ILLUSTRATIONS (5). THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 35 



question previously mooted by the learned American traveller 

 Tanner. Gallatin expressly says in his memoir on the abori- 

 ginal races* " General Ashley and Mr. J. S. Smith have found 

 the Lake Timpanogo in the same latitude and longitude nearly 

 as had been assigned to it in Humboldt's Atlas of Mexico." 



I have purposely dwelt at length on these considerations 

 regarding the remarkable elevation of the soil in the region of 

 the Rocky Mountains, since by its extension and height it 

 undoubtedly exercises a great, although hitherto unappre- 

 ciated influence on the climate of the northern half of the 

 new continent, both in its southern and eastern portions. 

 On this vast and uniformly elevated plateau Fremont found 

 the water covered with ice every night in the month of August. 

 Nor is the configuration of the land less important when 

 considered in reference to the social condition and progress 

 of the great North American United States. Although the 

 mountain range which divides the waters attains a height 

 nearly equal to that of the passes of Mount Simplon (6170 

 Parisian or 6576 English feet), Mount Gothard (6440 Parisian 

 or 6863 English feet), and the great St. Bernard (7476 

 Parisian or 7957 English feet), the ascent is so prolonged and 

 gradual that no impediments oppose a general intercourse by 

 means of vehicles and carriages of every kind between the 

 Missouri and Oregon territories, between the Atlantic States, 

 and the new settlements on the Oregon (or Columbia) river, 

 or between the coast-lands lying opposite to Europe on the 

 one side of the continent, and to China on the other. The 

 distance from Boston to the old settlement of Astoria on 

 the Pacific at the mouth of the Oregon when measured in 

 a direct line, and taking into account the difference of longi- 

 tude, is 550 geographical, i.e., 2200 English miles, or 'one- 

 sixth less than the distance between Lisbon and Katherinen- 

 burg in the Ural district. On account of this gentle ascent 

 of the elevated plains leading from the Missouri to California 

 and the Oregon territory (all the resting-places measured 

 between the Fort and River Lamarie on the northern branch 

 of the Platte river to Fort Hall on the Lewis Fork of the 

 Columbia, being situated at an elevation of from five to up- 

 wards of seven thousand feet, and that in Old Park even at 

 the height of 9760 Parisian or 10,402 English feet !), consi- 

 * In the Archceologia Americana, vol. ii. p. 140. 



T>2 



