He had now reached the field where his chief labors were to commence.  Without loss of time he set earnestly about his work, making and recording such observations as he deemed to be essential and examining and exploring the country.  Having finished this part of his labors, the ascent of the highest peak of the mountains was commenced.  The length of the journey had jaded the animals.  It was very difficult to procure game.  The men had undergone such severe hardships that their spirits had become almost worn out.  The daily fare now was dried buffalo meat.  This was about the consistency of a pine stick; and, in taste, resembled a piece of dried bark.  Besides these rather uncomfortable prospects, the expedition stood in constant fear of an attack by the Indians.  It was now in the country of the Blackfeet; and, only a short distance from the encampment, at the foot of the mountain, there was one of their forts.  In the face of all these obstacles, sufficiently formidable to have deterred most commanders, the mountain party was detailed, being fourteen in number including Fremont.  A man named Bernier was left in command of the camp which had been made by felling forest trees in a space about forty feet in diameter, using the trunks to form a breastwork.  The camp was thus concealed by the trees and their foliage.  It was well calculated for defence, and a few determined men could have maintained it against almost any Indian force.

On the 12th day of August the mountain party left the camp.  It was fifteen in number.  On the 14th of August some of the party reached an elevation at which the barometer stood 19.401.  On the 15th some of the party were sent back.  Kit Carson had command of this party.  The remainder consisted of Colonel Fremont, Mr. Preuss, Basil Lajeunesse, Clement Lambert, Janesse, and Descoteaux.  The day previous Kit Carson had alone climbed one of the highest peaks of the main ridge from which he had a full view of the highest peak, which rose about eight or ten hundred feet above him.  The arduous labors of the 14th August had determined the commander to ascend no higher.  Instead of carrying out this intention, after Kit Carson with his party had set out, Fremont made one more effort to climb the highest peak and succeeded.  His own words in describing this ascent are as follows: 

“’At intervals, we reached places where a number of springs gushed from the rocks, and about 1,800 feet above the lakes came to the snow line.  From this point our progress was uninterrupted climbing.  Hitherto, I had worn a pair of thick moccasins, with soles of parfleche; but here I put on a light thin pair, which I had brought for the purpose, as now the use of our toes became necessary to a further advance.  I availed myself of a sort of comb of the mountain, which stood against the wall like a buttress, and which the wind and the solar radiation, joined to the steepness of the smooth rock, had kept almost entirely free from snow.  Up this I made