Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-06-15
American Energy.

The late departure of Lieutenant Kane
in his almost desperate search after the
navigator Sir John Franklin. has called
up many striking "reminiscences OF his in
defatiguable perseverance and courage
As fitting pendant to it the Republic
quotes the following graphic description by
Col. Benton. of a party setting out on an
expedition across the Rocky Mountains
s.I come to speak of that route, and to
see small party start to explore it.
There sits the head of the party, (point-
ing to Superintendent Beale and Mr..
Harris Heap young in years but old in
experience, and we'll tried in all the hard
ships and dangers of distant and adven-
turous travel. The Superintendent has
made above dozen of voyages by land
or water to California-has been the COM
panion of Fremont, Carson and other
mountain men-has seen all that noun
tains and plains, rivers and deserts. cold
and heat. savage and wild beast can show
between the Mississippi and Pacific and
triumphed over all. But that is only the
beginning. He has navigated every sea
and traversed every land-South Ameri-
ca as we'll as North America; Europe,
Asia and Africa; and never encountered a
difficulty or danger that he had not yet
a resource and courage to meet and sur
mount. And yet he is only of an age
(twenty eight when the career of heroic
life is still ahead. He is a grandson of
Commodore Truxton, and worthy of his
descent. Mr.. Heap, still younger, has al
so been in California. and seen Europe,
Asia and Africa. and has done travelling
in every form which it could be, from ri
ding his mothers colt-you know what
that is-(signs of recognition,) up from
mules and donkeys to camels and drome
diaries, and is very sorry that he has not
dromedary here now, to skim at the
rate of one hundred and fifty miles a day
over the prairies, carrying his masters
food and finding his own. He is the ne
phew of Commodore Porter, and worthy
to be so.
"They take small party. and all for
service-three Delaware Indians, trained
under Fremont, French UoyageaT, some
Mexicans and Leroux for a guide. They
expect two more friends-Mr. Elisha
Riggs, of the house of Corcoran and
Riggs, and Mr.. II. Rodgers, son of the
commodore-both from Washington city,
and "s1aI 10 d0'' there, but abandoning
the ease of the city for the pleasures of
an exploring trip to the Pacific. 1t is a
small party. but great in the requisite
qualifications and goes urencumOered
with supcrfuities-no wheels-two or
three mules piece; and pinoli, pemmican,
and beef dodgers for their principal sup
port. l have copy of the inventory of
their provision purchases-(table furni-
ture and cooking utensils included land
it contrasts awfully with some outfits that
have read of. The whole cost is $685.
80; and here is the detail Of particulars.
the cost of each article annexed:
4 conc buShel of pounded corn, (pino-
jii.) $1.95; lob. pemmican, (pulverized
dried meat So two cans beef dodgers,
$3.50; five pounds chocolate, $1,25; pi-
lot bread. $6.7O; Sc lbs. ground coffee,
$1,000; FIVE pounds of tea, S., 25; sugar,
$50 lbs, SD 20; 10 lbs. salt. II cents /;
ground pepper. So cents; Chile pepper.
so cents; soap, S2.25 lbs. pork, So 49,;
six boxes sardines. So. so tobacco, go
lbs.. SO; one camp kettle, $I,62, one tea
kettle, 62 cents; one coffee boiler. 20 cts :;
one frying pan. 65 cents; one gridiron, 55
cents one tin bucket, 20 cents: 8 tin
plates, GO cents; 8 tin cups, 81 two axes
and helveS, SIS, 25 two hatchets, So, IL;
travelling bags. Sll "a; four gunny sacks,
SO cents. Grand total. $85 80.
"This is the list Of supplies, all told, in
elusive of kitchen and table furniture. and
exclusive of lodging; for which blanket
piece, the earth and the sky are to pro.
vide. No tents. Some rifles to keep of
Indians, and to bring down game, are TO
supply the want of guards, and the def
ciencies of the larder, and some flannel
and leather habiliments will dispense with
the service of laundress; the extra sup
| ply of soap being chiefly for the use of
the cooking departmental Office great
ly subject to the imputation of being a
sinecure. And this is the outfit for fifty
days wilderness jaunt of young men, who
at home ''oeur fnc linen, and fare sumptu-
ously eUery day 1t is certainly suggestive
of many conclusions, as that they are not
a government party, who do not equip at
public expense, did not graduate at West
Point, and do not intend to break down
under the transportation of what is called
in the vernacular of the West) belly tim
6er." Great applause.