XXX
_THE PRESIDENT TALKS WITH MERIWETHER_
Hours by themselves Jefferson sat talking to Lewis. With face sunny,lit with enthusiasm, he spoke rapidly, even brilliantly, a dreamer, aseer, a prophet, believing in the future of America.
"I have never given it up, Meriwether. Before the peace treaty wassigned, after the Revolution, I was scheming for a westernexploration. We discussed it at Annapolis; I even went so far as towrite to George Rogers Clark on the subject. Then Congress sent me toFrance.
"In France a frequent guest at my table was John Ledyard, ofConnecticut. He had accompanied Captain Cook on his voyage to thePacific Ocean, and now panted for some new enterprise. He hadendeavoured to engage the merchants of Boston in the Northwest furtrade, but the times were too unsettled. 'Why, Mr. Jefferson,' he waswont to say, 'that northwest land belongs to us. I felt I breathed theair of home the day we touched at Nootka Sound. The very Indians arejust like ours. And furs,--that coast is rich in beaver, bear, andotter. Depend upon it,' he used to say, 'untold fortunes lie untouchedat the back of the United States.'"
"I then proposed to him to go by land to Kamtchatka, cross in someRussian vessel to Nootka Sound, fall down into the latitude of theMissouri, and penetrate to and through that to the United States.Ledyard eagerly seized the idea. I obtained him a permit from theEmpress Catherine, and he set out; went to St. Petersburg, crossed theRussian possessions to within two hundred miles of Kamtchatka. Here hewas arrested by order of the Empress, who by this time had changed hermind, and forbidden his proceeding. He was put in a close carriage,and conveyed day and night, without ever stopping, till they reachedPoland; where he was set down and left to himself. The fatigue of thisjourney broke down his constitution, and when he returned to me atParis his bodily strength was much impaired. His mind, however,remained firm and he set out for Egypt to find the sources of theNile, but died suddenly at Cairo. Thus failed the first attempt toexplore the western part of our northern continent.
"Imagine my interest, later, to learn that after reading of CaptainCook's voyages the Boston merchants had taken up Ledyard's idea and in1787 sent two little ships, the 'Columbia Rediviva' and the 'LadyWashington' into the Pacific Ocean.
"Barely was I back and seated in Washington's cabinet as Secretary ofState, before those Boston merchants begged my intercession with theCourt of Spain, for one Don Blas Gonzalez, Governor of Juan Fernandez.Passing near that island, one of the ships was damaged by a storm, herrudder broken, her masts disabled, and herself separated from hercompanion. She put into the island to refit, and at the same time towood and water. Don Blas Gonzalez, after examining her, and findingshe had nothing on board but provisions and charts, and that herdistress was real, permitted her to stay a few days, to refit and takein fresh supplies of wood and water. For this act of commonhospitality, he was immediately deprived of his government, unheard,by superior order, and placed under disgrace. Nor was I ever able toobtain a hearing at the Court of Spain, and the reinstatement of thisbenevolent Governor.
"The little ships went on, however, and on May 11, 1792, CaptainRobert Gray, a tar of the Revolution, discovered the great river ofthe west and named it for his gallant ship, the 'Columbia.'
"In that very year, 1792, not yet having news of this discovery, Iproposed to the American Philosophical Society that we should set onfoot a subscription to engage some competent person to explore thatregion, by ascending the Missouri and crossing the Stony Mountains,and descending the nearest river to the Pacific. The sum of fivethousand dollars was raised for that purpose, and Andre Michaux, aFrench botanist, was engaged as scientist, but when about to start hewas sent by the French minister on political business to Kentucky."
Meriwether Lewis laughed. "I remember. I was then at Charlottesvilleon the recruiting service, and warmly solicited you to obtain for methe appointment to execute that adventure. But Mr. Andre Michauxoffering his services, they were accepted."
Both were silent for a time. Michaux had gone on his journey as far asKentucky, become the confidential agent between Genet and GeorgeRogers Clark for the French expedition, and been recalled by requestof Washington.
"Meriwether," continued the President, "I see now some chance ofaccomplishing that northwest expedition. The act establishing tradingposts among the Indians is about to expire. My plan is to induce theIndians to abandon hunting and become agriculturists. As this maydeprive our traders of a source of profit, I would direct theirattention to the fur trade of the Missouri. In a few weeks I shallmake a confidential communication to Congress requesting anappropriation for the exploration of the northwest. We shall undertakeit as a literary and commercial pursuit."
"And, sir, may I lead that exploration?"
"You certainly shall," answered the President. "How much money do youthink it would take?"
Secretary Lewis spent the next few days in making an estimate.
"Mathematical instruments, arms and accoutrements, camp equipage,medicine and packing, means for transportation, Indian presents,provisions, pay for hunters, guides, interpreters, and contingencies,--twenty-five hundred dollars will cover it all, I think."
Then followed that secret message of January 18, 1803, dictated byJefferson, penned by Lewis, in which the President requested anappropriation of twenty-five hundred dollars, "for the purpose ofextending the external commerce of the United States."
