The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-12


with YOU some matter OF the kine-pox; in
form those Of them with whom you may
De OF It's efficacy as preservative
nom the smallpox, and instruct and en-
courage them in the use Of 10. This may be
especially done wherever you winter, az IL
Is impossible 70 foresce 10 what manner you
viii be received by these people. whether
with hospitality or hostility, so Il is impOssi-
BILE 70 prescribe the exact degree Of perse
verAnce with which you are 10 pursue your
journey. We value too much the lives Of
citizens TO offer them 10 probable dcstruc-
ton. Your numbers will b. sufficient TO
secure you against the unauthorized oppo
sltiOn Of individuals or Of small parties; but
II superior force, authorized or not
authorized by q nation, should be ar
rayed against your further passage, and
infiexibly determined 90 arrest 1t, you must
decline its further pursuit and return. In
the loss Of Yourselves we should lose also
the information you will have acquired. BY
returning safely with that you may enable
us 10 renew the ESSAY with better calculated
means. To your own discretion, therefore,
must be left the degree Of danger you may
risk and the point az which YOU should de-
cline, only saying we wish you TO err on the
side Of your safety, and 10 bring back your
party safe, even If it be with less informa-
ton"
The next item Of instructions suggests
the most feasible way Of communicating
with the Government from as far up the
Missouri as settlements Of whites may be
found, OF where traders NAV be fallen In
with. In the absence Of both OF these
eXpedienis. be is 10 engage Indians. II
possible, as bearers OF letters, stipulating
with them for ample compensation for such
service. lie is 10 avail himself Of these
means. % transmit at proper Intervals
copies Of his journal, notes and observations
Of every kind. putting into cypher
whatever might do injury If be-
trgyed.r should he succeed in reach
IN * the Pacific. be is 10 inform him
Sc Il whether OF not the traffic in furs cam
not be diverted from lis present long circuit
tons course, and collected at the head
waters Of the Missouri, so that IT may there
by be conducted through the United states.
UpOn his arrival on the Pacific coast. he is
at once TO find ont vessel OF any nation, and
send two Of his trusty people back by sea
with a copy Of his notes. Should he appre-
bend serious danger 10 the whole party
I'm returning by the route ne
had gone out. he is instruct
ed 10 ship them and return by way Of
Cape Horn or the Cape Of Good Hope. For
furnishing his men with clothes and pro-
visions. he is TO be supplied with open let
tiers Of credit so as TO enable him % draw
/
any Of its official representatives in any
part Of the world. II be shall find 1t safe
10 return bv the way he went out, after
/ sending the two by sea, or even 10 bring
/ back the entire party. he is 10 make such
observations on his return as may supply,
correct or confirm those made on his out
ward journey. On returning to the United
states be is TO discharge such Of this at
tcndants as may desire and deserve IT. pro
Of
ing or funds incurred since their departure.
assuring them that they should be recon-
mended for the grant of a soldiers portion
of land each as suggested in the message
sent 10 Congress by the President lie him.
self is required 10 repair at once with his
papers 20 the seat Of government. The last
item Of instruction is a very important one,
and is in the following words. so provide,
in the accident Of your death, against an
archy, dispersion and the consequent dan
ger 10 your party, and total failure Of the
enterprise. YOU are hereby authorized
by an instrument signed and written
in your own hand, 10 name the person
among them who shall succeed 10 the COM
mand on your dccease, and by like instru-
ments to change the nomination from time
10 time. as further experience Of the char
acteTs accompanying you shall point out
superior fitness. and all the powers and
authorities given 10 Yourself are, IN the
event OF your death. transferred 70 and
vested i'm the successor so named, with
further power to him and his successors, in
like manner 10 name each his successor,
who. i'm the death Of his predecessor, shall
be invested with all the powers and author
tiles given 10 YOURSELF
These extracts from the instructions to
Captain Lewis are given that the reader
may the better Judge of the Importance and
magnitude Of the undertaking before him,
as we'll as the confidence repOsed In his
ability 20 execute it. They illustrate, also.
the wisdom Of the man from whose phlOsO-
phic and fertile intellect they originated.
Il will be observed that nothing
seems 20 have been omitted
that might. by possibility. be needed in ac-
cOmplishing a journey across an unknown
continent, the trials and demands Of which
could not, without absolute certainty, be
fOroseen. No vague theories or hypOtheti-
cal suggestions of what was 10 be
discovered are introduced 10 allure
OF bewilder the mind. No visions
Of eldoradOs as i'm the case Of the
Spanish explorers a century and half be-
fore are here pictured before the gaze Of our
young adventures. 20 excite their cupdi-
Nv or develOpe their selfish and more debas-
ing passions. On the other hand every eff
fort is made 10 impress them with the sOlem-
nifty and dignity of the undertaking. The
precision with which every de-
tail is arranged; the difficult
ties to be anticipated, the policy 10 be OBJ
served i'm certain contingencies together
with the means 20 be adopted. by which the
results of the expedition are TO be ul-
timatelv secured. seem 10 reassure
the success Of the enterprise. We are
as much astOnshed az the accuracy
and amount Of information embodied
i'm these instructions. as with the skill dis
PLAYED I'm showing how il is TO be Practical
liz applied. IT, as a consequence Of all this,
their youthful ard0r should be unduly
aroused. all through the text of this re-
markable document is TO be found the Ian
guage of caution. If on one hand words
of encouragement add 10 hopes ana
give zest 10 purposes already fixed
i'm the minds Of their youth
ful leader, he is at the same time s0lemnly
reminded Of the duties he owes 10 his FOL
lowers; of how their lives are 10 be pro-
tected. and, if need be- rather than risk the
destruction Of his party, how he is TO aban-
don the objects of his expedition, and return
ut once 10 within the bounds OF CIVILIZATION.