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


mento. 1t required all our philosophy anc
iorbearance to prevent plenty from be
coming as hurliul to US now, as scarcity
had been before.
"The next day, March sth, we encamp
ed at the junction of the two rivers, the
Sacramento and Americanos and thus
found the whole party in the beautiful val
ley Of the Sacramento. 1t was conve
nIent place for the camp; and, among Other
things, was within reach of the wood ne
cessary 10 make the pack saddles, which
we should need on our long journey home
from which we were farther distant now
than we we're 4 monts before, when from
! the Dalles of the Columbia we so cheer.
fully took up the homeward line Of march,
Capt. Suffer is native OF Switzerland.
He emigrated 10 California from Missouri
in 1889, having obtained a grant Of land
IN the valley OF the Sacramento, from the
Mexican government. He is extensively
engaged in agricultural operations, hiring
Indians TO perform the labor. His fort is
about two miles above the junction Of the
Sacramento with the Rio de los Amer-
canos 1t is quadrangular adobe struc-
ture, that s, built of unbaked brick, noun.
ting - pieces OF artillery, 2 of which are
of brass. The fort is capable OF admit.
ting 1000 men, and at present is garrison.
ed by 40 Indian soldiers.
The Rio Sacramento, at the junction,
is Il noble stream; deep, tranquil, and
about 200 yards wide. 1t is navgabe as
far as the fort, al least The whole coun-
try, in that region, is very fertile. There
we're several other settlers there besides
Capt. Suffer, and that region is now the
great centre of emigration from the Uni.
ted States.
On the 24th of March, le4l, Capt. f.
resumed his journey, after discharging
five OF his men. Derosier, who had be.
come deranged, again wandered off from
the camp, during their stay at Capt. Sut.
ler's, and was not heard of afterwards. -
They were now to find their way TO the
Uuted States by pass through the Sierra
Nevada, at the head OF the Rio San Joa-
qun, but 10 attain this point they had to
travel over a space Of more than five hun.
dred miles, between the Sierra and the San
Joaquin, over country extremely fertile
till they arrived at the Rio deda MERGED,
in lat. 81 deg. 30 min, where the soil be-
came sandy. The country abOunded in elk,
wild horses, and the grizzly bear. The
prairies, which occurred often along the
route, swarmed with wild horses. As the
party approached the head waters of the
San Joaquin the country assumed lacus-
trine appearance; it was very flat, and
willows took the place of oaks. The river
was deep, nearly on level with the sur
rounding country, and filled with islands.
Near the banks were extensive hlcrS, or
fields covered with bulrushes. The Tule
Lakes are the chief source Of the stream.
On the 9Th OF April they arrived at the point
where the river flows westward from the
Sierra Neveda. Coming here they passed
over a very level prairie country TO the
Tule Lakes. On the 18th of April they
found themselves in a very arid, sandy
and uninviting country, in about lat. 80
| deg. 90 min, with the Sierra Nnyeda close
upon them on the left, and the Tule Lakes
on their right. The whole country, for
several days, had been rather repulsive
The country, indeed, was so sandy that a
stream flowing down from the Sierra was
found to be swallowed up by the sands.
/ The southern pass of the Sierra Nsyeda
which they entered, on the 18th; was in
about the latitude of San Louis Obspo
on the Pacific.
Capt. +. had intended, on arriving al
the eastern foot Of the Sierra, to travel
directly towards the Great Salt Lake, but
the information he received from the In.
dams, who spoke Spanish, that he would
encounter in that route, east Of the Sierra,
immense sandy deserts, induced him to
change bis course and abandon the idea Of
making any further exploration of the
Great Basin On arriving therefore at the
eastern base of the Sierra he turned to the
south, along the foot of the mountains.
] lie found the pass a very good one for
horses, and one which could easily be open.
ed for carriages. The mountains we're,
as usual, barren rocks. The elevation oil
the pass was not taken.
Capt FREMoNr's route thus far had de-
monstrated one lalIacy which had for some
time prevailed. lthad long been rcpresen.
ted, that the bay Of San Francisco opened
into the continent, and that The Rio Bene.
ventura was large river penetrating faI
into the interior and empting into thai
hay. Captain Fremonl's journey, by
showing that the Sierra Neveda is only a
continuation OF the Carcade Rouge, ant
higher than the Rocky Mountains even
proves that no great river can penetrate
the interior. The only rivers flowing in
to the bay Of San Francisco are the Sacra
mento, from the north, enlarged BY the Rio