Show CHAPTER X FREMONT AND THE GREAT SALT LAKE Although much of John C Fremont’s time on his western expeditions was spent in mapping trails comparatively well known to mountain men and trappers his numerous explorations did lead him into many unknown and unexplored regions of the West His own native ability and training coupled with evident enthusiasm for his exploring tasks made him an outstanding leader whom his men followed faithfully Of major impor- tance in Fremont’s career was his marriage to Jessie Benton daughter of Missouri’s famous senator Congress’ greatest advocate of western exploration and expansion This union gave Fremont not only the very active support of an extremely ambitious wife but also assured his expeditions very valuable With this support his expeditions went government support into the West well equipped with all necessary instruments and supplies that enabled the "Pathmarker" to make more complete and accurate reports of his operations than earlier expeditions had been able to do Hence although he had been preceded by dozens of explorers trappers and adventurers (with the exception of Irving's publication of The Rocky Mountains in 1837 based on Bonneville’s journals) Fremont’s reports published by the government (1845) were the first to reach the reading public giving much needed valuable |