126 
closely bordered by the ee black ridge 
which walled it in by a precipitous face on | 
this side. Throughout ore ‘region the face 
of the country is character e- 
cipices of black volcanic apes 
enc 
encamp at this place. The miry ground in 
the neighborhood of ‘de be did not allow | t 
tinued on, trusting either 
would be drinkable, or that we should find 
ing from the hill side. We 
er. 
snow, and the < doabrecute odor r which filled 
CAPT. FREMONT’S NARRATIVE. 
ould | dry 
é  seeinkled with the same white pow 
was ni to obtain a 
wesc to go on, or | lake 
bidding Mie 
cordingly bore off towa rds the 
(1843, 
with grass, which, although of a salt and 
 unwholesome quality, an and mixed with saline 
sete wrote was still abu 
a good halt 
an 
remainder of th 
miles to ascertain if there was any appear- 
djance of a watercourse entering t fh of 
but found none, the hills 
preserving their 
la 
eter, ‘and the shore of the 
and frequent ce me Indians along the 
shore, where s had been recently 
burnt by pitty 
We ascended the bordering ese in 
more perfect view of the 
n sketching os he. . hills sweep em en- 
n|tirely around its bas , from which the 
ers have no aa 
December 22.—To-day we left this for- 
Impassable rocky ridges ae 
red our progress to the eastward, and Ia 
an extensive 
n the summit of the ridge, snow w 
visible ghar there being nie i indication of 
stream at its base, until after 
ast, but were unable to poet it and halted 
: ec bushes on the open plain, 
in : e continued until late in or . The two 
the evening to oak ong the roc bags been filled with water 
but, as often ar the dry inhospita- | in the morning, which afforded pe eee for 
ble rock deceived us halting on the |the camp; and rain in the nig ed 
lake, we inied . Brest guide those who | pools, whic relieved the reid of the ani- 
behind. We mals. e€ we encam th 
sandy ain, the Indians had sss huts oF, 
n | cireular enclosures, about four feet high 
lve feet broad, isia bush 
Whether these had houses, oF 
forts or 
shore, | what they had at threo in such a desert 
red, | place. Tain. 
; we could 
sembey 9B 
eather is mild; the 
The w 
taste. | permeate at daylight 38° ; the wind hav- 
made | and 
ing pa ein for several ways 
The country he 
very forbidding 
ance, yretenting to the eye pane. but sage 
We 
