whose breadth from east to west is almost twice that of the Mexican
highlands. From the range of mountains which being a little westward
of Fort Laramie, to the farther side of the Wasatch Mountains, the
elevation of the soil is uninterruptedly maintained from 5,000 to
upwards of 7,000 feet above the sea level; nay, this elevated portion
occupies the whole space between the true Rocky Mountains and the
Californian snowy coast range from 34 degrees to 45 degrees north
latitude. This district, which is a kind of broad longitudinal valley,
like that of Lake Titicaca, has been named the _Great Basin_ by Joseph
Walker and Captain Fremont, travelers well acquainted with those
western regions. It is a _terra incognita_ of at least 128,000 English
square miles, almost uninhabited, and full of salt lakes, the largest
of which is 3,940 Parisian (or 4,200 English) feet above the level of
the sea, and is connected with the narrow Lake Utah,** into which the
'Rock River' (_Timpan Ogo_ in the Utah language) pours its copious
stream."

Fremont's third expedition was commenced August 16, 1845, under
instructions to explore the interior of the region known as the Great
Basin, and the maritime ports of Oregon and California. The first
important incident of that expedition was the message of General
Castro, ordering Fremont to leave the Territory. This was in the
month of March, 1846. At the moment, Fremont refused to obey the
order, and proceeded to fortify his camp, where he raised the United
State flag, and remained for about three days. On further
consideration, however, he left his camp and proceeded north towards
Oregon. In the early part of the month of May he was overtaken by a
messenger named Neal, who informed him that Lieutenant Gillespie, an
agent of the Government at Washington, was on his way, charged with
the delivery of letters, and with verbal instructions from the
authorities. Upon receipt of this information, Fremont changed his
course, and on the second day met Gillespie, who brought only a letter
of introduction from the Secretary of State, Mr. Buchanan, with letters
and papers from Senator Benton. From Gillespie he learned that it was
the purpose of the authorities to ascertain the disposition of the
inhabitants of California, to conciliate their feelings in favor of
the United States, and to counteract as far as possible any designs of
the British Government upon that Territory. Fremont made his way to
t