ure on the complete arrangements
made, an express messenger galloped up and handed Carson a letter.

The contents were of an important character. Captain Fremont had written
to notify Kit that he had started on his third exploring expedition,
and, inasmuch as the mountaineer had given his promise months before,
that in the event of doing so, he (Carson) would serve again as guide,
Fremont reminded him that he should hold him to his pledge and would
expect to meet him at Bent's Fort on his arrival there.

It was a considerable pecuniary sacrifice for Carson to keep his
promise, but he never failed to do so, when it was not absolutely
impossible. Besides, it is fair to presume that the old life could never
lose its charm for one of his disposition, and, contrasted with the
humdrum existence of a farmer, he could not have been much grieved over
the reception of the message. But it must be stated that both Owens and
Carson sold out at much loss, and, putting their affairs in the best
shape possible, bade families and friends goodbye, mounted their horses
and set out for Bent's Fort which was safely reached some days later.

There they were warmly welcomed by Fremont, who had entered upon his
third exploring expedition, the last under the authority of the United
States government, though two others were afterwards undertaken on his
own responsibility. As was to be supposed, Fremont taking lessons from
his previous experiences, was much better equipped for his third than
for either of the other preceding expeditions. He had about fifty men,
among them in addition to Carson and Owens, being Maxwell, the famous
mountaineer, Walker who was a member of Captain Bonneville's expedition
to the Columbia, besides other hunters and scouts less known but not
less skilful and daring than they.

We have already given tolerably full accounts of the two exploring
expeditions of Fremont, and it is not our purpose to narrate the
particulars of the one which followed. There is a sameness in many of
the occurrences but the third time the Pathfinder penetrated into the
recesses of the far west, he became involved in a series of experiences
totally different from the preceding and deeply interesting of
themselves.

Several months were spent on what may be called the Great Divide--that
is the region where the waters flow east or west to either ocean, and
in the autumn of the year they encamped on the southwestern shore of the
Great Salt Lake.