Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-11-19
Capt Fremont on the highest peak Of the
Rocky mountains.

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The following extract from Captain
Fremont's Journey TO the Rocky Noun
tains, is most spiritedly written. Having
determined to ascend the highest point 0
the Rocky Mountains, Capt. F., with few
| of his men, proceeded with their mules a,
far as these naturally climbing animal'
could keep their footing, They then a
bandoned them in cool green valley, clos
ed in on all sides by walls of rocks, ant
proceeded on foot, and with hands to scale
these wals--at how much cost Of eilar
and exposure, & he extract we annex, will
tell:
"Iavlng Invested ourselves of evert
Unnecessary encumbrance, we commenced
the ascent This time, like experienced
travellers, We did not press ourselves, bul
climbed leisurely. sitting down so soon as
we found breath beginning TO fail. AT in.
tervals we reached places where nuni.
Der OF springs gushed from the rocks, and
about 1900 feet above the lake, came to
the snow line. From this point our pro
gress was uninterrupted climbing. Hitler.
to had worn a pair Of thick moccasiGs,
with soes OF parfleche, but here | put on
a thin light pair, which had bought for
the purpose, as now The use OF our toes
became necessary to further advance /
awaited myself of sort of comb Of the
mountain, which stood against the wall
like butiress, and which the wind and
solar radiation, joined TO the steepness of
the smooth rock, had kept, almost entire.
ly free from snow. Up this made my
way rapidly. Our cautious method of
advancing in The outset had spared my
strength and with the exception of
/ slight disposition to headache, | felt no re-
mains OF Yesterdays illness. In few
minutes we reached point where the
buttress was oveIhanging, and there was
no other way of surrounding the difficulty
than by pacing aroung one side Of il,which
was The face of vertical precipice Of
several hundred feet
Putting hands and feet in the crevices
between the blocks succeeded in getting
over it, and when reached the top, found
my companions in small valley below.
Descending TO them, we continued climb
ing, and in short time reached the crest.
| sprang into the summit and another step
would have precipitnted me into an i'm.
mense snow field five hundred feet below.
To The edge of This field was sheer lev
precipce; and then with gradual fall, tho
field sGped of fog about mile, until il
struck the foot Of another lower ridge. II
stood on a narrow crest about three feet in
width, with an inclination of about 30 de.
grees north 81 degrees east. AS soon as
| had graiied the first feelings Of curiosi-
", ! descended, and each man assembled
in his turn; for would allow only one at
a time 10 mount the unstable and preca
fious slab, which i, seems as if breath
would hurl into the abyss below. We
mounted the barometer in the snow of the |
summit, and, fixing a ramrod in a crevice,
unlurled the national flag to wave in the
breeze where never flag waved befJre. -
During our morning ascent, We had met
no sign Of animal life, except the small
sparrow like bird already mentioned. A
stiffness most profound, and terrible
soh'uue ,p'ced themselves constantly on
the mind as the features of the place.
Here on The summit, where the stiffness
was absolute, unbroken by any sound, and
The solitude complete, we thought our
selves beyond The region of animated life;
but while we were sitting on the rock q
solitary bee (bromus, the humble bee) came
~inging its fight from the eastern valley,
and lit on the knee of one Of the men. -
L was strange place, the icy rock, and
he highest peak of the Rocky Mountains,
or lover of warm Sunshine and flowers;
md we pleased ourselves with the idea
hat he was the first Of his species to cross
he mountain barrier--a solitary pioneer
o loretell The advance Of civilization.
believe that d moments thought would
ave made US let him continue his way