.MTAxOA.Njc0MjY

25 and plenty of game, we remained there some two days killing meat and exploring it. It proved to be about 15 miles long and about five miles in breadth. We then went back to camp, in going to the island we rode over salt from the thickness of a wafer to 12 inches, we reached it horse back. We remained one day on the south side of the lake near the last spot fresh water can be found. Then Fremont sent Maxwell, Archambeau, Lajeunesse and myself to cross the desert, it had never been crossed before by a white man I have often heard old trappers speak of the impossibility of crossing it. They said that water could not be found nor grass for the animals. But Fremont was bound to cross it, nothing was impossible to him to perform that was required for the success of his explorations, before we started it was arranged that at a certain time of the next day he was to ascend the mountain near his camp, with his telescope, so that we could be seen by him and if we found grass or water we should let him know of these facts by a signal of smoke. The smoke was to act as a signal to him to advance also. We travelled on for about 60 miles but found no water nor grass, or even a particle of vegetation, the waste was as level and lean? as a barn floor. We found none of the things we were in search of unclear we struck the mountains on the west side of the lake. There we came upon water and grass in abundance and kindled the signal fire we had agreed on. Fremont saw it, moved on with his party and Archambeau started back to meet him when he was about half way across the desert Fremont had to camp there one night but the next evening at dark he finally accomplished the journey, having only lost a few animals. Then we separated again and Wm Talbot took charge of camp, his guide being a man named Walker, he was