Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-08-16
NATIONAL INTELLTGENCER
CAPTAIN FREMoNT's REpoRT.-(cosrrsvrp !

withstanding It's length, on account of the graph
beauty of the description and the interesting natur
of the position and the scene described II not on
gives fair specimen of Capt. F.'s powers as
writer, but il does very great credit to him as ma
of the most humanized and correct feelings, caps
BILE Of approaching the beautiful in Nature and tn
elevated and dignihed in moral conducts
august l2-Early in the morning we left the camp fiji
in number, well armed of course and mounted on
best mules. pack animal carried provisions, with
coffee pot and kettle, and three four cups Every maj
had blanket strapped his saddle for his bed
and the instruments carried by turns their backs w
entered directly rough and rocky ground and just ae
crossing the RIDGE had the good fortune TO shoot antelope
We heard the and had glimpse OF waterfall as We
rode along and, crossing in way two fine streams bu
tary to the Colorado about two hours ride we reached The
top of the first range Of the mountains Here again.
of the most romantic beauty met eyes. II seemed
it, from the expanse of undressing prairie had
passed over Nature had collected all her beauties together IN
chosen place. We overlooking deep valley, which
entirely occupied by three lnkes and from the brink the
surrounding ridges rose pecptousy five hundred and thou
feet covered with the dark green of the baam pne
eved the border of the lake with the light foliage of the
aspen They all communicated with each otheri and the
green of the WRITER'S 10 mountain lakes of great Depth
showed that il would be impossible them The sur
prise manifested by guides when these impossible obsa
Giles suddenly barred progress proved that they
among the hidden treasures OF the places unknown to the
wandering appers OF the region Descending the HILL we
proceeded make way along the margin the southern
extremity strip of angular fragments of rock
times afforded rough pathway for mules, but generally
rode along the shelving side, occasionally scambng up
a considerable risk of tumbling back into the lake.
The slope frequently 60o the pines grew densely
gehe and the ground covered with the branches and
trunks of The air fragrant with the odor of the
pines and realized this delightful morning the pleasure of
breathing that mountain air which makes constant theme Of
the hunters praise, and which made feel we had
all been drinking exhiarang gas The depths of this
UNEMPLOYED forest place to delight the heart Of botan
ist There rich underground of plants and numerous
ycoored flowers brilliant bloom. We reached the
let at length, where freshly barked willows that lay in
the water showed that beaver had been recently work
There small brown squirrels jumping about in the
pnes and couple OF large maard ducks swimming about in
the stream
The hills this southern end low and the lake look
ed like mimic the broke the sandy beach
the force of strong breeze There pretty open spot
with fine grass for mules and made halt on
the beach, under the shade of large hemlocks We
sumed journey after halt of about hour, making
way up the ridge the side of the lake In search
OF smoother ground, rode little inland and, passing
through groves ASPEN found ourselves again among
the pines Emerging from these struck the summit Of the
ridge above the upper end of the lake.
We had reached very elevated point and in the valley
below and among the hills number Of lakes at differ
ent levels three hundred feet above Others with
which they communicated by oamng torrents Even to
great height the of the up and could
see them eapng down lines of snowy foam. From this
Of busy waters turned abruptly into the stiffness
oIe where we rode among The open Dolls oil the pnes
lawn Of sedant grass having skingy the of cultivated
grounds Nhis led US, after time, among of rock
which had no vegetable earth but hoows and creyices
though still the pine forest continued Toward evening"
reached dee rather hole in the mountains entire
ly shut in by dark pine covered rocks
small stream with q scarcely percepbe current, flow
ed through level bottom Of perhaps eighty yards width,
where the grass saturated with Into this the
mules turned and neither hobed pckeed du
ring the night the fine pasturage took away all temptation
to stray and made bivouac in the pines The
rounding all of granite While supper being
prepared, set excursion in the neghborhood
companed by one of my We wandered about among
the and ravnes until dark richly repaid for walk by
fine collection Of plants many Of them in full bloom As
cendng peak to find the place of camp, that the
little de6e in which lay communicated with the long green
valley Of stream, which, here locked up the
tains far away the south found its way in dense forest
to the plains.
Lookng along its upward course seemed conduct by
smooth gradual slope, directly toward the peak which, from
long consultation approached the mountain, had de-
cided TO be the highest of the range. Pleased with the dis
covey Of fine road for the day. hasened down
the camp, where arrived Just in for supper Our
table service rather and held the in
hands, and clean rocks made good plates which spread
maccaroni. Among all the strange places which
had occasion encamp during long Journey none have
left so vivid an impression my mind the camp Of this
evening The disorder of the which surrounded
the little hole through which the stars overhead the
dark pines where slept and the rocks lit up with the glow
Of our fires, made night picture of very wild beauty
August l3-Ths morning was bright and pleasant, just
cool enough make exercise agreeable and entered
the defe had the preceding day. 1t smoothly
capeted with soft grass and scattered with groups Of
flowers Of which yellow the predominant color Some
forced, by occasional difficult pass, pick
way ledge along the side Of the dee and
the mules frequently their knees but these obsc-
tons rare and jouneyed in the morning
air delighted at good fortune in having found such
beautiful the mountains This road continued o
three miles, when suddenly reached its termination
in of the grand views which, every turn the
traveller in this magnificent region Here the dee up which
had travelled opened out into small lawn, where in
little lake. the stream had lis source.
There some fine asters in bloom, but all the flower
ing plants appeared to seek the shelter Of the rocks and
OF lower growth than below if they loved the warmth
the SOIL and kept Of the Of the winds Immediately
feet precpous descent led confusion Of defes
and before the mountains have represented then
in the annexed view. II is not by the splendor Of r-o
views which have lent such glory 10 the Alps that thes
impress the mind but by gigantic disorder Of
Masses and submty Of naked rock, in wonderful
contrast with nnumerabe green spots of rich floral beauty
shut in their stern Their wldness wei
suited the character of the people who nhab the country
81 determined TO leave animals here and make the
Of way foot The peak appeared near that there
doubt Of returning before night; and few
left in charge of the mules with provisions and blankets
We took with nothing but and Instruments and
the day had become warm, the greater part left
Having made early dinner, started again. We wer
soon involved the most ragged precce nearing the cen
trail chain very slowly and rising but little The first ndg
Ind succession Of others and when with great fatigue am
difficulty, we had climbed up five hundred feet was but
make an equal descent the other side all these intervening
places filled with small deep lakes which met the ey
IN every direction descending from level another some
times under bridges formed by huge fragments granite
meath which was heard the the water These con
an oosuucted our path forcing TO make long defours
frequently Obliged TO retrace steps, and frequently in
among the rocks. Maxwell was preci,,aed ,be c