Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-08-16

Island lake According 10 the barometer the little
the wall which stood three thousand hve hundred
and seventy feet above that place, and two thousand
hundred and eighty above the little lakes at the bottom, i'm
mediates feet Our camp at the Two Hills Ian
Economical siaon bore south 80 east which, with bearing
aerward obtained from fixed position enabled US to locate
the peak The bearing of the I|ois 1oas north sos
west and the direction the central ridge of the Wind rive
mountains south $50 The summit rock gness
succeeded by senc gneiss Sene and edspar succeeded
our descent the line, where we found edspath,
granite had remarked that the noise produced by the
poson of our pistols had the usual degree OF ounes
not the least prolonged expiring almost nstantaneousy
Having made what observations means afforded
proceeded descend. We had accomplished object
audabe ambition and beyond the strict order Of insuc
tons We had clmed the ofest peak of the Rocky Noun
ans and looked down upon the thousand feet below
and standing where never human loot had stood before, fell
the exuaton of first explorers 1t was about2 o'clock when
we left the summit and when reached the bottom, the
sun had already sunk behind the wall and the day draw
ing to close would have been pleasant have fingered
here and the summit longer but hurried away
pdy the ground would permit for it object
gain our party possible not knowing what accident
the next hour might bring forth.
I'VE reached depose Of provisions nighifa Here
was the inn which awaits the tired traveller his return
from Mont Blanc, the orange groves Of South America
with their refreshing juices and soft fragrant but found
little cache Of dried meat and coffee undsurbed Though
the bright the road was full of precpces and the
fatigue OF the day had been great We therefore abandoned
the idea of reoning friends and lay down the rock
and, in spite of the cold slept soundly
august l6.We left encampment with the daylight
We way large ocks the mountain goat looking
down from the cliffs At the crack of rifle they would
bound off among the rocks, and few minutes make their
appearance some lofty peak, some hundred thousand
feet above is needless to attempt any further description
Of the country the portion which travelled this
ing rough imagination could picture it, and
ed equally beautiful of lakes and rushing
waters mountains of rocks naked and destitute of vegetable
EARTH des and ravines of the most exquisite beauty all kept
green and fresh by the great moisture in the and
with where thrown all
glory Of magnificent these constitute the features
of the place, and impress themselves wildly the mind of
the traveller. 1t until Ii o'clock that reached the
place where animals had been left when first attempted
the mountains foot Near of the still burning fires
found piece of meat which friends had thrown away,
and which furnished mouthina very scanty breakfast
We continued directly on, and reached camp the
mountain lake at dusk. We found all well. Nothing had
occurred interrupt the quiet since departure, and the
fine grass and good cool water had done much reesabs
our animals All heard with great delight the order to turn
faces homeward and toward shutdown Of the 18th,
encamped again at the Two Buttes
After suffering many priyations and encounter
ing great danger in an attempt to survey the River
Platte the party reached Laramie Fort on their re-
turn the last day of August, and arrived at st.
Louis on the 18th September. We can find space
for only two or three very brief extracts from this
homeward tour. After describing the passage of
their India rubber boat over three caaracts where
perhaps one hundred feet of smooth water inter-
vened," the narrative proceeds
FINALLY with shout of pleasure at our success we is
sued from tunnel into the open day beyond We
delighted with the performance of boat, and conf
dent in her powers that would have hesaed leap
fall of ten feet with her. We put to shore for breakfast
willows the right bank Immediately below the mouth
Of the canon; for il O'clock and we had been
working since daylight and all wet fatigued and hun
cry. While the preparing breakfast, went
reconnoite. The view very limited The course of the
river SMOOTH far could both sides
broken hills, and but mile two below another high
ridge The rock at the mouth OF the still the de-
composing granite with great quantities Of mica which made
very gliering sand
eve re-embarked nine o'clock, and in about twenty
minutes reached the Landing rocky shore
its commencement assembled the ridge
Portage Of the question SO far could see, the
Jagged rocks pointed the Of the wind
ing line of eight miles. II simply dark
chasm in the rock and here the perpendicular faces
much higher than in the previous pass being at this end two
to three hundred and further down. afterwards
taned five hundred feet in vertical height Our previous
had made bold and determined again the
canon. Every thing secured firmly possible and
having Invested ourselves of the greater part of clothing
pushed into the stream To chronometer from
accident Mr. Peuss took it, and attempted proceed along
the shore the of rock which in places piled
up either side but, after he had walked about five min
ue every thing like shore disappeared and the vertical wall
squarey down into the He therefore waited
til up An ugly pass lay before We had made
fast to the stern of the boat strong rope about fifty feet long
and three of the cambered along among the rocks and
with this rope let her down slowly through the pass In
vera places high rocks lay scattered about in the channel
and in the required all strength and skill to
avoid stavng the boat the sharp points In of these
the boat proved little broad and stuck fast for instant
while the flew fortunately it but for
instant united strength forced her Immediately through
The swept overheard only sextant and pair Of sad
dlebags caught the sextant passed by but the
saddlebags became the prey of the whpoos We reached
the place where Mr. Peuss standing, took him board
and with the aid Of the boat put the with the rope
the succeeding pile of rocks We found this passage much
than the previous one, and position rather
bad one To go back impossible before us the
sheet of foam and shut the chasm by the rocks
which places seemed almost meet overhead the
roar of the deafenng We pushed off again but,
after making little distance the force Of the became
too great for the shore, and two Of them let go the
rope Lajeunesse the third man, hung on, and eked
headoemo into the from rock about twelve feet high
and down the boat shot like arrow, Basil following in
the rapid current and exering all his strength to keep mid
channe-hs head only occasionally like black spot in
the white FOAM How far went do not exactly know
but succeeded in turning the boat into eddy below
Gre Dieu said Basil Lajeunesse he arrived Immediately
after us sJe crois ben que ai mage demi mile He had
take him and the others board and trust TO skill and
fortune reach the other end in safety We placed ourselves
knees with the short paddles in hands, the most
skul boatman being at the bow and again commenced
rapid descent We cleared rock after rock and shot past
fall after fall little boat seeming TO play with the cataract
We became flushed with success and familiar with the dam
gers and yielding the excitement Of the OCCASION broke forth
dashed along and were believe, in the midst Of the chorus
when the struck concealed rock Immediately the foot
Of fall which whirled her in instant Three of my
could swm and my first feeling assist them,
and Of effects; but sharp
convinced that had yet saved myself few strokes
lt... Ill Il. zT