Report of the exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842, and to Oregon and north California in the years 1843-44 . by mountains that we could not discover an outlet. We had taken withus a glass ; but, though we enjoyed an extended view, the valley was halfhidden in mist, as when we had seen it before. Snow could be distin-guished on the higher parts of the coast mountains ; eastward, as far as theeye could extend, it ranged over a terrible mass of broken snowy moun-tains, fading offblue in the distance. The rock composing the summit con-sists of a very coarse dark volcanic c
Report of the exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842, and to Oregon and north California in the years 1843-44 . by mountains that we could not discover an outlet. We had taken withus a glass ; but, though we enjoyed an extended view, the valley was halfhidden in mist, as when we had seen it before. Snow could be distin-guished on the higher parts of the coast mountains ; eastward, as far as theeye could extend, it ranged over a terrible mass of broken snowy moun-tains, fading offblue in the distance. The rock composing the summit con-sists of a very coarse dark volcanic conglomerate ; the lower parts appearedto be of a slaty structure. The highest trees were a few scattering cedarsand aspens. From the immediate foot of the peak, we were two hours inreaching the summit, and one hour and a quarter in descending. The dayhad been very bright, still, and clear, and spring seems to be advancingrapidly. While the sun is in the sky, the snow melts rapidly, and gushingsprings cover the face of the mountain in all the exposed places ; but theirsurface freezes instantly with the disappearance of the 235 [ 174 ] I obtained to-night some observations ; and the result from these, and oth-ers made during our stay, gives for the latitude 38° 41 57, longitude 120°25 57, and rate of the chronometer February 16/—We had succeeded in getting our animals safely to thefirst grassy hill ; and this morning I started with Jacob on a reconnoitringexpedition beyond the mountain. We travelled along the crests of narrowridges, extending down from the mountain in the direction of the valley,from which the snow was fast melting away. On the open spots was tol-erably good grass; and I judged we should succeed in getting the campdown by way of these. Towards sundown we discovered some icy spotsin a deep hollow ; and, descending the mountain, we encamped on the headwater of a little creek, where at last the water found its way to the Pacific. The night was clear
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