made to the U.S.  Government.  It would be superfluous, therefore, for us to fill up the pages of the life of Kit Carson with matter already published beyond the occurrences appertaining to him.  Having finished the observations upon Tlamath Lake, the expedition started for California.  The route led through a barren and desolate country, rendering game scarce.  As the command drew near to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, they were found to be entirely covered with deep snow throughout the entire range of vision.  At this time the provisions had commenced giving out.  Game was so scarce that it could not be depended on.  The propositions which presented themselves at this crisis were to cross the mountains or take the fearful chance of starving to death.  Crossing the mountains, terrible though the alternative, was the choice of all.  It was better than inactivity and certain death.  On arriving at the mountains the snow was found to be about six feet deep on a level.  The first task was to manufacture snow-shoes for the entire party.  By the aid of these foot appendages, an advance party was sent on to explore the route and to determine how far a path would have to be broken for the animals.  This party reached a spot from whence they could see their way clear and found that the path for the animals would be three leagues in length.  The advance party also saw, in the distance, the green valley of the Sacramento and the coast range of mountains.  Kit Carson was the first man to recognize these, to the snow-bound travelers, desirable localities, although it was now seventeen years since he had last gazed upon them.  The advance party then returned to their friends in the rear and reported their proceedings.  All were delighted on learning that they had one man among them who knew where they were.  The business of making the road was very laborious.  The snow had to be beaten compact with mallets.  It was fifteen days before the party succeeded in reaching, with a few of their animals, a place where the heavy work of the route was ended.  During this time, many of their mules had starved to death, and the few remaining were driven to such an extreme by want of food, that they devoured one another’s tails, the leather on the pack saddles; and, in fact, they would try to eat everything they could get into their mouths.  The sufferings of the men had been as severe as had ever fallen to the lot of any mountaineer present.  Their provisions were all used and they were driven to subsist upon the mules as they died from hunger.  But, commander and all bore these terrible trials in an exemplary manner.