On finishing his purchases, at this post, whose occupants had done
their utmost to supply his wants and make his stay agreeable, the
explorer once more set his command in motion en route for the Columbia
River. He traveled up the Sacramento and passed near the Shasta
Buttes,[19] and thence on to the Tlamath Lake. While encamped on the
head of this collection of water, news came to the party that war had
been declared between the United States and Mexico. This intelligence
had been sent to Fremont through Lieutenant Gillespie, of the United
States marines, who had with him six men as an escort. After traveling
three hundred miles over bad trails at a rapid pace, his animals began
to succumb to fatigue. The lieutenant saw he would fail to accomplish
his ends with the whole party together, therefore he selected two of
his most reliable men, mounted them on his fleetest horses, and sent
them on ahead to bear the dispatches, while he himself would jog on
slowly. The expressmen overhauled the exploring party after several
days of hard travel and handed to Fremont the communications. As
soon as he had read his letters, Fremont made inquiries in regard to
Gillespie, and found that he was in rather a precarious position; for,
should the Tlamath Indians take the notion, they would murder him
and his men just by the way of pastime. Fremont at once determined
to return with all haste and succor Gillespie from the imminent peril
that surrounded him. With this purpose in view, he selected ten picked
men, leaving orders for the rest of the party to follow on his trail,
and set out. He had traveled about sixty miles when he met the officer
he was in search of coming on. The meeting was very gratifying to
both, but especially so to Fremont, who was fully alive to the dangers
through which Gillespie had passed; for, the lieutenant was not
sufficiently aware how black-hearted in their villainy and treachery
this tribe, through whose country he was passing, were, as he had
heretofore never dealt with them. A camp was selected near by, and all