Westward on the Snake River
Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark faced an extraordinary challenge. They were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to lead a Corps of Discovery from St. Louis, Missouri to the Pacific Ocean. Never mind that no one knew how far it was, nor what might lie in between. Their job was to travel north and westward on the Missouri River to its source, then look for westward flowing rivers that would lead them to the sea.
We can imagine the conditions they encountered. The distance one way was nearly four thousand miles. They began in the spring of 1803, and finally reached the ocean in November 1805. They traveled into the unknown, faces turned into the setting sun. Perhaps the most vivid image etched into their minds, and burned into their weathered faces was that of the sun sinking toward the western horizon.Today as we travel in comfort on the Sea Lion, retracing a part of their route, we look up in wonder at the same sun … stand in awe at the same big sky … that they did. Across nearly two centuries we salute their undaunted courage.
Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark faced an extraordinary challenge. They were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to lead a Corps of Discovery from St. Louis, Missouri to the Pacific Ocean. Never mind that no one knew how far it was, nor what might lie in between. Their job was to travel north and westward on the Missouri River to its source, then look for westward flowing rivers that would lead them to the sea.
We can imagine the conditions they encountered. The distance one way was nearly four thousand miles. They began in the spring of 1803, and finally reached the ocean in November 1805. They traveled into the unknown, faces turned into the setting sun. Perhaps the most vivid image etched into their minds, and burned into their weathered faces was that of the sun sinking toward the western horizon.Today as we travel in comfort on the Sea Lion, retracing a part of their route, we look up in wonder at the same sun … stand in awe at the same big sky … that they did. Across nearly two centuries we salute their undaunted courage.
