216 JOHN C. FREMONT. 



settlements, he was to send me an express. In the 

 mean time, we were to occupy ourselves in removing 

 the baggage and equipage down to the Del ISTorte, 

 which we reached with our baggage in a few days 

 after their departure, (which was the day after 

 Christmas.) Like many a Christmas for years back, 

 mine was spent on the summit of a wintry moun- 

 tain, my heart filled with gloomy and anxious 

 thoughts, with none of the merry faces and pleasant 

 luxuries that belong to that happy time. You may 

 be sure we contrasted much this with the last at 

 "Washington, and speculated much on your doings 

 and made many warm wishes for your happiness. 

 Could you have looked into Agrippa's glass for a 

 few moments only ! You remember the volumes of 

 Blackstone which I took from your father's library 

 when we were overlooking it at our friend Brant's ? 

 They made my Christmas amusements. I read 

 them to pass the heavy time and forget what was 

 around me. Certainly, you may suppose that my 

 first law-lessons will be well remembered. Day 

 after day passed by, and no news from our express 

 party. Snow continued to fall almost incessantly 

 on the mountain. The spirits of the camp grew 

 lower. Prone lay down in the trail and froze to 

 death. In a sunshiny day, and having with him 

 means to make a fire, he threw his blankets down 



