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

wood. Their road was over level unIands
bordering on the river, closely covered with
buffalo grass. A few DAYS afterwards.
while encamped, at night, near the river.
on prairie, the stream suddenly rose. To.
wards morning from the rains that had iaI.
len the day before, and completely flood
ed the whole camp, so suddenly that the
baggage was instantly covered and nearly
all their perishabIe collections, the result
OF many months Of hard labor, were
ruined.
They were now go miles from the
Arkansas. The whole country, thus far.
had presented TO the eye only success
sion OF iar-slreiching green prairies, cover
ed with buffalo grass, and sparingly wood
cd, even along the streams; but now the
country perceptibly began to change its
character, becoming more fertile, wooded
more abundantly with oaks and ems, and
waiered with number of small streams
The whole country assumed the appear
ance of the northwest portion of Missouri
The River was about 90 yards wide with
broad bottoms.
On the the last day of July 1914, the
party arrived again at the little town of
Kansas, on the Missouri, the point whence
they had departed. on their long and peri
lous Journey fourteen months before. Here
ended 'heIr Journey by land. Leaving
their animals IN pasture to await the
coming expedition in which Capt. f. is now
engaged, the next day they continued their
route on board a steamboat for St, Louis
where they arrived on the 9th of Auoust.
and disbanded. The distance travelled
over by Capt. +. from the little town oil
Kansas, on the Missouri to the Dalles Of
the Columbia and California. and thence
TO Kansas again, made grand circuit of
6,4S5 miles
Notwithstanding many heavy losses,
Capt. +. brought back with him a large
number of valuable geological and hotani
cal specimens, many of which are entirely
new or extremely rare and curious. The
flood on the Kansas destroyed more than
halt OF the botanical specimens of which
he had about 5000 collected in regions
never before visited by any botanist. In
his present expedition, he Is provided with
such means as will secure his collections
from loss, by water al least; and a person
accompanies the expedition who is TO
make drawings Of all the most interesting
plants, forest trees. and all vegetable pro-
auctions useful as food, medicine, or in the
arts.
The astronomical observations, made "
Capt. I. in every part Of his vast route for
the purpose OF determining the exact lati-
tude and longitude Of places, were taken
with all possible care, and with the best of
Instruments; so that by including the OBJ
IL
the 1oaet of-tho Pacific. and up tho Co.
lumbia as far as fort Vancouver, we have
the materials for accurate geographical
knowledge Of the whole region from the
Mississippi to the Pacific.
The barometical observations, made by
Capt f., have enabled him to furnish the
world with, probably, the most extended
profile view even made by any scientific
personal profile of the entire country
from the mouth of the Kansas 10 the Pa
cifc. distance of about 1000 miles, fouG-
ded on nearly 400 barometical positions.
Though the barometical observations of
Capt f., were taken along the loves; and
levelest route that can be found, the pro-
file is rendered complete by the insertion
of many Of the lofty peaks lowering many
thousands of leet above the line OF travel.
We have now followed our hero through
his first and second explorations, more at
length than we had at first proposed, but
not so much so as the interesting nature OF
his narrative and of the information he
communicates, or our own inclination,
would have warranted. The book bears
in all parts the impress of strict truth; and
in freedom from exaggeraUon or hyper
bole, may invite comparison with any
book of travels ever written. The ex'
treme difidence of the writer keeps him
self as far as possible from view, while he
records the meritorious actions of his SUI
bordinates with a rare grace and hdehty.
Capt Fremont is now engaged IN his
third expedition, intended to embrace that
section of the Rocky Mountains which
gives rise to the Arkansas river, the Rio
Bravo, and The Rio Colorado of Callfor-
ria, and extend west and southwest to the
country towards The Pacific ocean, land COM
Dlete the examination of the Great Salt
Lake, and the interesting region surround
ing it, At the last accounts, he had Pene-
trsted far down into California, and had
made several important and interesting
discoveries. He will return, we presume,
during the present summer or next au-
tumn.
m IL