The Pacific Ocean

Spring 1806

Dear Mr. Jefferson,

The journey was the Corps at its best. The journey was America at its best.

I felt the sun beating againsted my skin, the hot sand under my feet. I stood and watched waves crash down on the shore. I was speechless at that moment. Thoughts were racing in my mind about how far we've traveled, all they obstacles we've faced, I just couldn't believed what we had accomplished! This journey was a once and a lifetime opportunity and I think I can speak for everyone when I say, we couldn't have been happier about being on it.

We are the Corps. Considering how hard we've all worked just being here felt like a miracle. I felt renewed and stronger than before, I could tell everyone was feeling the same. The Captions were very generous and let us vote on where we wanted to go next, everyone was able to vote. I hope everyone is ready because were coming home.

Signed,

Christina

P.S. For my weekly labors, discoveries... for all my endeavors have brought to this journey, I believe I should be paid the grade of an A.

John's Birthday

March 29th, 1806

Dear Journal,

Yippe! Today was John's birthday! It was for sure much better than his last one.

Today we left Deer Island early, we traveled 14 miles to Sauvie Island ("Wapato Island" to them) north of today's Portland, OR. Here we found the ground covered with wild chives. In three more miles, we stopped to visit a Cathlapotle village. We were welcomed and fed, and then purchased wapato and 12 dogs. After the visit, we traveled on to camp near today's Ridgefield, WA.

Gosh, everyday has felt so long and never ending! Maybe that is just my perspective! Anyways John I hope you had a great day [:

Michael's Birthday

March 24th, 1806

Dear Journal,

It was so funny! This morning when we all woke up Michael was all happy and we didn't know why, but then we realized we forgot about his birthday! He was quit mad at us for awhile, but he got over it quickly. Happy birthday Michael!

Today at dawn, Ordway led 15 people ahead 1.5 miles to get elk meat that Drouillard and the Rield brothers had killed. We all chowed down on fresh meat before setting off at 9:30 A.M. At the Cathlamet village (present Knappa, OR), they buy wapato roots, and a dog to nourish the ailing Willard and Bratton. Going upstream on the Columbia, we traveled a total of 15 miles! That's a pretty successful day!

Today also seemed like a long day! We were extra nice to Michael cause we felt bad about forgetting his birthday. I hope that he had a great day though! Happy birthday Michael [:

Joe's Birthday

February 28th, 1806

Dear Journal,

Guess what today was? Well I'm gonna tell you, it was Joe's birthday! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Joe, happy birthday to you.

Today the jerked elk supply is down to three days' worth, and that is spoiled, so two parties of hunters are set out in different directions: toward Point Adams, and across the Netul River. Drouillard and two others are sent up to the Columbia river to catch (or purchase, if need be) candle fish.

It is really annoying that the elk supply is low right now, that is a pretty bad disadvantage! Hope that the hunters return back soon and safely. Joe, I also hope that you had a wonderful birthday and enjoyed it too [:

Sarah's Birthday

January 21st, 1806

Dear Journal,

There isn't that much that I can write about today for I am to cold to write! It is absolutely freezing outside and I don't like it one bit! On the bright side, today happened to be Sarah's birthday!

This morning the snow was nearly 5 feet deep and 18 inch icicles were hanging from the fort's eaves. Werner and Howard haven't returned with the salt yet, and Lewis mentioned that they are not the best woodsmen, but the area's perpetual cloud cover and thick forest make finding the way difficult even for good woodsmen.

You see what I mean when I say it was super duper cold today! I hope that it will get better by tomorrow! I have to go and try to keep myself warm. Sarah I hope that you enjoyed your birthday regardless of the freezing weather [:

Harrison's Birthday

January 11th, 1806

Dear Journal,

Today seemed like it went by very slowly for some reason. That was good for Harrison though because he got to enjoy his birthday!

Today the Cathlamets leave to go to the Clatsops and trade wapato for blubber that the Clatsops bought from the Tillamooks with beads obtained from whites. This, Lewis pointed out, was how traded goods from the coast get distributed well up the Columbia River. Someone who came in last night didn't tie up the Indian canoe, their lightest, and it's gone down the Netul with the tide. Some men got sent out to search for it.

Nothing really that interesting happened today except for that we have lost a canoe and we really hope that the people who got sent out find it! I'm afraid I have to go, for everyone's calling me to come to dinner! We have to go and sing to Harrison, hope he had a great birthday [:

Camelicious's Birthday

January 2nd, 1806

Dear Journal,

Guess what! I don't think I have mentioned it yet but we happen to be in a new year, 1806! Our trip has gone by so quickly and it is slowly coming to an end which disappoints me. Anyways, today was also a very special day for a very special boy named Cam.... it wash is birthday!

Today the three hunters who've been out for a full week now haven't returned, nor have Willard and Weiser, who went to help set up Salt Camp (at the site of today's Seaside, OR). Drouillard makes a survey of his traps, and brings in an otter! 

Sounds like a interesting day! We all kinda just rested today and Cam was so lucky it was his birthday since he didn't have to do anything! That lucky boy! Happy birthday Cam once again, hope you had a great one for this may be your last birthday on our adventure :]

Sophie's Birthday

November 26th, 1805

Dear Journal,

Good day today. It also happened to be Sophie's birthday! 

