Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-03-25
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From the Globe.
I IN SENATE,
FRIDAY, March 8, lS43.
81 o'clock, p. m
! LIEUTENANT tREMONI"S. EXPE.
/ DlTlON TO THE ROCKY NOUN.
TAlNS.
communication was received from
the War Department. in answer 10 call
heretofore made for the report Of Lieu
tenant Fremont's expedition to the Rocky
Mountains.
/ Mr. LINN moved that it be printed
). for the use OF the Senate; and also that
one thousand extrn copies be printed.
In support of his motion, Mr.. L.. said
tina, in tho course of the last summer a
very interesting expedition had been un.
der,aken to the Rocky Mountains, or
dered by Colonel Albert. chief of the 10.
pographicat Bureau, with the sanction OF
he Secretary ut War. and executed by
Lcu,enan, Fremont Of the Typographical
engineers. The object Of the expedition
was to examine and report upon the RI
vers and the country between the from
} tiers of Missouri and the base Of the
Rocky Mountains; and especially to ex-
anime the character, and ascertain the
tlarii;.de anda longitude Of the South Pass,
the great cro,5:::ss place in these noun
tains on the way TO Oregon. All ne oo-
iects Of the expedition have been acco.i:-
,plished, and in a way to be beneficial 10
science, and instructive to the general
4 FIJI IA hal
ment.
Supplied with the best astronomical
and borometrical instruments, we'll quall-
fled to use them, and accompanied by
twenty-five royageurs, enlisted for the
purpose at ST. Louis, and trained to all
the hardshps aud dangers Of the prairies
and the mountains, Mr.. Fremon, left the
mouth of the Kansas, on the frontiers Of
Missouri, on the 10th Of June; and, in the
almost incredible short space OF four
months, returned to the same point, with
I out an accldeH. to a ul;,n. and with vast
mass Of usefl, observations, and many
hundred specimens in botany and gc-
ology.
In executing his instructions, Mr.. Free
mont proceeded up the Kansas river far
enough to ascertain its character, and
| then crossed over To the Great Platte, and
pursued that river to It's source in the
mountains, where the Swee: Water (a
head branch of the platte) issues rom the
neig hborhood OF the South Pass. He
reached the Pass ON the 9th Of August,
and describes il as wide aud low de.
preston in the mountains. where the as
cent is as easy as that Of the hill on which
this Capital stands, aud where a piainiy.
beaten wagon road leads to the Oregon
through the valley Of Lewis river. fork
oil the Columbia. He went through the
Pass, aud saw the head waters OF the Co
dorado OF the Gulf Of CALIFORNIA; and,
leaving the valleys TO indulge a audabIe
curiosity, and TO make some useful obser-
vations, and attended by four Of his men,
he c'itned The loitiest peak of tho Rocky
Mountains, until then untrodden by any
known human being; aud, ON the 18th Of
August, looked down upon ice and snow
some thousand feet below, and traced in
the distance the valleys Of the rivers
which, taking their rise in the same ele.
waited ridge, flow in opposite directions to
he Pacific ocean and to the Mississippi. |
From that ultimate point he returned BY
the valley OF the Great Platte, following
the stream in it's whole course. and SOL
wing all questions in relation to Its navl-
pabiity. and the character Of the country !
through which it flows. /
Over the whole course Of this extended 7
route, baromctrlcal observations were I
made by Mr.. Fremont, to ascertain ele-
yations both Of the plains and of the +
mountains; astronomical observat.oas /
were taken, to ascertain ATTITUDES AMI lou
gi,udes; the lace OF the country was mar
kei as arabic or steril; tn facility Tor /
travelling. aud the prac,icabiiily OF routes, |
noted; the grand features OF nature de-
scribed, aud some presented in drawings;
military positions indicated; and large
contribution 10 geology and botany was
made ia the varieties Of plants, flowers,
shrubs, trees, and grasses, and rocks and
earlhs, which were enumerated. Draw
ings OF some grand aud striking points.
aud map Of the whole route, illustrate
the report aud facilitate the undersian
ding OF lis details. Eight carts drawn by
two mules each, accompanied the expe-
dltlen; fact which attests the facility Of
travelling in this vast region. Herds OF
butla!oes furnished subsistence TO the
men; short, nutritious grass, sustained
the horses aud mules. Two boys, tone
Of twelve years OF age, the other Of eigh
teen,) besides the eldest men, accompa-
MED the expedition, and took their share
Of its hardships; which proves that boys,
rs well as meu, are able to traverse the