Griggs courier., 1897-10-01

NEPORIER.
The Lewis an! Clark Expedi-
tion.
Among the earliest explorers Of
Rocky Mountain fame were Lewis and
Clark who, in 1903, were commissioned
by President Thomas Jefferson to
command an expedition in search of
the Columbia river and to mark its
course. They we're both hardy Vir-
ginians. Clark distinguished himself
as an Indian fighter and was very
presevering in all his undertakings.
Merriwether Lewis had been Pres. Jef-
ferson's private secretary and had SO
won his esteem, because of his intel
lectual capacity and supremacy Of
mind, that he determined to reward
him by appointing him to the COM
mand os this expedition.
Lewis and Clark left st. Louis in
the summer OF 1903. They encamped
for time on the banks of the Missis-
sippi, opposite the mouth of the Mis-
souri,. The company included nine
Kentuckians, who we're used to the In
dians' ways and to frontier life; four
teen soldiers, two Canadian boatmen,
an interpreter, Il hunter and q negro
boatman. Besides this corporal
and guide with nine boatmen were en-
gagged to accompany the expedition as
far as the territory of the Mandans.
The party carried with it the usual
goods to trade with the Indians such
as beads, looking glasses and weap-
ons, also provisions for the sustea-
ance Of life. The greater part of the
expedition embarked in three large
canoes while the hunters and pack
horses travelled along the shore. In
this way they began their ascent of
the Mississippi river and in June
reached the country of the Osages;
later the tribes of Ottawa, and late
in the autumn the hunting grounds of
the Sioux. Here they built cabins and
encamped for the winter among the
Mandans in latitude 27.O -2I north.
They experienced hard time during
that winter as they were unprepared
for the intensely cold climate OF that
latitude and suffered extremely. They
made fresh start in April and Cap
tain Lewis, with three of his compan-
ions, left the rest of the company and
started on foot in search of the friend
ly Shoshone Indians from whom he
expected help in his projected journey
across the mountains. On the twelfth
of August he discovered the Jefferson
River in part of the Rocky Noun
tains and crossing a dividing ridge,
was gladdened by the discovery of a
small rivulet running west. This
proved that "the backbone of the
continent had been passed. The ex-
plorer saw that the little rivulet
danced toward the setting sun-toward
the Pacific Ocean. Lewis now returned
to the rest of the party and the whole
expedition went to the Jefferson
River. Captain Clark then took COM
mand and determined their future
course. The Indians gave their pale
faced friends number of their horses,
and the two daring explores pushed
onward to the vast plains of the west
ern slope. Their journey through the
mountain region had been slow and
painful, owing to the early fall of
snow, but when they reached the great
western plains their condition became
better. The plains presented the
beauty and seeming enchantment of
early autumn which is SO characteristic
ic of that cline. This seemed to give
them fresh courage and they pursued
their course with renewed energy. In
October they reached the Kaskaskia
River. Leaving as many of their
provisions as they could spare with
the Indians, the company embarked in
I