American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-09-04


Until the penGnt should weep and say
How injured and low faithful have been.
CAPT. FREMoNr ON THE HlGErsT z elK OF
THE Rocky MOUNTAINS. The following ex-
-.ract from Captain Fremont's Joarneyto the
Rocky Mountains, is most spritedly writ:en.-
Having determined to ascend the highest peak
of the Rocky Mountains, Capt. f., with a few
Of his men, proceeded with their mules as far
as these naturally climbing animals could keep
their footing. They then abandoned them in
cool green valley, closed In oa all SIDES by
walls of rocha, and proceeded on foot, and with
hands to scale these wals-at how much cost
Of effort and exposure this extract we annex
will tell
Having Invested ourselves Of every pnneces-
sary encupRbrance, we commenced tbs ascent.
This time, Ike experienced travellers, we did
not press ourselves, but climbed leisurey, sitting
down so soor as we found breath beginning to
fail At intervals we reached places where a
number of sorin!gs gushed frora the rocks, and
about 500 feet above the lake, came to the
snow line. From this point our progress was
uninterrupted eli nhing. Hitherto 1 had worn
pair of thick mocasins, with soles of rarfeche,
but here pot on thin light pair, which had
brought for the purpose, as now the uGe Of our
toes became niece sslry to a further advance |
awaited myself OF sort ofcomb of the noun
.an which stood against the wall like but
tress and which the wind and the solar rada-
ton, joined to the steepuess of the smooth rock,
had kept almost entirely free fom snow. To
this made my way rapidly. Our cautious
method of advan cling ia the outset had spared
my strength; and, with the exception cfa slight
disposition &c he adache, / felt no remains of
Yesterdays lines IS. In few minutes we
reached point where the but.ress was over
hanging, and there was no other way of sur
mounting the difficulty than by passing around
one side OF it, Rhc h was the face ola vertical
preopce Of Sc yeral hundred feet.
Puttng hands Ind feet in the crevlGes be-
tween the blocks succeeded in getting ever it,,
and when reached the top, found my aompa-
MEMS in Il small val ley below. Descending to
them, we continued climbing, and in short
time reached the crest. sprang upon the
summit, and anothe step would have orecipi-
tated me into az immense snow field five hun
dred feet below. To the edge ofthis field was
a sheer icy precipice; and then with a gradual
fall, the field soped off for about mile, cntil
t struck the foo. of another lower ridge. |
stood on a narrow crest, about three fec. in
nolth 3 deg. east. AS soon as | had gratiicd
the first feelings oc Gu riosity, descended, and
each man assembled in his turn; for | world
allow only one at { time to R2Gunt the unstable
and precarious slab, which il seemed AZ ii a
breath would hurl into the abyss below. W e
mounted the barometer in the snow or the SUM-
nit, and, fixing ramrod i'll a cleVicc, unturle6
the national flag to wave in the breeze where
never flag waved before. During our morn
ing's ascent, we had met no sign OF animal life
except the small sparrow like bird already men
toned A ctillness the most profound, and Il
terrible solitude forced themselves constantly
ca the mind as the features of the place.
Here, on the summit, where the stiffness was
absolute unbrcken by any sound, AID the soil
tude complete, we thorght ourselves beyond
the region of animated hte; but while we were
sitting on the rock, solitary bee (bromus, the
humble bee) cane winging its flight from the
eastern valley, and lit on the knee of the men.
It was strange place, the icy rock, and the
highest peak of the Rocky Mountains; for q
lover Of warm sunshine and flowers; and We
pleased ourselves with the idea that he was the
first of his species TO cross the mountain bar
rier-a solitary pioneer to ioretell the advance
of civilization. | believe THAT moments
thought would have made us let him continue
his way unframed; but we carried out the law
of this country, where all animated nature
seems at war; and, sezing him Immediately,
put him in at least fit place-in the leaves OF
4 large book, among the flowers we had COL
lected on our way. The barometer stood at
10 a99, the attached thermometer at Al deg;
giving for the elevation of this summit 1880
feet above the Gulf of Mexico, which may be
called the highest flight of the bee. 1t is GER
.ainly the highest known fight of that insect
From the description given by Mackenzie of
The mountains where he crossed them, With
that Of French officer still further to the
north, and Col. Longs measurements to the
south joned to the opinion Of the Oldest ira