Show 74 that they penetrated farther south than Bear Lake it is hardly likely says Chittenden that "so large a party would have passed so much time in this vicinity without discovering Great Salt Lake"28 This remains a possibility evidence Since Peter Skene Ogden’s journal for the 1824-2- 5 Snake river expedition has not yet been found details of his activities during that season have remained somewhat obscure Lack of definite information led to a great deal of speculation concerning his actual course of exploration However much light was thrown on the subject when a letter written by Ogden from the headwaters of the Missouri river dated July 10 1825 was located in the Hudson’s Bay Company files by Frederick Merk and published in the Oregon Historical Quarterly June 1934 As already indicated the Snake river 29 Says Ogden: expedition reached Bear river On our reaching this River the 7 Americans who had accomseparated from us panied us from Flat head Fort and we in descending and they in ascending Bear River found it discharged into a large Lake of 100 miles in length May 5 verifies reached the lake at This 1825 what has long been rumored that Ogden relatively early date about May 20 1825 Robert Campbell testified that some Hudson’s Bay trappers came to Cache valley that season and "met the party a American Fur Trade 28 Chittenden 29 Supra p 72 footnote 25 II 782 |