Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-01-21
M tsrrIIa II 2.
FremOnrS Expeditions TO the Rocky Noun.
taiuS Oregon and North California.

REPoRr of the EXPLORING EXPEDITION to
the Rocky Mountains in the year 1849,
and TO Oregon and North California IL
the years l843 and 1914, by Brvt-Caplain
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, embodyiug aside from The de-
tail of daring personal adventure, clear and
graphic descriptions of The distant and hi
therto unknown regions through which he
passed, and a mass OF useful scientific
information. Tie most distinguished cri-
tic Of the country pronounces The Nara
tive 10 be
One OF the most Interesting works ever
penned. Robinson Cfusoe IS noL better as
a composition, and here we have The addl-
tionaI charm Of truth, ruth That cannot be
doubled, and which The tone OF the narra-
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 week started from
the mouth Of the Kansas, 400 miles from
St. Louis, and continuing up that SIT cam
100 miles crossed The prairies 10 The Great
Platte, 2l0 miles above lis junction with
the Missouri; following The course OF this
stream 10 It's forks, Capt. F. divided his par
ty, exploring both lbe north and south forks
and rPndezvoued at Fl. Laramie, posi- OF
the American Fur company; recruiting
here a Few days, he entered lie mountains,
surveyed the Great South Pass, The lowest
depression, and assembled Fremont's Peak,
the highest summit, OF the Rocky Noun
tains, 1900 ieet above The level Of the sea
and 1000 ieet above the line OF perpetual
snow. Even this expedition, trivial IN
comparison with the second, was attended
with many privaiions and lardships, and
the party was constantly exposed 10 alarm
and ANNOYANCE from inhospitable and hos
tile savagcs. He returned by nearly th'
same route.
The extracts we give are only detached
portions of the arrative-seIected Incl
dents of the travel. We append a brle
Biographies! sketch Of Capt. Fremont.
To Col. J. ] ALBERT, Chief Top. Eng'rs
Sir: Agreeably to your orders to ex
plore ard report upon the country between
the frontiers Of Missouri and the Soutl
Pass OF the Rocky mountains, proceed
ed in a steamboat 10 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 MI
Cyprian Chouteau's trading house, wher
we completed our final arrangements 70
the expedition.
| had collected in the ncighborhood c
St. Louis twenty-one men, principally
Creole and Canadian uOyagems, who ha
become familiar with prairie life in the sci
vice of the lnr companies in the India
country. Mr.. Charles Preuss, a native
Germany was my assistant ia the topC
graphical part Of the survey. l.. Ma,
we'll, of Kaskaskia, bad been engaged {
hunter, and Christopher Carson, (mor
familahy known, for his exploits in III
mountains, as Kit Carson) was our guId
Henry Branf, son Of Col. ]. B. Brant.
ST. Louis, young man Of nineteen vea
OF age, and Randolph, lively boy Of l.
son OF the Hon. Thos. II. Benton, accon
panied me for the development of min
and body which such an expedition wou
give We were all we'll armed and noun
ed, with the exception Of eight men, wi
conducted as many carts, ia which wei
packed our stores, with the baggage al
instruments, and which were drawn eaC
by two mules. A few loose horses, III
four oxen which had been added to OF
stock Of provisions, completed the train.
We sat ouI on the morning Of The l0I
June, which happened to be Friday
circumstance winch our men did not Ia
to remember and recall during the hart
ships and vexations of the succeeding jou
ney. From the belt of wood which bo
ders the Kansas, in which we had paSst
several good-looking Indian farms, "
suddenly emerged on the prairies, whic
received us at the outset with some
their striking characteristics; for here an
there rode an Indian, and but few mil,
distant, heavy clouds oil smoke were roI
ing before the Ere. Ia aboutteo miles q
reached the Sante Fe road, along whir
we continued for short time, and G.
camped early on small stream, havir
travelled about Ii miles. During o
journey, it was the customary practice
encamp an hour before sunset, when Il