This he determined to explore, and it was on this second expedition that Lakes Pyramid and Tahoe, the Truckee River, etc., were discovered.
Later, Fremont made his third western journey, that in which he came into conflict with the Mexican officials of California, became governor of California, and was finally placed under arrest by General Kearny, and taken back to Washington to be tried for mutiny.

The results of that unfortunate Kearny conflict are well known.
At the official close of the dispute he made his fourth expedition and finally his fifth, all of which are fully treated in Smucker's and Bigelow's _Life of Fremont_.
To return now to the second expedition.

In the words of Mr.Smith: The object of the expedition was purely for the purpose of exploring and otherwise getting scientific information about the great territory between the Missouri frontier and the Pacific Ocean.

Emigrants were making their way westward to the new Oregon Territory, and hunters and trappers had been visiting portions of that region.

Farther north the fur companies had their posts and did a regular business with the trappers and Indians.