Guarded From Stumbling

Journal 2005 11 17
Guarded From Stumbling

The Corps is camped near today’s Fort Canby State Park in Ilwaco. About a mile and a quarter from the Pacific. Plans are made to go by land tomorrow to see the beach. Ten men sign up for the short excursion.

Hunters are sent out, Captain Lewis and a small crew attempt to “scout” the area to determine the likelihood of any traders or explorers in the area. Many of the Indians have been coming to trade with the “white traders” thinking they would find them at the mouth of the river. The Captains “smoke” with some of the Indians but unlike all their previous interactions they keep the Chinooks at arms length in all their interactions. No trust at this point.

In the process Lewis meets Comcomly, Chief of the Chinooks. Many Indians are living in and around the mouth of the river. Some trading is done for roots. Clark notes that the Chinooks are well armed with their “fuses,” a less sophisticated musket than the Harper’s Ferry rifles the men of the Corps carry. Still deadly though.

Six hunters are sent out. They return with two large but lean deer and enough waterfowl to feed the men. York kills ten birds himself. York must have been a skilled marksman and bird hunter. He has been noted many times for the numbers of birds he has killed since the Corps started descending the Columbia.

The winds have shifted coming now from the east. The rains have subsided and the gear is laid out to dry. (Ever been to the ocean beaches? Can’t imagine laying anything out to dry. Seems to me like our cool wet climate along the Northwest coast is always clammy and wet. The gear must have really been wet to benefit from a drying out in this location.)

So our intrepid travelers add another nineteen miles of scouting to the 4,142 already passed in getting here. Already there is discussion regarding where to winter. Some favor upriver by the falls. Others want to be nearer the mouth of the river in the event a trading ship should find its way here.

The Corps has essentially arrived at the target of their aim over this past year. Tomorrow they will fill their desire to clearly walk the shores of the Pacific.

I would think that spirits would be high. Four thousand miles traveled through great hardship. No loss of life. No serious injury. In fact the only problem recorded now is one bad cold attributed to the many cold wet nights pinned up against the rocks by the weather. Truly amazing!

“Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy,” (Jude 1:24) Leading us to a simple question, “Are we trusting God to keep us from stumbling, set us in His presence and His glory, unblemished and filled with joy?” I don’t know about you, but it is sure is easier to say than do, isn’t it? We have just seen a real example of great joy and a keeping from stumbling. I’ll take hope in that.