Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-07-15


lion 10 reach the house of Mr.. Suffer, nea
the junction of the Rio De los Americana
with the Rio Sacramento. and then to re
turn, as speedily as possible, with provis
ions and fresh horses to the party. Thu
timber along the banks of the river, as they
advanced, became very large, some Of III,
pines being 10 feet in diameter. As they
proceeded down the stream the mountain,
on each side became higher, and shut il
the river narrowly with their lofty preci
pieces, making it difficult for the horses t,
pass. They were sometimes Obliged tc
make circuit over the spurs of the noun
tains which projected into the river.
On the 9th of February they forded a
large stream coming in from the north, and
encamped. They were in famished con.
dition. I'VE had with us" says Captain
Fremont, "a large kettle, and mule be.
ing killed here, his head was boiled in il
for several hours, and made a passable
soup for famished people," Their horses
were nearly exhausted for want of food
and the crossing of a steep spur 1000 feet
high, so reduced the strength of Capt Free
mont, that he was left behind with one OF
the men, 10 be brought on when he had
become recruited. So reduced were all
the animals, says Capt. F., that their lives
depended on finding food in the course oil
another day. Indeed, so reduced we're the
party, by want of food, and the excessive
hardshps they had endured, that one OF
the men, Clowns, became Iight-headed,''
and wandered off into the woods, without
knowing whittier he was going. He was
found and brought back. Another Of the
men, Derosier, also became deranged-
He had been sent back, to bring up Capt.
Fremont's horse that had given out Near
~ two days passed, and he did not return.
The following extract shows the alarming
extremity TO which the party were brought:
ave began to be uneasy at Deroser's
absence, fearing he might have been be.
wiIdered in the woods. Charles Towns,
who had not yet recovered his mind, went
to swim in the river, as if it were summer,
and the stream placid, when it was a cold
mountain torrent foaming among rocks. ~
We were happy 10 see Derosler appear IN
the evening. He came in, and sit
ting down by the fire, began TO tell us
where he had been. He imagined he had
been gone several days, and thought we
were still al the camp where he had lett
us; and we were panied to see that his
mind was derangeG. 1t appears that he
had been lost in the mountain, and hunger
and fatigue, joined to weakness of body,
and fear of perlshing in the mountains,
had crazed him. The times were severe
when stout men lost their minds from ex-
tremity of suffering-when horses dled~-
and when mules and horses, ready TO die
of starvation, were killed for food. Yet
there was 10 murmuring or hesitation"
On the Sd of March, horse about 10
die from starvation, was killed for food
and the next day they arrived al an In.
dian village, where they procured sup.
ply of acorns. The country had now i'm.
proved; oaks took the place of pines, grass
was quite abundant in places, butwild ami.
mails were very scarce.
On the 9Th Of March the country became
surprisingly beautiful, fine grazing coun.
try, and deer were abundant. Early in
The day they arrived at the junction OF the
stream they had been following, with the
Rio de- los Americanos; and little below
found on Indian village, Some Of the In
dians spoke Spanish, and they learned tina
they were in the immediate neighborhooc
Of Capt Suffer, They were soon in sigh
Of the fort, and saw him coming out Il
meet them. He gave them a most franz
and cordial reception, and the next day
Capt. f., with supply of fresh provisions
and horses, set of to meet the remainder
of the party whom he had left in the noun
tains. Capt, f. gives the following ac'
count Of the party as he found them:
"On the second day VIC met, few miles
below the forks of the Rio de los Ameri
canos, and more forlorn and pltiablt
sight than they presented cannot we'll be
imagined. They were all on foot-each
man, weak and emaciaed, leading horse
or mule as weak and emaciated as them
selves. They had experienced great DIT
ficuly in descending the mountains, made
slippery by rains and melting SHOWS, anc
many horses fell over precipices, and were
killed; and with some were lost the packs
they carried Among these, was a mule
with the plants which we had collected
since leaving Fort Hall, along line o
1000 miles travel. Out Of 81 horses anc
mules with which we commenced crossing
the Sierra, only 33 reached the valley o
the Sacramento, and they only in con
diiion 10 be led along. Mr.. FIizpalrcl
and his party, travelling more slowly, ha'
been able TO make some little exertlon a
hunting, and had killed few deer Th'
scunty supply was great relief 10 them
for several had been made sick BY Tn
strange and unwholesome food which lh'