Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-08-23
NATIONAL lNTELLIGENCER.
CAPTAIN FREMoNTs SECOND EXPLORING
EXPEDITION.


the second expedition Of this enterprising and
Tented young officer. Our opinion respecting Cap
tain FREMoNT's peculiar fitness for the position he
was placed in has been already expressed. The
manner in which he conducted this second expedl-
tion amidst of difficulty and danger lar ex-
cecdng those which attended the former one; the
highly satisfactory way in which he has discharged
all the duties and accomplished all the purposes
contemplated and the successful issue to his peril
Gus undertaking achieved by his courage, his skill,
his sound Judgment, and, we will add, his humans
ty his correct OF moral obligation and love OF
right entitle him to the highest praise.
Captain FREMONT departed on his second expe-
diton from the little town of Kansas, on the Mis-
souri, frontier, on the 29th of May, lS43. His
party consisted principally Of Creole and Canadian
French, and Notwithstanding in all to thirty
nine men; among whom were several OF those who
had accompanied him on his former tour Mr..
Thomas Fitzpatrick was selected as the guide, and
Mr.. Charles Preuss was associated with the expe-
dition in the same capacity as before. The party
were armed generally with Halls carbines, and
were furnished with brass underground howit-
ger. The camp equipage and provisions were
transported in twelve carts, each drawn by two
mules, and light covered wagon, mounted on
springs, conveyed the instruments
sTo make the exploration useful possible, deter
mined, says Captain FREMoST, in conformity with
general instructions vary the route to the Rocky Noun
tains from that followed in the year 1912 The route then
up the valley Of the Great Platte to the South Pass
north latitude 42o the determined up
the valley Of the Kansas river and to the head Of the Akan
and TO pass in the mountains any could be found
at the sources of that river.
By making this deviation from the former route the prob
lem Of new road to Oregon and California in climate
genial might be solved and better knowledge obtained
Of important and the country Drained while the
great object Of the expedition would find its point of
the termination OF the former, which was at
that great gate ridge Of the Rocky Mountains called the
South Pass and the lofty peak OF the mountain which
oveooks il deemed The highest peak in the RIDGE and from
the opposite sides of which four great rivers take their rise
and flow the Pacific or the Mississippi.
The route appears to have been for many days
through pleasant and level prairie country, inter-
sected with numerous streams in general well tim
bered on their margin with ash, elm, cottonwood,
and very large oak. This agreeable state of things
did not however, long continues for, the narrative
says
Shortly after leaving encampment the 26th June,
found suddenly that the nature of the country had entirely
changed Bare sand hills every where surrounded the
undulating ground along which moving, and the
plants peculiar sandy soil made their appearance album
dance"
The fourth of July was spent at ST. Vrain's fort,
In latitude 40 deg. l6 min. 50 north and lon
gitude west los deg. 10 min, % sec.
The party were in the neighborhood OF Pixies
peak on the 18th of July. We are told respecting
the country through which they were now travel
ling, that
'With occasional exceptions, comparatively very small
to require meson, these praes every where
cred with close and vigorous growth of great variety OF
grasses among which the most abundant the buffalo grass
(sesleria dayids Between the Platte and Arkansas
e that part Of this region which forms the basin drained BY
the waters of the Kansas with which operations made
particularly acquainted based upon formation of cal
careous rocks The soil Of all this country excellent, ad
mraby adapted to agricultural purposes and would support
large agricultural and pastoral population sanea the
accompanying this report along our several lines Of ira
vel will show you that this plain watered by many
Throughout the half Of the plain these shallow
with sandy beds becoming deeper they reach the richer
lands approaching the Missouri they generally have
bottom lands, bordered by bluffs varying from fifty five
hundred feet in height In all this region the timber is
rey confined to the streams In the eastern half where the
soil is deep, rch vegetable mould, retentve of rain and
moisture is Of vigorous growth and Of many different kinds
and throughout the western halt its consists entirely of various
species of which deserves be called the
the desertgrowing sandy soils where other will
grow pointing the existence of water, and furnishing
the traveller fuel, and food for his animals.
On the 18th July Captain FREMONT visited the
celebrated Springs, from which the Boiling Springs
River takes its name, and gives the following graphic
sketch Of their locality:
Leaving the camp follow slowly rode ahead in the
afternoon in search Of the springs In the time the
clouds which had been gathered all the afternoon the
mountains began roll down their sides and storm so vio
lent burst upon that appeared had entered the
house of the thunder storms. continued however ride
along up the until about sunset and beginning 10
be doubtful of finding the springs before the day. when
suddenly upon large smooth rock about twenty yards
in diameter where the from springs bubbnp
and boiling up the midst Of white ncrustaion with which
II had covered portion of the rock As this did correspond
wha description given by the hunters did
the water but dismounting, walked little way up the river
and passing through hcket Of sbubbery bordering
the stream, stepped directly upon huge white rock the
e OF which the nver already become torrent oamed along
broken by small fall. deer which had been drinking at
The spring was startled by my approach and spngng
the nver bounded of the mountain In the upper part
the rock which had apparently been formed by deposition
was beautiful white BASIN overhung by bushes in
which the cold clear bubbed up kept
ton by the escaping and oveowng the rock which
had almost entirely covered with smooth Of gstening
white had all day rcfraincd from drinking eseying my
sell for the spring and could well be than
the rain had already made me- lay down by the side of the
basin, and drank heartily of the delightful water The
nexed sketch only rude one but will enable YOU form
some idea of the character OF the scenery and the beauty
ths SPOT Immediately al the foot of lofty mountans beauti
FULLY tmbered, which sweep closely round shutting no the
LITTLE valley in kind Of As was beginning to grow
dark, rode quickly down the river on which found the
camp few miles below.
The morning Of the 18th was beautiful and clear and
a ne people being anxious drink Of these famous waters
we encamped Immediately the springs and spent there
very pleasant day On the opposite side Of the river is ano
iocay OF springs, which entirely OF the same nature
Inc water mas very agreeable taste which Mr. Preus found
very much 70 resemble that Of the famous Setter springs in The
grand duchy Of Nassau" 1850
July 20.--The narrative s,.,c. q W. .a.,; j
Up 'ne s.feam along green sopng bottom between nine
hills on the one hand and the man BIact hills on 10 *.
towards the Hlge which separates the waters az the plat,
rom those OF the Arkansas AZ we apnro,cbed ,bo da,;