Report of the exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842, and to Oregon and north California in the years 1843-44 . y moderate current. The adjoining prairies are sandy, but the immediate river bottom is agood soil, which afforded an abundance of soft green grass to our horses,and where I found a variety of interesting plants, which made their ap-pearance for the first time. A rain to-night made it unpleasantly cold:and there was no tree here, to enable us to pitch our single tent, the polesof which had been left at Cache camp. We had, therefore, no shelterexcept what was to
Report of the exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842, and to Oregon and north California in the years 1843-44 . y moderate current. The adjoining prairies are sandy, but the immediate river bottom is agood soil, which afforded an abundance of soft green grass to our horses,and where I found a variety of interesting plants, which made their ap-pearance for the first time. A rain to-night made it unpleasantly cold:and there was no tree here, to enable us to pitch our single tent, the polesof which had been left at Cache camp. We had, therefore, no shelterexcept what was to be found under cover of the absinthe bushes, whichgrew in many thick patches, one or two and sometimes three feethigh. August 1.—The hunters went ahead this morning, as buffalo appearedtolerably abundant, and I was desirous to secure a small stock of pro-visions; and we moved about seven miles up the valley, and encampedone mile below Rock Independence. This is an isolated granite rock,about six hundred and fifty yards long, and forty in height. Except ina depression of the summit, where a little soil supports a scanty growth. 57 [ 174 ] of shrubs, with a solitary dwarf pine, it is entirely bare. Every wherewithin six or eight feet of the ground, where the surface is sufficientlysmooth, and in some places sixty or eighty feet above, the rock is inscribedwith the names of travellers. Many a name famous in the history of thiscountry, and some well known to science, are to be found mixed amongthose of the traders and of travellers for pleasure and curiosity, and of mis-sionaries among the savages. Some of these have been washed away bythe rain, but the greater number are still very legible. The position ofthis rock is in longitude 107° 56, latitude 42° 29 36. We remained atour camp of August 1st until noon of the next day, occupied in dryingmeat. By observation, the longitude of the place is 107° 25 23, latitude42° 2956. August 2.—Five miles above Rock Independence we came
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