History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

32 ADVENT OF TRAPPERS AND TRAVELLERS.
In 1842 Marcus Whitman and A. L. Lovejoy, on
their way from Oregon to the United States, passed
through Utah from Fort Hall, by way of Uintah,
Taos, and Santa Fe. For further information concerning
them, and the object of their journey, I would
refer the reader to my History of Oregon.
In 1843 John C. Fremont followed the emigrant
trail through the south pass, and on the Gth of September
stood upon an elevated peninsula on the east
side of Great Salt Lake, a little north of Weber
River, beside which stream his party had encamped
the previous night. Fremont likens himself to Balboa
discovering the Pacific; but no one else would
think of doing so. He was in no sense a discoverer;
and though he says he was the first to embark on
that inland sea, he is again in error, trappers in skin
boats having performed that feat while the pathfinder
was still studying his arithmetic, as I have before
mentioned. It is certainly a pleasing sight to any
one, coming upon it from either side, from the cover
of rolling mountains or the sands of desert plains, and
under almost any circumstance the heart of the
beholder is stirred within him. A number of large
islands raised their rocky front out of dense sullen
waters whose limit the eye could not reach, while
myriads of wild fowl beat the air, making a noise
" like distant thunder."
Black clouds gathered in the west, and soon were
pouring their floods upon the explorers. Camping
some distance above the mouth on Weber River, they
made a corral for the animals, and threw up a small
fort for their own protection. Provisions being scarce,
seven of the party under Francois Lajeunesse were
sent to Fort Hall, which place they reached with
Feb. 1S77; Shuck's Scrap Book, 1S2-4; Petaluma Crescent, Sept. 10, 1S72
Santa Clara News, Feb. 6, 1SG9; Hayes' Scrap Bools, Cal. Notes, iii. 171
Napa Reporter, March 23, Sept. 21, 1S72; S. F. Bulletin, July 19, 18G0
Shuck'* Rep. Men, 920-1.