The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-01

morning a scene at sunrise, which even here
was unusually glorious and beautiful, lmne-
diately above the eastern mountains wac repeated
cloud-formed mass Of purple ranges, border.
ed with bright yellow goldi the peaks shot up
Into narrow line of crimson cloud, above which
the air was filed with greensh orange and over
all was the singular beauty OF the blue sky. Pass
ing along ridge which commanded the lake on our
right, of which we began u discover an outlet
through chasm On the west, we passed over alter
| mating open ground, and hard-crusted snow-helds,
which supported the animals, and encamped on The
ridge after journey of six miles. The grass was
better than we had yet seen, and we were encamp-
ed in cump of trees twenty or thirty feet high, re-
sembng while pine With the exception Of these
small clumps, the ridges were bare; and, where the
snow found the support of the trees, The wind had
blown II up into banks ten or hlteen feet high II
required much care to hunt out a practicable way,
as the most open places frequently led to impossible
banks.
ave had hard and doubtful labor yet before us,
as the snow appeared 10 be heavier where the TIM
Der began further down, with few open spots. As
cendng height we traced out the best line we
could discover for the next days march, and had,
at least, the consolation to see that the mountain
descended rapidly. The day had been one of April
gasty, with few occasional flakes of snow; which,
In the afternoon, enveoped the upper mountain in
clouds, We watched them anxiously, as now we
dreaded snow-storm, Shortly afterwards we
heard the roll of thunder, and, looking towards the
valley, found it all enveoped in a thunderstorm.
For us, as connected with the idea Of summer, il
had a singular charm; and we watched it's progress
with excited feelings until nearly sunset, when the
sky cleared off brightly, and we saw shining line
OF water directing its course towards another, a
broader and larger sheet We knew that these
could be no other than the Sacramento and the bay
OF San Francisco; but, after our long wandering III
rugged mountains, where SO frequently we had met
with dsappointments, and where the crossing Of
every ridge displayed Some unknown lake or river,
we were yet almost afraid to believe that we were
at last TO escape into the genial country of which
we had heard SO many glowing descriptions, and
dreaded again to find vast interior lake, whose
bitter waters would bring uS disappointment. On
the southern shore of what appeared to be the bay,
could be traced the cleaning line where entered
another large stream; and again the Buenaventura
| rose up in our minds"
February 22.-Moved on early IN the morning,
over the frozen snow. That night killed another
mule now The s'only resource from starvation"
February GA difficult and laborious day. Had
in many cases, to 'crawl across the snow-beds. .
| Axes and maus were necessary to make the road.
That evening reached the creek, and encamped on
dry, open place in the ravne, /.
| February 24.-Early that morning, the therhom-
eter 90 below zero, latitude $50 Az ST. longitude
| 1900 81 20.h The descent was now very rapid,
along which the party hurried with great energy.
continuous, unbroken by ravines, and covered with
pines and snow; while, ON the side we were travel
ling, innumerable rivulets poured down from the
ridge. Continuing on, we halted moment at one
Of these rivuets, to admire some beautiful evergreen
trees, resembling lve-oak, which shaded the little
stream. They were forty to fifty feet high and
two in diameter, with uniform tufted top; and the
summer green of their beautiful foliage, with the
| singing-blrds, and the sweet summer wind, which
was whrng about the dry oak leaves, nearly intox-
icated us with dcIight and we hurried on, filled
with excitement, to escape entirely from the horrid
region of inhosptable snow, to the perpetual spring
OF the Sacramento.
"When we had travelled about ten miles, the val
ley opened little to an oak and pine bottom,
through which ran rivules closely bordered with
rushes, on which our half-starved horses fell with
avidity; and here we made our encampment Here
the roaring torrent has already become river, and
we had descended TO an elevation of 1854 feet
"Another horse WINS killed tonight for foodn
february 25, &C. ~, continued down the valley Of
this stream, with comparative comfort, living on
horse or mule soup. Still the dangers were not
over; one of his men became "lght-headed and wan
dering," and unless food could be found for the
horses, death yet hung his gloomy pail over them.
While searching for grass, loud shout from Car
son was heard "Life yet, }" said he, he came up,
"lile yeti have found hill side sprinkled with
grass enough for the night" Three horses "gave
out' that day-the remainder were conducted TO
Inc 1000 winch had been found. February l9th
rested for the horses to gain strength and to
those that had failed and strayed. Another man be-
came deranged. 'The times were severe when
stout men lost their minds from extremity of suffer-
ng--when horses died--and when mules and horses
ready to die of starvation, were killed for food; yet
there was no murmuring or hesitation" The Jour
ney still continued down the valley of this stream
On the 5th March, Mr.. Preuss recovered the camp,
after having been wandering alone for several days
On the 9th, the horses had recovered sufficient
strength to carry riders On that day, they Chat is,
the advanced party) reached Suffers Yet, the Joy
at the termination of this dreadful passage of the
"Scrra" did not make Capt. Fremont forget his
men. He started back the next day, to meet those
left behind under the care Of Mr.. Fitzpatrick taking
with him supply of fresh horses and of provision.
He met them in two days-a forlorn and pitiable
sight-"all on foot--each man, weak and emaciaed,
leading horse mule weak and emaciated as
himself" Many of the animals had fallen over
precipiccs; among others, mule with the plants
which had been collected since leaving Sort Hall;''
others had been eaten; that out of 81, with which
the passage of the "Sierra" had been commenced
only 80 had reached the valley of the Sacramento.
On the 9th of March the whole party were together,
near the hospitabe mansion of Capt. Suffer. Here
we will let them rest, and here also we will take
some rest ourselves.
Y.