Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-05-02
From the National Intelligencer.
Col. Fremont aud his party-further
and final accounts.

ulOut lCttClS, pFelaCIuS tnSAA "AsA 'otAiS
brief description of the localities made ms-
morable by disaster, for the information of
these who have not recent maps at hand.
1t is known that the great Rocky noun
tain chain, with a general direction north
and south, sends out branch towards the
southeast from between the heads of the Ar
kansas and the RIO del Norte; and this
branch forms the dividing ridge between
the upper, valleys of these two rivers, and
between the head-waters Of the Red Rirer,
and the Del Norte; and having accomplish
ed these purposes it subsidies In the plains
of Texas. The highes, part of this branch
chain and the governing object in it to tray
ellers, are the Spanish Peaks, first made
known to American Geography by the then
young 1t. Pike. These Peaks are about
in north Latitude 374 deg, and west Lon
gi,ude from London los deg, and about on
a line longitudinally with the Pueblos Of
the Upper Arkansas, distant from them half
a degree, and in sight They are seen at a
great distance and are guiding objects to
travellers. The road to. Santa Fe passes be-
low these Peaks, and crosses the chain about
two degrees south: Col. Fremont passed a.
bove them, and entsred the valley of the
Del Norte high up above the Mexican set
Elements, and above Pixies stockaae, and
intended to follow the Del Norte to its head,
and cross the great Rocky mountain chain
through some pass there to be found. He
was therefore, so to speak, going into the
Forks of the mountain-into the gorge of
two mountains and at great elevation,
shown by the fact of the great rivers which
issue from the opposite side of the Rocky
mountains at that part-the Arkansas and
Del Norte on the east, the Grand river fork
of the Colorado of the Gulf of California on
the west. 1t was at this point - the head of
Del Norte-where no traveller had never
gone before, that Col. Fremont intended to
pass, to survey bis last line across the conti-
nent, complete his knowledge of the country
between the Mississippi and the Pacific, and
crown the labors of long explorations by
showing the country between the great river
and the great sea to be inhabitable by a
civilized people, and practicable for great
road, and that on several lines, and which
was the best. He had been seven years en-
gagged in this great labor aad wished to com.
plete it. 1t 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 Pueblos, the
guide inclusive whom he there engaged that
he would go through. He was provided with
everything to carry the men to California,
and with grain to carry all the animals a
cross all the mountains into the valleys cf
the tributaries of the Great Colorado of the
West, where the SHOWS would be light,
wood & grass sufficient game abundant, and
the hardships Of the expedition all surmount
ed and left behind. In two weeks he ex-
pected to be in these mild valleys. Unhap-
lily, the guide consumed these two weeks in
getting to the head of the Del Norte-a dis
tance that only required four or five days
of travel, as Col. Fremont showed in COM
ing back. This was the cause of the first
caIamity-the loss efthe horses and mules
The same guide consumed twenty-five day.
when sent with the party for relief, in max
ing the distance which Colonel Fremont
with Godey, Preuss, and a servant,) with
out a guide, on foot in colder weather, deep
er SHOWS. and half famished made in six.
That was the cause of the second and ire
parable calamity-ths death of the men.
The immediate scene of suffering in this
great disaster, where the ascent of the great
mountain was forced, and its summit scaled
must have been about north latitude, 3S4,
and west longitude from London l07, the
elevation above twelve thousand feet, and
the time that of dead -Christmas!-
From this point the noted objects, Pixies
Peak and the Three Parks would bear a.
bout E. N. E., and the Spanish Peaks about
Z. S. E.
With this notice of localities, to VIII ch a
mournful interest must long attach, we pro-
ceed to give extracts from the remaining
and final letters from Col. Fremont. The
first of these is dated
Taos, New Mexico, Feb. g., 1919.
After long delay, which had wearied
me to the point OF resolving to set out again
myself, tidings have at last reached me
from my ill-fated party.
Mr. Vincent Haer came in last night
having the night before reached the Little
Colorado settlement, with three or four 9th.
ers. Including Mr.. King and Mr.. Prouix,
we have lost eleven of our party.
Occurrences, since [ left them, are briefly
these, so far as they came within the knowl-
edge of Mr.. Haler: [ say briefly, because
am now unwilling TO force my mind tc
dwell upon the details Of what has been suf.
fered. 1 need reprieve from terrible con-
temptations. am absolutely astonished
at this persistence of misfortune this sue
cession of calamities which no care or vigil
ance of mine could foresee or prevent.
You will remember that left the camp
(twenty three mea} when I set off with
Cooley, Preuss, and my servant, in search
of King and succor, with directions about
the baggage, and with occupation sufficient
about it to employ them three or four days;
after which they were to follow me down
the river. Within that time I expected re-
lief from Kings party, if it came at ALL
They remained seven days,:.and then start
ed, their scaat provisions about exhausted,
and the dead mules on the western side Of
the great Sierra buried under snow.
Manuel-(you remember Manuel a
christian Indian Of the Cosumne tribe, in
the valley of the San Joaquin)-gave way
to feeling of despair after they had NOV
ed about two miles, and begged Vincent
uolar wi an, 7 had 1oft =; c,,n,oand IN