Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-01-21
81 tsrrIIa
Fremonts Expeditions to the Rocky Noun
tainS, Oregon and North California.

Report of the EXPLORING EXPEDITION to
the Rocky Mountains in the year l842,
and 10 Oregon and North California i'll
the years l843 and 1914, by Brvt-Captain
J. G. FREMONT, of the Corps OF Topogra- |
phical Engineers. Washington; Print |
ed by order Of the Senate Of the United
States. 1845.
In late number of this paper we ac-
knowledged ourselves indebted to Senator
Chalmers for copy of this truly interesting
narrative, embodyng aside from the de-
tail of daring personal adventure, clear and
graphic descriptions Of the distant and hi
iherto unknown regions through which he
passed, and mass of useful scientific
information. The most distinguished cri-
tic of the country pronounces the Nara
tive TO be-
"One Of the most interesting works ever
penned. Robinson Crusoe is not better as
scomposition, and here we have the addi-
,ional charm Of truth, truth that cannot be
doubted, and which the tone of the nara
tive assures is not exaggerated in any de-
gree"
We shall devote our first page for several
weeks to come to extracts from this Report.
The first expedition from the journal of
which we extract this weekly started from
the mouth of the Kansas, 400 miles from
ST. Louis, and continuing up that stream
100, miles crossed the prairies to the Great
Platte, 2l0 miles above its junction with
the Missouri following the course OF this
stream to its forks, Capt. F, divided his par
tyexploring both the north and south forks
and rendezvoued at Fl. Laramie, post of
the American Fur company; recruiting
here few days, he entered the mountains,
surveyed the Great South Pass, the lowest
depression, and assembled Fremont's Peak,
the highest summit, of the Rocky Noun
tains, rs, 700 feet above the level Of the sea,
and 1000 feet above the line of perpetual
snow. Even this expedition, trivial in
comparison with the second, was attended
with many privatons and hardships, and
the party was constantly exposed to alarm
and annoyance from inhospitabe and hos
tile savages. He returned by nearly the
same route.
The extracts we give are only detached
portions of the narrative--selected incl
dents of the travel. We append brief
biographical sketch of Capt. Fremont.
To Col j. j ABERr, Chief Top Eng'rs:
Sir: Agreeably to your orders to ex-
pore and report upon the country between
The frontiers Of Missouri and the South
Pass Of the Rocky mountains, proceed
ed in steamboat to Chouteau's landing,
about 400 miles by water from st. Louis,
and near the mouth of the Kansas river,
whence we proceeded twelve miles TO Mr..
Cyprian Chuuteau's trading house, where
we completed our final arrangements for
the expedition.
u had collected in the neighborhood oil
st. Louis twenty-one men, principally
Creole and Canadian poydgeurs, who had
become familiar with prairie life in the ser.
vice of the fur companies in the Indian
country. Mr.. Charles Preuss, native Of
Germany was my assistant in the iopo.
graphical part of the survey. l., Max.
well, Of Kaskaskia, had been engaged as
hunler, and Christopher Carson, (more
familiarity known, for his exploits in the
mountains, as Kit Carson) was our guide
Henry Brant, son Of Col. J. B. Brant. O
st. Louis, a young man Of nineteen years
Of age, and Randolph, lively boy of IL
san Of the Hon. Thos. II. Benton, accom-
panied me for the development OF mine
and body which such an expedition would
give We were all well armed and mount
cd, with the exception Of eight men, WIZ
conducted as many carts, in which were
packed our stores, with the baggage ant
instruments, and which we're drawn eacl
bytwo mules. A few loose horses, ant
four oxen which had been added to on
stock Of provisions, completed the train.
wesat out on the morning Of the Ion
June, which happened 10 be Friday;
circumstance which our men did not fai
premember and recall during the hard
sapsand yexations Of The succeeding Jour
acy From the belt of wood which Dor
GERS the Kansas, in which we had passe
several good-looking Indian farms, W
suddenly emerged on the praires, whic
received us at the outset with some 9
@e'r striking characteristics; for here an
were rode an Indian, and but few mile
Instant, heavy clouds Of smoke were roll
ing before the fire. In aboutten miles W
: reached the Sante Fe road, along whic
d " continued for short time, and er
q amped early on small stream, havin
q unveiled about ii miles. During on
|. ISfney, it was the customary practice
sacamp an hour before sunset, when III