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

we puOllshed IN ms paper some time
since, extended extracts from Capt. FIRE.
mont's Narrative of his Exploring Exped-
tons to the Rocky Mountains, Oregon and
North California, promising at future time
10 renew the extracts. We avail ourselves
of the following synopsis, which we find
in the New Orleans Commercial Bulletin,
taking up the narrative where our extracts
left off,
We left Capt. FREMONT and his party,
in our last number, laboring among the
SHOWS Mt the Pass of the Sierra Naveda,
in lat 80 deg. Al mn, and long. 100 deg.
Is MN. W. From this lofty position, g..
1873 feet above the level of the sea, the
party were to descend into the valley of
the Sacramento. But the descent, like the
ascent, was extremely difficult Deep fields
OF snow sill lay before them, and a long
intervening space OF rough-looking noun
tains. They began the descent on the
2lst Of February, making the way with
extreme difficulty; but they had the con-
ISOLATION to see that the mountain descended
rapidly. During the dav, towards sunset,
they heard the roll Of thunder, and saw
the valley far below them, enveIoped 10
thunder storm, When the storm was gone
the Ky had cleared of brightly, and they
saw far in the distance, shining line of
water, directing its course towards ano-
ther broader and longer sheet; they pro-
we'd to be the river Sacramento and the
bay of San Francisco. They were a
grateful sight, but our party could hardly
believe that they were tc escape SO soon
from their hardship; and they Iabored on,
fearing lest the water they had seen might
prove to be only another vast mountain
lake of bitter waters. Their stock pro.
visions was now entirely exhausted, and
the flesh of their haIfstarved mules was
their only resource from starvation. The
only food they had for their animals, was
hescanty supply Of grass which they found
on the exposed hills and ridges.
February 22d, they accomplished only
mics, having to break their way through
fields oil snow, in some places from 10 TO
10 eet deep The weatherwas very fine
II was precisely the climate, says Capt. F.,
of Smyrna and Palermo, for they were in
that latitude. At night again their food
was gone and another mule was killed.
The next day their difficulties of way in
creased. Capt Fremont came near losing
his lie. They we're near a large noun
tain lake, which lay to the right. The
following extract will show the difficulties
they had to encounter:
This was our most difficult day; we
we're forced off the ridges by the quantity
of snow among the timber, and obliged to
take to the mountain sides, where, occa-
sonally, rocks and southern exposure,
afforded us a chance to scramble along
But these were steep, and slippery with
snow aud ice and the tough cyergreens of
the mountain impeded our way, tore our
skins, and exhausted our patience. Some
Of US had the misfortune to wear mecca
sins with pdrfeche soes, so slippery that
we could not keep our feet, and generally
Crawled across the snow beds. Axes and
manIs were necessary to-day, to make
road through the snow. Going ahead with
Carson to reconnoilre the road, we reach.
ed in the afternoon the river which made
The outlet of the lake. Carson sprang
over, clear across place where the stream
was compressed among rocks, but the par
feche sole of my moccasn glanced from
the icy rock, and prociproted me into the
river. 1t was some few seconds before |
could recover myself in the current, and
Carson, thinking me hurt, jumped in after
me, and we both had an icy bath. We
tried to search while for my gun, which
had been lost in the fall, but the cold drove
US out; and making large fire on the
hank, after we had partially dried oursel-
yes we went back to meet the camp. We
afterwards found that the gun had been
slung under the ice which lined the banks
Of the creek.
"Using our old plan Of breaking the
road with alternate horses, we reached the
creek in the evening and encamped on a
dry open place in the rayine,"
Their route now was down the river
Attaining torrent forming the outlet of the
lake. Timber began to be more album
dani, as we'll as grass, and the SHOWS were
rapidly disappearing. Oak. miseloe and
iO'hes appeared. Birds were singing among
the eyergreens along the inuumerable
nvulets which poured down from the
ridges, "We were nearly intoxicated
Vnh delight" says Capt. f., sand we hur-
red on, filed with excitement to escape
entirely from the horrid region Of inhospi-
S6le storms, to the perpetual spring of the
Sacramento !" On the evening oil the oath,
a'er travelling . miles they encamped on
lOe banks Of the stream, which had now
become river, in fine oak and pine bot
@m,~here there was an abundance OF grass
lor their animals Another horse was