The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-11-15
The Civil Expedition to California.

weeks nard travel the uate Oh my ieUer on
the Sweet Water has brought us to this most interest
ing point in route Yesterday at arrived at
the eliminating point" dividing ridge between the
Atlantic and Pacific This evening encamped on
the Little Sandy of the forks of Green river which
is tributary of the great Colorado which flows into the
gulf of California. Thus the great daydream of my
youth and Of my ripper years is accomplished. have
the Rocky mountains-have crossed the Rubcon,
and on the waters that flow to the Pacific II
if had left the old world behind, and that
new one is dawning upon me. In every step thus far
there has been something new, something to attract
should the remainder of my journey be as interesting
shall be abundantly repaid for the tolls and hardshps
this arduous trip. But must lead you back to the date
of my letter the Sweet Water, and attempt to give
you description of its most interesting valley.
drive of FIVE miles brought to Independence
Rock, in the appearance of which all disap
pointed as expected to find a rock high that you
could hardly its top but instead of that in compare
son with some of the high peaks surrounding it, seen
from the distance, looked tame and undressing It
is about 800 yards long and about feet high Of
oval shapeone solid Of granite rising porpendcu-
larly from the green bottom lands of the Sweet Water
ITS Sides to the height of 80 feet covered with
of travellers who have passed by There indena
ton about half way its top where there single pine
tree growing Hastings in his trip California in ls42 in
attempting to climb the rock to this tree taken
prisoner by the Indians In about eight miles fur Their
we came to the Devils Gate" where ''nooned "
aud the Of party walked down to take look at
it. The Sweet Water at this place makes gap through
rock mountain which On either side rises 400 feet from
the water The rock is Of granite, single pieces of
which, as large ordinary house, found in this
place We drove on till down. and caught up with
Boggs company, which had left us the day before and
encamped. No scenery in our whole route has be en-
delightful than that in this days drive The
valley of the Sweet Water is about 1--WE miles wide On
one right was long line of rock hills or mountains,
from the smooth level of rich meadow land: Nothing
could present greater contrast with the sterile granite
mountains than this On right the valley is bound
ed by the Sweet Water mountains of from ten to fifteen
hundred feet in height. The river is stream about
large Onondaga crock, and winds through this de-
lig6tfu valley-sometimes by the mountains our left
and the mountains Of rock for they literally so,
our right. In two instances found this range
broken into isolated hills which were seen in their
lonely beauty the green meadow land, stretching in
some instances far as the eye could reach in and
around them, still frightening the charm of this
The next day we travelled on and encamped again on
on the Sweet Water, after drive of about twenty
the base of large mountain Of rock The sun
was an hour high, and | had great desire to 90
ooR S ep 10 no one
enough to accompany me in climbing its steep rugged
sides and compelled to give up the jaunt, not
and in q short time entered the Narrow place SO
called where the river and the road through
rock mountains which three four hundred feet on
either side This wild and romantic place On ar.
irving at the end of this gap the road struck upon
Their elevated sandy ridge and we drove till SHUTDOWN
small stream which furnished scarcely water for the
cattle, Here Boggs company came up and stayed with
they stole the march us"rolling out" frst-saving
to get along best we might This movement cha.
sd to he lead hs from psos hc s
of 1.-THE clad mountains" lying of to the northwest
It the Wind river chan and many OF the peaks
covered with snow. II was now midsummer-we had
been travelling for the past ten days ander broing
and was strange thus suddenly to see this winter
appearance on the distant hills
We travelled on till noon, when we passed Bogg g
company the Sweet Water-a mile further up, Duna-
vy's-a mile further Vests and about two miles be-
yond that Dunbar's We epcamped about midway
between the two latter. Thus within five miles
camped FIVE companies At Indian Creek 20 miles from
but owing to assertions and quarrelng, they became
brokenin fragments; and now by accident we all again
ties are forgotten aud good feeling prevails w ~
Dnnbar's company seemed to he at the head wa
tiers of the river for the hills from that place alb
but channel left for it, waters to flew
Therefore thought that this be its head wa
the dividing RIDGE but mistaken for two days stel
we encamped again on the Sweet Water which appear
ed to be nearly large did when first struck il
have doubt the Kanyon spoken by Fremont and
have since regretted that did not pay 1t a visit
The next morning got rather late start owing to
"dferet ce Of opinion among our company Ia not
frequent thing among all companies that the
wishing to lay by were principally young men, who
wished to have days hunt among the bu6aloes There
were also few families out Of meat who wished to get
Their urged that the cattle nearly
out by hard travel and they would not stand it unless
stepped and gave them rest On the other side II
commended that 4 stopped here the other companies
would all get ahead-that the grass would all be eat out
along our cattle would starve as there would be nothing
for them to subss on The goahead party finally ruled
and we "rolled out"
| - i'll, l.;
ousy mentioned, up which we wound our way, and
were two three hours in reaching its summit. We
small stream that flowed apparently westward Many
| supposed with myself among the number, that this
rocky ridge was the eliminating point" and that
the waters that flowed to the Pacific. The
Wind River Mountains, with their capped peaks
lay on right, and the Sw eet Water mountains
the south east left. To the west we'll to
the east the view unobstructed and every thing
seemed indicate this to be the South Pass according
% s We drove on till wSe
pure stream, with a swift current, which supposed
might be the Little Sandy but we were soon convinced
Of the contrary its general current east and
all had no doubt but that we were again on the banks Of
theSweet Water.
drove about ten twelve miles and nooned" without
finding water for cattle. This place was on O ridge
There was large table mound left, covering an
area of about mile square,; there also a smaller
mound on our right The wind strong from the
west and the day quite cold For the past eight ten
the cool breeze an agreeable change After our usual
delay. again the road and after few hours
drive 10 fine spring with the grass looking green
about it, The managers of company finding rather
Doggy thought the cattle would get mired should they
attempt feed upon the rich heritage and concluded to
60 till they found better grass before they stopped for
the night. We, therefore, drove till nearly sup
down, but came to no more water grass. We pre-
sently to deep gully, where there little
water, but grass and were going by without paying it
passing notice When Mr.. r., who had been sent on a
head to look out for camping place, return
ing at full gallop He up and told that
must go back to the gully and stay, bad II was. IL
after dark that night before got suppers.
Mr. d. who had been out with r. had not returned and
all concluded that he must be lost Guns fired
and beacons placed the surrounding hills About IL
o'clock he made his appearance
The next day, Sunday, travelled on till noon but
found wood water and not till the middle
Of the afternoon, that we reached small stream where
we encamped. This stream OF a swift current and
sandy color, and its general course westward This
surprised the most OF they willing to
knowledge that they had crossed the dividing ridge
without knowing H. But il was true: The place where
we had "nooned the day before, with the table mound
on our right and the little mound on our left was the
eliminating point between the Atlantic and the Pac