Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-05-03

B. 1849.
tain chain, with general direction north
and south, sends out branch towards the
southeast from between the heads Of the
Arkansas and the Rio Del .Norte and this
branch forms the dividing ridge between
the Apber valleys Of those two rivers, and
between the head waters Of the Red Riu-
er and the Del Norte; and having ACCOM-
plished these purposes it subsidies and
disappcars In The plains Of Tex
as. The highest part .! this branch chain;
and the governing object in it to travellers,
are the Spsnish Peaks FIRST made known
TO American geography BY the then young
Lieut.. Pike. These Peaks are about in
north latitude 81 IL deg, and west long
itude from London los deg, and about On
. line longitudinally with the Pueblos Of
the Upper Arkansas, distant from them
half degree, and in sight. They are seen
at great distance, and are guiding objects
totravellers. The road TO Santa Fe pas
ses below these Peaks, and crosses the
chain about two degrees south; Col. Free
mont passed above them, and entered the
valley Of the Del Norte high up above the
Mexican settlements and above Pixies
sfock0de, and intended 10 follow the Del
.Norte TO its head, and cross the great
Rocky Mountain chain through some pass
there, 10 be found. He was, therefore, so
to speak, going Into the forks Of the moun-
tain-into the gorge Of two mountains
and at great elevation, shown by the fact
Of the great rivers which issue from the
opposite sides Of the Rocky Mountains at
that part-the Arkansas and Del Norte on
the east, the Grand river fork ofihe Colo
rado Of The Gulf Of California on the west.
It was ii this point-the head Of the Del
Norte-where no traveller had ever gone
before, that Col. Fremont intended to pass,
to survey his last line across the continent,
complete his knowledge Of the countrybe
tween the Mississippi and the Pacific, and
crown the labors Of long explorations by
showing the country between the great
river and the great sea 10 be inEabitable
by a civilized people, and practicable for
great road, and that on several lines, and
which was the best. He had been seven
years engaged in this great lstor, end
wished 10 complete it. Il was the begin
ming Of December that he crossed the chain
from the Arkansas valley into the valley
Of the. Del Norte; and, although late,
with full belief Of the old hunters and ira
ders at the p1tblos, the guide inclusive
whom he there engaged, that he would 60
through. He was provided with every
thing to carry the men 10 California, and
with grain to carry all the animals actoss
all the mountains into the valleys of the
tributaries Of the Great Colorado Of the
West. where the SHOWS would be light;
wood and grass sufficient, game abundant,
and the hardships Of the expedition all
surmohnted and left behind. In twelweeks
he expected to be in these mild valleys.
Unhsppiiy the guide con<oasd these TIVE
weeks in getting to the head Of the Del
Norte-a distance which only required
four or FIVE days Oh travel, as Col. Fremont
showed in coming back. This was the
cause Of the first calamity-ths loss Of The
horses and mules. The same guide con-
snmed twenty-five days, when sent with
the partyfor relief. in making the distances
which Col. Fremont, with Cooley, Pre-
uss and SERVANT without guide, OF,
foot, in colder weather, deeper SHOWS; and
half famished. made in six. That was the
cause ofthe second and irreparable calan:
ity-the death Of the men.
The immediate scene Of suffering in this
great disaster, where the ascent Of the
.~o,,~s.:c -, . coscaI o.,I - e,,rns r., n
scaled, must have been about north lati-
tude % l-2, and west longitude from Lon
don LOT, the elevation above twelve thou
sand feet, and the time that Of dead winter
Christmas! From this point the noted
objects, Pixies Peak and the Three Peaks,
would bear about E. N. E. and the Span
ish Peaks about E. S. E.
With this notice Of localities, to which
moirnful interest must long attach, we
proceed 10 give extracts from the remain
Ing and final letters from Col. Fremont.
| The first Of these j. dated
TAOS, New MDsito, Feb. 6, l849.
"Afier long delay, which had wearied
me to the point Of resolving to set out again
myself, tidines have al last reached me
from my lii-1ated party.
| .Mr Vincent Haler came in last night,
having the night before reached the Little
Colorado settlement, with three Of four
others. Including Mr. King and MI
/ ProuIx,* we have lost eleven Of ouf party.
'.Occurrences, since l left them,are brief
" these, so far as they came within the
knowledge Of Mr. Haler: say briefly be-
cause | am now unwilling 70 force my
mind to dwell upon the details Of what has
been suffered. need reprieve from ter
rible CONCENTRATIONS. | am absolutely as
tonishvd at this persistence Of misfortune
this succession Of calamities which nc
care or vigilance Of mine could foresee or
prevent.
aYou will remember that l had left at
the camp (twenty three men) when set
off with Cooley. Preuss, and my servant
in search Of King ard succor, with direc-
tons about the baggage, and with occnpa-
ton sufficient about it to employ
them the three or four days; after which
they were 10 follow me down the river.
| VN:sl:. it, &C. nwroclO1 rclief from