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

Introduction 10 the Injuries of the Sacra.
mento. 1t required all our philosophy and
forbearance TO prevent plenty from be-
coming as hurtfuI 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 journeyhome,
from which we were farther distant now
than we were 4 montS before, when from
the Dalles of the Columbia we so cheer
fully took up the homeward line of march"
Capt. Suffer is a native Of Switzerland.
He emgrated to California from Missouri
in 1882, having obtained grant of land
ID 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 Ameri-
canOs. 1t is quadranguIar adobe strnc-
ture, that Is, built of unbaked brick, noun
Ting II pieces OF artillery, 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 a noble stream; deep, tranquil, and
| about 100 yards wide. Ii is navigable as
far as the fort, al least. The whole coun-
try, in that region, is very fertile. There
were several other settlers there besides
Capt. Suffer, and that region is now the
great centre of emigration from the Uni.
ted States.
On the 9th of March, 1874, Capt. F.
resumed his journey, after dscharging
five OF his men. DeroSier, who had be-
come deranged, again wandered off from
the camp, during their stay at Capt. Sui.
ter's, and was not heard of aflerwards.--
They were now to find their way TO the
uulted St"tes by pass through the Sierra
Nevada, at the head of The Rio San Jca.
quin, but TO attain this point they had 10
travel over a space of more than five hun.
dred miles, between the Sierra and The San
Joaquin, over a country extremely fertile
till they arrived at the Rio deda MERGED,
in lat. 81 deg. 80 min., where the soil be-.
came sandy. The country abounded in elk.
wild horses, and the grizzly bear. The
PralrIes, which occurred "lten along the
route, swarmed with wild horses. As the
party approached the head waters of the
San Joaquin the country assumed a lacus-
trIne appearance; it was very fiat, and
~~'.'!lows took the place of oaks. The river
was deep, nearly on level with the sur
rounding country, and filed with islands.
Near the banks were extensive tuIcrS, or
fields covered with hulrushes. The Tule
! Lakes are the chief source of the stream
On the 9Th of April they arrived at the Po mt
where the river flows westward from the
Sierra Neyeda. Coming here they passed
over a very level prairie country 10 the
Tule Lakes. On the 18th of April they
found themselves in very arid, sandy
and uninviling country, in about lat 80
deg. % min, with the Sierra Naveda close
upon them on the left, and the Tule Lakes
on their right. The whole country, toT
several days, had been rather repulsIVe
The country, indeed, was so sandy that
stream flowing down from the Sierra wa'
, found to be swallowed up by the sands
! The southern pass of lhe Sierra Navedf
, which they entered, on the 18th; was II
about the latitude of San Louis ObisPo
on the Pacific.
Y Capt F. had intended, on arriving a
; the eastern foot of the Sierra, TO trave
directly towards the Great Salt Lake, bu
. the information he received from the In
: dans, who spoke Spanish, that he woul
encounter in that route, east of the Sierra
3 immense sandy deserts, induced him t
+. GLANCE his course and abandon the idea Q
e making any further expioraiiiiGGG of tn
e Great Basin. On arriving therefore at IN
h eastern base Of the Sierra he turned to tn
e south, along the foot of the mountains
l. He found the pass a very good one 70
(. horses, and one which could easily be open
e ed for carriages. The mountains were
d as usual, barren rocks. The elevation c
e the pass was not taken.
$ Capt. FREMoNT's route thus far had de
{ monstrated one fallacy which had for som
d time prevailed. II had long been reFFeser
IT ted, that the bay of San Francisco opene
d into the continent, and that the Rio Bene
g ventura was IA large river penetrating ia
IF into the interior and emp,ing into ths
\ hay. Captain Fremonl's journey, b
k showing that the Sierra Neveda is only
ID continuation OF the Carcade Rouge, an
at higher than the Rocky Mountains ever
lie proves that no great river can penetrn'
D; the interior. The only rivers flowing II
Ie TO the bay of San Francisco are the Sacr
he mento, from the north. enlarged by the R