Thank you for Scouting and Surveying ahead Captain Clark. Come into my tent, put your feet up, have some wine with me and let us swap tales. An outcast Indian snuck into our camp and stole one of our........as before.?... The men are a bit cantankerous about having to port our boats over this tough terrain with just travois's. We need to be prepared, What do you think? Maybe compromise and leave the heavy dugouts? We could hide them here and just keep the 2 larger pirouges disassembled with their steel struts and skins spread out amongst the horses. The Mountains to our West look massive.
Sorry to put a stop on things, but my Sgt Jones tells me Pvt. Reed has gone missing? Most of the men and NCO's said he was foul tempered with treasonous talk. It seems he's a deserter, sad to say. Maybe best to leave him to his fate in these wild lands? Or make another example of him with his treasonous chatter? Aren't we already talking of compromise? I don't want him taking credit for that. What think you Clark? NCO's? Toussaint? A hundred lashes with 50 commuted and 2 lots of 25, if we find him or he us.
While we were pondering about what steps to take, Running Wolfe rode up with Pvt, Reed riding back of him on his horse. Pvt. Reed dismounted and explained that he went out last night to take a leak and became disoriented in the dark. He wandered around lost until daybreak when Running Wolfe found him a mile or so away.
Seems I was wrong about pvt. Reed. My apologies and thank you Chief Running Wolfe for returning our lost soldier. Come dine with us and rest awhile. Your friendship is valued. As a token of our gratitude may I give you this silver compass. The needle always points north, and used by explorers..Science, not magic...... I will speak to Reed later and keep a stern eye on him, for the rumours of his sour nature still abound. He can be my new Batman where I can perhaps mend his weakened soul. We should have brought a Pastor or Priest with us. I will lead us in daily prayers henceforth. Reed will assist me. On another matter, your Corporal Taylor returned today Clark with his 6 men after foraging for firewood and edible roots that Wea taught them to find. They did well but encountered a giant bear over 8' in size. Crpl Taylor held his men and ground getting his men to fire a concerted volley into the monster, and then charging it with Bayonets which eventually killed it. Pvt Ellis took a bad clawing to his arm but our Surgeon say's it'll heal. He's a brave man all say. I'd like to promote your men Taylor and Ellis, to Sergeant and Corporal with your approval Captain Clark. They deserve it I believe. Brave men indeed, and they skinned the monster Bear and took its claws and Teeth. See, it's a monster and Running Wolfe says they abound in the Rocky Mountains in front of us. Let us be throughly prepared with muskets and pistols ever loaded and dry. And pardon my presumption, but I'd like to make two more NCO commissions, Sergeant Guide to Toussaint and Corporal Guide to Sacawayea, whom given their aid, I'm sure our President Jefferson would not object one iota.
Reed will keep my log books as a test of faith. Strangely, he seems very adept with accounts and the like. I oversee all he does and his Arithmetic, Spelling and Reading are excellent but his penmanship is sublime. He even copies and scales Captain Clark's Survey readings with beautifully hand drawn, to a scale, maps. Which begs the question, how did he get lost? Ha ha, maybe he'll tell me one day, but as my batman, he has the rank of corporal and the extra pay. I must be softly mad.
You are the Chief Commander Meriwhether so by all means promote Taylor and Ellis and give them those commissions. Our men ate heartily from the black bear this evening while its fur will also be warm comfort for Wea and Jean on these cold evenings. An enlisted man that possesses all these skills. There is something fishy about him Meriwhether said Clark that evening in their tent over a drop of the finest Scottish whiskey. Keep a wary eye on this fellow my friend....
Looking at those mountains I can not see us hauling two pirouges up them Captain Lewis. So we will leave them here. Our scouts are saying there is a large waterway about 30 miles from us so I say we take 20 men and three row boats and haul them up and down the smaller slopes till we reach water. It is tiring work but if I am to explore the inlets and coves of this waterway then to map it and name it for President Jefferson it must be done.. Captain William Rogers of the famous Rogers Rangers successfully evaded being captured by the French during the US vs French/Indian wars of the 1780s by employing this strategy.......
Agreed William, I will keep an eye on Reed. As long as he serves faithfully I will not pursue his past. Still, what an interesting man. Your Taylor and Ellis are great men, a toast to them! We have a great team and not one death. Let's keep it that way. Toussaint says that giant bear is too big to be a black bear. He calls its type a Grisly Bear and that the Rockies ahead abounds with these monsters. That's a worry. Let us keep our powder dry and our muskets and pistols loaded.
Agreed Capt Clark, lighter is best. Can we add sails to our row boats? Make them from the Pirouges' sails? We have carpenters aplenty, and tailors.
Yes a splendid idea Captain. See to it asap. Very well captain have our men well armed as we may be going grizzly hunting. The next morning the Clarke party of 20 soldiers led by Sgt Jones and which included the mysterious Reed plus two row boats with the pirouge sails laying inside set off for the unknown waterway. Clarke had informed Lewis he expected to be away no more than five days. If we are any longer you may have to send out a search party captain.
