JOHN C. FREMONT. 153 



war Natchez was sent by Jackson to the port of 

 Charleston, to aid in suppressing the movements 

 and the resistance of the famous !N"ullifiers ; and 

 Fremont obtained the appointment of teacher of 

 mathematics on board of that vessel. He was then 

 just twenty years of age. During two years and a 

 half he traveled with those who had been placed 

 under his tuition during the cruise of the ship. 



On his return from this expedition, Fremont re- 

 solved to devote his attention to the science of sur- 

 veying and railroad-engineering. He made his first 

 attempt in the examination of the projected route 

 of the railway between Charleston and Augusta. 

 In the execution of this task he explored a large 

 portion of South Carolina and Tennessee ; and 

 amid the wild and rugged scenery which surrounded 

 his path, he first acquired a fondness for those 

 gigantic monuments and stupendous solitudes of 

 nature among which, afterward, in a far-distant 

 sphere, his chief triumphs and most remarkable 

 achievements were destined to lie. Having finished 

 his task here, he entered upon another reconnaissance 

 of a portion of Georgia, ]STorth Carolina, and Ten- 

 nessee, in company with a body of Cherokee Indians. 

 The dreary months of the winter passed away in the 

 execution of this work ; and in the ensuing spring 

 he proceeded to explore the waters and the territo- 



