nd look for a camping site. With his telescope, he then ascended
a neighboring mountain to watch the little party of pioneers. In the
event that water and grass should be found, Kit Carson's orders
were to build a fire, the smoke of which would serve as a signal to
Fremont, who would immediately follow up their trail with the whole
command.

For sixty miles, Kit Carson with his little party traveled over this
level, barren and sandy desert, without coming to a drop of water or
a blade of grass. At the end of this distance they reached the
mountains, on the west side of the lake, and found both in abundance.
The signal of smoke was now made, according to agreement. Even at this
long distance Fremont discovered it, and immediately set his party in
motion. Kit Carson sent back one of the men to meet the main body, and
guide it across the dreary waste. Before the party had accomplished
more than half the distance to Kit Carson's advance, night set in,
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,