Show f 87 Superintendent of Indian Affairs Smith wrote from "Little Lake of the Bear River Bear Lake July 12 1827" just after 2 on from made return California his the having crossing kept by the explorer furnishes definite information about the ill-fat- ed journey In 1826 Jedediah Smith had become a partner in the This letter plus the journal Rooky Mountain Bur Company The partnership agreements were the Weber The natural probably drawn up at the post on desire to explore and see new territory as well as the desirability of locating n ew beaver streams led the new partner to undertake this new exploration that would lead him to California the first American to make the overland trip to the future Golden State With a party of fifteen men he left Great Salt Lake Post "about 22nd of August" (1826) headed south past Utah Lake and eventually arrived at San Gabriel Mission after having undergone considerable hardships After some delay he turned north through the San Joaquin valley and then headed eastward over the mountains in the direction of Great Salt Lake The Sierra crossing took eight This was an original feat as was his subsequent crossing of the wastes of Nevada and the Salt Desert to Great Salt Lake The desert party consisted of two men besides Smith days in May 1827 2 Quoted October 1923 in California Historical Society Quarterly 234-3- 6 |