Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-08-30
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
CAPTAIN FREMoNTs SECOND EXPLORING
EXPEDITION. -CoSTiSuED.

CAPTAIN FREMONTs SECOND EXPLORING
EXPEDITION. -CoSriSuED.
We have now to accompany Capt. Fremont and
his hardy and adventurous companions on their
homeward route and, in doing so, we hardly know
whether the courage which never quaed before the
dangers OF that route, the perseverance which
altered before obstacles apparently the most
querable, or the prompttude and never-lailing re-
sources which furnished the means by which cou-
rage and perseverance attained their ends, most
TO be admired II is sufficient that their happy
combination In this instance led to successful and
most valuable result. We are confident that, what
ever success may attend the third expedition, those
engaged in it will deserve to be successful. We
look for its return with increasing interest," con-
fident that the aggregate production of the three
expeditions OF Capt. Fremont will be source Of
more than common honor and fame to him and his
worthy and rebound to the credit of
the country.
We took leave of the expedition, in our last no
tce al the Dales' Of the Columbia, about fifteen
miles below the falls of that river, where Capt f.
had collected supply of provisions sufficient for
his party for not less than three months also some
live cattle The number of horses and mules mus
tered by the expedition was lO4, for s.lhe susie
nance of which, our reliance (says the Captain
was upon the grass which we should find, and the
when there was none.''
The expedition commenced its homeward march
on the 25th OF November. AT the request of Mr..
Perkins" one of the missionaries at the Dales-
"A Chinook Indian lad Of nineteen, who extremely
anxious to see the whites and make acquaintance with
our institutions received into the party under my peca
CHARGE with the understanding that would again return him
to his friends. He had lived for in the household
Of Mr. Perkins, and spoke few words Of the English Ian
guage."
The first object which attracted Capt. FREMoNT's
attention was the I2amath lake the route Of the
expedition was therefore almost directly south. On
the 30th the narrative furnishes the following inter-
esting scientific information
Continuing few miles up the left bank of the river,
encamped early open bottom among the pines, short
distance below lodge Of the Indians Here along the river
the bluff present esarpments eight hundred feet in
height containing strata Of very fine porcelain clay, ovead
the height Of about five hundred feet by massive
of compact basa hundred feet in thickness which again
succeeded above by other of rocks The
clay strata vaousy coored Of them very nearly as
white chalk, and very fine grained Specimens brought
from these have been subjected mcroscopca examination
by Professor Bailey Of West Point and considered by him
TO constitute of the most remarkable depoes Of yiat
inusora record While they abound in genera and spe
ces which in fresh water but which rarely thrive
where the water brackish decidedly marine
form to be found among them and their eshwaer origin
therefore beyond doubt is equally certain that they
lived and died at the situation where they found they
could scarcely have been transported by running with
out admxture Of sandy particles from which, however
they remarkably free Fossil nfsoria of fresh-water
origin had been previously detected by Mr. Bailey in speci
brought by Mr. James D. Dana from the tertiary for
nation of Oregon Most Of the species those specimens
differed much from those living and known, that he
led to infer that they might belong extinct Species and
considered them also aiordng proof Of alienation
the formation from which they obtained Of fresh and
water deposes, which, enough in Europe had not
hitherto been noticed in the United States Coming evidently
from locality entirely different specimens show very
species in with those brought by Mr. DANA bear
much closer resemblance those nhabng the northeastern
States. II possible that they from depo
site but the presence of few remarkable forms which are
common to the localities renders it probable that
there is great difference in their age"
The latitude of this place is A deg. 35 min 30
Sec, longitude III deg. 10 min. 25 sec
After travelling distance Of $50 miles from the
Dalles OF the Columbia principally through sandy
pine forest, on December To-
"The country began improve and about O'Clock we
reached spring of cold water the edge Of savannah
grassy meadow, which guides informed of
The Klamath lake and few miles further entered upon
extensive meadow, lake of grass surrounded by tim
bered mountains. This the Klamath lake. 1t was a |
picturesque and beautiful spot and rendered attractive
US by the abundant and excellent grass which animals
after travelling through pine forests much needed but the
broad sheet Of water which constitutes lake BE-
Overlooking it, Immediately west several snowy
knobs belonging what have considered branch Of the
Cascade range low point covered with pines made out
the lake, which afforded good place for encampmen
and for the security Of horses which guarded in
the open meadow The character Of courage and hostility
attributed to the Indians Of this quarter induced than
usual precauon and, seeing smokes rising from the middle
Of the lake Cor savannah and along the opposite shores d.
reced the howitzer be fired II the first time our
guides had discharged and the bursting Of the shell
distance, which something like the second fire Of the
gum amazed and bewdered them with delight inspired
them with triumphant feelings but the camps distance
the effect different FOR the smokes in the lake and the
shores immediately diappeared.
"Thc point which were encamped FORMS with the
opposite eastern Shore neck connecting the body OF
the lake with deep bay which receives the principal
auent stream and the greater part of which the
Cor rather ce at this time dispersed in shallow pools
Among the grass and scattered the prairie lake. appeared
to be similar marshes. II is simply shallow basin which,
for short period at the time Of melting SHOWS covered with
water from the neghborng mountains but this probably
off, and leaves for the remainder Of the year green
yannah, through the midst Of which the Tarnah which
flows the ocean, winds way the outlet south
western side"
December live have the following interest
ing particulars relative to the Klamath Indians:
when we had arrived within half mile of the village
two persons were advancing and, please
riding abreast while they gaoped ahead the strangers
"We surprised, ON riding up find one Of them
woman having before known squaw take any part
IN the business Of They the village chief and his
we, who, IN excitement and alarm at the unusual and
appearance, had out TO their fate together The
chief was very pepossessng Indian, with very Handsome
features and snguary soft and agreeable voceso remark
able as TO attract general notice.
The huts grouped together the bank Of the nver
which, rom being spread in shallow marsh at the up
per end OF the lake. collected here into single stream
They large round huts perhaps 20 feet in diameter