JOHN C. FREMONT. 177 



q - n. During the progress of their journey they 

 en jlored the Great Salt Lake, the Utah Lake, the 

 L; stle Salt Lake, and the mountains of the Sierra 

 Nevada. Daring the summer portion of their 

 ioarney they had navigated rapid and dangerous 

 ri7ers with frail boats obtained from the neighbor- 

 ing Indians. They had travelled three thousand 

 fr/e hundred miles by land and water, and had ex- 

 plored the vast domains of Oregon and Northern 

 C ilifornia. Exposure and suffering had carried off 

 s( me of the boldest and strongest of the men ; but 

 tl e gallant leader conducted the larger portion of 

 h B company in safety to the boundaries of Cali- 

 f( rnia, and thus completed a journey which, for the 

 d.splay of intrepid endurance, of unconquerable 

 determination, and of skilful management, is not 

 surpassed by the achievements of the most noted 

 conquerors or adventurers of modern times. 



Some of the thrilling incidents of this expedition 

 are thus narrated by its intrepid commander: 



"September S. A calm, clear day, with a sunrise- 

 temperature of 41. In view of our present enter- 

 prise, a part of the equipment of the boat had been 

 made to consist in three air-tight bags, about three 

 feet long, and capable each of containing five gal- 

 lons. These had been filled with water the night 

 before, and were now placed in the boat, with our 



M 



