On to the Pacific
Travel: Finding the Ocean
Lewis and Clark were blessed with good fortune many times on the expedition. Once when the supply boat almost capsized, Sacagawea acted quickly to save many boxes of equipment that were needed to continue. Lewis was charged by a grizzly bear and survived. They desperately needed the horses to cross the mountains and they found Sacagawea’s tribe, and they were friendly. But in the Rocky Mountains, they were coming to the end of the Missouri River. It took 29 days to unload the boats and carry all the supplies past the Great Falls braving big rocks, mud, millions of mosquitoes, thorny plants, and hail.
The Expedition Continues
The Louisiana Territory ended here but the expedition continued on over the mountains. When they reached the Rocky Mountains, they couldn’t use the boats and loaded all the needed supplies on the horses. The part of the journey going over the Rocky mountains was very difficult. The weather was getting colder. The deep mountain valleys were dangerous. The little group of men suffered many hardships. After reaching the Snake River, they followed it to the Columbia River.
At last, in the middle of November of 1805, Lewis and Clark set eyes on the Pacific Ocean. They were now at the ocean outlet of the Columbia River. They were the first white men to cross our country from coast to coast. They spent the winter on the Pacific coast in a fort they built named Fort Clatsop. It was a hard winter, for they were short of food.
Reflection
Find the Clearwater River, Snake River, and Columbia River on the map. Would you rather walk or float on the expedition? What is the pros and cons of each ways to travel?
