34 GEOGRAPHY OF OREGON. 



These communications are effected entirely by land; for, although the 

 unoccupied territories of the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains, 

 are traversed by the Missouri, and its great tributaries the Yellow Stone, 

 the Platte, the Kanzas, and the Osage, and further south, by the Arkan- 

 sas and Red rivers emptying into the Mississippi, these streams afford 

 few facilities, either for travel, or for the transportation of goods. The 

 Missouri river is useful for communication with Oregon, no farther up 

 than the mouth of the Platte ; and the latter river, though its position and 

 course are precisely such as could be desired, is so shallow, and presents 

 so many impediments to navigation, that the lightest boat cannot ascend, 

 or descend it, without much difficulty, even when its waters are highest. 

 To what distance the Arkansas and Red rivers may be ascended by 

 boats, is not yet determined ; but, it is probable, that the head of naviga- 

 tion, of the Arkansas, is nearer to the best passes in the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, than the mouths of the Kanzas, or the Platte. 



The town of Independence, in the State of Missouri, near the conflu- 

 ence of the Kanzas with the Missouri, is now the usual place of departure, 

 and arrival, to and from Oregon, and New Mexico. The route to Ore- 

 gon, extends along the Kanzas and its northern branch, called the Re- 

 publican Fork, towards the Platte ; then along the main Platte and its 

 northern branch, to Fort Laramie, a private fur-trading post, situated at 

 the junction of the north branch, with a small stream from the south, 

 called Laramie's Fork, seven hundred and fifty miles from Independence. 



From this place, the road, or trail, continues along the Platte, and 

 through the Black Hills, an irregular range skirting the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, to the south pass in the latter chain, where lie the sources of the 

 Platte, distant two hundred and fifty miles from Fort Laramie. A march 

 of a few hours through this pass, brings the traveller to the Sandy River, 

 a branch of the Green, or Sidskadee River, the main stream of the Colo- 

 rado : crossing the Green River, and ascending one of its western tribu- 

 taries called Ham's Fork, he thence passes over a small ridge to the Bear 

 River, the principal feeder of the Utah Salt Lake ; this he follows, north- 

 westward, to the Soda or Beer Springs, and thence, crossing another 

 ridge, he reaches the valley of the Portneuf, down which, he makes his 

 way to Fort Hall, a trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company, at the 

 confluence of the Lewis with the Portneuf, two hundred and fifty miles 

 from the South Pass, and one thousand two hundred and fifty miles from 

 Independence. 



Another route from Independence to the Colorado, has been surveyed 

 in 1844, by Lieutenant Fremont during his long and laborious expedition, 

 through Oregon and California, of which a Report will soon be published. 

 From the manner in which this accomplished officer conducted his sur- 

 vey of the valley of the Platte, there is every reason to expect that he will 

 throw much light on the geography of those countries, particularly of the 

 region between the Utah Lake, and the Bay of San Francisco. 



The route to Fort Hall, presents comparatively few difficulties, and is 

 traversed, every summer, by hundreds of wagons. The remainder of the 

 journey is attended with many inconveniences ; some, arising from the na- 

 ture of the ground, which may, however, be lessened or removed, by the 

 application of labor, at certain points; and others, from the want of 

 water and food, for cattle. Travellers, with wagons, generally follow the 

 Lewis, from Fort Hall, down to the vicinity of the entrance of the river 



