, flows.
Over the whole course of this extended
4 route, barometfical observations we've made bv
i Mr.. Fremont, TO ascertain elevations both OF
:. the plains and of the noun ,ains astronomical
: observations were taken, TO ascertain latitudes
4 and longtudes the face of the country was
5 marked as arabic or sterile the facility for
t travelling, and the procticablity of routes,
) noted the grand features Of nature described
+ and some presented in drawings; military Po'
" sitions Indicated: and large contribution of
n geology and botany was made in the varieties
v of plants shrubs, trees and grasses, and rocks
/ and earths, which were enumerated.
i. Drawings of some grand and striking points
:. and map of the whole route illustrate the re-
port and facilitate the understanding of its de-
tails. Eight carts drawn by two mules each
accompanied the expedition fact which at
n tests the facility OF travelling in this vast re
l. gon. Herds of buflaloes furnished subsistence
d to the men, a short, nutritious grass sustained
d the mules and horses. Two boys, Zone twelve
lr years of age, the other eighteen,) besides The
l. enlisted men accompanied the expedition, ant
took their shares of the hardships; which
e proves that boys as we'll MS men are able Il
It traverse the country TO the Rocky Mountains.
;, The result of all his observations, Mr., Ere
mont had condensed into brief repOrt-enougt
h to make document of some ninety or one hun
is dred pages and believing that this document
"a would be OF general interest to the whole coun
try, and beneficial to science, as we'll AS use
il full to the government, move the printing o
" the extra number which has been named.
x In making this motion, and in bringing thu
a report, to the notice of the Senate, | take I
er great pleasure in noticing the activity aud I'M
or tho Trnnn0 h;eaI Rureau IJnde