forcing the whole band to encamp without water, grass, or fuel. The
camp became more necessary because the darkness was so great that they
could not follow the trail in a night march. Early the following day
the march was resumed, and a few hours served once more to reunite
the command. They had the misfortune, however, to lose a few of their
animals. The place which Kit Carson had selected for the camp was, to
the weary travelers, in every respect equal to an oasis on the Great
Sahara. There is no one thing which a traveler on the plains dreads
more than being forced to camp without water and grass.

At this resting-place Colonel Fremont, in order to accomplish as much
as possible, divided his forces into two commands. One of them he gave
into the charge of Mr. Talbot, his assistant, and appointed for his
guide a mountaineer named Walker. To this party Colonel Fremont gave
instructions to shape their course for Mary's River; on striking
which, they were to follow down the stream to where it is lost in the
Great Basin. Colonel Fremont retained with him fifteen men besides his
guide. The route which he pursued lay in the country south of Mary's
River forming a large tract of land, which it was very desirable that
he should explore. After finishing this, he was to join Talbot on the
lake which is formed by the widening of the Carson River. The country
through which Colonel Fremont traveled, he found to be well furnished
with grass, water and wood. It is highly picturesque; but, as
its characteristics are so vividly painted in his reports, it is
superfluous to add our attempt to the same task. Having arrived at the
lake already mentioned, he there awaited the arrival of Talbot. It
was three days before the command was again united. They, however,
remained together only one night. Early the following morning they
separated once more. This time, Talbot's instructions were, to find a
certain pass which would bring him out in the vicinity of the Sierra