Congress granted the request, and busy days of preparation followed.
The cabinet were in the secret, and the ladies, particularly Mrs.Madison and Mrs. Gallatin, were most interested and sympathetic,providing everything that could possibly be needed in such a perilousjourney, fearing that Lewis might never return from that distant landof savages. The President's daughters, Mrs. Randolph and Mrs. Eppes,were there, handsome, accomplished, delicate women, who rode about insilk pelisses purchasing at the shops the necessaries for"housewives," pins, needles, darning yarn, and the thousand and onelittle items that women always give to soldier boys.
Dolly Madison, in mulberry-coloured satin, a tulle kerchief on herneck and dainty cap on her head, stitched, stitched; and in thestreets, almost impassable for mud, she and Martha, the President'sdaughter, were often mistaken for each other as they went to and froguided by Dolly's cousin, Edward Coles, a youth destined to win renownhimself one day, as the "anti-slavery governor" of Illinois.
In his green knee pants and red waistcoat, long stockings andslippers, the genial President looked in on the busy ladies at theWhite House, but his anxiety was on matters of far more moment thanthe stitchery of the cabinet ladies.
Alexander Mackenzie's journal of his wonderful transcontinentaljourney in 1793 was just out, the book of the day. It thrilledLewis,--he devoured it.
Before starting on his tour Alexander Mackenzie went to London andstudied mathematics and astronomy. "It is my own dream," exclaimedLewis, as the President came upon him with the volumes in hand. "Butthe scientific features, to take observations, to be sure of mybotany, to map longitude--"
"That must come by study," said Jefferson. "I would have you go toPhiladelphia to prosecute your studies in the sciences. I think youhad better go at once to Dr. Barton,--I will write to him to-day."
And again in the letter to Dr. Barton, Meriwether's hand penned theprosecution of his fortune.
"I must ask the favour of you to prepare for him a note of those linesof botany, zoology, or of Indian history which you think most worthyof study or observation. He will be with you in Philadelphia in two orthree weeks and will wait on you and receive thankfully on paper anycommunications you may make to him."
Jefferson had ever been a father to Meriwether Lewis, had himselfwatched and taught him. And Lewis in his soul revered the great man'slearning, as never before he regretted the wasted hours at ParsonMaury's when often he left his books to go hunting on Peter's Mount.But proudly lifting his head from these meditations:
"I am a born woodsman, Mr. Jefferson. You know that."
"Know it!" Jefferson la
ughed. "Does not the fame of your youthfulachievements linger yet around the woods of Monticello? I have notforgotten, Meriwether, that when you were not more than eight yearsold you were accustomed to go out into the forest at night alone inthe depth of winter with your dogs and gun to hunt the raccoon andopossum. Nor have I forgotten when the Cherokees attacked your camp inGeorgia." The young man flushed.
"Your mother has often told it. It was when you were bringing themhome to Albemarle. How old were you then? About eighteen? The Indianswhooped and you put out the fire, the only cool head among them. A boythat could do that can as a man lead a great exploration like this.
"Nor need you fret about your lack of science,--the very study ofLatin you did with Parson Maury fits you to prepare for me thoseIndian vocabularies. I am fortunate to have one so trained. Latingives an insight into the structure of all languages. For years, now,I have been collecting and studying the Indian tongues. Fortune nowpermits you to become my most valued coadjutor."
And so Lewis noted in his book of memorandum, "Vocabularies of Indianlanguages."
"You ought to have a companion, a military man like George RogersClark. I have always wished to bring him forward in Indian affairs; noman better understands the savage."
"But Clark has a brother," quickly spoke Lewis, "a brave fellow,absolutely unflinching in the face of danger. If I could have mychoice, Captain William Clark should be my companion and the sharer ofmy command."
Two years Lewis had been Jefferson's private secretary, when,appointed to this work, he went to Philadelphia to study naturalscience and make astronomical observations for the geography of theroute. This youth, who had inherited a fortune and every inducement toa life of ease, now spent three months in severest toil, under theinstruction of able professors, learning scientific terms andcalculating latitude and longitude.
Early in June he was back at Washington. Already the President hadsecured letters of passport from the British, French, and Spanishministers, for this expedition through foreign territory.
"The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River, and suchprincipal streams of it, as, by its course and communication with thewaters of the Pacific Ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado,or any other river, may offer the most direct and practicablewater-communication across the continent, for the purpose ofcommerce."
Far into the June night Jefferson discussed his instructions, andsigned the historic document.
"I have no doubt you will use every possible exertion to get off, asthe delay of a month now may lose a year in the end."
Lewis felt the pressure; he was packing his instruments, writing tomilitary posts for men to be ready when he came down the river, andhurrying up orders at Harper's Ferry, when a strange and startlingevent occurred, beyond the vision of dreamers.
Book II
_INTO THE WEST_
Book II
_INTO THE WEST_