. 
ht 
c i la , 70 
* fhwss a strange place, the icy rock and the Hibhestibale of the Rocky - 
mountains, for a Jover of warm sunshine and flowers ; and we pleased our- 
a selves with the idea that he was the first of his species to cross the motintain 
* barrier—a. Slitary pioneer to foretell thé advance of ‘civilization. I believe 
that a moment’s thought wonld have made us let him continue his way un- 
harmed; but we carried out the law of this ‘country, where all animated na- 
ture seems at, war; and, seizing himeimmediately, put him-in at least a fit 
place—in the leaves of a large book, among the flowers, we ollected 
on our way. Thetbarometer stood at 18.293, the attached thert bee at 
44°; giving for the elevation of this summit 13 3570 feet above | ‘the Gulf of © 
Mexico, which may be called the highest flight of the bee. — It is certainly 
the highest known flight of that insect. From the description given by 
- Mackenzie of the mountains where he crossed pon, with that of a French 
Officer still farther to the north, and Colonel Long’s measurements to the 
south, joined to the opinion of the oldést traders of the country, it is pre- 
de, that this is the highest peakof the Rocky mountains. _The day was. 
any and bright, i. a slight shining mist hung over the lower. ss. 
which interfered with our view of the surrounding country. On ones 
‘we ot eee lakes and streams, the spring of the Colas of 
the Gulf of California ; and on the other was the Wind river valley, where ° 
were the heads of the Yellowstone branch.of the Missouri ; far to the north, 
discover the snowy heads ° ‘the Trois Tetons, where were 
s of the Missouri and Columbia rivers; and at the southern ex--- 
tremity of the. ridge, the peaks were plainly visible, among whi ch were 
some of the springs of the Nebraska or Platte river. Around us,the whole 
scene ‘had. one main striking feature, which was that of terrible convulsion. 
Parallel to its length, the ridge was splitinto chasms and fissures; mee etween 
Islan@lake. According to the barometer, the 
we stood was three thousand five hundred ee seventy feet dbove that 
and two thousand seven hundred and eighty above the little Takes at the: 
~ bottom, immediately at our feet. Our camp at the Two Hills (an astro- 
— op bore south 3° east, which, with a bearing afterward ob- 
a fixed position, Ghabled us sy locate. the peak. The bearing 
of the Trois Tetons was north 50° west, and the es we ae ee 
ridge of the Wind river mountains. south ae a + 4 G as. 
most astananeciige Having how made wit observations our ‘mea ans 
mplished. an obje 
tion, and beyond the ee gran ‘ ur inst Tu 
athe loftiest peak of the. Rocky 
a thousand feet below, tu; cleiding 
“which rose the thin lefty walls » terminated with slender minarets s and 
columns, which is correctly reptesented in in-t v fr : 
° 
