p74]. 72 
— of thé custom of early travellers and explorers i in our-country, 
on this rock of the Far West a symbol of the Christian faith. 
Among the thitkly inscribed names, I made on the hard granite the im- 
pression of a large cross, which I covered with a black preparation of India 
rubber, well calculated to resist the influence of wind and rain. It stands 
‘amidst themames of many who have long since ee their way to the 
_gtave, and for whom the huge rock is a giant gravest 
One George Weymouthewas sent out to Maine ey the Earl of South- 
rig Lord Arundel, and others ; and in the narrative of their diseoveries, 
: “The next day, we ascended in our pinnace secs part of the 
river which lies mee to the westward, carrying ‘with us a cross—a thin 
itted by any Christian traveller—which we rete at the ultimate 
end’of our rowite”’ This was in the year 1605; and in 1842 I obeyed ~ 
feghne of ke travellers, and left the impression of the cross deeply e 
graved vast tock one thousand miles .beyond the sditsissippi, 
to which Bio vas have given the national name of Rock Independence. 
In obedience to my instructions to survey the river Platte, if possible, I 
had determined to make an attempt at this place. The India-rubber boat 
was filled with @ir, placed in the water, and loaded with what was neces- 
sary for our operations; and I embarked» with Mr. Preuss anda party of 
men. When we had dragged our boat foy a mile or two over the sands, I 
abandoned the intiponeiti undertaking, and waited forthe arrival of the 
party, when we packed up our oa and equipage, and at 9 o’clock were 
ain moving along on our ‘land jo journey. We continued along the valley 
on the right bank of the Sweet Water, where the formation, as already de- 
scribed, consists of a grayish micaceous sandstone, and fine-grained con- 
glomerate, and marl. We passed over a ridge which borders or constitutes 
the river hills of the Platte, consisting of huge blocks, sixty or eighty feet 
cube, of decomposing granite. The cement which united them was proba- 
bly of easier decomposition, and has disappeared and left them isolate, Tet 
ye aan ie small spaces. anerivl horns of the mountain goat were 
po dogg Ae here aA along in a ang and srpareni esp 
nd. 1 had directed the land party, in charge of Bernie, to Sprayed to 
this place, where they were to remain, should they. * 
them of our having passed. In the event of ree: this information, 
they were.to continue their route, passing by certain places which had been 
designated. Mr. Preuss accompanied me, and .with us were five of my. 
best men, viz: C. Lambert, Basil Lajeunesse, Honor Ayot, Benoist,and: 
— awe prot no scarcity.of water, and we took on board, 
with various instruz sand baggage, provisions for ten or twelve days. 
wi at et rapidly, for onr little eraft was light asa duck 
‘ hadsbeensome time risen, when we heard before 
= supposed to be that of a fall, of which we had 
hose exact locality no ene had been able to de- 
nagar —_—- which the river passes 
pertbe tc us. We were appro 
