Thursday, December 6, 2012
Daily Dilemma #3
April 7, 1805
“We are now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in
width, on which the foot of civilized man had never trodden. . . I could
but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my
life. The party are in excellent health and sperits, zealously attached to
the enterprise, and anxious to proceed; not a whisper of murmur or
discontent to be heard among them, but all act in unison, and with the
most perfict harmony.”
Meriwether Lewis
Your journey continues. The water is still extremely cold, freezing on the oars. From the report of
hunters, you know the river is crooked and the Yellowstone River is near. The wind is blowing violently,
making your progress difficult. You need to make observations of the Yellowstone River, yet you do
not wish to be detained.
The Hidatsa had advised you and your men if you take the Yellowstone you could paddle your
pirogues all the way to the river’s source in the Rocky Mountains. More importantly, they shared that
the Yellowstone’s source was next to the source of the Missouri. Taking this journey would save you
time.
Recalling President Jefferson’s instructions, “Beginning at the mouth of the Missouri you will take
careful observations of latitude & longitude, at all remarkable points on the river, & especially at the
mouths of rivers, at rapids, at islands, & other places & objects distinguished by such natural marks &
characters of a durable kind,” you also remember that he wanted you take the shortest route to the
Pacific Ocean.
Should you follow the Yellowstone, the shortest route to the Pacific Ocean, (according to the Hidatsa)
or continue upstream on the Missouri River?
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ReplyDeleteCorp 4 agreed to continue upstream on the Missouri river. Maggie said that we still don't know if we could trust the Hidatsas because it could be a trap to kill us and get our things to survive. She also said that we need to get the horses from the Shoshones and we might not be able to if we follow the Yellowstone River. We have doubts such as we are worried that they will kill our men and take their guns and the next ones to die will be us. We won't be able sleep knowing that we have our days numbered. We also have to get the horses so that if we are attacked we can ride away on our horses. We decided to go on the Missouri River because Sid said it was probably the safest way to the Pacific Ocean. Hugo also added that if the river still went to the Pacific Ocean we would have a better chance to get there. I know that which ever way we go we will still make it to the Pacific Ocean.
ReplyDeleteLewis and Clark agreed to go on the Missouri River because they thought that it would be better to have a trading post on the Missouri instead of the Yellowstone. We also think that they trusted their president more than the Indians. If this is so then we had one of the same reasons. We are still a bit stuck because the Hidatsas said that the Yellowstone river was the shortest way to the Pacific Ocean, but we know it is better to trust our president then to trust the Hidatsas, a tribe that we have doubts on. I wish good luck to corp 3 and our corp, corp 4.
First Lexi our Captain thought it might be shorter to the Hidatsa because they might have faster boats or horses than us.So she thought not to go on the Yellowstone River.Cristian thought the same.I thought that we should follow the path that the President gave us.And I thought the same thing my Corp thought.So we all thought to go the on the Missouri River and not the Hidatsa's way. So our decision was to go on the Missouri River.
ReplyDeleteOn April 7, 1805 the Expedition set out in some boats up the Missouri River.The Expedition had reached the mouth of the Yellowstone,but stayed on the Missouri so they made the same decision we made.