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ourteen large bales and one box。 The stores of the expedition were clothing； working tools； fire…arms； food supplies； powder； ball； lead for bullets； and flints for the guns then in use； the old…fashioned flint…lock rifle and musket being still in vogue in our country； for all of this was at the beginning of the present century。
As the party was to begin their long journey by ascending the Missouri River； their means of travel were provided in three boats。 The largest； a keel…boat； fifty…five feet long and drawing three feet of water； carried a big square sail and twenty…two seats for oarsmen。 On board this craft was a small swivel gun。 The other two boats were of that variety of open craft known as pirogue； a craft shaped like a flat…iron； square…sterned； flat…bottomed； roomy； of light draft； and usually provided with four oars and a square sail which could be used when the wind was aft； and which also served as a tent； or night shelter； on shore。 Two horses； for hunting or other occasional service； were led along the banks of the river。
As we have seen； President Jefferson； whose master mind organized and devised this expedition； had dwelt longingly on the prospect of crossing the continent from the headwaters of the Missouri to the headwaters of the then newly…discovered Columbia。 The route thus explored was more difficult than that which was later travelled by the first emigrants across the continent to California。 That route lies up the Platte River； through what is known as the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains； by Great Salt Lake and down the valley of the Humboldt into California； crossing the Sierra Nevada at any one of several points leading into the valley of the Sacramento。 The route； which was opened by the gold…seekers； was followed by the first railroads built across the continent。 The route that lay so firmly in Jefferson's mind； and which was followed up with incredible hardships by the Lewis and Clark expedition； has since been traversed by two railroads； built after the first transcontinental rails were laid。 If Jefferson had desired to find the shortest and most feasible route across the continent； he would have pointed to the South Pass and Utah basin trails。 But these would have led the explorers into California； then and long afterwards a Spanish possession。 The entire line finally traced over the Great Divide lay within the territory of the United States。
But it must be remembered that while the expedition was being organized； the vast Territory of Louisiana was as yet a French possession。 Before the party were brought together and their supplies collected； the territory passed under the jurisdiction of the United States。 Nevertheless； that jurisdiction was not immediately acknowledged by the officials who； up to that time； had been the representatives of the French and Spanish governments。 Part of the territory was transferred from Spain to France and then from France to the United States。 It was intended that the exploring party should pass the winter of 1803…4 in St。 Louis； then a mere village which had been commonly known as Pain Court。 But the Spanish governor of the province had not been officially told that the country had been transferred to the United States； and； after the Spanish manner； he forbade the passage of the Americans through his jurisdiction。 In those days communication between frontier posts and points lying far to the eastward of the Mississippi was very difficult； it required six weeks to carry the mails between New York； Philadelphia； and Washington to St。 Louis； and this was the reason why a treaty； ratified in July； was not officially heard of in St。 Louis as late as December of that year。 The explorers； shut out of Spanish territory； recrossed the Mississippi and wintered at the mouth of Wood River； just above St。 Louis； on the eastern side of the great river； in United States territory。 As a matter of record； it may be said here that the actual transfer of the lower part of the territorycommonly known as Orleanstook place at New Orleans； December 20； 1803； and the transfer of the upper part was effected at St。 Louis； March 10； 1804； before the Lewis and Clark expedition had started on its long journey to the northwestward。
All over the small area of the United States then existed a deep interest in the proposed explorations of the course and sources of the Missouri River。 The explorers were about to plunge into vast solitudes of which white people knew less than we know now about the North Polar country。 Wild and extravagant stories of what was to be seen in those trackless regions were circulated in the States。 For example； it was said that Lewis and Clark expected to find the mammoth of prehistoric times still living and wandering in the Upper Missouri region； and it was commonly reported that somewhere； a thousand miles or so up the river； was a solid mountain of rock salt； eighty miles long and forty…five miles wide； destitute of vegetation and glittering in the sun！ These； and other tales like these； were said to be believed and doted upon by the great Jefferson himself。 The Federalists； or 〃Feds；〃 as they were called； who hated Jefferson； pretended to believe that he had invented some of these foolish yarns； hoping thereby to make his Louisiana purchase more popular in the Republic。
In his last letter to Captain Lewis； which was to reach the explorers before they started； Jefferson said： 〃The acquisition of the country through which you are to pass has inspired the country generally with a great deal of interest in your enterprise。 The inquiries are perpetual as to your progress。 The Feds alone still treat it as a philosophism； and would rejoice at its failure。 Their bitterness increases with the diminution of their numbers and despair of a resurrection。 I hope you will take care of yourself； and be a living witness of their malice and folly。〃 Indeed； after the explorers were lost sight of in the wilderness which they were to traverse； many people in the States declaimed bitterly against the folly that had sent these unfortunate men to perish miserably in the fathomless depths of the continent。 They no longer treated it 〃as a philosophism；〃 or wild prank； but as a wicked scheme to risk life and property in a search for the mysteries of the unknown and unknowable。
As a striking illustration of this uncertainty of the outcome of the expedition； which exercised even the mind of Jefferson； it may be said that in his instructions to Captain Lewis he said： 〃Our Consuls； Thomas Hewes； at Batavia in Java； William Buchanan in the isles of France and Bourbon； and John Elmslie at the Cape of Good Hope； will be able to supply your necessities by drafts on us。〃 All this seems strange enough to the young reader of the present day； but this was said and done one hundred years ago。
Chapter III
From the Lower to the Upper River
The party finally set sail up the Missouri River on Monday； May 21； 1804； but made only a few miles； owing to head winds。 Four days later they camped near the last white settlement on the Missouri；La Charrette； a little village of seven poor houses。 Here lived Daniel Boone； the famous Kentucky backwoodsman； then nearly