Today the we all crossed Columbia to the future Oregon side, passing through the Seal Islands that are now protected in Lewis & Clark National Wildlife Refuge. They arrive at a Cathlamet Indian village where today's Knappa is. With fishhooks, they're able to buy some wapato roots.

Seemed like a nice and pleasant day wouldn't you say? I know we all thought so! I wish I had more time to write but it's getting late and I gotta get some good night sleep! Once again, happy birthday Sophie hope you had a great one [:

Heather's Birthday

October 11th 1805

Dear Journal,

It was a calm and nice day, perfect for Heather's birthday. Heather definitely had a great day today, we all could tell. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Heather, happy birthday to you!

We woke up around 7 and it was sunny with a few clouds in view. Today we traveled 30 miles downstream, stopping to trade for some dogs and dried fish. The Nez Perce chiefs traveling along explain that many people of the nations in this area are out on the plains hunting pronghorns at this time of year. Some 200' up steep hills from the river is level, fertile land, but no trees grow along the Snake.

We made good progress today and had successful trades! It was a fun day to being with all of your friends just having a good time! Once again happy birthday Heather, hope you had a great one [:

Morgan's Birthday

August 30th 1805

Dear Journal,

It's late August now, almost September. The trip continues going well, nothing new really. Today was a nice day I thought. Oh and did I mention that today is Morgan's birthday! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Morgan, happy birthday to you!

It was a fine morning, before setting out this morning we killed three deer. We then left with a herd of 29 horses, we can get no more from the Shoshones, who take off for bison country while we follow Toby in the opposite direction, turning north onto today's Lemhi River. We traveled a total of 12 miles today, not as much as usual.

Today seemed more calmer than usual, we weren't in a total rush and it was a easy day! Lucky for Morgan it was her birthday cause it was probably a very relaxing day for her! Hope that you had a great birthday Morgan, sure seemed like you did [:

Chris's Birthday

June 24th 1805

Dear Journal,

I have yet another birthday to announce and that is Chris Platt's! It was an exhausting day today, but Chris had the most energy of us all because Chris is always loud and wide awake! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Chris, happy birthday to you!

We were all exhausted and sweat-soaked when we arrived at Upper Camp in the evening with two canoes. Gass and Shields are having trouble finding straight sticks 4.5 feet long for the iron boat. At Lower Camp, Clark has the last canoe pulled from the water to be emptied and dried. We set off on the portage route with its cargo on their backs and on one of the carts.

Gosh, work work work, thats all we have been doing these past couple of days and it has been really hard! We had fun today though cause we wanted to make sure Chris didn't have a lousy birthday, which he didn't! Once again happy birthday Chris, hope you had a good one [:

Sam's Birthday

June 13th 1805

Dear Journal,

Today felt like a long day! We had to wake up early which wasn't to fun, but the only person who was happy to wake up was Sam because today was his birthday!! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Sam, happy birthday to you!

 Today was a challenging day! Clark's party moved 13 miles, with Sacagawea remaining very sick. Lewis walked ahead while his men were hunter and he heard the would of waterfalls, and reaches a 200'-high cascade at noon. Here are the Great falls of the Missouri River! The river's edges are sheer bluffs deeply cut by ravines, which meant we could not tow the boats over the falls, but will have to carry everything for miles across the prairie. Just out luck and trust me it wasn't to fun doing this!

What a day I'm glad all of that hard work is over! I hope Sam enjoyed it even though it wasn't such a good day! It's getting late and I have no more energy to write anymore so once again happy birthday Sam [:

Christina's Birthday

May 28th 1805

Dear Journal,

It's now been a year since we've been on our journey. Seems like a long time but it has been fun. Today I had my second birthday since we've been on our trip and it was a good birthday to! Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear me, happy birthday to me!

This morning we set out at an early hour, the weather dark and cloudy with a few drops of rain.  We proceeded on through the desert country until about 4 o'clock P. M. when we came to a more pleasant part. We had a pretty good day overall day. Traveled twenty-one miles and encamped on the North side. While we were traveling we saw a nice looking bear but we didn't have time to kill it which was unfortunate because it would have been a good dinner!

Like I said it was a pretty good day, we did a lot of traveling and made good progress. I am having a lot of time being with my friends and we've all been working so hard! My birthday was good too just like my last one [:

Curtis's Birthday

April 3rd 1805

Dear Journal,

It's been a long journey, we've almost been gone for one year. Today though was Curtis's birthday! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Curtis, happy birthday to you! 

We shall be packing up and getting ready to set out tomorrow. At 4:00 pm we had completed every arrangement necessary for our departure, we dismissed the barge and crew, with orders to return without loss of time to St. Louis. A small canoe with two French hunters accompanied the barge. These men had ascended the Missouri with us the last year as engagés. The barge crew consisted of six soldiers and two Frenchmen. Two Frenchmen and an Arikara Indian also take their passage in her as far as the Arikara villages, at which place we expect Mr. Tabeau to embark, with his peltry, who, in that case, will make an addition of two, perhaps four, men to the crew of the barge.

We got a lot accomplished today, and it was hard work! We let Curtis do all of the easy work because we wanted him to have a nice and relaxing day on his birthday [:

Morgan's Birhthday

Hi everyone,

For Morgan's birthday she wasn't with us on the trip so that is why I don't have a blog about it, but when its time for her next birthday I'll have one up [: