The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-05-11
From the National IntcIigcncer,
Col. Fremont and his Party.

f'hihLh AMI ilNAL AtCuINIS.
W resume our extracts from Col. Ere.
monts letters, prefacing them with some de
sorip,ion ofthe localities made memorable by
disaster, for the information of those who
nave not recent maps at hand. II is known
that the great Rocky Mountain chain, with
general direction north and south, sends
out "A 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 ol
those two rivers. and betwccntlie head wa.
tiers Of the Red River and the Del Norte
and having accomplished those purposes il
subsidies and disappears in the plains ui
Texas The highest part Of this branch
chain, and the governing object in it 10
travellers, are the Spanish Peaks, first made
known TO American geography by the then
young Lieut.. Pike.
These peaks are in about north latitude
81! deg, and west longitude from London
100 degrees, and about on limo long
ltudinally with the Pueblos ofthc Upper
Arkansas, distant from them half a degree.
and in sight.--They are seen at great
distance. and are guiding objects for travel
lers. The road TO Santa Fe passes below
these peaks, and crosses the chain abou,two
degrees south. Col. Fremont passed above
them, and entered the valley ofthc Del
Nor'e high up above the Mexican set
Elements, aud above Pixies Siockade, aud
intended TO follow the Del Noite to its head,
and cross the great Rocky Mountain chain
through some pass there TO he found-TI lie
was therefore, SO TO speak, going into the
FORKS oil the mountain-into the gorge of the
TWO mountains at n great elevation.
shown by the fact Of the great rivers which
issue from the opposite sides uftle Rocky
mountains at that point-the Arkansas and
Del Norte Oh the cast, the Grand river fork
OF the Colorado Of the Gulf of California ON
the west.
1t was at this poin,-,he head Of the Del
Norte--whcre no traveller had ever gone be-.
iore-that Col Fremont intended to pass, to
survey his late line across the continent,
complete his knwledge of the country 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 river and the great sea
to be inhabi'able by civilized people, aud
practicable for a great road, aud that on
several lines, which was the best. lie had
been several years engaged in this grca,
labor, and wished to complete it,. IL was
the beginning OF December that he crossed
the chain from the Arkansas valley into the
valley Of the Del Norte and although late,
with the full belief Of the old hunters
and traders at the PucbloS. the guide III
elusive, whom he there engaged, that he
would 80 through.
lie was provided with every thing 10
carry the men TO California, and with grain
To carry all the animals aero. all the noun.
iains into the vallieS of the tributaries Vt
the great Colorado Of the West. whcre the
SHOWS would be light, wood and grass suf
hcient, game abundant and the hard,hips of
The expedition all left behind. Ia two
weeks he expected TO be in these mild val.
ieys Unhappily, the guide consumed these
TWO weeks in getting Ia the head of the Del
Noltc-a distance which only required four
or five days travel, as Col Fremont showed
IN coming back. This was the cause of the
first calami'y-tho loss Of the horses and
mules. The same guide spent twenty-five
days when sent with the party for relief,
in making the distance which Col Fremont,
with Cody, Preus n servant,) without n
guide, on foot, in cold weather, deeper
SHOWS. and half famished, made IN six.
That was tho cause Of the second aud ir.
repnrahle calamity-ihe death orthe men
The immediate scene of suffering in this