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

ICaiAolll JOuIHcl 10 Aue h0Cht EA0~A-
tains, is most spiritedIy written. Having
to ascend the highest point OF
the Rocky Mountains, Capt. F., with few
of his men, proceeded with their mules a.
far as these naturally climbing animals
could keep their footing. They then a
bandoned them in a cool green valley, clos
ed in on all sides by walls OF rocks, aR6
proceeded on foot, and with hands - scale
these walIs-at how much cost Of etf5Et
and exposure, be extract We annex, wall
tell:
" Having Invested ourselves Of every
unnecessary encumbrance, We commenced
the ascent This sine, like experienced
travellers, we did not press ourselves, bat
climbed leisurely. sitting down so soon n
we found breath beginning to fail. Vt IN
tervals we reached places where num-
Der OF springs gushed from the rOckS, and
about 1900 feet above the lake, came 10
the snow line. From this point our pro
gress was uninterrupted climbing. Haher-
to had worn a pair Of thick moccasics,
with soles Of parAeche, bat here pa on
a thin hight pair, which | had bought tor
the purpose, as now the use Of our toes
became necessary to further advance.
avaiIed myself of a sort Of comb OF the
mountain, which stood against the wall
like buttress, and which the wind and
solar radiation, Joined to the stee3ness OF
the smooth rock, had kept, almost entire
y free from snow. Up this | made my
way rapidly. Our cautious method ot
advancing III the outset had spared my
strength; and with the exception q a
Sigh; disposition to headache, felt NJ re-
mains of Yesterdays illness. In u few
minutes we reached point where the
buuress was oveIhanging, and there was
no other way of surmounting the difficulty
than by pacing sroung one side Of i,,which
was The face OF vertical PreciPire OF
several hundred feet.
Putting hands and feet IN the crevtces
between the blocks succeeded IN getting
over il, and when reached the top, fosInt
my companions in small valley below
Descending 10 them, we continued climl-
ing, and in Il short time reached the crest
| sprang into the summit and another step
wsa,li have precipitated me into a----2-
mense snow field 1--WE hundred feet below.
To the edge of This field was a sheer ICY
precipice; and then with gradual fall. the
field sloped of fo- about a mile. until {,
struck the foot of another lower ridge.
stood on a narrow crest about three feet IN
width, with an inclination Of about 20 d.
grees north 81 degrees east. As soon As
had grariied the first feelings Of curiOsi-
Is, descended, and each man ascended
in his turn; for would allow ONLY one al
time 10 mount the unstable and preca
rious slab, which it seems as if a breath
would hurl into the abyss below. We
mounted the barometer IN the snow Of the
summit. and, fixing a ramrod in a crevice,
unfurled the national flag to wave in the
breeze where never flag waved before
During our morning ascent, we had me-
no sign Of animal life, except the small
sparrow like bird already mentioned 4
Stiffness most prufound, and a terrible
solitude forced themselves constantly OF
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 though, our
selves beyond the region of animated life
but while we were sitting on the rock ;
solitary bee (bromus, the bundle beel cams
wmging its fright from the eastern valley
and liz on the knee of one OF the men,
1t was a strange place, The icy rUck, an
the highest peak of the Rocky Mountains
for lover of warm sunshine and flowers
and we pleased ourselves with the idei
that he was the first of his species TO eros
the mountain barrier-a solitary ponce
to foreIell the advance of civilization.
believe that a moments thought woul
have made us let him continue his wa
unharmed, but we carried out the laws Q
this country, where all animated nafur
seem at war; and, seizing him immediate
~, put him in at least a fit Dlace-in tn
leaves of large book, among the flower
we had collected on our way. The ba
rometer stood at 1928, The attaches
thermometer at A deg giving for the Ell
ovation of this summit Is, $40 fee; abov'
the Gulf of Mexico, which NAV be Gale
the highest flight of the bee. Ii is certain
ly the highest known flight of that insect
From the description given BY Mae
kenzie of the mountains where he crosse
them, with that of French officer sti
further to the north, and Gel Longs mea
suremenis TO the south, joined to the opin
! ion of the oldest traders of the country,
J is presumed that this is The highest pea
{ of the Rocky Mountains. The day wa
D sunny and bright, but a slight shining mi
: hung oSerth lower plains which iEteriel
; ed with our viewol the surrounding couE
g try. On one side we overlooked INIT
v merable lakes and streams, the spring
! the Colorado OF the Gulf of Caliiornr
J. aud on the other was the Wind river va