Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-02-04

]. c. FREMONT. of the Corps of Topogra-
phical Engineers. Washington; Print |
ed by order of the Senate of the United |
States. l845.
Extracts from the Journal of the First Elk |
pedItion.)
Rock Tndspendcnce.
This is an isolated graniie rock, about
GAO yards hong, sFa - in height. Elk
cept in depression of the summit, where
a little soil supports scanty growth of
shrubs, with solitary dwarf pine, ii is
entirelg bare. Every where within six
or eight feet of the ground, where the sur
face is sufficiently smooth, and in some
places MANY feet higher, the rock il in
scribed with the names of travellers. Ma
nv a name famous in the history of this
country, and some we'll known to history,
are to he found mixed among those of the
traders, and of travellers for pleasure and
curiosity, and of missionaries among the
savages. Not unmindful of the custom
of early travellers and explorers IN oar
country, | engraved on this rock of the
Far West symbol of The Christian faith
Among the thIckly inswihed names, |
made on the hard granite the impression
of a large cross, which | covered with
black preparation Of India rubber, we'll
calculated to resist the influence of wind
and rain. 1t stands amidst the names of
many who have long since found their
way to the grave, and for whom the huge
rock IL giant gravestone.
The VOydgeurS on another Element.
August 23.--In obedience to nv in
struciions to survey the river Platte, If
possible, had determined 10 make an at.
tempt at this place. The India rubber
boat was filled with air, placed in the wa
ter, and loaded with what was necessary
for our operations; and | embarked with
Mr.. Preuss and party of men. When
we had dragged our boat for mile or two
over the sand, aband med the impossible
undertaking, and waited for the arrival Of
the party, when We packed up our bnat
and equipage, and al O'clock were ag in
moving along on our land journey. We
continued along the valley on the right
bank of the river. We passed over
ridge which borders or constitutes the RI
yer hills of The Platte, consisting of huge
blocks, sixty or eighty feet cube, of de-
composing granite. The cement which
united them was probably of easier de.
composition, and has disappeared and lett
them isolate, and separated BY small spa
ces. Numerous horns OF .he mountain
goat we're lying among the rocks; and in
the ravines were cedars, whose trunks
we're OF extraordinary size. From this
ridge we descended TO "A small open pllin
at the mouth of the Sweet Water, which
rushed with a rapid current intr the Platte,
here flowing along in a broad, tranquil,
and apparently deep stream, which seem
ed, from its turbid appearance, to be con
sideraby swollen. obtained here some
| astronomical observations, and the after
noon was spent IN getting our boat ready
for navigation the next dav.
August 24.-We started before sunrise,
intending to breakfast al Goat Island.
had directed The land party, in charge of
Bernier, to proceed to this place, where
they were TO remain, should the> find no
note TO apprlse them OF our having passed.
In the event OF receiving this information.
they were TO continue their route, passing
by certain places which had been designa-
led. Mr.. Preuss accompanied me, and
with us we're five of my best men, VIZ:
q. Lambert, Basil Laj eunesse. Honore
Ayor, Benllst, and Descoteaux. Here ap-
peared no scarcity of water, and we took
on board, with varIndS Instruments and
baggage, provisions for ten ur twelve days
We padded down the river rapidly, tor
our little Grail was light as a duck on the
waller; and the sun had been some time
risen, when We heard before Us ho 10 y
roar, which We supposed to be that OF q
fall, at which we had heard IA ague rImnr
but whose exact locality no one had UeeI
able to describe TO US. We were approach
ing a ridge, through which the river pass
es by place called +" canon," (pronounc
ed kGnyon,) Spanish word, sIgnifyihg {
piece of artillery, The barrel of a gun, Of
any kind of tube; and which in this coun
try has been adopted to describe the pas
sage Ct a river between perpendIcnla
rocks of grea: height, which frequently
approach each other so closely overhead
as to form kind of tunnel over the stream
which toams along below, halt choked up
by fallen fragments. Between the mouIl
OF the Sweet Water and Goat island, there
is PROBABLY fall OF 300 ieet, and ina. wa
principally made in the canons before US
; as, without them, the water was compare
lively smooth. AS We neared the ridge
the river made sudden turn, and swep
squarely down against one of The walls q
the canon with great velocity, and 81
steep descent that il had, 10 the eye, tn
! appearance of an inclined plane. Whel