Good luck Captain Clark. Keep an eye open for waterways headed into Canada and to the NW passage. I think you should take Wea or Tous with you to act as a translator and guide. I will stay here writing up the log and collecting Flora specimens. Wea has told me which plants are edible or poisonous. I will get the men to build a small log fort for us and future travellers. Reed will do well for you as a Cartographer for your Surveying William. Typical for you to pinch the first literate Batman I've ever had. Joking of course, his role with you is more important than my need of him. Keep your powders dry though and watch out for those Grizzly bears. Wea, Tous, would one of you accompany Captain Clark, and the other to stay here with me to help explore this area? You have a smart wife Tous, but she has a baby to cradle. Young Jean would be safer here as we build this small fort and dwellings within. Warm and safe as can be. Childbirth is still fraught with danger and little Jean, or Pompy, gives the men a healthy distraction to worry about. The men love his presence and we all see it as a positive omen. Let us not belittle that belief that has more power than words.. The men love little Pompy and the guards always keep a close and kind watch over him. We'll have to name something after him. Mt. Jean,... Lake Jean, ...JeansVille,....Jean Road,... I'm easy but Jefferson wants some big geographical edifice named after him. How does 'Jefferson's' Swamp' sound!!? Joking. He's signing the nice cheque for this venture. I talked him into the cost of battlefield commissions too to inspire the troops. He agreed one does catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I guess he meant troops are like that too but I don't wish to appear weak before them.
Tous; I'll go with the scouting party. We will need to move quickly, though. Winter begins soon and winter in these mountains is especially brutal. To be caught here means starvation or freezing to death.
The exploration and mapping of the lake plus its naming of Lake Jefferson went without incident and Clarke's party arrived back at the camp minus the three row boats which we'd pick up later. No doubt the men were pleased they did not have to haul the three heavy boats back to camp. The troublesome Reed had a fever and was looked at by the expedition doctor who ordered three days rest. Fortuitous as the small fort and one hut had not yet been completed. Four days later the fort was built, supplies packed and the expedition prepared to head back to Lake Jefferson and row northwest. Sgt Jones place an American flag atop the fort. You and 20 men will stay here and man the fort until our return. Yes Captain Clark.
Well done Captain Clark. Did Reed draw some good maps for you? Lake Jefferson indeed, he'll like that. Thank you Sgt Toussaint, your role is vital to us, as is your young wife Sacagawea's. She continues to help collecting plant specimens but I would like Reed to make drawings of them before they wilt, along with Wea's comments. Hopefully he can do that slowly from his warm cot. I bet you a dollar he speaks French too. No evidence, just a gut feeling. A test? While you were away we had three French awol bedraggled soldiers turn up here on foot. One Lnt. Francis Monet and 2 NCO's Giant Sgt. Gerard and little Crpl George. They were half starved and begged for our help. We took their weapons off them of course. I could not refuse that request from any fellow human beings. Thankfully Francis speaks English and Shoshone 'Sacagawea' French. I asked her to serve them their meals, care and listen to their conversations. She's our spy now! Francis spoke English to her and she replied in a well acted broken English, with her baby boy Jean whom the giant Gerard bounced on his knee singing lullabys in French. They were always polite and grateful said Wea. Gerard is very gentle with my baby Jean. He has kind eyes. Their desertion from a French Fort is because of the French Revolution of 1799 and Napoleon's rise to power. Recent news from these Froggies is that Napoleon has declared himself an Emperor! The constant guillotining of French nobles also. Francis' father is at risk of losing his head being a Baron. No wonder Lt. Francis fled with his 2 loyal family men. Wea heard all this chatter between them, even while serving meals to them. She even pretended to learn some French language from them. I won't take sides as I don't know our President's lean on this current issue. Anyway, I let them rest up here and have resupplied them. They're still here if you wish to talk to Lt. Francis. Wea can interpret as can Toussaint. I'm happy to write them a letter of passage and commendation, and 3 of our horses? Am I too soft? Wea scared them yesterday speaking to them for the first time in their own language. She told them of her own noble heritage, in perfect French I could tell. I was there and laughed so hard I popped a brass button. Lt. Francis is a gentleman I believe. See what you think. No doubt the French hold on Canada is weakening. Chaos we can take advantage of in our mission dear William. Do you speak French? If you can, ask about what they know of the British ambitions, and water passages to the NW passage, and French Forts? Whatever? Wea and Tous can be there translating, and for a pinch of pepper with Reed as scribe? Just shaking the can. I want a dollar from you William if you're game for the wager?
Wea: Having spoken with the Frenchmen often, I believe they are men of honor. I think we should let them go with us on our journey. When we leave men to occupy Fort Jefferson, we will need extra hands. They are all experienced Mountain Men and I'm sure will be a big help as we go further into the mountains. .