Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-05-19
From the National Intelligencer April IA
COLONEL FREMONT AND HIS PARTY.
AUTHENTIC PARTICULARS.

Letters have been received from Col. Fremont
covering the two months (from the last of Novem.
Der TO the I'd of February, } that he was not heard
of, and giving terrible events of that time. They
are written from Taos and Santa Fe. New Mexi.
CO, and addressed to Mrs. FREMONT at Washing
ton /; and, in her absence, (for it was deemed bro.
bable that she might have set off to California by
sea before they could arrive,) TO Senator BENTON,
and in his absence, to WILLIAM CAREY JONES, ESQ.,
The letters came from 81. Louis last night, having
been brought TO that place by Mr.. St. yrain
Mrs. FREMONT. fortunately, was gone; Senator
BENToN had delayed his departure for Missouri.
confident that letters were on the way; and In his
hands we have seen the originals, and we Propose
10 give extracts in the order of their dates. The
first is dated
Taos, Netc Merico. Jan. 27, 1S4S.
C. write 10 you from the house OF our good
friend Carson. This morning a cup of chocolate
was brought to me while in bed. To an over worn.
overworked, fatigued and starving traveller these
little uxuries of the world offer an interest which.
in your comfortable home, it is no, possible for
you to conceive.
"l have now The unpleasant task of telling YOU
how came here. ] had much rather speak Of
the future, with plans for which | am already
occupled.) for the mind turns from the scenes |
have witnessed and the sufferings we have endured,
but as clear information is due TO you and TO YOUR
father still more. will give you the story now.
instead of waiting to tell it to you in California
but write IN the great hope that you will not re-
celve this letter. When it reaches Washington
you may be on your way 10 California.
Former letters will have made YOU acquainted
with our progress as far Bent's Fort, and, from
report, you will have heard the circumstances of
our departure from the Upper Pueblo. near the
head of the Arkansas. We left that place on the
25th Of November, with upwards of one hundred
good mules, and one hundred and thirty bushels
of shelled corn, intended 10 support our anima Is
in the deep SHOWS of the high mountains and down
10 the lower parts of the Grand River tributaries
where usually the forms no obstacle to winter
travelling AT Pueblo had engaged, as a guide,
an old trapper, well known as " Bill Williams. !"
and who had spent some twenty-five years of his
life, in trapping, in various parts Of the Rocky
Mountains.
The error of our expedition was committed in
engaging this man. He proved never to have
known, or entirely TO have forgotten, the whole
country through which we were to pass We oc.
cupled {after passing the mountain.) moro than
half month in making the progress of few DAYS,
blurdering along tortuous course, through deep
snow, which already began to choke up the passes,
and wasting our time in searching the way. The
1th of December we found ourselves at the mouth
Of the Rio del Nore CANON where that river issues
JuUU-Ono
most rugged, and imprac,icabie Of all the Rock y
Mountain ranges, inaccessible to trappe and
hunters, even in summer. Across the point of
this elevated range our guide conducted US !; and,
having still great confidence IN this mans know
ledge, we pressed. onwards with fatal resolution.
Even along the river bottoms the snow wa. already
breast deep for the mules, and falling frequently
in the valley and almost constantly on the noun.
taTns. The cold was extraordinary. At the
warmest hours of the day (between one and two, J
the thermometer (Fahtenheit) stood, in The shade
of a tree trunk at zero; and that was favorable
day, the sun shining, and a moderate breeze.
Judge Of the nights and the storms
We pressed np towards the summit, the snow
deepening as we rose. and in four or five days of
this struggling and climbing, all on foot, we reached
the naked ridges which lie above the line Of the
timbered region, and which form the dividing
heights between the waters Of the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans. Along these naked heights it
storms all winter, and the raging winds sweep
across them with remorseIess fury. On cur first
attempt to cross we encountered p0uderie-(drv
snow driven thick through the air by violent wind,
and in which objects visible only at a short
distance)- land were driven back, having some ten
or twelve men variously frozen-face. hands, or
feet. The guide came near being frozen to death
here, and dead mules were already living about
the camp fires. Meantime it showed steadily.
The next day December y we renewed the at.
tempt to scale the summit, and were more fortu.
nate, as it then seemed. Making mauls, and beat
ing down a road, or trench, through the deep
snow, we forced the ascent IN defiance of the driv.
ing pouderie, crossed the CREST descended little
and encamped Immediately below in the edge of
"a fork of the Colorado of California.