Lewis and Clark The story
The Lewis and Clark expedition across the present day United States began May 14, 1804. With the approval of President Jefferson and the U.S. Congress, Lewis and Clark gathered an exploration party of about four dozen men. These men headed off to discover Western America. On September 1, 1805, they arrived at the Bitterroot Mountains, near present day Idaho. This began a nightmare that would not end until they reached modern-day Weippe. September 1, 1805, the explorers set out traveling west, heading into rough, seldom traveled, mountainous country. They stopped at today's North Fork of the Salmon River, known as Fish Creek to Lewis and Clark, where they caught five fish, and were able to kill a deer (MacGregor 125). Some of the men's feet and horse's hooves were injured due to the rough, rocky terrain. The next day, they were entering mountains far more difficult to pass than any American had ever attempted (Ambros 284). Clark describes the route: "Throu' thickets in which we were obliged to cut a road, over rocky hillsides where horses were in perpetual danger of slipping to their certain distruction and up and down steep hills..." (De Voto 232). Traveling along the steep hills, several horses fell. One was cr
They made camp on the hillside next to Traveler's Rest Creek. They acquired thirteen new Appaloosa Horses, including three colts, for seven worn out horses. Lewis and Clark realized that the men, and they themselves, had reached a breaking point (Ambros 289). The Indian said that it would require five sleeps to reach his tribe (De Voto 237). Both the men and horses were extremely fatigued. After eating what they could, they hung the remainder of it for the main party, which would be along later. They were approaching the limits of physical endurance, the food supply was extremely low, and they were in no hope of finding game. This delayed the explorers from leaving until late that afternoon. They named the creek they found Colt Killed Creek. Here, they were forced to kill a second colt to eat. The hunters, who had been previously sent out, returned having killed nothing. The men never sulked, lashed out, or demanded to retreat.
Common topics in this essay:
Lewis Clark,
De Voto,
Sherman Creek,
Captain Lewis,
Patrick Gass,
Perce Indians,
Toby Indian,
Mountains September,
Rocky Mountains,
Bitterroot Mountains,
de voto,
lewis clark,
main party,
nez perce indians,
perce indians,
nez perce,
captain lewis,
ambros 289,
captain clark,
clark left,
party able,
de voto 237,
september 1 1805,
lewis main party,
saw-toothed bitterroot range,
|
Acceptance Essays
