The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-26
MIsCELLAN US.
For the Union.
vprMoNT,s EXPEDITIONS.

,,, west of the Mississippi, and referred 70 inc
uhu csn,ain Fremont, II would seem 10 DC IN
ea AR now TO say something OF the expedi-
ural ,ssIyes. In doing this, however, justice
ns md Jasd requires that we should not pass over
me .,ses of Nicollet. Although, in reference to
'.,s expeditions, the publication of his report
Ssst in order Of time, yet his services We're
nO. sbal therefore, treat Of his report and map
NV order in which the service was performed.
sicoILET's EXPEDITIONS.
:, lam these expeditions under one head, be-
we ronort and map exhibit them as one work.
,ss rse;on embraced by the map extends over
ins mo Of latitude and about l2o OF longitude.
80 i would merely expose us TO just and Sc
ortcism, were we 10 pretend that all the mat
ibis man is the result OF actual observation
snryev, Much of it is Of that character; but
much Of il is the result ola careful computation OF
uer collected and previously published or ex-
W. IN the form OF manuscripts. The title OF
10 careful to acknowledge these facts, as it
lsr ~ being compiled from Nicollet's map Of
so fS;s mao was published before his report, J
,,,Ssr authorities. We notice this particularly,
,Sose wbo examine his map as published with
.anor, If I8l3 might not also examine the title.
ine If Mr.. Ncollet stood upon too solid a
Az sa,,,,re fictitious aid Il was not necessary
7" !, him false and ephemeral reputation, by a
,,,;,;ous appropraton of the labor of others,
TX could have deceived only the ignorant, and
md have cast just doubts upon the merit OF what
had actually done.
h. had personay examined oil of the Missis-
=; unon his map he had also personally ex-
ned all of the Missouri within the same limits;
i Foamopt, under his direction, had made an ac
r.,e survey of the St. PETERS from its sources to
connection with the Mississippi. The three
r fnra N
nj, of survey and observation. He had spent
hotter mart of five summers among the sources
the Mississippi, and among the singular
,,ru,b of lakes in that region. His ex-
live and numerous journeys there, marked
On The man in dotted lines, best attest the
,snt and vigilance of his Investigations. While
wos in that country, he took several opportuni-
. Of examining the region east of the Mississippi
A south of Lake Superior, and OF the river st
mis- which empties into the western extremity
AXE Superior. He gave us also better informa-
n than before existed, Of the territory between
kny-lake river and Pigeon river Of Lake Su-
rior. He examined the Missouri from It's
bu,h. near ST. Louis, as high up as " Fort
ere Chouleau," in about latitude 44o "a, from
hicb point he commenced his journey in 1888,
b The wilderness northeast Of that river, strik-
as soon as practicable, coax Wood" a
int Of the river Jacques," tributary of the Mis-
,r From this point, he progressed to the north,
the valley of the Jacques" and the valley of the
avenne-olu a tributary of the Red river of the
brtb. to Minwakan DEVILS lake, in latitude 4So
r,h, Much of this lake was surveyed by him and
assistant He then returned to the south, Ia
ng route east Of the valley ofthe Shayenne-oju,
"A crossing several of the head-waters of the prin-
bal tributaries Of the Red river Of the North, to
head or northern extremity of the famous Go
u des Prairies" He examined this celebrated
caliy with great care, giving better knowledge OF
than had before existed. In fact, until the journey
Nicolet, we knew nothing of this famous SEQ
u,n of its extent or form. From the observa-
bns of Nicoet, il appears that the Sioux river, a
butary of the Missouri, has its origin near the
bper end of the ''Coteau des Prairies," occupying
deep valley in the middle of this remarkable form
lon, pursuing course nearly south until it empes
elf into the Missouri He followed the valley of
is stream nearly throughout the extent of the eco
ku,n when, taking a course towards the east, he
countered the head waters of the "Des Mones'
the Mississippi. He followed that stream for
me distance; then, taking the highlands which
ain from one side into the st. Peters, he finally
minated his expedition of that year at Fort Smell
Rg. His other various routes are dotted upon the
hp. We shall not pursue them further, but leave
at pleasure to the curious reader of his report.
throughout his journeys, he used the barometer,
Fefuy observing its indications, and founding upon
EN- many interesting remarks upon differences Of
Fel.
Part of his report is occupied with descriptions
his journeys, of the country its productions capa.
lilies, and geological features. Part II is of much
ientifc interest. In this he treats of the determi
3ions Of attitudes by the barometer, showing the
bn he pursued, the results he obtained, and the
n6dence due to those results. He describes under
hat circumstances an observer is liable to estimate
attitudes too low, or too high; and which, from
experience, is the best period of the day for bar
Metric observations of the altitude of mountains
rom his observations, he makes the height Of the
ssouri, at "Council Bluffs" to be ,037 feet above
Gulf Of Mexico, and the height of the Missisip-
at st. Peters, above the Gulf, to be 744 feet. The
light Of "Council Bluffs above the Missouri at its
notion with the Mississippi, is 655 feet; and the
lights Of various places, referring TO the Gulf Of
exico, are put down in neat figures upon the map.
He then treats upon the best method of determin-
& time, when an observer is not provided with a
ansit instrument. He also treats OF the method OF
Fermining ATTITUDES and longitudes, discussing va
ous observations, and showing comparative results.
Ve cannot recommend too highly to our scientific
aders, and to all explorers, this part Of Nicoets
Port--evidently written with great care, and evil
fnty the production Of well-informed mind. To
lis part Of his report is attached an appendix OF
biographical positions in tabular form, giving, in
Pproprate columns distances '.from PLACE to place, y
from the Gulf of Mexico, " "north attitudes, "longi-
bdes west of Greenwich sin time' and Gin arc
he same table also contains barometric attitudes
above the Gulf Of Mexico.n
From this table it appears that Nicollet and his
slsants, during the several expeditions under his
|recton, determined l41 attitudes by the barome-
r. Those only who are familiar with observations
\ the barometer, can imagine the immense labor
hlch the reduction, discussion, and calculating Of
many observations require. He also, during the
pme time, determined Ia barometric positions with
W The limits Of his map. OF the number OF lati.
ldes and longitudes determined, we find by the
me table that there were POT Of the former, and
Do OF the latter. These do not constitute all
Pe geographical positions used in making the
Pap the table exhibits many more, and the au-
pony for each; but our object at present be-
Y merely to exhibit the labors Of Nicollet, we
eak only OF his observations. Well, then, he
ermlned POI attitudes and I6S longitudes. To
lose OF our readers who are familiar with such
ok, we need hardly speak Of its immense and op.
essive labor. Series of ten, twenty, and thirty
observations are often taken for one latitude; and
en nese are short series, but traveller can rarely
more Then these observations have to be re-
ieed and prepared for calculation, brought to q
eah, or many calculated, and the mean OF several
suns taken, OF longitudes, also, the calculation
extremely laborious, particularly Of lunar dis
nees, which the traveller, using rejecting nstr,i-
el's because OF their more convenient and more
aus carriage, has frequently to resort tor, in
'er words, which constitute his principal obser-