foot had never stood before, felt the exultation of first explorers.
It was about two o'clock when we left the summit; and when we reached
the bottom the sun had already sunk behind the wall, and the day
was drawing to a close. It would have been pleasant to linger here
and on the summit longer; but we hurried away as rapidly as the
ground would permit, for it was an object to regain our party as
soon as possible, not knowing what accident the next hour might
bring forth."

This mountain which bears the name of Fremont's Peak, in honor of
the great Pathfinder, was found to be 13,570 feet above the Gulf
of Mexico.

The object of the expedition was accomplished and preparations were
made for the return to the states. No accident worth the mention
had befallen the explorers, and the Blackfeet, from whom so much
was feared, did not molest them. It may have been that when their
scouts reconnoitred the camp, they found the barricades so strong
and the garrison so watchful that they decided it would be too
costly to make an attack upon them. It is not impossible that some
one or more of them recognized the daring mountaineer who more
than once years before had given their warriors such severe defeat
and punishment. If such was the truth, we cannot but respect the
discretion they showed.

Fort Laramie was reached in the month of September 1842. There as
Kit Carson's labors were ended, he bade his commander and friends
goodbye and started for New Mexico. Fremont and his men reached
the states in safety and thus ended his first exploring expedition.