68 Historical 



only over the passes, the elevation of which rarely reaches 3000 

 meters. 



However, Colonel Fremont, in his account of his expedition to 

 the Rocky Mountains of Oregon, gives us an interesting observa- 

 tion. 71 



August 13, 1842, in latitude 42° N., the travellers made the ascent 

 of a lofty peak, and were suddenly extremely weary. The barome- 

 ter stood at 20.522 inches, the altitude was reckoned at about 10,000 

 feet (3050 meters) ; the temperature was only 50° F.; they stopped 

 to camp: 



I was seized shortly after (says Fremont) by violent headache and 

 vomiting which lasted almost all night. These symptoms were probably 

 caused by excessive fatigue, the lack of food, and also, to a certain 

 degree, by the rarefaction of the air. . . . 



The next day two of our men were sick and lay down upon the 

 rock; at that time I was seized by headache and vomiting, as on the day 

 before, so that I was unable to go any further; M. Preuss had reached 

 his limit, too; the thermometer stood at 50°, the barometer at 19.401 

 inches. (P. 67.) 



August 15. . . . The barometer dropped to 18.293 and the thermo- 

 meter to 44°; we were at an elevation of 13,570 feet (4130 meters); at 

 this great height we saw a solitary bee flying . . . This is probably the 

 highest peak of the Rocky Mountains. 



Our careful method of advancing slowly had spared my strength; 

 and with the exception of a slight tendency to headache, I felt no signs 

 of the discomfort of the day before. (P. 70.) 



The mountain discussed here is marked on the maps by the 

 name of Fremont's Peak (4130 meters) , in the State of Wyoming. 



In the following journey, made in 1943-44, the American ex- 

 pedition crossed the Sierra Nevada in California at a height of 9300 

 feet, February 20 (ibid. p. 235) ; June 18, 1844, it reached the sources 

 of the Arkansas, at a height of 11,200 feet (3413 meters) (P. 285) ; 

 in neither case does the account indicate physiological symptoms. 



I found a similar account in the immense scientific publication 

 of the expedition organized for determining the route of the trans- 

 continental railroad. 



September 12, 1853, Captain Gunnison, 72 topographical engineer, 

 ascended Mount Creek, near Fork Lake in Colorado: 



The agreeable and inspiring effect of the pure air of the mountains 

 at this elevation, a favorite theme for the eloquence of trappers and 

 scouts, manifested itself in our men by shouts of noisy joy. But the 

 violent physical exercise soon made them breathless; and while climb- 

 ing the hills, our animals were soon completely exhausted, if they did 

 not stop often to get their breath; but a few moments of rest gave them 

 back their strength and vigor. (P. 53.) 



