Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-05-03
BURLINGTON, IOWA, MAY 8. 1s49.

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 Upper valleys Of those two rivers, and
between the head waters Of the Red Rip
e. and the Del Norte; and having accom-
plished these purposes it subsidies and
disappears In the plains Of Tex
as. The highest part o. this branch chain;
and the governing object In it to travellers,
are the Spsnish Peaks FIRST made known
to American geography BY the theh young
Lieut. Pike. These Peaks are about in
north latitude 81 l-2 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 a degree, and in sight. They are seen
at great distance, and are guiding objects
10 travellers. The road to Santa Re 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
sfocknle. 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 noun
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 OF the Colo
RADIO Of the Gulf Of California on the west.
It was al 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 country'b be-
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 inEabitahle
by 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 lator, snd
wished 10 complete it. II 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 pasblos, 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 across
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.
Cnhappily the guide consumed these two
weeks in getting to the head Of the. Del
Norte-a distance which only required
four or fite days d travel, as Col. Fremont
showed in coming back. This was the
cause Of the first calamity loss cfthe
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, oh
foot, in colder weather, deeper SHOWS; and
half famished. made in six. That was the
cause Of the second and irreparable calam:
ity-she death Of the men.
The immediate scene Of suffering in this
great disaster, where the ascent Of the
great mountain Was forced and it, summit
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
isl, Peaks about E. S. E.
With this notice Of localities, to which
mournful 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 MEsfco, Feb. 6,l849.
safer long delay, which had wearied
me 10 the point Of resolving to set out again
myself, tidines have at last reached me
from my ill-fated 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 MIR
Proulx,* we have lost eleven Of OUT party.
Occurrences, since left then, are brief
" these, SO far as they came within the
knowledge Or Mr. Haler lsay briefly be-
cause am now unwilling 10 force my
mind 10 dwell upon the details Of what has
been suffered. need rePrieve from ter
rible CONCENTRATIONS. ! am absolutely as
tonishrd at this persistence Of misfortune
this succession Of calamities which no
care or vigilance Of mine could foresee or
prevent.
"You will remember that | had left at
the camp (twenty three men) when SET
off with Cooley. Preuss, and my servant
in search OF King ard succor, with d'rec-
ton, about the baggage, and with occnpa-
ton sufficient about it to employ
them the three or four days alter which
they were 10 follow me down the river.
Within that time expected relief from
Kings party, if it came at all. They re-
NAMED seven days, and then started, their
scant provisions about exhausted, and the
dead mules on western side Of the great
C....o k,,.:ad nn1or ennv