1st.--I rose this morning long before daylight, and heard with a feeling of pleasure the tinkling of cow-bells at the settlements on the opposite side of the Missouri. Early in the day we reached Mr. Sarpy's residence; and, in the security and comfort of his hospitable mansion, felt the pleasure of being within the pale of civilization. We found our boat on the stocks; a few days sufficed to complete her; and, in the afternoon of the 4th, we embarked on the Missouri. All our equipage--horses, carts, and the _materiel_ of the camp--had been sold at public auction at Bellevue. The strength of my party enabled me to man the boat with ten oars, relieved every hour; and we descended rapidly. Early on the morning of the 10th, we halted to make some astronomical observations at the mouth of the Kansas, exactly four months since we had left the trading-post of Mr. Cyprian Chouteau, on the same river, ten miles above. On our descent to this place, we had employed ourselves in surveying and sketching the Missouri, making astronomical observations regularly at night and at mid-day, whenever the weather permitted. These operations on the river were continued until our arrival at the city of St. Louis, Missouri, on the 17th. At St. Louis, the sale of our remaining effects was made; and, leaving that city by steamboat on the 18th, I had the honor to report to you at the city of Washington on the 29th of October.
Very respectfully, sir, Your obedient servant, J. C. FREMONT, _2d Lieutenant Corps of Topographical Engineers._
_The Longitudes given in the subjoined Table are referred to the meridian of Greenwich._
For the determination of astronomical positions, we were provided with the following instruments:
One telescope, magnifying power 120. One circle, by Gambey, Paris. One sextant, by Gambey, Paris. One sextant, by Troughton. One box chronometer, No.7,810, by French. One Brockbank pocket chronometer. One small watch with a light chronometer balance, No. 4,632, by Arnold and Dent.
The rate of the chronometer, 7,810, is exhibited in the following statement:
"NEW YORK, May 5, 1842 "Chronometer No. 7,810, by French, is this day at noon-- "_Slow_ of Greenwich mean time, 11' 4" "_Fast_ of New York mean time, 4_h._ 45' 1" "Loses per day 2".7 "ARTHUR STEWART, 74 Merchants' Exchange."