JOHN C. FREMONT. 155 



Fremont had already been led to entertain large and 

 expansive views in reference to the importance and 

 grandeur of scientific explorations throughout the 

 immense territories of the West ; and he was eager 

 to commence the realization of his glowing concep- 

 tions. He had already caught a glimpse of the high 

 sphere and destiny for which his rare talents fitted 

 him. The exploration, the settlement, the civiliza- 

 tion of the vast territories of the remoter West con- 

 stitute one of those magnificent and gorgeous trans- 

 formations which are inherent in the progress and 

 history of this continent ; and those capacious and 

 sagacious minds which are able to grasp the full 

 grandeur of the conception appreciate the importance, 

 as well as the difficulty and the glory, of its realiza- 

 tion. The intellect of Fremont was one of these. 

 He perceived the inevitable destiny reserved in the 

 future for this portion of an almost boundless con- 

 tinent ; he saw that with advancing time the teem- 

 ing and enterprising millions who then crowded the 

 Atlantic States would burst through their original 

 confines, and, like the multitudinous waves of the 

 ocean, would rush forth, swelling over mountains, 

 plains, and valleys, until their advancing billows 

 would spread themselves out at last over the expan- 

 sive shores of the Pacific deep. He resolved to devote 

 his talents and energies to the accomplishment of 



