Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1845-03-08
LIT. FREMoNT'S EXPEDITION
TO OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.


The recent expeditan Of 1t. Fremont, under
the direction of the War Department, is one of
most daring and romantic among the achieve.
menls Of modern travellers 1t was not merely
an expedition to Oregon, bur it was the cross
ing Of the great North American Andes. in the
midst Of winter--a feat far exceeding the pas.
sage the Alps, by the Ancient or modern
warriors.
In the annual report Of the Typographical
Department there is brief sketch Of his anr
ney. l. has none OF its romance but contains
an outline Of what was done, which may hp
enough to excite an Interest in the narrative.
which we hope LII. Fremont will hereafter give
the public.
This officer left Wesport, Missouri, on the
IL, Of June l843. His route from there was
first to the mouth Of the Kansas; thence up that
stream to the Republican Fork, which was
pursued to Longs Peak. This with two oth-
er lofty SUBMITS, are spurs or shoots from the
gigantic range Of The Rocky Mountains
Longs Peak is called from Col Long, now of
the United States Typographical Corps, who
was at the head Of the most important and ad>
vantngeous exploring expedition which has
visited that country since the day Of Lewis and
Clark. This peak is enormously stated in lhp
Topogra phcal report, and enormously printed
in the maps, at IL, 800 feet This we have
from Col. Long himself, who surveyed it,
The head Of this peak, with those Of its giant
neighbors, rises above the region Of perpetual
snow, and their frozen brows defy the RAYS OF
the war mes, sun. Here 1t. Fremont arrived
on the fourth of July. On the l4h he was at
the Arkansas river, at the mouth Of Fontaine
qui bout. He crossed the mountains at the
South West Pass. and decended into the valley
Of the Mex can Colorado. This is one Of the
most remarkable spots on earth. Here al an
angle formed by the line dividing Mexico from
the United States, and the head waters OF the
Arkansas, in the midst OF the northern Andes.
are the fountain springs and branches Of some
Of the greatest rivers in the world. Not far
from each other, are the head waters Of the
Yellow Stone, which flows into the lar rolling
Missouri; the Arkansas, which joins the nigh
ty Mississippi; Lewis river, flowing into the
the Columbia, and the Colorado Of Mexico.
| rolling its waters into the southern Paclhc!-
With barren plains on one side. vast ranges OF
mountains on the other, and frozen SUBMITS
| above, the traveller here contemplates the Ge'
| ograph!cal KEY ofthe north American continent
On the Sd Of September, 1t. Fremon, reach
ed the great salt Lake Of Northern Mexico, and
spent a week 10 surveying il. On the 18Th Of
September he reached Fort Hall; and on the
26th Of October, Fort Nez Perces. On the Ali
of November, he was at the NJ Visionary Station
OF Dalles. on the Columbia. This was the
northern termination Of his journey on the ter
ritory Of the United States. On the Goth Of
November he commenced the bold project Of
returning amidst the seventies OF winter
There was then heavy fall Of snow, and the
thel mometer was deg. below zero. In the
course OF few days he found himself between
the river Aur Chwee and the Cascade Noun
-: Ilol, ,oc. ,,,,u
continue 10 run southwark, and he continued to
traverse their western base till on the 10 h
of December he was at Hamitt Lake. This
was probably about the 43 deg. Of north lRt-
tude and AZ deg. Of west longitude from Wash
ington. This was region Of great discovery
and extraordinary interest His annima IS
we're, however, entirely worn down, and there
was no prospect Of getting eas. He then de-
termined 10 cross the Sierra Merida, or great
Californian mountains, which lay between him
and the Bay Of San Francisco. He did; and he
cnld month OF February was consumed in eros
the SHOWS Of these lofty mountains. These
SHOWS were from Ava TO twenty feet derp!-
Early in March he decended from icy regions
to the perpetual spring Of the Valley OF hr
Sacramento. BY the Mexcans he was received
and treated with great hospitality. At the
end Of March be proceeded up the valley of 10.
aquim river, re-crossng the Sierra AT very
beau .ifa pass to the south. On the 9lst Apri
last, he took ne Spanish road from Peubos d,
los A. ceos TO Santa Fee Arrived again at tn,
Colorado. he proceeded northeast, Psss"C
the Euta Lake, and encsmped al Brown
Hole. June 9Th, 1874 Crossing at Colorado
he again passed the Rocky Mountains and pro
ceedrd TO the north lofk ofthe Nebraska. o
, the 30th June he was on the Arkansas, on thu
? I'd July returned to the mouth Of the Kansa
river.
Such is an outline OF one Of the longest AT
! most adventurous expeditions Of our time
Tha, part Of the e1 petition which relates 10 m
passage Of the California mounans-the re
1 turn 10 the Colorado, and the survey OF tina
river, must have peculiar interest, and will be
MAN 10 ha nh hIic mind