Leonard's Narrative

Book excerpt: In the spring of 1830, Leonard, a native of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, ventured to embark in an expedition across the Rocky Mountains, an expedition which lasted over five years. Written in response to popular demand, so to speak, Leonard's account of these years, based in large part on a minute journal of every incident that occurred, is recognized as one of the fundamental sources on the exploration of the American West. His travels traced the Kansas, Republican, Platte, Sweetwater, Big Horn Yellowstone, Snake, Humboldt, and San Joaquin Rivers, all the way to San Francisco Bay and Monterey. A free trapper until the summer of 1833, when he entered the employ of Captain B.L.E. Bonneville, Leonard was part of the group sent under command of Captain Joseph Walker to explore the Great Salt Lake region - an expedition that resulted in Capt. Joseph Reddeford Walker's discovery of the overland route to California. The Narrative ends in August 1835, with Leonard's return to Independence.